Steve asked quietly, "Why is he on a ventilator?"
The Nurse replied, "He can breathe on his own but the vent makes it easier for him. With his elevated heart rate it's important that we do everything we can to get oxygen to his blood and the respirator will help with that"

"Okay good"
The two moved to the bedside and as Erin checked his vitals Steve looked down at his fallen friend. While giving a reassuring squeeze to Danny's shoulder, he placed his other hand lovingly on his forehead, "I'm here Danno. You're doing great buddy and you just need to rest... I'm not going anywhere. Chin and Kono are right outside and they'll be in to see you in a minute but the Doc says only one of us can stay, so it looks like you're going to be stuck with me partner. Rachel sends her love and she's going to bring Gracie up to see you later today, so you rest and I'll be right here...I'm right here"

After a few minutes Steve left the bedside and walking outside the room he struggled to keep his emotions under control. Looking at Chin, he said "Go on in brother, he's waiting for you"
Chin squeezed Steve's arm as he walked past him and entered the room, and then standing at the bedside he closed his eyes and prayed silently for his beloved friend. Taking Danny's right hand in his he was alarmed at how cold he was and in the bright lights of the hospital he looked deathly pale. He was wrapped fully in warming blankets with only his head and hands being visible. Chin watched the heart monitor, having enough knowledge to know that Danny's heart was still beating too fast and working too hard...Squeezing Danny's cold fingers he spoke softly, "Hey brah, I'm here for you, we're all here and we love you"

He stayed at Danny's side for several minutes before heading out and as Kono moved into the room, Steve asked "Are you okay Chin?"

Chin shook his head and his voice shook with emotion, "It's hard seeing him like this...he's so still and so cold"
"I know buddy, but he's fighting and remember what the Doc says, we have to stay positive"
They looked into the room through the doorway as Kono leaned over and kissed Danny's cheek. She then placed her forehead against his and her shoulders heaved as she wept.

As Chin started to move into the room, Steve stopped him "Let me go to her Chin"
As he neared the bed, Nurse Erin grinned at him and he overheard Kono as she spoke through her tears, "Danny you have to fight...Gracie needs you...I need you" She chuckled softly as she added, "I can't handle Superman alone you know..."

Steve placed a hand on her shoulder, "Come on Kono"
She sniffled and kissing Danny's cheek again she said, "I love you Danny"
She then stood and burying her face into Steve's shoulder he led her from the room.
The three friends moved a few feet down the hallway and Steve held Kono in his arms until she calmed down, "Sshhhh, it's okay Kono. He's going to be alright, ssshhhhhhh"

Eventually she pulled back from his grasp and wiping her eyes she said, "I'm sorry"
Steve placed his hand on her chin and pulling her face up he said softly, "Kono, look at me. I told you this wasn't going to be easy and we're all scared...but don't ever be sorry about loving him"
Smiling softly she said, "Take care of him boss"
Kissing her forehead he replied, "I will. I'll call you soon, go get some sleep now"

Steve watched as his team walked down the hall and he wiped a tear that had slipped from his eye. He was so unbelievably lucky to have those two amazing people in his life. Two years ago he was at a breaking point when they, along with Danny and sweet little Gracie came into his life and gave him a re-newed meaning, a purpose to love and a purpose to live. He was not willing to lose that. Danny was not going to die, not if he could help it. As Chin and Kono rounded the corner, he moved back into the room to his partner's side.

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Danny mind had taken him back to his childhood, back to Mrs. Cornell's third grade classroom and to Jason DeMaris.

Mrs. Cornell had pulled me aside that morning and told me that a new student would be joining our class that day. She told me that Jason was very shy and she asked me if I would show him around the school and 'make him feel comfortable' I knew what that meant, she wanted me to be his 'buddy' and I wasn't very happy about it. My best friends, Joey Martinelli and Alex Stewart were both in my class that year and we were having a blast. We were the Three Musketeers and now Mrs. Cornell was trying to 'force' Jason on us! No siree I was NOT happy about it.

For the first three days we were horrible to Jason, we shunned him and laughed at him...we were really little shits and finally it became too much for the poor guy. That third day was a Friday and when we were walking home from school the teasing got way out of control but by the time I realized it, it was too late. Jason had broken down into tears and as Joey mocked him and called him a wimp and a baby he had turned to run home and he had tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and fallen down. That caused Joey to laugh even louder and as Jason had looked back at us I saw a look of pain in his eyes that I had never seen before. I held out my hand to help Jason up but he wouldn't take it and he scurried to his feet and raced home. I turned and called Joey an asshole and he lunged at me. We had thrown wild punches at each other and fought as only eight year olds can with Alex trying to pull us apart.

When I had shown up at home Matty had come running outside so excited to see me because I had promised to play with him and our Tonka Trucks in the sandbox after school. He was only four years old and when he saw me he had turned around and raced back into the house calling for Mom. I'll never forget the look on my Mother's face as she met me at the door. My new Jets jersey was torn and while that's what upset me, it was my black eye and split lip that upset Mom.

After she cleaned me up and I told her what had happened, we had picked up Alex, who lived across the street and then she had taken us directly to Joey's where we patched things up and then all three of us walked over to Jason's to apologize. We camped out in my backyard that night and from that day forward, the Three Musketeers became FOUR!

God I love those boys, we're brothers and we always will be.
Joey is married now and the Father of four boys of his own! He teaches High School Science now back home in Jersey and damn I miss that hot-headed Italian!

Alex, sweet lovable Alex...over the years he was always the glue that held us together, the peacemaker. He's a carpenter now and he's getting married in four months. Joey and I are going to be Groomsmen and Gracie is a Junior Bridesmaid. I can't wait to see my boys again...it's been far too long.

And then there was Jason...he was the reason I became a Cop.
It happened when we were twelve. We had spent the day shagging fly balls at the High School baseball fields and then we rode our bikes home. We rode by Joey's place first and then as Alex and I had peddled into our driveways Jason had called out, 'See you in the mornin' losers!'...but we never saw him again.

I'll never forget when the police showed up at my house later that night to tell us that Jason has missing, that he had never made it home...they didn't find his body for four days. He had been sexually assaulted and then stabbed to death.

I remember standing with Joey and Alex at Jason's casket, the last time we were four...we again were the Three Musketeers, but we were forever connected by Jason. My Grandfather had died a couple of years earlier so I had seen a dead body before, but seeing my buddy...a twelve year old boy was much different and much more difficult to deal with.

I remember so vividly how Officers Phillip Berger and Ray Levine had worked tirelessly in searching for Jason's killer, never giving up. It took almost two years but they captured the killer and he went on trial and was convicted. I'll never forget how grateful Jason's parents were to those Officers, and the sense of closure and relief that those men provided for everyone affected by this horrific crime was truly life-changing. It was then, at fourteen years old that I knew I would be a cop. I wanted to make the bad guys pay but more importantly, I wanted to bring peace and closure to victims and their loved ones...I wanted to change lives.

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Steve sat holding Danny's hand as he carefully watched the machines that monitored his partner's heart rate and body temperature. Even though he knew that the ventilator was only aiding Danny, the whooshing sound it made always terrified him because it represented the frailty of the human body.

He stroked Danny's hand, carefully avoiding the multiple tubes that delivered the beta and channel blockers, antibiotics, ringers lactate and life saving blood into his body. The ashen pallor of his skin combined with the bluish tinge to his fingers and lips was very alarming to the SEAL.

Nurse Erin had remained in the room and Steve asked her, "When do you think he'll start coming around?"
"In the next two to three hours but he'll be in quite a bit of pain over the next few days so we've got him hooked up to an IV drip Commander"
"Please call me Steve"
"Okay Steve, again I'm Erin"
"He's such an amazing man..."
Noting the shakiness in the man's voice she replied, "I can see how much he's loved and I can't wait to meet him"
Steve wiped a tear from his eye as he said softly, "You will...you will Erin"

Turning his eyes back to his partner Steve said, "I'm here Danno"

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'I hear you Superman...God I'm so damn cold and tired... why am I so fucking tired Steve?
My chest hurts babe, oh God it hurts to breathe.

Jason? Jason? Is that you?
Where are you going? Jason stop please...wait for me...'

Steve jumped in horror as the machines started blaring wildly and Danny's body began to jerk on the bed. As Erin raced from the room to get help, Steve screamed "DANNY, GOD NO DANNY"

****** So? Any new thoughts? - I am so pumped by all your reviews. I'm on vacation and all I want to do is write! Thank you and please keep them coming! ******