Danny paced up and down in front of the room where they'd taken Steve McGarrett. He glanced at the clock over the ER desk several times, but time seemed to be dragging as he waited for word on his partner. David O'Brien had given him the bottle of pills and he handed them to the nurse who'd exited the examination room.
Danny had caught sight of Steve's pale face and the tinge of blue around his lips and couldn't understand what had happened. He blamed himself for not staying with Steve, yet he also understood it wasn't his fault. He had a job to do and couldn't let personal matters cloud his judgement.
"Here, Danny," O'Brien held out a cup of black coffee and waited for Williams to take it.
"Thanks, David," Williams said.
"You're welcome," O'Brien said and leaned against the wall next to the desk. "Danny, I know you're worried about, Steve, but we still have a job to do."
"Don't you think I know that, David?" Williams spat.
"If you want I can go see McMillan..."
"Danny, what's happening? How's Steve?" Chin asked upon entering the ER with Kono close behind him.
"I don't know. Keanna and Dr. Hong are in there with him now. He's having trouble breathing," Williams answered.
"Why? What caused it?" Kono asked worriedly.
"I don't know, but you can bet I'm going to find out!" the Jersey native vowed and resumed his pacing, unaware that Chin was watching O'Brien closely.
"Danny, do you want me to go speak with McMillan?" O'Brien asked.
"I...yes, just go easy on him..."
"It might be better if I go, Danny," Kono suggested. "Mr. McMillan knows me and trusts me. I'd also like to show him the pictures Wallace gave us."
"What pictures?" Williams asked.
"Wallace not only works as a bellhop at The Outrigger he is a freelance photographer and took pictures of the McMillans and Vinh Nguyen," Chin answered. "There are a couple that show a man who resembles the man the Coopers described and we're hoping it might job McMillan's memory."
"Danny, I could go with her..."
"That's okay, David, Kono and I have it covered. Danny, we'll be back as soon as we're finished with McMillan. Call if you find out anything."
"I will, Chin, thanks," Williams said and turned to look at his friend.
"How long did it take, Danny?"
"How long did what take?" Williams asked and again glanced at the clock as a nurse hurried into McGarrett's examination room while another rushed out with several vials he knew contained blood samples.
"How long did it take for them to accept you...or are they just putting up with you for the sake of the team?"
"What the hell are you talking about, David?"
"I've seen the looks they give you when you're not looking, Danny," O'Brien said. "You're an outsider to them and always will be."
"A few months ago I would have agreed with you, David, but not now. You'll find out what it means to be accepted and respected for the job you do," Williams told him.
"Will I, Danny? Or will I just be fooling myself like you do?"
"I'm not fooling myself...what makes you think I'm not accepted here?"
"It's just a feeling...guess I'm mistaken."
"Yes, you are," Williams said and looked up as Keanna Wahine hurried toward him. "How is he?"
"He's having respiratory problems, Danny, and we don't know what's causing them. We've sent blood samples to the lab and we're sending him for X-Rays and a CAT scan. We've intubated him and he's on a ventilator..."
"Sonofabitch," Williams snapped and ran his fingers through his hair as he paced in front of the desk. "How the hell did this happen?"
"I don't know, Danny..."
"I do and that bastard won't get way with it," Williams' anger shone in his eyes.
"You know who did this to him, Danny? If you do then find out what the hell is causing this," Wahine ordered.
"I'll beat it out of him if I have to!" Williams said.
"Who do you think it was?" O'Brien asked.
"Jacobs! Who else is stupid enough to do something like this. Keanna, can you tell if his breathing problems are because of the injuries he got from that fight with Jacobs?" William asked.
"No, Danny, the problem isn't with his ribs, although hey probably exacerbate the problem. We'll know more once we've got the test results," Wahine told him.
"Can I see him, Keanna?"
"Just for a minute, but he's unconscious, Danny, and we want to get these tests done ASAP," Wahine told him.
"David, call HPD and have them issue an APB for Chris Jacobs," Williams said and followed the woman into McGarrett's examination room. He thought he was prepared for what he'd see, but staggered when he looked at his partner, his friend. He stepped up to the bed where monitoring equipment clicked and beeped out a rhythm tat told him McGarrett was still with them.
"Danny, you have one minute," Wahine said and moved to speak with Hong.
"Jesus, Steve, you can be a stubborn bastard you know that," Williams said and leaned heavily on the bed rail as a nurse checked the IV leading into McGarrett's left arm. Surprised when he looked at his friend's face and found the eyes open and staring at him with a hint of panic. "It's okay, Steve, you're in the hospital, but you're not alone. Keanna and Dr. Hong are going to find out what happened and I'm going to get the sonofabitch who did this to you. That's my job...your job is to let them help you get better, because I don't want to have to explain to Grace why her Uncle Steve isn't taking her swimming or building those outlandish sandcastles anymore."
Steve hated the feeling of the tube down his throat, but what was worse was seeing the fear in Williams' eyes as he spoke. There was no way he could let the other man know he appreciated his being there and was grateful for his words. The fact that Danny was talking fast and using his hands told, Steve just how worried the man was.
"I know you're probably scared as hel right now...and I don't blame you one bit, but you should know this, Steve, I'll find the bastard who did this and I'll make sure he knows just how it feels to have something rammed down his throat..."
"Danny, it's time for you to leave," Wahine told him.
"I'll be right outside, Steve," Williams assured him, relieved when McGarrett lifted his right hand in a weak salute.
"All right, Steve, why don't we get these tests done and get you settled in a comfortable bed in ICU," Wahine told him, and smiled in spite of the fear she felt at seeing how pale and weak this strong man now seemed.
Steve nodded and closed his eyes, but sleep was not in the cards as pain raced along jagged nerve endings and he felt the familiar fear as his body arched upward on the bed and he heard panicked voices as hands reached out for him but the darkness swept him away on it's ebony tide.
5050505050
David O'Brien knew he had to warn Jacobs before making the call to HPD. No matter what happened, he could not let Jacobs be arrested, because the idiot would give him away at the slightest sign of a raised voice. He hit he speed dial and waited for the man to answer, cursing when it went to an answering service. "Chris, it's me...Williams wants an APB put out on you because of the fight you had with McGarrett. We need to find a way to keep you out of the line of fire until you can get to the bastard. I want you take the road leading north out of the city and wait for me at the rest stop near the old warehouse. Make damn sure you go straight there or you're of no use to me!"
"David, did you call in the APB?" Williams asked.
"I was just about to," O'Brien answered. "How's McGarrett?"
"Not good," Williams answered, watching as the gurney and added equipment was wheeled from the examination room. He heard O'Brien call in his orders, but he didn't really listen to the conversation as he moved to follow his friend.
David watched his friend and hid the smile as he continue to speak with one of the officers at HPD. He knew there was no way he couldn't give the order, and cursed his own stupidity in not realizing Danny would make the connection with Jacobs. He hung up the phone and looked at it when it began to vibrate.
*"I just got your message, O'Brien. Why are they putting out an APN on me?"*
"I told you, Chris, it's because of your fight with McGarrett," O'Brien answered and made his way outside.
*"It was a fair fight and he was fine."*
"Yeah, well, he's not fine now and Williams wants to put that on your head. You need to lay low until we figure out what to do about this," O'Brien told him.
*"You'd better figure something out, O'Brien, because I know why you're here...remember?"*
"I remember and you should think before you speak out of line, Jacobs. I'm not someone you want as an enemy."
*"That goes both ways. I'm sure Williams would love to hear the plans you have for your boss."*
"Don't fuck with me, Jacobs, you'll regret it. Go to that rest stop and I'll meet you there tonight," O'Brien said and hung up the phone. He strode back inside, cursing his luck at how stubborn Williams could be and his uncanny ability to look at things outside the box.
5050505050
Chin and Kono nodded at the familiar guard outside McMillan's room and stepped inside where the other guard was immediately on alert. He relaxed once he recognized the visitors and moved back to the window to give them some privacy.
Kono smiled at the pale man who opened his eyes when she approached the bed. "Mr. McMillan, do you feel up to looking at a couple of pictures?"
"Did you find Sandra?" the injured man asked.
"Not yet, but we're hoping you might recognize some of the people in the pictures with you and your wife," Kono said and waited for the man to finish raising the head of his bed.
"Show me," McMillan said and watched as Chin spread the pictures on the table and pulled it over his bed. He stared at the pictures and pointed to a man who seemed to be doing his best to get Sandra's attention.
"Do you recognize anyone?"
"Him, I think he said his name was Jerry, but I never heard a last name," McMillan said and pointed to the man. "I only remember because he kept making passes at Sandra and she was disgusted with him. I called the manager over and he actually asked the man to leave. We found out later that he wasn't supposed to be there because he wasn't a guest of the hotel. Did he have something to do with what happened to Sandra?"
"We're not sure yet, but we're looking into it."
"Don't tell me...he's a person of interest in the case," McMillan snapped. "I've watched enough of those procedural cop shows to know how it works."
"That's television, Mr. McMillan. Real life is never that simple and it takes a lot longer to get the results of the tests we perform," Chin told him. "We're doing everything we can to find your wife."
"I know, but I remember hearing the first 48 hours is usually when a person is found alive," the distraught man said and fisted his hands in the sheets. "Please, tell me you'll find her...find her alive."
"We'll keep looking until we find her," Kono told him and passed him the box of tissues. "I promise I'll keep you updated on the case."
"Thank you," McMillan said and turned on his side as tears spilled from his eyes.
Kono motioned for her cousin to follow her out and leaned against the wall outside the room. "God, does this ever get any easier?"
"No, it doesn't and that's a good thing because if it got easier it would mean we're getting numb to the people we're supposed to help," Chin told her. "Come on, let's go check on Steve."
Kono and Chin hurried back to the ER and searched for Williams, but he wasn't around. They made their way to the desk, but stopped when O'Brien came back inside.
"Where's Danny?" Chin asked, weary of the man who they'd been forced to accept as part of the team.
"He went with them when they took Commander McGarrett for some tests," O'Brien answered. "Danny asked me to call HPD and have an APB put out on Jacobs."
"Why?" Kono asked.
"He thinks the problems Steve's having are the result of the injuries he sustained in his fight with Jacobs," O'Brien told them.
"What did the doctors...Hey, Keanna, how's Steve?" Chin asked of the pretty resident.
"Hi, Chin, Kono, we've sent him for x-rays and a CAT scan. We've also done some blood work, but the results aren't back yet," Wahine explained.
"Do you have any idea what's happening with him?" Kono asked.
"Whatever it is it's effecting his respiratory system and that's why he's on a ventilator."
"Damn, how long?" Chin asked.
"That depends on what the tests show," Wahine said and turned to see the gurney carrying McGarrett being pushed toward them. "I'll let you know what we find out, but for now i want to help get Steve settled in ICU."
"Chin, did you and Kono get anything from McMillan?" Williams asked hopefully.
"He recognized the man in the picture with him and his wife," Chin answered. "The man also fits the description the Coopers gave us. He's using the same name, but it's more than likely an alias. When we get back to HQ I'll contact the local PD where they leave and send them a picture. Just maybe we'll get lucky and they'll ID him for us."
"Sounds good. Look, I need to call Rachel and ask her if she can keep Grace while I stay with Steve," Williams said.
"Danny, I could stay with him while you spend time with your daughter," O'Brien offered.
"I don't think that's a good idea right now. Kono and I can take turns staying with Steve, Danny," Chin said and saw the gratitude in Williams' eyes.
"Thanks, Chin, I'll stay while you and Kono go check in at the office. Can you call the governor and let her know what's happening?"
"We'll take care of it," Chin said. "Call me if you find out what's happening to Steve."
"I will," Williams said.
"David, I'm sorry, but right now I need to be here."
"I know. Look, I'll check in with Rollins again and maybe we'll get some answers," O'Brien said and turned to leave as Williams moved toward McGarrett as they shifted his gurney toward the elevator.
Author's Note -thanks again for the wonderful reviews and comments on this one. You guys are fantastic...Winnie