A/N: Hey Everybody. Thanks for the reviews, adds etc! Great responses! I love it! Hope you enjoy chapter 2. Sorry if there are some medical bloopers, but I'm no doctor! Hoping to update again tomorrow!
Disclaimer: (for chapter 1 too.. I forgot) I don't own them!
Chapter 2
Steve raced down the highways on his way to Kono's apartment all the while his mind was occupied with dark thoughts. Please let her be ok. He knew she was smart and good in a tough situation. His van stopped with a screech just before the taped off crime scene. He jumped out the van and ran to the steps of the building, flashing his badge at officers that stood in his way. The blue and red lights of emergency vehicles were reflecting on his face as he searched from left to right for her. There was a mass of fire fighters, medics and police officers all over the area. He looked up at the building and saw the damage of the explosion. He gasped at the damage and wondered how she would have escaped. Fire fighters had put out the majority of the blaze and were walking in and out the building. Steve was about to run into the building to find Kono when he heard the sweetest sound to his ears.
"Heya Boss. Looking for me?"
He turned towards the sound of Kono's voice and started to run to where she was seated on the back of an ambulance. The sight of her was amazing. She was dirty from the blast, her hair a rugged mess, but she seemed unharmed. When he reached her he picked her up in his arms and gave her the tightest hug, taking in the feeling of her breathing and her touch on his own skin. Kono was taken by surprise, a good surprise, but a surprise none the less. After a short while she was finding it hard to breathe.
"Boss, if you don't put me down I'm going to have get physical with you." She smiled as he realised that he had been holding her for quite a while and released her till she was standing next to him, pulling her shirt that had lifted in the hug. "Wow, maybe I should get bombed everyday!" She was still smiling.
"You're ok then?" He analysed her body as he asked the question and noticed a cut on her head and her arm was wrapped in gauze. "Your arm?"
"Relax, I'm fine. A little scratch, its nothing, but I might just need to take the day off tomorrow to catch a wave or two." Her face turned serious as she noticed her jokes weren't going down well with her boss. "What's up?"
He took in a deep breath when he realised that she was blissfully unaware of the attacks on each of her team members. "Kono, this wasn't the only attack tonight. Danny…. Somebody tried to kidnap Grace…"
She interrupted him, "What! Is she ok? And Danny and Rachel?"
"They're all fine… except…" He didn't quite know how to tell her about her cousin.
"Except what…oh my god…Chin?" She searched his eyes for answers, but when she didn't get any she started to get impatient with the man standing silently in front of her, "Where is Chin? Steve!"
Steve sighed, "He was driving home on his bike and got hit by a SUV. He's at the hospital now, but he's…. he's in a coma." He felt as though he were informing somebody of a lost loved one. He had never wanted to tell her bad news.
Both of Kono's hands found themselves cupped over her mouth. Tears were flooding her eyes. She blinked to hold them back.
"Come on, I'll take you to the hospital." Steve started to guide her to his van.
On the drive over to the hospital Kono was lost in deep thought. "Who did this to us all? Wait, what happened with you? Are you ok?" She felt bad for not asking earlier.
"I'm ok. There were some guys waiting at my place for me when I got home, but you know me. I don't do uninvited guests." He smirked at her trying to change the mood to a lighter one.
"Good. I'm glad you're ok. What all did you hear about Chin?" She was desperate to know the condition of her cousin and therefore the change of mood never happened.
"Not much. Danny just said he was in a coma. That's all I know. I swear."
She fell silent again. Chin was her closest family member. He had taken her under his wing and was teaching her the ropes at being a cop. He was a brother to her. They all were. Well, almost of all of them. She looked at Steve as he drove the van. He was determined. He had a look of worry and frustration on his face. He had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on his lap, clenched into a fist. He was obviously angry about the event of the night. Her big brown eyes stared for a little while longer until he caught her gazing at him. He said nothing, just gave a small smile. She returned it and stared ahead.
Steve stopped in front of the E.R. doors. He and Kono both hopped out the van and ran through the double doors, Kono in the lead, only to find Danny, Rachel and Grace waiting in the corridor.
"Chin?" Kono asked she ran towards them.
"He's being prepped for surgery. They are going to bring him out any second now." Danny was put both of his hands on her arms. "They haven't told us much at the moment." She bit her lip as she listened to the words.
"Surgery? What surgery? What's wrong with him Danny?" She was shouting a little.
Steve stood behind them, letting Danny do the consoling. He was so much better at it than himself. Just then the doctors started wheeling the gurney with Chin on, out of the ER and they were headed to surgery.
Kono ran to the side of her cousin. "Chin! Can you hear me?" She looked up at the doctor to get an answer to the question. "What's wrong with him?"
"He has had a very bad head injury. There is a little swelling on the brain so we will be taking him to surgery to relieve some of the pressure on his brain."
"Brain surgery?" She looked horrified.
"Not exactly. We are just going to drill into his skull, not his brain. Now I'm sorry ma'am, but we have to get him to surgery right now." He attempted to move the gurney, but Kono held on tightly, not letting the gurney out of her grasp.
"Chin, I'm here ok. You're going to be fine." She took his hand in hers and kissed it. "Chin, Chin!" Steve and Danny had come beside her and held her back as the doctors wheeled away her cousin. "Chin! Stop it! Leave me! I need to be there…" She struggled against her two partners, but eventually calmed down and looked up into Steve's eyes as he held her back. "Steve please, I need to be there for him."
"You can't go in there Kono. We have to wait here. Chin knows we're here."
She rested her head against his chest and sobbed. He was amazed at how when she thought only her own life was in danger she was so full of jokes, yet when her family was involved it was a completely different matter. He held her for a while longer. Eventually the sobs subsided and she lifted her head. She sighed, "Lets get some coffee while we wait."
"That's my girl." He put his arm around her and she leaned into him as they walked towards Danny and Rachel.
Grace ran up to Kono, holding a teddy bear. "Here Kono, you can borrow him if you want. He's good for holding when you're scared."
She smiled at the little girl's selfless gesture as she bent down to her level. "Thanks Grace, but I think I'll be ok for now. You keep hold of him. I might need him later."
Danny and Steve gave each other a look which expressed what they were both feeling. I hope not!
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
They were waiting for what seemed like forever. Rachel, Danny, Grace and Kono were seated on chairs in the waiting area, while Steve had paced up and down the corridor.
"Ahem." Danny made sure Steve could hear his grunt. He moved his eyeballs in Kono's direction.
Steve stopped pacing and went to sit next to Kono. He took hold of her hand and entwined her fingers in his. She smile at him gratefully. The doctor who had been operating on Chin started to walk towards them. They all stood in unison. Steve and Kono had not released their hands from each other. Kono squeezed his hand tightly before the doctor reached them.
Before any of them could say a word the doctor spoke. "He's doing ok for now. The pressure has been released and we will be monitoring him through the night. We are keeping him in isolation until we can close up the hole, but if all goes well you should be able to see him in a day or two."
Kono let out a stifled breathe. She felt relieved. They all did.
"Your colleague is a fighter."
"Thank you doctor," Kono turned to Steve and hugged him tightly.
"Looks like Kono doesn't need my teddy, mom!" Graces words were so innocent, but for Kono it sent a blush across her cheeks as she pulled away from her boss.
"No babe, it doesn't. Does it?" Danny quirked an eyebrow and had a silly grin on his face.
They all headed for the exit of the building. Kono had first stopped at the nurses' station and made sure that they had her number should there be an emergency and instructed them to call her first.
"What now?" She asked as she rejoined the group.
"I think we are going to need a safe place to hide out for a day or two." Steve put the suggestion forward, "and I think I know where." He bent onto his haunches and spoke to Grace. "How would you like to go to the jungle for a while?"
Grace's eyes went wide. "Really uncle Steve?"
"Yeah, really uncle Steve?" Danny added his comment.
"Yeah, really really!" Steve grabbed a piece of paper from the nurses' station and scribbled an address on it and handed it to Danny. "Meet us there in about an hour."
"That's not so far away. Where are you going to be?"
"In case you forgot, Kono's house blew up. I'm sure she's going to need to do some shopping before we come up there. Plus, we'll need groceries. The place hasn't been used in a while." His tone was matter-of-fact.
"Fine, later." Danny started to walk down the passage with his family, but turned when he got half way. "Hey, you two. Be safe ok?"
They both smiled at him. "You to Danny"
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Steve and Kono decided to go to the supermarket. They were careful to watch for any tails they might have acquired and Steve thoroughly inspected the vehicle before he allowed Kono to get into it.
They had taken a shopping cart and were walking slowly up the aisles of the supermarket, searching for items they might need.
"Didn't quite imagine you as the domestic type boss." Kono was teasing him. He was happy that she was starting to relax a bit.
"Well, I'll have you know that looking after yourself is big priority in the Navy."
"Really?"
"Really , Really." He grinned at her.
"Thanks by the way." She had swiftly changed the subject.
"For what exactly?" Steve was searching for some canned food on the shelves when she asked the question.
"Coming to get me today." She seemed shy. He turned towards her, still holding onto the shopping cart.
"I told you once before. We're a team and we'll always protect each other." He started to smile again, "And besides, I knew that if I didn't, you'd probably kick my ass."
"aaah… you're a fast learner! I like!" She bumped his shoulder and walked ahead of him, looking back as she turned into the next isle. Steve smiled to himself, shook his head and followed her.
They shopped a little more. Kono picked up some basic clothes from the clothing department and some other essentials and met up with Steve at the checkout. Before getting in the van, Steve once again did a thorough check of it and they drove off to their new home for the next couple of days.
Xxxxxx
The drive to the hideout was not a long one. It took about twenty minutes to get there. Kono had been deep in thought the whole way there. She was trying to figure out who would have done this. Out of the blue she started rattling off her theories to her boss.
"So, I'm thinking this had to be Marcelo's son. He must want revenge."
Steve smiled at her. Kono was puzzled.
"What? Did I say something?"
"Nah, you are just so damn determined." He couldn't help but smile again.
"Well, in case you haven't noticed I've got a little bit of time on my hands and we don't want to be hiding out forever you know." She gave a satisfied smile to her boss.
"yeah, I agree with you anyway." He was trying not to focus on the aspects of her personality that made him attracted to her. "We've just got to try and get a case against him now."
"I'm sure Danny has some creative way of doing that. Chin would've." She suddenly looked sad.
"Chin is going to be ok Kono. You heard the doc right?"
"I know, it's just so frustrating. I wish there was more I could do."
"Give it time. I'm sure we are going to be busy doing a lot for the next couple of days."
She smiled at the thought of putting a case together against Marcelo's son.