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I OWN NOTHING...
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Steve…
The following morning, I awoke to somebody poking me in the shoulder. I turned onto my back, finding Gracie standing over me with a determined look on her face.
"When are you getting up?" she demanded crossing her arms. It was times like these that I could see how strongly she took after Danny.
"What time is it?" I asked looking for my alarm clock. I reached past her, grabbing the clock off the nightstand. "Grace, it's five-thirty."
"Yeah, so? Danno says you get up before four every morning anyway. You, mister, are sleeping in. Danno is coming home and you are sleeping in."
"We aren't picking Danno up until later," I pointed out, rubbing sleep from my eyes.
"But he's been stuck at the hospital… And he wants to leave…and…" she sputtered. I held up my hand to cut her off and said, "Two more hours of sleep then we will go get him."
"Two?" she balked throwing her arms into the air. "Two? But… but that would make it seven. And Danno needs to be home now."
"Gracie, visiting hours aren't even until nine. In two hours, when we go get him, we will be breaking the rules. And, as much as I love breaking rules, four hours is overboard. Even for me." I had no idea how to reason with a kid, I was just making it up as I went. "Besides, don't you want to get breakfast? Polly's doesn't open until seven-thirty. I was thinking we could take Danno."
She sighed deeply, but nodded and said, "Okay."
"I mean, do you think Danno is even up, yet? It is five-thirty."
"No," she said quietly. "He's probably still sleeping."
"So, why don't we let him sleep a few more hours, too? We'll go get him, seven-thirty, I promise…"
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About seven, yes Gracie's impatience wore me down and we left early, we were on the road heading toward the hospital. She was extra fidgety today, craning her neck, hoping to spot the big building holding her father.
When we parked in the parking lot, she was the first out of the car. Again, she waited impatiently on the sidewalk for me. Once I joined her, we headed toward the building.
She stood behind me while I talked to Wesley, rocking on the balls of her feet, every so often she would peek around my legs to stare at Wesley
"He needs this prescription for infections, this one for the pain," Wesley told me handing me two pieces of papers. "And he needs to come back in a couple weeks for a checkup and to get his stitches removed."
"Okay," I said nodding.
"And make sure he doesn't do anything too strenuous," Wesley reminded me leading me toward Danny's room. "And if he shows signs of another infection bring him back immediately. Don't let him drive for at least a few weeks. And," he trailed off for a second, "I thought I'd only be giving you this warning, but if he tears his stitches I will personally sedate him until his wound is healed."
"What do you mean?" I asked stopping outside of Danny's room. Already having a feeling what he was referring to.
"He's tried to get out of bed three times-that I know of-and I would really like to avoid any more bloodshed from him. At least for a while." I nodded, smiling slightly, following Wesley into Danny's room.
"Am I ready to go, yet, Doc?" Danny asked his legs dangling off the bed, dressed in the clothes I had brought him a few days ago. The shoes, a pair of black sandals, still sat in the bag.
"No shoes?" I asked curiously, cocking an eyebrow.
"He wouldn't let me get them," the nurse said a smile on her face, walking out of the room.
"They're sandals," he pointed out meeting my eyes. "When have I ever worn sandals?"
"They're easier to put on than tennis shoes," I reminded him. He ignored me, turning to Wesley to repeat, "Am I ready to go, yet, Doc?"
"Just as long as you promise to be careful…"
"Already did," Danny pointed out.
"…and to take all your medication…"
"I said I would," Danny muttered a little irked.
"…and that you won't push yourself too far."
"Doc, I know all this. Can I please go?" he was ready to go, no doubt about that. Of course, he'd just be doing the same thing he had been doing here except he'd be home. So, he really wasn't going home to anything new. Except he'd get to see Grace every day. And me… Internally I laughed, doubting he would be looking forward to seeing me on a daily basis again.
"You can go," Wesley said just as an orderly rolled a wheel chair into the room.
"Really?" Danny balked at the wheel chair.
"Detective Williams you can't leave unless you get in the chair," Wesley pointed out gesturing toward the chair.
"Fine, but as long as Steve doesn't push me," he responded slowly getting out of bed and shuffling toward the chair. He slowly lowered himself into the chair, ignoring the glare I threw his way.
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The orderly ended up pushing Danny all the way to the entrance, where I sat waiting for him and Grace leaning against the Camaro. I let Grace get into the back first, then the orderly and I helped Danny into the car.
"I'm not an invalid," he snapped trying to pull away from us.
"You were shot, stop complaining about us helping you," I said closing the door, the orderly already pushing the chair back into the hospital. I moved around the car, sliding into the drive side.
The drive to Polly's was quiet, and we ate in relative silence. Well, Grace and I ate, Danny mostly picked at his food looking about ready to fall asleep. The move from hospital to car to diner had taken a lot out of him. It was time to get Danno home.
Once the bill was paid, and Polly had called 'bring your blond friend back whenever you'd like,' we were back on the road. Danny had fallen asleep before Polly's became a speck in the review mirror. His head resting against the window, his breath fogging a glass.
"That's gotta be uncomfortable," Grace whispered to me from the back.
"We'll be home soon. Then he can lie on the couch," I told her glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
"Why's he so tired? Didn't he sleep enough?"
"Sleeping helps the body heal," I explained maneuvering around a gray car. "And Danno needs all the help he can get."
"Okay," she responded nodding, leaning back into her seat again.
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Danny was, to put this lightly, a bitch to wake up. He tried to punch me twice, complained about needing five more minutes, and called me a couple names that he probably wouldn't have said in front of Grace if he had been aware of her presence. She merely giggled and walked away from us.
When I finally convinced Danny to get out of the car, I had to help him across the yard. I could tell he didn't want my help, but I told him what Wesley told me about sedating him and he grudgingly accepted my help.
Once we were in the house, I steered Danny toward the couch. He sat down slowly, mindful of his injured arm, and laid back. He was out seconds later, his feet still dangling off the couch. I pulled them onto the couch, grabbing the blanket off the back. I threw it over him, heading into the kitchen. Grace was sitting at the table, watching her father.
"I'm going to have Kono come over for a few minutes so I can go get Danno's prescriptions, okay?" I asked her already scrolling through my contacts.
"Okay," she said her eyes still resting on her father. Obviously she was trying very hard to convince herself that he was actually there, that he had not turned out like her mother. Poor kid, having to think like that…
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Danny…
It took me a few seconds to wake up. My eyes felt like they were glued shut, my mouth tasted like something died, and my arm was stiff as hell. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that my chest felt as if somebody was sitting on it. This bullet wound stuff was for the birds.
After I forced my eyelids open, I sat up slowly letting my eyes scan Steve's living room. It had to be twilight outside, meaning I had slept nearly twelve hours. Two pills sat on the table, next to glass of water and a note:
Danno,
Gracie and I went to the beach with Kono. Be back later,
Steve.
P.S. Take your pills. You promised Wesley.
I had no idea what time they left or if they were already back. By the near deafening silence of the house I figured they were still out. I read the P.S. again, rolled my eyes, but still scooped the pills into my hand and took them both.
I drained the glass of water; it barely helped the awful taste. I swung my legs off the couch, intending to get up and use the bathroom, but a voice said, "Stop right there." I turned my head, spotting Chin standing in the doorway, a bag of groceries in his hand.
"What is it with you and Steve?" I snapped lowering myself back onto the couch. "I mean, why won't you two just let me pee in peace."
"Because you have stitches that can be split open," Chin pointed out moving into the kitchen. He returned a second later bag less, walking toward the couch.
"You do know I can get up on my own," I grumbled when he took a hold of my arm and helped me up.
"I'll let you pee on your own," he compromised, helping me toward the downstairs bathroom.
"At least I get some privacy," I mumbled when he left me at the door.
"Just holler if you need me," he said a small, barely concealed smile on his face. I flipped him the bird, closing the door. After I did my business, Chin helped me toward the kitchen and sat me down at the table.
"Are you thirsty?" he asked curiously.
"Yes."
"What would you like?"
"A beer," I replied.
"Sorry, anything else?"
"One beer isn't going to kill me," I protested. He didn't verbally reply, but the crossed arms and head shaking pretty much told me I wasn't getting my way. "You're as bad as Steve."
"It's his dad, I swear. Stubbornness used to roll off of Jack McGarrett," Chin responded moving toward the bag of grocery, taking things out.
"What was he like? Steve never wants to talk about him."
"Bit like Steve," Chin answered adding his grocery bag to Steve's collection. "Except not as crazy. Jack was all about protocol… or as close to protocol as he could get. There were a few times I thought he was going to lose his badge." Chin took out a big soup pan, laying it on the counter. "He wasn't someone to fight lightly, and he hated to lose." he took a knife from Steve's silverware drawer and proceeded to start chopping vegetables.
"He does sound like Steve," I muttered staring down at my hands.
"He was a loyal partner, too. He never believed I stole that money." he fell silent, dumping a handful of diced veggies into the pan. "It still doesn't seem like he's dead. I keep expecting him to walk in the door any second, wondering what the hell I'm doing here."
The words were barely out of Chin's mouth when the back door did open. Steve, Gracie, and Kono traipsed in, soaking wet and sandy, and proceeded to make a mess.
"Hey, if there's sand in your food it's your fault," Chin snapped skirting Kono as she shook out her hair.
"Sorry, cuz," she said smiling, snagging a piece of chopped celery.
"Did you take your pills?" Steve asked me, talking to me as if I were seven.
"Yes, Dad," I replied and he glared at me. I flashed him a smile; he pelted me with a carrot.
"Keep it up and I'm not cooking," Chin snapped when Gracie threw a peapod at Steve.
"Sorry, Chin," they said simultaneously. "Jinx," both shouted pointing at the other. Laughing, the left the room to get changed.
"I'm gonna change, too. I'll be back later," Kono said and headed toward the back door, snagging a cherry tomato on her way out. Chin threw a spoon at her as she closed the door.
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After dinner, Steve and Chin shooed me from the kitchen before I could help clean up. I ended up sitting with Kono and Grace on the couch, watching Finding Nemo again. I had hoped Gracie would have lost this movie; it came out like eight years ago. She was barely one.
But I figured she saw Nemo as herself. He had lost his mother at a young age and was raised by his father. Of course, Nemo didn't have a SEAL to worry about. Or two cousins who were now arguing back and forth about whether or not Kono was going to help.
"I'm watching a movie," Kono yelled from the couch.
"Get your ass in here and help," Chin called back standing in the archway.
"Women were stuck doing housework for most of the twentieth century and before that. It's the twenty-first now, cuz. Let the ladies watch TV."
"I don't see any ladies," Chin muttered as he stormed back into the kitchen.
"What was that?" Kono jumped over the couch, pouncing on Chin's back.
"Get off me," he snapped playfully, both knocking into Steve who had been holding a soapy pan; all three ending up on the ground, the pan clattering against the linoleum. Gracie and I got off the couch, heading into the kitchen.
I started laughing at the sight of them. All three were covered in soap; Steve's was glowering at both of them. "Sorry," both Chin and Kono muttered getting to their feet. Steve tried to follow, but slowly lowered himself to the ground, his face pale.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my laughter cutting off. Had he been holding a knife, too? Did he stab himself?
"I think I broke my ankle," he murmured breathing heavily. Relief rolled through me.
"And I thought we were done with the hospital," I commented shaking my head…