AN: Thanks for the reviews! Oh yeah this title is a lyric from Vanilla Twilight by Owl City.
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: NOT MINE. Stupid genie lied to me.
The Spaces between My Fingers
"BOMB!" Max screamed, running towards him at full speed.
That was the last word he heard before the world exploded in fire. Steve felt himself sailing weightlessly through the air before his body collided with a hard object, agony rocketing up his spine. Then, darkness consumed him.
His eyes snapped open, becoming instantly aware of pulsating pain rippling through his skull. Unfocused eyes fell to Danny hovering in his vision. He was talking to him but his words were nothing more than a garble within an incessant ringing.
What happened? He sat up, feeling the world spin. His gaze fell upon the pile of debris that was once a home. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Max! Where was Max? He climbed off the car, ignoring Danny's protests. While fighting the mean case of vertigo he raked his eyes wildly over the area, fire trucks and emergency vehicles flooding the cul-de-sac. Eventually, his eyes fell upon Chin ho and Kono performing CPR on a motionless body. Oh god no.
Something inside of him fell apart at the seams when he saw Chin ho and Kono working frantically to resuscitate his beloved. God please let this be a nightmare. On trembling legs he stumbled through the chaos, dropping next to his teammates. "Nononono Max come on baby, wake up." He put a hand on Max's neck, checking for the thrum of a pulse. "Don't do this baby. Come on wake up!" Without Max…
"Come on Max," Kono demanded. She blew into his mouth each time Chin ho finished his compressions. Just when she started to fear the worse, Max inhaled deeply and began coughing.
Steve had never been so relieved in his life. He pressed a kiss to Max's forehead.
Not even moments later the ambulances arrived, sirens blaring stridently. He had to be ordered harshly to move, watching as they checked Max's vital signs before lifting him onto the stretcher. He of course wanted to accompany him, but he felt the world flip and before he knew it blackness claimed him.
He awakened to bright lights and the distinctive scent of antiseptic agents. Ignoring the headache hammering behind his eyes he took stock of his surroundings. He lay in a hospital bed, as suspected. Groggy eyes fell to blond hair. "Danny?"
Danny raised his head. "Hey you."
"Max?" He asked. The subsequent agonized expression that claimed his partner's countenance sent his heart to his knees.
"Steve I'm-."
Realization hit him at the pain creasing his friend's face. "Danny, please don't. Don't." He didn't want to hear the rest of the devastating sentence.
Danny inhaled deeply and looked directly into his eyes. "Max he—he crashed again in surgery and they couldn't resuscitate him."
That sentence took his breath, stealing the floor from beneath his feet and shattering his world. "No. Danny no, please just—no." Steve buried his face in his hands repeating the word 'no' as if it would falsify the horrible news. Max…he couldn't be dead. He just couldn't…not his baby. Who would he wake up to? The thought of never seeing that face or hearing that laughter again ripped his soul apart.
Steve jerked to wakefulness. He gasped, squinting against the fluorescent lights hanging over the bed. Apparently he was in a hospital.
"Hey you."
He looked over, seeing the concerned face of Danny gazing at him in relief. "Max?" He was almost afraid to ask.
"He's out of surgery but he's still under."
Steve nodded and within a split second his decision was made. He began removing the electrodes that attached him to the machines.
"Steve what the hell are you doing?"
"I'm going to see Max."
"No Steve-."
Steve eased out of the bed.
"Steve-."
Steve steadied himself.
He heaved a defeated sigh. "At least keep the IV."
Steve conceded to the request and on legs he willed to be steady he plodded out of the room, Danny in tow. "Where are Chin and Kono?"
As if summoned by some force of magic said duo appeared in the hall. "Boss? What are you doing out of bed?" Kono asked beautiful face full of concern.
He shot her a withering glare. "Which room is Max in?"
She puckered her lips, knowing that suggesting he return to his room for his own health would fall on deaf ears. "520."
Steve gave an appreciative nod and resumed his quest to find his lover. He plodded down the hall of the hospital managing to cast a death glare to every medical personnel that tried to hinder him. It didn't matter that his head throbbed like an abscessed tooth or his left shoulder burned with lacerating pain. His only desire was to see his babe's face, to know that he was alive. He needed the assurance that he would still be able to see that smile and odd little quirks.
After going up an elevator, Danny still at his side, he strode determinedly down the hallway. He almost heaved a sigh when he reached his destination. Opening the door he found a nurse checking Max's vital signs and progress.
"Sir?"
"How is he?" He dropped into the chair at the bedside.
She ignored his question in favor of looking him over. "Sir you look like you need to be in bed."
"How is he?" He repeated, seeing her cast a glance to Danny.
Danny ran a hand through his well coifed hair. "You're not going to get him to go back to his room. So just tell him."
"Stable," the doctor said upon entrance, "we thought we were going to lose him."
Both men turned to look at the doctor. "Doc."
"Hello Mister McGarrett. Your friend had a pulmonary contusion and a fractured skull. Neither should impact his life in the long run, but he is quite lucky to be alive." He passed Steve a small knowing smile. "He must have something to fight for."
After the doctor and nurse disappeared, Steve turned to his love and took his hand. Max looked so…small. That motionless face looked so wrong. There was no mischievous smirk curving those lips, no brow ruffled with questions just…stillness. "You know, I don't even remember what we argued about this morning."
He pressed a tender kiss to the smaller hand clenched in his. "Babe you've got to wake up. I'll go to New York even if it is three below zero right now." He closed his eyes and let his forehead rest against the bed's mattress. The bastard that almost took Max from him would pay.
The doctors said Max had crashed twice. Max, his Max, had died. Twice. What if he crashed and didn't come back? The thought of losing Max forever made his blood run cold, cleaving his soul with wicked talons. He could not bear the thought.
A hand fell upon his shoulder, squeezing it in a comforting gesture. "Max will be fine Steve. There's no way he'll let you get out of the Star Trek convention now."
Steve managed a smile.
Over the next week they apprehended the suspects that killed the Jones family, including the guy that set the bomb. Steve had an especially satisfying time subduing him—the black eye and broken nose were totally required to restrain the asshole. He divided his time between HQ and the hospital during the recovery period.
He strolled down the hall towards Max's room—wondering how many more teddy bears Mrs. Bergman could have delivered to room 520. It had been a grueling day and his only desire was to see Max. His thoughts drifted to Robert Dunn, wishing he could have done more physical harm to the jerk-off. Unfortunately attempted murder would be detrimental to his team. He stopped in the entrance when he found the rest of the team in the room and Max sitting up talking. "Max…"
The others looked around. "About time you got here boss."
He cared not for the other occupants in the room. He only saw the Asian man staring at him with a tiny smile. As if on their own accord his legs carried him to the bed. He sat down and jerked the other man to him, capturing his lips with his own. It was the sweetest kiss he had ever experienced. These were the lips that he thought he would never kiss again. Somewhere he heard the telltale snap of a camera.
He pressed their foreheads together, blue eyes filled with adoration.
Max gave a bashful smile. "I know and me too."
Chin shook his head at his cousin's lewd smile. "Did you have to snap the picture Kono?"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, that was the hottest thing I've ever seen."
Max hid his burning face behind Steve's shoulder, taking the opportunity to drink in his essence.
Steve hardly noticed when the others departed; Danny stating that they needed privacy. He caressed Max's cheek, enjoying the texture of silky skin. "Pizza or Chinese?"
"Chinese," he replied, arms still around Steve's shoulders.
"You got it."
It was three days before Max was released.
Steve lounged on his couch, Max snuggled into his side, watching a documentary about sharks. He winced when the great white shark sank its teeth into its prey before his attention was averted by a hand worming its way under his shirt to tweak a nipple. He jumped and cast a glance to the smaller man.
Max climbed atop him, pushing his shirt up to reveal a chiseled belly. "Ten days," he said matter-of-factly.
The spire of lust darkening chocolate eyes went straight to his pants. A wolfish grin spread over his lips. He flipped them, looking down at his lover with hungry eyes. "That it has."
Steve sat on the couch naked with a sated Max curled up in his arms. He petted his partner, enjoying the direct contact of skin. He'd hardly come out of the haze of pleasure when Max looked up at him with half-lidded eyes.
"Now about that trip to New York…"
I can't help a little Max whump (he's so cute). Anyhow R&R please.
Next Chapter:
Lollipop