Williams returned to his room feeling like a new man. His hair was slicked back and he actually felt human again. He pushed the door open and quietly made his way to his bed when he saw McGarrett was sleeping. He sat on the edge and studied the man's battered face. To him, Steve looked vulnerable, his face relaxed, yet sometimes a soft cry would escape and Danny knew he was probably reliving some nightmare from the past.
What was it about McGarrett that made him want to spar with him, not physically, but verbally. He'd never had that with anyone else, mainly because the minute he started, the other person would make an excuse to leave. With Steve it was different, because neither one of them would back down. Maybe that's why they worked so well together.
Danny reached for the ice water on his table and drank half the glass before returning his attention to his partner. There was no doubt that Steve would recover, but how many times would he be able to cheat death? There were times when Danny thought he went looking for trouble, but he knew that wasn't the case. McGarrett didn't actively look for trouble, but he didn't back down when it found him.
"You keep staring at me I'm going to think you're interested," McGarrett said without opening his eyes.
"In your dreams," Williams said.
"No, that would be my worst nightmare," Steve said and shifted his body so that he could raise the head of his bed.
"No, there are worse nightmares than me," Danny said and shuddered at the thought of Nurse Wilson. A hint of a smile appeared as he looked at his friend. "You know, you look like you could use a bath. Why don't I tell the nurse you need help with that?"
"I could use a shower," McGarrett said.
"We both know that's not going to happen for a while, but a sponge bath could work," Williams said and pressed the button for the nurse.
"Why are you being so helpful, Danno?"
"You're hurt and besides I have to room with you," Williams said and told the nurse what was needed. He moved to sit in the chair by the window so he could have a better view of McGarrett's face when he saw their nurse.
"What's going on, Danny?"
"Nothing, but you know sometimes we don't always get what we want," Williams said as the door opened. His jaw dropped when he saw the pretty woman carry towels, facecloth, shampoo, and soap into the room.
"Hello, Commander, I hear you want to get cleaned up?" Lisa Partington said.
"What the hell? Where is Beulah Balbricker?"
"Who?" the nurse asked and watched as McGarrett held his arm to his side and laughed at the look on Williams' face.
"Nurse Wilson. She was here with Dr. Adamson. I thought she was our nurse today," Williams said.
"Oh, no, Dr. Adamson specifically requested her for you, Detective. He said she would make sure you listened to orders," Lisa said and turned to her patient. "Commander McGarrett is all mine so if you'll excuse us we'll see about making him comfortable."
"Of all the..."
"Close your mouth, Danny," McGarrett said with a smile.
Williams moved back to his bed and listened as the nurse told his partner exactly how they were going to do this. He lay back with his arms folded across his chest and wondered how the hell McGarrett seemed to have all the luck. He would have settled for a sponge bath if his nurse had looked like McGarrett's. He'd been saddled with a nurse who not only looked like the woman from Porky's, but had the same 'sunny' disposition. He heard soft laughter from behind the closed curtain and wondered why he'd been saddled with someone who could attract the opposite sex without even trying. Life just wasn't fear.
"Commander, you let me know if this is too much for you," the nurse said.
"I'm good," was the answer she got from the SEAL.
"Yes, you certainly are."
Danny could not believe what he was hearing and shook his head as the nurse pulled back the curtain once she was finished. There was no embarrassment and he could tell she was a professional as she cleaned up what she'd used with her patient.
"Commander, if you don't press that button I'll have to speak with Dr. Lewis. You know how he feels about his patients putting on a brave face when there's no need," Partington said before leaving the room.
Steve knew she was right and pushed the button as Danny came to stand beside his bed. He couldn't help, but smile when Williams shook his head and sat in the chair beside the bed.
"You just can't help yourself, can you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Danny," McGarrett said.
"You just smile and they flock to you. You don't even have to say anything."
"Is there a problem in here?"
"No, Beulah...er, Nurse Wilson," Williams corrected quickly, but didn't miss the laughter from the man in the other bed.
"Beulah...I wonder if she was as tough as I am," the nurse said and motioned for Williams to come back to his bed. "Now, I believe it's time for your vitals and antibiotics."
"Better behave, Danny, or..."
"Lisa is on her break, commander, so I would advise you to practice what you preach," the big woman warned. "Now, Detective, let's get this done and I'll leave you two to your friends. They are waiting outside to visit with you, but I warned them to keep it short."
5050505050
Catherine Rollins breathed a sigh of relief as she exited the office and made her way toward her quarters. She'd been given clearance for an emergency leave and would be headed stateside within the hour. She knew she owed several people for putting in a good word for her. She quickly packed her duffel bag, and headed for the deck where a chopper was ready to take her and an injured seaman to Hawaii.
Lieutenant Brian Metcalf had been injured in the boiler room, but he was expected to make a full recovery. The problem was he would need several skin grafts, and that was something they couldn't do on the ship. She waited while the 'doc' helped secure Metcalf before ducking beneath the rotary blades and taking the seat behind the pilot.
"Are you up for this ride, Lieutenant?" the pilot asked.
"Why, didn't you get your clearance yet?" Rollins teased.
"I think he got it out of one of those vending machines in Japan," the co-pilot said with a grin.
"Isn't that where you found your wife, Henry?"
"Don't remember, but she' mighty fine," Henry Dover said and heard the woman laugh behind him. They'd given this woman a ride on several occasions, even had a few drinks with her in a bar in Okinawa, and knew she didn't mind their verbal sparring.
Catherine knew exactly how Henry Dover met his wife and it certainly wasn't at a bar. It was during a party, one celebrating a victory by a man who'd been old he would never walk again. That man was in the co-pilot's seat and had never given up no matter what everyone else thought. Hank Dover had been there to help Greg Carter and walked by his side when he'd renewed his license and overcame a injury that would keep most men down for good. Cheryl Dover was Greg's physiotherapy nurse and she'd been one of the few who believed Greg had what it took to fight back.
Catherine leaned her head back and closed her eyes as the two men went through the flight check before taking off. Her thoughts turned to Steve McGarrett, and how much he'd been through with Wo Fat. She knew he would survive his injuries, and vowed to be there to help him, no matter how long it took.
She'd called Mary McGarrett and told her when she would be arriving in Hawaii and knew Steve's sister would be at the airport when she arrived. They'd already agree that she would be staying at the McGarrett home while she was on leave. It would make for some interesting conversations, especially once Steve was on the mend. They'd have to take into consideration that the house was old and the walls were thin and she'd have to curb her language and keep 'Oh God' to a minimum.
5050505050
Mary McGarrett took a deep breath as she looked at her brother. She'd seen him hurt before, but not like this. He looked like he'd been hit by the proverbial mack truck and the fading bruises made her wince sympathetically. She knew Catherine Rollins would help him through this, and would keep her pending arrival to herself. Her brother would listen to Catherine, and she'd make herself scarce once she was sure Steve was well and truly on the mend.
Mary smiled at Danny and moved to the second bed. Steve was awake and watching her and she could see the difference in him already. Maybe he really was a Super-Seal, but right now he was as vulnerable as any patient inside the hospital. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, relieved that he didn't feel overly warm. "Hey, Big Brother, how are you feeling?"
"Thanks, for coming, Mary."
"Where else would I be?" she asked seriously.
"There has to be somewhere more exciting than visiting me in here."
"Maybe, but I'm where I want to be," Mary said and sat on the edge of the bed. "I thought I was going to lose you."
"From what the doc says it was close," Steve told her and reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"I know...is he...is Wo Fat really our half brother?"
"He seems to think so, but we'll do a DNA test to make sure."
"Why would dad not tell us about him?"
"He didn't know, Mary. Joe told me Dad left Shelburne..."
"Shelburne? Do we finally know what Shelburne is?"
"I think so, but I'm not clear on the details so we'll let Joe fill us in on them. I know it's a little village in North Korea, and that's where dad met Wo Fat's mother."
"Why is Wo Fat so different if he has the same father?"
"He grew up with his mother on the streets in Korea, Mary. He had it hard..."
"Don't tell me you feel sorry for him?"
"No, I don't. He could have chosen a different path and maybe dad and mom would still be alive."
"Do you think he had anything to do with mom's death?" Mary asked incredulously.
"Probably, but there's no proof...he's in jail, Mary."
"I know, but he seems to have fixated on you. Why do you think he hates you so much?"
"He's jealous...it's as simple as that. He's angry at dad because he thinks dad abandoned him, but he wouldn't do something like that had he known about Wo Fat," McGarrett told her. "Mary, there's nothing we can do to change what happened to Wo Fat. I wish to God there was, but he's made up his mind and he doesn't want to listen to anything we have to say."
"His loss," Mary said softly.
"Yes, it is," the injured man said. "Now, what about you? How's the job working out?"
"I love it, Steve. The people are great and what's not to like about visiting every city I ever dreamed of visiting. I'm supposed to fly to Paris next week, but..."
"Do it, Mary..."
"But you..."
"I'm fine and you need to go. I seem to remember Paris was the place your dolls went to when they travelled."
"Oh, God, you remember that?"
"Of course...since I piloted the plane most trips," McGarrett told her.
"There were some rough flights for Barbie and Ken...the great crash in the bathtub river is my favorite."
"Ah, yes, remember mom's face when she saw the mess on the bathroom floor?"
"How could I not remember? It took us a couple of hours to clean up the mess," Mary said and laughed when she realized Williams had hung on every word.
"So Steve played with Barbies?" Williams said with a grin.
"No, I flew the plane so Mary could take her Barbie dolls different places."
"But you crashed them into the bathtub..."
"Crashed who into what bathtub?" Kono asked as she walked into the room with Chin close behind her.
"Steve crashed a plane full of Barbies into a bathtub," Williams answered.
"Was anyone hurt?" Chin asked, fighting to keep from laughing at the image his mind conjured of the siblings playing together as children.
"Barbie nearly drowned, but Ken saved her," Mary answered with a sly grin as she looked at her brother.
"Don't even think about it, Mary," McGarrett warned.
"Oh, come on, Steve, even mom thought it was great," Mary said.
"This I have to hear. What did Steve do?" Williams asked.
"He pretended he was Ken and gave Barbie mouth..."
"To mouth," Kono finished and they all laughed, even Steve couldn't resist.
"You gave Barbie mouth to mouth?" Williams said.
"She nearly drowned...besides it was Ken giving the mouth to mouth," McGarrett said.
"You're always playing the hero, Big Brother, and please don't ever change," Mary told him, ad glanced at her watch. "I need to go, but I'll be back later. Is there anything you guys need?"
"A good cup of coffee," Williams answered.
"Sounds good...and Mary would you see if you can contact Catherine. The ship's been on radio silence for the last few days," McGarrett explained.
"Sure, I'll have her call you if she can," Mary said before kissing her brother and leaving the room. She'd already told the others that she'd heard from Catherine and would be picking her up in a few hours. Right now, though, she had something she wanted to do, someone she wanted to see and if Steve had any idea of her intentions he'd try to stop her.
5050505050
Wo Fat pretended to sleep every time someone came to check on him. The IV had been removed, but he was still receiving antibiotics through a heplock in his left arm. He refused anything for pain, not because he didn't need it, but because he wanted his mind clear. He needed to think, to make plans and contact his people to get him out of here. There was no doubt in his mind they would do as he asked, because to do otherwise, would mean certain people received information that would hurt people in high places.
"Wake up, Wo Fat, you have a visitor."
"I do not wish to speak with anyone."
"She said she doesn't give a damn what you want, so sit up and act like a gentleman instead of the jerk you are," the guard said and struck the bed rail with his stick. "She's a real pretty young lady, so be nice to her."
"So you're the bastard," Mary McGarrett snarled upon seeing the man who claimed to be her half brother.
"And you're my sister," Wo Fat said and sat up, hiding the surprise her visit caused him.
"So you claim, but I doubt it very much. You're nothing like Steve or my father," Mary snapped.
"Don't you mean our father?"
"Again that's what you claim, but what proof do you have?"
"Ask Joe White. I'm sure he can tell you about your father's sexual indiscretions."
"Even if he could, I wouldn't believe it. I'm sure the DNA will give us the answer. I will tell you this...if you do manage to escape and go after my brother again you just might find you've bitten off more than you can chew."
"It sound you could be a real hell cat."
"You have no idea how sharp my claws are, Wo Fat, and you better think about what I said," Mary warned and turned to leave.
"I would like to know if you are all talk like your brother."
"Unlike you, my brother could tear you apart with his bare hands, but he would at least give you a fair chance. You seem to think you're above the rest of us, but you're not. You're something I scraped off the bottom of my shoe," Mary said and left before the man could say anything else.
Wo Fat watched her leave with a hint of admiration in his eyes. He hadn't given his half-sister a second thought, but it seemed that might have been a mistake. Mary McGarrett had shown she was as much her father's daughter as Steve was his son. Perhaps, when things were finished between him and Steve he would check into his other half-sibling. Yes, there was something feisty and intriguing about her that warranted closer inspection and time to make plans to escape this prison.
TBC!