Catherine walked along the busy hallway toward McGarrett's room and frowned when she saw the IV running into his right hand. Danny was seated in the chair by the window, his left hand running through his hair as he stared at whatever was happening below the window. He turned as she entered the room and she could see the worry in his eyes.
"Danny, what's going on?" Rollins asked softly.
"Steve's got a fever and they're not sure yet what's causing it. They've done blood work and swabs of the wound and a bunch of other stuff," Williams explained.
"I shouldn't have left."
"You couldn't have known this was going to happen, Catherine," Williams said as she moved to the bed and gently stroked McGarrett's forehead. He could see how much she cared about him and wondered when they'd realized the depth of their feelings. "Listen, Catherine, I need to get a coffee. Will you stay with him?"
"I'm not going anywhere," the woman said and sat on the edge of the bed. She felt him stirring and smiled when his eyes opened and he smiled weakly at her. "Hey, Sailor, are you trying to use up all my leave while you're in this bed?"
"Well, I did have a bed in mind, but not this one," McGarrett told her, grimacing as he shifted on the bed and used the button to raise his head slightly.
"How do you feel?"
"Remember the night we went drinking and…"
"I drank you under the table…I thought that ended very well," Catherine whispered seductively.
"It did, but I had to report for duty at 0500…"
"I forgot about that. Mac told me you almost fell asleep and complained your head was going to explode."
"Exactly," McGarrett said. "When I go home Monday…"
"Somehow I don't see that happening," Catherine said.
"Lewis said…"
"That was before you decided to write your own version of Complications Are Us, and it's beginning to look like an extended edition," Rollins observed.
"Think it'll sell…we could quit our jobs and live off the royalties?"
"And give up taking down people like Wo Fat…"
"Damn, anything new on him and Sang Min?"
"Nothing and you're not supposed to worry about anything except getting better so we can have some downtime," Catherine said and wished she'd kept her mouth shut.
"Downtime is good," McGarrett said and took her hand. "I'm okay, Cath."
"No, you're not, but you will be or you'll have to answer to me. I can be as hard as that Drill Sargeant…hell; I could probably show him a thing or two about real combat training."
"I bet you could," McGarrett said and tried to hide his discomfort when he tried to sit up further in the bed.
"I'm getting your nurse."
"I don't need…
"You don't need what, Commander?" Lewis asked and placed the man's chart on the table before folding his arms across his chest.
"He's in pain…"
"It's not so bad."
"Then why do you look like hell?"
"Maybe because I'm stuck in here. I still get out on Monday, right?"
"If you mean a week from Monday then the answer is a definite maybe," Lewis told him and quickly ordered the nurse to bring McGarrett's prescribed pain medication and antibiotics.
"Come on, doc, I can take the meds at home."
"Not this kind. These are IV antibiotics for the infection you have. Now, I'm not going to give you the medical terminology, but suffice it to say it is a serious infection and requires strong medication. You're here for at least another four or five days depending on how your body reacts to the treatment. This is not something to take lightly, Commander, and I want your word there'll be no more unauthorized excursions," Lewis warned.
"He's not going anywhere," Rollins vowed.
"I'll take your word on that, Lieutenant Rollins, because otherwise I'd be hard pressed not to believe the commander is a fool," Lewis berated as the nurse came into the room with the medications. "Now, I want to take a look at your wound, and then I want you sleeping. Understood?"
"Understood," McGarrett told him.
"Good, because if you mess with this, Commander, it'll be a lot longer than four days in here and you could end up back in ICU with tubes in places I'm sure you'd rather not discuss, especially in front of Lieutenant Rollins," Lewis warned.
"Hell…"
"Yes, it will be if you do anything stupid, Commander."
"He won't Dr. Lewis; I'll make sure of that."
"I do believe you're the right person for the job, Lieutenant."
"Do you have any idea what's causing the fever and infection?" Rollins asked as she watched Lewis and the nurse work together.
"I won't know for sure until we get the results of all the tests. That's why I'm giving you a broad spectrum antibiotic until we figure out what's happening," Lewis answered and noted McGarrett's reaction when he touched the area around the wound.
"How long before you get the results back?" Rollins asked.
"We should know by this time tomorrow," Lewis answered and finished what he was doing. "Commander, if you need anything just let the nurses know, but for now I want you to rest."
"Seems like that's all I've been doing," McGarrett said, but found his eyes were already closing. "Stay, Cath."
"I'm not going anywhere," the woman said and waited for the doctor and nurse to leave before sitting on the edge of the bed once more. There was no mistaking the fevered blush on his cheeks and even in sleep she could see the dark smudges under his eyes. She silently cursed Wo Fat and vowed that whatever happened, the bastard would be caught and this time he would not escape.
5050505050
Steve awoke to the sound of monitoring equipment and opened his eyes. He knew he was no longer in the room he'd shared with Williams, and had no memory of what happened to land him back here. He coughed and wrinkled his nose when he felt the familiar nasal cannulas. He turned his head slightly and wasn't surprised to see the woman sitting there with her head resting on the pillow beside his. He felt her soft breath on his cheek and smiled when she opened her eyes and looked into his.
"Hey, Sailor, how do you feel?" Catherine asked.
"I don't know…why am I back here?"
"Dr. Lewis said something about Sepsis and how dangerous it was to a man in your condition. He had you moved here when you spiked a high fever and your blood pressure dropped."
"How long have I been in here?"
"Two days…God, Steve, I was so worried."
"I'm sorry, Cath, I didn't mean to," McGarrett told her and reached for her hand as the nurse checked the readings on the monitors.
"I sent word to Dr. Lewis that you're awake, Commander," the woman said and adjusted the flow of the IV. "Do you need anything?"
"Water," McGarrett answered and accepted the cup of ice water the woman handed him. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," the woman said and turned away to give the two people some time to talk. She frowned when she saw Paulina standing just outside the unit and briefly wondered why she looked like a storm of anger. The woman turned away before she had a chance to ask her what she wanted, but Janet had a feeling whatever it was, would not go away easy. Perhaps it was time she spoke with their supervisor about the strange woman's recent actions.
5050505050
Paulina fought the urge to go into the unit and make the bitch leave Steve alone. Couldn't she see the man was just being nice to her and that he belonged to someone else? How could everyone be so blind to what was so easy to see? They belonged together and the sooner people like Catherine Rollins and Danny Williams left them alone, they could spend the rest of their lives in each other's arms.
"Paulina, Rosemary is looking for you. She said your patient is back from x-ray," Mary Ann Chow called from the desk.
"Thank you, Mary Ann, tell her I'll be right there," Paulina said and moved to the stairwell. She pushed the door open and leaned against it, breathing harshly through her nose. She turned and slammed her fists against the wall, and cursed the people who were conspiring to keep her away from the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She made her way to her floor and exited to find Rosemary standing at the main desk.
"Paulina, I was just about to send out a search party," the head nurse told her. "Your patient is back from x-ray…where were you?"
"I was on break, Rosie," Paulina lied.
"I thought your break ended fifteen minutes ago."
"My watch stopped and I lost track of time. I need to buy a new one when I leave today," Pauline said and moved to the room where one of her patients waited for her.
"You need to learn to check the clocks on the wall," Kelly said from behind the main desk.
"And you need to mind your own damn business," Paulina whispered angrily, and forced a smile to her face when she entered the room. She enjoyed caring for sick and injured people, and could just imagine what it would be like to have Steve in her bed. She could use her skills to care for him, but to do that he would need to be sick or injured.
"Paulina, what are you thinking about?" the female patient asked.
"Just thinking how easy it is for people to get hurt or catch a bug," Paulina answered and moved to check her patient's vitals. Yes, Steve would love how well she treated him, and would come to understand just how much he loved her.
5050505050
Joe White's anger was evident in the set of his jaw as he walked up to the table and took the seat across from Lee Chung Wong. The man used his napkin to wipe his mouth, and Joe didn't miss the anger in his eyes.
"Why are you here?" Wong asked and motioned for the two men to leave them alone.
"I thought you were a man of your word, Lee."
"I am a man of my word, Joe."
"Then why is Wo Fat a free man?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Don't you? There are not very many men who could arrange his freedom, Lee. I can count them on one hand and you're one of them."
"You dare sit here and accuse me of helping that bastard! I could have you killed where you sit and no one would give you more than a passing look!"
"You don't scare me, Lee; I thought I proved that years ago. If you're not behind his escape then you know who is and I want him. I want to know where Wo Fat has gone to ground. Tell me and the debts are still wiped out, screw with me and all bets are off and you'll need more than those two body guards to keep you safe."
"Some day I will show you just how little you scare me, Joe, but for now we both want the same thing. I will make enquiries into his whereabouts."
"You're saying you don't know where he is?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Wong answered. "Did anyone else escape with him?"
"A man named Sang Min. He's got ties to The Yakuza…"
"I have heard of him. He deals in human trafficking and drugs."
"Amongst other things," White told him.
"How do I contact you when I find out where Wo Fat is?"
"You don't, I'll contact you," White said and reached across the table for the glass of wine. He drank it and smiled as he stood up and walked out of the restaurant. He didn't think he'd get anywhere with Wong, and had already started searching for Wo Fat using other contacts. He understood the danger in going after someone like Wo Fat, but there was no way he would let the man hurt those he cared about. That was one vow he'd keep no matter what it cost him.
5050505050
Steve had never been so glad to see Lewis doing his early morning rounds. In the week since he'd woken up in ICU he'd slept more than he ever remembered doing. He was finally free of all accessories and ready to argue with the man if he had to. He wanted out, the sooner the better and he was ready for a fight if that's what it took. He wanted to sleep in his own bed, hopefully spooned up against a certain Lieutenant's back. Although sleep was only one of the reasons he wanted his own bed and a hint of a smile was born at the thought of just what he'd like to do with Catherine.
"Well, Commander, you're either feeling better or you're thinking about something good," Lewis said from the open doorway.
"A bit of both…tell me you'll sign me out," McGarrett said.
"Maybe, it depends on how well you'll listen to what I have to say," Lewis told him.
"Right now, Doc, I'm willing to listen to anything as long as…well, as long as I get to go home," the SEAL answered as Lewis walked over and sat in the chair by the window and opened the chart he'd brought with him.
"Look, Commander, I've gone over your tests results and you're ready to go home, but that doesn't mean you can forget everything I've told you the minute you walk out the door…"
"I thought hospital policy was I go in a wheelchair?"
"That was a long time ago. You're healthy enough to walk, but all joking aside, you need to take it easy and allow yourself time to heal. I've arranged a follow up appointment in two weeks at my office, but if you have any problems or concerns don't hesitate to call my service or go to the ER if the need arises," Lewis warned.
"I hear you, Doc."
"Do you…I mean it Commander, you may think you're indestructible, but you bleed just like everyone else. When that happens you may think you can just sew it up Rambo style and you'll be fine, but that's not the case. There's the danger of infections like the one you just had. Blood loss can affect the major organs and when that happens you're in far more danger than anyone else because you seem to think you're fine. It doesn't work that way…and sooner or later you're going to fall on your ass and when that happens I want you to remember what I'm telling you now. I don't want to have to admit you again…although I'm sure the nurses have enjoyed watching you strut your stuff."
McGarrett tried not to show his surprise at what the doctor was saying, but he appreciated the man's candor. He knew most of what Lewis was saying was true and realized it wasn't smart to ignore what his body and mind told him. There were times when he did it just to get on Danny's nerves, but that was getting old as well.
"Will someone be staying with you?"
"Yes," McGarrett answered simply.
"That pretty Lieutenant…the one that's usually here until they threaten to call security?"
"Yes," McGarrett said.
"Just take it easy and don't overdo things," Lewis said and stood up. He shook hands with the McGarrett before leaving the room as Catherine Rollins entered.
"So, are you getting out of here, Sailor?"
"I am," McGarrett said and hugged her. I just need to get dressed."
"Need any help with that?"
"Hell, Yes," McGarrett said and watched as she placed a chair in front of the door and retrieved his clothing from the closet.
"You know…it would be fun to see you go commando, Commander," Catherine teased.
"For you…but not until we get home," McGarrett told her.
"You do know Danny, Chin, and Kono are going to be there."
"I figured as much," McGarrett said and hugged her. "I could tell them I need to rest…"
"That's not much of s stretch…seems that's one of the requirements of your discharge," Catherine observed as she helped button up the plaid shirt. She looked into his eyes and knew she could spend the rest of her life exploring every inch of this man.
"You keep looking at me like that and we might not get out of this room."
"Sorry…"
"Don't be," McGarrett said and took her hands in his. "Thanks, Cath."
"For what?"
"For taking the time off and staying with me. I know it hasn't been easy, but I promise to devote the next two weeks to you."
"So no work…no worrying about Wo Fat?"
"I won't promise the last, but I promise I won't go after him until I can handle him."
"I don't know if anyone can handle him, Steve."
"Commander, oh, am I interrupting something?" a nurse asked and stopped trying to open the door.
"No, I was just helping Commander McGarrett get changed," Catherine said and pulled the chair away from the door.
"Well, I have some papers for him to sign and a prescription for antibiotics and pain meds," Carol James said and smiled as the man signed the papers and took the scripts. "Commander, please take care of yourself…as much as we enjoy the view we'd rather see you on the beach in those…well, you know."
"If he doesn't I do," Catherine said mischievously. "Come on, Sailor, let's get you home."
"That sounds like a plan," McGarrett said and followed her out.
5050505050
Danny knew Steve would be home in la couple of hours, and planned to be there to welcome him back. Grace was busy putting the finishing touches on the cupcakes they'd made and she wanted to be with him when he went to the McGarrett home.
"Danno, should I put candy on all of them?"
"No, leave some with just icing," Williams answered and moved to the door when someone knocked softly. He opened it to find his ex-wife standing there with tears in her eyes and a white manila envelope in her hand.
"Danny, can I come in?"
"Sure, Rachel, what's wrong?"
"I got the DNA results and I knew you'd want to see them right away," Rachel answered and passed him the envelope.
"What does it say?"
"Open it and see," Rachel told him and sighed heavily as he opened the envelope and took out the paper. "
"This say I'm…"
TBC
Author's Note-I just wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews and let you know that this one is nearly over. I am really glad you guys enjoyed this one and am already working on the sequel.