I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: thanks for your patience and great comments on the story - I had a business trip this week and was very delayed in making the muses happy (and vice versa!). For the Guest who caught my Korea error - thank you, too. Ponch was established earlier as being involved with Korea; my brain slipped.

* H50 * H50 * H50 * H50 * H50

Chapter 19

"I can be released tomorrow, right?" Ponch had Danny sitting on the side of the bed. Danny had been moved to the private room the prior afternoon while Rachel and Grace were still visiting. With his team equally exhausted, he had managed to call or leave messages about the change from the ICU and not to worry about coming until the next day. Rachel and Grace then stayed right up until visiting hours ended and Danny slept virtually the entire night. He woke feeling well-rested and ready for discharge from the TAMC property. It was the first time in over thirty hours that he'd been fairly upright though, and Danny was having a difficult time as he gagged against nausea brought on by a strong dizzy spell. Ponch was supporting him firmly by holding a hand to each shoulder and coaching him to breathe slowly.

"Take it easy, Danny." He growled a warning out based on the absolute gall of the wheezed question. "Nice try too, but I never said tomorrow. What I said was one or two more days. Based on what I'm seeing this very minute, you need the extra time."

He studied his patient closely, taking note of the sheen of sweat and the shaky hand that was wrapped tightly around his wrist. Danny was pale and leaning heavily into his strong hands as he vainly tried to get his stomach under control. Their goal was to take a short walk in the corridor, but Ponch was quickly changing his mind about the intelligence of that idea.

"I don't want you to do more than this right now. How's the level of pain?"

"Dull ache. Feel sick though." It was the truth as Danny's chest resented every minor move and short inhaled breath. The nausea was completely unexpected however, and Danny closed his eyes against the distressing feeling. Ponch frowned as he yanked his stethoscope out with one hand and rechecked his patient's lungs. His extremely light palpitation of Danny's bruised sternum elicited a sharply pained hiss and a complaining huff.

"Enough with the poking!" Danny gently massaged near the painful achiness when the doctor completed his gentle evaluation. "Yes, it hurts."

Ramirez smiled as he looked in askance at his nurse. She confirmed the elevated status of Danny's blood pressure, however it was on par and within normal limits.

"Fair enough. Let's just stay here for a few more minutes and see if the dizziness passes."

After being virtually immobile for what amounted to days, the change in position was a difficult transition and Ponch wasn't overly worried. The bruising would also be an annoying ache for days to come worsened at times by deeper breaths or too much activity. As the tension in Danny's face finally eased, Ponch slowly released his shoulders so that Danny could maintain his own balance while perched on the lowered bed.

"Well?" He watched the small measured breaths as Danny slowly won the battle and tiredly opened his eyes.

"Lets do it." Danny palmed the sweat from his face and grimaced as Ponch resolutely shoved his hands deeply into his pockets. The ache significantly lessened after a few minutes and he was relieved to feel the nausea cooperating in the same way. He was utterly disgusted though when he eyed the doctor's bland expression. He could tell that he probably wasn't going anywhere, but he was determined to stick to the immediate plan of a short walk.

"Good. It's good." Completely exasperated by the domineering man, Danny sighed loudly as Ponch managed a genuine smile. "Doc, really. Let's go take our stroll. You said no exercise was equally bad because of pneumonia. So, lets give this a shot, Doc."

Ponch considered it again before holding up one finger. "Slow steady breaths. Nice and normal. If here is a hint of dizziness or nausea you're to say something. Deal?"

"Deal. Absolutely." Beckoning towards the nurse, Ponch gently took Danny's arm and braced his elbow while the nurse did the same on the opposite side. The two of them slowly shuffle-walked Danny towards the corridor. A few seconds later, he was hunched over but making his way down towards the nurses station without direct assistance.

Ponch lingered behind, pleased by the overall progress as he watched for any signs of trouble. The nurse was close by but his patient was improving with every steady step. Danny was past much of the dangerous initial hours post-injury where damage could have quite literally caused a collapsed lung or a myriad of other rather severe issues. Unbeknownst to the team, the published subsequent mortality rates for similar injuries were quite high. Ponch was not interested in testing the validity of the statistics. Now, the doctor's therapy focused on pain management since the chest wall injury alone would make even coughing or sneezing so painful that liquid could build up leading to infection or pneumonia. The pain could also affect Dannys oxygen levels and counter the good earned them by using the CPAP device. The simple act of breathing could be so painful, he could accidentally limit his air intake. It was a balancing of analgesics and anti-inflammatories combined with just the right mix of rest and very mild exercise.

Ponch smiled happily as Danny turned at the desk to amble back. He wasn't pale or breathing poorly. Danny too, was pleased with the obvious progress as he slightly straightened up from his hunched position. Just as he turned, the elevator door opened and Chin quite unexpectedly appeared. He was between Danny and the doctor; however, he only saw Ponch.

"Hey, Ponch! How's Danny?" Chin was thrilled to see the doctor and even happier that Danny was out of the ICU. Behind him, Danny was looking with interest at the bakery bag in Chin's hands.

"He's doing quite well." The dry comment offered no other information until the doctor stabbed the air with one finger. "Look behind you."

Danny had one hand on the wall for balance as the nurse stood by just in case he needed help. He was grinning at the surprise on his friend's face but his next remark was for Doctor Ramirez. "Tomorrow's the day. Right, Doc?"

"Really? He'll be released tomorrow? That's great news!" Walking back, Chin insisted he help instead of the nurse as Danny bobbled a bit. Ramirez was a formidable human wall though as he anchored his feet to the tile floor refusing to allow Danny to move back to the room.

"How often must I repeat myself? I clearly did not say tomorrow." Confused by the growing disagreement, Chin made a face as the two men had a stand-off of sorts in the hallway. Danny was grinning at the large man who was doing his best to remain stern. His hands strained the pockets of his coat even more as he studied Danny's sweaty but determined face.

"We'll see, Detective." It was a tiny agreement of a reply which evidently gave Danny all he needed to pat the big doctor boldly on his shoulder. The almost condescending gesture caused the man's fingers to nearly rend the insides of his pockets in frustration.

"Thanks, Doc." The happy, almost too bland reply included the determined stare which was as unrelenting as the doctor's wide stance. Rather than answering or fully agreeing, Ponch gave way in the hallway with a tilt of his head towards Danny's room. It was obvious though that his eyes were decidedly full of laughter.

"Bed. Now. Off your feet. Go eat a donut." Chin chuffed a very amused sound as he got Danny moving once more. Ponch had nothing more to say even when he caught the last few muttered words under Danny's breath.

"When can you pick me up?" Seconds later, he did laugh to himself as he walked away. "So Chin - buddy - what's in the bag?"

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"I thought I was released from the hospital? It's been three days. I feel fine." Danny griped loudly as Rachel and Ellen pushed him into a chair that was in a shady section of the Ramirez patio.

"Released to stay off your feet and rest. You've got at least another week from what I understand." Rachel reminded him as Steve ambled over with with one bottle of beer in hand.

"I'd behave if I were you, Danno." Surrounded by caring hands, his partner was relatively trapped as a lightweight blanket was tossed over his lower legs. Danny glared at him as he drained half the Longboard and then grinned mockingly back. Mike Ramirez was following too after giving attention to Mrs. Hoppy much to Grace's absolute delight. He had the bunny cuddled in one hand under his chin as he juggled his own unopened bottle and Danny's rueful look extended to him too.

Danny wasn't overly impressed as Mike tickled Mrs. Hoppy's long ears. "I'd watch out for that rabbit, Mike. She's a lethal demon."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think she likes me actually." Mike grinned as he joined them all around the seated Detective. He put the bottle on the closest table to stroke the bunny's fur. Mrs. Hoppy was evidently quite content as her nose twitched incessantly and she leaned up to sniff around his neck.

"She's really cute." Both Five-0 men shook their heads in abject horror over the growing compliments as Becca's father petted Mrs. Hoppy. "I don't know what you and my brother are talking about. She's quite tame, likes to be held, and has very pretty markings."

They shared a disgusted look as Mike rubbed the bunny's neck and almost cooed to the annoying creature. As if to validate his words, Mrs. Hoppy sat quietly in his hands while bravely sniffing near his hair.

"She is very cute." Mike repeated as she settled comfortably down in his arms to take a piece of carrot he pulled from his pant's pocket.

"Whatever." Danny muttered under his breath as he warily eyed the fickle animal before looking at Ellen to make his own point. "But I do feel fine and this is like house arrest."

"We're all glad of that, Danny." Ellen interrupted while she pointed towards her husband. "Don't forget what he's got that handy medical bag of his. I doubt he'd hesitate to use it on you if you don't follow his orders to rest."

Danny groaned in mock annoyance as Kono handed him a plate of food. The doctor's orders to rest were being strictly enforced much to Danny's chagrin. He was unable to walk a short ten-foot distance without someone noticing and heading him off.

"Isn't this a bit much though?" Trying again, three sets of determined hands kept him seated as the remaining effects of the internal bruising healed.

"Nope. Not even close!" Ellen warned him again as she made light of his complaining. She smiled as Steve teasingly waved his beer in front of Danny's face. He watched as the sweaty, cold bottle oozed a bit of ice to the patio floor and Steve took another satisfying sip. Mike snorted in laughter at the rude gesture before elbowing Steve out of the way and shoving Mrs. Hoppy into the SEAL's unsuspecting hands.

"So Danny, guess what the good doctor said you could have?" Mike completely ignored Steve's startled reaction as he handed Danny the unopened bottle from the table.

Steve's eyes were huge as he grabbed at the squirming ball of fluff and Kono only rescued his beer bottle. "No! Take the rabbit!" He blurted in alarm as Mrs. Hoppy elevated her long body up towards his neck where her long whiskers tickled and just brushed under his ear.

"Grace!" Stumbling backwards, both hands tried to hold the creature as he looked around for help. The change to a complete lack of security made the rabbit freeze in place as her nose also stopped moving and her sharp claws came out to snag into his t-shirt for balance.

"Grace!" Feeling the rabbit tense and the needle-like pricks on his skin, Steve looked around frantically for the two girls. "Gracie! Becca!"

Danny held his chest as his chuckle became an all out laugh and he watched his partner lurch back towards the girls. By the time Steve saw them on the other side of the lawn, he had the rabbit in both out-stretched hands far away from his body as if the little demon was an offering. Mike and Danny couldn't stop laughing as they heard his now distant shouted plea.

"Grace! Get over here and take your rabbit!"

"You're kidding." Danny was still laughing as he held the bottle of unopened beer in his hand. Reaching out again, Mike snagged it back to open it for him and then pulled up a chair to keep Danny company.

"Not kidding. Ponchie said it was okay." Mike was grinning as Steve leered at him by the portable bunny enclosure. Grace had dutifully rescued him from the evil Mrs. Hoppy but he was none to pleased with the joke as he picked stray bits of rabbit fur off his shirt. He raised his eyebrows and chuckled when Steve mouthed "not funny" at him with a disgusted look etched across his face while he held the collar of his t-shirt out. Mike started to laugh all over again as Steve peered down the front of his shirt and tried to figure out if the sharp claws had actually drawn blood.

"Well, thank you for that!" Danny said as he held the bottle up to Mike. It was clear he meant the beer, but the sideways ironic look at Steve included what had just happened with Mrs. Hoppy.

"One. Just one." Ellen cautioned with a chuckle as Danny happily took a long pull on the bottle and sighed gustily with a minor wince. "Watch the breathing and make it last, buster!"

The party at the Ramirez's home had grown over the last few days to include Mrs. Watson and anyone else happily affected by Rebecca's homecoming. There were certain of those people that Becca was reticent about seeing but she bravely held her father's hand to thank Mrs. Watson for returning her books. Her real interest was with Grace who had brought Mrs. Hoppy in her travel crate. Rachel had bought a small portable fence and the girls were now back inside the grassy area feeding the bunny chopped up bits of carrots.

Eventually Danny and Mike were left alone and it provided Mike the opportunity to thank Danny again. He couldn't move past the unknown teenager who still lay so ill in the hospital. Watching both girls playing in the grass together, he sighed almost miserably at what could have been because the fear still lingered.

"I can't believe she doesn't really know how to play." Mike sighed sadly. At times, Becca became overly quiet as Grace suggested a game or some sort of make-believe role playing with her dolls. It was as if she were confused or felt the idea was rather ridiculous and it worried the father.

"It will go away. Especially if Grace as anything to say about it." Danny smiled patiently at the man as they watched the girls with the rabbit who was now hopping around the enclosure just out of reach of their small hands. After the recent experience, the bunny obviously wasn't interested in being cuddled in the foreseeable future.

"We could have lost either one of them." Mike was like Danny with the ongoing ache, but this time the Detective held up his hand to put a stop to that part of their conversation. To his credit, Danny blatantly ignored the tiny remaining yellowing bruise on Grace's ankle. It had been much too close for both girls.

"But we didn't so let's agree that we're both very lucky." The grin was back on Mike's face as he nodded in agreement. Danny then decided to ask the next most obvious question.

"It's not entirely my business, but now what? Will you two go back to Virginia? I bet you have family there anxious to see both of you. Especially Becca after all of this time."

Oddly though, Mike shook his head to disagree. "Amy's sister lives in Massachusetts. She'll come for the funeral of course which will be in Richmond, but she's the only blood relative."

Looking down at his hands, Mike shrugged about the coming things he needed to do which continued to pile higher and higher on his shoulders. "I'm waiting for confirmation of when I can take Amy back so we can lay her to rest. I have to get my job figured out, find us a house or a better apartment and get Becca back into a normal life."

Danny frowned as he shifted in his chair to look curiously over at Mike and the gazed at the happy people around them. The atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming; Ponch and Ellen were talking animatedly amongst their friends. Becca was giggling over the rabbit and Grace's smile never left her face. Every so often Ellen would look at her niece as if making sure she was indeed there and happy. Kono was still laughing at Steve over his plight with Mrs. Hoppy as he now pulled his t-shirt up for a better look at the tiny scratches. Danny couldn't help grinning as she physically yanked it back down and playfully punched Steve in the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mike but I have to say it." Mike sighed and nodded for his new friend to continue. Gesturing widely around the party and forcing Mike to really notice what was going on around them, Danny was utterly baffled.

"With your brother and Ellen here ... and no one there ... why the hell would you leave?"

The honest comment brought Mike's thoughts up short as he followed the neck of the grandly waving beer bottle. Before he could try to answer, his cell phone rang and he frowned worriedly at the number flashing on the screen.

"Excuse me, I need to take this. It's about Amy."

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If anyone assumed Becca wasn't also watching her father like a hawk, they'd be sorely mistaken. Becca knew when his phone rang, she saw him leave to speak privately and come back in a frantic rush for her Uncle. She also had seen his face and it made her stomach feel funny inside like when her mother made them run each time.

Mike and Ponch were missing in action for a long time and Ellen was now becoming concerned. Ponch, Steve and Agent Marcus had completely filled in Mike Ramirez about every aspect of the investigation as it related to Joanna Pearce. They explained how they had found Rebecca and then connected the dots to identifying the murder victim as Amy Wilkerson. Mike had been devastated and withdrawn since learning the full truth and as he took responsibility for the funeral arrangements back in Virginia.

Ellen looked up worriedly when they finally rejoined the group almost forty minutes later. Studying her husband's face she saw the barely hidden tension and a glance to Mike revealed nearly the same. She realized with a start that Mike was looking at her intently and as their eyes met, he motioned her over to the kitchen. At the same time, Becca stopped feeding Mrs. Hoppy as her Aunt now disappeared and she got quickly to her feet in the small portable enclosure.

"What's wrong?" Grace paused to look up at Rebecca who suddenly seemed upset. But now completely distracted, her new friend only shrugged in reply as she moved part of the fence open to squeeze out.

Steve was talking in a small group and he let his words just peter away when he saw Becca's worried face. Following her line of sight, he just saw Ellen disappearing into the kitchen. He frowned when the little girl simply left Grace sitting there alone with the rabbit. She made a beeline to follow her Aunt and he quickly excused himself but was too late in heading her off.

"The final arrangements are confirmed and I need to leave tomorrow for Virginia with Amy. The funeral will be three days from then." Mike was explaining the reason for the long phone call. Ellen felt the tears welling as her legs gave out and she sank into a chair.

"You'll both go then? You and Rebecca; so soon?"' Her hand covered her mouth as she felt Ponch join them and take a seat next to her.

"Not exactly. I'm going with Mike, Ellen." He was looking at her gently and it took her a moment for his words to sink in. "We both agree it's too much to ask of Rebecca, so I'd like to go and help him. But he needs a favor of you while we're gone."

"You should go together." Ellen agreed softly as a tear rolled down her cheek. She leveled a peculiar look at Ponch about what could happen after that, but he shook his head because he didn't know what his brother would do yet. She could only agree then that the men should go together and then they'd all figure things out.

"Yes. It's a good idea if you go with him."

"Where are you going?" Rebecca heard the very last part of her Aunt's and Uncle's words and her eyes were huge as she stared from one to the other. Her voice was soft and full of a stunned disbelief.

"You're leaving? You're going without me?" Becca wasn't even certain of what they were talking about. Only understanding that Mike would leave her alone, she backed up abruptly and hit Steve's legs as he also came around the corner. It gave her nowhere to escape to, and at a loss about what was happening, Steve picked her up when he sensed her fear.

"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly as she hid her face in his neck and began to cry.

"Damn it. It's going to be alright." Mike was mortified as he gently pried his daughter from Steve's arms. Becca accepted the change as she wrapped her arms now around her father.

"It's okay, Steve. I just got an important phone call and we were talking about what I needed to do next." Understanding immediately what Mike meant, Steve gently tweaked Becca's hair and then went back to the party to give the family their privacy.

Mike closed his eyes as he tried to shush Becca's growing fears. "I'm not leaving you. I would never do that, Becca. I just have to get things ready for us in Virginia. I have to go sooner than I thought and Uncle Ponch is going with me."

Ignoring Ellen's sharper intake of breath, Ponch tried to hold Rebecca's hand to give her a reassuring squeeze. He was surprised and saddened though when she pulled it away from him and hid her face.

"No." The small disagreeable cry was muffled in her father's chest as he rubbed her back.

Sitting down with her on his lap, Mike whispered to her in a low tone. "I know it's scary but I promise it won't be for long and then things will be ready for us back home. I was only asking Aunt Ellen just now if you could stay with her while Uncle Ponch and I go on this trip."

Startled, Ellen looked up from where she sat - of course that had to be the plan. But after, they would leave and she felt the dismal hole growing more in her own heart. Instead of saying anything though, Ellen noticed that Mike's face was indescribably sad. She realized then that he always looked weary as stress after stress was heaved upon his shoulders and all she could do was be there for him. Becca sat in her father's arms with her back to Ellen. Small shuddery breaths shook her shoulders as she tried to understand what he was saying and why. As he hugged her close, he pleaded with Ellen.

"Can she stay with you until this is taken care of? Until I get this done and our home figured out in Virginia? I can't take her back like this and I'm living out of boxes in a crap apartment. It just wouldn't be right .. or fair. She's just gotten to be so damned happy again. I don't think I should put her through this ... transition."

He was talking around his daughter as his own guilt sky-rocketed. The transition mostly meant the wake and the funeral. No matter how large or small, Mike didn't want his daughter there since he feared the experience would unravel her newfound happiness. Holding Rebecca, Mike's voice cracked into a whisper and his eyes reddened. He couldn't manage leaving her for a moment, but he had no choice.

"She shouldn't travel that far for something like this; it's not right. At least, I don't think it is."

"You should know that you don't even have to ask." He was constantly second-guessing himself, and Ellen found herself getting up to pull him tight with Rebecca embraced in the middle. "Ponch and I will do whatever you want. Just take it day by day, Mike. We are always going to be here for both of you no matter what you decide to do."

Ellen found herself crying now too. It wasn't how they had intended to begin or end the party and now she and Ponch were much closer to losing the two to an incredible distance.

"I don't want you to go." Becca's voice was whisper quiet. She always followed her mother with barely a complaint though she had hated it. She would do the same again with her father because she never seemed to have a real choice. But this time her fear climbed as she began to chant into his chest. He was leaving her, Uncle Ponch was going this time, and they might not ever come back just like her mother.

"I want you to stay. Don't go." The three adults didn't know what to say except to try to soothe the little girl all over again as her sniffles became heart-broken sobs.

Mike could only hold her and mumble the same thing over and over because he had no choice either. "Ten days, Becca. Then I will be back for you. I promise."

~ to be continued ~