Steve wouldn't leave her side. Danny pulled a chair up to the bed, cushioning it with pillows to ease his injured ribs and shoulder. He wasn't even going to bother to fight with his partner about lying down. After all, he had already received the Navy SEAL death stare once today, and that was more than enough!

Steve watched over Kono like a protective big brother. She had opened her arms to him again and he was not going to let her down. He would be by her side as long as she needed him. Once her Mother arrived back in town tomorrow morning he was sure she would cling to her but until then, nothing was going to tear him from her side.

Danny brought Steve a bottle of water and a sandwich which he reluctantly agreed to eat.
Chin had talked to the Doctor and staff and due to the Kono's trauma and because her physical condition was stable they were allowing Steven to stay in the room overnight as well. Luckily Kono had breast milk in her refrigerator and she had also frozen a good quantity. The Nurses were storing several bottles in their refrigerator and they would heat them as needed. The three men would be in charge of the infant and after Malia gave Chin and Danny explicit instructions on his care she left for the night. The plans were for her to go to the airport in the morning to pick up Kono's parents and bring them to the Hospital.

The men settled in for the night as Kono continued to sleep. Between the three they walked the room cradling Steven. They fed him and changed him. They talked to him about his Daddy and how much he had loved him. And each man promised the handsome little bundle that they would all be there for him...forever.

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Steve was holding her hand when he felt the gentle squeeze a little after midnight. He woke and stifling a yawn he smiled at her, "Hey sleepy head, how do you feel" She chuckled softly and he responded, "What's so funny?"
"You've got quite a case of bed-head boss"
Steve ran his hands through his hair carefully avoiding his bandaged temple. He gave her a loving, lopsided grin as she continued,
"Where's the baby?"
"He's here…..Uncle Danno's on watch" He pointed to the other side of the bed.

She glanced over at Chin who was sleeping in the other bed and then to Danny who was curled up uncomfortably in a chair near her bed. Steven lay sleeping next to him in a portable crib.
Smiling softly she turned back to Steve, "He's so beautiful, so innocent…."
He stroked her hand, "Yes he is, he's perfect Kono"
"Steve...tell me what happened...why did this happen?"

"Kono..." he hesitated briefly.
"Steve, please...I need to know. I need to know everything. Did he suffer?"

Steve held her hand tightly in both of his and he looked her straight in the eye, "Yes...Kono, they tortured him and then they shot him" He watched her carefully, and she remained steady though tears fell from her eyes as he continued, "Honey, Danny and I were with him at the end. I was holding him and Danny was holding his hands. He held on until we got to him. He needed to know that you and Steven were okay. He was so strong Kono and he loved you with all his heart. His last….his last words were that he loved you….." He struggled to maintain his composure as he reached a hand up to brush the tears from her cheeks.

She spoke very softly, very deliberately, "What did they do to him?"
Steve's voice shook slightly, "Honey please…you don't need…."
She interrupted him in mid-sentence, "Steve…...I have to know…..please….I have to….I have to know"
He closed his eyes and tipped his head down. He didn't speak for a couple of minutes and once again she said softly, "Steve, please…."

Her grip on his hand tightened as he continued, "They beat him…..his face, his chest and stomach. His head was cut…..his face…..was swollen and broken. His ribs were broken and he was bleeding internally…." He stopped and his body shook with emotion as he sucked air into his lungs.

"What else Steve?"
"They shot him….in the shoulder and…. twice…..twice in the belly….God Kono, he was so strong"
She wiped her eyes and looked at him, "Is there anything else I need to know?"
He didn't answer immediately and she added, "Steve…I'm going to see him"
"Kono, no please. You don't want to see him like this...…."
"I have to…..…..I have to see him. So please...please tell me everything"
"They….they pulled out his fingernails…..and some teeth"
"Oh God…Tony….." She closed her eyes tightly and turned towards him.
Taking her cue he stood, and leaning over he pulled her to his chest as he whispered over and over, "I'm so sorry Kono, I'm so sorry"
He cradled her for several minutes talking to her softly until she calmed down.

As he rested her head back onto the pillow she said, "Steve, thank you. I had to know….thank you. I'm so grateful that you were with him, holding him..." She then asked him, "Who did this? Why?"
Steve again took hold of her hand and he told here about Ben's death in San Diego and about Norris and his misguided quest for vengeance that now had destroyed so many lives.

He told her how they found and killed Norris and the others and how he had been shot.
"What about your head, face and arms? What happened?"
He briefly told her of the car crash not telling her that it occurred as he had raced from the Hospital after she had turned him away.

"You crashed Danny's Camero braugh?"
"Uhhh….yeah"
"Wow…..I'm so glad you're okay Boss"

He then let her know about everyone who would be flying in tomorrow and where they would be staying.
"I just can't believe he's gone….how am I going to raise Steven alone?"
"Sweetheart, you're not alone and neither one of you will ever be alone. We're family Kono, we're all here for you and we love you"
"I love you all so much…..thank you Steve"
"Do you need any pain meds?"
"No….I don't want to take anything…"
"You're starting to sound like me?"
"Well that's not a bad thing Boss..."
He grinned at her and then stood and kissed her cheek, "Close your eyes and sleep sweetheart, I'll be right here"
Soon exhaustion overtook them both and the room was quiet as they all slept.

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Danny's phone alarm went off an hour later and he moved over to Steve to wake him.
He shook his shoulder, "Hey partner...you gotta wake up"
Steve rubbed his eyes sleepily, "Danny...what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. You've been sleeping three hours, how's your head doing?"
"I'm good...let's take a walk" Steve stood, walking gingerly as his body had stiffened greatly.
"What's wrong?"
Steve grabbed his partner's elbow guiding him towards the door, "Nothing's wrong, I just don't want to wake Kono"

A concerned Danny, looked at him as they entered the hallway, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"
"Everything's fine. Listen to me, Kono woke earlier and we talked" He ran a hand through his hair, "She wanted to know everything Danny, every fucking detail"

"What did you tell her?"
"Everything...I couldn't lie to her partner, she's a detective..."
"She's his wife Steve. She's not a detective on this case!"
"I know that Danny, Jesus Christ I know that..." Steve's voice trailed off and Danny grabbed his arms.

Danny saw the distress in his partner, "Hey, I'm sorry...she had to know, I know that. How did she take it?"
"Pretty well. I mean it's brutal...it's shocking to hear, but she took it all in. She insists on seeing him Danny"
"Great..."
"I couldn't lie to her Danny" Steve voice was quivering slightly.
"You did the right thing buddy. Let's head back in and try to get some sleep, what do you say?"
"Sounds good"

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Danny woke Steve again a little before five in the morning and the men decided they were up for the day.
As Steve sat at the table and fed the baby, Danny went to fetch them coffee.

Chin woke a little after six and joined them.
Steve was holding Steven and Uncle Danny had him giggling as he played peek-a-boo over the SEAL's shoulder. This went on for quite some time before they heard Kono.
"He's a lucky boy to have you three"
Danny turned to her, "Are you kidding? We're the lucky ones! He's an amazing kid"

Steve added, "And quite brilliant I might add. He's sure pinned his Uncle Danny as a big goof" He then turned to Steven sitting in his lap, "You know your Uncle Danny is crazy, don't you big guy!"

The infant squealed with delight moving his closed fists up and down causing everyone to laugh and Danny to add, "And crazy Uncle Danny is going to be his favorite, FUN Uncle. You'll see!"

"Fun? Are you saying I'm not fun?" The others all laughed at the SEAL as he looked at them incredulously.
Through his laughter Danny stated, "SuperSEAL, fun is not a word that I would typically use to describe you"
They all laughed...and it felt good...so good.

The men had told Chin about the middle of the night talk with Kono and he had made his way to her side leaning over to kiss her forehead, "How do you feel 'cous?"

"I'm a little sore Chin but I need to get up and out of here"
"Don't push it now, it hasn't even been twenty four hours. Malia should get here with your parents in a couple of hours and Tony's family will get in around noontime"

"I've got to work on the arrangements Chin"
"We've got time sweetheart"
"I don't want his parents to have to deal with this" Tears slid down her cheeks.
He wiped them away with his thumb, "Kono, I don't want YOU to have to deal with this. How about if you let Malia and I take care of everything for you?"

"Oh Chin, I can't ask you to do that?"
"That's what family is for 'cous. We all need you to get better"
"Thank you...I love you"
"I love you too honey"

The Doctor came in a short time later and checked on Kono. Steve and Danny took the baby for a walk outside and Chin stayed with her. The Doctor was very pleased with how the wounds looked and with the help of Chin they got her out of bed briefly and she took a few steps.
"When can I go home Doctor?"
"I'll need you to stay at least three, four days. We'll start you on soft foods this morning and the more you can get up and around the better"
"Okay...thank you Doctor"

As the Doctor left the room Chin asked her, "Do you need any pain meds Kono?"
"No...I'm good"
"Kono, you are a very strong lady and you will survive. You have a beautiful son who needs you more than ever now. It will be your job to never let him forget his father or how much he loved him. But 'cous more than anything you must never, ever forget that you are not alone. You have your Ohana and anything you ever need, we will be there for you...all of us"

She again spoke through tears, "I know that Chin. I said that Steven was a lucky boy...but believe me, I know how lucky I am as well"
Chin was hugging her as the two men re-entered her room with a giggling baby and two detectives arguing over who was entertaining him.

She wiped her eyes stating, "I don't know fellas but I think my son thinks you're both big goofs"
The men stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other as she added, "Two big LOVABLE goofs"
Danny placed the child into his Mother's arms as they all smiled at the little boy, knowing that he would be the reason that Kono would survive...and knowing that a part of Tony still lived in Steven Daniel Reddick.