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

Notes: same comment as before:so I did my best researching law here and then describing what I understand the process to be. I'm sorry that I haven't had the time to get back to many of you. It's very busy here with layoffs, plus luckily, new interviews externally.

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Chapter 14

"Okay. What's wrong?" Steve was almost tired of asking different people the exact same question. He was asking Danny now as he woke more naturally after a rough night of fevered dreams, confusing touchy starts and stops in his memory, and then finally a significant break in his temperature which dropped him into a peaceful, healing sleep. Steve had been informed of the good news after returning from a well-deserved rest, himself. One full day had elapsed since Doctor Ramirez had been arrested and the new stress was wearing on everyone. But he was beyond relieved after pausing at the nurse's station before happily entering his partner's room. But there was a telling look on his partner's face as he tried to fold his arms over his chest, winced and then settled for laying his injured hand on his lap.

"You look better at least." The amused eye-roll and the one-handed wave to dramatically demonstrate his true thoughts about his bedridden state, belied Danny's inner worries though.

"Yeah, there's this!" Steve grinned back before he repeated himself. "But what's bothering you?"

As Ponch had promised, once the antibiotics kicked in, Danny would get well. The on-duty attending ICU doctor had just left after checking Danny's latest readings and evaluating the healing gunshot wound and head injury. His name was Owens and he shared his own pleasure with both men about Danny's improvements, even offering a tentative release date just two days later if Danny stayed his course. Having combated the worst of the fever, the drain would be removed later that afternoon. Attention now focused on the head wound and Danny's complaint of dull headaches and questionable vision.

"Normal enough for the severity of the concussion." Owens had confirmed one he had he re-checked his patient's pupils and reflexes. "Your doing well." While he was efficient and the bearer of good news, the simple truth was Danny had noticed that Doctor Ramirez was most obviously missing.

"Mike." Watching Doctor Owens white-coated back finally depart through the open door, Danny thumbed his bed higher. "He's taken a turn for the worse, hasn't he."

"Now why would you say a think like that? Mike's doing fine. Great, in fact." Steve honestly answered. "He's probably going home … soon. Like tomorrow."

"Then where's Ramirez?" Having reasoned that he hadn't seen the over-bearing doctor in some time, Danny assumed that Mike's own health had been the issue. With Steve's answer, Danny scowled and then his mouth dropped open in shock. "It's not Becca? She's not hurt or sick .. nothing's happened … right?"

"God no!" Steve blurted with both hands raised high to calm the rising stress level emanating from his bedridden partner. "Nothing like that at all. Everyone's fine, Danny."

Standing at the foot of the bed, Steve leaned on the bed frame. "Fine" was relative in context and his attitude was just a bit off which showed plainly by the displeased look plastered across his face. "There's no easy way to explain this, so I'll just say it."

The fact that Steve was so serious forestalled any other words and Danny simply waited to hear what he had to say. "Doc showed up at the takedown and long story short, he killed Frank Curtis. He's been arrested and the D.A. just charged him with voluntary manslaughter."

His lips took on a thin annoyed line as he finished delivering the bad news. "He's in jail, Danny, waiting to see if the judge will consider setting bail."

"He what?" His weak voice was sketchy at best but Danny's tone was undeniable. Flabbergasted at the news, Danny seemed to flounder awkwardly in bed as if he might try to get up and leave before falling limply back into the pillows. "

"Jail? He was arrested? He killed Curtis? What the hell, Steven!"

"Danny. I know. We all know." Steve stated in an attempt to put an end to what nearly sounded like an accusation. "It happened so fast, none of us had a chance to stop him."

Speechless for the first time since waking, Danny stared at Steve across the length of the bed. Of all things he thought he might learn about Doctor Ramirez, this was the least likely of all.

"He's got a great lawyer." Steve affirmed quietly to Danny's garbled attempt at another question. "Maybe it will work out. We can only wait and see."

"Isn't that the truth." The angry comment reached them from the hallway where Mike Ramirez was wheeling himself in from once again going AWOL from his own bed.

Not as pale as the previous day, he was still incensed by what was now happening. "This monster is dead now and we still can't seem to escape him." Mike griped as he persistently pushed himself into the room. "But I honestly can't believe that my brother did this .. I just can't get my head around it."

"Should you be up, yet? It certainly doesn't look like it." Steve asked as he helped position the chair closer to Danny's bed. The non-answer was enough and Steve cringed on the man's behalf when he heard Ellen's strident voice in the corridor. He definitely wasn't supposed to be out of on his own.

"Here we go." Steve blithely coughed out under his hand while retreating the opposite side of Danny's bed and leaving Mike directly in the line of fire. The last thing he wanted to be was in the middle of two belligerent Ramirez family members. Watching him take the few big steps to the other side of the room, Danny snorted under his breath.

"Thanks ever so much. You're a good friend, Steve." Holding his side, Mike chuckled as his sister-in-law stalked him down and the clack of her heels got closer, paused and then directly seemed to turn in the direction of Danny's room. But it was all forgotten when Becca rounded on him first with her own reprimands that out-weighed anything Ellen might have said. Wearing a brightly colored sundress, her black hair was tightly twisted in two neat braids each set off with two yellow bows.

"Daddy. What did the nurses say about you getting up?" Her wrist was still bandaged, but after a good many hours of sleep, Becca was her bright and spunky self once more. "You should have least waited for help!"

"You're right." Fighting not to smile, Mike barely managed to shrug lamely before kissing her forehead. "I have no excuse for myself, but I wanted to make sure your Uncle Danny was feeling better."

That worked and Rebecca closed her mouth thoughtfully. Behind them, Ellen smiled as Mike tried and then succeeded in deflecting the attention to Danny. Carefully climbing up on the bed, Becca studied him much to his amusement. He could easily see her becoming a doctor like her uncle with the unflinching gaze and forthright mannerisms.

"So?" The little girl's face was very serious as she took in the bandages on his cheek and forehead. Then the IV lines and blankets that still covered his chest but her question was surprisingly for Steve. "Is he getting better, Uncle Steve?"

Jumping over Steve's pleased laugh, Danny made believe that his feelings were terrible wounded. "Hey! What am I? Totally invisible? But yes, as a matter of fact, I do feel better." Danny confirmed as he tugged once on a braid and Becca giggled at her own joke. And then, not wanting to draw too much attention to such recent fears, he wasn't sure what to say even when it came to her father. Anything he might say, would probably become a discussion about her uncle, so Danny tried to ask a general question about Mike's pending discharge from the hospital.

Plucking first at the light top blanket, Danny then gestured to the wheelchair. "I have another day or two, but I hear you can go home tomorrow? Is that really happening?"

The instant interruption came from Becca, who was suddenly very excited as she shared the news for her father. "Yes! Daddy's coming home tomorrow. But not to our condo downtown. Aunt Ellen and Uncle Ponch are going to take us to their house so daddy can rest and we can all take better care of him."

Her words came out spontaneously and so innocently, Becca didn't know what she said at first. Then she simply stared at Danny as her face fell woefully before quietly sliding herself off the bed. Without even looking at Mike, she folded herself around her Aunt's waist and hid her sad face. It had barely been a full day and Becca sorely missed her uncle and was very much afraid of what might happen next. Sharing a grim look with his sister-in-law as she gently soothed his daughter, Mike sighed heavily before rubbing at the growing stressful ache behind his eyes.

"So, Danny." Steve was fishing for anything to say as the small group became uncomfortably quiet. All he could come up with was what he'd asked Kono in amazement back in the dull bedroom of the large house. "When did you start playing with dolls?"

"Dolls?" The question and genuinely stunned look that crossed Danny's face was priceless. Before he could demand more of an explanation, Steve clarified his question. Though it might eventually stray into a dangerous territory for Becca, the newly contrived conversation had caught her attention and Steve chose his words carefully.

"I didn't know you understood the mechanics of tiny dolls and their elaborate clothing so much. Is there something you need to tell me because I found that doll at the house. Then I found the pins that you used to help Becca."

Danny's jaw dropped open as Steve so blandly continued speaking. He was intentionally ignoring Rebecca who had started to at least grin through her shiny, tear filled eyes. It was very difficult for him to even keep a straight face as Ellen and Mike stared in disbelief and confusion at each other, before waiting for Danny to say something.

"How exactly did you … a grown up man .. actually know that a pretty little doll would have such cute little pins hiding under its cute, little white petticoats?" Unable to hide the twinkle, even Danny had to bite his lip. Only sort of knowing why she giggled, Becca's smile grew more when Steve added, "I mean obviously those special lock picking skills have nothing to do with the infamous Jersey Slip …. because heck, using the pins evidently worked."

There was silence after that and Steve though he'd won with what had started out as a way to make light of an awkward situation. Setting his jaw and staring at Steve, Danny waited one and then up to five whole seconds before responding in just as bland of a tone.

"Well Steven, there's your way … and then there's my subtle flair for finesse." Grinning widely, Danny shrugged before finishing his point. "Besides, I have a multitude of extemporaneous talents when the need arises. Ones that don't necessarily require explosives, incendiary devices, or the need to duck and cover."

All eyes flew to Steve at that droll challenge. "What's a incintery ..device? Insitery? Insent...tarry device?" Squishing up her nose as she mispronounced the word, Becca stared at him too. "What does it do?"

Ellen was beginning to laugh now, as was Mike. "Incintery, huh?" He laughed harder as Becca left her aunt to lean against the wheelchair.

"Well, what is it?" Determined now, Becca wasn't going to let it go. Folding his arms defensively across his chest, Steve mockingly glared at them with a special look reserved for Danny that promised a future payback of sorts.

"Coffee. I'm going down to the cafeteria for coffee. Anyone want some?" With three giggling no thank you's resounding in the room, Steve tried to escape but Becca captured his hand.

"Hot chocolate, please. But Uncle Steve!" Barely hiding his own growing chuckle which grew louder as Becca swung his hand and then trod on his heels, the last they all heard was the little voice piping up to ask the same question again, and again, and again.

"Incin..tery? In.. ? In ..sent.. tory?"

~ to be continued ~