******* Here we go….Steve whump ahead! ********
As Danny re-entered the room Chin put a finger to his lips, "Ssshhhhhhh"
As Catherine stayed at the bedside wiping Steve's face with a cool, wet cloth, Chin took hold of Danny's arm and guided him from the room.
Danny said nervously, "What's up? Is he okay?"
"He threw up and his pain's getting worse He's still refusing any pain meds and we just got him relaxed"
"I'll talk to him"
"Did you get ahold of Joe?"
Danny ran a hand across his stubbled chin, "Yeah, they're still in Montana and he's going to move them"
"What's wrong?"
"I had to tell him that Steve was injured. There was no way around it"
"He can be pretty persistent"
"I told him as little as possible and I told him nothing about the ricin"
"Hey, don't worry about it. Steve will understand. Did he tell you where they were going?"
"No, but he said he'd call Steve once they're settled"
"You did the right thing brah. He wants to keep Doris safe, and you relayed that message. Dr. Gerhart only want's two of us in there at a time, so go on in. I'll go give Wade and Brad an update and then I'll call Kono. Do you think we should call MaryAnn?"
"No, not yet…. there's nothing she can do for him and all she'll do is worry" The two men embraced and Danny added, "Thanks brother" he then headed back into the room.
As he entered, the Nurse stepped aside to make room for him.
He placed the back of his hand on Steve's cheek and said softly, "He's burning up"
Without looking up Catherine responded, "His temperature is up to 104"
"Cath, why don't you go clean up, I'll be here"
"I don't want to leave him Danny"
"Honey, you'll feel better after you get a warm shower. He's sleeping and I'm here"
She raised her head and said softly, "Okay….I'll be right back"
After she kissed Steve's cheek, Danny met her at the foot of the bed and as they embraced, she broke down in sobs.
He held her to his shoulder as through her sobs she said quietly, "Oh God Danny…we can't lose him"
He stroked her hair as he said, "Ssshhhhhh, relax….he's going to make it Cath. We're going to make sure of that"
As they parted they smiled at each other and then Danny picked up the cloth and dutifully wiped his partners fevered brow.
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Twenty minutes passed quietly and Danny was startled slightly as Steve's eyes bolted open and he tried to push himself up from the bed.
Placing his arm on Steve's uninjured shoulder, Danny pushed him back onto the bed, "STEVE, stop babe"
Steve choked out the words, "SSICKK DDANNO…"
Danny moved quickly grabbing the plastic pan from the nearby table and after helping Steve turn onto his side as he began to vomit violently.
Danny held onto his friend as the vomiting went on and on and his body shook in pain.
"Get it all out buddy, I've got you"
"Oh ffuck Daanno….mmy gut hhurts man"
"I know partner"
Once the vomiting was done, Danny set the pan aside and helped settle Steve back onto the pillow.
His eyes were closed and he was shaking as Danny dabbed at his mouth with the cloth, "Relax Steve and try to slow down your breathing, I've got you"
After several minutes Steve's eyes opened and he said shakily, "I'm good Danny…..'m good"
Danny smiled down at him, "Good, now we need to talk"
"Yeah..…where's Cath? Is she okay?"
"She's fine. She just went to clean up"
"'K…..did you get ahold of Joe?"
"Yeah, I talked to him. Steve I had to tell him Cath had been kidnapped and you were hurt"
"Danny…."
"I didn't have a choice. He was insisting on talking with you. I didn't give him any details Steve, he knows nothing about the poisoning…I promise"
"It's okay D', it's okay"
"They're still in Montana but he's moving her now"
"Where are they ggoing?…" Danny squeezed his hand as the pain increased and his back arched slightly.
"Take it easy Steve…..ride out the pain"
After several moments Steve repeated, "Whhere aare they going?"
Danny sighed softly, "He wouldn't tell me…I'm sorry buddy but he just wouldn't tell me. He promised that he would call you once he got them settled"
Steve was quiet for a few moments and then with his eyes closed as he said softly, "He'll keep her safe Danny, he will. Thank you"
Danny then said, "Now that that's settled, that wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about"
Opening his eyes, Steve said "I'm listening"
"You need to let them give you something for the pain"
"No…..no, no Danno…no drugs"
"Buddy, look at you! You don't need to hurt like this. Ian said they can keep you comfortable"
"Danny…..I need to stay alert"
"No, no Steven you don't. What harm is done if you sleep, huh?"
Tears welled in the SEAL's eyes as he said softly, "Please Danny….no ddrugs"
His grip on Danny's hand tightened and the Jersey detective replied softly, "Damn it Superman"
The response drew a chuckle for Steve and Danny asked, "What in the hell is so funny? I can honestly say that I'm finding absolutely nothing here humorous Steven?"
"Superman….."
"Yeah what? What about it?"
"I guess I'm not the 'Man of Steel' after all"
Danny grinned and a tear slid down his cheek, "I should never have let you go off alone with him"
"Danny, stop…we came here to save Cath and we did that….Mission Accomplished partner. She's safe and that's all the matters to me"
As Danny wiped his sweat-drenched face and neck Steve added softly "Thanks for being here brother"
"Sssshhhhh….close your eyes and sleep babe…I'm here, ssshhhhhhhh"
"No ddrugs Danny…..ppromise me no drugs"
Refusing to make that promise Danny replied softly, "Ssshhhhhh….I've got you" He continued to soothe his partner and soon he was again sleeping.
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Before returning to the medical bay Catherine arranged for beds for Chin, Wade and Brad.
She and Danny then talked softly as they tended to Steve throughout the night.
It was a very long night for all of them as Steve woke vomiting almost hourly.
His pain increased with each passing hour as his broken ribs and bruised body caused him horrible pain as he wretched.
Danny watched him carefully and at a little after eight in the morning, he saw it…. there was now blood in Steve's urine. He looked up at Catherine, "Hey, I'll be right back okay?"
She noted the fear in his eyes and asked softly, "What is it Danny?"
Wanting to assure that Steve couldn't hear him, he motioned to her and as she moved to his side he pointed to the bag hanging from the side of the bed.
She said softly, "Oh no"
Danny hugged her briefly, "I'm going to go find Ian. I'll be right back"
"Okay"
As Danny left the room, Catherine moved back to Steve's side and as she placed the cloth back on his hot forehead his eyes fluttered open.
"Hey baby"
"Cath…..I'm so sorry"
As she wiped tears from his eyes she said softly, "What are you sorry for?"
"I've been so unfair to you….….you've stood by me for so many years"
"Because I love you Steve, I always have"
His voice was shaking with emotion and pain "Cath, I love you. When Wo-Fat called me…..I was nnever so scared. I'm sso sorry that I put yyou in so much ddanger"
Catherine stroked his cheek, "Ssshhhhh Steve please…this wasn't your fault. I need you to relax"
"Cath, I've got to tell yyou something…"
"Later Steve, you need to rest now"
"Cath please…..I hhave tto tell you now"
"Ok, ok...…"
"Catherine I've loved yyou ffor…..tten years and I've wwasted all tthat time"
She grinned down at him and said, "I don't quite know how to take that sailor? I never thought the time we spent together was wasted"
"That's nnot wwhat I mean" He grinned weakly and said, "I was finally rreaddy to propose to you and now… oh God Cath, I sshould have mmaried you years ago…I love you"
As tears filled her eyes, Cath leaned in and kissed his lips gently, "I love you too Steve"
At that moment Danny returned with Ian.
"Hi Steve, I'm going to check you over okay. Can you rate your pain for me on a scale of one to ten?"
"It's about a six"
Danny chuckled, "Well Doc he either still has a sense of humor or he's delirious. Now's not the time to BS the Doctor Steven...…a six? Really?"
Ian Gerhart folded his arms, "Steve?"
"Okay…..a seven"
Ian smiled as he took Steve's vitals and then he pulled back the blankets to examine him.
Danny's eyes moved from Steve's now bruised abdomen, down to his still swollen groin, hip, thigh and knee.
His eyes then moved to Ian and he saw the concern on the Doctor's face as Steve winched as his fingers touched his tender belly. "A little sore Steve?"
"Yeah…..kind of"
Ian then looked to Danny, "Can you help me here Danny?"
"Sure"
As Danny stepped to the bedside, Ian said "Steve, Danny's going to help me turn you onto your side okay?"
"I can tturn"
Ian placed a hand on the SEAL's chest, "No, you just lay still and let us do the work"
Catherine leaned close to Steve's face saying softly, "I'm right here honey, just relax"
Her eyes filled with tears as he fought to not cry out from the pain as Danny rolled him slightly so the Doctor could check out the extent of the bruising.
She stroked his cheek and talked to him soothingly, "It's okay Steve, it's going to be okay"
Once they had him settled back down, Ian moved up to talk to him, "Steve, you've started to bleed internally. I'm going to run a CT Scan to check the extent of the bleeding and I need to put you under. Depending on what we find, I may need to operate"
Danny was relieved to hear his partner not argue and say, "Okay" As Ian left the room he moved back up to the head of the bed.
Steve reached his hand up and Danny grasped it tightly.
Turning his head he said to Cath, "Baby can you ggive us a mminute?"
"Sure" She kissed his cheek and then left the room.
"Danno….it's bbad buddy... I need you to promise me…."
Danny interrupted him, "Hey, don't say it man…." His voice choked with emotion, "You're going to be fine"
"In case D'…..in case…." Steve's back arched and Danny tightened his grip on his hand.
"Squeeze tight partner, I've got you"
Steve's eyes closed tightly and he gritted his teeth as pain shot across his abdomen.
Danny spoke softly, "I'm here Steve and I need you to keep fighting. But don't you worry about a thing partner…..I've got your six, always"
As Danny felt Steve's body relax he added, "Let me get Cath okay?"
Steve gulped and said, "Yeah….yeah…."
As Danny squeezed his partner's hand, his voice choked with emotion, "You're gonna be fine…I love you Steve"
"I love yyou too Danno…... I'll ssee yyou in a bit 'k?"
As he moved into the hall he embraced Catherine and then she moved to Steve's side.
As she kissed him, his eyes opened and he smiled up at her weakly "When this is oover…..I'm ggoing to mmarry you Rollins"
Tears were flowing down her cheeks as she whispered softly, "I love you Steve"
A nurse then entered the room and as she injected the drugs into his IV, Steve looked lovingly into Catherine's eyes until the drugs took him under.
***** Much more to follow and I'd love to hear what you think so far ! *****