Chapter 3
Steve's face froze when he saw that little piece of squished pineapple, and Danny's prone form. His memory watched him tear off bits of pineapple and throw them toward Danny's bed. His mind accused him before he could even put thoughts into words. All he could get out was Danny's name, twice. Two more words followed, "I'm sorry," as nurses and a doctor were called and Steve was pushed back to his bed-gently, but firmly forced to lay back down when his body didn't want to.
His ears were ringing, his breathing was shallow, and the little oxygen meter on his pointer finger registered low and an oxygen mask was fitted over his face. But his heartbeat was rising, and he kept trying to rip off the mask to ask after Danny. Finally one of the nurses administered a shot into his IV, and the sedative took effect just as he heard Danny do three things at once. He came to, cried out in confusion and pain, and tried to call for Steve.
"We had to sedate him, but he is in no danger," said the more stout of the nurses. "Stay still now, you had a fall. Can you tell me where you are, your name, and what day it is?"
"S-Steve's room, Danny, and the day depends on how l-l-long I was out. Why is it so c-cold?"
Male voice. "Pupils normal and responsive, but get a blanket on him. Shock setting in."
To Steve, another nurse said kindly, "You should relax now. You can't help your friend in your condition. Please, rest and let the sedative do its job." Why, Steve wondered, did doctors and nurses ask people to relax when they could only do so when drugged?
He fought the sedative, but it won, so Steve listened as Danny was put through everything required to get him treatment. Neck brace. "No! Please, not that thing," pleaded Danny's voice. "Regs," said someone female, voice emotionless. Steve hated her immediately. "Hate regs OW!" Danny hissed in pain. "Ribs! No, other side! -Get this thing off my face, OW, you sadists-!"
"Head laceration minor. No sedative until we get a scan of his skull."
"I'm panicking!"
"He's panicking, Doctor Emmet."
"Claustro-!"
"-phobic," Steve finished.
Nice nurse. "Breathe through it, Danny. Slow...deeep...breaths."
"Ribs! Can't...breathe."
Dr. Emmett. "Increase oxygen."
Nice nurse. "Slow breaths, Danny, slowwwww, take my hand, slowwwww..."
"Several incision stitches ruptured..." God how Steve hated that emotionless nurse!
"Bruising in area of liver. Possible left kidney trauma."
The sedative would not let Steve Panic. Not Danno's half a liver! His liver had to be okay!
"Dr. Cornett is waiting in the ER, we have a surgical team assembling in case it is needed."
"God no," whispered Danny. "Please God no. Can't breathe. Steve!" The last word was louder. "Tell Gracie and Charlie! Danno loves them!"
"I will, Danno. Danno, they love you," whispered Steve. "I love you, Danno. I love you too. I'm so sorry."
Steve could not even see Danny through the assemblage of medical personnel who were now wheeling a gurney out of the room, leaving Steve alone with Danny's empty bed, sheets and blankets rumpled. Tears began to leak from the corners of Steve's eyes, and he was unable to lift his arm to wipe them away.