Rachel opened the door and smiled when she saw the people inside. She'd called Stan to let him know they were safe before arriving at the hospital. He'd sounded angry, but right now her priority was making sure her ex-husband saw that Grace was all right. She would deal with Stan when he arrived. They would have to think about getting a hotel for the night because their home was a crime scene and would probably remain that way until the CSI team finished going over the evidence.
"Danno, the lady was supposed to clean the house, but she tried to hurt us," Grace said and climbed onto the bed. Her father's arms wrapped around her and she felt safe as she closed her eyes.
"I know, Monkey, but you're safe now."
"Uncle Steve was there and he stopped her from shooting Mommy and me," Grace said, frowning as she looked at her mother. "Uncle Steve was still in the house and she was so mean to him."
"Uncle Steve is going to be fine, Grace," Williams said and hoped he hadn't spoken too soon.
"Danny, I thought she was from the cleaning company. I should have checked to make sure," Rachel said with tears in her eyes.
"It's not your fault, Rachel. We all make mistakes and as long as we learn from them we won't make the same ones again," Williams said and knew his wife was blaming herself for letting the woman into the house.
Kono looked at her cell as it began to ring. "It's Chin…I'll be right back."
"The Big Kahuna will be fine," Kamekona told them. "Hey, Gracie, how about we go see if they have any chocolate in the gift shop?"
"Can I?" Grace asked and looked at her mother and father.
"You listen to Kamekona," Rachel warned.
"The little mama always listens," Kamekona said as Kono came back into the room. "We're going on a chocolate run."
"Sounds good to me…if they have any white chocolate I'll have some," Kono told them and was glad her cousin seemed to have recovered from the explosion. She knew he wasn't as well as he let on, but he was in the right place if something happened.
"What did Chin have to say?"
"He said to make sure that bed stays empty because it looks like you're getting your roommate back."
"Damn, there goes the peace and quiet," Williams quipped and grew serious. "How bad?"
"She managed to slash his abdomen and he's lost a lot of blood," Kono answered and looked at Rachel. "She's dead."
"I'm not sorry," Rachel snapped.
"I don't think any of us are," Williams assured her. "Did you call Stan?"
"I called him," Rachel answered with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Danny, I'm going to go down to the ER. I'll be back as soon as I know anything."
"Thanks, Kono," Williams said and waited for the woman to leave before facing his wife. "Is everything all right with you and Stan?"
"I don't know, Danny," Rachel said and turned away as tears filled her eyes. She felt his hand on her arm and reached for a Kleenex. "What went wrong with us?"
"My job," Williams answered honestly. "I know how hard it was for you to watch me leave each day, Rachel, and I don't blame you for wanting to keep Grace safe, but…"
"But she's not safe, Danny, and it's not just your job. I mean Stan isn't a cop, but he's made enemies and if you hadn't been there who knows what could have happened. I can't deal with the idea of being a cop's wife, but I wouldn't want you doing anything else. You're doing something to make this a safer world, and how could I fault you for wanting that for our daughter?"
Danny pulled her down and felt her sobbing against his shoulder. He had never heard Rachel speak this way and felt some of the guilt over their breakup ease as she verified what he already knew. His job was not just a job; it was a choice, one that meant he would do anything to protect the people he cared about.
"I'm sorry, Danny, I should have given us more time."
"Rachel, do you love Stan?"
"Yes, I think so…I don't know," she said and lifted her head to look into his eyes. "I think I love him, Danny, but not the same way I love you. It's just that he's…"
"He's safe," Williams answered.
"Not really. I haven't forgotten the trouble he got in and what could have happened to Grace. I won't forgive him, Danny, but I can't leave him," Rachel said.
"No matter what happens I'll always be here for you, Rachel."
"I know," she said and wiped away her tears when she heard Grace's laughter outside the door. She moved to the window and smiled when Kamekona and Grace entered the room.
"We found chocolate," Grace said happily.
"With little pieces of pineapple…"
"Kamekona, it's bad enough you ruin pizza with that stuff…it's not allowed in chocolate," Williams said.
"You ever try chocolate covered strawberries and blueberries, Brah?"
"I have, but chocolate is its own food group and doesn't need any fruits or nuts or vegetables," the Jersey native observed.
"Chocolate is a food group? We were learning the major food groups in school and Miss Louis says it's only the dark chocolate that's good for you," Grace told them.
"But it does make you feel good," Kamekona said and took out several chocolate bars. He smiled as Williams griped about the choices, but reached for one that contained both fruits and nuts.
5050505050
Carl Lewis and Felicia Chow were in the doctor's lounge when the call came in that Steve McGarrett was on his way into the ER. They'd both stood up and walked out of the room, their light meal forgotten in the wake of another emergency.
Carl hurried to the desk and was quickly updated on the ambulance's location as Felicia chow spoke to one of the nurses near the desk. "Do we have a room for him?"
"Trauma One is available," Natasha Lawrence answered.
"Do we know the extent of injuries?" Felicia asked.
"We know he's got an abdominal knife would and has lost a lot of blood," Natasha said as the ambulance pulled into the ER bay.
"Looks like our day just got a whole lot more interesting," Felicia Chow said, but there was no hint of humor in her voice as she hurried to help with the injured man. She waited for the back doors to open fully and helped pulled the gurney from the back of the ambulance.
Carl Lewis listened as the paramedic gave a complete run-down of the treatment McGarrett had received so far. "I knew I shouldn't have signed his discharge papers."
"You couldn't have known this would happen," Chow said as they rushed toward the trauma room.
"You're kidding right? This is Steve McGarrett…if something can go wrong with him it will," Lewis said and frowned when he looked down at the patient.
"Hell, Doc, not my fault," McGarrett managed.
"Really? I thought I told you to go home and get some rest?" Lewis said.
"You did…Rachel and Grace…in trouble," the SEAL managed.
"And you just couldn't help yourself? You could have called the police," the doctor told him.
"I did," McGarrett said and spotted Kono speaking with Chin. "Danny…"
"Williams is fine," Lewis interrupted. "You on the other hand are a mess."
"Thanks," McGarrett said as the pushed the gurney inside the room. He closed his eyes as they transferred him to the hospital stretcher and soon felt his clothes being cut form his body. "Jesus, wouldn't it be easier if I just got undressed?"
"Maybe, but since your shirt is beyond a simple wash and sew we figured it'd be easier this way," Lewis observed. "Commander, I know you were given morphine before they brought you in, but if you need something more just let us know. There's no sense in you being in misery while we treat you."
"Thanks, Doc, I'll let you know," the SEAL said. He kept his eyes closed and let his mind drift to the woman whose daughter had followed in her footsteps and died because of it. Anastasia Kwiatkowski had killed a lot of people using the same explosives her daughter used. Now, all they could hope for was that there was no one else out there who could follow in her footsteps.
"Commander, we're going to need to run some tests and make sure there is no serious damage here…"
"Feels serious enough," McGarrett told him.
"I bet it does. I'm going to give you another shot and it'll probably help you sleep so stop being stubborn and go with it," Lewis ordered.
"Sounds good, Doc," McGarrett said and allowed himself to relax. God, he felt like hell, but at least he didn't have to worry about Anna Borchevsky killing anyone else he cared about. He felt himself losing touch with reality and wondered if the bed in Danny's room was still available.
5050505050
Kono and Chin had watched as McGarrett's gurney was pushed into the trauma room and knew they would have to wait until the medical staff was finished before they could ask questions. Lewis had been in with McGarrett for nearly 30 minutes and there was still no word on his condition. Several nurses had come and gone, some carrying things while others simply moved to another patient in need of attention.
Kono moved to the uncomfortable waiting room chairs and sat down. The headache she'd been fighting so hard to ignore was no longer manageable as she felt Chin place a hand on her shoulder.
"You should go home and lie down, Cuz," Kelly told her.
"I will once we know McGarrett is okay," Kono assured him. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as nausea washed over her in ever increasing concentric waves.
"I see Commander McGarrett isn't the only one who doesn't listen to their doctor's orders," Carl Lewis griped when he spotted Chin and Kono. "I swear you people must have the highest insurance bills in the country."
"Probably," Chin agreed. "How's Steve?"
"Well, it looks like he got lucky this time. The knife didn't hit any major organs although he did lose a lot of blood. Needless to say he's been admitted and will be joining Detective Williams as soon as we finish sewing him up," Lewis told them.
"Can we see him?" Kono asked.
"I think that can be arranged and then I want Lieutenant Kelly to take you home and tie you to the damn bed if that's what it takes to keep you there. Look, Officer Kalakaua, you really need to take care of yourself because a concussion such as you suffered can wreak havoc with your body. Sleep is the best medicine for you," Lewis told her.
"I'll see that she goes home," Chin vowed.
"What about you, Lieutenant Kelly? Have you been taking it easy on that leg?" Lewis asked with a frown.
"I…"
"You do realize Commander McGarrett isn't the only stubborn one on the team? I know you've probably been doing more than you should, but I think it was part of the requirements when he chose the members of his team. You just need to allow yourself time to heal and now that he's down for the count I'm sure you can take a few days off," Lewis ordered.
"I will, Doc," Kelly said.
"Come on…I've got other patients to see before we're through. You get five minutes and then I want you both out of here," Lewis said.
"Thanks, Doc," Kono said.
"By out of here I don't just mean the ER. You are to leave the hospital and go home…do not go to Williams' room…do not…"
"Collect 200 dollars," Chin said with a grin.
"That wasn't what I was going to say, but it fits," Lewis said and pushed the trauma room door open. "Felicia, they have five minutes."
"All right," the surgeon agreed as she moved away from the bed and spoke to the nurse as she washed the blood from her hands.
Kono moved closer to the bed and smiled when she saw her boss was fighting to open his eyes. She reached out and touched his shoulder and smiled when he finally managed to succeed in his endeavor.
"Kono, are you all right?"
"I'm okay, Boss, but you look like hell," Kono answered.
"Feel like hell," McGarrett said.
"Commander, I can give you something for pain if you need it," Chow told him.
"I…"
"Never mind, I just did," Lewis said with a hint of a smile. "You'll thank me for it later."
"Chin, did they find out where Borchevsky is staying?"
"No way, Commander! You're not talking shop right now so Officer Kalakaua and Lieutenant should say good bye and go home. You can get the answers after you've slept for eight or nine hours," Lewis ordered.
"Doc, I need…"
"You need to let us do our jobs and that includes making sure you don't try to do your job while you're out of commission," Lewis ordered. "You need to rest and if you behave then you just might be out of here in two days…mess with us and we'll keep you down for a week."
"Hell, Doc…"
"Hell it is…say goodbye, Commander," Lewis ordered, relieved when no one argued with him.
"We'll see you tomorrow, Boss," Kono told him.
"Thanks, Kono," McGarrett said and nodded to Chin as they left the room.
"Commander, we're going to move you upstairs now," Lewis said once the others were gone.
Steve sighed tiredly and looked up at the ceiling as they pushed him from the trauma room. He'd often watched scenes like this on TV shows and wondered what was going through the person's mind as the lights flashed by. He could probably map out the ceiling of this section of the hospital and would suggest a few changes to make these types of trips a little more interesting.
Steve closed his eyes as the stretcher was pushed inside the elevator and was actually looking forward to the more comfortable bed. He wasn't sure how he felt about sharing the room with Danny, not when his past had put Rachel and Grace in danger.
TBC