I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: Wow .. I got to use the word 'agog' in a story! LOL!
Chapter Nineteen
H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*
With Grace in hand as they left the hospital for the night, Steve was still grinning and couldn't help it. Even Grace was giggling as they walked together to his truck. Danny had fallen asleep during a half-hearted attempt at a rant while paging through the kayaking pictures.
"I'm sorry but I get a little nervous when my daughter uses the words 'crash', 'water' and 'capsize' all in the same sentence, Steven!" One picture had led to many more, leaving Danny agog with the depth of their lively afternoon. He too had been smiling though, more enthralled by Grace's exuberance with every passing moment.
"Do you think he'll come with us when he gets better?" Grace asked. "Danno did think the cove was pretty and it's perfect for a picnic."
"I actually do," Steve answered in all honesty. It was more than obvious that Danny had been biting back a laugh at his own expense before his body had made up its sleepy mind aided by a final battery of helpful analgesics. "I think we should all go in fact."
"Good," she replied battling her own drowsy demons when she failed to hide an impressive yawn. Staring out the passenger window, Grace's smile was illuminated by the splintered yellowish gleam of the occasional overhead street lights as they drove home. "I'm glad he's coming home tomorrow."
"Yeah, me too, Steve added just under his breath. Sobering, his smile faded slowly as he merged onto the main thoroughfare. He didn't like the situation at all and was uncomfortable with his partner spending even one final night at the hospital. However, he knew his feelings were driven by the discomfort of the general situation which had never grown lax in its emotional charge. To make matters worse, both Kono and Chin were equally incensed by the Paquins, above and beyond that of the accident. The issues were much bigger and Mark's health was in the balance; without a doubt, Steve knew that the entire team was vested in protecting the little boy.
"Is Mark going to be okay, too?" Grace's voice drifted over to scatter those thoughts and Steve managed to nod.
"I think so, sweetheart. Just remember that everything that happened today is private, alright?" Steve gently reminded her. "You can't tell anyone even a tiny bit about Mark because it wouldn't be right. He's hurting, Grace, and he needs a good friend or two right now."
"I know," Grace nodded in total agreement. "I promise I won't say anything. Ever."
H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*
Mark was so exhausted, he was beyond being able to think or to even care about what might happen next. Refusing to speak or open his eyes, he would silently cry every so often while buried under blankets now back in his hospital bed. He knew his father was there though; hovering and aching to touch him but afraid as if Mark was made of delicate fragile glass.
More tears leaked from under his eyelashes and he turned his face to smother them in the pillow. It was then that he felt the change and he stiffened again, wary and afraid.
"I can't stand this," the hoarse whisper was from his father. Mark didn't know who he was speaking to, but it was enough to know it was about him. "I need to do something for him. What do you think, Doc?"
There was a moment of silence and a short murmur of conversation before something strange happened.
"Easy, Mark, your dad and I are going to try something." He knew Doctor Webber's shadow by then but the closeness of the physician's voice surprised him nonetheless. There was a sliding noise and the bed vibrated as the side rail was lowered. Then two sets of hands simply picked him up, cradling him as if he were a baby. His fingers convulsed reactively around his beanbag toy while still buried in the folds of the blanket. He was lifted, moved and then lowered as if he were nothing.
Bravely, he opened his eyes confused to see that he was now entirely in his father's arms and that they were seated in the large hospital easy chair reserved for patients. The chair was partially reclined so his father's legs were supported and Doctor Webber was busily making sure Mark was warm and comfortable. As he had been with Detective Williams, he was tucked under his father's chin with the utmost of care as tentative fingers massaged the base of his neck.
"Am I hurting you?" The deep baritone was pleasant in his ear and Mark managed to make a noise. It was a confused sound and at a loss to offer more, Mark settled for shaking his head.
"Comfortable? Better?" Webber was suddenly crouched down in his line of sight and Mark nodded this time as another stray tear rolled down his cheek. But now it was for an entirely different reason. "Good. That's good. Try to go to sleep, Mark."
Relaxing into the broad chest, he forgot about the purple dolphin which stayed solemnly tented on his hospital gown in order to loop his fingers between two buttons on his father's shirt. Gentle circles continued to roll around his upper shoulders and the base of his neck with an easy pressure. Soothed, he watched his hand rise and fall to his father's steady breathing where it stayed wedged in his shirt. Minutes later, Mark was asleep.
In the doorway to Mark's hospital room, Kono watched the maneuvering with mixed emotions. Doctor Webber loitered inside the room ensuring that his patient was content. It was he whom had requested that she speak to the Paquins completely away from hospital grounds and his request smartly made sense. She and Chin had planned to discuss their findings prompted by the family's dire threats at the Five-0 offices. However, Beth and Roger Paquin had exchanged heated words once more in the hallway. Blaming Five-0 for conducting a spurious investigation against their family, the woman had stormed out, leaving her husband utterly bewildered.
Kono had no choice at that point. In a temper, Roger Paquin had sought her out demanding to know why Five-0 had gone after his family. He had been duly silenced by Kono's calmly defensive remark that one of their own had been threatened with a lawsuit and as such, her investigation was par for the course. But her eyes told another story and the man had pushed hard to demand more when his own intuition spurned him forward.
Their discussion had begun as an altercation and had remained heated with Doctor Webber once more intervening. Astutely, he provided them with the sanctity of his own office so that Chin Ho and Kono could reveal their evidence in detail. And if not for Chin's dependable calm and incredible verbal skills, Kono wasn't entirely certain Roger Paquin would have believed a single word of that evidence. He glowered angrily at the mention of Sloan's name and the mention of an affair, conversely wincing at even a mild reference to his son, Allen.
"Allen." Said almost reverently in a plaintive whisper, his tone had softened when Chin asked for his side of the tragic story. It had taken time, much as it had in the cafeteria the one time Kono had stumbled upon the man where he sat alone. The two cousins waited as Paquin gathered thoughts and even courage to speak.
"That tree was magnificent. And I cut that damned thing down to its roots two weeks, too late." Roger had swallowed hard, tears filling his eyes with grief that remained close to the surface. "Four years this August and it seems like yesterday."
"What do you know about what happened that day?" Chin softly urged. Doctor Webber's office was quiet and exceedingly private. It was the perfect place to talk and finally, Roger Paquin nodded though he picked up his story first by explaining more about Allen.
"Allen was the brave one." Roger had smiled at the memory, not realizing that he nearly mimicked Mark's sad comment to Danny. "Beth would say that he was also the good one, but that's completely unfair. It's not true at all. Allen only had a natural way with people and truth be told, that boy could get into trouble and then talk himself out of it just as fast. He could charm the socks off a snake, that one."
Quiet had reigned in the office while Kono and Chin waited. With a deep sigh, Roger continued in a long-winded purge. "Despite being born fifteen minutes before Allen, Mark felt as if he were always in his brother's shadow. Allen was gregarious, outgoing and very athletic. People migrated to him and he was a natural-born leader. Mark has always been the thinker ... better in school ... more serious. He likes to read and figure things out. He's very good in math and science."
"Like you?" Kono remembered smiling at that and how her simple acknowledgment made Roger Paquin hesitate and then also, grin happily. That had lasted for a mere second though before he refocused, once more staring at his hands while he spoke.
"Allen teased Mark relentlessly about his fear of heights. The tree was off-limits and I had been threatening to cut it down all summer. That damned crow's nest...," Roger's voice trailed off before resuming with more vigor. "...Allen would sit up high where the branches formed a natural, deep hollow. He christened it his 'crow's nest' because he swore he could see things for miles, and he egged Mark on. It was a constant challenge and I guess Mark finally caved in that day."
"So, you at least believe this part is true?" Kono asked softly.
"I know it's true. Absolutely," Roger nodded firmly. "Allen must have pushed that day ... he must have pushed hard and so, Mark tried. But now, Mark blames himself for what happened and Beth blames the world." His jaw had worked painfully from left to right. Flustered and beginning to lose his composure, Paquin had swallowed painfully as his face reddened in a new rage.
"But if what you say is really the truth, then Beth has no right. Maybe it still would have happened ... maybe not." Roger thumped his fist angrily on the physician's heavy desk. "Sloan buried the truth to save his own skin. But Beth let him ... she wasn't there for our boys and she made Mark lie? Out of what ... guilt? Love for Sloan or even the money? I don't understand ... I don't want to believe it."
Heaving a steadying sigh, Kono had slid the photographs she'd printed under the grieving father's nose. "Just look at these. Their hands." The images from the celebratory ball were indeed grainy yet it was clear to see that Beth Paquin's fingers were gently entwined in Sloan's on the receiving line.
"I'm sorry," Kono had added next because Roger Paquin's shock was so very obvious. What he saw was an intimate touch between his one-time employer and his wife, made more obvious by the endearing glance frozen in time. Below the images were Chin's detailed findings regarding the offshore bank account in his wife's maiden name. Roger Paquin had sat there quietly reading and diligently examining their finds in total silence.
"I don't know what comes next," Roger had whispered, shakily rising to his feet. Off-balance and evidently even nauseous, his face was pale and lined with an aged weariness. "I don't know what to think just yet. But I have to see Mark ... I need to go back to his room. I need to see Doctor Webber and I don't want my son to be alone."
Fidgeting now while she watched the father and son, Kono had difficulty pulling herself away from the doorway until she felt Chin's hand on her shoulder. He was tugging her backwards and communicating their need to leave. For that day, they'd done what they could and Mark at least had what he needed in the short-term.
"I want to see Danny," Kono whispered as she walked next to Chin. She knew it was late and that Steve had already taken Grace home for the night. But her urge to poke her head in on Danny was too strong after the emotional discussion with Roger Paquin. "He's probably sleeping, but I need to see him."
Arm in arm, the two made their way to his room pleased to find him peacefully asleep. Sneaking over to stand by the side of Danny's bed, Kono planted a chaste kiss on the top of his head much to Chin's amusement. He sniffed back a chuckle where he stood over her shoulder, grinning widely when she turned on him.
"Shut up, cuz. It's been a rough day," Kono whispered without apology. Her eyes were calmer though; even more content as she playfully poked her cousin in the chest. "Just be quiet, lolo!"
"I didn't say anything," Chin whispered, though he was still smirking as they quietly left their friend the way they'd found him. Still, another solid poke found the center of his chest and he winced through a louder chuckle. "Not a single word!"
~ to be continued ~