Chapter 38 "Intermission"
A/N: (20 January 2017) Thank you for your reviews and reads and everything! I really don't deserve you and your kind words, but I thank you wholeheartedly for them. You make me feel happy about writing, definitely like I want to keep doing this.
This chapter came like pulling teeth, seriously. I don't know why, but it gave me massive problems, probably because it doesn't really do anything except impart knowledge we already know, but some of the characters don't. So call this a necessary bridge. Things will pick up in following chapters.
I adored the scene in the episode tonight, Danny giving Steve's driving test instructor some pointers, and the you-knew-it-was-coming work call during the test, resulting in one scared-bleepless instructor! They are getting the chemistry back this season. Danny can definitely read Steve's mind better than Steve can read Danny's, which is so cute! Has anyone else noticed Kono keeps wearing flowy blouses, not the tight ones she usually wears? I wonder if she's about to announce she and Adam are pregnant. I don't think Grace Park is, but what do I know?
CBS still owns the show, and allows us to play with it.
Chapter 38 "Intermission"
(Saturday, Christmas Eve 2016, 9:30 p.m.)
Steve gathered Danny, Angel and all, into an embrace, while looking worriedly at Dr. Cornett, who slipped quietly out of the room, only to return a minute later. Steve by then was assuring Danny that he was the strongest person he knew, and they would help him through everything, a sentiment echoed by everyone who was now crowded around Danny's bed.
Becca was rubbing the back of Danny's bandaged hand. "It's been barely twelve hours since you were rescued, so of course things are still overwhelming. But you are strong, Danny. It just doesn't feel like it right now. Give yourself time. Let us help you."
Danny was still hiding behind Angel, embarrassed to have broken down in front of everyone. He didn't feel brave. It was one of those rare times when he was on the verge of panic and did not even want to have to feel brave. But he managed to get the tears to stop, and to say what he thought everyone wanted him to say. "I'm sorry. I'll be fine. Like always. Thanks, Steve, everyone. I'll be fine. I'm sorry to wreck the party."
Which of course set off a chorus of denials that he had wrecked the party. A nurse slipped into the room and handed a syringe to Dr. Cornett, who was able to slowly administer the sedative he had requested, without being seen by Danny, with the help of Steve stepping back from the embrace, while keeping his good hand on Danny's shoulder.
Danny removed the nasal cannula just long enough to blow his nose, then replaced it. He cleared his throat, and still would not look at anyone but Angel. "I'm glad Stan is dead, so help me God. But how do I tell especially Charlie? He still calls him 'Daddy' -Oh, God, and Rachel. Am I the one who is supposed to tell her she's a pregnant widow, or is that … someone else's … job?" His voice grew smaller and less anxious, until he had trouble holding himself up. He looked confused. "Drugs…? Please no more … dru…drugs," he managed to say, but the 's' trailed off into a long sigh of resignation. He closed his eyes as Steve slid his arm behind Danny's head and eased him back on the pillow, making sure he was comfortable before drying the tears from his closed eyes. Angel stood with her front paws on the white fleece color of Danny's otherwise red Santa pajamas, then licked and rubbed his chin and settled down like a miniature sphinx to guard and comfort him, shifting just enough for Becca to bring the pale flannel blanket up to cover Danny's chest, which the kitten then held down with her furry little rump.
"Doc, is he okay?" asked Kono, clutching Adam's hands. He was standing slightly to one side behind her, with one hand on her shoulder, the other around her waist. "The news about Stan isn't going to set him back, right?"
"Physically, no. Emotionally, he hasn't even begun to recover. He needs rest for that." He shook his head, though. "He's thinking about everyone but himself. He is shaken by everything he hasn't yet had a chance to process. He's going to need all of you to help him know that he can take the time he needs to feel strong again. He's not there yet."
"We'll help him," said Steve. "He won't have to carry this alone."
"He has all of us," assured Chin, who stood with his right arm around Abby's shoulders. He then asked in a very quiet voice, "What did happen with Stan?"
Steve had been expecting the question. He smoothed Danny's forehead, feeling for any fever, but mostly wanting to remain in physical contact. He really did not want to leave Danny's side, but he had to tell the others what had happened to Stan, and the proper place to do that was not in Danny's room. The Doc and Becca were in the same place, understanding what Steve needed, and how he didn't want to leave Danny's side. Becca said, "I'll stay here. You can tell me later." The Doc said, "Let's go to the meeting room by my office. Becca, when Hannah returns, send her there."
Becca nodded, and came around the bed to be by Danny's uninjured hand, which she held after she sat down. She reached up and gave Angel a pat as the others left the room. When they had gone, closing the door behind them, she began to hum, then sing very softly, "Silent Night", since it was one of Danny's favorite Christmas Carols.
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H50 H50 H50
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Steve followed everyone to the meeting room a couple doors from Dr. Cornett's office. Everyone else filed into the room, but the doctor stopped Steve and whispered, "Did you use those drugs on Stan?"
"No. They are in the case, under the passenger seat of your car."
He nodded, looked about to ask something else, but changed his mind. "Okay."
It did not take Steve long to explain a very edited version of what had happened to Stan Edwards. He was not about to admit to anyone yet that he had been about to kill the man who had hurt Danny. "He was on heavy painkillers, loopy, saying things, making no sense, and he started to laugh really hard about his 'time alone' with Danny, and how he'd never forget it, and I felt sick. He asked me what I was doing, because I was trying to find a sick bag, then he gasped, and … died! I called for the guard, code blue, because he wasn't breathing, no pulse, and it only took seconds for the guard to arrive, and we started CPR, but nothing. The medics were there quick because the guard pushed an alarm. They took over. They used defibrillators, but nothing. He didn't respond at all."
Dr. Cornett gave the blow by blow of what had happened in the ER. "He didn't respond to anything, like Steve said. The doctors working on him did a clinical exam and brain scan, and he was brain dead. He was gone. We could have kept his organs alive awhile, but he had no brain activity at all. He could not donate his organs because he had … physical reasons to not be able to. He was pronounced dead in the ER, but he probably died before Steve got finished calling for the guard. Autopsy is scheduled for Monday."
Chin pondered. "Heart attack, or stroke?"
Dr. Cornett shrugged sadly. "He had been in surgery for the minor bullet wounds to his leg and shoulder, so there is the possibility of a blood clot forming. Or he may have had a weakness in a major vein. We'll know for sure on Monday."
Chin sighed. "Steve, that means you never got a chance to ask him anything about Danny."
"I didn't have to ask; Stan brought it up." He blew out a heavy breath. "Like I said, he was feeling no pain, and loopy. He correctly guessed why I was there, and said, 'I will remember my time alone with Danny for the rest of my life.' Which turned out to not be very long."
Kono was staring down at the table they all were sitting around. "So we still don't know. And never will."
Steve spoke up firmly. "I think we do know. If he had done anything else, he would have bragged. He knew he was up on heavy charges already – assault, kidnapping, attempted murder, murder - so one more admission wouldn't make his sentence any worse. He would have wanted us to know. Especially since he could have later denied the truth of what he said because he was so drugged when he said it. No, he said what he did because it was all he could say, to keep us wondering, to keep Danny wondering."
Dr. Cornett agreed with Steve. "All my physical tests were inconclusive. But, frankly, if Stan had done the worst, the tests would have picked up on it. There would have been some kind of evidence, maybe not visible to us, but visible to the tests."
"Well, I'm glad he's dead," stated Kono, fiercely, and Adam reached over and took her hand in his.
Everyone agreed. Steve was the last one to say it. "And who does have to tell Rachel?" he asked Dr. Cornett.
Hannah picked that moment to enter the room, and went immediately to Steve's side. He vacated his chair so she could sit down, then put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. She reached up and took his hand, and turned her face to kiss the back of it. Which everyone noticed.
The doctor nodded in greeting to his daughter, then answered Steve, "The doctor assigned to Stan's case when he entered the ER. Or the leader of the team in there. Possibly the lead Medic from the Halawa infirmary. Danny definitely doesn't have to inform Rachel of anything."
"That's good," said Kono, and kissed Adam's hand. Her mind had shifted away from Stan and Rachel, now that she safely could. "So, Boss, anything you want to tell us?"
Steve blushed. "Oh, well, now is not the time – that is, uh …."
Hannah blushed. "He hasn't asked me, yet."
Dr. Cornett smiled like the male version of Mona Lisa. "But I gave him permission."
"Ohhhhhhh!" chorused everyone but Steve, Hannah, and Dr. Cornett.
"Does Danny know?" asked Chin, who had risen and given Steve a hearty pat on the back.
"He does! He's going to be my Best Man, if Hannah says yes. You will stand with me too, I hope?"
"Congratulations!" chorused the same group of people. "Danny has something to look forward to!"
Hannah was out of her chair, too, being hugged by everyone, already welcomed into the Ohana.
Steve called everything to order eventually, because he got hugged too. "Let's set up a schedule for spending time with Danny. I don't want him to wake up alone."
After everyone had picked their visiting times, they returned to Danny's room to wish him a quiet goodnight, while Dr. Cornett asked Hannah if he could have his car keys back. "I just need to fetch something from the car," he explained, giving her a fatherly hug, while his eyes found Steve's. There was a question in them Steve knew he would be asked later. Why hadn't he used the syringes?
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H50 H50 H50
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Steve stayed with Danny all through the night, filled with his partner's steady but troubled sleep. The first nightmare had slipped lightly through before Dr. Cornett and his daughters had gone home to their midnight family gift exchange. Danny's monitors showed that he was in the grip of a bad dream just after Angel, wearing her white halter, had awakened and begun to purr and comfort Danny. Dr. Cornett happened to be checking on his patient, and frowned. Medications were adjusted after that, to keep his sleep more restful, but when Steve was alone with Danny and his guard kitten around 2 a.m., he was awakened by Danny's tiny mumbled moan, followed predictably by Angel's determined ministrations. Danny did not fully awaken, but it proved to be the pattern of the night. Steve held Danny's hand until morning, helping Angel sooth him, no matter who was there to help keep vigil.
Becca had come to be with Danny, also bringing Angel's breakfast in a covered bowl. She spread a waterproof mat on Danny's bedside cart and put the little bowl down, and Angel was amazingly careful not to disturb Danny as she let Becca pick her up and plop her gently onto the table. Steve, who had been almost dozing, was now awake, sniffing the air. He whispered, "There is definitely some tuna in that. It smells vaguely tuna-ish. I didn't realize how much cat food smells."
Becca smiled. "I brought you something, too." But before she fished out her food offering to Steve, she filled up a water bowl for Angel and set it on the waterproof table covering. Angel accepted it with an interrupted 'I can purr with my mouth full' gratitude as she continued to scarf down the food that really did smell like it had tuna in there somewhere.
Steve reached over and petted his hand along Angel's back, which arched upwards in kitty bliss. "She is so thin. Is she okay?" he asked, for the first time feeling worry about the kitten.
Becca nodded. "She is underweight, because she should have gotten two packets of food a day. But Danny had no way of knowing that, and one was enough to keep her healthy. She's making up for lost time now. The vet said she may be a little lethargic as she adjusts to everything new. We did call the Bartletts, and she is up to date on her kitten vaccinations, so the vet has her scheduled for another check in a month."
Danny began to stir, which gave Angel just enough time to finish her food at take some laps at her water bowl before climbing atop her person as Becca wheeled the tray to the side. Angel took her place on Danny's collar and put her front paws on either side of his stubbly chin, purring happily, while Steve and Becca both touched Danny on his shoulders. Becca put her hand on his bandaged one, and Steve slid his hand over Danny's uninjured one.
"Mmmmm." Danny wasn't entirely aware of what he was saying yet, having not awakened enough to engage his filter. "My favorite people, next to my kids, and my Angel." He got his eyelids to half-staff and half-smiled, a little more awake. "Merry Christmas. Angel smells like tuny-fish."