Author note:
Hello, everyone. English is not my first language, so be easy on me. Thanks for those who have taken time to review and follow the story.
Please review if you have time, all feedback are appreciated.
Have a nice day.
"Everything okay, Dr. Mark?" Rachel asked when she saw him flipping through the notes attached to the clipboard.
Dr. Mark smiled as he nodded. "I was just checking Dr. Adele's notes here. He's still unconscious." Dr. Mark gestured to Danny on the bed.
Rachel tore her attention from Dr. Mark to have a glimpse of Danny on the bed, before she turned back to the doctor.
"I have something to check with Dr. Adele. I will come back quickly. Keep an eye on him. If he wakes up before I come back in, make sure to keep him calm."
Rachel nodded and waited for Dr. Mark to leave the room before she walked forward and sat on the chair beside Danny's bed. She was too engrossed in her thoughts that she failed to realize someone slowly walking in.
-H50-H50-H50-
Kono walked out to the entrance and drew in a long breath. She rubbed her forehead again; it was becoming hard to ignore the throbbing pain troubling her head.
A cab stopped just a bit far from her and a girl jumped out. Kono's eyes almost bug out when she saw Grace.
"Grace." Her brows snapped together.
"Auntie Kono!" Her eyes shifted to Kono's and it was glazed with layers of tears. As she blinked, it dripped and slid down her cheeks. She was biting her lips, trying hard to hide any sound that she was afraid would escape.
The moment Kono took in the sight of Grace, she knew that Grace has found out but how? Rachel told that she was in a camp. Kono quickly walked up to Grace and wrapped her arms around the girl. Grace sobbed into Kono's chest with her hands clutching Kono's back tightly. Kono held her in silence for few minutes before she slowly walked to a bench nearby, taking Grace with her.
"Grace, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in a camp?" Kono asked gently.
Grace sniffed. "Is it true, Auntie Kono? Danno shot Uncle Steve?"
Kono sighed. She knew sooner or later, Grace would come to know about the incident but she didn't expect it to be this soon and most of all, she was the one to her. "Grace, I want to be honest with you and at the same I want you to trust me, alright?"
"I trust you, Auntie Kono."
Kono held out a shaky breath before she carefully chose the words. "It was an accident, Grace. Danno didn't know what he was doing."
"But how is it possible?"
Danny has always been proud of sharing how matured his girl has turned out to be, relying on that, Kono carefully explained all that happened or all that she knew so far.
"Danno is going to be devasted."
"I know but it's not his fault. Technically, he didn't do it, he was forced, he was tricked into doing it."
"I want to see Danno."
"Not now, Sweetie. Doctors are with Danno, they are going help him to feel better, okay? They are going to help him to erase the horrible voice from his mind. Don't worry, your mom is with Danno." Kono gently rubbed Grace's back.
"Do you think Danno will be alright?" Grace whispered.
Kono forced a smile. "Of course. We will be there to help him but first, tell me, how did you know about this?"
Grace drummed her fingers on the knees as she spoke. "We were having a break and I tried calling mom, it went straight to voicemail, so I was simply browsing the net and saw the news."
Kono closed her eyes for one moment. These are some of the times she hates social media. "Okay, did your teacher know that you left the camp?"
Grace shook her head.
"It's okay but we will have to call them, okay?"
Grace simply nodded before she asked her next question. "How is Uncle Steve?"
Kono sighed inwardly. "He's hanging in there but you know Uncle Steve, he is a super seal, that's what you call him, right? He will be alright."
"Can I see him?"
"Ah…" Kono uncrossed her legs and hunched forward to join Grace. "It might not be a good idea right now, Grace."
"Please, Auntie Kono. Just for few minutes. We all know how Danny was tricked into doing it but Uncle Steve didn't know, right? I just want to go in and tell him that it was not really Danno. Uncle Steve needs to know that Danno wouldn't hurt him intentionally. Please, Auntie Kono, I will be alright. I'm big kid now, I know how to handle seeing him like that."
Kono exhaled. "I can't promise you, but I will try to talk to the doc."
-H50-H50-H50-
Kono again walked back downstairs after leaving Grace in front of Steve's room. Grace has requested some time alone with Steve and Kono wanted to respect that. At the same time, she wanted to check progress on Danny. She walked to a nurse and was about to ask for Dr. Adele when she heard a voice filled with pain calling out her name. Kono was alarmed when she saw Rachel wobbling towards her. Her right hand clutched to the side of her forehead and blood was leaking through the gaps of her fingers, running down her forearm.
"Rachel!" Kono rushed forward and caught her before Rachel's legs gave way. "What happened?"
The nurse nearby rushed to help.
"She…n-not nurse…Danny…away…g-gun… Steve."
-H50-H50-H50-
Grace's heart sank. She thought she would be able to handle it, but then once she entered the room, she understood. You can never be ready to see someone you love dearly in a hospital bed. Scary thoughts jammed mind, words stuck her throat and her body trembled. Steve looked pale, the white sheets he was covered with seemed to have more color than him. Her eyes were locked with the tube coming out his mouth and the wheeze sound coming out of the ventilator will forever haunt her soul. Only when she reached out to touch his hand, she realized how shaky her hand was.
Her hand finally touched his cold hand and her breathing quicken. "U-uncle Steve." Her voice was horrible, she wondered if it was her voice.
"It was not Danno, Uncle Steve." Her eyes welled up. "You know, right? He will never hurt you. You know how much you mean to him, don't you, Uncle Steve?"
Grace jerked when the door burst opened and her eyes widened when Danny walked in with a gun in his hand.
She quickly turned around, facing Danny. "Danno, what are you doing?"
Danny held up the gun and pointed it towards Steve. His eyes were unfocused, refusing to meet Grace's.
Grace stepped in the way, standing right in front of the barrel of the gun. She raised her hands up. Softly, she whispered. "Put the gun down, Danno."
Danny shook the head, still refusing to look into Grace's eyes. "He's a target."
"He is not a target. He is your brother. Look at me!" Grace raised her voice a bit and the gun in Danny's hand trembled.
"The voice in your head is not true. Listen to me, listen to your daughter."
Danny looked into Grace's eyes.
Grace carefully took one step to the front. "He is your brother, daddy. You love him, and he loves you."
Danny shook his head. "No," he whispered.
"Do you know who I am?" Grace asked as tears were flowing freely down her cheeks.
"Grace." He barely whispered.
"Yes, your Grace, your monkey. I am telling you, he's not your target. He's a family, Danno. Don't do this, put the gun down."
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