Chapter 8

The next morning Danny drove to HQ alone. Catherine didn't want to go there because she felt very hurt and she was actually afraid of Steve. After all, he had risked hurting her when he threw the vase on the floor right in front of her. Catherine was terrified because she didn't know that side of Steve and the fact that she didn't seem to know him that well just scared her. This also made her wonder if there were more sides of Steve that she didn't know. And unless Steve came to her himself, explained everything and apologized, Catherine would avoid him. That's why she didn't go to the HQ today.

The work at headquarters today consisted of writing a few more reports on various operations until a case came through. Around 11 o'clock there was still no case, so Danny took the chance and drove to Steve. He hadn't appeared today and since Steve hadn't signed off either, something wasn't right. Besides, Danny wanted to talk to him anyway, so he made his way.

When Danny got to Steve's house, hegot out of his car and saw that Steve's Silverado was still there, so Steve had to be at home. Danny went to the front door and rang the bell. Nothing happened, so Danny knocked a few more times. But even then, nothing stirred in the house. Because of this, Danny walked around the house and got lucky. The patio door was open. So Danny entered the house and was shocked by what he saw. Steve was lying unconscious a little way from the front door. Immediately Danny ran to him and checked his pulse, which was weak but still there. The next moment Danny called an ambulance. Now that was very surprising. Actually, Danny had expected that Steve might not be at HQ because he was still angry or he wasn't feeling so well after the "argument" yesterday, maybe because he had drunk a bit too much and was simply still asleep. But Danny hadn't expected this situation at all. He didn't have an explanation either, as he wasn't aware that anything special had happened to Steve in the past few days. The only thing, of course, was the liver transplant.

He immediately informed the paramedics of this fact so that they could carry out investigations in this direction. On the way to the hospital, Steve suddenly began to have convulsions and stopped breathing. Danny watched in shock as the paramedics intubated Steve and placed a breathing tube to allow him to breathe again. A little later in the hospital, Danny had to sit in the waiting room while the doctors took care of Steve. At the same time, he also informed the others, who immediately set off. As Danny put away his cell phone, a doctor approached him. "Are you Detective Williams?"

"Yes, how is Commander McGarrett?"

"He is still in danger. He is currently being ventilated and the cramps are unfortunately increasing. We don't yet know what the exact cause is. So far we have only ruled out that it has something to do with his new liver. Luckily everything is fine with it. I'll let you know as soon as we know more."

So the doctor turned away and Danny was left alone for the time being. Now that he knew it had nothing to do with the liver, he had no idea how it could have happened. He just hoped the doctors would find the cause. About twenty minutes later the others were there too. When Danny told them what the doctor had said, everyone was shocked. They all had no idea what could be the cause, they hadn't noticed anything. So they waited for news and if Steve would survive.

After about an hour the doctor came to them and had a serious but more relaxed expression on his face than an hour ago. "I have good news for you. Upon closer examination, we were able to find a puncture mark on Commander McGarrett's arm and a blood test revealed that he had a cholinesterase inhibitor in his blood. It's a neurotoxin, similar to sarin or VX. It is also used in low doses as a medication for dementia. I'll try to explain it to you as simply as possible. So, in order to transmit a signal from one nerve cell to another, neurotransmitters are needed. A very important one is acetylcholine. The signal transmission then works like this: The transmitter neuron pours the acetylcholine into the space between the cells, the so-called synaptic cleft. There, the acetylcholine migrates to the recipient nerve cell, docks onto a corresponding receptor and thus transmits the signal. In order for the acetylcholine to stop transmitting the signal again, it has to be broken down in the synaptic cleft. Cholinesterase is responsible for this, an enzyme that sits in the membrane of the recipient cell and decomposes acetylcholine there. However, if cholinesterase is inhibited too much, the nerve cells become permanently excited. This permanent excitation leads to a permanent contraction in the muscles, to a spasm, with subsequent paralysis. Depending on the muscles affected, respiratory arrest can occur or, in the worst case, cardiac arrest. Other symptoms can also occur before such a cramp occurs, for example a drop in heart rate and blood pressure, a feeling of dizziness and reactions that are otherwise associated with drugs, such as increased irritability and aggressiveness. We gave him atropine, which reversed the effects of the drug. He's still on ICU and still on ventilation, but I assume that in a day or two he'll start breathing spontaneously and we can take him off the machine. As far as we can tell, he's going to be fully recovered. But Commander McGarrett was very lucky that you found him early, a little later and he would not have survived."

The friends looked at each other in horror, that had just gone well. Danny wondered where could Steve have come into contact with the stuff? Then he remembered. In the office of the wrong doctor. Steve had been so strange for a moment. Well, he would take on the doctor again. But not now. He looked around, where was Catherine?

Catherine took a moment to herself after hearing how Steve was doing. Steve didn't mean it that way, it was the medication that made him so unpredictable and aggressive. Or not? No, Steve wasn't like that, and deep down she had known that all along. When she wanted to return to the others, the doctor came towards her.

"Doctor, can I see Steve, please? I..."

He looked at her attentively, then nodded. "But only briefly."

Catherine quietly opened the door and walked over to Steve's bed. The steady beeping of the devises and the rush of the ventilator reminded her that Steve almost didn't make it. If Danny hadn't gone there, she doesn't even want to imagine it. Maybe if she had gone to him earlier, maybe he wouldn't have to be lying here now. Tears ran down her face. She heard a rustle as the nurse approached her. "Lieutenant, you must go now, please."

Catherine nodded and kissed Steve on the forehead goodbye. Then she left his room and the hospital and drove straight to Billy. When he unsuspectingly opened the door her eyes sparkled.

"Catherine, that's a pleasant surprise."

"Billy, shut up. I want you to stop making advances to me right now. No flowers, no dinner, just friends, do you get that? I am with Steve and it will stay that way!"

Stunned, Billy looked at Catherine, then nodded. "Ok."

After two days, the doctor had good news for Catherine, Danny and the others. Steve had started breathing on his own again and was transferred to the ward. He should be coming around soon enough. Catherine drove straight to him. She knocked on the door and entered the room. Steve lay still pale in the white linen of the hospital bed. She quietly pulled a chair next to Steve's bed, took his hand and spoke to him. "Hey sailor, what are you doing?"

"Catherine." His blue eyes stared at her, then darkened. "Catherine, I'm… I'm sorry. I don't know why I freaked out like that. I didn't want to scare you and certainly didn't want to hurt you. But when I saw Billy's roses, I must have seen red. But that doesn't justify my reaction, so... I'm not like that."

"Steve, I know. That was the drug that Dr. Yong injected you in his office, why didn't you tell us?"

Steve looked at her tiredly. "I don't know, Cath. I guess I didn't want you to worry about me again." He sighed.

She squeezed his hand. "Steve, please do me a favor, let us know if something like this happens in the future, will you?" He nodded. "And I cleared that up with Billy. Either way, he definitely went to far with the roses and I told him that." She looked Steve in the eyes. "Steve, I love you and I won't let anything come between us."

Despite his tiredness, his eyes brightened a little and they almost seemed to sink into her eyes. "I love you too."

She gently stroked his spiky cheek, then leaned forward and gave him a long kiss. "So, sailor, I think you should get some rest. I'll stay here, okay?"

Eyes already closed, Steve nodded, then she heard his breathing become more regular and he fell asleep.

A few days later:

Finally Danny was able to pick up his Super-Seal from the hospital. He was still a little mad at him for not telling them about the drug, but somehow he could understand him. Now he opened the door to Steve's room.

"Hey Steve? Ready for take off?"

Steve looked at him confused. "Why are you in such a good mood?"

"Can't I be in a good mood when I finally get my Neanderthal back?"

Steve eyed his friend critically. "You're up to something."

"I? Never. And now come on. Let's get out of here."

Steve nodded and picked up his bag. Then they left the hospital and Steve obediently got into the passenger side of the Camaro. Then Danny drove off.

"This isn't the way to my house."

"Who says we're going to your place?"

Eventually Danny pulled into the beach parking lot. Then Steve also discovered why. His friends had placed tables and chairs on the beach and decorated everything. A banner that read 'Happy Birthday Steve' hung between the diner and a pole someone had planted in the sand. Steve looked at Danny, touched. "Thanks Pal!"

"Sure, and now come!"

They got out of the car and joined the others.

A few hours later:

The beach was slowly emptying and some of Steve's friends had already left. The sky was already beginning to turn reddish-orange. Steve looked at his girlfriend.

"Shall we walk a few steps?"

Catherine nodded. So he put his arm around her shoulders and they strolled barefoot down the beach. Then Steve suddenly stopped and turned her around to face her. "Steve, what?"

"Nothing." He pulled her closer and gave her a deep kiss. When she looked up again, candles were floating on the sea and Steve was holding a small box.

"Catherine Rollins, will you marry me?"

Steve flipped open the box to reveal an engagement ring, glittering in the setting sun. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"How? ….. Yes! Yes, I want to be your wife."

Steve took the ring out of the box and put it on her finger. And then gave her an even more intense kiss that seemed endless.

A few weeks later:

They had decided against a wedding planner. It was going to be their party and they wanted it to suit them and not a ready-made party just to make it 'perfect'. Together they pored over wedding catalogs in the evenings, filled out wedding lists and noted down their guests. Catherine was amazed at how involved Steve was, coming up with ideas and even catching him designing her rings one night. Steve had found a small jeweler in one of the catalogs who made custom-made items and he had something very special in mind for both of them. They struggled a bit with the location, finally they decided to just hold the wedding at Steve's beach and celebrate in his garden. Very small, just with family and closest friends.

Finally it was time. Steve stood impatiently in front of the registrar and shifted from one foot to the other. Danny, who was standing next to him as best man and who had already checked five times to make sure he really had his rings in his pocket, was just as restless. Then finally Catherine approached him with her father. She looked beautiful. The tight-fitting, cream-colored dress shimmered like mother-of-pearl and contrasted beautifully with her tanned skin. She had pinned her hair up and individual pearls took up the mother-of-pearl shimmer again. As they stood in front of each other, they beamed at each other. Steve almost couldn't take his eyes off her and almost missed his cue when it was his turn to promise. Then came the moment of the ring exchange and finally, finally he was allowed to kiss her and breathed 'I love you' against her lips. Hand in hand, the newlyweds went back into the garden. It was slowly getting dark and as the first notes of the next song (Search on YouTube: Perfect by Ed Sheeran) sounded, Catherine grabbed Steve's hand and pulled him onto the impromptu dance floor in the middle of the garden. They slowly began to dance. It was as if everything around them was sinking and white blossoms blew in from somewhere and danced with the two for a moment, only to hurry on with the next gust of wind. They enjoyed the dance and realized that this song really suited them, almost as if it told their exact story. This day was probably the best they had ever experienced and they would certainly never forget it...

I hope you like this chapter and I'm sorry that the medical stuff is probably not right, but I'm not a doctor, so I hope it's ok for you, guys :)