Staring at the three friends, whom he had once considered his own Hawaiian ohana, Danny swallowed hard. He knew their apologies were not only sincere but also came from the bottom of their hearts, but it didn't make the pain from the way he had been treated by them any easier to bear.
"I …um…I owe you an apology as well Uncle D," Eric said softly from the doorway. Walking across to the side of the bed, Eric handed Danny him the large pile of cards he held in his hands. "I…I was the one who collected all the cards you got. I … um … thought … umm… I didn't think…I screwed up Uncle D. I never meant to hurt you, but I thought if I collected and kept all the cards and didn't tell you, I could surprise you when you got home by hanging all the cards on the living room wall to show you just how many people love you and thinks that you're an awesome guy." Shrugging with embarrassment, Eric shrugged as he handed the cards he held to Danny, "I gave Grace some of the cards and I think I have got all the rest of them that I took back to your place." Unable to look Danny in the face, he mumbled, "I'm sorry for being such a screw up and hurting you after everything you have done for me, Uncle D."
Staring down in astonishment at the large pile of cards he held in his hand, Danny looked up back up as he heard the unmistakable sound of Lou nervously clearing his throat in the doorway.
Stepping into the now crowded step down room, with Renee, her arms crossed, watching him from the doorway, Lou took a deep breath. "Look Danny, I…umm…I guess I owe you an apology for my earlier apology. I meant every word I said but I…" He shrugged apologetically, "I guess I may have come across a little pushy… and… well… a little arrogant."
"A little?" Renee scolded softly from the doorway, "I wasn't even here, and I know from what you told me, Lou Grover, that you came across sounding a lot more than just a little bit pushy or arrogant!"
Lou glanced over his shoulder at his very angry wife before he turned back to Danny and nodded, "Renee's right, I guess I was a lot more than just a little pushy and arrogant… I mean… I never meant to make it sound like you didn't have a choice of whether you, Grace and Charlie come to stay with Renee and me after you're discharged from the hospital. I guess what I was trying to say is I know that sometimes I rub people the wrong way and I guess sometimes that I can get a little arrogant, but I have always, well almost always, considered you as a friend and after the way I treated you." Lou shrugged again, not used to being quite so open about admitting when he had been wrong and asking for forgiveness. Taking another deep breath, Lou continued softly, "I just wanted you to know that I really do consider you one of my closest, but most annoying friend, and I really am sorry for the way we've been treating you and really do want to do my best to try and make it up to you."
"I think what they are trying to tell you, Danny, is they are all extremely sorry for the way they treated you." The doctor announced softly as he stepped into the middle of the room and looked around the room at all the members of the Five 0 ohana before he glanced back at his still extremely ill patient, "And from what I just heard, you deserve each, and every apology. But I also think it's time for everyone to leave!" He added quietly as he turned back towards the Five 0 team, placing his hands on his hips as he reminded them all firmly. "This is an Intensive Care Unit where we treat critically ill patients like Detective Williams, and where we have very strict rules about visitors, rules that seem to have been forgotten and rules that from now on will be strictly enforced. Now, if you will all please leave, Detective Williams and Commander McGarrett both need their rest!"
Looking ashamed of themselves, Chin, Lou, and Eric softly apologized to the doctor for breaking the visiting rules that had been put in place before turning saying rushed goodbyes to Danny and Steve and filing quietly from the room under the surgeon's stern eyes.
Quickly crossing to the side or the bed, Kono lightly kissed Danny's cheek, "I'm really, really sorry, Danny, I never meant…" Swallowing hard as Danny silently nodded, she whispered, "I better get going. I will see you tomorrow?"
Danny nodded again, closing his eyes, too tired to speak.
Nodding, Kono turned and whispered goodbye to Steve before she hurried out of the room.
Watching as the room emptied of all its visitors, Beth turned back to Danny as the doctor and nurse helped Steve back into bed. Taking his hand, she gave it a light squeeze, "You know that they meant everything they said?" she asked him softly, loud enough for only Danny to hear.
Danny opened his eyes and looked up at her as he slowly nodded. "I know," he sighed tiredly.
"At least please, think about accepting their apologies." she begged softly before looking down and nudging the large pile of cards he still held in his hands before she added, "But you have a lot more friends here than I think that you realize, and an ohana who know they screwed up, and aren't sure what to do to show you that they never meant to hurt you and they don't want to lose you. They love you, Gracie, and Charlie, Danny, more than I think you know. So, before you make any decisions about leaving, please think about that." Giving Danny's hand another light squeeze, Beth lightly kissed his cheek before whispering, "I better go."
Danny nodded again, staring down at the cards in his hands as Lou's, Kono's, Chin's, Eric's, and Steve's honest and heartfelt apologies replayed over and over again in his mind, even as his eyes drifted closed and the cards fell out of his hands as exhaustion claimed him.