"She wants to kill Charlie."
It felt as if Steve had been hit on the head, the information couldn't find its way to his brain.
"Steve," Catherine continued, "your mother believes that in order for you to follow her plan, she needs to get rid of him."
A sudden pain gripped his chest, and the words, the threat, were as clear as day. He stood up and rushed to his car, the military woman following closely. He tried calling Charlie as he drove rapidly, lights and sirens blazing, towards Danny's place. With no response from his lover, Steve called Chin and had him trace the location of the redhead's phone, confirming that he was indeed at their colleague's place. The military man parked in front of the building and sprinted as fast as he could to his friend's apartment, finding the door open.
With a weapon in hand, heart pounding, Catherine behind him, he entered. He found a man unconscious on the floor and Charlie, a few meters away, lying in a pool of blood.
"Hey, Cha, can you hear me? I'm going to call for help, can you hear me?" he said, dropping to his side.
The wizard had two bullets in his abdomen, caught in time, his wounds could be treated, but time was of the essence. Steve removed his own t-shirt and used it to apply pressure to the wounds, bringing Charlie back up.
"I, need, a, mediwizard," the injured man whispered with difficulty. "Your, doctors, will, worsen, my, condition.
"OK, where do I find him?"
"Already called, will arrive."
Steve had tears in his eyes, but he kept his composure. The threat from his mother was still looming. Catherine had called for emergency assistance as soon as she arrived on the scene, and now she looked at him with a sympathetic expression.
"You did what you could. Can you call Danny?"
The young woman complied, while two teams of paramedics arrived. Steve noticed the wands hidden in the sleeves of the paramedics' coats as they approached him. Relieved that his partner was receiving the necessary care, he was still overcome with worry.
"I'm following you," he declared as the healers loaded their patient onto a stretcher.
"And you are?" one of the medics asked.
"His partner."
Steve displayed his military tags, showing the engraved runes to the healer in charge.
"Alright, follow us."
He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding and followed the group into an ambulance. The vehicle started like any other, but during a turn, it suddenly accelerated, racing at an incredible speed.
"No-majs can't see us," the wizard driving the ambulance said with a smug grin, observing Steve's amazed expression.
Despite the distraction, Steve's gaze turned back to Charlie. Two mediwizards were waving their wands over him. The bullets were slowly emerging from the wounds as the blood flow had subsided.
They didn't have much time to do more before they arrived at the wizarding clinic. They moved Charlie to a room and instructed Steve to wait in the corridor. He began pacing back and forth, the anxiety and waiting were excruciating. He felt ready to confront his mother if his soulmate didn't make it, and he knew he could never forgive her for this. By targeting Charlie, she had lost her son forever.
The wait lasted for two long hours during which Steve exchanged messages with Danny. The crime scene was unusable; all traces, except for Charlie's blood, had vanished. So, Steve instructed his friend to go to his place with Catherine, Chin, and Kono, pack his belongings, and bring them to his office.
"Mr. McGarrett?"
"Yes?"
Steve faced a man in a three-piece suit who seemed a decade behind in fashion trends. Beside him stood one of the healers who had attended to Charlie, this one spoke first.
"Mr. Weasley will make a full recovery. A week of rest, potions to be taken daily, and he'll be good as new. I'm preparing everything for you."
Steve thanked the doctor, surprised by his words, but relieved by the news. His only desire now was to be by his partner's side. However, the suited wizard prevented him.
"Mr. McGarrett, I hope you understand that Mr. Weasley had to use magic to defend himself."
"Yes, that's what I assumed."
"You do realize we must protect our community."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Close the investigation into this attack as discreetly as possible, and prevent your investigators from questioning Mr. Weasley."
"You're asking me to let the responsible person go?"
"The responsible person is dead."
"He wasn't the mastermind."
"Present this as a failed robbery gone wrong, and all will be well. Don't make me modify your memories too."
"Whose memories have you modified?"
"Everyone who saw the dead body without apparent reason."
Steve understood that Catherine and the medical staff were included. He nodded, wanting to remember this attack in case of another one. Once he agreed to close the investigation quickly, the wizard in the suit left, and he entered Charlie's room. Charlie's eyes were closed, but his breathing raised and lowered his chest rhythmically. This magical hospital was strange to the no-maj; there were no machines, no indicators of the patient's condition, yet he was certain the mediwizards were monitoring his vital signs somehow. But ultimately, he didn't care as long as Charlie was okay.
The dragon caretaker slept until the next day, and Steve half-dozed in a chair, his head resting on his lover's legs. He was awakened by a nurse who brought breakfast for him and several vials of strangely colored liquids for Charlie. With a wave of her wand, she administered the contents of the vials to Charlie, sending them into his stomach. She left with a smile at the military man, who watched in awe. Once alone with his sleeping love, Steve leaned closer to Charlie's head and ran his fingers through the red hair. About ten minutes after he began his gentle touches, his dragon caretaker's eyes began to flutter.
"Hey," Steve whispered.
"Hey."
"How do you feel?"
"Like when I cuddle with a dragon."
"Do you do that often?" the Muggle asked with alarm.
"No."
The smile that spread across the convalescent's face melted Steve's heart, and he eagerly captured the tempting lips for a reassuring kiss.
"I'm sorry," he said as he pulled away.
"You're the one who shooted me?"
"No, I think the man who did that was hired by my mother."
"At least my mom can only make a better impression on you."
Steve laughed; it was true that it would be difficult to make a worse impression.
"What do you say I go get our stuff and we head home as soon as they let you out of here?"
"What?"
"I'm moving in with you to Romania, if you want."
The smile that formed on the redhead's lips was worth a thousand words, but Steve still waited for his response, smiling himself.
"When can I leave?"
Both their smiles widened, and the military man kissed his lover before leaving the room. He had things to take care of before they could leave, starting with informing his team. He found them gathered in their offices.
"Hey, how's Charlie?" Danny asked as soon as Steve entered the room.
"He's going to recover, and actually..."
"Steve, your mother is in your office," Chin interrupted.
Steve's expression turned dark; his features hardened as an indescribable rage took over.
"Don't kill her, please," Danny pleaded. "Too many witnesses."
The military man didn't respond and walked into his office.
"What are you doing here?" he asked as soon as he entered, arms crossed over his chest.
"I came to ask my son why he asked his friends to get his things for him."
"To avoid running into you."
"You're avoiding your mother?"
"I'm avoiding the person who tried to kill the man I love."
"You're imagining things."
"Right. Get out of here. I'm leaving Hawaii, don't try to contact me or get near Charlie. Oh, and also, get your things out of the house. You're dead, so you have no rights to it."
"You can't do this."
"Do what?"
"Ruining your life for that guy!"
The little composure Steve had left vanished; he drew his weapon and aimed it at his mother. The members of Five-0 were at the door within a minute, trying to calm him.
"Get out," he ordered again.