by
Trish
and Jan
The coin spun over and over
again in the sun before it was deftly snatched from the air
and slapped upon the back of the umpire's hand, hidden from sight of the two
team captains as he asked, "Heads or tails?"
"Tails"
stated the solid, mustachioed figure wearing the red baseball cap with a fire
department logo on the front.
Lifting up his
hand to reveal the coin, the referee nodded, "Tails it is, do ya want to
bat?'
The man in the red baseball cap winked at the man standing
opposite him wearing the blue HPD baseball cap. "You bet we do."
The baseball field was new. There was grass in the
infield and some in the outfield, but most of it still consisted of dirt and
rock that had been smoothed out as much as possible for the comfort of the
competitors. The shiny aluminum grandstands had a fair number of
spectators who had come to support their team. The Honolulu Fire
Department and the Honolulu Police Department had a tradition of challenging
each other to a yearly baseball game. The winner was awarded bragging rights
for the next year, so it was strictly a matter of
departmental pride.
Steve McGarrett smiled and nodded his acceptance,
"Just don't get too comfortable in the dugout, Bruddah, because you will
be out fielding soon."
The fire chief laughed, "Don't count on
it," as he turned and led his team to the cool shade of the dugout.
McGarret waved his team out onto the field, each man
taking his assigned position and tossing the ball back and forth just to let
their opponents know they were ready for anything.
Danny Williams took his oh-so-familiar spot on the
pitchers mound, rubbing his hand through his curly hair before pulling the blue
cap with the HPD logo firmly into place, shading his eyes against the bright
sun. Snatching the ball from the air as it came his way, he
threw it to Kono who was covering first base. He loved the feel of
the ball as it smacked solidly into his glove. Baseball had been part of his
life for as long as he could remember. He loved baseball.
Last year they had lost to the fire department
by one lousy run. This year was going to be different, and he was SO GLAD he
had managed to talk Steve into coming. Normally the boss didn't
participate in team sports, but after weeks of cajoling and pleading, Danny had
finally managed to win him over...albeit grudgingly.
Danny once again grabbed the ball as it
came his way. This time he threw it to their team captain who was watching him
from his position in left field. Steve caught the ball effortlessly and
threw it back to Danny in one fluid motion.
The first red-capped batter stepped up to the plate,
adjusting the bat and his footing as he prepared to knock the ball over the
fence. Danny glanced around at his team members, then pitched the ball
over the plate. The fireman swung, connecting with nothing but air as the ball
smacked into the catcher's mitt. "Strike One." came the shout from
the umpire causing the grandstand to erupt with boos and cheers as
the ball was returned to Danny's glove.
Danny grinned and winked at the batter as
he pulled his cap down a little more and wound up for another pitch.
The batter stood there uselessly as the fastball whizzed across the plate.
'Strike two."
Frustrated, the batter tapped his bat on the ground
and adjusted his grip on the wood as he once again faced the pitcher. Shouts
from the grandstand blended into an indecipherable blur as the ball was
suddenly upon him again. The "whoosh" of air telling him his turn at
bat was over. "Strike 3".
“Yea Danny! Way to go!”
The hitter tossed the bat to the side and walked
away, shaking his head in disgust as his teammates both commiserated
and teased him about his ability to hit the ball.
Waiting for the next batter to step-up, Danny threw
the ball to Kono. The big Hawaiian caught the ball and tossed it
back to the pitcher who had now turned his attention to the next batter.
Adjusting his cap slightly, Danny nodded to the catcher, then began his windup.
The bat just tipped the ball as it flew by,
causing it to sail up and backward. The catcher yanked off his mask as he ran
back, catching the ball easily before throwing it back to
the pitcher. Groans and cheers floated across the field from the
spectators as the umpire announced, "Foul tip. Strike
one!"
Nodding again at the catcher, Danny sent the ball low
and speeding right into the waiting mitt.
"Ball one."
Reaching down and rubbing some dirt on his hand,
Danny once again drew his arm back and launched the ball toward the plate. The
batter swung the bat as hard as he could, his efforts rewarded by
the unmistakable "crack" of the bat meeting the ball.
Tossing the bat aside he sprinted toward first base as the ball sailed toward
center field, sending the HPD outfielders scrambling toward it as it bounced
and rolled across the rock-studded ground. The crowd roared as the runner
passed second, and by the time the errant ball found its way back to the
pitcher, the panting runner was on third base.
Adjusting his cap, Danny faced home as the next
batter stepped up to the plate. It was a good thing that fire fighting was
this man's profession and Danny hoped he didn't quit as his day job as three
quick pitches resulted in three quick strikes.
"You're out!" Shouted the umpire, his
thumb indicating the way to the dugout.
More cheers and boos greeted their ears as the
defeated batter retreated and the next man picked up the bat and took
his place.
Danny glanced at the man who was leading off the
base, chasing him back as he threatened to throw the ball to the third
baseman. Returning his attention to the batter, he sent the first ball swiftly
and surely across the plate, followed moments later by another one,
both leaving the batter swinging into the air.
"Come on Danny, one more time!" Kono
shouted encouragingly from first base.
Danny grinned then turned toward the
batter. Strike this guy out and they were up. Looking threateningly at the
runner still stranded on third base, Danny wound up and sent the ball flying,
straight and true toward home plate.
Once again the "crack" of the bat hitting
the ball had the crowd screaming as the runner on third headed for home and the
batter sprinted toward first base.
The hit was a high, pop fly; arcing gracefully
through the clear, warm air.
Keeping his eye on the ball, Danny raised
his glove and began to run backwards, confident of making the catch as he
yelled, "Mine!"
Steve grinned as the ball flew high and he started to
run forward, his eyes planted firmly on the sky and the small white object
hurtling through it. With just the right speed and a few more steps the ball
should land straight into his eager hands. "My ball!" he shouted as
he put on an extra burst of speed, sprinting toward the rapidly descending object.
A shouted warning from Chin went unheard above the
roar of the excited fans and Kono watched wide-eyed as his teammates
converged. The other players heard a sickening thud as Steve's
fast-moving body slammed hard into Dan's knocking the two men over. The
gasp from the crowd was followed by complete silence as everyone held their
breath, watching the two men lying on the field. Even the teammates of the two
downed players were momentarily paralyzed, stunned at what they had just
witnessed.
Slowly Steve rolled over and struggled to his hands
and knees, desperately trying to draw the breath that had been knocked out of
him by the collision. Finally managing to draw air into his extremely sore
chest, Steve struggled to his feet aided by shocked teammates who had came
running to help the two downed men. Chin grabbed Steve's arm, assisting him
slowly to his feet, "Steve, are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah," Steve gasped, rubbing his
chest and trying to get some more desperately needed air into his lungs.
"What in the world happened?" He suddenly realized that several
people were crowded around something on the ground. Moving forward, he frowned
as he saw the blue baseball cap on the ground near them.
“You and Danny went after the same catch Boss, “
Chin explained as he hovered close to Steve’s side. “Wasn’t pretty when you
both collided!”
Steve stopped and looked at Chin, confusion clear on
the usually inscrutable face, "Collided? With Danno?"
The Chinese detective nodded but anymore he was going
to add was interrupted by a shout from one of the people crowded around the
motionless man on the ground. “We need some help here! “
Steve pulled away from Chin and shoved his way
through the small crowd that had formed, stopping in his tracks at the sight
that met his eyes. Danny was lying face down in the dirt, his sandy curls
covered in dust, his gloved hand resting beside his head and his other arm
trapped somewhere beneath him. The younger man was so still that at first
McGarrett wondered if he was even breathing but the small regular gentle clouds
of dust that rose and fell near his mouth and nose reassured the Five O boss
that Danny was still in the world of the living
Steve knelt next to the motionless figure,
"Danno?" His hand lightly resting on the younger man’s back as he
leaned closer to study his friend’s still face, “Danno can you hear me? Open
your eyes, aikane.” Disappointed when his friend neither reacted nor obeyed his
softly spoken behest, McGarrett reached for his shoulder, intent on rolling him
over.
“No
Steve, don’t move him!” Doc’s booming command came from somewhere close behind
him and he turned questioningly towards the Coroner/ Five o Physician as the
older man shouldered his way through the small crowd and kneeled close to
Danny’s head. “After the hit he took, there is a possibility of spinal
injuries. We need to support his head and neck and keep his spine perfectly
straight when we move him.”
Steve nodded his understanding but kept his hand on
his officer's back, not wishing to break the contact as Doc moved around to the
top of Danny’s head and firmly placed hands on both sides of his face, nodding
at the several men who quickly jostled into position as he instructed grimly.
“On the count of three we roll him over, just make sure his back and neck
remains straight. 1, 2 …”
The sound of a siren rapidly approaching grabbed Steve’s attention as he
held his breath and watched the many helping hands turn his closest friend
over. He was peripherally aware of the crowd making room as the ambulance bumped
toward them. "Give them some room." Someone ordered from the back.
The crowd parted as the ambulance attendants hurried through carrying a
stretcher.
Nodding
at Duke to take over with supporting Danny’s head, Doc glanced up at the
attendants, “We’re going to need the backboard and oxygen.”
Steve
heard one of the men murmur an acknowledgement to the briskly spoken order as
he reluctantly
stepped back, leaving the care of his officer to the professionals. He shrugged free of Chin’s and Kono’s
supporting hands as he stared in horror at his friend’s injuries. The right
side of the young man’s face was scraped bloodied and badly swollen; a jagged
cut that bled profusely made the injuries look even more serious. His breath
caught in his throat as his eyes drifted down to his friend’s right arm and he
could not stop the loud gasp of shock that escaped from his lips as he stared
at Dan’s swollen and badly misshapen right wrist, Danny’s hand seemed to just
dangle uselessly from his arm.
“Doc?” He managed to whisper after licking his dry
lips as he watched Doc swiftly slip the oxygen mask onto the young man’s face
before carefully dressing Danny’s bleeding head wound and checking the young
man out for any more injuries.
“Not now Steve!” Doc snapped anxiously as he turned
towards the attendants. “Let’s get him onto that backboard and into the
ambulance.”
Chin gently pulled his anxious boss back a few steps
to allow the attendants and Doc more room to work. His own heart beating fast
as he watched the three men gently but carefully roll the injured man onto his
side before they slipped the hard board behind his back and eased him back onto
the ground, strapping his head and body firmly to the board, ensuring that the
young man could not move before they lifted him and placed him on the nearby
stretcher.
The crowd watched in hushed silence as the young man was loaded aboard
the ambulance, concern for one of their own the dominating emotion as all
thoughts of the game were forgotten.
Doc
turned and grabbed McGarrett’s arm before leading him to the ambulance. “Come
on Steve, lets get you checked out as well. ‘ he ordered as he maneuvered the
shocked man up into the back of the emergency vehicle, sitting him down on the
seat close to Danny’s head before he turned and nodded at the attendant.
Steve
never heard Kono call, “We’ll meet you at the hospital Boss.” Nor the ambulance
door slam shut, he didn’t even notice the jerk of the ambulance as it pulled
away with lights and sirens blazing nor doc’s concerned question of ’Was he
hurt?”, everything else faded into the background as he stared at the
motionless figure of his closest friend strapped tightly to the stretcher.
"What?" Steve jumped as
Doc touched his arm.
"I said are you all right?" Doc asked again, watching McGarrett
closely.
Steve's eyes remained fixed on the scraped and bleeding figure strapped
tightly to the stretcher, "Yeah, Doc. I'm fine."
Bergman frowned and leaned forward, reaching for the arm that McGarrett
was using to brace what were obviously injured ribs. “You’re not fine Steve!”
he growled impatiently when the younger man pulled away. “Any blind monkey
could see you hurt yourself when the both of you collided. Now let me take a
look at you!”
“I’m fine!” McGarrett hotly insisted, trying to move away from the
physicians light touch, “It’s Danno who needs your attention.”
“There’s nothing more I can do for Danny until we get to the hospital
and get some x-rays done. He’s stable at the moment.” Doc told the upset
detective firmly, “And if you want to be allowed to remain with him once we get
to the ER than I suggest you let me check you out or else I will assign you to
another doctor in the ER with orders that you are to be kept away until AFTER
you are fully checked out! Is that understood?”
McGarrett turned to face the doctor, the anger in his face slowly
dissolving to surrender as he saw the determination on the physician’s face and
realized that Bergman was not bluffing with the threat. "Okay,
Doc."
Nodding at the small victory, Bergman knelt in front of his second
patient and after lifting the lead detective’s baseball shirt began to
carefully palpitate the bruised ribs.
”Hhmmm, “ he muttered as Steve hissed in pain at the light but firm
touch, “Feels like you may have broken at least two ribs but I’ll be able to
confirm that after we take some x-rays.”
McGarret nodded, knowing that Doc was probably right, but still hating
to admit it. "So after the x-rays I can stay with Danno?"
Patting the younger man’s arm, Bergman reassured him, “I’ll send you
straight into x-ray just as soon as we arrive at the ER and if my suspicions
are correct, I can strap your ribs up and have you back at Danny’s side within
half an hour which will give me time to find out just how seriously injured our
boy is.”
"Thanks, Doc." Steve
reached out and lightly touched Danny's shoulder, wanting the contact but
afraid to hurt him, "How bad do you think he is?"
“Let’s just wait until we have some x-rays back, Steve.” Doc hedged away
from the question, not quite ready or willing to admit at how serious or life
altering Danny’s injuries may be.
++++
Jumping down from the examination table, “McGarrett mumbled his thanks
to the young doctor who had strapped his broken ribs waving away the small
container holding his pain medication offered by the nurse. He hurried out of
the small room, impatient to be updated on his young friend’s condition. Out in
the corridor, he found his two other detectives waiting anxiously outside the
closed emergency Room next to the one he had just been sequestered in. “Any
word yet?” he demanded.
"Nothin' yet Boss. They took him to x-ray and haven't come back
yet." Kono answered softly. “They still had him strapped tightly to the
backboard. Doc wasn’t looking too hopeful.”
“I overheard one of the nurses paging a neurosurgeon.” Chin added
solemnly, “Don’t look to good at the moment, Steve, they think Danny has a
severe neck injury.”
“Oh God!” Steve whispered as he collapsed back against the wall, needing
its solid support to help him remain standing. “What did I do? Oh God, I’m
sorry Danno!”
Steve suddenly felt the need to sit down, hardly noticing as his
detectives led him to a nearby chair as Chin quickly tried to reassure him. “It
was an accident, Steve, could have happened to anyone. Let’s just wait until
the results of the x-rays are back before we jump to any conclusions. All we
know for sure at the moment is that they suspect a neck injury- not that he has
one!”
“The
big guy is right Boss,” Kono chimed in. “No use thinkin’ da worse!”
"They wouldn't be paging a neurosurgeon unless they had a good
reason." Steve muttered, staring absently at the emergency room door.
Before either Kono or Chin could respond to the oh-so- correct but
depressing observation the stretcher carrying their injured friend was pushed
around the corner and surrounded by several nurses and doctors, rushed past
where they sat and back into the emergency room. Rising from his chair,
McGarrett hurried across and entered the room after it just before the door
swung shut
Standing
with his back to the door, McGarrett waited until the stretcher came to a
complete halt in the center of the room before he demanded, “Well?”
Turning
away from supervising Danny’s transfer back into the room, Doc turned
unsurprised towards the anxious and impatient man standing in front of the
closed door waiting for an answer. The crusty physician smiled as he turned
back to his patient and began to undo the straps that held Danny fast to the
backboard. “The X-rays and the MRI were clear Steve, there is no damage to
Danny’s neck or back nor is there any bleeding into his brain!”
Steve
laughed, relieved at the doctor’s diagnosis, “So he’s going to be alright?’ he
asked stepping closer to the stretcher.
“He’s
still a very sick young man!” Doc cautioned as Steve stepped up to the bed and
gently placed his hand on Dan’s cool arm, aware of the distress that crossed
McGarrett’s face as he stared at the very swollen and bruised face of his
closest friend and second-in-command. “Danny has a severe concussion Steve, we
believe his face and head hit a rock or some other hard object buried in the
ground. The impact with the rock also broke his cheekbone and split his
forehead. It took five stitches to close the cut it caused.” He heard McGarrett
gasp softly at the list of injuries but he continued his report, aware as much
as it hurt Steve to hear the damage that the two men’s collision had caused,
Steve would want to hear the whole unvarnished truth.
Stepping
across to the small screen on the wall, Bergman flicked a switch and lit it up
before he pulled several x-rays from an envelope sitting on the table just
below it. Clipping the x-rays onto the screen, he continued, “These are some
x-rays we took of Danny’s right wrist and arm.” Steve stared at the image of
two very obviously broken bones; the ends of each break in both were jagged and
misaligned. “Danny must have instinctively reached out with his hand to try and
cushion his fall.” Doc explained as he pointed to the breaks, “ The weight of
his body and the hard impact onto the ground snapped both bones in his lower
arm just above the wrist. We are going to have to operate and possibly pin the
bones to ensure they heal correctly. I have arranged Dr. Mannings to assist me
with the surgery, Steve; he’s the best orthopedic surgeon on the islands. There
is no better man for the job.”
Paling
at the sight of the x-rays, Steve turned and stared at his friend, “Will there
be any permanent damage?” he managed to force air out of his damaged chest to
ask the question he feared the answer from.
“Barring
any complications and with a little rest and some physio-therapy, Danny should
be as good as new!” Doc gently squeezed McGarrett’s shoulder reassuringly. “As
for when he will regain consciousness, I’m afraid that is a waiting game but
while I’m not expecting any problems from the head injury we will be keeping
him under close observation for the next couple of days.”
McGarrett shook his head, “I don’t understand it!”
“What Steve?” Doc asked not sure what Steve was referring to.
Choking back a sob, Steve shook his head again, “How I only got a couple
of broken ribs and Danny…” his voice trailed off.
“Ahh,” Doc answered in understanding, “You’re
talking about Lug nut rule!” at McGarrett’s questioning look of confusion, Doc
quickly explained, “The bigger one always wins and in this case you were
definitely the bigger.”
“And Danno was the loser!” Steve murmured.
“It could have been a lot worse Steve, I think Danny was lucky!”
“Mahalo
Doc.” Steve whispered as he continued to stare at the unconscious man in the
bed. He still was unable to believe that a baseball game could turn so
dangerous or that he was responsible in harming his kaikaina so seriously.
Almost
as if he was reading the dark headed detective’s thoughts, Bergman stated
firmly. “What happened today was an accident, Steve, it was nobody’s fault.
Nobody blames you for what happened and I know Danny would be horrified if he
thought you blamed yourself! Now if you will please step out of the way, I
would like to finish treating my patient so that I can get him up to surgery
and than settled in more comfortable surroundings than this.”
“Mahalo
Niles.” Steve repeated as he stepped back to let the doctor work, allowing
himself to relax momentarily for the first time since this nightmare had begun.
Doc
smiled as he glanced up at the other man, “I just hope someone taped it,” he
said with a wicked gleam in his eyes, “This would make the perfect blackmail
material the next time either one of you two argue against my medical
recommendations!”
“Blackmail
is illegal doctor!’ McGarrett laughed.
“Only
if reported Steve!” Doc answered slyly as he returned his attention back to
Danny’s arm. “Now why don’t you go outside and update Chin and Kono and then
send them home. We only need one Five O detective to clatter up Danny’s room
tonight.”
++++
Steve stood by the bed as he kept a close early morning watch over his
unconscious aikane, mentally going over Doc's inventory of the young man's
injuries...the injuries that HE had caused. Dipping the soft cloth in the bowl
of water he squeezed out the excess as he gently wiped the scratched and
bruised cheek, being extra careful of the broken bone hidden beneath the
damaged skin.
The whole right side of Danny's face was battered, bruised and swollen,
the five stitches above his eye standing out in stark contrast against the pale
skin beneath. Wringing out the cloth again, Steve continued to gently press the
cool compress against the heated skin, hoping that perhaps it brought the
patient some level of comfort.
"Danno. Danno, can you hear me, Aikane?" He didn't expect to
get a response, but was disappointed just the same. Doc had said that Danno's
concussion was severe and there was no way of knowing when he would regain
consciousness.
Steve's eyes traveled down to the cast that supported Danny's badly
broken wrist. It too had been badly scraped and terribly swollen, and he
cringed as he remembered his first sight of it on the baseball field, a time
that seemed so long ago. Doc had
promised that the best orthopedic surgeon on the islands would be in
attendance. Considering how badly he
knew the wrist to be broken, Steve found some reassurance in this. The damage
was to Danny's right wrist, anything less than full function that could
compromise his ability to perform his job would be career ending, and that was
not something the head of Five-O would even consider.
Doc said the surgery had gone extremely well and Steve could hardly
contain his relief when he called the palace to up-date his staff. Now he paced
the room waiting for his aikane to awaken. The bruising on Danny's swollen face
had deepened overnight and Steve didn't think it could possibly look any
worse.
Taking a break from pacing, Steve stood by the bed and gently rubbed the
arm that was not encased in the heavy white cast. "Danno. Come on Aikane,
open you eyes." Much to his delight, he got the response he had been
waiting for as Danny's eyes slowly fluttered open. Steve gently touched the
undamaged side of Danny's face as he smiled. "Hi Danno."
Between the sedation, pain medication and concussion, Steve could see
that Danny's clarity of thought was pretty much non-existent as his friend
stared at him in confusion. "Did we win?"
Steve couldn't contain the relieved laugh as the blue eyes searched his, waiting for an answer. "Yes, Aikane, we won. We won!"
Pau