Part 2
*****************
Frank looks down at the physican and swallows hard "He's...gone???"
"No! For now.. anyway... he's still with us. I took 3 bullets out of his right kidney area and 2 out of his shoulder. His rght arms broken in 5 places including an open fracture of the forearm.There are several broken ribs and a punctured lung. His skull is cracked in 3 places. There're multiple bruises..."
Feeling his knees starting to collapse Frank sits down on the couch and leans over forwards with his arms between his legs. There is a soft clink as the ring Frank was playing with bounces on the gray institutional tiles. Reaching down Doctor Saprestien picks it up and examines the engraving before giving it back to the worried Lieutenant. "Sorry we had to cut that off. Its a nice ring." Putting it back in his pocket Frank half smiles."Lifetime guarantee they told us." Swallowing hard he looks over at the physican sitting on the chair across from him. "Is Steve...going to get to collect on it?"
"I honestly don't know. What ever happens its up to him. We've done what we can."
What can...are you doing...
Exhausted from the OR session Dr Sapriestein leans back and stretches "You name it we're trying it.To be honest with you I don't know what to do next"
Frank stares at him incredously "But you're a doctor..."
"That doesn't make me omnipotent. We're talking leading edge medicine here. Trauma this severe..I just don't...We're taking it as it goes. Massive antibiotics for the open wounds. His entire ribcage is cracked its just a matter of time and movement before the rest break. I've got a tube in his chest to try and reexpand the one lung. He's on 8 liters of O2 and so far he's breathing easy enough that we don't have to put him on a ventilator..but that may change. Dr Capelli did the bone work. 9 screws and a couple of plates I think. Once the wounds cleaned up we can set his forearm. I'm monitoring his renal function..seems Ok at this point. His heart stopped twice in OR"
Frank looks up in horror. "WHAT!"
"Relax. Its quite common. But I did have to shock him back several times...IV epinephrine and cardioversion finally did the trick....Vasopressors to try and boost his blood pressure" Dr Saprestien describes trying to organize the sequence of events in his own fatigued mind.
"What is it?"Frank asks trying to process all the unfamiliar but important souunding information.
"His BP? 50/30 now. Normal's about 120/70." The MD adds hastily at the Lts confused expression. "When he got here he didn't have any.Fluid volume replacement is a major concern and that'll bring up his pressure too. We're keeping his head elevated and watching intercrainial pressure. Which is high normal so far. Fortunately none of the skull fractures were depressed. Theres no blood in his spinal fluid. He'll be out for awhile but I'm anticipating there won't be a subdural hematoma...at least not a clot big enough to worry about. Most of this is so new its not even in the texts yet. The rest..to be blunt we're inventing. If he makes it Dr Hadrian and I are going to write a paper for the AMA." Flexing his cramping fingers Saprestien remembers a half observation that had come to him several hours before. "Is he a runner by chance?"The older man asks.
Frank laughs as he thinks of all the excuses he has used over the years to avoid jogging with his friend. "Yeah. Long distance. Since Korea he's been into it seriously. Says it clears his head. Why?"
"I thought so. That's what kept him breathing. Most of us, myself included, us only at the most 2/3 of our lung capacity. Runners especially cross country ones lung fields are highly conditioned..they use every available aveoli.Even the ones at the base that we seldom need in everyday living. Thats why it seems like joggers never get a cold. They do just they can function nomally with one lung so you never notice them being out of breath."
"So all the time he wastes on the beaches every morning paid off?" Frank inquires.
"You better believe it! Essentially he just ran a 2000 mile marathon. " Standing up slowly he slaps Frank on the back. "This is the most energized I felt in my work for a long time. Keep the faith Lieutenant. His hearts strong and." He pauses briefly trying to compose his thoughts. "I don't know how to explain this exactly..but when I checked his pupil reflexes there was a spark there. I'm not guaranteeing anything but spirit is probably the most important aspect of this business. All our knowledge and technology is useless without it. It amazes me what the mind can make the body do sometimes. I've seen some damn near impossible things happen because of willpower. I've never met your friend before this but I've got the feeling he's a fighter."
"Can I see him?"Evershall asks insistantly
"He's unconcious." The MD states and looking at the fidgiting engineer realizes that to the Liuetenant at this point mental status is a nonissue. " OK 10 minutes. But don't expect a reaction. Come this way." Hesitating a briefly at the door Frank enters the ICU slowly, uncertain of what he is going to find . Steve is laying inertly in the coner and except for the bruising he is whiter than the sheets. There is an IV in his left hand and both feet. 3 drains and a chest tube compete for spqce with the EKG leads. His right arm is secured to his chest. There is an O2 cannula and NG tube in his nose.Frank runs his fingers though Steve's hair "Oh my God buddy. What the heck happened??"
The following day despite protests
Steve was flown to Hawaii along with Drs Sapriestein
& Hadrian, two nurses and Frank who insisted on going
with them.
During the next two weeks he spikes a
high temp and has several seizures. Late one evening Frank is sitting quietly beside the bed with his feet up on the rail almost asleep when Dr. Sapriestien enters the room Shaking his head in amazement at the intensity of Evershall's vigil he begins to wonder if any of his friends were that loyal. Sadly he concludes that probably none them would. Silently he vows to change his social habits. Breathing deeply several times he shakes the younger man's leg slightly. "Lieutenant. Go home. You are not doing either of you any good killing yourself like this."
"I want to be here when he wakes up." Evershall insists. Then asks hesitantly. "What's he...going to...what'll happen when he wakes up?"
"Best case. He'll say hello."
"And worst..." He replies uncertainly.
"You're looking at it." Seeing the shock in the Lt.'s grey eyes he immediately regrets the flippant answer. "What happened is..I've explained this to you before..When his head hit his brain was knocked around inside the skull. So while the bone hit once and cracked the brain bounced back and forth at least 3 or 4 times. Crazy macho guys..If he'd of been wearing a helmet."
The horrifying image of the bouncing helmet leaps into Franks mind. "Ruined his ears..." He responds involuntarily.
"What?" Saprestien asks. "His hearing is fine. Hyperacute actually. Tuning fork threw him into a seizure."
"No. No." Frank babbles trying to explain. "Some of the seniors at the academy started called him Mickey. As in Mickey Mouse. For some stupid reason he prefers that to Tiger they were calling him in Korea. He's got black mouse ears painted...Doc he was wearing a helmet. There's a crack through the ears."
"Thank God for that!" The MD replies in obvious relief."Guess I should have asked sooner."
"Steve's macho allright." Frank retorts. "But he's not stupid."
"Probably a good 75 to 80 % of the impact went into cracking the plastic. According to the EEG there is damage in the frontal and occipital lobes but its less now than last week. Most likey there'll be some emotional disturbances for a while. Visual distortions."
"He's blind!" Frank swallows hard.
"No." The doctor reassures. "I said distortions. More like double vision. This is entirely a guess on my part. We won't know anything till he wakes up."
"Sgt Mjr Peters." Frank laughs taking his feet off the rail.
"Who??"
"He was a DI at the academy. The guy really had it in for Steve for some reason. Rode him the entire time. Nothing he ever did was good enough for Sgt Peters. His favorite saying was 'Everything looks worse than it actually is.' That's been Steve's motto for years. So how's the paper coming Doc?"
"Its raining in Tokyo right now. You think I'm wasting my temporary transfer here on a paper that might never get written!!"
At least you got a job to do. The pilots won't let loose of the MIG yet. Doc how come they had to bring him back here anyway?"
" I don't know. It was a totally unneccessary risk but no one wanted to listen to me. I'm just the physician in charge. Apperently that doesn't count for much with the brass. These intelligence people are a difficult bunch to deal with. After the first seizure I started him on sodium pentathol..its a standard treatment and he should have responded. Nothing happened no matter how high I upped the dosage. He was in status epilepticus and Captain Heinriche stood right there- watching as we tried to control the seizuring-didn't say a word the whole time and then just walked away. I can't believe that man is a human being!" He snaps in obvious disgust. "Lieutenant Anderson came along fortunately ...and told me its what they use to get people to talk. I've heard of it being called Truth Serum before. Patients do say some stange things on it. Glen told me they all were given high doses of 'a honey yellow colored drug' during the war to build up a tolerance to it. Sodium Pentathol is the only thing I know of that color. I switched him to phenabarbitol and so far its been effective. Heinriche'd rather let him die in a seizure than let out a 'secret weapon'. I just don't get these people!
Frank laughs "Yeah Steve drives me nuts sometimes with all the cloak and dagger stuff. Anymore I just don't ask him. I've met some of his friends before.. they're OK." Frank looks at him hopefully. " So how long before he comes around huh?"
"To be honest I'm starting to get a little cocerned myself. His ICP went over the top yesterday . The EEG and xrays don't show any further damage. I started a caffiene drip this morning.
Coffee IV's! Now I've heard just about everything Doc" Evershall laughs.
Its a new theory I read about..works on the cerebral arteries."
Well in his case you better run it in by the gallons. The way he drinks that stuff he's probably got a tolerance built up to it too"
Steve whispers quietly "Frank...you going....to talk about me..all day..."
Stunned by the quiet intrusion into their conversation both men jump from their chairs.Frank reaches through the bars and grinning at the physician. "Best case huh Doc!?" He instinctively grabs ahold of Steve's left arm. "Hey you allright?"He greets cheerfully then asks very seriously."What the hell happened?"
"I..don't...know..." Steve turns his head slightly to the right and begins to gag uncontrollably.. "Where..."
Recognizing the oncoming vertigo and fearing the damage it could cause Dr Saprestien glances at the crash cart in the corner and mumbling something about stocking runs from the room
"Easy buddy. You're in the hospital. Everythings gonna be OK. Just relax" He tries desperately to reassure his increasingly anxious friend.
"Where...everythings going around...which way am I...Frank where's up?"
"WHAT!?." Concerned becauses Steve's eyes are open but tracking in the wrong direction Evershall swallows hard and then asks. "You can see?"
"yeah...but the worlds moving......Frank!" He screams quietly
'Oh God whats happening? "OK." He replies trying to sound calm. "No problem. Right now you're on your back. I'm on your left side even with your chest. Your heads turned about 40 degrees left. If you look downrange you'll see me."
Grabbing the rail he tilts his head slightly and begins to gag uncontrollably as the doctor returns with a handful of preloaded syringes.Noticing the slight shaking of his and on the rail and thinking it to be the beginings of another seizure he throws the extra syringes on the table and shoving Frank slightly out of the way rolls the patient towards him whips the sheet back and visualizes the center of the gluteal muscle instead of feeling for landmarks as he normally would have and quickly injects the contents of thee syringe. At the abrupt movement Steve screams and grabs wildly at everything he could see.
"Steve calm down! You're OK." Frank tries to reorient. "Its over. He just gave you a shot of something. You're right back where you were"
"Frank...don't..." He croaks.
"I'm right here. I promise I won't let go. Relax." He pins Steves knees to the bed "Quit that before you hurt yourself! Nobodys got you." He reassures. "Your ankles are tied down because you kept kicking the needles out of your feet. I'm right here OK"
"What was that." The doctor asks
"Korean. He just called somebody an sob. I didn't catch all of it. Charlie had him for awhile. I saw him a few months after he got back. Middle of the night he'd wake up yelling like that." He grabs the doctors arm. "He's not going back to that again?? "What did you give him?!"
"Just something to stop the vomitting. Relax.Go home. Things are finally looking up"
"Doc what's wrong? He asked me which way up was. Now he's back in the war."
"My guess would be its a combination of the skull fractures and severe vertigo from the crash. He's photosensitive too I see....wonder what that's from. ...Remember what I told you back in Japan. Keep the faith. Guess its time to start looking for a typewriter. He's going to be out all night. Go home Lieutenant."
For the next week he is in and out of conciousness only for brief intervals.. The diorientation continues and he is wearing sunglasses in a darkened room
*******
Shunning the Visiting Officers Quarters which in his opinion were barely larger than a prison cell and about as attractive. Yet during the winter months at Pearl the white walled cells are filled to capacity Frank mused as he sat on Steve's spacious lanai. Laughing to himself he made a mental note to inquire how his single friend managed to get himself a 3 bedroom apartment among the senior officers with an ocean view, if you looked really hard, and weekly maid service none the less! well at least he won't have to salute his neighbors anymore He thought as he watched the captain next door returning from his morning jog. Picking up his half empty tea glass he walked inside and looking at the living room wall his eyes locked on the framed congressional star next to the picture of Steve's parents.Like father like son...but at least his old man got to see his. It'll make him mad but I probably should call his sister The ringing telephone interupts his thoughts and glaring at the offending device he realized the only people who knew he was there was the engineering master chief and Doc.Too early for him..Oh God what's happened to Steve!
"Evershall." He responds anxiously. "What's up?"
A womans voice on the other end demands to know where Steve is.Deciding it was either a magazine company or a nut case and either way he didn't want to be bothered Starting to hang up he remembered who else might have the unllisted number.
"Wait ...you're Kathy--the lady lawyer. Steve's girlfriend??" Assured that it was he suddenly didn't know what to say. "Oh geez...uh this isn't a secure line...Where's your office..I'll meet you"
He drives into Honolulu to an upscale office complex where he is met by a rude frizzy haired receptionist who reluctantly announces him
"Mam." She whines into the intercom box. "There's a sailor out here. He doesn't have an appointment. Says he won't go away."
A tall slender brunette rushes out of her office nearly tripping over the receptionists desk trying to get to him."Lieutenant.. Evershall is it? What's going on?" She demands. "Where's Steve??"
The receptionist interupts them. Kathy turns sharply towards her
"SHUT UP BRENDA!" She screams with a ferocity that takes Frank aback momentarily. "Cancel all my appointments"
"Mrs O'Bannon. The bar association luncheon today" She squeaks in a nasal voice "Judge Akillli....."
Kathy's turquoise eyes turn dark as she spins around towards her "I told you I don't care!!Tell them all something. You're good at getting rid of people. That's why I keep you here but you WERE my husbands secretary...not mine!"
Frank thinks to himself 'Husband. Steve what have you gotten yourself into here?'
He escorts her out of the building towards a black 1956 Thunderbird convertible parked across the street.
"Thats Steve's car!"She exclaims halfway into the traffic and grabs him by the shoulders catching him totally unexpectedly and pounds on his chest with fire in her eyes and screams"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM!!!" Frank grabs her arms to fend of further attack and get her out of the busy street."Stop it! Calm down will you and listen! "
Struggling to get her arms free she remembers the self defense techniques Steve had taught her and starts kicking him in the shins, fortuantely for Frank she was unable to get her knee high enough for a groin kick, screamig at the top of her lungs "WHERE IS HE!!" Still holding her by the arms Frank picks her up a few inches off the ground and carries her across the street and opening the car door with one hand and defending himself with the other shoves her into the car and still holding her arms kicks the door shut."CALM DOWN!" He stares at her with a fire beginning deep inside his grey eyes. "I'm not going to take you to Steve in this shape! Now stop behaving like a child and calm yourself down before you have a heartattack." Shoving her arms back he walks around to the drivers side of the car and stands beside the door.
"Satisfied." She replies indignantly, rubbing her sore wrists and glaring at the naval officer.". You can get in the car."
Reaching down to put the key in the ignition Evershall states calmly "If you would kindly get yourself together I will take you to him." Kathy's demeanor changed slowly as Frank drove back towards the base and by the time they reached the highway she had apologised for beating him up. "Steve told me he'd be away on business for a few days. When I didn't hear from him for 2 weeks I got worried. Nobody at the base would tell me anything.They wouldn't even let me through the gate. I was there at some generals ball...they didn't treat me like this. One SP reluctantly told me his car was at his quarters.I thought maybe I'd made him mad somehow but when you answered I knew....something....was wrong."
"Those intelligence guys take security seriously.Look its none of my business what you two are doing but if you're just using him to upset your husband or something. Then I'll take you back right now."
"WHAT!." She screamed ready to slap him again.Why would.....? My names Kathy Kieley-O'Bannon. I go by the Kieley. Oh; you heard ...Mike, my husband, died 3 years ago. Hodgkins Disease. I'm not.....you thought.....No. Steve and I are....I love him very much. What's going on?"
"There's been an accident." Frank explains chosing his words very carefully. "Steve's in pretty bad shape"
"He's not....." She hesitates to finish the setence.
"I don't know. The doctors aren't sure even. He was stable this morning when I left."
She lays on the doorframe and crys for several minutes then drying her eyes she looks up resolutely. 'I buried one man. Can I do it again? Kathy you knew he had a risky job. You let yourself get involved. Oh hell, its too late now. I love him. Thats what matters' "I want to see him."
Security's pretty tight. I don't know if I can get you in."
"At least tell me what happened." She turns sideways in the seat to face him. "Please."
"Honestly I'm not sure what I can tell you. We don't know much and Steve isn't able to tell us anything substantial. Three weeks ago he was in a plane crash
She sinks back in the seat and stares out at the moving clouds Oh God no!... and blinking back tears. "He's..."
Arriving at the gate Frank salutes expecting to be waved through and realizing at the last second that he's not jambs on the brakes. Steve'll kill me if I scratch his car. The forms to explain why I didn't stop.....thank heavens he's kept the servicing appointments.
A tall well tanned seaman comes out of the guard booth. "Afternoon Sir. I know your Commander McGarretts friend from Tokyo. Sir in case you didn't know this is an alert week." He points towards Kathy. "No civilians on base"
Frank looks over at Kathy beginning to explode again and glares icily at the enlisted man. "Seaman Watkins is it?
"Yes Sir?" He answers professionally hoping not to be in trouble with the unfamiliar officer.
"You don't...haven't I seen you hanging around the hospital?....Yeah with a little Mexican guy."
"Yes Sir. We've been there. He's the same as yesterday I hear."
"This is his girlfriend" Frank states matter of factly.
"Oh geez." Watkins looks around the area to see if any other officers are watching. " Don't give her the grand tour Ok sir." He lifts the gate and Frank quickly drives through before he changes his mind.
"What did he mean by the same as yesterday?" Kathy asks hanging onto the arm rest as Frank accellerates through the gate
"You'll see in a little bit." He replies trying to reassure the woman before she starts punching him again. "He looks kind of bad but don't panic..he's actually improving."
"Then he's going to be OK..."She asks hopefully.
"I don't know." Evershall sighs.
The SP guards in the hallway, recent arrivals to the islands, stop the pair outside the ICU room door reminding Frank of the security issue. Kathy begins to get her blood boiling at the two sailors blocking her path this close to the man she loved.Claws at the ready she tries to shove her way through the pair as Frank grabs her by the waist restraining her before the youngster guarding the door pulls his gun. Explaining who she was had some effect on the 19 year old who tugged at his younger partners jumper sleeve. Laughing,even though he didn't find it funny, Evershall pointed out to them that if Steve is in a coma it was highly unlikely that a state secret would be divulged. After a breif exchange the two step away from the door.
"What a pair of bastards!" Kathy hisses as the door slams behind her."
"Calm down! That isn't going to do Steve any good."
"I'm OK." She reasures squinting as her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room. Taxes I pay. You'd think the Navy could afford a few lightbulbs
"OK. Now listen carefully. There are some groundrules. He's got a couple of skull fractures that's keeping him out of it. I don't guarantee he'll respond.
"You don't understand......I don't care about that....'Oh that's a stupid statement. He allready thinks I'm having an affair..and now I don't care if he's awake....Kathy you're not impressing this guyShe turns towards him and says quietly. "I just want to see him..that's all.."
" Any light upsets him so don't take the glasses off and if you move him any tell him first which diection or he'll get dizzy and start throwing up"
She sits down in the chair beside him and begins to stroke him gently alongside his right ear. After several minutes his fingers start to move slightly
"Steve. Right side. Ninety degrees down range three feet" Evershall directs. Slowly he turns his head the wrong direction and grabs the bar with his left hand. Frank bumps his knuckles slightly "Still on your back. OK?" He swallows hard and nods imperceptably but lets go of the rail.
""Steve I..."She starts to say something and losing her train of thought lays her head on his chest. The unexpected weight on his ribcage causes him to jump.I can't lose him. Not like this. So sudden. Mike....we had a year to... I had a year..you mean...to adjust. But this..... One day we're..the next he's...GONE' Several minutes later he slowly touches the top of her head. "I'm...OK..." He responds weakly.
Momentarily stunned by the unexpected reply she quickly sits up and leans over to kiss him gently. " Hi Sailor." She smiles biting her lip to keep from crying.
Frank sits up in his chair on the left side of him. "You with us?"
"Yeah....my head hurts..."
Frank laughs and taps him on the arm "I'll bet it does." 'Thats got to be the understatement of the century' Can you deal with 2 of us talking?"
Steve nods slightly "Quietly...please..."
"Your boss left orders to call him as soon as you're coherent"
"Don't think ..I'm that.." He half grins.
"OK Just me and Kathy. What the heck happened? And drop all the spy stuff"
"Dak?"
"I don't know. He was here to see you last week. Your boss's been grilling him pretty rough."
"Last week...how long...have I..."
"Since the crash Uh.... 3 weeks day before yesterday."
"Oh God.." Steve sighs trying to figure out what had happened during that time but gives it up quickly as his head begins to spin.
"You've been in and out. Mostly out though. What happened?" Frank asks more insistantly.
His eyes wide open underneath the avitor glasses he tries to focus on what he thinks is Frank however the scent of Jasmine perfume distracts him from his goal of seeing something, anything clearly. "....Vivaldi..I said I wouldn't be late...are you mad..."
Kathy runs her fingers through his hair and gently kisses him again. "Oh Steve. God no." Of all the things to worry about...A stupid concert with a bunch of lawyers. I didn't even want to go to begin with. She shakes him playfully "But..You stand me up again and I'll do worse than this to you"
The rapid movement disorients him and grabbing ahold of the rail he tries to keep from passing out "Don't...." he whispers quietly.
Kathy looks down at his even paler coloring and quickly lets go "What?? Oh. I wasn't supposed to move...." Realizing she broke groundrule number 2."Steve are you allright? I didn't....You're still in the same place. I didn't hurt you did I?"
"No.."He bites his lower lip." ...but....don't do it again...please..."
'He's losing it again' "OK buddy. We've established that she's not mad at you." He tries to keep Steve's attention on the situation. "Now come on.Before you pass out and we have to wait another 3 weeks.. What happened??"
'They shot us down...the plane was spinning in" He starts to sit up and sensing that he's falling. "Smitty" He begins to gag from the movement.
Kathy shoves him back onto the bed as Frank leans in front of her "You can't move like this Steve. You know that. Relax. Breathe deep. You're back on your back I'm on the left 2 feet. Kathy's on your right 3 feet 90 degrees up range." He grabs a plastic cup and shoves an ice chip in his mouth "Here. Ice cube. Now just lay there OK. Please?" He sits back down in the chair.
Oh lord he always takes stuff so personal. I hope he can deal with this now."If you're talking about the pilot." 'Nuts! He doesn't remember the guys dead. I wonder how well he knew the guy.. What's the best way to...straight out with it I guess ' "The.....guy you came with says he's dead. I'm sorry."
He starts to cry as Frank looks down at the floor. 'I blew that one. I guess he had to find out sooner or later. Doc said his emotions would be screwed up for awhile maybe I should have waited till he was here before I told him about this.
Kathy runs her fingers through Steve's hair. "It's Ok honey." She reassures calmly'Oh boy.He's not going to deal with this well.And the stubborn fool probably won't let either of us help him either. Oh Steve there are times you can be so annoying.' She grabs a kleenex "Shut your eyes OK" She lifts up the sunglasses. "There. You can see right?" She suddenly wonders.
Wincing he opens his eyes and looks at her for a second "Yeah.Fuzzy stuff. I think some of its upside down or right side up and I'm upside down.... Double of some things triple of others. But far as I can tell there's only one of you." Blushing she kisses him and puts the glasses back on. "I love you too"
"You sure you want to hear this now? " Frank asks. At the slight nod he continues."Killed on impact. The right side of the plane crashed first so You were thrown clear before it hit the ground. Only thing that makes any sense to me. Did you try to eject?"
"I don't know.."
"According to Dak the canopy was gone. When you eject the canopy blows off and the seats shoot out. A wiring glitch must have kept the pilot in but since you weren't wearing a chute when he found you I figure only your seatbelt must have come loose and when the plane tipped you fell out a second or two before impact. More than likely you would have been hanging on to the plane and that's what ripped your shoulder out of joint so you were probably awake when you hit the ground. Make any sense to you??"
"...No...but it sounds good. What'd you do with Smith?"
"Calm down. The guy says he buried him. The MIG's a 2 seater plane. Steve he didn't have a choice.'Get him off this before he goes off on some weird tangent and you can't get him back' "There was a bunch of film inside your jacket. I gave it to your boss. ..What was so hell fired important they had to send you up for?"
" I can't....classified"
'Here we go with National Security again'"Damn it Steve!" Frank bangs the rail in frustration startling Kathy and sending Steve spinning. "You were almost killed. Now I know who you were with. Where you came from. And I'm tearing down what you came in. For the love of God drop the damn cloak and dagger just this once!!"
Swallowing hard he tries to deduce his spatial postion in reference to the shockwave of the rattling rail finally giving up decides that Frank didn't say he moved so he must be in the same place.which ever way that was.
"DAMNIT! What the hell happened!!?" He yells sending further shockwaves through Steve's head.
" Nodongs. Big ones. Lots of them.I was going to tell you Frank. Please...if you have to yell. Do it softly. The South Koreans found out about a convoy of DF2's coming down from Canton"
Frank leans back in the chair "Sweet Jesus." He lets out a low whistle.
"Yeah." Steve whispers in agreement.
"OK. What else do you remember? Who shot you?" Kathy looks up in horror wondering if she really wanted to know about that and settles for holding the three unbroken fingers of his right hand.
"Infantry squad. I got a few of them...They got me too?? Bad????"
"Not too bad I guess. You're still breathing. Most of you's still moving.Worse than when you hit the tree. Let the doctors tell you all that huh."
"Yeah. They've got a way of making the good news sound bad. Next I knew Dak was there. We were bouncing all over the place.Everything was moving.. I think he got ahold of morphine someplace along the way"
"The academy...Steve...you're allergic to that stuff. That's why you can't stand light. What were you thinking!"
"I wasn't...the way my arm hurt..its a fair trade. After we took off I don't remember anything till now." He swallows hard and resigns himself to the situation. "Oh God. I think its gonna be worse tomorrow"
"You're right about that." Frank replies sympathetically. "There's a herd of brass waiting for you to wake up. And that idiot you work for is leading the stampede." Nothing I can do about that. Wait a second. Maybe I can make you feel a little better Frank reaches over and gets a box out of the bedside table "Can you stand to take the glasses off for a minute?"
"I guess so....why?" Kathy reaches over and lifts them up.
"I don't know the speech that goes with this but..here goes. Commander McGarrett on behalf of the United States Navy and Congress." He stands up and salutes. "Its my pleasure to present you with this." Opening the box he pulls out the gold star swinging on its aqua ribbon.
"Is that what I think it is??"
"Yep." He grins."You tied your old man.You have kids they'll get the same guaranteed ride you did. And you won't have to salute that idiot captain next door who plays Wagner all night."
"Wow Steve. that's terriffic." Kathy kisses him and then bites his lip."But our kids are going to have nice quiet safe jobs."
"You're kidding...for this.....?? I didn't do anything.....Hartwell told me I came close when the ship got blown out of the water. But this?????"
"Hey you don't want it." He teases. "I'll take it."
"I didn't say that." He tries to grab at what he thinks is the medal. Frank drops it in his lap. "How'd you..."
"Some suit from Washington was here." He says in disgust remembering the impish beureaucrat's attitude at the time. "Everyone thought it would be a posthumous presentation so he just left it. Crazy fool he could have had a free Hawaiian vacation just waiting for you to wake up too."
Steve tries to laugh but the sharp pain in his ribs reminded him nothing was that funny. "No body ever said bureaucrats were smart. Glad to know Washington cares so much. Hope I didn't ruin anyone's funeral plans. Nice speech though technically....it's Lieutenant Commander McGarrett....as long as we're being formal about this."
"Not according to the admiral that was here two weeks ago." Frank informs. "If you make it there's a promotion included. Now you really outrank me." Snapping to attention he salutes and remains in the stance for several seconds. "Come on allready. Return the salute will you....geez...some officers...give them a little rank."
Wish I could "Uh Frank....Just how am I supposed to do that?"
Laughing he shoves the sunglasses back down and drops into the chair."I don't gotta call you Sir now do I?"
I feel like hell but this is too good to pass up."You know the rules Lieutenant!" He yells as loud as his pounding head would allow. "Half a stripe and its questionable but a whole one and its Yes Sir all the way."
"Huh??" Frank wonders
" OK. Since its you. I'll make an exception..but only in Singapore bars and maybe if I'm in the mood on the golf course."
"Since when have we been in Singapore together and you haven't golfed with me in over a year." Frank looks over at him dejectedly. "OK SIR!! He yells knowing it will echo in his former friend's head."If that's the way you want it. I'll be on my way back to Japan. Call me sometime."
"Gotcha!" Steve grins broadly. "Remember that girl in Subic. You told her I was married. Payback's a bitch buddy!"
Laughing with relief he messes up the hair Kathy had neatly straightened."I hate your jokes. But man am I glad you're back."
"Thanks..." Steve whispers closing his eyes.
Go to part 3
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