McGarrett's Criminal

Chapter 20

No one came, and Ava succumbed to her injuries. Steve McGarrett along with her. Both died in the Taliban compound. Their bodies never recovered.

JUST KIDDING! Continue reading below. I'd never do that to you guys!

"Please wake up Steve, I need you to wake up." I was lying against McGarrett's body, my weary head resting on his chest, feeling it slowly rise and fall with his breathing. I drifted off to sleep.

BANG BANG! My head shot up, the handgun in my right hand in a second. My head was groggy and I felt weak. I could see a pool of my blood on McGarrett's chest where my head had been. I held the gun up to the door, waiting for it to be breached any second. This is it, I'm not going to be able to hold off anyone for much longer.

The door busted open and men dressed in army uniforms came barging in guns raised. It took a second for me to register that they were the good guys, or was my mind playing tricks on me? Was this a hallucination? Was this a ruse by the Taliban? Before I could even register I shot the gun, all the men dropped low and had their weapons aimed at me in a second.

"Stay back!" I screamed waving the gun around, I said I'd protect Steve and that's what I'll do. "Ava!" Someone yelled, someone familiar, I know that voice, I recognise it. My eyes faltered, I struggled to keep them open as I felt fresh blood run down my face. I must've opened whatever clot had formed keeping the gash closed.

A familiar man walked towards us, no weapon drawn, his arms raised. "Ava it's me, it's Danny. You're going to be ok, but I need you to put the gun down ok?" Danny kept his voice low, and soft, being careful not to spook me. His hand wrapped around mine and lowered the gun before taking it off me. I recognised what he was doing, but I didn't have the strength to fight him.

I let the darkness take me over again.

I waved in and out of consciousness. I felt weightlessness as someone carried me, I felt someone touching my face and felt the wind of chopper blades spinning in the air. I felt the freedom of flying as I lay on the floor of a helicopter. Either I was dead and I was headed to the afterlife, or I was going home.

I woke with a start. Where was I? I looked around me, I was in a white room, on a bed. I had a fluid line connected to my arm, and there was annoying beeping coming from next to me. 

I was in a hospital, Danny had gotten me out. Where was McGarrett? Did he make it? My life would be so much easier if he didn't, but the thought of him being dead saddened me. I looked around the room, there was no one there, no one here to wait for me to wake. 

I groaned as I stretched my body out, my muscles stiff and sore. A nurse walked into the room and noticed me awake, she smiled. "Ms Haywood, welcome back to the land of the living. I'll let the doctor know you're awake, and your team."

My team? Five-O isn't my team, they're my babysitters. They wouldn't care if I was alive, let alone awake.

I had to get out of here, I hate hospitals. Ever since I was little and I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals, watching Mum die of Ovarian cancer. I couldn't be here. There was a nurses station near my bed, either someone forgot it or it was there in case of emergency. I grabbed some bandaging and took out my IV line, wrapping my arm up. 

Once I was disconnected I got out of bed, wincing as I did so. My whole body hurt, I took my first step and felt dizzy. I have to push through it, gritting my teeth through the pain I found my clothes someone had left on a chair in the room. The same ones I wore to Afghanistan, but they were clean.

"What do you think you're doing?" A rough voice asked me as I was about to pull my shirt on over my head. I turned quickly, McGarrett was standing behind me. I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly, "you're ok," I breathed. McGarrett returned my smile, "Thanks to you I hear." His smile faded as he saw the bruising around my ribs. He stepped towards me, his hand reaching and running down my side. 

I inhaled sharply, it hurt having him touch me, but I didn't want him to take his hand away. "What did they do to you?" He whispered staring intently at the bruises. I quickly stepped back and pulled my shirt down, as I did so I knocked my ribs on the side of the bed. I cried out in pain as I doubled over. McGarrett grabbed me and picked me up, cradling me. He softly put me down on the bed. "You can't leave Ava, you're in bad shape," he said softly, tears filled my eyes as I looked at him. "I can't be here Steve, I can't. It's too painful to be here," I started to cry. 

McGarrett held my shoulder and looked at me for a second, "ok, I'll see about getting you out." He hesitated, before walking out of the room. I took deep breaths trying to calm myself down, I will not break down, not now. I've been through too much to break down now. 

A few minutes later McGarrett walked back into the room, followed by a doctor. "I will discharge you, provided you stay at home on strict bed rest, take your medication and come straight in if anything happens," the Doctor said looking at me sharply. I nodded at her, trying not to beam with happiness. The Doctor turned to McGarrett, "Call me if you need anything," before turning and walking out. 

"How did you manage that?" I asked incredulously, "She owes me a favour," he said shrugging. "Thank you," I said sincerely. McGarrett looked at me, "I owe you everything, Ava."