Hawaii Five-0 Imagines

Chapter 7

The minutes ticked by with painful slowness as the team waited to get word of Alyssa's condition. The main consolation seemed to be that, as the time dragged on and the doors remained closed, it meant that Alyssa was still alive.

Steve was trying to calm his churning thoughts. His sense was that all that he now knew were somehow related, but he could not see his way clear to what the relationship was. He needed his team's help, but for that, he would need to share his secret with them. Was he ready to do that? Could he afford to wait any longer?

After three interminable hours, the doors finally opened and the surgeon came out. He looked exhausted, but there was something in his step that had the team hoping for good news.

"Doctor?" Steve's look was intense.

The doctor took a deep breath, "We've controlled the bleeding and Officer Grant is stable for the moment. The bullet did a lot of damage and time will tell if she'll need additional surgery. There is a likelihood that given her wounds, she will be susceptible to post-op infections. That's why we will need to keep her in the hospital longer so we can monitor her progress and intervene as necessary. We will be bringing her out shortly and it will take about half an hour for her to be set up in her room. I think overall, she is doing as well as can be expected given the extent of her injuries."

"Is there anything that can be done to help?" Asked Steve.

"I would say that patients surrounded by friends and family have a substantially better outcome than those who go it alone. Does Officer Grant have family that can offer her that type of support?"

Danny was about to comment on the negative when Steve said, "Yes, she does. She has me." He saw the team gape at him and ran his hand through the back of his hair. "When CSU checked the DNA in the blood that we found at the house, they quickly identified Alyssa, however, they found another match." Steve took a deep breath. "Me. I'm the match. Alyssa is my sister." He tasted the word for the first time.

"Dr. Bergman clarified that technically she is my half-sister as we only share one parent, but the fact remains, we are brother and sister. What's important is that we figure out who is trying to hurt her and why," Steve concluded.

Danny had opened his mouth to ask a question. "I suspect it may have something to do with her father," Steve said as Danny closed his mouth with almost an audible snap – well that answered his question.

"We need to figure out who is trying to hurt Alyssa and why," Steve continued. "Kono. Get everything that you can on this Salvador Encinas. Danny. See if Ballistics can do anything with the bullet that the doctors removed. We need to find the shooter. Chin. Question the two that are in custody to see if any of this makes any more sense."

Kono, Chin, and Danny headed out as a nurse came to advise Steve that he was able to see Alyssa.

The nurses and technicians were finishing up in Alyssa's room. Doing a final check on the monitors and the IVs in Alyssa's arm. They worked quietly and efficiently and paid no attention as Steve walked in.

As much as Steve thought he knew what to expect, the contrast between the Alyssa he had gotten used to seeing and the young woman lying almost motionless in the bed was jarring. Steve realized that he had been holding his breath and slowly released it. There was a chair by the bed and Steve sat down. Then carefully so as not to disturb the wires and tubes, he took Alyssa's hand in his.

Although he was alone in the room, Steve was self-conscious about speaking. "Hey, Aly," Steve spoke softly almost in a whisper. "I know that you have had to fight your whole life for everything. I need you to fight now. You need to be strong and get better. There are people who need you." Steve hesitated. "I need you," some portion of his brain was very surprised that he really meant that. Was he imagining it or did Alyssa seem to relax slightly? Did he feel her fingers attempt to hold his hand? Steve sat back with a small smile.

A few hours later, Steve was jerked awake, by a low moan. He looked toward and bed and realized that the anesthetic was wearing off and that Alyssa was starting to wake up. She moaned again softly and opened her eyes. Steve had her hand in one hand and was stroking her hair with the other. "Hey there," he said gently.

"What happened," Alyssa asked. She looked confused and a little panicked.

"What do you remember?" Steve asked.

"I remember the guy with a gun to Kono's head...," Alyssa's eyes got really big.

"She's OK," Steve assured her. "We are all just worried about you. You were shot. We are still looking for the shooter. How do you feel?" It sounded like a stupid question.

"Like I've been shot," Alyssa tried to laugh but winced in pain. She then realized with whom she was speaking and the situation struck her as incredibly odd. "Commander, what are you doing here?"

"Its Steve." Steve saw how tired she was and knew that now was not the time for explanations. "Ask me later," he said quietly.

Alyssa thought about the answer and seemed to accept it.

"Steve?"

"Yes."

"Will you be here when I wake up next time?"

"Yes, I will," he promised.

"And the time after that?" she persisted.

"Yes, I will," he said.

"And the time after....," her voice drifted off and she was asleep.