THE ACCIDENT
by Jackie Edwards

 
 

Dan Williams looked up as Duke Lukela came through the door of the hospital waiting room. He was glad to see his friend, but he'd hoped it would be the doctor to report on Steve McGarrett condition.
"What happened, Danny?" The Hawaiian asked.
"According to the guy who brought him in, he was on his boat when the line snapped and the boom hit him in the head."
Duke winced.
"Luckily another boater was there and pulled Steve off his boat and brought him here." "Was Steve alone?"
Williams nodded.
"It was his day off." Dan shook his sandy head. "Steve joked last night about not having had a day off in weeks and fatalistically mentioned something would probably happen to louse it up." Eyes filled with worry met the older man's. "Guess he was right."
"He'll be okay, Danny." Duke patted his shoulder. "Steve won't let something like this keep him down for long.
Williams tried to allow the words to cheer him, but neither of them really believed it was true. A freak accident could kill any of them as sure as a gunman's bullet. Both men looked up as a doctor came through the door.
"Doc?"?" Danny stepped forward anxiously.
"Steve's still unconscious. The doctor reported. "We've done everything we can. Now we wait until he wakes up..
"But he will wake up?" Williams asked.
"I hope so."
"Can I see him?"
The doctor hesitated. "Let's wait until this evening at least. I want him to have uninterrupted quiet for a few hours."
Danny nodded.
With an encouraging smile, Dr. Bergman turned and retreated down the corridor.
"Well, I guess we'd better get back to the office," Dan said, leading the way.
That evening, Williams returned to the hospital. He'd been told that there was no change in Steve's condition, though the doctor was hopeful.
"What the hell does that mean?" he'd wondered gloomily, as he'd sat beside McGarrett's bed.
The tension and strain of the past weeks of work were gone from the cop's face as he slept and Williams was struck at how young and vulnerable he looked.
After visiting hours, Dan had gone back to Steve's apartment to pack a small bag for his friend, doggedly holding onto the hope that it would just be a matter of hours before McGarrett regained consciousness.
Danny zipped shut the overnight bag and glanced around the bedroom. He'd gotten everything he'd thought Steve would need for a couple of days in the hospital. His gaze fell to a framed photo on the nightstand beside the bed. He walked over and picked it up, studying the photo. It was of a dark-haired woman in her early forties with dark eyes and a devilish grin. It made Danny smile, too. Nicole Wylie, alias Nicole Collins -- former witness and currently a successful photographer and good friend of Steve McGarrett. He started as a thought occurred to him. Nicole was coming to Hawaii that weekend! Steve had been planning to take a rare two weeks off to spend time with the pretty photographer. Dan groaned. He was going to have to call and tell her not to come because her host was in the hospital. God, he hated doing this!
*****
Nicole Wylie hurried through the flight tunnel, down the escalator and out of the Honolulu airport. The sun was high, the sky clear and blue with just a whisper of clouds, but Nicole saw none of it. All she could think about was getting to the hospital and talking with Dan Williams. When he'd called he day before, Dan had told her that Steve had been injured in a boating accident and was in the hospital. When she'd pressed about Steve's condition, he'd hedged and finally told her that he was still unconscious. He hadn't been able to tell her any more, except that until Steve regained consciousness, the doctor wouldn't know the extent of his injuries. He'd ended the conversation by apologizing again for ruining her vacation plans and promising to phone with updates about their friend's condition.
As soon as Williams had hung up, Nicole had made a reservation for the next morning to Honolulu and started packing.
She hailed a taxi and settled in the backseat, trying not to worry until she found out more about McGarrett's condition. She failed miserably.
Dan Williams sat beside McGarrett's bed. His friend was so still. Except for the bruise that covered a good part of the left side of his face, it seemed as if Steve could wake up and rise, ready for work, at any moment. Williams frowned, forcing down the lump in his throat. Suddenly he felt as if he had to get out of the room, as if the closed air was stifling him, making it difficult to breathe. Quickly he rose and pushed open the door. Outside the corridor was brightly lit and hospital personnel passed him, busy in their duties.
He stood by the closed door for a long moment, then started for the waiting room. A voice at the nurse's station made him turn around. The voice, a woman's, was filled with worry and frustration, but it was the familiarity of it that made him turn.
"Nicole?"
The woman spun to face him, relief washing across her features.
"Danny! Thank heaven!" She came toward him.
Williams took her outstretched hands, her fingers gripping his in an almost painful grasp.
"Nicole, what are you doing here?"
She ran slender fingers through dark brown hair, her nerves obviously on edge. "How's Steve?"
"What are you doing here?" He repeated.
"I came to. . . " She stopped. "I had to come -- to be here in case he needed -- in case -- mmm," Nicole chewed her lower lip. "I just had to come, Danny."
Williams took her arm, leading her toward the visitors' waiting room.
"But there's nothing you can do." His voice was gentle. "He's still unconscious."
Nicole stopped in the doorway of the small room with its blue paint and blue and lavender furniture that strove to cheer its occupants with subliminal soothing.
"Then why are you here, Danny?" The corner of her mouth twitched in a smile that died before it was formed. "What can you do for him -- except be here?"
Her dark eyes held his gaze and Williams saw a depth of feeling he hadn't realized would be there. Nicole cared deeply for his friend -- more deeply than he had known. Perhaps, he thought, more deeply than even she had known.
"I'm sorry." He took her arm and led her back, toward McGarrett's room. "That was conceited of me." They stopped in front of the hospital room. "I'll tell them at the nurses' station that you can see him whenever you want."
"Thank you." Nicole pushed against the door, then turned to look at her companion. "Will you be back...?"
"Around 6:00." He smiled. "I'll take you to dinner."
"Okay.' Nicole slipped into the room, the heavy door closing silently behind her.
Dan stood there for a long moment, then turned and left the hospital, bound for the offices of Hawaii Five-0.
*****
Nicole stood looking out the window of Steve's room. The lush grounds spread out below her, dotted with cars and people who hurried to their various destinations. Nicole sighed and turned back to the man who lay so still.
"Steve..."
She sat down on the edge of his bed, her hand covering one of his. "Wake up, Dammit!" She hissed, anger mixing with fear. "You can't die. Not like this. Not after all you've been through -- to die in this stupid, senseless way!" She bit her lip. "It's just not right!"
*****
Sometime later she looked up as the door swung open and Dan came into the room.
He took in her expression, the tears that shone in her eyes. "You okay?"
Nicole bowed her head, half-turning from him. "Of course I am." She sniffed, then lifted her gaze to meet his, a smile on her face. "How was the office?"
Willing to play along. Danny grinned. "Same as it always is when Steve's gone." He wrinkled his nose. "Total and utter chaos."
Nicole laughed. "He'll be glad to hear that." Then she sobered at the thought that he might never know.
They sat in silence for a few moments, each with their own thoughts, until Nicole finally voiced one of hers. "You know, until you called, I thought Steve and I had a pretty good thing going . . . ." Her gaze was fixed on the ceiling. "Casual, no commitment, no hassle." Her laugh was nervous, devoid of humor. "I came to Hawaii for an occasional vacation, whenever he was near LA. he stopped by to see me."
"Easy." Danny smiled slightly.
Nicole nodded. "Easy." She took a breath. "But somehow, when you called, suddenly it wasn't casual anymore." She looked at Dan, eyes imploring him to understand. "I don't know when it happened, but . . . . "
"But you love him," The detective finished.
Nicole shrugged.
"That seems a little strong."
"So does taking the next plane to visit someone you're 'casually' involved with."
Nicole's gaze shifted to Steve's still figure. "Maybe so." She sniffed, rubbing her eyes with a fist. "Maybe that's what I was coming to find out." She met Williams' eyes. "Maybe that's why I'm here now."
Danny reached out to cover her hand with one of his own, squeezing gently. "Maybe so."
"What the hell is this?"
Both visitors jerked around to look at the man who lay, apparently asleep, in the bed. Slowly McGarrett blue eyes opened, an uncertain smile playing on his lips.
"I take a little nap and you move in on my girl." He whispered, throat dry.
"I'll call the nurse." Williams reached for the call button.
"Nicole, what are you doing here?" Steve looked at his partner. "What happened, Danno? Last thing I remember was taking out the boat . . . ."
"The boom line snapped." Williams filled him in.
"Lucky for you there was somebody on the dock. He brought you in."
"How long...?" McGarrett looked at Nicole. "How many days have I been here?"
"Two." Dan told him. "Not even two." He looked a little sheepishly at their companion. "I, uh, called Nicole to tell her you were spoiling her vacation and she decided to come anyway."
Nicole took the hand McGarrett held out, folding it between both of hers.
"Some girls will do anything to keep a date." He grinned at her.
"I wasn't aware we had a date, Detective McGarrett."
One eyebrow rose to his hairline. The entrance of a nurse stayed any further banter.
"Well," She stood beside the bed, hands on hips, but a grin split her pretty face. "It's about time you joined us. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."
McGarrett assumed a hurt expression. "Nurse Clemmens -- "
She checked his vitals, making notations on his chart. "I'll call Dr. Bergman." She told him. "He'll be very happy to see you."
McGarrett shifted on the bed. 'I'm sure.'
The nurse glanced at McGarrett's visitors. "Don't tire him."
Danny nodded. "We won't. We'll just say goodnight."
When she'd left the room, Steve turned his attention back to his friends. "Anything happen at the office?"
"Not a thing. Oh, Chin's daughter won the state tennis meet."
Steve laughed. "Good for her." He took Nicole's hand again, studying her face. "Now, about us not having a date . . . ."
She leaned forward, elbows resting on the edge of the mattress. "I actually thought it was going to be more like an Illicit affair."
Williams hooted as his friend blushed.
"I'm not sure I'll be up to that." He said, pulling himself to a sitting position.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine." She stood, leaning down to kiss his forehead, then added in a whisper. "You've never disappointed me before."
Danny cleared his throat and the two jumped guiltily. "Time we let Steve get some rest." Nicole looked at him in mock astonishment. "Rest? All he's been doing for the last 36 hours is sleeping!"
"Come on!" Dan opened the door, laughing at her clowning. "We'll see you tomorrow, Steve." He waved to his friend. "I think I need to get some food into this lady before she totally loses it.'
"That won't help." McGarrett said in a long-suffering tone. "I know."
"Shut-up." Nicole shot over her shoulder, but she was smiling. "I'll see you in the morning."
"I'll be here." Steve saluted.
Out in the hallway, Nicole turned, burying her head in Dan's shoulder.
"Hey, what's this?" Williams put his arms around her. "He's going to be fine. The doctor said once he regained consciousness, he'd be fine. He's already back to his old self.'
"I know." She whispered, tears wetting his shirt. "I'm just so relieved."
Danny patted her back and pulled away, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you some dinner. Then I'll take you to Steve's house and you can get some sleep."
"I can check into a hotel for the night." She protested, wiping her eyes.
Williams shook his head. "And me hear about it for the rest of the week? No." He grinned. "Come on. I'll even let you pick the restaurant."
She looked at him. "No health food?" Danny held up a hand. "I swear, no health food!'
"Oh, Danny, my treat -- gladly!"


 

 
 

PAU