ENOUGH RISKS WITH THE JOB

By

Trish

“You sure you want to do this?” The large Hawaiian asked nervously as he studied the waves that barreled towards the shore.

Danny glanced at his friend before turning his attention to the massive waves crushing down on the Banzai Pipeline. “Why wouldn’t I ?” Placing the cake of wax he had been using onto his towel, Danny grabbed his board and stood up. “Look at these waves, Kono; they’re incredible! I’d be pupule to miss surfing sets like these!”

“More like suicidal to try ‘em!” Kono muttered softly as he continued to watch the twenty-foot waves crashing towards them. “Umm…maybe this ain’t such a good idea today, Bruddah. There will be big pilikia if you get hurt in a wipeout. McGarrett will have both our heads!”

Danny eyed the Hawaiian. “So you’re more worried about what McGarrett would say if I get hurt wiping out than about how badly I get hurt?”

Kono blushed at the words, knowing he’d been caught. “Ummm…No! …That’s not what I meant…”

Laughing at the other man’s stuttering denial, Danny slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll be fine, Kono. No wipeouts, I promise. McGarrett will never know! You sure you don’t want to join me?”

“In that surf? No way Bruddah! I’m not lolo enough to tempt the wrath of Kanaloa!”

Danny nodded, accepting his friend’s decision. He knew that Kono still held onto the old Hawaiian beliefs and that his friend believed that when the waves were this large and powerful on the Pipe, Kanaloa, the Hawaiian God of the Sea, was upset and vengeful. He grinned as he turned towards the surf and with a quick shaka wave of his hand sprinted into the water and began to paddle out strongly past the waves to the calm breakwater behind them.

Standing on the shoreline, Kono squinted, watching anxiously as Danny manipulated his board to catch one of the towering waves. With the agility of a cat and the natural grace of a true athlete, Danny came to his feet and maneuvered into a barrel, emerging out of it a minute later as the wave began to collapse around him. He immediately surfed into the next barrel, his hand gently caressing the wall of water as he rode its power.

Fascinated by Danny’s instinctive surfing ability, Kono watched enthralled as Danny caught wave after wave. The younger detective rode the waves with deceptive ease. Agile and daring on the surfboard, Danny caught the largest waves, remaining hidden in the barrels until they began to collapse before emerging and darting back to the top of the next wave to ride its power.

Glancing at his watch. Kono was startled to find it was much later than he had realized. He signaled Danny to come into shore. With some good luck and little traffic on the road back to Honolulu, they should have time to return to their apartments to shower and change and make it to the Palace on time.

Danny acknowledged his signal with a shaka wave and Kono watched as he maneuvered his board back towards shore. The unease that had initially plagued him before Danny entered the water suddenly increased to a high level of fear as he watched Danny suddenly lose his balance on the wave. The young surfer fell forward off his surfboard and tumbled under the crushing wave as his board was propelled high into the air before it fell into the water and also disappeared beneath the churning surface.

“Danno!” The name slipped unconsciously from Kono as he ran down to the shore and into the water. Diving under the first wave, the Hawaiian swam strongly towards the area where he had seen his friend disappear. Reaching the spot, Kono began to tread water as he quickly scanned the waves.

Seeing no sign of the missing surfer, he drew a deep breath and dove under the water. It took three dives before he spotted the limp form of his colleague floating about ten feet under the water surface. He reached the younger man and, grabbing him firmly under the arms and around the chest, kicked hard, propelling them to the surface, breathing a silent prayer of thanks to the Gods as Danny gasped and began to cough as they broke the surface onto the fresh air above.

Whispering soft words of reassurance, Kono positioned Danny against his chest and side as he began the long swim back towards the beach, towing his precious cargo towards safety. Reaching the shallow water. Kono stood and carefully grabbed Danny around the waist.

“I’m okay!” murmured the sandy haired surfer between harsh coughs as his friend half walked, half carried him to the safety of the shore.

“Yeah, sure Bruddah, you’re okay. You just kissed the ocean floor and was out like a light when I found you.” Kono retorted sarcastically as he eased Danny down onto his towel and began to check for serious injuries. “And you say you’re okay!”

“I’m fine, Kono. It was just a little wipeout.” Danny insisted, irritably slapping Kono’s hand away as he gently probed a bloodied lump above Danny’s left eye.

“I think we better let Doc decide that one!” Kono announced softly, frowning at the strange position of Danny’s right shoulder.

“I’m fine!” Danny insisted again, clearly annoyed. He pushed Kono’s hands away and struggled to his feet, swallowing the moan of pain that threatened to escape as his shoulder erupted in a bolt of white-hot agony. He stood for a moment waiting for the pain and dizziness to ease before attempting to walk away.

Jumping to his feet, Kono caught Danny as he tumbled forward. Easing his young companion gently back down on his towel, he stared into the pale, damp face. “You’re going to the hospital, Kaikaina and there ain’t gunna be any debate on it!”

****

Kono groaned aloud as the doors to the Emergency Department opened and an agitated Steve McGarrett rushed inside with all the speed and intensity of a tornado. Doc had already told him that McGarrett had been informed immediately by the nursing staff of Danny’s admission to the emergency room. The Hawaiian officer silently wished that he had a little more time to prepare himself against the volcanic blast he was about to receive from his fiery boss.

The lead detective paused only long enough near the doors to glance around and spot the man he was seeking before hurrying across to where Kono stood anxiously waiting outside a closed door of an examination room. “What happened? How seriously is he hurt?”

“We…we heard the waves were high at the Pipe, Steve, and decided to check them out.” Kono started nervously.”

“The Pipe? The surf reports were predicting waves…” McGarrett’s eyes opened wide and then narrowed as he realized the likely cause of Danny’s injuries. Trapping Kono in a heated glare, he closed his mouth and nodded for his detective to continue as his jaw clenched and unclenched in his rising ire.

Kono gulped, easily reading the anger in the lead detective’s face. He was aware that McGarrett had lectured Danny numerous times, since Williams had joined the small elite band of detectives, about taking insane risks of surfing the big waves in his leisure time. “Surfing is in dat boy’s blood, Steve. Ain’t nothin’ more tempting to the Kaikaina than the big waves.” Kono tried to defend Danny’s actions. “He asked me to spot him, Boss. Tried to warn him that Kanaloa was in no mood to be tempted with today.”

McGarrett frowned, “Kanaloa?”

“God of the Sea.” Kono explained automatically as he rushed to tell McGarrett the circumstances of Danny’s admission to the E.R. “Danny was incredible. He could match whatever Kanaloa threw at him until he wiped out on the last wave.”

McGarrett nodded impatiently, waiting to ask the question that concerned him the most. “How serious was he hurt in the wipeout?”

The door to the examination room opened and Dr. Bergman stepped out into the corridor where the two men waited. “Serious enough to give Danny a moderate concussion and to dislocate his right shoulder.” The doctor answered the question as he guided McGarrett away from the door and into an empty office where he could update the two detectives more privately about their colleague’s condition.

He waited a moment for them to settle into the chairs before he continued. “Danny was extremely lucky, apart for the concussion and dislocated shoulder. He got off fairly lightly with some lacerations and bruising. His injuries could have been much more serious.” Doc paused as he silently allowed the unspoken implications register in the minds of both detectives before softly continuing. “We managed to manipulate his shoulder back into the joint and I am admitting him for twenty-four hours for observation. I’m afraid he will be on sick leave for at least a week and when he does return he will be on light duties only for three or four weeks until his shoulder heals. ”

McGarrett nodded his agreement silently before he quietly asked. “Can I see him?”

Doc smiled and nodded. “We are just getting him settled into his room. Don’t expect him to be too coherent at the moment, Steve; we had to give him some mild sedation while we manipulated his shoulder back into to place. The sedation combined with his concussion has really knocked him out. Because of the sedation and pain medication, he is on the staff will be observing him more closely overnight.” Doc glanced down at his watch. “They should have him settled by now. I’ll take you up.”

“Mahalo, Doc.” McGarrett said softly as the three men stood and headed out to the elevator that would take them up to Danny’s room

*****

McGarrett stood at the foot of the bed as he studied the injured man. Dark bruises and reddened scrapes marred the side of Danno’s face, chest and left arm; his right shoulder was heavily bandaged and his arm now strapped tightly to his body, preventing him from moving it. Conflicting emotions of sympathy and anger battled for dominance in McGarrett’s mind and his muscles now ached from the nervous tension.

He jumped as a hand lightly touched his shoulder and he turned to find himself staring into the concerned eyes of the medical examiner/ trusted Five O physician. “He’s going to be fine. Steve. A little sore for a few days but he will make a full recovery.”

“I know, Doc.” Steve answered softly as he turned his attention back to the man in the bed. “I just wish that I could find a way to convince him from taking such insane risks.”

Doc nodded. “If anyone can convince him, Steve, I have no doubts it will be you. Now why don’t you go home and get some rest. It’s been a long day and Danny will probably only be awake long enough tonight to answer some head injury questions.”

Steve shook his head. “I think I might stay a little bit longer, just in case he does wake.”

Doc smiled, unsurprised at the refusal to leave and lightly slapped the dark haired man on the back. “A little bit longer then, Steve, but I would like to hear in the morning that you actually went home.”

Nodding distractedly, McGarrett slowly walked around the side of the bed and stood looking down at his closest friend, never even hearing the door close after the doctor left the room.

“Damn it, Danno!” McGarrett growled angrily to the sleeping man in the bed. “This job is dangerous enough without you taking insane risks on your days off!” Studying the bruised face of his youngest detective and closest friend, McGarrett lightly placed his hand on the younger man’s arm, squeezing it gently as he softly continued. “I don’t want to lose you because of some surfing accident, Aikane. It was close this time, too close! If Kono hadn’t been there…”His words trailed off as bile rose in the back of his throat at the unspoken thought. He shook his head and swallowed hard, before clearing his throat and continuing. “No more insane risks, Danno!” he whispered fiercely as his hands gripped the bed’s side rails tightly. “No more surfing the big ones!”

Drawing a deep breath to calm his taut nerves, McGarrett released the stranglehold he had on the bed rails and dropped back down into the chair near the bed. He sat, staring at the motionless figure in the bed. In the few short months that this young man had been on the team he had managed t do something that no other person had ever managed to do before. He had managed to find a chink in the solid wall that McGarrett had built around himself and made the transition from detective and subordinate to closest friend and Kaikaina. McGarrett sighed loudly, if his little brother did not know when to stop risking his own life, then it was time for his big brother to protect him from himself, but how?

Rubbing his hand over his face, McGarrett began to consider the question of how to stop his surfing detective from challenging the world famous waves found on the north shore of Oahu. He was aware that a mere edict to stop would not be enough. A small smile tugged at his lips as he realized the simplest solution. He laughed out loud as he realized that the easy answer to this question was the same idea that he had been mulling over for a different question for the past couple of weeks. Steve had no doubts that he would have no opposition to his decision from anyone else. Now all that was left was to get Danno to agree.

*****

Danny sighed as he heard the knock at his apartment door. He knew who his visitor would be and the thought of having Steve confront him about his wipeout in private made the young man tense and nervous. He had expected the famous McGarrett explosion for ignoring his Boss’ non-subtle suggestions regarding surfing the Pipeline in the hospital and was slightly disturbed when the explosion had failed to occur. Now he suspected the casual offer of bringing over dinner was probably the excuse Steve was looking for to confront him alone.

Walking slowly and stiffly to the door, the young detective hesitated a moment as he prepared himself for the lecture he knew he would receive before he opened the door. McGarrett grinned, his arms full of paper bags from which the appetizing smell of mouthwatering Italian cuisine wafted. Stepping past the injured man, Steve entered the apartment and headed towards the small kitchenette. “I thought tonight we might have a change from Chinese.” He called over his shoulder.

“Ummm…sounds great.” Danny answered as he followed the older man through his apartment. Awkwardly reaching for two plates with his uninjured arm, Danny drew a deep breath and quietly said, “About the wipeout, Steve. I’m --”

McGarrett cut off any more that he was going to say with a dismissive wave of a hand. “Later Danno. Let’s just enjoy our dinner first.” Steve suggested as he picked up the two plates laden with food and carried them over to the table.

The conversation over dinner was light and peppered with current cases Five O was handling and a small amount of current affairs. The food smelled great but Danny found his nervousness robbed him of any real appetite as he pushed the food slowly around on his plate, finally pushing it away as Steve finished his own meal. If Steve had noticed that Danny had hardly eaten a bite, he never commented on the fact as he stood and cleared the plates from the table insisting that Danny remain where he was.

Returning a few minutes later with two cups of coffee, Steve settled himself in the chair across from his young friend. He cleared his throat before he quietly announced. “I had an ulterior motive for bringing dinner over tonight, Aikane,” He admitted, holding up his hand to forestall any questions from the other man as he rushed to continue. “I really want to talk to you about your position at Five 0.”

Danny paled at the announcement but remained silent. He knew that Steve was angry about his wipeout and had even been concerned that McGarrett was having second thoughts about bringing him onto the team. He steeled himself for the news he knew he was about to receive. Returning to HPD was not the worst thing in the world he silently decided.

Noticing Danny’s tension, Steve cursed himself silently. He instantly realized what the younger man was thinking and rushed on to dispel any misconceptions of where this talk was headed. “As you know, Danno, I have been looking for a new Second-In-Command. Someone who I know believes in the same ideals for Five O as I do and I think I have found the man I have been looking for! I have already discussed it with Chin, Kono and May and they all agree. I have also announced my decision to both the Governor and Stuart. Now all that is left is to get the man I have chosen to accept the position.”

Danny nodded, still uncertain of why McGarrett would be telling him this unless it was to inform him that he was being transferred back to HPD to make way for the new Second.

Steve grinned as he continued. ”Of course there are a couple of conditions that must be met if this person was to accept the position. There would need to be a promise that there would be no more big wave surfing – this job is already far too dangerous without my Second taking risks off the job. The second condition would be my new second must be willing to coach a little league baseball team that will be sponsored by Five O. I am hoping that this will provide him with enough off duty challenges.”

Blinking in disbelief and surprise, Danny stared wordlessly at his boss.

McGarrett laughed as he leaned forward. “Well Detective Williams, are you willing to accept the position with the conditions attached? I must warn you that the job won’t be easy but I am confident that you are up to the task.”

Grinning widely, Danny nodded, ”Are you sure you don’t want Chin?” At the shake of Steve’s head, Danny laughed. “I would be honored to accept the position.”

“Remember, there is to be no more big wave surfing.” McGarrett reiterated, wanting to make sure that Danno fully understood the condition.

Holding up his uninjured arm, Danny solemnly promised. “No more big waves! I think a team of little leaguers are going to be enough of a challenge.” He grinned.

PAU