Title: Hell or high water
author: Cindy Ryan
timeline: late season one
Summary: Poison meant for Steve sickens Kono instead. A storm prevents the team from finding the poisoner and the antidote or does it?

"Noho pū au."

Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett's brain automatically translated the Hawaiian to English. He'd heard the whispered phrase over the screech of tires and police sirens. Glancing in the back seat of his truck Steve saw Chin Ho Kelley huddled over the all too still form of his cousin. The phrase had been said to her. Stay with me. Steve swallowed hard and focused once more on the road and traffic in front of him. Kono had been poisoned. A very fast acting poison which was why they were taking her to the hospital instead of waiting for the EMT's. There simply hadn't been time.

"Car!"Danny William's warning shout came from the passenger seat.

Steve deftly maneuvered around the black sedan with seconds to spare before the collison Danny had thought was coming. He got back in the lane he'd been in and hit the accelerator. Another glance in the rear view mirror had told him Kono's breathing had gotten worse.

"Call the ER!"Steve snapped to his partner.

Danny pulled out his cell and dialed even though they'd called as they left headquarters. Steve wanted the doctors to have the latest information. Every second counted.

"Three minutes out, Chin."Steve informed the detective.

Those three minutes seemed to stretch out forever. Finally the hospital was in sight and Steve pulled into the ER parking lot and straight up to the entrance. Danny hopped out first and opened the back door. As Steve exited the driver's side he heard the whispered Hawaiian phrase once more.

"Noho pū au."

Steve cursed under his breath as he went around the truck. The poison had been meant for him; not Kono. She'd accidentally taken his coffee when Danny had returned with the normal morning coffee run. It'd been several minutes before the mistake was realized. Within the next ten minutes Kono had collapsed in the main conference room her face deathly white, breathing erratic and she went into convulsions.

"Get her upstairs, now!"

The doctor's order snapped Steve back to the present. He followed the others inside and sent off a silent prayer.

An hour later the waiting room on the third floor was tense and silent. Steve sat on the sofa, Chin stood by the window looking out and Danny paced half the room between the door and the sofa and back. The entire time Steve had been trying to figure out how this had happened. Danny had stated there wasn't anybody out of the ordinary at the coffee bar. He had noted it'd been busy but that wasn't unusual for that time of morning.

HPD had responded to Steve's request and emailed a list of most recent releases and parolees. They'd all looked over the list and nobody stood out. Nobody on the list had poison as an alternate M.O. Though Steve knew anybody could change tactics depending on the crime.

"I should've paid more attention."Danny commented breaking the silence.

"HPD's running backgrounds on the workers at the coffee bar."Steve replied. "We've all been there dozens of times we had no reason to think…."

"Code Blue room 345."A female voice said urgently over the hospital PA system. "Repeat code blue room 345."

Chin's dark eyes widened as he ran for the door.

"That's Kono's!"Danny exclaimed worriedly as he followed Chin.

The three men entered the hospital corridor and turned left with Chin in the lead. They reached Kono's room to find a swarm of medical personnel forcing them to remain in the hall. Chin started to push his way in but Steve held him back.

"I know you want to be in there."Steve said quietly. "But let them work."

Chin nodded and broke free remaining as close to the door as he could. Danny exchanged a worried glance with Steve. Snippets of conversation could be heard along with screams of alarms from medical equipment.

"….going into cardiac arrest…."

"….charging…..clear…."

Steve raked a hand through his short dark hair. Kono was not only a good officer but a friend. His team; his responsibility. They'd formed a strong bond as a team in a short time. For Steve losing any one of them wasn't an option but Kono being the youngest and a new member of the police force…

"You okay?"Danny asked with concern suddenly at Steve's side.

Steve blinked at him in confusion then felt the pain in his left hand. The wall he was standing in front of had an artistic design. There was a glass partition that ran through half of it and an artist mural above that. The pain in his hand was from a small cut down the side of his left palm. The glass held a crack down the middle. As Steve stared at the crack he had a vague memory of hitting it. He shook the pain out of his hand and nodded at his partner.

"Yeah."Steve replied curtly.

Danny looked like he didn't believe him but movement by the door drew both their attentions. A young Asian man in a lab coat had stepped out of Kono's room. Steve and Danny quickly joined Chin.

"I'm Dr. Young."The doctor began. "Officer Kalakaua's condition is critical. We've placed her in a medically induced coma until the poison can be identified. For the moment her vitals are strong; she's a fighter."

"Yeah she is."Danny affirmed quietly.

"Can I see her?"Chin inquired.

"For a few minutes and then we'll move her to a private room."Young replied.

"Chin, Danny and I will head back to the office."Steve stated quietly.

Chin nodded stepping towards Kono's room. Steve placed a hand on his friend's left shoulder.

"She'll be okay."Steve promised. "We'll figure this out."

"I know."Kelley acknowledged before turning and entering his cousin's room.

"Let's go."Steve suggested to Danny and the two men headed to the elevators.