Chapter Text
Adrian felt tears brimming his eyes as he gazed at his mom, dressed in her Navy dress blues, the same dress blues she wore at her funeral and Catherine smiled, though there was sadness in her eyes "Adrian. My joy...why are you here?" and Adrian was confused "Where is here? Am I in the sky now?" and Catherine replied "No, but you're in the in-between and right now, you're on the operating table, fighting for your life" and Adrian gulped "Oh no...this can't be good" and Catherine looked softly at her son "I'm so proud of you and how far you have come, you have done so well for yourself. You've done amazing in life and I truly wish I was there to watch you grow up. I really truly do. As for me not telling anyone who your father is, it's becuase...our relationship...our marriage ended on such an unhappy note that I just thought it would be better off that I stayed out of Steve's life forever becuase I just didn't want me and you to be a reminder to Steve of that short-lived marriage. I know this is not a good excuse or explanation, but remember, I was just a young mom to be with a blossoming Navy career and I was already worried that my pregnancy would end my Navy career. I made a terrible mistake and I'm so sorry" and Adrian could only hug him tightly "I've always wanted to hug you so badly" and Catherine sighed "Hugging you was the one thing I especially longed for since I died. Just remember I tried do to everything in my power to make sure that you had a good life. I'm just so sorry the story of my life had to come to an end" and Adrian sighed "Me too. I wish you never died in Afghanistan. It's why I'm gonna be a surgeon".
Catherine smiled with pride "And I know you can do it. You're a smart and caring kid and you're a Rollins, you can do anything you put your mind to. Never ever give up. Did you know that ever since you were born, everything in my life changed? I stopped making decisions for myself and started making decisions based on how they would affect you. You'll know that feeling if you ever choose to become a parent"
Meanwhile in the waiting room, Steve couldn't keep his emotions in and he couldn't wait, it felt like a slow torture that was toying with his mind, his heart and his soul. Steve wished he was trapped in Halawa for the next three billion years than to deal with the utter uncertainty of the survival of his son Adrian. Everyone was on pins and needles and Joe could see it in his eyes, he knew his protégé better than anyone. Danny could absolutely relate to Steve's anxiety as one father to another as time slowed to a glacial pace, as being a single father was a job that had no breaks, no vacations and no time off and all the criticism of the world of what they were doing wrong and yet no help offered and a heaping of constant worry that they were failing their own kids or that their kids were safe, healthy and were behaved children who would one day become productive members of society. Joe even asked Steve "Are you ok, son?" and Steve shook his head "No I'm not Joe. My baby is in that operating room getting his chest cracked open...and he's going to have to have that hole in his heart repaired. No kid should have to go through what Adrian has gone through in such a short amount of time since he's met me. He's been kidnapped twice, seen me gotten arrested and now this? I wish with all of my heart I could take on everything he's been through. I want to take on all of the pain he's going through and take his place so he doesn't have to suffer" and Steve's words failed him as he began to break down "I don't want to live in a world without Adrian" and Danny could see this whole situation was breaking down the SUPER SEAL BADASS Steve, the badshah Steve that was immune to bullets, explosions and heights. It turns out even Steve had a chink in his armor and that was Adrian.
Adrian watched as his mom made him a glass of fruit smoothie at the blender, the semi liquid smoothie resembled the color of blood as Catherine told him "I made you a smoothie, it's good for your heart. It has so many antioxidants and nutrients to keep a growing boy like you healthy and strong. It has cherries, apples, and strawberries. I remember when you would love to suck on strawberries as a baby" and Adrian drank the smoothie as surgeons were pumping another transfusion of blood in him in the operating room. Adrian finished the smoothie and added "Thanks mom" and Catherine reminded him "You need to go back Adrian. I don't think Steve can function if you stay here. You have a long life ahead of you and you need to go back and live, live for all of us who can't live anymore. And don't come back until you're at least a hundred years old!". Adrian teared up "I'm gonna miss you so much mommy" and Catherine soothed "I will as well.." and Adrian gave her a tight hug as she kissed his forehead and he went into the patio and into the backyard where Adrian saw a dirty blond haired man whose back was turned to him and sitting on one of the two lawn chairs and Adrian, instantly curious, went over to sit next to the man. Adrian knew instinctively he knew the man when the man turned his face to Adrian, Adrian saw that the man was an older version of Steve and had the same exact hazel eyes, and his face was weather beaten and his hair had greying strands in his dirty blond hair and he was dressed in his HPD dress blues and the tag read "Mcgarrett" and Adrian knew, he knew this man was his grandfather as he choked up "G...Grandpa John?"
Meanwhile in the waiting room as the surgery dragged on, the doctor suggested that Steve and the others go home and rest, shower and sleep, and to come back in a few hours. But predictably that advice didn't go over well with Steve as he snapped "Absolutely not, not until I have news about my son" and Danny knew that right now, an emotionally unstable Steve was not a good Steve so Danny told the Doctor "I don't think you know who you're talking to right now. That man right there is Adrian's dad and he's a Navy SEAL and right now an emotional and upset Steve is not someone you wanna mess with. Especially considering who knows how many flashbangs might go off in the ensuing struggle" and the doctor just sighed and shook his head as Danny went to get Steve a real change of clothes, some toiletries and some cologne from the nightstand so that Steve could freshen up in the staff shower that Max had secured for Steve. Danny knew if Grace was on the operating table, far from his arms of protection, helpless and asleep as the knife cut her open, he would have been less than rational as well, he didn't blame Steve one bit for the anxiety that he was going through at all.
Adrian gazed at the man "Grandpa John...It's me, your grandson Adrian" and John smiled softly and sadly "You shouldn't be here so soon. You have to go back. This isn't your time, you're way too young" and Adrian nodded "Yeah, I have so many plans to get started on" and John reminded him "And you will get started on them, becuase you are going to go back and see my son Steve again. My son has lost far too much and so have you, you both need each other more than ever. If my son loses you too, he will never recover. He may even go on a path of self-destruction, so go back to him" and Adrian nodded before asking "Why did you demand my parents to divorce?" and John looked down "I'm not proud of that at all, if I had known your mom was pregnant, I would never have done such a thing" and Adrian shook his head "I can't trust what you say. You tore apart my parents, my family. My whole wide world was ripped apart. If...if you didn't demand their divorce, my dad and mom would have stayed married, and even if mom died, at least dad would have taken care of me. Dad would have been a heartbroken widower, but he would have had me for a longer time" and John nodded "I'm real sorry for everything I've caused you. I've caused you and Steve and Catherine so much pain" and then John handed him another glass of the same smoothie that Catherine handed him and John added "For that kind and beautiful heart of yours" and Adrian drank it all down as they watched the sunset and he could feel the stars pulling him away from John and John noted "Looks like your time here is up. And that is definitely a good thing, now go!" and Adrian walked on the surface of the water, following the light of the moon and slowly he could feel his sensations of his own body return to him.
Adrian felt like his eyes weighed like a thousand pounds and he could feel someone holding both of his hands, along with the sensation of wearing a pulse ox clip, a blood pressure cuff, half a dozen tubes and needles jabbed into him along with a tube down his throat and suddenly it felt too difficult to breathe and Adrian tried to fight the tube as his eyes shot open and monitors beeped loudly and then he could hear a calming voice telling him "Relax Dree, don't fight the tube. The doctor is gonna pull it out right now" and then Adrian could see nurses and a doctor working together to help pull the tube out and one of the nurses instructed "Cough hard" and Adrian followed the nurses' instructions and the tube was pulled out and then after some preliminary examinations, Adrian was left alone and he turned to see his father just looking at him with tears and relief, realizing his dad had been there the whole time and Steve just hugged him gently, all while crying "I thought I was going to lose you. I thought you would leave me. I'm so glad Max saved your life" and Adrian groaned "What happened?" and Steve sighed "You...you almost died Adrian, you had an Atrial Septal Defect. You had a hole in one of your heart's chambers and they had to perform a very delicate procedure called Cardiac Septal Defect closure by making an incision into your chest, which is known as an open-heart surgery, they sewed it up with stitches and then stitched up the incision. Your surgery was a success, Dree. You're gonna live a long and happy life and you'll be able to make a full and successful recovery and go back to doing what makes you happy once you're fully recovered" Steve kissed his forehead, trying to not tear up at how tiny Adrian looked under all the machines. Adrian noticed a heart shaped plush in his hand along with flowers, balloons, cards and a few teddy bears were on the countertop. Adrian wearily reached for one of the teddy bears and Steve noticed and grabbed the teddy bear and handed it to Adrian and Steve added "That's from Grace. She was so worried for you" and Adrian yawned sleepily "She's so sweet" and Steve sighed "It's been at least eight hours and now I can truly breathe now that you've finally woken up" and Adrian yawned "Did you even at least go home to sleep" and Steve sighed "No, I've been right here sitting by your side, worrying over you. Nothing could make me leave your side, not even the President himself could make me leave your side" and Adrian yawned sleepily as the drugs took over and Steve kissed his forehead "Go to sleep and rest, you need your rest sweetie", and Adrian yawned as he fell asleep while his heart monitor kept on beeping.