"We've got a case," Steve said walking into the common area of Five-0. "A body was found in one of the fields at a pineapple plantation."

"Pineapples," Danny shuddered. "What an awful place to die."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Let's go." He looked at Beau and rubbed his ears. "You're a good boy. We'll be back soon. Office, Beau."

Beau followed the command and headed toward Steve's office, where he'd stay until the team got back. He had become a fixture at Five-0, much to the delight of Steve's teammates. Beau was a happy, friendly dog with a big personality. He spent his days trotting from office to office, allowing his owner's friends to pet him or play with one of his toys and they loved him almost as much as Steve did.

"Everything still good for Saturday?" Danny asked as they walked toward Steve's truck. Grace had wanted to have a party to celebrate Beau finishing his obedience training. He'd graduated at the top of his class, an accomplishment Danny attributed to Steve's overly competitive nature. Steve had thought it was a great, albeit hilarious, idea, and the ohana was all for it. They loved any excuse for a party. Grace had asked her Uncle Steve if they could have it at his house because of the beach, and he'd agreed. Of course, he'd agree to anything where Grace was concerned.

"Sure," he answered Danny. He grinned. "Grace texted me the menu yesterday."

Danny smiled, thinking how lucky he was that his partner loved his daughter enough to put up with her antics. "Thanks for all you do for her, and for going along with this. She's excited."

"You know I'd do anything for her."

The partners arrived at the pineapple field just after Chin and Kono, with Lou showing up just a bit later. They walked to the area already marked by crime scene tape and found Max.

"What have we got, Max?" Steve asked, slipping on gloves.

"Male victim, early thirties. The cause of death is a single gunshot wound to the chest. There appears to be defensive wounds on his arms, as well as bruising on his face. He also has bruises on his knuckles indicating that he inflicted some blows on his opponent as well."

"Maybe a fight got out of control?" Danny

Steve glanced around, and movement caught his eye near one of the buildings. Lou had noticed it as well and nodded to Steve. Steve motioned for Lou and Chin to go around the back while he and Danny took the front.

Danny was in front of Steve as they approached the building. Steve happened to look up, seeing the man with the baseball bat before Danny did. Automatic response took over as Steve shouted, "Danny!" and shoved him out of the way. The bat came down with a sickening crack against Steve's skull.

The perp took off as Danny screamed into his mic at Lou and Chin. "Steve's down! Perp's headed your way!"

Lou tackled the perp to the ground with no effort at all and signaled to HPD to come get him while Chin ran to Danny and Steve.

"Danny!" Chin shouted as he approached.

"Call for an ambulance! Hurry, Chin!" Danny cried.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," Danny murmured as he knelt beside Steve's lifeless form. The amount of blood was staggering. Steve showed no signs of regaining consciousness. "Come on, buddy, come on. Open those baby blues for me. Please, Steve."

He'd never seen his partner so still. Danny panicked when he saw that blood was running from Steve's ear and nose.

"They're on the way," Chin said, finally reaching Danny. "Max is coming right now….Oh, my God." Chin dropped to the ground beside Steve.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Danny said. "It's real bad."

Chin didn't know what to say. He reached to check Steve's pulse, thankful to find one.

Danny was cradling his partner, tears dripping down his face, when Max ran up. "What happened?" he asked.

"The guy had a baseball bat. Steve saw him before me," Danny choked on his words. "He shoved me out of the way. It should've been me. Max, you gotta help him. You gotta."

Max took a quick look at the commander. "It looks like a depressed skull fracture," he said. "I know all the blood is scary, but it doesn't necessarily mean things are beyond repair. His pulse is weak, but it's steady, and respiration is okay." He lifted Steve's eyelids. "Pupils are blown and nonresponsive."

When the EMTs arrived, Max relayed the information to them, and encouraged them to get the commander to Tripler as soon as possible, and to call ahead about a TBI incoming.

"Danny, you go with him," Lou said. "We'll follow. Duke, can HPD finish up here?" He directed his question at Duke Lukela, barely pausing to hear the man's response.

"Yes, go with Steve," Duke said in concern. "Please, call me when there's word."

The members of Five-0 rushed back to their vehicles, and Chin grabbed Kono. "Kono, you have to go get Callie," he said, shaking her out of her shock. "We can't tell her this over the phone…and you're the only one who doesn't have his blood on you," he said sadly.

Kono nodded, rushing to her car and heading for Callie's office.

Danny had never been so scared in his life. The only thing that gave him peace was the steady beeping of the heart monitor. He clutched Steve's hand in desperation. "Please, brother, please hang on."

Kono arrived at the doctor's office with lights flashing, parked in the fire lane, and ran into the building. She held up her badge to the receptionist. "Officer Kono Kalakaua, Five-0. I need to speak with Dr. Callie Ryan please." She paused before adding, "Please hurry."

The receptionist rushed to get Dr. Ryan, not knowing what this was about but sensing the officer's urgency. Callie was immediately concerned to see her receptionist so nervous, and when she said something about an officer from Five-0, Callie's heart dropped. She ran to the front of the office.

"It's Steve," Kono said breathlessly. "There was an altercation with a suspect and he was injured."

Callie placed a hand over her mouth, waiting for Kono to give her more information.

"They've taken him to Tripler. Come with me."

The two women rushed out of the office and into Kono's car, not knowing what they would face when they arrived at the hospital.

Doctors were waiting as the ambulance pulled into the bay. The call ahead had allowed them time to get things ready for the patient's arrival. The staff at Tripler knew Steve and were anxious to help. They rushed Steve into a trauma room to assess the damage and form a plan.

Danny waited in the hallway helplessly.

His best friend had just saved his life, and might have given his instead.