I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: Post E Malama. Season 1 Episode 16. Housing Commissioner Bruce Hoffman goes after Danny with a vengeance after Danny threatens him over the Stan issue. Hiring professionals to first obtain Stan's tapes which Danny now has and then to dispose of Danny.

NOTES: you are ALL THE BEST! Thank you for sharing this very long ride with me. This story took on a huge life of its own. There was a muse, a breakfast muse and a saber-toothed plot bunny. They all thank you too.

I appreciate and I'm genuinely humbled by your kind words - I'm totally THRILLED that you all enjoyed reading this so very much.

And I do hope that this final chapter does justice to something I've had a lot of fun bringing to life.

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*

Chapter Thirty: Under the Island

June had taken up a small portion of space near Chin in the small waiting room as she watched Steve's constant pacing and listened to his frustrated sighs. She thought she'd go dizzy watching him pause, stare towards the trauma area, and then resume his agitated spinning.

"Is he always like this?" she murmured down to Chin, who seemed to be the polar opposite of their commander in chief.

Without looking up from where he sat, rocked back into the wall on a plastic chair with his eyes closed, Chin simply said "Yup. Always."

"Wow." She breathed out and Chin actually gave way to a small huffed chuckle. They'd been sitting at a forced vigil for almost two hours and still no one had been out from the trauma area with word on Danny's condition. Kono had finally gone for coffee, while Steve alternated between sitting for long seconds at a time and then resuming the intense pacing.

Danny hadn't regained consciousness when the team had powered back at top speed to the marina. By then he was pale and shocky; and as he was rushed from the boat to the waiting ambulance, the EMT's had him on full oxygen as they worked to determine the cause for his perplexing struggle to breathe. And now, the group still hadn't been brought up to speed by the trauma team and the silence in the waiting room was deafening.

Chin startled forward out of his chair, when Steve ceased his predictable pattern to quickly stride towards the attending ER physician. As he finally came through the double doors, Steve dared to slowly exhale as he saw the doctor's somewhat more relaxed expression than when they'd first arrived.

Knowing it had been a very long time, the doctor got right to the point to put the team at ease. "I'm sorry for the delay, but it took us some time to figure out. Let me first tell you all that Detective Williams is much improved."

The collective sigh of relief was unmistakable as the tension across the team lessened considerably. Continuing, the doctor explained, "We found a type of neuromuscular-blocker in his system. It's a type of drug often used before surgery and it explains his inability to move. We're reversing that now using the appropriate measure which works much like an antidote."

The doctor then hesitated to change his mind about sharing what could have happened with an over-dose. "The amount of the drug in his system affected his respiratory system and caused the difficulties in breathing … let's just say he's very lucky more wasn't used."

Sighing with concern, the doctor looked to Steve as he added. "Extremely lucky."

Finding it unnecessary to continue with a further explanation, the doctor motioned the team through to the trauma area. "He'll be staying at least the night and maybe two. I'll have him moved to a private room within the hour. We need to ensure that his respiratory functions continue to improve especially after his little stint in the ocean."

Understanding now what the doctor wasn't saying, Steve grimaced as he walked through the doors and into the small room. 'More' would have meant Danny's diaphragm would have also been paralyzed. Unable to take air into his lungs, he'd have suffocated. Shaking off the near tragic realization that sounded eerily like a chemical nerve agent, Steve walked first into the room to find Danny elevated on the gurney and covered with blankets. Two IV's were snaking into his arms as both regular fluids and the antidote were simultaneously administered. But he was awake, alert and his relieved eyes twinkled as he smiled gamely under an oxygen mask. One hand made its way up in a tired acknowledgement as they all gathered around the small bed.

"Hey." Steve smiled widely in return. Silently logging the number of machines Danny was hooked up to, he was very glad to see the improved coordination as the drug was forced from his system. "Doc says you're going to be fine. Once again you've managed to garner all the attention."

"You know me." Danny softly said. He was plainly exhausted and his voice was raspy, but he was determined to remain awake. "Kono needed some target practice and I thought you might want to go for a decent swim today."

Kono snorted and then laughed out right which deepened Danny's smile. But Steve didn't feel up to the jest after the insanely long and emotional day which had begun with the unexpected mute confrontation of sorts with Hoffman. Wondering where Danny was getting his energy reserves from, Steve's own adrenalin was wearing off and he could only tiredly shrug.

"Uh no. Not so much. Lunch would have been fine, actually."

"Agreed." Danny muttered as he studied Steve's sober face. Wanting to talk more but hindered by the oxygen mask, he jerkily reached up to tug the annoying thing from his face.

"So …" He started say, but found his hand soundly smacked and the mask re-attached firmly. Annoyed, he tried again to remove it, but Steve was all over him with a dark, angry face and one threatening finger raised in warning.

"Do it again, and I'm calling the most unpleasant nurse I can find in this place and having her assigned only to your room. Leave it on Daniel."

Frowning, Danny glared at him as his voice rose in irritation. "You have dibs on that one, Nurse Rachet. By the way, what did you do to my favorite shirt with your super-sized pocketknife?"

June covered her growing smile with one hand as she listened to the unexpected exchange that was also rising in volume. "Wow". She whispered once again as she tried to keep up with what was happening and looked from one to the other.

"Favorite … shirt? You have favorite shirts now, D?" Leaning back and crossing his arms, Steve's narrowed his eyes to peer down at Danny's annoyed face. "And … what? My super-sized … what?"

"Oh boy." Whispered Chin with a grin to Kono, who rolled her happily shining eyes up to the ceiling and echoed. "Here we go!"

Amused but unsure what to do, June stood back and then started to laugh as she watched the scene slowly unfold between the team members. Looking over to catch her eye, Chin nodded and then smirked.

"And, uh … yeah. Sometimes this happens too."

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A few hours later Danny had been moved to a private room and the doctor had made another appearance to make sure he was settled and to recheck vitals. June took the opportunity to bow out happily giving Danny a kiss on his forehead and everyone a warm hug. Pulling Steve out into the hallway she whispered that he seemed to be okay, but was totally wiped out.

"He's like a little kid that doesn't want to go sleep." She chided gently. "He's really fighting it for some reason."

Looking back into the room, Steve quickly studied Danny's face as the doctor completed his evaluation. Dark smudges under his eyes were starting to stand out in contrast to his still pale face. And Steve raised his eyebrows as he saw him stifle a yawn.

But Danny was smiling very smugly when Steve re-entered the room. Having just won the war against the offensive oxygen mask, both IV's had also been removed. However the victories were short-lived when the nasal cannula arrived and his doctor stood back daring him.

"You remove this Detective, and we'll be having a private discussion about your ongoing care during your stay in my hospital."

The warning finally got Steve to at least smile as he lounged against the far wall of the room along with Chin and Kono. And before leaving, the doctor gave them all a quick update.

"He'll be here two more days. I want him on oxygen throughout the night and he needs absolute rest."

Pointing to Danny's chest, he motioned towards the bruising and tightly wrapped battered ribs. "One that was originally healing nicely … it now has a bad break and two others are quite bruised."

Catching Danny's tired eyes, the doctor gave him a knowing look and another strident warning. "Again, rest is the key word. Off your feet and resting. Preferably sleeping."

After the doctor left the room, Steve was wary as he saw the occasional wince, heard the shallow cough and watched the over-tired, glassy eyes battle a desperate urge to sleep.

Frowning, Kono looked at him closely and crossed her arms. "You know what? Chin and I are going to go too. I think we're only keeping you from doctor's orders."

"Yeah, you're right." Chin agreed as Danny unsuccessfully tried to hide another large yawn. "We'll be back tomorrow."

Turning back to the bed after they'd left, Steve quietly pulled up the spare chair. "You do need to sleep." Steve softly coaxed as he saw a flicker of anxiety pass over Danny's face.

"You were exhausted before all of this happened. I sure don't know how you're managing to stay awake now."

Once again choosing to stand, Steve leaned his elbows on the bed rails and then fixed the blankets around Danny's shoulders. "Just sleep Danno." Hesitating for a moment, he studied Danny's face silently and finally nodded in understanding. "It's all good."

"We've said that before." Danny muttered as his glazed and weary eyes drifted shut and then snapped open stubbornly. "Look where it got us."

"Yeah." Steve huffed out. "I know. But this time it is. Your little guardian angel and the FBI concur." Smiling gently he added. "Plus you know it is."

And as they shared another look, Danny slowly began to smile as well and then nodded in agreement. It was over and there would be no bad dreams, panic attacks, or unexpected visitors.

"Concur?" Danny had to taunt tiredly as he gave a little cough. "Big word for you, Steven." Sighing, he scrunched down in the bed as he tried to get comfortable, wincing as the newly injured ribs pulled.

With a soft chuckle, Steve couldn't help one last attempt at verbal sparring. "Concur is my 'ergo' to you, buddy."

The resulting pointed look from Danny failed and it soon had them both grinning. And then sparing Steve one more stubborn and searching look, he nodded once more and gave in to the urgent need for a deep, healing sleep.

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A few days later, Danny and Steve were once more at the courthouse for a brief sit-in at Hoffman's trial. As the judge entered from chambers and Bruce Hoffman was escorted in, both men noticed the glaring absence of his original personal defense attorney. They'd soon discover that Hoffman's lawyer had resigned arguing that his client could no longer pay for his services. Abandoning the fast sinking ship and still garnering his illicit paycheck, the man was now long gone.

Danny had insisted on attending yet again just a few days after being released from the hospital. Steve had agreed, with the caveat that he first visit the Naval counselor. The melodramatic Nurse Rachet comments had come fast and hard, but he'd gone willingly enough for the consultations; and the resulting approval solidified the decision.

"Huh." Danny whispered. "Wonder what happened to his lawyer?" Steve's only response was to shrug. He didn't particularly care as he stole furtive glances at Danny.

"Don't know." Steve muttered and then wasn't able to help asking the inevitable question. "You good?"

"I thought we had this discussion already, Steven." Flapping the light blue tie that he was wearing directly in Steve's face, he grinned as he whispered back. "Now this one is my lucky tie!"

Scowling, Steve slapped it away and shook his head. "Enough with the tie already." He hissed under his breath.

Smiling widely, Danny calmly sat in the back of the courtroom and watched the proceedings. Though much of the very recent happenings could not directly be pinned back to Hoffman, the Governor already had a conversation of sorts with the judge. And then Danny had done his best to revise his deposition; while another jilted businessman had bravely and very unexpectedly stepped forward to corroborate the allegations and charges against Bruce Hoffman. The man was going down and going down hard.

Danny was still smiling when Hoffman turned around at the long defense table with his new court appointed lawyer and their eyes met. But this time, the shared message was quite different.

When Hoffman saw the very much alive and healthy Detective, he paled considerably and swallowed hard. Looking away quickly, a sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.

Even though his lawyer had left him high and dry, Hoffman still had assumed that his plan had been effective. Jailed or not and with coffers empty or full, his little world still had been quite blissful right up until that very moment. But his communication to the outside world had ceased when the lawyer walked out and his accountant was suddenly nonresponsive. He hadn't known about the true and absolute failure of his plan.

And as his newly appointed counsel confusedly slid an odd cryptic piece of paper to his client – a weird little note slid under his office door the day before and in a typed envelope addressed to B Hoffman - the man visibly choked as he understood its dire message. The death of three prized operatives would eventually prove to be a very high personal price to pay.

"Shall we?" Danny said cheerfully to Steve, as he stood to leave. He'd seen enough and had gracefully made his point.

"I think so." Steve replied with an equally delighted smile. Leaving the courthouse and Bruce Hoffman far behind, the two had no driving need to stay and much better things to do as they walked companionably away.

But Steve threw his hands up in the air as Danny muttered one last time, "You still owe me a shirt you know …"

~ End ~