Well folks, here it is. The last chapter in this little adventure! My bad for the little cliffie I left you all with last time, but when it comes to my stories, I can be a little evil! This chapter is by far the longest; think of it as a gift for putting up with my malicious ways ha ha! Enjoy!

The Commanders sudden action had the remaining gunmen snapping to attention, taking quick aim on Steve but they never got the chance to pull the trigger. Two quick shots from Lori and Chin had the two men falling to the ground to land in a puddle of blood and brain matter as Kono followed on her boss` heels towards the edge of the warehouse. Adrenaline pumping and her gut twisting in fear, weapon still clenched in her hand, Kono took in huge gulps of air before she and her boss hit the sea water as one.

The first slap of water against her face nearly had Kono gasping in shock. Here on the North Shore, the water offered some of the best surfing in the world; a mixture of northern trade winds and currents flowing south from Japan made the water violent and cold. The shock of the sudden chill had her pausing only briefly before she began fighting the waters pull towards the pier`s stone walls.

Knowing that Steve would head for Danny, Kono glanced around for their fugitive. The darkness offered only shadows from the lights above along the pier and nothing more. Diving down further, her eyes caught a quick glimpse of motion. Moving closer, she was disappointed when a lone fish, startled by her presence, took off to the refuge of deeper waters. Pushing from the pier with her feet, she shot off into the gloom with an angry burst of energy in search of the man who had harmed her ohana, if he could truly be called a man.

During his long years within the Navy, Steve had encountered many situations within rough waters all across the world. When he had become a SEAL, said situations and missions nearly doubled with their complexity, but he`d faced each challenge with courage and a professionalism that was to be expected from a man of his rank. Right now though, as he hit the water and shot down towards where his partner had disappeared, courage and professionalism seemed to have gone out the window.

Trying to keep his rising panic at bay, knowing it would help no one, he used powerful forward strokes to jet through the black din. Eyes open, burning with the salt of the Pacific, he desperately tried to get a glimpse of his friend, knowing his time was running low. The water here was deeper than he had imagined and his own lungs were beginning to burn with the exertion of his desperate movement.

Finally after what felt like an eternity, Steve finally caught sight of a shock of blonde hair. Moving as fast and deftly as possible, McGarrett found himself in a roller coaster of emotions. Hair billowing around him like a halo, having been washed clean of the gore that had clung to his body prior, Danny looked deceased. Eyes closed, lips parted and head tilted back as the impeding chain held him down at the bottom of the ocean, Steve`s initial thought was that the metal links had broken his neck. Even in the dark he saw the chain had left deep, bleeding grooves around Danny`s pale throat which swirled away in a crimson wave. Reaching forward, he searched for a pulse as he began pulling at the lock that held his partner prisoner, grateful when he felt a thready beat beneath his fingers but it was getting weaker by the second. He hated having to move Danny, knowing he could cause irreversible damage if there was a break, but that was the least of his worries at the moment.

Doubling his efforts, lungs screaming at him to return to the surface, he gripped the gold lock in his hands, twisting it in a vain attempt at cracking the metal. The force of dragging his partner beneath the water had twisted the small bolt but hadn`t been enough to completely destroy the thing. After only a few seconds, Steve gave up on the idea and reached for his sidearm. He barely had the weapon drawn when his partner's body gave a violent jerk and Danny's eye flew open in a panic. Steve shook his head franticly even as his friend's mouth gaped in an attempt to breathe, inhaling ocean water and forcing his last reserves of air from his lungs.

Shit, shit, shit! Steve tried to train his weapon on the now shaking lock as Danny began to twist and heave; whether in an attempt to escape or in the throes of a seizure, Steve didn't know. It was a risky move to begin with, firing his gun, as even underwater the bullet could ricochet and kill his best friend but there was no time and no other options. Gripping the lock and chain at tightly as he could without injuring Danny further, he took the shot just as Danny stilled.

Oh, God…Steve's heart leapt to his throat as the lock disintegrated in his hands. Trembling fingers, near useless appendages with fear and oxygen deprivation, fought to remove the chain as fast as possible before Steve wrapped an arm around Danny's still chest and kicked his way towards the dim orange glow of the surface, the warehouse lights his only guide. Oh God, I can't be too late, com`mon!

Strength waning and darkness beginning to creep into his peripherals, Steve fought with all he had to claw his way closer to safety and fresh air. Danny was a dead weight, making his task a challenging one, but Steve fought on. Maybe we'll die down here together, he mused as the surface seemed further and further away, despite his efforts, this is all my fault…seems appropriate…

One last kick, one more stroke, and Steve's head broke through the surface in a cascade of white water. Heaving a massive lungful of crisp, clean oxygen, he had no strength left for anything else but to gasp and sputter, his vision gray and still darkening. Grasping blindly for the piers edge, listing as Danny's weight became more apparent with gravity now playing a role, two sets of hands found his and he and Danny were suddenly being pulled up and out of the dark waves. Lori and Chin's worried expressions filtered into view as Steve continued to drag in air, their voices trickling across his water-plugged ears.

"All vertebrate are intact…"

"I can't find a pulse…"

"Where's the nearest hospital?"

"Wahiawa."

"Call an ambulance-"

"No." Steve coughed, managing to get his breathing under his control though his limbs still held a weakness he didn't approve of. Getting his feet under him he rose, albeit slowly, he found Chin hard at work applying CPR to his still pale partner, the task difficult with Danny's hands still restrained in handcuffs.

"What do you mean no?" Lori shot him a concerned look, phone in hand.

"There's no time, they`d never get here before..." Steve muttered, needing to do something, anything to help. Tapping Chin's shoulder, he took over the chest compressions as Chin moved to apply rescue breaths. "Come on, buddy, come on…"

Danny lay unresponsive beneath his hands, despite the Navy Commanders efforts and litany of "come on, come on, come on…" Steve tried frantically to reign in his fear as several moments passed with no improvement, no response. Danny's lips were an ever darkening shade of blue and Steve was quickly losing control of himself.

Kono had surfaced with a gasp of air and a shake of her head. Treading water, she glanced about her in the darkness for even a sign of her quarry. She was a good hundred meters away from the warehouse when the others surfaced near the building, her heart stuttering as she caught snippets of the urgent conversation taking place. She shook herself physically; there was nothing she could do for Danny. The others had it under control. Plus she had her objective: find Wo Fat and arrest him. Or put him down for good.

A soft sound off to her left dragged her attention from her team and further down the pier. A thud, like a heavy rope hitting concrete had her swimming faster than she ever had before. There, a flash of white in the darkness as someone passed between a pair of buildings. There was little doubt in her mind who it was and, quickly reaching the pier and hauling herself up the small metal rungs, she gave chase.

There was little sound but the breaking of waves and the rocking of boats. Neither were loud enough to mask the smack of her wet boots against the concrete. Dodging and weaving between warehouses, crates, pallets and the occasional Bobcat, her senses were on high alert for the danger Wo Fat presented. She strained her ears for any indication as to where the bastard had gone as lighting was scarce and the gloom all consuming. It felt like it was reaching out for her, trying to drag her in and cause her to lose hope.

It felt like she ran for hours, eyes darting about and above, but in reality was probably only a minute or two before she caught sight of a pair of bright red lights. Tail lights…tail lights belonging to an in descript black SUV with no license plate. Tail lights that were moving away.

"Son of a bitch!" she growled, pushing her body to move faster, run harder as the vehicle oh so casually drove through the port`s gated rear entranceway. "Not this time, you asshole!"

Grabbing her gun, which thankfully had remained in its holster during her impromptu swim, she took aim at the SUV and fired. One after another, bullets ripped into the back end of the vehicle shattering taillights and perforating the metal chassis. Aiming for the tires, she let fly but missed as the SUV picked up speed and drove off into the night. She kept firing regardless, squeezing the trigger until the clicking of an empty magazine and her heavy pants of exertion brought her back down.

The vehicle was gone…Wo Fat was gone. She had failed. He had gotten away again and she`d been so close…so close. "Fuck!" Her yell was primal, echoing off the corrugated and rusting metal sheds.

With nothing more she could do, her cell phone no doubt ruined by the salty ocean water, she slammed her empty gun back into the holster at her hip and ran back towards her friends just as an anguished cry rose over the docks.

"Damnit man, don't do this to me…" Steve whispered, pleaded, begged his partner who lay so very still beneath his ministrations. A quick check revealed the blonde still had no apparent heartbeat. "No no no, fuck Danny! Fight like the stubborn bastard I know you are!"

"Steve…" Chin laid a gentle hand on the man's tense shoulders, but Steve just shrugged him off.

"Goddamn it man!" Fisting his hands together, Steve slammed them onto Danny's sternum just above the man`s heart. It had worked once in the field, why shouldn`t it work now? He ignored the retort of gunshots in the distance. "Think of Grace, Danny! Think of your little girl!"

"Steve!" He could hear the tears in Lori's voice as he hit his partner again, his own violent version of a cardiac compression.

"She'll grow up without a dad!"

A strike to his chest.

"She'll grow up without her Danno!"

A strike.

"You won't be there to walk her down the aisle!"

Another hit.

"See her have grandkids…"

Another strike.

"How can I…"

Once more.

"How can I possibly tell her you're never coming home?"

Danny`s body jolted as Steve struck him again. By now he was screaming. "I can`t do this without you man!"

Rearing back for another hit, a small noise came from the man below him before a geyser of water suddenly erupted from his partner's mouth. Gasps of surprise echoed through the warehouse as Steve quickly rolled his friend to the recovery position, hunching over him as he coughed up more and more water whilst straining against his bonds in confusion and fear. Leaning in close to wrap protective arms around his partner, Steve chose to ignore the tears running tracks down his still wet face as he listened to Danny just breathe. It had to be the sweetest sound in the whole fucking world.

The restraining hold had the blonde jerking back and forth, fighting to break free with a whimper that shattered his heart. Not daring to relinquish physical contact in case the blonde's body decided to give up and his friend left him for good, McGarrett began muttering encouragements and reassurances until his partner stilled enough that Steve could slip a handcuff key into the tiny metal slots.

"Jesus Christ, Danny…" Steve stuttered as he gently pried the metal cuffs off Danny's torn wrists, a reassuring hand on Danny's back as the man continued to shiver and cough wet, painful hacks. "You trying to give me a heart attack or what…? Shit, man!"

Tossing the bloodied shackles away like a dead diseased animal, he resumed his prior hold on his friend as Danny slowly succumbed to unconsciousness. The fear of nearly losing the man he considered a brother nearly consumed Steve again as the blonde stilled in his arms but his wet and ragged breathing was enough to bring him off the ledge. Two fingers ghosted across Danny`s jugular anyway, the reassuring but weak beat keeping him grounded as the quick tempo of hurried footfalls reached his ears. Looking up Steve spotted Kono rapidly approaching.

"Wo Fat?" Steve asked her, already expecting the negative shake of her head that came next. The man was a snake: always hiding in wait to strike then slinking away when things went south for him. As delicately as he could, Steve removed his grip from his partner and slid his arms from his over shirt, folding the material into a makeshift sling. Easing his partner onto his back just enough to make working easier, he carefully placed his injured arm inside and secured the fold behind his friends neck, being wary of the open wounds.

Finally able to just take a breath himself, he sighed and leaned hard against his knees. His internal litany of 'thank god…' quickly morphed into anger at the man who had once again slipped from his grasp. "That sick son of a bitch…he almost killed him…" And it's all my fault…

"Which is why we need to get out of Dodge and get to a hospital fast. I'll get the truck." Chin exclaimed, already heading towards the back loading doors. Steve hoped he had enough gas to get them to Wahiawa; he was certain he`d left the truck running.

Pushing his thoughts aside, he reached down and carefully tucked an arm beneath Danny's shoulders and the other under his knees. The unconscious detective gave a strangled groan of pain as Steve lifted him into his arms. Attempting to flee the pain, all he accomplished was having Danny`s arm slip from the sling. Steve cursed under his breath.

"Always have to make things difficult for me, eh?" he muttered, humor lining his tone. "Kono," He said, and she was there in a flash. "Readjust his arm for me would you? So it's not hanging by his side."

Nodding at the request, Kono soon had Danny in a quasi-comfortable position and Steve began a quick paced trek out of the warehouse. Weaving towards the exit around decimated crates and the subsequent debris, Steve stumbled a few times in his haste to get Danny to safety but the girls were right there to offer support and extra leverage when needed. Finally making it safely out the warehouse doors, Chin was already standing by with the Silverado ready to go.

With Lori on the phone with HPD in shotgun, demanding a perimeter lockdown and a BOLO for Wo Fat`s bullet riddled SUV and Chin behind the wheel, Kono helped boost Danny into the rear seat with Steve. With scarcely enough time to hop in the back with her friends and close the door, Kono grabbed the handle above the doorframe as Chin floored the gas, leaving behind a lone red Cruze and a silent harbor.

If anyone were to ask Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett just two days ago what one term he would use to describe himself, he would say without a doubt that he was a man in complete control of his life. Now, forty minutes after his bleeding and unconscious partner had been wrenched from his grasp and swept through the doors of Wahiawa General Hospital's Emergency department, Steve sat in one of the hard backed plastic chairs in the waiting room with no word as to whether the man who'd become his closest friend and confidant was alive or dead. As far as control was concerned, it went right out the window.

Patience was never one of his strong points and as he sat, elbows on knees and left heel tapping out a staccato rhythm on the pale green tiles, he glanced up at the clock once more. 3:27am; another minute…one more goddamn minute had gone by and still nothing, no declaration of Danny's health from anyone in the entire damn department. He was getting ready to break down those wretched glass sliding doors and finding the answers he needed himself.

The feeling of utter uselessness was also grating on his nerves, making him irritable and tetchy. The others were giving him a wide berth, even the sparse remaining individuals in the waiting with them, which he felt both appreciation for as well as guilt. None of this was their fault; if anything this was his burden to bear. They didn't deserve the sharp looks or barking retorts he'd been giving them the last while. He quickly ran his hands over his face as another minute passed. He'd have to apologize to Chin especially, who`d been on the phone the last while with HPD and the CSU. Hanging up with a quick "Keep me posted", he`d only been offering to grab Steve some coffee when he had bit the man`s head off. Here he was doing Steve`s job for him, making sure they had uniforms up to process the docks this early in the morning.

It was simply frustrating as all hell, the waiting and the unknown. After the Sarin scare nearly a year ago, Steve had promised himself that he would watch out for his team all the more; big load of good that had done.

The red second hand ticked steadily onwards around the clock face, the soft click of passing time reminded Steve of a bomb counting down, and wasn't that just sad. When a simple object reminded one of imminent and mass destruction, it was probably time to hang it all up.

Still 3:27.

Too busy glaring at the obtrusive appliance on the light taupe colored wall, he almost missed Chin's soft voice calling his name.

Looking up at the expectant face, he shook his head. "Sorry, what?"

"I said here you go." The man held out a steaming cup of java. The concoction smelt heavenly. "I figured you'd need it eventually, everything considered."

Sighing, feeling more the jerk, the Commander took the proffered coffee. "Thanks man. And look, I'm sorry-"

"Hey." Chin held up a hand, halting Steve's apology. "You're worried, I get that. No need to apologize, really. I promise you didn't harm my self esteem."

The man's grin and attempt at light humor did little for Steve's mood. Taking a quick sip of the rich dark brew, he gave a nod of satisfaction as the beverage began to warm his chilled hands. "Still no excuse. I'm not the only one worried here, and I was being selfish. I'm sorry."

Glancing past Chin, he took in the girls. Seated together shoulder to shoulder, both were nursing their own cups slowly and silently. Both were off in their own worlds; Kono was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as Lori stared vacantly at a spot on the floor. "It's been a rough day for all of us."

"We got him back, Steve. He'll be alright; he's a tough guy."

"And as soon as he gets out of this dump, I am going to LoJack his ass. And get everyone GPS chip implants."

Chin barked a laugh and this time Steve did smile. It couldn't help stop him from glancing again at the clock, though. 3:29, goddamn it all.

"Have you phoned Rachel?"

Oh, dear god! Steve covered his face with both hands, hating himself even more. How could he possibly have forgotten to phone his partners ex, the mother of Danny`s child? "Damnit, I'm slipping." He muttered, more to himself than to Chin.

"I`ll take that as a no." Chin chuckled, not envying Steve that phone call.

Reaching for a side pocket on his cargo pants, all intent to call the woman was halted as the sliders opened and he spotted the familiar white coat of a doctor. The physician was an older gentleman, gray spotting the temples of his short black hair. Laugh lines around his blue eyes and a hearty stomach told a life of luxury and happiness, but the frown he wore as he headed their way told another story. Steve hadn't realized he'd gotten to his feet until he firmly shook the man's hand, noting the name placard announcing the man as Dr. James Higgins and the large manila folder tucked under his arm.

"How's he doing, doctor?"

Having heard the exploits of the infamous Five-0 task force, Dr. Higgins needn't had to ask who the commander was speaking of. Running a hand through his hair, a gesture that reminded Steve a lot of his partner, he waved back towards the glass doors. "Please Commander, if you and your team would follow me? I'd like to speak to you all in private in my office."

Feeling Chin, Lori and Kono at his back, he nodded and followed the man into the bustling Emergency department. Nurses, nursing attendants, porters, doctors and various specialists and technicians made the trek to the good doctor's office a hard one, trying to stay out of people's way and not being run over by stretchers and echocardiograms alike. At one point Steve heard Lori apologizing to someone, and a mumbled "Sorry" from Chin before they headed down a fairly quiet hallway and into a spacious room. Overlooking the parking lot with wide floor to roof windows, the area was outfitted with a solid mahogany desk and rolling black leather chair in one corner, a comfortable looking red cloth couch just next to it and potted plants everywhere. It was like walking into the forest reserve.

"Please, have a seat." Dr. Higgins gestured to the sofa and laid himself down heavily onto the chair.

"How is he?" Kono asked in a tone close to pleading. "Can we see him?"

"At this time, Detective Williams has been transferred into surgery to repair the damage done to his shoulder. I cannot tell you how long the procedure will take, but for now I can give you a rundown on his condition." Passing his eyes over the four individuals before him, the doctor pulled open a drawer from his desk and retrieved a pair of reading glasses. Flipping the folder open and perching the glasses on his nose, he continued, "Detective Williams is one of the worst trauma conditions I've seen come into the hospital in quite a long time."

"Please," Steve prompted as the man paused. He was starting to get annoyed. "How is he?"

"Right now his vitals are still in serious condition but we managed to get him stabilized well enough for anesthesia. Upon triage it was determined the detective was suffering from multiple rib fractures, a complete break of left humerus and clavicle, a mild concussion, as well as damage to the trachea and multiple lacerations and bruising. We also discovered minor frostbite damage to his hands and feet."

"Frostbite?" Lori gaped, "In Hawaii? How does that happen?"

Chin growled long and low, shaking his head. "Shit." Meeting Steve`s eyes, he stated slowly, "There's an abandoned dairy factory just east along Twin Bridge, closer to the reserve. It's been closed for years, but…"

Steve shook his head, feeling ill again. "You can't blame yourself for missing it…" he consoled, though it did little to relieve the tension in the man's shoulder. Chin didn't have to say it, but where there were dairy products, there were freezers…The girls also seemed to understand and Steve watched a tear roll unheeded down Kono's face. Her eyes, though, promised more than a lifetime of pain for Wo Fat.

"What we were mainly worried about were Detective Williams' lungs, trachea and the damage to his shoulder." The doctor continued, his tone professional yet sympathetic. "We were able to get rushed x-rays of his torso and it seems he's suffering from aspiration pneumonia. It's a common form of pneumonia that can occur if you inhale food, drink, vomit, or saliva from your mouth into your lungs. This type of illness can also cause a lung abscess due to pus in the small cavities of the bronchi. Initial x-rays show no such abscesses as of yet, so we're hopefully. They're non-life threatening but can be quite painful with a lengthy recovery time. As of right now, with his breathing troubles and swelling trachea, we inserted a breathing tube to air on the side of caution. It will no doubt stay in place until his airways clear to a reasonable level."

"He was sick," Lori spoke up, "before he was…taken he was coming down with a cold. Is that going to impede possible treatment?"

"Unless the symptoms were caused by a viral infection the antibiotics we'll be treating the pneumonia with should take care of everything." Dr. Higgins reassured. "We'll start a round of powerful medication as soon as the surgeons are finished correcting the damage to his shoulder. On that note," he turned a few pages in his folder and gave it a quick read, "Due to the severity of the dislocation, there were quite serious tears to the supraspinatus tendon, which keeps the humerus within the socket, as well as three of the dominant muscles that make up the rotator cuff: the Supraspinatus, the Infraspinatus and the Teres Minor. I cannot foresee how the surgery will go, as that is not my field of expertise, but I have hope for a good prognosis. If all goes well, with physical therapy and the RICE method, he should make a full recovery."

Steve sighed in relief, wiping a hand down his face at the good news. He didn't want to count the proverbial chickens yet, but it was nice to finally hear something positive. As the man collected his file and stood, Steve followed suit and grabbed the man's hand in a hearty handshake. "Thanks doctor, for everything. Can you give us a time frame on when he may be out of surgery and ready for visitors?"

Returning the shake with a smile, Dr. Higgins just shrugged. "These kinds of things can be very tricky. There may be complications during surgery, or perhaps the surgeons go in expecting less damage than first believed. It could be anywhere from three to four hours or longer. One case I know about took nearly twelve hours to complete. We don't like making any false promises. I can tell you that I know the surgeon in charge of your friend and she's one of the best in the state. I'll have her debrief you on the procedure as soon as she's able."

"Thanks again, sir." Steve nodded.

Exchanging brief pleasantries, the team slowly made their way back through the craziness of Emergency and into the waiting room. The few people who had been scattered about the large space were gone to be replaced by new, anxious faces and Steve felt the heavy weight he'd been carrying around on his chest since his partner had gone missing deepen. With a heavy sigh, he watched his team flop back into the hard backed chairs as he slipped outside to make one of the toughest calls he'd ever had to make.

He always figured waiting was always the hardest part in any ordeal. During Steve's time with his SEAL team, and even before that, he'd come to this very stark realization quickly. What a lot of people didn't know was that there was a lot of lieu time in the military: waiting for orders between missions, for intel to trickle in, for the plane/helicopter/ship to take him where he was needed, for the perfect time to strike or move out, so on and so forth. As soon as a disheveled Rachel walked into the waiting area, Grace's small fingers gripping those of her mother, that theory was blown out of the water.

The look of anguish and fear etched on Grace's small, tear stained face nearly shattered his plan to remain calm and stoic in her presence. Releasing her mother's hand, she all but threw herself into Steve's waiting arms with a sobbed "Uncle Steve!" He felt her small body shudder as she sobbed into his shirt, and at that moment he decided that this, by far, was the hardest part. He would gladly take waiting around, lunatics with guns, or religious extremists. Hell, even anti-American terrorist plots before scared and crying little girls.

Wrapping her in his arms and muttering soothing, reassuring words into her ears Steve couldn't help but shoot Rachel a sharp glare over the little girls shoulder.

"What did you tell her?"

"Simply that her father was in the hospital Afterwards nothing I said could still her fears." Rachel explained under the steely look. Seating herself next to McGarrett, the English woman broke eye contact to stare at her shoes. Her hands were trembling. "She wanted nothing but to see her Uncle Steve."

Steve heard the underlying anger and resentment in her tone but he let it go. As Grace's sobs slowly turned to hiccups, he gripped her tight in the suddenly awkward atmosphere. He could understand the woman's position; a man her daughter had known only a short while was more an anchor to her than her own mother. Rubbing small circles along the little girls spine through the thin pink pajamas the child still wore, he looked at Rachel until she met his eyes. "He'll be ok, Rachel. Danny's as stubborn as they come."

She gave a brief nod before staring towards her black flats once again. All was quiet for several minutes before she spoke up. "Daniel was always one to make me worry," her voice was barely above a whisper. "Late nights at work, not knowing where he was or what kind of people he was dealing with. Knowing how dangerous the job was…it's enough to drive a person crazy with anxiety, you know?"

Steve just nodded and watched her closely, the telltale ticks of a person in distress clear in her body language.

"Once he was injured on the job I just couldn't handle it any more. He'd been shot of all things, chasing down some criminal." Her tone shifted to anger, though Steve doubted it was directed at his partner. "It was all just too difficult to manage. I thought once we were separated the worry would end, things would get better, and yet here I am time and time again." Watery with unshed tears, her dark eyes found his once again. "Does it ever get easier?"

"Not when it involves the people you love." He stated without pause, continuing to etch little spirals into Grace's back until he felt her tremors cease and breaths even out, asleep in his arms.

The morning dragged onwards, no one speaking as they were all lost within their own minds. Besides another coffee run from Lori, the group was still and silent as they waited for word on Danny. The clock was nearing 10:15 by the time a pretty, 30-something woman in green scrubs and a white coat stepped towards them from a hallway just off the waiting room. With her sleek black hair pulled up into a tight bun, horn rimmed glasses seated perfectly atop her small nose, she certainly did not look like someone who had just performed seven hours worth of surgery.

Spotting her approach, the team stood in unison, Grace abandoning the crossword puzzle she'd been diligently at to take her mothers hand.

The woman smiled, dazzling and bleach white. "With that reaction I can assume you're here for Detective Williams?"

With a tight nod Steve walked forward. "How did it go Dr…?"

"Dr. Patrice Lioli." The two quickly shook hands, the woman's small frame eclipsing the strength in her small, olive-skinned hand. "The surgery went well. It took some time to repair all the damaged muscles and ligaments, and we had to place two pins within the clavicle as the break was near complete. With lots of rest the break and tears should heal nicely and the Detective should regain all motor function with the help of physiotherapy. It now lays in Detective Williams hands as far as recovery time is concerned."

Steve smiled matched the good doctors as he heaved a sigh of relief. The prognosis by Dr. Higgins had been reassuring but the surgeons revelation seemed to make it all come home. Danny would be alright. "Can we see him?"

Dr. Lioli gave a curt nod then a 'come-hither' gesture with her head, walking back the way she had come through the narrow hallway. As they followed, she stated, "Detective Williams is still under anesthesia and probably will not regain consciousness for a few hours yet. Once he does, be sure to keep him calm and still so he doesn't do more harm to himself." Reaching a bank of elevators, she gave the up arrow a solid shove, taking in the group. "Also, I believe the units rules only allow two visitors at one time, for brief visits, but there is a visitor's lounge just outside the unit itself. Just so you're all aware."

Three floors and a brief discussion on visiting rotations later Steve, with Grace in hand, followed Dr. Lioli into the ICU and towards a room near the end of the hall. Stopping just short of the open doorway Steve turned to face the surgeon.

"Thank you for everything, doctor." He hoped his voice portrayed the immense gratitude he was feeling for her, for all the hospital staff who'd helped Danny.

"My pleasure Commander." Reaching into a breast pocket on her coat she pulled a small card. "If there's anything I can do for you in the future, any questions you may have about Detective Williams procedure, feel free to give me a call."

By the time he managed to dislodge the sudden lump in his throat she had already turned away and headed off unit. Watching her disappear with a swish of her white coat, a small tug on his hand had his attention turning back towards Danny's little girl. Taking a knee before her, her wide brown eyes still full of worry for her dad, he placed both hands on her tiny shoulders.

"Gracie, I need you to listen real carefully alright?" She gave a tight nod. "I don't want to scare you, but Danno was hurt pretty bad. I don't know what to expect when we see him but when he wakes up I have a very important job for you to do."

"Is it like the last time he was in the hospital?" she inquired, cocking her head to the side in a gesture much like her father.

He paused, remembering the Sarin incident in vivid color. He knew no matter what he said would make her upset so he pressed on. He wouldn't lie to her. "It's a bit worse than last time, sweetheart." He tried and failed to ignore the fresh tears welling in her eyes. "Hey, listen though. He's doing really good but when he wakes up he can't be moving around. You know how your dad likes to wave his hands? Well you have to make sure he doesn't ok?" Steve knew without a doubt that if Danny were to listen to anyone it would be Grace. He would never be able to deny her anything she asked.

"Ok." With a nod of her head and a reassuring smile from Steve he led her inside the room.

He knew when he walked inside it wouldn't be a pretty sight. The whitewashed walls were bare of any vibrancy, the only color visible being the blue sky outside. The room itself was dead silent but for the beeping of the heart monitor and the hiss of the ventilator as it pumped oxygen into his partner's lungs; knowing it was Danny's room, a man usually bordering on obnoxiously loud, it was a sobering atmosphere. The man in question lay still on the hospital bed, his left arm casted and shoulder wrapped in tight white bandages secured the arm to his chest with a light blue Velcro sling. The pale lax face of his partner was mottled in hues of purple and sickly green as the bruising that had hid behind the curtain of blood now on full display. A few stitches had closed the wound to Danny's head but hadn't been bandaged. Steve blanched at the patchy shave the nursing staff had performed to access the head wound and knew Danny would be ranting for weeks to come.

Grace didn't hesitate in the slightest, walking up to her father and taking his good hand in her own. Steve watched her rub the same circles onto his hand that he had done back in the waiting room that he'd seen Danny administer to his daughter whenever Grace was upset. "Get better soon, daddy," she whispered, barely tall enough to see over the raised bed rails. He could hear the small hitch of her breath as she fought back fear and tears. "I want to tell you all about the class project were doing at school. It's really cool and I think you'd like it. We're also going to be making volcanoes like Kilauea out of paper mache. I also have a book report I have to do. I picked The Wind in the Willows because you said you liked that book when you were little and I also…"

The more the little girl spoke, the louder her voice became as the last vestiges of worry leached from her voice. As Grace continued to regale her father with stories of school work, field trips and everything else under the sun, Steve lowered himself into the plastic chair beside the window, glancing momentarily outside. The brilliant sunshine seemed to make the dancing palm leaves glow in the breeze, the fluffy white clouds too sparse overhead to disrupt the warming rays. Yet another beautiful day in the Aloha State.

Rubbing a hand through his hair, Steve settled in for the long haul. Even though the hard plastic was near impossible to get comfortable in, he felt himself starting to nod off. To think the whole ordeal had only lasted 24 hours and change…it felt like it had lasted a lifetime. It also amazed him at how tired he was, a bone deep exhaustion that seemed to finally have caught up with him. On missions there were times he'd have to be up for days at a time, in countries where children younger than Grace were carrying guns and were just as dangerous as their adult counterparts, and he'd come out of those feeling less fatigued than how he felt now. Shaking his head, trying to clear the cobwebs of exhaustion, he no longer had the energy to fight it. He didn't know when it happened, but he was asleep long before Grace was finished illuminating the adventures of Mole, Badger, and the conceited Mr. Toad.

The world was nothing more than a fuzzy darkness in which Danny swam. There was no light, no color, but he could hear the faint and distant sound of voices as he slowly awoke. Smells of antiseptic and alcohol were powerful and he frowned. It also felt like someone was sitting on his chest, a deep aching pressure that wouldn't go away and made it hard to breathe. Trying to dispel the jerk who figured he made a good cushion, he tried to lift his arms to push and quickly found he couldn't. Flashes of a dark freezer, a metal chair in a warehouse and Wo Fat's dark eyes on him had his heart rate jumping and fear clawing into his gut. Then there had been water, too much water, no air. Where the hell was he? Why couldn't he move?

"Hey, Danny…you…"

Steve…even thought he sounded so far away, he recognized his partner's voice. Was he in trouble too? Did Wo Fat finally make his move and had taken his friend?

"Hey, man, wake up…gotta…down!"

Wake up? What the hell was he talking about?

"Danno!"

Oh God no! Not Grace, anyone but his daughter!

"DANNO!"

His eyes shot open, burning at the intensity of sudden light, and he shot forward so fast he was sure he'd just given himself whiplash. Sudden pain, blindness and his little girl's startled gasp had him flailing, trying desperately to find the source of the anguish and to track down his daughter. Fear clung to his lungs. He couldn't breathe. The water…

A solid hand on one shoulder clamped down hard, pushing him back into…something soft? What the fu…?

"Danny! Listen to me! You have to calm down!" The sharp bark of his partner, so close he could feel his breath, snapped his head in Steve's direction. His best friend and boss had a look of worry, bordering on panic, as he pinned him down against wheat he realized was a bed. "Just calm down man, you're good! We got you…we got you."

Closing his eyes, pushing down the memories of pain and a dark ocean, warehouses and beatings, he dropped his head back against the pillow as Steve released him. The man looked drawn and worried. Black shadows under his eyes made his partner look years older than he was. Taking small, even breathes he slowed his breathing rate with Steve`s continuing muttered assurances that all was well. He gave a pathetic groan as everything began to hurt practically from his hair down. The bright light streaming in from the open window didn't help his pounding head and he was forced to blink rapidly as his sight adjusted.

Grace…?

"Danno, you can't move." His daughters angelic voice came from his left as though an answer to his prayers. The glare of light surrounded her small frame and cast a holy glow about her hair as he twisted his head around to take in her form. Unhurt, healthy, whole. Safe. No dark freezer or black ocean…"The doctors and Uncle Steve said you have to stay still."

That's when he finally noticed the blue sling holding his arm hostage. No wonder he couldn`t move. "Ho-" The simple question quickly morphed into a fit of coughing that set his whole being on fire. His eyes watered and his ribs ached and by the time it passed he was certain he'd never breathe again. Inhaling deeply from the nasal cannula wrapped behind his ears he managed to get his breath back once again, albeit slower than last time.

Steve just grinned at him. "Can't keep quiet for two minutes can you?"

Danny glared. "I…" he swallowed thickly, his tongue feeling like sand, breath coming in short bursts. His throat felt like he`d scraped it with a pad of steel wool. "…hate you."

"Shut up. You love me."

Just then a knock came at his door and Chin poked his head in. The tall natives face bloomed into a wide smile as he came in, closely followed by Kono, Lori and Rachel. Walking to his bedside, Chin leaned against the rails. "Howzit, brah?"

"Hurts." Danny mumbled feeling too tired to save face. "Chest…heavy."

"I'm not surprised." Lori stated, moving to the foot of his bed and giving him a warm smile of her own. "Pneumonia takes a lot out of a person."

Danny shot Steve a questioning look. Pneumonia? "What…?"

"A lot happened." He partner's eyes flickered to his daughter and Danny got the hint. Not in front of Gracie. "You've been in and out for a few days now."

Danny gave Steve an incredulous look, trying and failing to keep his jaw from dropping. "What day…?"

"Tuesday."

"...Jesus."

"You're doing a lot better, brah." Kono stepped forward. "When you weren't getting any better the first twenty four hours they had you, they upped your medication. It kept you pretty out of it." She was smiling, why was she smiling?

"What?"

"Even in your sleep you don't stop talking."

"Oh…dear lord." Kono laughed, loud and infectious which caused most everyone in the room to smile. Danny wasn't so pleased. "Please say…I didn't make…an idiot of myself."

"All in good time, my friend." Chin was enjoying the situation way too much. "Just get better first. And I know this may be hard, but try not to talk so much? They had to intubate you, brah." His expression became somber. "Your throat`s going to hurt for a while. Silence will help."

"And don`t worry about your drug induced ramblings. It's all recorded anyway." Steve grinned devilishly.

"Now I…really hate you."

His partner laughed, crinkling the corners of his eyes, and Danny gave a contented sigh. As his mind began to wander back, attempting to regain some of the time he had lost, his good hand traveled to his throat at the memory of cold steel and his partners panicked shout. His fingers brushed against the soft wrappings he found there before a warm hand pulled them away and held on. He looked towards his beautiful little girl and found her dark eyes watching his carefully.

"Don't play with your band aids Danno." She stated, sounding the world like her mother.

"Yes ma'am." He grinned at her, giving her hand a squeeze. With a light tug, he brought her closer to wrap her in a deep hug. He breathed her in, the light scent of strawberries and coconut from her shampoo making him sigh in contentment. Ever so carefully as not to aggravate any injuries, she returned it.

"Love you, Danno." The whisper was soft, meant for him alone.

"Love you too Monkey."

They remained like that a long moment, father and daughter content just to be in each others arms, before Steve cleared his throat with a guilty look on his face. "Uh…would I be able to have a moment with Danny guys?"

No one hesitated to nod in confirmation, Rachel taking Graces hand as the little girl promised to buy her dad a present from the gift shop. Watching her go, then as the door closed with a light click, Danny turned back to Steve as the man's face went through an astounding array of emotions. There were a few Danny had yet to see or name but as his partner schooled his features into his classic Aneurism Face, the blonde knew what was coming.

"No."

"Danny…"

"No." He knew he was being stubborn but Steve couldn't keep doing this to himself. He wouldn't let him. "Blaming yourself…won't change anything."

His partner leaned forward in his chair, forearms resting on his knees as he pierced Danny with an intense look. "I should be in that bed, not you. It's my vendetta, my families' secrets and this drive for answers that nearly got you killed. This is-"

"Not your fault." Danny huffed, trying to sit up straighter. It wasn't working. "You can't blame…yourself every time Wo Fat…does something stupid. And you wonder…why you have gray hair."

"He was after me."

"I know."

"The car is trashed, by the way."

"I figured."

"The Governor has graciously offered to have it replaced."

"Nice guy."

There was a long pause before Steve dropped his gaze to the floor. "He got away from me again. HPD searched everywhere along the North Shore for the SUV he got away in. They found it abandoned in Malaekahana Park, but he was long gone before the blues arrived."

"You'll get him…eventually." Danny coughed as exhaustion began creeping up on him. "He'll slip up and when…he does, we'll be there."

"Yeah…" Steve watched as his friends eyes slowly closed, sleep pulling him back towards unconsciousness. "Yeah, we will."

"Just promise me…you'll let me…shoot him, just once."

Smirking, conscious lifted, Steve watched the Jersey detective slid back into a medicated sleep. Knowing his partner was going to be okay – physically and mentally -, knowing they were going to be okay and that Danny didn't blame him really allowed him to breathe easier. Leaning back, waiting for his ohana to return, he gave a nod.

"You've got yourself a deal."

Grace's squeal of delight echoed across the waves and sand of the small inlet behind the McGarrett residence. The sun shone high in the sky and radiated warmth on all that lay below. Danny wiped the back of his hand across his brow, scowling at both the immense humidity as well as the shenanigans going about in the water from his perch in one of Steve's lawn chairs. Watching as his partner once again lifted Grace high above his head before tossing her into the waves was increasing his high blood pressure.

"I swear to God, McGarrett, if you hurt my kid your death will be a slow and painful one!"

Steve just grinned at him like the petulant inner child he was and flashed Danny the shaka sign everyone in Hawaii seemed so fond of. Flashing his own sign at his partner when his daughter turned her back, he snatched his Longboard from the sand and placed the cold bottle against his temple. Steve just laughed.

It had been a little over a month since Danny had been discharged from the hospital and had been dragged, nearly against his will, into staying at Steve`s home. He was grateful that his friend cared as much as he did, but the man`s mother-henning had become overbearing very quickly. He allowed it to happen though, biting the bullet so Steve could hover and feel as though Danny wasn`t going to up and disappear on him again. Steve needed it, and deep down Danny was certain he needed it too. Most of his injuries were a thing of the past now, though the frostbite had left him with a loss of sensation in his right pinky toe. Thankfully it was only slight nerve damage, the doctor saying it would heal in time. His shoulder was also a work in progress, though he'd been going to see his physiotherapist regularly and no longer had to use that irritating, itchy sling. The large cast was still wrapped firmly around his arm but those things took time to heal; he remembered many a cast from his childhood. He'd probably also be setting off metal detectors the rest of his life, but if it meant mobility and the chance to go back to work then he'd happily deal with it.

The mental aspect of the whole thing was what he was struggling to come to terms with. He was lucky if he managed three hours of sleep a night, too often waking in a cold sweat or with a shout that had his partner running to his aid. It seemed he hadn`t really escaped Wo Fat at all as the man lurked inside his mind, turning pleasant dreams into nightmares that left him shaking. There was one in particular that continued to repeat through his mind like a bad record where instead of himself it was Steve with the chain around him and being dragged under that had had lost Danny quite a few hours of rest. One time it had been Grace in his place, and he`d barely made it to the washroom after waking from that one. He couldn`t even look at his ties anymore without imagining the chain tight around his neck, choking off his air and dragging him into the deep. His extensive collection now lay in a box shoved in the back of Steve`s guest room closet, along with pretty much every piece of clothing he owned. The man had wanted to make Danny as comfortable as possible for the length of his stay, and one could never say Steven J. McGarrett did anything half assed.

Danny saw his issues for what they were, and had even contemplated seeing a professional about his ordeal. That thought had lasted about ten seconds for two very important reasons: for one thing, even with his employee benefits, he knew he could never afford it. Secondly, who better to rant to than his partner? Who had nowhere to run from his ranting seeing as Danny was currently entrenched in his home. Plus, it was free. Perfect. Now he just had to get around to actually expressing how he was feeling to the guy, Mr. I`m-bleeding-out-but-I`m-fine-and-emotionally-stunted.

The soft pounding of feet on grass had him glancing over his shoulder. Lori and Kono, both clad in the smallest bikini's Danny had ever witnessed, flew past in a foot race to the waters edge. Both women laughed as they launched themselves into the water in a close finish, Steve declaring the blonde mainlander the winner much to Kono's disappointment. Danny gave a content sigh, watching as his team and Grace started up a chicken fight, the two women against Steve and Grace.

"You look like a lobster, brah." Danny glanced up to find Chin next to him, wearing board shorts and sandals.

"I don't know if you're aware of this little factoid, but back in New Jersey this is how most people get tanned. One must first roast themselves red thanks to the State being in a much higher latitude than here in Hawaii." He heard Chin give a chuckle. "Plus, it would seem I personally need an SPF higher than 50."

"Do they even make that?"

"Yeah, in Europe. No wonder the Swedes are so fair skinned." Danny watched with a wide grin as Grace managed to push Lori off Kono's shoulders. "Atta girl!" he yelled and chuckled when his daughter waved his way. Turning back to Chin, he squinted up in the bright sunlight. "You all just get here?"

"There was an accident along Ala Moana and traffic was horrid." The man mused. "Probably would have been quicker to walk over."

The team had been hard at work the last few weeks trying to track down how Wo Fat had so easily disappeared, on top of all the other cases that seemed to fall in their laps. Danny, not yet medically cleared to go back to work, had been bored stiff and, if here being completely honest, lonely. With his friends at work and Grace in school he had been chomping at the bit for something to do. Long walks on the beach and reruns of old baseball games could only do so much. Steve, over a longwinded phone call with Danny a week back when the blonde was going stir crazy on the couch, had proposed a team BBQ at his house. The timing couldn't have been more perfect as Five-0 wrapped up their last case on a weekend that Danny had Grace, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect besides the typical sweltering humidity.

"So the doc's say I should be work ready in another week or two." Danny stated as Chin took a seat in the soft sand. He glanced at the white cast, covered in signatures and advertisements for Kamekona`s shrimp truck courtesy of the big guy himself. "Still not ready for McGarrett`s idea of work but pushing papers and researching is a start."

"That's awesome, brah." Chins smile was bright, though it didn't stand a chance against the glare of his red Hawaiian print shirt. "It hasn't been the same without you around. Way too quiet."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not."

"Oh trust me, it's definitely a compliment. We need you back." Taking a long swing of a beer Danny had completely missed, Chin set it back into the sand next to the detectives own. "The whole group dynamic is shifted without you there, not to mention you`re the only one McGarrett will listen to half the time."

"Once you have kids, you acquire certain skills of persuasion."

The man`s barking laugh echoed through the trees as the others began to argue lightheartedly about which team were the victors. The wavy flittering refection of the sunshine hitting the water seemed peaceful enough but the haunting images of endless black ocean and pain still crept to the forefront of his mind. He hoped one day he`d be able to set foot in it again, to splash about with his little girl instead of a surrogate in the form of her `uncle`. Damn he was a mess. Maybe he really should just knuckle down and go see a shrink…

"Danny?"

The blonde felt Chins intense gaze on him, snapping him from his thoughts. The man looked worried but Danny simply waved him off. With a groan of sore muscles, he heaved himself from the deck chair and stretched like a cat. "How about we get dinner started and let the fish have their fun?"

"Sounds like a plan. Then we`ll go buy you an aloe plant."

It was Danny`s turn to laugh and, turning his back to the water, started up the short walk to Steve`s lanai, knowing that Grace was in safe hands. That he was in safe hands, no matter what happened. It still amazed him how close he`d gotten to each member of his team in the short amount of time he`d been here. The thought lightened his steps, to the point where even Chin noticed. Reaching the lanai, Chin stopped him with a soft hand on his shoulder. It must have been a prior look in the detectives eyes, maybe in the way he had held himself, acted, but the look his friend gave him held nothing but sincerity.

"If you ever need to talk, or in your case rant someone's ear off, remember we`re here for you. You`re ohana, a kaikua`ana." Chin expressed, his dark eyes impossible to escape from. "Thinking otherwise is pupule."

Danny held up a palm. "Stop, rewind. I`m a what in the who now?"

"Kaikua`ana means brother and pupule is the term for crazy."

"Pupule, huh?" Danny's eyes migrated to where his partner – his kaikua`ana - stood, splashing about in the surf. The man who'd saved his life, the man Danny would take a bullet for. Flashing the shaka, he grinned. Deep down, he knew he would eventually be ok, shrink or not. Because family – ohana – would always see things through to the end…would always be there for you regardless of circumstances. Even the insane, six foot Navy SEAL types. "Kind of suits him, don't you think?"

"If he asks you said it, not me."

Well, hoped you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you thought! Huge thanks to each and every person who sent reviews for this story! You were all so positive and encouraging. It made each step in posting this story that much better and more fun! It`s what makes me love writing fanfiction and makes me want to continue to please. I have a few other ideas in mind, so I hope to have another story in the works soon. Thanks for sticking this one through to the end. Until next time, aloha!

»Crystal Marionette«