Author's Note: I'm back with the very last chapter of this story. I was set on posting the last chapter tomorrow but I'm bored so I decided to do it now. Besides, why keep you waiting. I began writing this story a year and a half ago. I got about four chapters in and then the muse left me so I put this on the back burner. I came close to deleting this fic multiple times but something wouldn't let me. Now I'm glad I didn't because it helped get me back into writing. I would like to thank every last reader who read this fic but also the ones who reviewed, favorited, and followed, not only this fic but me as an author as well. You guys are amazing and awesome and wonderful and I should stop now because I'm starting to get out of control. To Meagan, the beta who not only fixed my mistakes but breathed life back into this story you are also amazing and wonderful and I look forward to having you read for me again. Now enough of this, on to the disclaimer:

Disclaimer: Don't own. There, that's clear enough for any idiot to understand.

A Race Against Time

Summary: He was trying to do the right thing, helping out a stranded stranger on the side of the road. Instead, the situation leaves Danny kidnapped and evidence proves that the situation wasn't random. With Danny missing the team discovers a ruthless plot involving the Russian Mob and relocated witness. The race is on to find Danny before it's too late where every second counts

Chapter Nine

"Tell me what you know," Natasha demanded.

"I don't know much," Danny stuttered, his entire body in pain. "They couldn't tell me much of anything."

"What's his name?"

He didn't want to tell her anything but he knew it would end badly for him and the girl if he didn't

"Edward...Edward Bristol," answered Danny sadly.

"And where does this Edward Bristol live?"

"Albuquerque, New Mexico but that's it. That's all I know."

"Now Detective, was that so hard?" asked Natasha cunningly with a grin. "If you would have just done what I asked none of this would have happened."

"I told you what I know now let the girl go," demanded Danny.

Natasha released a demeaning laugh. "Do you really think you are in any position to be making demands?"

"You said you would let her go if I talked."

"I say a lot of things I don't mean," she said laughing again. "You should know that by now."

"Please," pleaded Danny. "I don't care what happens to me but you can't kill a child. It's not right."

"You're right. I'm not going to kill her. You, on the other hand, well I promised my brother the honors. It's only fair after all, you did almost break his nose."

"Just let the girl go."

"As you wish."

She sauntered out of the room, leaving Danny alone once more. This was it. He didn't know how much time he had left before Natasha or Ian returned. He could only hope that they would keep their word and free the girl they'd taken. He also hoped that if his team didn't make it in time they would at least keep Mikel safe.

He didn't deserve to die because Danny couldn't keep his secret.

He had been alone for a few minutes when Ian came into the room, gun in hand and a smile on his face. Danny knew that his time had slowly run out.

"Any last words?"

"Yeah, go to hell," spat Danny angrily.

"Such brave words, for a dead man," smirked Ian as he raised his gun and centered it on Danny's forehead.

Danny didn't say anything. Instead he closed his eyes and let his mind fill with memories. Of his family back in Jersey and of his team, Chin, Kono, and Steve and all the fun times they had together. He thought of Steve who was like his brother in all the ways that counted. He thought back to his years with Rachel and the love they once shared. It was that love that gave Danny Grace, his daughter, the light of his life. He loved her with every fiber of his being and it hurt to know that he wasn't going to be there to watch her grow up. His only wish for her was that she grow up to be happy and know that he loved her immensely.

Off in the distance he could hear the sound of a gun being fired and his heart clenched.

They hadn't kept their word. The little girl was now dead and Danny wasn't too far behind.

Finally it came. Danny flinched as a loud bang filled the room as a shot was fired. He waited for pain to come and life slowly drain from his body. But it never did. Opening his eyes, he looked to see Ian falling to his knees with a hole in the middle of his forehead.

"Steve," mumbled Danny, too afraid that he was hallucinating his partner being there.

"Danny," cried Steve as he rushed to Danny's side and immediately began cutting away his binds.

"I'm here Danny."

Once he was free he tried to stand but found himself falling. Luckily for him Steve was right there to catch him.

He couldn't believe Steve was there with him. "You're here?"

"Of course I am," chuckled Steve as he began pulling Danny out of the room. "My partner was in trouble. Where else I would be?"

Danny whispered painfully. "I thought I was going to die."

"Never. Not on my watch."

Danny could only hum contently as he fell unconscious.

When he came too Danny was lying on his back. He still could barely see but he knew he wasn't in the room anymore but someone was trying to strap him down. "Steve...Steve-" Danny called out frightened.

"I'm here buddy," replied Steve grabbing Danny's hand for extra reassurance. "I'm right here."

"The girl. They have a little-"

"Girl, I know Danno. We got her too. You just sit back and let the paramedics do their job."

"They know," whispered Danny regrettably. "I didn't want to tell them but I couldn't...I couldn't let her die."

"You don't have to worry about them anymore," growled Steve, anger flowing through him at the mere mention of the people responsible for Danny's pain.

Flashback

They had the building surrounded. They were keeping Danny in an abandoned warehouse that hadn't been occupied for years. Because of it's location Steve demanded that S.W.A.T stay back while he and his team went inside the building. Steve didn't want to risk either Danny or the young girl getting hurt.

Just as they where about to enter the building Natasha came out. Without hesitating, Steve made himself known and pointed his gun at the red head.

"Don't move," he growled.

Natasha halted and slowly began to turn around. "You're too late," she replied as she continued to turn.

"He's already dead."

"If he's dead then so are you." threatened Steve.

"Not if you are first," she said as she reached for her gun but she never got the chance. Steve ended her life before she even got the chance to fire her weapon.

Steve turned to Chin and Kono. "You two find the girl. I'm going to find Danny."

They shared a nod and entered the building with haste. While Kono and Chin went right, Steve went left. It didn't take him long to find the room where Danny was being held. He slowly entered the room, without alerting Ian or Danny to his presence. Then, without even issuing a warning, he fired. He hit his target with precision and watched contently as the man began to drop to the ground. He waited for Danny to open his eyes and for his partner to see that he had come for him.

"Steve-"

End of flashback

He continued squeezing Danny's hand as his partner remained quiet while being lifted into the ambulance. He gave Chin and Kono a nod, knowing they would handle things at the scene, and got into the back of the ambulance.

He wasn't about to let Danny out of his sight no time soon.

Two hours later Danny awoke. His body was no longer in pain and he immediately knew he was in the hospital. He also knew that Steve was sitting next to him.

"Steve-" Danny called out to his partner, alerting him that he was awake.

"Thank god," sighed Steve, relieved that his partner was once again conscious.

"Better than I was earlier I'll tell you that," chuckled Danny softly as he tried to sit up. He was instantly pushed back down.

"Don't move. You have a couple of cracked ribs so the doctor had to bandaged your chest," Steve stated as he gently touched Danny's chest. "I'm gonna go get the doctor." Steve raced out of the room and returned a few minutes later with the doctor in tow.

"Nice to see you're finally awake Detective Williams. My name is Dr. Allen," he introduced with a smile.

"What else is wrong with doc?"

"Well you have several cracked ribs, a moderate concussion, a sprained left ankle, and a series of bruises on your body along with facial swelling. There was also blood in your urine which means that you're kidneys are heavily bruised from the multiple kicks to the back you sustained."

"Is that life threatening?" asked Danny fearfully.

"No," the doctor replied. "The bruising will heal and the blood won't be a factor after a day or two. You are expected to make a full recovery."

"So I can leave-"

"I want you here at least a full day, to keep an eye on the concussion and bruising," Dr. Allen stated sternly. "After that we'll see if you can go home."

"Is that really necessary?" asked Danny with a pout. He really did not want to spend the night in the hospital.

"Yes," answered Steve before the doctor could even answer.

Danny rolled his eyes at Steve. "Thank you doctor," he replied sarcastically.

Dr. Allen simply grinned. "Your partner's right. It is necessary we keep you here overnight," he clarified.

"Okay doc, I'll stay."

"Good call," the doctor chuckled. "Let me know if you need anything detective."

Danny and Steve watched the doctor leave the room before Danny turned to Steve.

"What happened to Natalie and her schmuck sidekick?" asked Danny.

"First off their names were Natasha and Ian Black and they were hired by Mikel's sister Eva."

"Eva, I remember Mikel telling me he had a sister with that name who was younger than him. She was only his half sister so he didn't see her often."

Steve nodded and began relaying everything to Danny that he didn't know. "Well according to her Mikel was in possession of some very valuable information that she wanted and needed you to get it. She had already killed the agent assigned to the case a few weeks ago."

"An Agent Byrd right."

"Right," nodded Steve. "But they couldn't find the answers they wanted with him so they came after you."

Danny's mood quickly changed as he was suddenly filled with dread.

"I didn't want to tell them," he tried to explain, shaking his head. "I didn't want to tell them anything but when they were going to kill that girl I couldn't, I couldn't not say anything Steve," he finished with a sad frown.

Steve grabbed Danny's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "I know Danny," he replied as sincerely as possible.

"You did the right thing. Nora is home safe because of you."

"Her name's Nora."

"Nora Turner to be exact," smiled Steve.

Danny sighed and started to smile. "You never answered my question. What happened to Ian and Natasha?"

"Well you saw what happened to Ian," he answered, growling sternly. "Natasha met the same fate."

"And Eva?"

His tone was the same. "In jail. She won't be getting out any time soon."

"So Mikel, he's safe?"

"He's safe Danny. No one knows where he is so you don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Good, that's good," replied Danny as he sighed relieved.

For a brief moment he was quiet, not trusting himself to say anything when he suddenly began to talk. "You know, for a moment there I really thought my life was over," he stated, frowning. "Ian held that gun to my head and all I could think about was the people I loved and how I was never going to see them again. I was never going to see Grace graduate from high school or college. Or walk her down the aisle. I was resolved to never being there for my daughter ever again."

"Danny you have to know I was never going to let that happen."

"Steve-"

But Steve refused to let him continue. "No Danny...just no," he stated firmly. "There's nothing I won't do for you. You know that right. After all the times you've been there for me, rescued me I will never hesitate to do the same for you. Never," he said as he squeezed Danny's hand for even more confirmation.

Danny gave Steve a soft smile. "Okay," he said, nodding his head in understanding. "Thank you."

Steve grinned. "You don't have to thank me Danny. You're my partner, best friend, and brother. I love you."

"Love you too," Danny stated.

"Good, now get some sleep. I called Rachel and told her what happened. She said she'll stop by with Grace for a visit." The smile on Danny's face grew. "That's the best news I've heard all day."

"I thought you might like it," chuckled Steve.

"I never thought I would one day have a giant goof for a partner," Danny replied, rolling his eyes.

"As long as I'm your only goof of a partner than I don't mind."

"Always," confirmed Danny as he closed his eyes.

Two days later Danny was released from the hospital and quickly found himself in Steve's care. All Danny wanted to do is go home and rest in his own bed but Steve refused to listen to his voice of reason. Instead of Steve taking him home like he had been asked Danny was being driven on the familiar route that would ultimately lead to Steve's house.

"Steven what part of I want to go to my place didn't you understand?" growled Danny as they turned onto Steve's street. Steve looked at his partner and scowled. Even though Danny had been cleared to leave the hospital he still looked battered. The concussion was gone and the bruises were starting to fade but he still had cracked ribs and a sprained ankle. Taking Danny home and leaving him there alone was not even an option.

"Um the part where the doctor recommended someone stay with you for the next couple of days just to make sure you don't hurt yourself," Steve retorted as he pulled up in his driveway.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I'm fine Steve," he stated gruffly.

"Not according to the doctor you aren't."

"Seriously," squawked Danny completely flabbergasted. Danny remembered all the times Steve had been in the hospital and disregarded advice from doctors to take it easy. "Seriously, I'm getting patient advice from you."

Steve got out of the car and moved to the passenger side. "Danny it's just for a couple of days," he reiterated when he opened the door to help Danny out of the car.

"And how exactly are you going to take care of me? You have work remember. The boss can't just take two days off whenever he wants."

"So now I'm the boss," snickered Steve as he swung his arm around Danny's waist and helped his partner to the door. "If you want to know I'll be taking the next two days off and yes, I already cleared it with Denning.

Five-0 is not taking any cases unless there is an absolute emergency. You're staying with me and that's final," he stated as he opened the door and helped Danny inside.

"Steven-"

"Besides, I talked to Grace and she agrees with me."

Danny glared bitterly at his partner who was in the process of sitting him on the living room sofa.

"Using my own daughter against me. That's low Steve, even for you," Danny said with a growl.

Steve continued to smile. "When it comes to your well-being I don't fight fair," he said, shrugging nonchalantly.

He opened his mouth to retort but instead released a defeated sigh. "I guess I really don't have a choice do I?" he proclaimed, rolling his eyes as he leaned back against the chair.

Shaking his head he began to chuckle. "I don't even know why you tried."

"Fine, but I want steak for dinner," demanded Danny as he closed his eye, the drive home and the movement tiring him out. The doctor did tell him to rest after all.

"T-bones are marinating as we speak."

"Good. Hey Steve."

Steve, who was in the process of going back outside to grab Danny's bag from the car, turned around to find Danny smiling at him. "Yeah."

"Thanks...you know for everything."

Steve returned the smile wholeheartedly.

"Anytime partner. Anytime."

I DID IT! I finished it. Complete. No more chapters to post. I hoped you liked the ending because I did, that's why I ended it this way. Once again thanks to everyone who has read, commented, favorited, and followed. You guys rock. Will there be more multi-chapter fics from me, I hope so. Who knows, maybe next season will give me some good inspiration I can work with. However, I do know that their will be a few one-shots posted in the upcoming weeks so be prepared. Also can anyone guess why I choose Albuquerque, New Mexico of all places to have Mikel relocated too. Thanks for reading and if you liked what you read let me know. Until next time, l.

Don't sweat the small stuff. It's way to hot for it.

Ladycizzle