Disclaimer: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

Authors Note: Birthday fic for Jlopie! I cannot believe you wanted another one! Greedy, greedy, Rancher Woman! Heartfelt thank you to praemonitus praemunitus and Wenwalke for the beta. So appreciate that you put up with this craziness.

Ponopono – To put to rights.

As Always … Enjoy!

Chapter 1

"Hello?"

"Hey Monkey, how are you? You alright? I love you, very much."

"Danno, where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course I'm okay. I'm always okay, huh. How are you, I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy. But … when are you coming home?"

"I'm gonna come home very soon, Monkey, I promise, I'm coming home right away, I love you …

There was a click and then silence.

"Danno … Danno, are you there?"

"Danno?"

"DADDY!"

Grace took the phone away from her ear, cupping it in both hands to look at the screen. The display had gone gray, the circular icons fading out to the white of her keypad. She stared at the numbers, unable to move, until the splat of a tear upon the face plate made her blink, and then blink again. She held the phone further away from her, waiting. If she lingered long enough, maybe it would ring again. Then she could hear his voice, know that he was okay and be able to tell him that she loved him …

The hair on the back of her neck and forearms lifted, goosebumps running along her flesh.

"No …"

"That's the last time …" She shook her head, kicking her legs over the side of the bed and let them dangle there.

"No, Uncle Steve said …" she argued with herself.

"Danno's not coming back …"

The screen on her phone went black. Her eyes widened.

"NO!" She argued again. "He said he'd bring Danno …"

Grace's lips trembled as she pulled the phone closer, wiping the back of her hand underneath her nose to keep it from running. With a slight push off the bed, she started pacing, her finger hovering over the home button. Just a push and a swipe, and then she could contact Uncle Steve. Tell him that Danno had called. That he'd said he was okay and told her that he loved her. That …

"He said goodbye."

"NO!"

She pushed the button, but the phone slipped through her fingers and bounced from the rug onto the hardwood, tumbling until it came to a stop. A sob escaped as her knees hit the floor. She crawled towards the cell to pick it back up. More tears dribbled down her cheeks and dripped off her chin. This time, she clenched the sides of the phone as if it were a lifeline.

She slid her finger across the screen, tapped on 'phone' and then 'favorites' before she hesitated at the picture of her uncle.

"Please answer."

She touched his name and then waited, the phone pressed hard against her ear.

"Commander Steve McGarrett from Five-0. Leave a message. I'll get back to you."

Grace never heard the connection beep into voicemail.

"No … no, No, NO!" Her head shook from side to side as she pushed off her knees and then stumbled towards the bedroom door. She kept the phone cradled to her ear as she flung the door open.

"MOM!"

Although she called out to her mother, her attention was still on communicating what she needed from her uncle.

"He has to come back … you said he would … you promised and he said he loves me …"

"MOM!"

Her yell echoed down the hallway.

"Grace?"

Rachel's voice answered.

Grace's bare feet slapped against the cold floor boards as she staggered towards the kitchen. She'd barely stopped in front of her mother at the counter before she thrust the cell into her face. Her mom tried to sidestep around the phone, but Grace kept shoving it back at her.

"Tell him! Tell him … he has to bring Danno home! He has to …"

She was barely getting the words out.

"What?"

Her mother stared blankly back at her, but was finally able to grab at Grace's wrist.

"Uncle Steve promised … then Danno called … to say GOODBYE!"

It was Rachel's turn to look shell shocked, until Grace broke her mom's grip, grabbed her mom's hand and slapped the cell into it. She pushed the phone back at her.

"TELL HIM!"

Grace's scream made her mother jump. Rachel was still holding the device away from her body, not quite up to her ear, her other arm reaching out towards Grace, palm extended.

"TELL HIM!"

She batted away her mom's hand before her world unexpectedly tilted, her knees gave out and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing hysterically.

H50

"Hold up, son," Joe murmured. His fingers latched onto Steve's sleeve, stopping him from pacing as the silhouette of two guards dragging something, no, someone, came into view.

"That's got to be …" Steve squinted into the shadows.

"Fuck."

"Danny …" He wrenched his shoulder out of Joe's grasp, inching forward until his hands were placed on the wrought iron gates. If that was Danny that the guards were manhandling ….

"Jesus, Danno, what did they …"

He couldn't complete his thought. Because that was Danny. And even though his eyes told him so, he still couldn't wrap his brain around the fact that his partner wasn't walking out of this hellhole and was being scraped across the concrete, arms still handcuffed behind him. Both guards held Danny by his biceps, his shoulders probably ready to dislocate as his head swung inches above the ground. And just about the time Steve thought his mind had caught up with the images, the fuckers dropped him. Dropped their prisoner and stood staring, not at Danny, but at Steve, daring him to protest.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

All he could do was press against the rusted iron gates harder, his knuckles turning white from the force against them, until the electronic lock on the double gates popped. The sound was familiar and Steve didn't hesitate—not a second—though he saw the guards draw on him as he sprinted towards his partner.

He didn't care. He knew Joe was hot on his heels, screaming out … something. And whatever the man said had worked. The guards stepped back when he dropped to his knees beside Danny. Stepped back further when he glared at them and held out his hand for the cuff keys before Joe intervened again.

"I got 'em."

So Steve concentrated on his partner. His best friend who had yet to move … not even an inch.

"Come on Danno." Steve bent over, his chest collapsed against his thighs, both hands pushing against the heat of the concrete as he peered into his friends bloodied face. Christ, he was afraid to touch him.

"Here, son." Joe held out the ring of keys, one of them pinched between his thumb and his forefinger.

Once Steve had straightened from his crouch and accepted the key, he tried to be gentle while removing the restraints. But he was furious that Danny had been cuffed and leg ironed to begin with. It was obvious they'd beaten the snot out of his partner for fucks sake. It wasn't like he was going to make a run for it.

Joe had returned to facing off with the guards and had a brief conversation, which Steve ignored, before he turned back towards him.

"They said we're free to go."

If Steve didn't already have his hands full of a bloodied and bruised Danny, he would've scoffed at the permission given and told them where to shove it. Instead he chucked the restraints towards one of the guards, forcing the man backwards to avoid the collision of heavy chains against his shins.

"Steve …" Joe bent down, his warning unmistakable. The man's hand reached out towards his partner, about to settle on Danny's shoulder.

"Don't touch him."

"Steve …"

"No, I said don't touch him, Joe. Just … I've got him."

When Steve went to gather Danny up in his arms, his partner whimpered, actually fucking whimpered and shied away from the contact.

"Jesus … sorry, Danno." Steve's voice cracked. He'd no idea how or where to touch his friend without causing pain. "I've got to get you out of here, buddy. Just hold on …"

So he ignored the sounds coming from his partner before he was finally able to cradle Danny against his chest in a one person lift. One of Danny's arms flopped to the side, dangling, after he'd gotten him settled. Joe had gone to lift it back up, but hesitated, looking at Steve for permission.

"Yeah, just place it back up here on his lap."

Steve shifted his partner in his arms again, making sure that Danny's head was tucked underneath his chin. He knew his partner was somewhat lucid, but his eyelids never opened, and Steve didn't push him. Instead he continued to whisper encouragements, glaring at anyone and everyone, including Joe. Once he'd finally gotten Danny settled, he started moving towards the exit, ignoring the guards. He nodded at Joe to go ahead of them, make sure the gates were opened so they could get through.

Steve was scowling, his brow furrowed as he strode out of the prison. As much as he tried to be gentle, Danny still groaned when he was jarred.

"Almost there, Danno. Hang on a bit longer." He hurried towards the SUV, again nodding at Joe to get the door to the backseat.

"Thanks," he growled.

Still unwilling to allow Joe to touch Danny, Steve maneuvered his partner onto his lap and scooted both of them across the seat. Once they were finally in, and Joe had closed the door, Steve twisted his torso just enough to get his friend laying down, but still kept Danny's head resting against his thigh. He needed to determine his friend's injuries, but getting the hell out of there was way more important.

Joe had jogged around the front of the SUV and clambered into the driver seat.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Joe nodded, practically peeling away from the prison as if their asses were on fire. Steve wouldn't allow himself to relax until they'd arrived at El Dorado International Airport and gotten Danny onto the military transport aircraft that they were hitching a ride on. Not knowing what shape his partner would be in once they got to him, Steve had hoped that he had enough medical knowledge to keep his friend stable. Now he wasn't so sure that would be enough.

Both of Danny's wrists were scraped raw, but it was what was underneath his partner's filthy clothes that had Steve the most worried. Just from the look of his friend's bruises and cuts across his face didn't bode well for the rest of his body.

"How is he?"

"Honestly… I don't know." Steve pressed two fingers against Danny's common carotid. "I just … I don't know," he whispered.

H50

Danny's head was still cradled within Steve's lap, his partner sprawled across several jump seats. They were squished into the furthest corner away from the stacked cargo, Steve's back resting against the bulkhead, one foot on the floor, his other leg tucked between Danny's torso and seat backs. He had no idea what to do with his hands, alternating between raking his fingers through his hair or laying them atop his friend's shoulders to steady him. Their conscripted medic had made Danny as comfortable as possible for the twelve hour flight, but nothing could keep Steve from revisiting what he'd seen. The evidence of each beat down was painted across his partner's body in black and blue. At one point, Danny had screamed during the medics exam of his ribcage before he was able to bite the sound back into muted grunts. No matter how much Steve had coached and then pleaded, his friend's face had remained pinched, his eyelids closed.

"He should be alright for the remainder of the flight, Commander. I'll check him again just before we land."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Sir."

The medic slipped further down the row and settled in for the long haul, still within hearing range. Joe had moved closer.

"You should get some sleep, son. I'll keep an eye on Danny." Joe reached out to place a hand on his partner's leg, but at the last minute pulled back.

Steve didn't bother with an answer after the aborted gesture, just kept his eyes focused on his partner's face, trying to gage each restless twitch in case it warranted a need. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Joe scooting down a few seats so he could rest. He wondered how the man did it, pushed aside all the ugly, even when the ugly involved 'ohana. Because every time he closed his eyes, not only did he see Danny's injuries, but he heard Grace's screams.

Steve shuddered.

They'd had to wait in Ortega almost fourteen hours before getting word from Kono and Lou, via sat phone, that their tête-à-tête with Anderson had been completed and the deal brokered. Waited while Frank Bama had helicoptered them to Sibate, an hour drive outside of Bogotá, before they could make their move. They'd been scrambling after that. Bama had arranged for the SUV in Sibate, which they'd dropped off at El Dorado International before flying out. It'd been during the wait in Ortega, however, that Steve had finally checked his cell.

One missed call from Grace.

Without thinking twice about it, he'd tapped on her name to listen to her message. What he'd heard almost dropped him to his knees.

"…to say GOODBYE!"

Grace's voice. Her words alone had made him need to call her. But …

"TELL HIM!"

Grace's scream …

"TELL HIM!"

Had torn his heart out.

The lights in the cargo hold dimmed. Steve closed his eyes, throwing his head back against the bulkhead, ignoring the dampness on his face, the hitch of his breathing. But then Danny flinched, letting out a moan, so Steve leaned forward.

"Shhh, Danno. Almost home." His voice sounded like sandpaper on unpolished wood.

He pulled his partner up a bit further into his lap, cradled him in his arms, making sure not to dislodge the IV. Danny's head lay in the crook of his elbow now, his face turned more so Steve could see him. It was only then that he noticed his friend staring at him, eyelids open just a crack, but still open.

"Hey … you need anything?"

"Cold …"

"Alright, hang on." Steve cleared his throat and then reached below the cargo seat, pulling out the two blankets stashed there. The slight move forced more grunts from his partner, though.

"Sorry, buddy. Here …"

Before he covered his friend, he re-cataloged every cut and bruise and scrape and bandage, committing them—again—to his memory. Every hour that had passed made Danny look more and more like a Technicolor movie, saturated levels of color bridged together by what might as well have been super glue and duct tape.

Steve wiped his nose across his sleeve and then a hand across both cheeks, but the waterworks fucking wouldn't let up. Grace's screams kept ringing in his ears and Danno …

"Christ …" Steve growled deep within his throat, frustrated with himself. His chin dropped onto his chest as he clenched his teeth, but he was shaking now and he couldn't make it stop.

When he felt Danny's arm move, he looked up only to find his friend reaching for him. Steve grabbed at the trembling hand, weaving his fingers between his partners and then gently squeezing. Even though Danny's fingers were freezing, the intent was clear.

"…k?"

The absurdity of Danny being the one to ask that question had Steve chuckling through more snot and tears.

"Yeah, Danno, I'm good."

"Sure?"

"Yep, I'm sure."

Danny blinked, a slow drag of his lids down and then up before he could ask …

"Home?"

"Yeah. I'm taking you home, brother."

~to be continued~