A/N: This is the final chapter. I'm glad you've all enjoyed the story and I really appreciate the reviews.

Chapter Three

"Chin did the paramedic's say anything before they left." The ambulance was gone before Steve was pulled from the water.

"No. Come on lets get the two of you into dry clothes then we can go see how Danny is." Chin helped pull Kono over the sea wall.

When they got to the hospital Danny was already in surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder. Steve paced the waiting room until the ER doctor, who had treated Danny on arrival, came to see them.

"Please sit down, Commander McGarrett." Steve sat. Chin and Kono on either side of him.

"Detective Williams has two cracked ribs on the left side. They should heal without any problem. We checked for internal injuries and found none. The bullet wound to his shoulder is of great concern, though. It was well over five hours old by the time he got here, and it had already become infected. The bullet entered at an angle and nicked the Clavicle. That changed its direction downward where it lodged in the Scapula. It did a fair amount of damage on its journey and will be slow to heal. The surgeon will remove the bullet, and repair the damage. She will also clean the wound, and hopefully we can stop the infection with antibiotics."

"So he'll be okay?" Kono asked.

"I hope so. But he's not out of the wood yet. As long as we can keep the infection down he should pull through. But if the infection takes hold, and sepsis sets in, then we could still lose him."

"That's not going to happen." Steve stood abruptly. "We thought we lost him once today. Now we have him back we're not going to lose him again."

"Okay, Commander." The doctor also stood. "I'd suggest you go up to the ICU waiting room. That's where they'll take Detective Williams after surgery."

It was another two hours before Danny was wheeled into the ICU unit. Once he was settled the rest of the team was allowed in to see him. They'd been told they couldn't stay. But that changed after Chin called the Governor. Chairs were brought in, and the three of them sat back against the wall out of the way.

So their vigil started. Danny's temperature was at 103, and rose to 104 over the next hour. Cooling blankets were brought in, and ice was applied, but still Danny's temperature rose. They'd changed the antibiotics at 104, but at 105 the doctors were all shaking their heads.

Steve moved his chair over to Danny's bed and picked up his right hand.

"Danny, come on partner. You can't go like this. I didn't find you just to lose you again. I won't accept that. You have to fight this for Grace, and for me. I need you."

Kono walked over to the other side of the bed and perched on the edge. She laid one hand on Danny's chest, and ran her other hand through his hair.

"Danny, listen to Steve. We know you can beat this, and we all need you. The team will be nothing without you."

They stayed like that for a few minutes until a nurse came in and they had to move back out of the way. The nurse checked Danny's vitals, but found no change. She adjusted the ice packs and left again. Steve and Kono resumed their positions by Danny, but neither said anything more.

An hour later Danny's temperature was still 105, but an hour after that it was 104. Steve and Kono smiled at each other and settled back against the wall to wait some more.

The doctors said the antibiotics did the trick, but Kono believed it was she and Steve who brought Danny back. Especially when much later Danny said he'd heard them through his fever and knew he couldn't leave them alone.

It was another day before Danny was moved into a private room. The team each took eight hours shifts so that he was never alone.

Max confirmed that the body pulled from the warehouse was indeed that of Fred Coleman. But they didn't yet know the whole story of why Coleman was still in the building, or how Danny managed to get into the tunnel.

Two days after he was admitted to the hospital Danny was finally awake enough to fill the team in on what had happened, after Steve left him.

"I guess we delayed him enough that he didn't think he could get out of the building in time." Danny finished "He must have known about the tunnel and figured that was his best chance to escape. Wouldn't that have been funny? He'd have been trapped in that tunnel and died without anyone knowing."

"How so?" Kono asked.

"Well no one would have been looking for him the way you guys looked for me. I suppose he may have been able to dig his way out, but I doubt that. I think he'd have drowned trying to get out."

"Yeah, I agree with Danny." Steve said. "Now, how about we let you rest. The doctors think they may release you tomorrow if you keep improving."

Chin, and Kono, stood to leave with Steve.

"Steve, stay a minute would you?" Danny asked.

"What is it Danny? You need something?" Steve moved back to the bed as Chin and Kono left the room.

"No, Steven, I don't need anything. But you need to let go of the guilt. I can see it every time you look at me. I may be hurt, but I'm not blind you know."

"Look Danny." Steve ran his hands over his face and sat back down. "I left you behind. You could have died. In fact we thought you had for almost four hours."

"I'm sorry you went through that, Steve, but I didn't die. I'm here now, and there is no reason for you to feel guilty. I told you to leave me, remember? I also told you that I'd get myself out and we both thought that Coleman had left the warehouse."

"Yes, I know. But what if that tunnel hadn't been there and Coleman had really left. You wouldn't have made it out in time, and you know that." Steve started to pace beside the bed.

"I do know that, Steven. But I also know that it was my choice and you have got to let go of the guilt." Danny reached out to Steve, who stopped pacing and took his hand. "Now promise me that you will let this go." Danny looked down as a sly smile touched his lips. "If you feel guilt every time you look at me. Then how can I stay with you when I'm released? I couldn't stand it. I'll have to go home and be all alone, with no one to look after me." Danny looked up at Steve expectantly.

"You'll stay with me without protest?" Steve asked. "Do what the doctors say and take it easy?"

"The last part I can't guarantee, but I'll try." Danny thought he'd convinced Steve until his next words.

"All I have to do is stop feeling guilty that I almost got you killed, again? Isn't that what you always tell me? That I'll get you killed?" Steve was serious. Danny couldn't believe it.

"Okay, stop it!" Danny threw his hand in the air. "You know I don't mean it when I say that stuff and anyway, this time it doesn't even apply. NONE OF THIS WAS YOUR FAULT, STEVEN."

"But I feel like it was my fault." Steve's voice was quiet.

Danny held his hand out, again, and waited for Steve to take it.

"Then I tell you what you do." Danny spoke just as quietly. "You apologise. I accept. We move on. Deal?"

Steve stood and thought for a while, as he looked at the sincerity in Danny's face.

"Okay. Deal. But you're staying with me. No protests. And you'll do what the doctors say."

"No more guilt?" Danny smiled.

"No more guilt." Steve smiled too.

The End