Disclaimer: I don't own Without a Trace, any of the characters, storylines, or actors.

A/N: This fic is set after the season 4 episode 'Patient X', and is a different way that Martin's addiction could have played out. The main focus is Danny/Martin friendship but includes some minor Danny/Elena pairing. I hope you enjoy. And as always feedback is loved.

A shrill ringing jolted through the silence of Danny Taylor's dark bedroom. Through sleep-blurred eyes he peered at the illuminated numbers on his alarm clock, which informed him that it was precisely 2:27 am. Swearing loudly, Danny fumbled to find his cell phone from side table. Could they not make it through one whole night without a case?

"Hello?" Danny asked tiredly into the cell, only to hear the horribly loud ringing again. It took him several moments to realized it was actually his home phone ringing. Not even bothering to try to figure and guess who could be calling him if it was not work, he rolled over and shut his eyes against the noise.

After two more annoying rings he grabbed the receiver from his bedside table. "What!?" he demanded impatiently into the phone.

For a moment there was only silence on the other end of the phone, which only served to exacerbate Danny all the more. Then quite faintly, Danny heard a voice on the far end of the phone, "Danny. . . help. . ."

The short message was followed immediately by a loud clanking noise, as though something had been knocked over on the other end of the line. Suddenly fully awake, it took Danny only seconds to place the familiar voice.

"Martin? Are you there?" he called worriedly into the phone. No response. Danny waited only a moment longer before scrambling out of bed and grabbing the closest available clothes - which happened to be the ones he had been wearing the previous day.

Snatching his cell and keys he dashed out of his apartment, stopping only long enough to lock the door. On the way down to his car he dialled Martin's home number. The blaring beep he received indicated Martin's phone was busy. . . or off the hook. He terminated the call and dialled a second number.

"911, state your emergency," came the immediate response.

Danny explained as best he could what had happened and the 911 dispatcher informed him an ambulance was on the way. He slammed the phone shut as he reached his car, and pushed the car into gear. Thankfully traffic was light due to the early hour.

Having made good time across town Danny arrived outside Martin's apartment building only seconds behind the ambulance. He followed the two paramedics to Martin's door. One of the paramedics knocked firmly on the door and looked to his partner skeptically when there was no response.

Danny motioned them out of the way, and with a single well-placed kick he broke the door open. His precision earned him curious glances from the two paramedics. Ignoring their looks, he lead the way into the apartment.

Inside the apartment was a mess – dishes, and food containers left laying around, clothes pilled anywhere. The mess of blankets on the couch showed clearly that Martin had been sleeping there. Danny's trained eye took all this in, before noticing the phone hanging down from a counter. He followed the cord down to the ground to where the receiver lay abandoned on the floor next to Martin's unmoving form.

The two emergency personnel had also noticed Martin's condition and made their way through the dissembled apartment towards him. Kneeling beside Martin the first medic checked his vitals.

"He's got a pulse," the paramedic announced shortly.

Danny slumped against the wall relieved, and watched as the paramedics assess his friend's condition. One held up a small object for the other to see. They exchanged a few words and together they loaded Martin onto a collapsable stretcher.

"He's going to be ok," one of the paramedics assured Danny over his shoulder.

Nodding numbly, Danny watched as the two men lifted the stretcher and wheeled his friend past him. He followed them back outside and stood by, feeling useless, as they loaded Martin into the back of the ambulance.

"You coming?"

Danny looked up blankly at the paramedic. It took a moment before the man's question registered in his shocked state. Finally, he nodded and climbed into the back of the ambulance. He looked down worriedly at Martin, who was lying still on the stretcher.

"He overdosed," the paramedic informed him bluntly.

He knew Martin had been different lately, and Danny knew the signs of addiction all too well. He should have confronted Martin about it. He should have been there to help him. Dropping his head into his hands Danny mentally berated himself about all the things he could have done differently. He had just wanted to believe he was wrong, that it was not drugs.

- - - - - -

The ambulance was just pulling into the hospital as Danny cell phone rang from his jacket pocket. Wearily he reached for it, "Taylor."

"Danny, sorry to have to wake you," Jack's voice came across the line sounding as tired as Danny felt, "But we've got a case, I need you to meet me at the scene asap."

"Jack, I – I can't," Danny replied slowly, "I'm going to take awhile to get in, it would be best if you had Sam or Viv meet you at the scene. I can be at the office in maybe an hour."

"What's going on?" Jack asked, his tone concerned.

Danny stepped out of the way as the paramedics wheeled Martin past him. "It's Martin." Danny explained hesitantly. "He collapsed, I had to call an ambulance."

"Is he okay?"

"The paramedics said he'll be all right," Danny replied, then added, "I'll meet you at the office then?" He did not want to talk about this with Jack right now.

"Sure. I'll have Sam and Viv come help with the scene," Jack said before ending the call.

Sighing Danny followed the medics into the hospital and approached the front desk. "Excuse me," Danny asked the receptionist politely, "could you possibly have someone phone me at this number when he wakes up?"

"Are you family?" She asked.

"Well, no," Danny admitted, "But I'm a very close friend. Please just call me when he wakes up." He added a pleading tone to his voice, and she consented. After thanking her, Danny headed out to catch a cab. He had left his car at Martin's and he desperately needed to go home and change into clean clothes before he showed up at work.

- - - - - -

It was nearly four when Danny arrived at the office. Elena was at her desk and a new photo and case number had been added to the white bored. Danny studied the picture. It was of a young teenaged boy, the photo showed dark brown hair, neatly combed, and a easy smiling face. The name beside the picture read Shawn Walker.

"He's fifteen. His father called it in when he came home from work early this morning and Shawn was gone. The others are still talking to the father and checking out the home," Elena supplied.

Danny nodded, barely registering the information his mind still dwelling on all the signs he had tried to write off as nothing. Deep down he known it was drugs, I just did not want to have to face this again.

"You going to be ok?" Elena asked, her concerned voice cutting into Danny's thoughts. When Danny gave her a questioning look she continued, "Jack said Martin was in the hospital, I know you and he are close."

Danny gave her a half-hearted, "I'm fine," before changing the subject abruptly. "What can I help with?"

Elena handed him a sheet, "I've just pulled his cell phone records, you can go through these." She suggested softly and watched Danny closely as he headed over to his desk. She could tell that he was deeply worried about his friend.

Sitting down at his desk Danny scanned down the list, and forcing himself to focus on the task at hand, he made a note of the most recent, and the most often called numbers.

~tbc~