A/N **** Spoiler warning! **** Spoilers, sort of, for the upcoming episode Kanaka Hahai (The Hunter) airing April 1, 2016 - no fooling. I haven't seen a trailer for this ep. A couple people shared some spoilers so I put them together, used lots of imagination and came up with this one-shot. So, basically, it's a tag to an ep that hasn't aired yet. Yeah, I'm weird like that. I need to stop listening to spoilers; they just fuel my over-active imagination and the result is a fan-fic (e.g. Charade and this one) and disappointment when the ep doesn't reach my expectations.

A/N Many thanks to julieb716 for her excellent beta skills but any and all mistakes are mine.

A/N I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters.

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Heart pumping frantically Steve sprinted into the Emergency Room and flashed his badge at the receptionist. "Steve McGarrett," he said while scanning the room for anybody he knew. "I got a call that my partner Danny Williams was brought in here." Danny had left hours earlier to pick up Grace and Charlie. He should have been safe at home and serving them dinner by now. "Is he okay? His kids okay? Were they with him?"

Steve figured it was a car accident. Poor Danny had just got the car back after it had been riddled with bullet holes by the Gatling machine gun a few weeks prior; the rant about that one had been spectacular. The caller today, however, had refused to tell him anything, citing hospital protocol. The unknown had left his gut churning with worry, although he'd never admit that to Danny.

The receptionist spoke calmly, apologizing that the only information she could give him was the number of the bay where Danny was being seen.

Hurrying down the hall and pausing in front of the proper bay, Steve took a deep breath before entering. Not having any idea what happened was nerve wracking. Was Danny okay? Grace? Charlie? It was terrible to think that he hoped Danny was hurt but he knew that any injury to his kids would hurt Danny more deeply than any injury of his own. Those kids were his life.

As Steve stepped into the bay he did a quick assessment. Situational awareness was a well-honed skill. Danny was sitting up on the gurney, his head nestled in a pillow, Charlie nestled in his lap. Thankfully, the boy appeared to be fine. "Grace? Where's Grace?" Steve could barely get the words out.

"She's fine. She went to the girl's room." Danny's voice was laced with pain.

Steve scrubbed his hands across his face and let out a breath in relief.

"Hi Uncle Steve," Charlie said, barely glancing up from the game he was playing on Danny's phone.

"Hey buddy," Steve said to the boy as he ruffled his hair. "How're you feeling?"

Danny answered for him. "He's fine." He kissed his son's blond locks. "They're both fine. Thank God. I had them checked over but now they're free to go. Me, on the other hand…"

Relieved that the kids he loved so much were uninjured Steve turned his attention to his equally beloved partner. Sitting there with his shirt removed, Danny's skin was pale, with maybe even a hint of a grayish, greenish tint. Pain lines creased his forehead. His left eye was swollen and bruised. A blood stained bandage was wrapped around his left bicep and the arm was strapped to his chest to keep it immobilized. A few bruises dotted his torso. An IV was pushing fluids into him but Steve didn't see one for painkillers. Danny's right arm was wrapped protectively around Charlie to prevent a tumble off the gurney.

"Yeah, you don't look so good. What happened?"

"Got carjacked."

"Danno arrested the morons," Charlie piped in proudly, still playing intently on the phone but apparently listening as well.

"Language Charlie," Danny chastised.

"Sorry Danno." Charlie glanced at his father with sorrowful brown eyes.

Danny kissed his head again. "It's okay Tiger."

Above the boy's head, Danny and Steve caught each other's eyes as both men smirked. Danny shifted with a groan.

"Carjacked? You alright?" Steve asked concerned, as the doctor and an aide entered the room.

"No, I'm not alright. I have a bullet in my arm you pu…" Danny caught himself before he could unleash a word he didn't want his son to hear. "Partner," he finished instead.

Danny grinned sheepishly at his near mistake as Steve chuckled at his expense.

The doctor asked the aide to take Charlie out of the bay while the doctor examined him. With Danny's assurance that it was okay, permission to keep Danny's phone with him and the aide's promise of plenty of stickers, Charlie agreed.

When they left the room the doctor unbound and unwrapped the injured arm and began the examination of the wound.

"I see scarring here on your arm," the doctor observed.

"I've been shot in the same arm twice before. There must be some kind of bullet magnet in there. Maybe you can find it and take it out before my arm ends up leaking like a sieve."

The doctor grunted a reply and continued his examination and Danny turned on Steve, pointing his finger at him with his good arm. "This is all your fault."

"My fault? I wasn't even with you. How can this possibly be my fault?"

"How? How can it possibly be your fault? You are an animal, a truly Neanderthal presence in my life no matter how far away I am from you. I shouldn't let my kids anywhere near..." He stiffened and hissed, closing his eyes in pain as the doctor probed the wound.

"Why isn't he getting any painkillers?" Steve queried.

"He refused them," the doctor said, shaking his head.

Opening his eyes again, Danny spoke. "Because my kids are with me." He couldn't risk the fuzzy brain that pain meds give while he was responsible for his children. "But you, what were you thinking? What on earth are you teaching my kids?"

Steve was confused. Danny was again implying this was his fault. "It's not my fault you got carjacked."

"No, it's your fault I got shot."

"I wasn't anywhere near you Danny."

"That's right, you weren't, so one would figure I'd be safe, right? I mean I get shot at every five…" Danny groaned in pain at the doctor's ministrations.

"The bullet is still in there," the doctor said.

"Brilliant observation, Doc," Danny said through gritted teeth. "There's one hole, where the bullet went in. There's no other hole where the bullet went out, no exit wound whatsoever, ergo, the bullet is still in there," Danny said before turning back to Steve. "I get shot at every five minutes when I'm with you but you'd think I'd be safe when you're far away and I'm alone with my kids, but then you go and teach your SuperSEAL ways to my kids."

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked.

"We need to get you into surgery and remove it," the doctor said.

"What am I talking about?" Danny said, momentarily ignoring the doctor. "I'm talking about where the hell my son learned the phrase 'shoot him center mass' because he damn well didn't learn that from me."

"What does that have to do with…?

"He said it, Steven. Today. While I was trying to get my kids peacefully and safely out of the car, Charlie instructed me to 'shoot the bad guy center mass'." His voice was escalating as he went on.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really! Right after he asked if I wanted him to get my gun out of the glove box. He's four years old. I've never even shown him my gun. How does he even know I put it in the glove box?" Danny was livid.

"Uncle Steve told me," Charlie said, as he stepped back into the bay with the aide. He was thoroughly covered in stickers with a big smile on his face and the phone held carefully in his hand. He walked right over to Steve's side.

"Traitor," Steve mumbled under his breath, while lovingly taking the small hand in his.

"Steven?" Danny snarled.

"Uhhhh." Steve had the common sense to look sheepish. "We were playing a game."

"Playing a game? Seriously Steven? Seriously? He's four."

"Danno…" Steve tried.

"Don't you Danno me," Danny shouted. "You're a veritable Rambo. A seriously demented Rambo. I shouldn't let you anywhere near my children!"

"Do you want me to ask him to leave?" the doctor asked Danny as Grace walked in and greeted Steve with a hug and a kiss.

"No," Danny answered emphatically, before turning to his sticker-covered son who was still standing next to Steve. "Hey Tiger?"

"Yeah Danno?"

"I need you and Grace to go with Uncle Steve while I stay with the doctor." Danny looked to Steve. He hadn't even asked Steve if he would look after the kids. He didn't have to. Danny knew that right at this moment, there was nothing more important to Steve than the welfare of Grace and Charlie. But he asked the question with a look anyway. Steve's answering look was a yes.

"Will the doctor take care of your boo-boo?" Charlie asked.

Danny smiled fondly. "Yes, he will. But it's going to take a while." He turned to Grace now and reached his good hand out to her. "You okay Monkey?" She looked like she'd been crying while she was out of the room.

Grace simply nodded in reply as she slipped into her father's strong, reassuring one-armed hug. He kissed her atop the head. "I'm fine, Monkey. Don't worry, alright?"

"Okay Danno," she whispered softly. She had to leave his embrace when the nurse stepped over.

"Where's Rachel?" Steve asked, putting his arm around Grace's shoulders as she stepped away from her dad. He had noticed her red eyes as well.

"On the North Shore, not answering her phone," Danny answered despairingly.

"I'll keep trying," Steve promised. He moved his arm from around Grace and reached for Charlie. "What d'ya say Tiger?" he asked, using Danny's nickname for the boy. "Will you come with me so the doctor can take care of Danno for us?"

Nodding affirmatively, Charlie reached his arms up and allowed Steve to lift him into his arms. "Uncle Steve, does Danno really have a bullet inside him?"

"Yes he does," Steve answered.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, a lot," Steve answered again.

Charlie twisted in Steve's arms to look at Danny and then back at Steve, a look of awe in his eyes. "He didn't cry or anything."

Steve smiled fondly at Danny who was now being presented with forms to sign for the surgery. "He's a tough one, our Danno. Are you guys hungry?" Steve asked the kids.

"Starving," Charlie answered.

"You're always starving," Grace bemoaned. "You had a snack before we left."

"He's a growing boy," Steve told her.

Grace rolled her eyes.

"Grace, can you take Charlie to the waiting room for a minute," Danny asked.

"I'll be right behind you. I promise," Steve added.

"Sure Uncle Steve," Grace agreed. Grace and Charlie both exchanged hugs and kisses with their dad and then Steve put Charlie down.

When Grace and Charlie left the room hand in hand, Steve turned to Danny. "How you feeling, D?"

Danny groaned. "Hurts like hell, especially if I move it." His voice was weak; the front of strength and well being he was putting up for his kids was all gone. To Steve, he looked paler than he had just a moment ago. The adrenaline crash hit fast and hard.

"Well, they'll be giving you the good stuff now so you should feel a little better soon. Nauseous? You look a bit green."

Danny swallowed thickly. "Yeah."

"Probably from the pain. You've been walking around for hours with a slug in you."

"Yeah. Look Steve," Danny said wearily. "I don't know how long it'll take to get a hold of Rachel, much less get her here."

Steve nodded. "Don't worry about the kids. I'll take care of them like they're mine."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Danny grinned.

Steve reached his hand out and Danny grasped it. "Good luck in there, buddy."

"Thanks Steve."

"Love ya man," Steve told him.

"Love ya too."

"Take good care of him," Steve instructed the medical staff in his best authoritarian voice as he left the room to go and keep an eye on his niece and nephew of the heart.

When they each had their food in front of them in the cafeteria, Steve sat down next to Charlie and across from Grace. "So, tell me what happened."

Hours later, Rachel had been reached and had picked up the kids but Steve had remained at the hospital. There was no place he wanted to be other than by his partner's side. The surgeon said that surgery to remove the bullet had gone well. Danny would be in pain for a while but with time and physical therapy he should recover fully.

Now in a room where he would spend at least one night, Danny had shown signs of waking from the anesthesia several times and now seemed to be awake for good, resting with the back of the bed raised partway. "Grace? Charlie?" Danny asked again.

"Rachel has them. Don't worry, partner, they're fine," Steve assured him gently.

"Thanks Steve."

"Anytime."

"Anytime? I sure as hell hope there is never another time." Danny relaxed a bit but memories of the day kept filling his head. "I was so scared Steve. They could have hurt my kids."

Steve patted Danny on the leg reassuringly. "I can only imagine." Actually, Steve couldn't fathom what it was like for his partner to be both father and cop at the same time, on his own with no backup. Then Steve chuckled softly, lightening the mood a bit. "The kids were telling me what happened. Those bad guys didn't know who they were messing with, partner. Did you really commandeer a bus and shoot one guy with a crossbow?"

Danny smirked. "I didn't have my car, my phone or my gun. Had to improvise." He shifted and groaned at the pain it aroused.

"Well, you protected Grace and Charlie, got your car back, foiled their robbery plans and caught the bad guys. Look at you, going all Rambo SuperCop on those morons," Steve said, using Danny-style language.

"Told you you're a bad influence," Danny said with a soft laugh.

Steve shook his head, recalling again the story the kids had relayed to him. "No partner, you're totally bada** all on your own."

The End