Cornered

A/N: Hey guys. So, this is my first fanfiction ever. I'm in (well, going into) 9th grade. I'm 13 years old and I absolutely love writing and reading. Especially if it's Hawaii Five 0 fanfiction. Anyway, I'm sure you don't really care about any of that. I just want to say that this is a little one-shot that I hope you enjoy. I wouldn't mind getting some feedback *wink wink*.

They were cornered 3 to 1 and Danny was positive that they wouldn't be getting out of their predicament. There was no doubt in his mind that they were done for. Over. And he couldn't help but hope that it wasn't true because he had a daughter to think of. Yes, he had Gracie and he needed to be able to care for her. He couldn't imagine what would happen to her if he was finished right then in there. It wouldn't be something that he would want to see. So, he just hoped that his stupid crazy-ass ninja SEAL could get them out of the situation once again. It was his fault in the first place.

"You know, you screw me over all the time," Danny puffed. They'd been running through the seemingly endless field for what felt like hours, gunmen right on their tails the whole entire time. He had to admit that he was tired and just wanted to go home and take a nap or something. Anything but be there. "And I just can't help but think that this is, in fact, your fault also."

"You're gonna blame me for this, too, Danno? It's not like I dragged you here or anything," Steve retorted. The one thing that made Danny really mad was that Steve wasn't out of breath at all. Oh, and there was another thing that bothered him. He didn't seem nervous at all. Danny's life was at stake! He could at least pretend to care!

"Yes, I blame you. I wouldn't have been here in the first place if it weren't for you, McGarrett." By this point, the people that were trailing behind them were catching up. And Danny didn't like that. It was, after all, probably his own fault that they were gaining on the distance because, he was positive, Steve could easily pick up the pace by about 10 MPH and still never break a sweat. He still didn't care whose fault it was, though, because Steve was the one who get them into the mess in the first place.

Steve avoided Danny's accusation, didn't even acknowledge it, really. Instead, he continued running, scoping out the area, and, hopefully, was making up a genious plan that could get Danny out of there. After a few moments of running in silence, with occasional wheezes from Danny, Steve piped up. "Okay, here's the plan. See that tree at your 10 o'clock?" Danny nodded. " I think it's thick enough to fit behind. We take cover and try to ambush them. We need to do it quickly and quietly," he explained. It wasn't a great plan. A terrible plan, really, but Danny knew that the particular mission didn't matter to Steve much. Not as much as it mattered to Danny. He didn't care for his life, he would easily lay it down for an innocent stranger. Not that his life was on the line, technically. But, he would've been happier if Steve had put a little more thought into the plan and actually made it so that Danny could get out of there without some red, gooey liquid oozing from his head.

He pulled at his blue shirt with his left hand, trying to get the soaked cotton to stop sticking to his sweat drenched body. He swiped at his forehead in an attempt to get the sweat off, but only managed to spread it around because of his sweaty forearm. There was sweat everywhere. Well, except for, of course, Steve. There was a single bead of perspiration trickling down the back of his neck. Other than that, he was perfectly unscathed. And Danny couldn't help but moan a little. He just wanted this to be over with.

"Ready for this, Danno?"

"I guess so. I hope you get me out of this. If you don't, you owe me. And by owe me, I mean $1,000."

"There is no doubt in my mind that you will be coming out of this without so much as a bruise. Calm down. The tree's coming up, so just follow my lead."

The two of them kept running for another ten seconds then hopped behind the tree. Its stump was perfectly Steve and Danny sized, fitting them both behind it with plenty of cover. That didn't mean that it was foolproof, though.

After a minute or two of hiding behind the tree, Danny wheezing and leaning over, hands firmly on his knees, the six men's footsteps became prominent. And then they became closer. And closer. Until the point that Danny just wanted to jump out and take off all their heads. But Steve kept a firm hand on his shoulder, keeping him from doing just that. He knew that the moment that Steve's hand came off his shoulder, they would get out and take them all down. For then, they just had to wait patiently. And it had Danny squirming right up to the last second.

Then, Steve's hand came off Danny's shoulder. Just as he was about to burst from the spot, Steve cupped Danny's mouth in his hand, wrapping an arm around his face and neck.

Steve leaned in close, so that his mouth was right beside Danny's ears. "Stay here, I have a plan and I don't want you to blow it." Danny thought about going against Steve's instruction. He really did. But he decided against it. Steve's voice was low and menacing, something that only showed when Super SEAL was uncaged and thrown into play. Only when nothing was up for argument. What Steve said went at those times, so Danny stayed put. And Steve slipped away in the shadows. It scared Danny, really. It scared him because Steve was just this guy. Just a guy. But he could slip away, just like that, and kill twenty people with his hands tied behind his back. He was just thankful that he was on Steve's side and not the enemy. He would be quaking in his shoes if he were on the other side.

About a minute after Steve disappeared (and to where, Danny did not know), guns began to fire. They were far away and there was no return fire. Bodies very close to where Danny were standing, on the other side of the tree, if he heard correctly, were thudding to the ground and not making a sound after. Steve always was a good shot.

After about eight shots, coming seemingly from Steve, there were a few shots of return fire. That was when Danny decided that he needed to get out there and help. He couldn't just stand under the shielding tree, he needed to get out there. Steve always had his back, and he was going to make sure that he had Steve's. He popped out from behind the tree to see a man looking to the left. And right in front of the man was a certain SEAL. He was peeking out from behind a different tree, his body looking like a mere shadow. Steve took a shot and fired and the man dropped right at his feet, gun clattering uselessly from his hand.

Steve came out of his hiding spot and jogged over to Danny, smiling smugly. But, as soon as he was about halfway to Danny, a man jumped out of nowhere, gun aimed right at Steve's chest. Because Steve's reflexes were so quick, he managed to get a shot out right before the other man fired. But the thing was, the man did fire. And it was very accurate, too. It pierced Steve right in the chest, red liquid splattering from the impact. And Danny just held his breath and thought, "Well, shit." And, for a moment, he stood there, gaping at his partner and the red goo oozing down his pale blue shirt. Then, he was slapped back into reality when the sound of yet another body hitting the dust. Apparently Steve's last shot had been a good one.

And just like that, it was all over. A buzzer sounded from above, bringing the match to a conclusion. And for a second, Danny could only stand there in shock. Then the bodies began to stand up, all the guys in red shirts moaning and complaining. And Steve stood up and clapped Danny on the shoulder. But Danny could only stand there in shock.

"Why are you just standing there, man? We just won! You're welcome," Steve chuckled.

"We won? Yes, we won! I don't know how you did it McGarrett, but I could kiss you right now. I just won five hundred dollars, baby!" Danny started dancing around, Chin and Kono coming up behind him and shaking their heads. Their red shirts were covered with blue paint.

"I just feel like it wasn't fair, you know? Obviously whoever had McGarrett on their team was going to win," Kono whined.

"Uh huh. I don't really care how he managed to do whatever crazy shit he did, but you guys owe me five hundred. I'll take it up front."

Both of the cousins just groaned and pulled out wallets.

"I have twenty on me," Chin stated.

"Fifteen," Kono added.

"Well, I guess we're headed to the bank then, huh? Let's get going," Danny practically sang.

"Hey, Danno?" Steve asked.

"What's up, babe?" Danny replied absent-mindedly. He was too busy being excited that he won. If he had lost, he would've lost a thousand dollars to those cousins. It was a double or nothing bet. He needed to stop gambling with them, they usually managed to scam him out of all the meager money he could manage. If he'd lost that money, he probably would've starved for the next month or something. Therefore, his life would be over and he wouldn't even be able to feed his baby girl. That couldn't happen.

"You're gonna split the money with me, right? I mean, I did take down Kono, Chin, and every single person except for one on their team. I think I deserve a little."

"Sure, whatever you want," Danny replied, not realizing what he'd agreed to.

"Thanks, brah!"

Then it hit him. He'd just agreed to give Steve half the money. "Wait, wait wait. Hell, no! I am not giving you any of my prize money. That is a nono. Stop trying to take advantage of my good mood and stealing my money! I don't trust you," he ranted.

Steve sighed. "You know, sometimes I really love paintball, but when I'm on such a sore-winner's team, it can be a pain."

And all Danny replied with was a clipped, "Uh huh."

A/N: Well, paintball, huh? I'd love it if you could drop some feedback, positive and negative are both good with me. P.S. I was thinking about writing a McGarrett H/C, would anyone be interested or not? I'm kinda new to the community, so I wouldn't know. Anyway, thanks for reading!