Thanks to everyone for their help with this story. :-)

Disclaimer:I don't own H50. Just a fan with a very active imagination!

Steve McGarrett stood at the water's edge, hands at his side. The sun was slipping below the horizon. Despite the beauty and calm all around him, he couldn't shake an unsettled feeling. For the second time in an hour, he tried his partner's phone.

No answer.

They'd had one of their normal arguments about something inane and had parted with the usual smart assed comments. He'd learned to give his friend space when he was in this sort of disagreeable mood. Danny would come around and tell Steve what was bothering him eventually.

But this afternoon, Danny had been abnormally quiet. When asked, he'd deflected everyone's concern. Said maybe he was getting sick or he needed to catch up on his beauty sleep. This brought chuckles and comments from everyone. Just the kind of distraction he liked. Make a joke – even if it was at his own expense. It was easier that way. Better.

Steve knew this about his best friend, and he'd basically sat back and watched, letting it happen. Letting Danny leave by himself. He caught a ride with Chin, giving up his usual hold on the Camaro. He should have paid more attention to the fact that Danny hadn't said a word about the chance to drive his vehicle. Normally, something would be said, a comment or two. Maybe three. Danny loved to bitch at Steve about driving his car.

But not today. Instead, he'd gathered his things and left the office. Just like that.

Danny had planned a weekend alone. No girlfriend. No daughter. Just pizza, beer and a few good movies, maybe a ballgame on the boob tube. Steve had made a half assed attempt to butt in on "Man's Weekend" as his partner referred to it, with no success. He knew he'd be rebuffed, but just wanted his friend to know he didn't have to be by himself. He felt satisfied with Danny's reassurance that he just needed some time to regroup.

Their latest case involved an entrepreneurial teenager tangled up in the seedy world of back door gambling, and it had been a tough one. The kid was now lying in a hospital bed recovering from surgery. Bad guys mostly had no qualms shooting people who interfered with their cash flow, even gangly stupid kids.

Danny had practically shouted that he was fine. Cases involving kids always hit him a little harder. It was his weak spot and he knew it. He'd be perfect after a day or two of R&R. Just peachy – if everybody stopped pestering him about it. And they'd let him off the hook.

Steve wasn't so sure now, the sinking feeling in his chest growing as the blazing sunset dimmed into darkness. He should have pushed Danny harder to grab a beer with him. Something. But he didn't. Regrets were a bitch.

Shaking his head, he scanned the water. There was nothing out there to quell his unease. If anything, the rolling waves only made him feel worse tonight.

His phone buzzed, and for the few seconds it took him to raise his arm and check the screen, his spirit soared. Danny had come to his senses after all and returned his call. But, it was Grace on the line. Her Danno had not called like he did every evening. And her mom couldn't reach him either.

Steve swallowed a flash of alarm that tightened his chest and played it off, reassuring Grace that her dad didn't realize his phone was off or something. Maybe he had the television turned up too loud. Or maybe he'd already had one too many beers. Uncle Steve would make sure Danno called her. Steve didn't mention the beers to Grace, though he really wanted to believe that's all this was. Too many beers and a bad mood.

Yet he knew Danny would never miss a call to his daughter.

/././

His eyes couldn't adjust, and he just lay there on the edge of consciousness, drifting. It was dark, so it was still night time. He remembered the power going out, but shouldn't there be some light from the street? His head pounded and for a moment, he figured he'd had one too many beers because it felt like he must be lying on the floor. Wouldn't be the first Man's Weekend that ended badly.

Danny lay there for a few minutes, deciding his next move. Sleep it off on the couch or crawl to bed. Either way he couldn't stay where he was. He needed to empty his bladder and grab a glass of water to stave off a monster hangover headache. So, he tried to sit up and got the surprise of his life.

First, a flash of pain in his left hand sent a shockwave through his body along with a decent amount of confusion. And then nanoseconds later his head banged against something hard and metal. It all happened so fast he only had time for one thought.

What the fuck?

But this sentiment didn't cover half of what he was feeling right then. In fact, it was the last of his more carefree concerns for the rest of the night. He had bigger fish to fry.

The pain from his hand was enough to make him puke but it was the realization he was not on the floor at his place that sent him reeling. His pulse raced and he could feel the adrenaline making everything numb, including rational thought.

Pull yourself together, Daniel. He scolded himself. But he couldn't help but shiver as he took a deep breath to steady his mind. His most pressing question demanded an answer.

Where the hell am I?

With his decent hand, he felt around his surroundings. More metal, with a raised square-ish pattern. Reminded him of some sort of tool box. The surface underneath him was smooth and also metal. He kicked with his feet and jammed his knees against the unforgiving walls.

I am in a box. A metal box.

A knot of fear clogged his throat and his chest tightened. He coughed, trying to remind his body it needed to breathe. But Danny still couldn't think straight – except for one glaring neon fuck of a thought.

Oh my holy God, I am in a box.

"Hey!" He yelled and pounded on the ceiling. "Anybody out there?"

He stopped just as quickly, knowing someone might well be waiting and laughing. Taunting. Ready to kill him. He heard nothing though, but his own ragged breath and the terrified thump of his heart.

Again, he let his fingers explore the walls. Tears slid down his face as he screamed. When that breath was spent, he laid his wounded hand on his chest, trembling. He could not escape his reality.

There was no way out and Danny Williams was sure he was going to die.