Gratitude
McGarrett had been missing for days. Witnesses said that they saw him board a fishing vessel with a portly bald man and a tall thin man, both Chinese. All three men were dressed in business suits; strange attire for fishing.
Williams threw all his energy into the search, following regulations and proven procedures, taking command of Five-O, calling in extra help from HPD, rationalizing his priorities to the governor, all the while maintaining his mask of professionalism. Inside, he feared the worst and was close to panic. He lived on coffee and didn't sleep. The others on the team knew that the young detective was headed for collapse, but remained silent. They had seen the same behavior in the boss for years, so it wasn't surprising to see Danny slip so easily into Steve's predictable pattern.
The call came from Duke: possible swimmer in trouble, phoned in by an early morning jogger on the beach. Grasping at any straws, Danny headed out with Duke to investigate. By the time they arrived, the swimmer had washed ashore: a big man in a dark suit, lying on his side at the water's edge, unmoving, gentle waves tossing the dark hair hanging in his face. Steve! Oh God, no!
Danny bolted toward the surf with Duke at his heels. Both men dragged McGarrett out of the water to higher ground. Danny's heart was pounding as he knelt in the sand and checked for a pulse or any other signs of life. Thank God, at least he's breathing... Danny was further relieved when the thoroughly soaked man rolled onto his side and began coughing uncontrollably.
"Duke, call an ambulance and get Doc out here," Danny ordered sharply.
"No…no ambulance…Duke…I'm okay," Steve sputtered between breaths as he struggled to sit up. "Danno…good to…see you."
Danny smiled at the typically stubborn response from his mentor, but also noticed that the big man was trembling.
"Duke, call Doc and have him meet us at Queen's," Danny corrected himself. "And get a blanket from the trunk!"
Another fit of coughing drew Danny's attention and he protectively gripped Steve's shoulders to steady the man. The physical contact provided much-needed comfort to both men; the strong bond between them was a solid fact that they accepted but could not put into words.
"Easy, Steve," Danny said gently. "Take even breaths."
"Thanks, Danno," Steve responded hoarsely, holding onto his protégé's forearm and lifting his head to meet concerned blue eyes.
Duke returned to the beach and with Danny's help, wrapped the blanket around McGarrett's shoulders.
"Come on, Duke, let's get him to the car."
On the trip to Queen's, Danny rode in the back next to his still shivering boss. Between coughing fits, Steve tried to explain how he had been abducted by Wo Fat, how he had escaped and also relayed bits and pieces of information he had overheard while aboard the fishing boat. Danny was only half listening. Physically exhausted himself, though his eyes never left his friend, his attention was dominated by his personal gratitude that Steve was alive. International espionage and personal vendettas could wait.
"Danno, you're not listening," McGarrett commented, leaning his head against the car window and closing his eyes.
"No, I'm not," Danny admitted with a crooked smile. "We'll get your statement after Doc checks you out." Then he quietly added: "Welcome back, Steve."
