A/N Hey, guys! Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews! Your response to this story has been truly overwhelming - it leaves me with such an awesome feeling! I will respond to each one of you individually very soon!

Danny could tell that Steve's condition was worsening. His panting was getting more severe, rivulets of sweat were streaming down his face, and he was unconsciously allowing Danny to take more and more of his weight. And, as if that wasn't enough, the growing strength of the winds and the dark clouds overhead were not all that encouraging, either.

Whether they had put enough distance between themselves and the gun runners or not, if they didn't stop and do at least some basic first aid, Steve wasn't going to make it - and Grace was not losing her favourite uncle!

Pulling them both to a stop, he eased Steve down to the ground, leaning him back against a large tree, then he set the satchel of supplies down next to him.

"We don't… have time… for this," Steve complained between breaths.

"Well, we are going to make the time, GI Joe," Danny said in his no-nonsense voice, as he pulled a bottle of water out of the satchel. He quickly unscrewed the top and held it up to Steve's mouth, earning an indignant glare from the ex-SEAL who snatched the bottle out of his partner's hand. "Fine, spill it all over yourself for all I care," Danny grumbled, even while watching Steve with poorly veiled concern, ready to help at the first sign of trouble.

As McGarrett fumbled with the bottle, though with surprisingly minimum spillage, Danny unfastened the tie from around his neck. They needed to get help but first thing's first.

Steve set the near empty bottle down on the ground next to his hip. "When you researched… poisonous snakes… you didn't research… effective first aid… did you?"

"I didn't get that far because I never planned on letting Grace go anywhere near the places that inhabit them. Which just gives me yet another reason to hate Hawaii." He focussed his attention on wrapping the tie around Steve's upper calf. "I told you wearing a tie would come in handy."

"Don't blame… the island. Blame the guys… who smuggled in the… guns 'n cocaine."

"Guns and cocaine? Seriously? Thugs who can multi-task. Who knew?"

"Cocaine… must be why… the snake struck… without being… provoked."

"What would the cocaine have to do with a cranky rattlesnake?"

Steve gave Danny his 'think about it' look.

"What?" Suddenly, he froze, one end of the tie in each hand. He stared incredulously at McGarrett. "Wait a minute. A stoned rattlesnake? You're kidding."

"Wish I was," Steve replied with a wince.

Before tightening the tie, knowing it would be painful, Danny attempted at a distraction. "Why did you ask, anyway?"

"Ask what?" Steve gazed up at him in confusion.

"About my research into poisonous snakes."

"Because - " he broke off with a pained grunt when Danny suddenly wrenched the tie as tight as he could to try to stop the poison from flowing any further up Steve's leg - praying that he wasn't too late to do even that much - and hoping that he hadn't made it too tight, jeopardizing the limb due to lack of blood flow. He gripped the back of Steve's neck to offer what little comfort he could.

When McGarrett's eyes fell shut, Danny's heart leapt into his throat. Desperately, he pressed two fingers below his partner's jaw… and breathed a sigh of relief when he was greeted with a pulse. It was a little fast but Steve's heart was beating and that's all that really mattered. For now.

With Steve temporarily down for the count, Danny reached for the satchel again, never taking his eyes off his unconscious partner.

H50H50H50H50

Steve opened his eyes again, revealing a somewhat panicked Danny Williams kneeling at his side.

"'Bout time you woke up, Sleeping Beauty," Danny snarked, his sarcasm doing nothing to hide the very real concern beneath.

"What… happened?"

"You passed out on me."

"Didn't. I was… just resting… my eyes."

"Whatever you say. So, what were you saying about my research into snakes?"

Steve had to think for a moment, then: "Just for future reference… sucking the venom out yourself… is a myth brought about by… movies and television." He indicated the tourniquet with a jerk of his chin. "And… so is this."

"Oh. Well, you're welcome. Look, it was the only thing I could think of at the time, okay. So, sue me."

"Maybe later… Danno," Steve replied with his trademark half grin.

"As for the tourniquet, better this than nothing, right?"

"Maybe," Steve conceded. Not bothering to lecture his partner about the blocking of blood flow. The guy was just trying to help, after all. And really, he had a point, there wasn't much else that could be done without the presence of medical professionals and the many tools at their disposal.

"So, then, what do I need to do to keep you from dying?"

"Didn't know you… cared…"

"Grace does," Danny feigned, wilting somewhat under Steve's knowing look. "Whatever. Just fill me in before you pass out on me, will you?"

Steve glared up at him. "I will not pass out."

"Already crossed that bridge, partner. Humour me, okay?"

"Best treatment… is anti-venom," Steve told him, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, let's assume for the time being that anti-venom is not readily available out here in the middle of BFN. Any other tips?"

"Keep the wound… below the heart at all times. Harder for the venom to… travel upstream."

"Okay. What else?"

"Pressure Immobilization."

"And for us non-SEAL's not versed in cryptic medical terminology?"

Steve sighed. "Got an ACE Bandage handy?"

"Uh, yeah, back in the car," Danny replied with more than a little sarcasm. "Why?"

"Never mind. Just keep… my legs at a… lower elevation than my… heart. Best we can do… until we get to… a hospital…"

"Legs below the heart. Copy that."

"Good to know. Now, we need to… get moving… because it's only a matter of time before… those guys… call for back up and then we'll… really be screwed!"

"Right. Because we're not screwed already? Relax. Don't give me the constipated face, okay? Because they're not going to be calling for back up," he declared. Steve just raised an eyebrow in silent question as he stoically endured yet another surge of pain. "But we did," Danny continued, picking the satellite phone up from the ground behind him.

This earned Danny an all-out smile from the ex-SEAL.

"What? You thought all I was grabbing from the site was water and food?" Danny returned Steve's smile, just as the phone chirped at him.

H50H50H50H50H50

A few minutes later, Danny disconnected the call and made reluctant eye contact with Steve.

"I see what you mean by… 'constipated face'," McGarrett told him.

"Funny. Yeah, remind me to laugh about that later."

"So, what did... Chin say? Or are you going to force me… to fill in the blanks… based on your end… of the conversation?"

"He said he'll send a medi-vac asap and have a clinical toxicologist waiting for you at the emergency room…"

"What… are you not telling me here… Danno?"

Danny released a frustrated sigh, then: "There's a huge tropical storm hitting the island," he confessed, once again looking up at the foreboding clouds overhead. "The medi-vac won't be able to lift off until it passes. We need to find shelter. Fast." He eyed McGarrett critically, concern again filling his gaze.

"I'll just slow you down. Leave me here."

"What? Are you crazy? I'm not leaving you here alone. You're liable to go off half cocked and sacrifice yourself for your country, or whatever it is that you SEAL's do when you're in the mood to do something crazy."

"Wouldn't be for my country, Danny," Steve corrected softly.

Danny wasn't surprised by the thought, so much as the words themselves. "See?" he said, stooping down to place his hand on his partner's forehead. "You're definitely not yourself. The Steve I know would never allow himself to say something sappy like that."

"Danny -" Steve tried to pull away from his partner's invasive touch but the tree behind him blocked his movement, giving him a headache instead of granting his escape.

"No, McGarrett. I am not going to find shelter on my own. Besides, whatever happened to 'leave no man behind'? Isn't that your creed, or something?"

"Sometimes… you have to break that rule… in order to survive."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not leaving you. That's final. End of discussion."

Something flashed in Steve's eyes but before Danny could even begin to read it, it was gone. The sounds of crushing brush grabbed their attention, forcing them back to the reality that they were not in this forest alone.

Steve extended his hand to Danny once again. "Help me up," he insisted. "I'm not seeing… any other option here... Danny."

With a sigh, but understanding the gravity of the situation, Danny grasped Steve's outstretched hand. "Of course, you don't," he said, as he hauled McGarrett to his feet.

When Steve paled drastically at the movement and fell forward against him, Danny shook his head in frustration. Apparently, his intent was clear in his eyes because Steve glared at him. "You wouldn't dare!"

"To be honest, whenever I played Truth or Dare as a kid, I always picked Dare," Danny replied with a grin. And, without another word, he leaned down and draped a mortified McGarrett over his shoulders.

"What are you -? Danny, put me down!"

Danny grunted with the added weight, then: "I don't think I've ever heard you splutter before, McGarrett."

"Danny… I'm warning you -!"

"Oh, please. Right now, you couldn't harm a mosquito - another thing I hate about Hawaii, by the way. Friggin' things are everywhere." Despite his light hearted comment, he knew this vulnerable position would be killing Steve but it was also saving his life, and Danny would choose that over Steve's pride any day. "Just stop whining and enjoy the free ride, McGarrett."

Before Danny took another step, the torrential downpour began and the winds picked up speed.

TBC

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