A/N: apologies for being late. I'm playing this delightful game called Life… and it sucks. On the plus side, I've discovered the secret to helping lettuce seedlings survive a deep freeze involve shedded dog hair, cardboard, and bubble wrap. Here's the next segment:

"Good, cause we have a new problem." Danny turned his head toward the low noise that had caught his attention. "Jamel is waking up."

…

"Nnnnggghh…"

Danny found himself at a disadvantage- he could hear Jamel groaning faintly but couldn't really see much of the man at all. Most of Jamel lay just at the edge of his periphery or completely out of sight. Based on the sounds, Danny decided that Jamel was still quite a way from being cognizant… but that was only a small comfort.

Danny debated briefly whether he should attempt to change his position. Still, even if he could see Jamel better, it wouldn't help him if Jamel reached for his gun.

…

A high-pitched whine caught his attention and he turned his head toward the noise, catching a flash of sunlight off something outside the window.

"The heck…?" he muttered.

"Danny?"

Danny had almost forgotten that Steve was still on the phone. "There's something outside," he squinted, trying to catch another glimpse of the thing.

"It's a drone," Steve responded. "They sent a drone out to see what it looks like. They're not sure how stable the wreck is; the damage is pretty significant."

"I already know the damage- I owe my neighbor a car."

Steve chuffed a humorless laugh. "I think he'll forgive you."

Danny tracked the annoying buzz as the drone flew over the wreckage. There wasn't enough space for the large quadcopter-like machine between Danny's window and the cliff, but he caught a glimpse of it outside of the other window and waved with his good hand. "Well? How's it look?"

It took Steve several minutes to reply. Danny guessed he was viewing footage with the rescue crew. He caught snippets of the discussion in between Steve's muffled questions and pieced together that they were unhappy with something, but he wasn't sure what. "Steve?"

"Still here. Just reviewing the drone footage."

"How are we looking?"

"It's pretty banged up. EMTs say it's a miracle you aren't worse off."

"Thanks."

"Knew that thick Jersey skull would come in handy," Steve quipped, but the lightness was missing from his tone.

Danny felt a worrisome quiver in his stomach. "What aren't you telling me?" he asked uneasily, twisting to follow the sound of the drone as it circled the car. "What's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong, Danno," Steve replied much too calmly. "Need to recite the Mets lineup?"

"Why would I need to recite the Mets lineup?" Danny demanded.

"It's a small enclosed space and you're claustrophobic," Steve explained unhelpfully. "I just assumed…"

"I don't need any reminders about where I am," Danny ground out, irritation overriding unease. He flinched as something smacked the top of the car. "What's happening now?"

"Uh… a cable."

"I thought they already did that?"

"Yeah. This one is going to wrap around the car. Keep the top from popping off and dumping you two onto the rocks."

"Oh." Danny swallowed drily. He wished suddenly that he hadn't asked. He didn't need to know those details. "You know, there are some things you don't have to tell me."

"It's gonna take them a while to do this. Just try to relax, okay?"

"Relax," Danny snorted. "Yeah, sure."

"They're going to lower a rope on the other side of the car and send a guy down. He won't be able to do anything- they just want a better idea of what it's like inside."

"Okay." Danny could do with a friendly face. "But you know that's like being told to look at a huge steak and not eat a bite of it."

"I know, buddy. And if I could do anything about it, I would."

Danny didn't doubt that. As for why Steve wouldn't be the one on the rope, Danny could only assume that he had some other, more important purpose up above, but still… Danny huffed. It would've been nice if Steve could rappel down to him. Or skydive. Or something.

A skittering of rocks distracted his attention to the window, and he noticed a thick cable now dangling outside the window between the car and part of the cliff. The cable wiggled, swung wildly for a moment, and more rocks cascaded down, thumping and clattering loudly on the car's underbelly.

"Shit," Danny muttered as the car listed slightly. He threw out a foot to try to correct the balance.

"Danny?"

Hand shaking slightly, Danny tried to focus on his partner's voice as another shower of rocks cascaded across the vehicle. "Hey babe? Think you can, ah, tell them to hold off for a few minutes?"

"Hold off? Why?"

"Sounds like they're bringing down the cliff on us in here."

"Danny, they're securing the car." Steve's voice was muffled over the growling of several trucks. "You need to recite the-"

"Will you quit asking that?!" Danny interrupted in exasperation. He wiped a sweaty hand across his eyes and exhaled shakily. "Does this mean I can move now?"

"I wouldn't try it. How's our friend?"

Risking a slight shift in position, Danny strained for a better look at Jamel. The man had begun muttering incoherently, and his fingers twitched against the cloth fabric of the ceiling. Not fully awake, his eyes moved restlessly under their lids as though in the middle of a violent dream. Like Danny, a sheen of sweat covered his skin and had soaked through his shirt, but unlike Danny, there was also a dark stain of blood behind his shoulder.

"Still out," Danny reported. He lay back, thinking. Everything in the car- Jamel, the gun, the door- was so close… but still too far. He sighed and closed his eyes. The heat was nearly suffocating as the sun approached its zenith, and Danny ran a damp sleeve over his face in the hope of some relief. He chided himself for complaining about New Jersey winters. What he wouldn't give for a huge snowdrift right about now…

"Danny? You still with me, man?"

Danny licked his dry lips. "Not going anywhere, Steven." Each hot, stuffy inhale lasted an eternity. "Any chance I could get some water? Or ice?"

"They're already working on it. Just hang in there."

"Any chance you can come down and hang out for a bit?"

"Miss my handsome face?"

"Your ugly mug is an improvement on present company."

"How's the cell phone battery?"

Danny pulled the phone away from his ear and glanced at the screen. "Not great."

"You need to turn it off."

"You want me to go loco? This thing is my lifeline, my only connection to sanity. I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. Besides, what if it dies and…"

"-and I really need it? Yeah, yeah." Danny huffed a frustrated sigh.

"You're doing real good, buddy. It'll just be a little while longer."

Danny grunted.

"I'm going to hang up now. Okay?"

"Yeah." Danny's voice sounded shaky to his own ears. "Yeah, okay," he added in a stronger voice. "See you soon, you big goof."

"Right back at ya." And then, with a small click, Steve was gone.

Danny stared at the screen. 19%, enough time to call Grace and Charlie. Tell them how much he loved them… a few parting words of wisdom… Danny stopped with a sharp shake of his head. "Suck it up, Williams," he muttered to himself. "Nobody's dying today."

He closed his eyes and tried to picture the rescue scene above. He imagined large cranes with hooks and cables hanging down, and men in harnesses rappelling down the cliff to attach the cables to the car. Then a smiling face would appear at the window, open the door, and pull him out into the fresh air. He'd he hauled up to the cliff, given a cup of ice water, some cooling blankets, more ice water…

Danny quashed thoughts of cold as his stomach churned uncomfortably from the heat. Each exhale felt hotter than the last, oppressively suffocating his parched lips and throat. Realistically, Danny figured he had at least an hour left… but he wasn't sure if he could make it that long.

"Unnnngh…"

Danny's skin prickled nervously as he looked at his semi-conscious companion. Jamel was nearly awake and beginning to move, his legs jerking and twitching with more vigor. As Danny watched, Jamel rolled onto his back and the car pitched, groaning against the cables holding it in place. Danny heard a few shouts from the cliff above, but he couldn't make out the words- he was too focused on Jamel.

"Easy," Danny soothed in a low voice. "Just take it easy… stay still."

Jamel mumbled incoherently and threw his hand over his face.

Danny winced, but the car stayed fast.

"Detective Williams?" came a loud voice.

"Yeah?" Danny responded, as loudly as he dared.

"Hold still, sir. We're trying to get you out."

"I'm not the one moving!" Danny yelled in return, but they must not have heard.

"We're sending someone down. Don't move!"

Danny didn't respond. He watched as a rope dropped down on Jamel's side of the car, wiggled, and then began a slow sway as someone descended toward them. A moment later, a face appeared at the window.

"Detective Williams?" the young man asked, peering into the interior with a small flashlight.

Danny raised a hand briefly. "That's me."

"I'm Gavin, SWAT medic," the man said. He looked barely old enough to drive. "I'm going to check out your friend here," he said, maneuvering on the rope until he could angle his arm inside the vehicle.

"Not my friend," Danny couldn't help correcting. He watched quietly as Gavin took the unconscious man's wrist and counted silently for a moment. When the medic was done, Danny asked, "Do you see his gun?"

Gavin shone his flashlight around the interior. "Yup. Right there," he pointed with the beam toward the car seats. "But it's wedged between the cushion and the door- I can't reach it."

"At least he can't reach it either," Danny remarked, grateful for the small favor. "He's got another one, though. Waist, tucked into his belt." Danny propped himself up on his elbows to see better.

"Hey man, just hold still. I can see it." Gavin leaned into the car, careful not to touch the frame, and stretched toward Jamel's belt. Without coming inside, however, he came up short, and the second weapon also remained out of reach.

"I could crawl over there," Danny offered.

"No sir. Car's pretty unstable. Wouldn't want to risk it." Gavin pulled his arms out of the window and leaned back on his rope comfortably. "We've got a little grabber stick that could reach it. I'm going to head up to your friend Commander McGarrett and come back down with the stick."

"So, uh… When are you going to get me out?"

"Not for a while, sorry," Gavin grimaced. "We can't get in on your side, and we're still waiting for them to finish stabilizing the car with cables. Then we have to get this guy out first. After that, we'll come inside and get you."

"Great." Danny looked around his 4-door prison at the disarray and spotted an empty soda can. "Any chance I can get some water? Kinda warm in here."

"I'll bring some down with me on the next trip." Gavin clipped his flashlight onto his belt. "Hang in there, Detective. You're almost home." Then he climbed up the rope and disappeared.

Almost home… Danny managed a small smile in spite of himself.