A big thank you once again to everyone who reviewed, alerted and just plain read chapter two. And apparently I love cliffhanger chapters. I promise I didn't plan it this way – it just kind of keeps happening. So sorry to those of you who hate that. :-)

Enjoy chapter 3!

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There were several things working against Steve as he searched around for his cell phone.

First was the fact that his office had been blown to hell. Even though his phone was ringing, he couldn't see where it was thanks to the large amount of debris and general disarray of the room. There was paperwork, pieces of furniture, shards of glass and several things he could no longer identify scattered everywhere. Even though he was quite sure that at the time of the explosion his cell phone had been on him, his holster now sat empty and his cell was no where to be found.

Second, the pain in Steve's ribs was exaggerated with each move he made. Just shifting some of the papers that lay scattered around him made him flinch. That along with his broken ankle made it impossible for him to do a thorough enough search to find his cell before the caller lost patience and hung up.

The phone continued to ring. He was both hopeful and apprehensive.

The Aloha Bomber had already called him once. Was he calling again to gloat? To make sure the job was finished? Steve shook his head. The first call he had received from the deranged criminal was on his office phone. The bomber had not called him directly… he had called Five-0. Now his personal phone was ringing and he was desperate to find it.

He cautiously moved his legs around, trying to sift through the rubble around his feet. His cell phone peeked out to him from underneath a loose wooden board; the touch screen's light shining to him like a beacon. He carefully lifted the board with his left foot using the rubber traction of his boots to get a good grip. Then very gently he maneuvered his right foot over to the phone. He managed to get his heel on it in the first try and he slowly dragged the phone closer to his body, bending his leg at the knee. The pain in his ankle intensified from the slight pressure, but he ignored it the best he could. Finally the phone was close enough for him to reach with his hands and he snatched it up. One glance at the screen and his heart leaped.

"Chin!" Steve gasped into the phone. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Kono and I were nearly clear of the building when it blew." Steve could hear the trepidation in Chin's voice, but allowed him to continue. "Kono's getting checked out now. She hit her head pretty good, but she'll be fine."

The other two members of his team were safe. Steve exhaled in relief.

"What's the situation in there? Are you and Danny okay?"

Steve debated on how much to tell Chin. He could tell the man was worried and he didn't want to concern him more than necessary. However, he assumed rescue teams were already attending to the survivors and any vital information could be important to getting Danny and himself out of there as soon as possible. He opted for the latter.

"I'm pretty banged up. Some broken ribs and a broken ankle. Danny's in a bit of a… jam. The workstation has him pinned. He's going to need some help getting out."

"It sounds like you both will, brah." Steve could hear the smirk in Chin's voice. It was true – Steve hated to admit when he needed help.

"What is the rescue timetable?"

"Rescue crews are on the scene. Lower levels are being evacuated first but it's slow going. They've already pulled eight bodies from the wreckage. The main concern is infrastructure. We've already had an outer wall from the fifth floor collapse. The fire chief is concerned about sending in men beyond the third floor."

This was unwelcome news to Steve. Five-0 was located on the fourth floor, meaning it could potentially be hours before anyone got to them. He could understand the concern, however. The wall collapsing must have been what he and Danny had felt earlier. Sending in a rescue to team could result in the entire floor collapsing, further endangering the survivors on the levels below.

"Ok Chin. Keep me informed. There's one other thing. I received a call before the explosion. It was from The Aloha Bomber."

Steve could hear the urgency in Chin's reply. "What time did you receive the call?"

Steve glanced at his watch. "It had to have been around 11:15. I'm not sure on the exact time."

"What did he say to you?"

"Just four words. 'It's your turn. Aloha.'"

"That's it?" Chin seemed unimpressed.

"That was it."

"Ok. Kono and I will run the phone records; see what we can come up with. I'm not expecting much, knowing this guy's history."

"Understood. I'm going to hang-up and discuss the situation with Danny. I may have an idea on how to get us out of here sooner."

"I wouldn't have expected anything less, boss."

Steve let himself smile and he hung up.

"Well?" Steve heard Danny call out to him.

"Rescue is underway but we're not the main concern at the moment. They are working on evacuating the lower levels first and ascertaining the building's stability."

"That's… unfortunately logical," Danny said. Steve agreed. Though he wanted to get the both of them out as soon as possible, he had to believe the rescue teams were doing what they thought was best.

But Steve could not just sit idly by and wait for help. It just wasn't in his nature.

He began to plot his next course of action. Looking over his shoulder, he could see that getting out of his office and over to Danny would prove to be difficult. He'd have to pull himself up and over the toppled bookcase, not to mention avoid all of the shattered glass and dangling wires. But if he got to Danny, he could hopefully get him free from the table. Then… well… he'd figure out the 'then' after that.

One mission at a time.

"I'm assuming you have a plan, Steve." Danny's voice drifted toward him. Steve nodded though he knew his partner couldn't see him.

"Yup," was his only response.

"And?"

"I'm going to come get you and we're going to get out of here."

"Interesting plan."

"I thought so." Steve propped himself up on his left side using his elbow for support. He managed the sharp stabs of pain rippling up from his side by using some slow breathing techniques. Using his right arm to support his aching ribs, he pushed himself up so he was sitting. His head spun from the sudden change in equilibrium and he closed his eyes to clear the spots that appeared.

His vision cleared and he adjusted his body, preparing to stand. He placed his left had against the wall and pushed. The momentum carried him upward and he stood. He swayed on his feet and he kept his hand on the wall for support. His broken ribs protested at the movement and he doubled over, involuntarily letting out a small groan.

"Steve? What, pray tell, are you doing?"

"I told you, I'm coming to get you." He let out a sharp breath.

"Look, I appreciate your whole 'saving people' complex, but that's probably not a good idea. Don't come over here."

Steve lifted his head. Feeling confident he had regained his balance, he cautiously removed his hand from the wall. It took him a moment, but he found he could stand with little difficulty. Now he just had to will his body to move in the direction of Danny.

"Can you give me a compelling reason for me not to?" Steve began to hobble toward the fallen bookcase. It was slow going. He couldn't put any weight on his right leg thanks to his broken ankle, and navigating around the larger pieces of broken furniture and wreckage proved to be more difficult than he thought. But he was making progress.

Just a few more steps and he'd be within its reach.

"I can give you several compelling reasons," Danny began, his voice already beginning to sound nearer. He must not be too far from Steve's office. "One, you said it yourself. The building is unstable. You coming over here will probably just cause the building to decide it can't stand up anymore and collapse beneath me. Two, what are you going to do once you get here? I can't get out. We're going to need the jaws of life to get my legs out from underneath this thing. Three-"

"-Danny, just trust me, ok? I'll come up with something."

"Three," Danny continued with more force as if Steve hadn't even spoken, "as much as I enjoy your thrilling heroics, I think…"

Steve tuned Danny out. He'd finally reached the bookshelf. He laid his hand on it, grateful to have something to lean against. He was short of breath – his broken ribs making it impossible to breathe deeply. He steadied himself and looked out from his office. The glass that was once a barrier to the main lobby of Five-0 headquarters had been shattered, leaving the bookcase as the only object standing between him and the larger room.

Seeing the massive damage that the bomb had created was surreal. Literally nothing was where it once was. No piece of furniture, no piece of technology, no support beam remained intact. A fine layer of film coated everything, making Steve feel as thought he'd walked into a war zone. He'd seen countless bombings of military outposts and bunkers to recognize the aftermath. This was no different.

He scanned the room and finally found what he was looking for. The workstation had toppled over and was now lying perpendicular to the floor. Underneath was a pinned Danny, who was still categorically listing the reasons Steve should not come to his aid. Relief flooded through him at seeing his partner.

"…all of which, I remind you, end in my untimely demise."

Steve stood taller and grinned. "I see you feel quite strongly about this."

Danny's head whipped toward him. Steve felt his smile grow.

"You are completely off your nut, you know that?"

"Whatever you say, Danno." Steve took stock of Danny's condition quickly. Steve couldn't see his partner's legs from this angle. He'd have to get closer to see if Danny would even be able to walk after freeing him from the table. His left arm was uncharacteristically still at his side. His usually crisp shirt was crumpled and smudged. Danny's face glistened slightly with sweat and Steve could see a large cut above his left eye.

"You look like hell."

Danny's only reply was a roll of his eyes.

"How much pain are you in right now?"

Danny seemed to consider his answer. "A good bit."

"How much is a good bit?"

"Less than a lot, more than a little."

It was Steve's turn to roll his eyes. "You didn't tell me you were bleeding."

Danny's hand casually flicked in the air as if to wave Steve off. "It's nothing. And for the record, you won't be winning any beauty pageants yourself anytime soon."

Steve shrugged and pondered his next move. He wasn't sure if he was physically able to climb over the fallen bookcase. It lay propped against the wall at an angle and even at its lowest point was roughly three feet high. Getting around this would be no small feat, he thought. But he also knew this was the most direct way of getting over to his partner. And that was something he had to do.

"Ok."

Danny's eyebrows went up. "Ok? Ok what?"

"I'm going to climb up and over this," Steve indicated the bookcase with a nod of his head. His right arm was still supporting his ribs and his left steadied his body. "Can you see anything on the other side that I should be aware of?"

"This is a really bad idea," Danny replied, but lifted his head up to examine the condition of the floor outside of Steve's office. "I don't see anything else."

"Good, good." Steve nodded again. Then, drawing in as deep of a breath as he was able, he began his ascent. He found a groove on the shelf and tentatively placed his right foot down, preparing for the pain. It didn't disappoint. He clenched his teeth and carefully hoisted his left leg up and over the mahogany piece of furniture. He now straddled the top of the bookcase – his left hand gripping the wood in front of him, holding himself steady. His right arm still clenched his side with such intensity that it caused his shoulder to ache.

Once he was in position he risked a quick look at Danny. The detective was propped up slightly, his face etched with apprehension. Steve looked around, attempting to locate the safest way to drop down on the other side. He didn't see much choice in the matter. He'd have to just swing his other leg over and hope for the best.

His jaw set with determination, he leaned backward and hoisted his right leg over. Careful to keep his ankle from being jarred, Steve risked picking up his hand keeping him steady and clasped his calf.

"Easy, easy," Danny's concerned voice reached Steve. He nodded in reply.

The risk paid off. He right leg eased over the top of the case and Steve was now sitting neatly on top of the bookcase. He looked Danny in the face and smiled.

"King of the hill?" Danny asked.

"Something like that."

Steve steeled himself for his next move. He began to inch forward when he heard it. There was no mistaking the sound of collapsing wood and drywall. He glanced over at Danny and saw him looking up toward the ceiling. Steve followed his line of sight and looked up.

The floor above him was falling. There was nothing for it now – he'd have to jump off his ledge, and fast. He held his breath and lunged forward with nothing but the floor to break his fall. He vaguely thought he could hear Danny's voice shouting out to him, but it was dim over the howl of the collapsing ceiling.

Pieces of plaster began raining down around him before he even hit the floor. He landed with a thud and the wind was knocked out of him. His ribs screamed upon impact and he moved his arms over his head in an attempt to shield himself.

The sky was falling and there was nothing he could do but ride it out.