So, someone complained about cliffies...well close your eyes, count to ten...and DON'T read this chapter.

/././

Lou stood guard out on the street. He'd been in this business a long time, and guard duty was nothing new. It hit close to home now, but that only hardened his resolve. No one was getting past him.

He knew Chin was out there too, keeping an eye on a different part of the perimeter around Steve's property. He could reach out and check on him if he wanted, but they'd decided to stay off the coms. Talking had proved not to be helpful as it devolved into the unsteadiness of emotional territory too quickly.

Everyone was beyond worried. Danny was family.

Lou didn't know much about what happened in Colombia. Didn't want to know, trusting that Steve and Chin would fill in the gaps when it was necessary. Right now his task was simple. Protect Danny's family.

The evening had grown cool and he tugged on the sleeves of his shirt. Still surprised him that 60 degree weather now felt chilly. He wished he'd thought to bring a jacket. But who thinks about niceties in situations like this. You act. Comfort is never important. Until something drives you slightly mad when you're on watch. Didn't matter how much training you had, sometimes, those errant thoughts pushed through. Professionals were trained to deal with pain and discomfort. To ignore it. It wasn't that you didn't feel the cool night air. You just didn't let it get to you.

He hadn't known Danny for very long. He'd only officially been with the team for maybe seven months. It surprised him how seamlessly he'd slipped into their well-oiled machine, how quickly they'd all accepted him as ohana.

And now he really saw the power of their bond. He felt the strong need to do what ever it took to make things right. They'd all stepped up to help him all those months ago when Ian Wright had taken his daughter.

And Danny, God bless him. Danny had thrown him a lifeline, given him the boost of energy he'd needed on that awful day. Lou had sworn then he'd one day return the favor. Though he'd hoped that day wouldn't be like this one.

/././

Danny drifted in and out letting the medical team poke and prod him. They'd run an IV and given him some pain meds. One stop shop. Torture you and then fix you up afterwards. The CIA took care of everything. He almost giggled but this thought floated away like so many others.

They'd done terrible things to his leg. At least that's what Danny would tell you if you asked him. A quick debridement with what he would later swear had to be battery acid led to the decision not to close the wound. It was simply wrapped and secured. Medicine on the run.

They must have given him something strong because he'd never felt this loopy. It was the first time he realized he wasn't wearing any shoes or socks. Wiggling his toes, he was happy they still worked. With half a lopsided grin on his face, he let the descending wave of numbness take him.

Some time later, he opened his eyes again. Wrapped in a narcotic web, he was aware of very little except that he was shivering. And Doris was watching him. She was suddenly too close. He couldn't move to get away as she reached for him. Her lips were moving, saying something soothing he was sure of it, and she ran a hand through his hair, touch gentle. For the briefest of flashes, he saw his own mother and he smiled, teeth clattering. She covered him with a blanket and Danny wanted to kiss her.

"Thank you," he managed to whisper. Any measure of kindness was a treasure at that moment.

She sat down next to him and never left his side the rest of the flight, overseeing his care for the entire trip home. She didn't apologize for what she'd done. There was nothing she could say. Except she did say one thing.

"I see why my son loves you."

Danny heard this on the edge of a dream and smiled. Steve.

As they got closer to Oahu, Doris decided it was time for the inevitable phone call. Fingers still in Danny's hair, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts list.

/././

Steve sat alone at the table. Grace was upstairs in his bed. She wouldn't sleep anywhere else. He'd managed to somehow slip away without waking her.

She missed her father and Steve was the next best thing at this moment, serving as a giant Teddy Bear. He wasn't sure he was doing anything right. But he kept the scared little girl calm and that was saying something.

Now, there was nothing he could do but wait, and it just about drove him mad. They'd turned over a few rocks that afternoon, but none of the scurrying assholes offered any relevant information. Even Kamekona was a bust. Whoever took Danny was damn good.

Steve sighed and traced a circle in the moisture left by the cup of water he'd been nursing. He wanted to break things. To scream. But he wasn't alone. There were too many things riding on him remaining calm and in command.

Rachel was nearby, sitting outside on the chairs with Kono while Charlie dozed in the living room. She'd needed some fresh air and no amount of sense could be knocked into her at the moment. Kono would be her shield.

He was glad he didn't have to worry about Stan too, but Rachel was itching to get back to the mainland to be with her husband. She insisted that she would be safe there with both Grace and Charlie. Steve did not agree.

The team had brought the little group to his place. Danny's family had become the mission. Keeping them safe until his friend returned. Because everything else was out of his control.

They had no leads. There had been no phone call for ransom. Nothing. Danny had vanished. He could have been abducted by aliens for all they knew.

Right now, all Steve could think of was that Danny didn't have his shoes. He was barefoot. Such a weird thing to focus on, he knew, but it was the burr stuck in his brain. And he wanted to cry over something so silly.

"Uncle Steve?" Grace padded into the room.

He looked up into red eyes, cheeks streaked with tears. Broke his heart to see her upset again. "Come here, sweetie."

She rushed into his arms. "I can't sleep."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Me neither."

"You think he's out there somewhere?"

He knew what she was really asking.

"Yes, Danno's out there."

"I miss him."

"Me too." He pulled away from her. "Want some water?"

She shook her head. Steve was at a loss. He didn't have any magic words to tell her. This was the part of the fairy tale everyone forgot. The waiting for the happy ending. The twist that might save the day.

Rachel breezed into the room. "Grace, dear, let's get you back to bed. Uncle Steve has a lot on his mind."

He mouthed a quick thank you to her before she disappeared upstairs with her daughter. Sighing he leaned back in the chair. Steve didn't know how Rachel was handling herself so well. Moments like this, he understood why Danny loved her.

Tension had coiled itself into a headache, and he decided maybe some fresh air would do him some good. As he pushed away from the table, his phone lit up with an unfamiliar number, and he had the urge to throw up when he saw the picture on his screen. Steve looked up to see Kono walking his direction. And by the look on her face, she could read his mind.

"Boss?"

She hadn't said more than two words to him since they'd gotten back to his house. Boss was on the top of the list.

"My phone." He held up his cell, numb to the name on the caller ID. How did this new number get into his phone? Doris hacked his phone? After all the weeks of trying to find her, here she was at the worst possible moment. The mind fuck of Wo Fat and Doris and everything that had happened in the last few months roared inside his head. He could not focus.

There was so much he had to say to his mother, but right now his mind was on overload. He could not handle Danny being missing and Doris at the same time. Tugging on the collar of his shirt, Steve worked to catch his breath. It felt like his body was evaporating, caught in the breeze and dragging him out to sea.

Until a soft, small hand wrapped around his wrist. Kono. She pulled him back from the brink. Her face was blank, tired, but her words were clear. "Answer it."

/././

Sorry. I couldn't resist.