I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: fairly ok results from the doctor; off surgical roster at least for the foreseeable future. After one more MRI, if doc is satisfied, then 12 mos checkups after that. I'm VERY happy we can manage it by watching things! Thank you for such wonderful well wishes!

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*

Chapter Eight

Inside exam room four, Moze stood on his sneakered toes on top of the farthest counter top ... and screamed. He had been about to release the two hostages out of both fear and retribution against Stumps and the manner in which he was being treated. Completely unhappy about Stumps new desire to grandstand by using the media, even Moze knew that Horner now had no intention of stopping. After an argument of mammoth proportions with both his peers, he had stalked away and then had made his decision to cut a deal with their hostages to save his own skin.

He was halfway down the hallway when a window was smashed in and the first flash bang went off behind him. As bewildered as Koa, he bolted like a rabbit in a crazed attempt to escape assuming that the police had finally decided to blow them all up.

Below him now, his worst nightmare had come true. The three-legged Bull Terrier gazed in confusion up at him with a piece of his t-shirt still hanging from the side of her lips. Initially, the deafening flash bangs had rendered the dog into a cowering fearful huddle inside the office. But once released, the discordant noises from police radios and verbal shouting was agitating. The over the top activity had stimulated her into a hyper-frantic sense of excitement. To add to matters and despite still favoring her one paw, the skinny man had run when she crashed into the room and that only meant one thing: play and chase.

Mouthing the remnants of his t-shirt tail in her mouth, Koa couldn't help herself as she barked and reared on her hind legs. Then, her new friend's high-pitched scream was a delightful addition.

This game was fun and her prey was fast but now he was up high playing tag. He was also making the most enticing new noises as he shrieked and kicked a sneakered foot in her direction. With the game increasing in intensity, Koa easily engaged with her new friend.

"No! Help me .. someone help!" Moze screamed again as Koa woofed and then gave out with a crescendo of loud barking.

By reflex, his switch blade was flicked open and he held it in front of him as a warning to the strange looking dog. While the deep booming bark was certainly something he feared, her oddly shaped head and large jaws of the brindle Terrier were terrifyingly foreign to him.

"Get away from me! Go!" Panting and shaking high in the corner, he looked up in fear as both Danny and Kono charged into the room with guns drawn.

"Help!" Moze fairly screamed as he fisted his knife when Koa reared up on her hind legs. "Help! It wants to kill me! Help!"

"Put the knife down." Danny demanded loudly as Moze waved it in the dog's direction. But everything he demanded was useless as the teenager zoned in on his fear of dogs. "Drop it now! Drop it!"

Shaking his head in abject fear, Moze barely responded to the demands as tears rolled down his ashen face. Keeping his gun trained on the boy, Danny tightened his lips angrily. The kid was truly petrified and unable to find reason in his addled head.

"Kono. Get the dog. Put her in a different room." Silently, Kono edged forward to take Koa's collar to remove her from the room. Eyes still wide and trembling badly, Moze watched the reluctant dog disappear from sight but was unable to yet move. When Kono returned, Danny started again with only a slightly more moderated tone as the knife swung his way.

"The dog's locked up. Now put the knife down." The moan was testament to how frightened he remained, but with a final jerked motion, Moze let it drop from his fingers to the floor below. But he shook his head vigorously when Danny demanded that he step down from the counter top.

"No, no, no! It's not safe!" Moze was nearly sobbing in hysteria by that point, completely unaware that the Detective before him was losing his patience. But it was Kono who acted in disgust by stalking forward to snag the boy firmly by his left ankle.

"Enough already!" With one solid wrench, Moze screeched as he lost his balance to fall solidly first on the counter and then to the tiled floor. Within seconds he was cuffed and sent babbling in fear into the hands of the HPD officer.

"Thank you." Danny remarked blithely as he virtually jogged from the examination room. "Nicely done."

"You are very welcome." Kono responded as she followed on his heels. "And thank you, too."

With all perpetrators now in hand and the all clear given, there were only two storage rooms to check and Danny sighed in relief as he unlocked and slammed the first one wide open.

"Doc!" Just getting his breathing under control, Danny faked standing nonchalantly when he unexpectedly came nose to chest with the big doctor. With only bound fists to use, the older man was quite ready to do whatever was necessary, and it was only by a divine miracle that he hadn't reactively pummeled the first face which entered the room. Behind him and still slouched against the rear wall, Steve remained weakly seated.

"It's about bloody time!" Shoulders still tensed, Ramirez shouted in relief as his brain deciphered friend versus enemy. Upon hearing the flash bangs, he'd gotten to his feet to await whomever should arrive; the longer he waited, the more he'd assumed the worst. Forcing himself to stand straighter, Ponch lowered his voice though the reprimand was still quite apparent. "What took so long?"

Rendered speechless once more, Danny could only shrug because in reality he needed the few minutes to calm his mind. He needed the time to still the adrenalin forced tremor racing through his own body.

"Hey, Doc." Behind him, Kono mirrored Danny's worried look and posture down to the sternly tapping toe on her sandaled right foot. Craning her neck, she just barely could see Steve's face. "Boss? How are you doing?"

Sidling past the frazzled physician, Danny entered the room to drop down nearer his partner. "Big bad SEAL needs rescuing from three cranky teenagers. What happened in here?" Despite his worry, Danny couldn't help the sarcasm as he eyed Steve's weary but resentful expression. It was his way of coping with his partner's unexpected kidnapping and the blood he now saw first-hand leaking into the white bandage. Beyond the board shorts, damp t-shirt and beat-up sneakers, Steve refused to smile though as he watched Danny's fists slowly unclench.

"We had it under control." Instead his own sense of self-preservation kicked in and Steve chose deflection as he muttered into his chest. "Perfect control."

"Under control." Faster than Danny's own sharp tongue, it was Kono who interrupted them in surprise. "This? This is under control? No, this is perfectly screwed up, boss!" The faint glower communicated Steve's own feelings as he tried to sit more upright, but failed.

"Untie us, Daniel." Lifting his hands a few inches off his lap before letting them fall, Steve made the demand with a voice that communicated his ever-increasing level of disgust … and weariness. Slightly listing even more to the right, he was tired and the wound had never ceased in its fierce pounding.

"Oh, I don't know." Danny sighed dramatically as he faked a languorous stretch. "My surf buddy and I are missing the most outrageous curls right now. Every minute we waste talking, is a wave wasted on the sand."

"Excuse me?" Peering up through lazy eyes, Steve virtually ground out his questions. "A wave .. what? Wasted … where?"

"More rescuing ... and less talking. Enough talking, Detective." Standing above them, Ponch's nervous energy took over as he bounced on his toes while rending his bound hands together. Unable to stuff them deeply into his lab coat pockets, he looked decidedly uncomfortable. However, he was suddenly unable to stop smiling at the sandy, sun-tanned man who sported board shorts and a tac-vest.

"Waves, Steven." Ignoring him though, Danny chose to reiterate his words for Steve's sake. Distressed by what he was seeing, he ground then out between clenched teeth. "Waves. Sandy beaches. Why are you not working on your car?"

"He's going to kill you, you know. All this needless talking." Using both fisted hands to point at Danny now, Ponch's remark held a much too casual lilt. "First him … and then me."

"Really?" Danny countered in a similar temper while glancing upwards. "Before we go there, I have a bone to pick with him, myself."

The smile on the doctor was not an actual smile … more of warning leer. But it wasn't necessary because Danny was already moving to gently cut the tight tape wrapped around his partner's wrists. With Kono aiding the doctor, Danny lifted the hem on Steve's t-shirt to see more of the reddened bandage while neatly avoiding the weak hands that tried to bat his seeking fingers away.

"You okay? Steve?" Danny begged worriedly as his entire posture and tone altered in milliseconds. Another ill chill had nearly vibrated the man's teeth in his head despite his feeble nod that communicated he was perfectly fine. The slight disbelieving hesitation from Danny said otherwise and he quickly recanted. "Never mind. Why am I asking you? Why do I bother? Doc, is he going to be alright?"

"Very good point, Detective. He does keep insisting that's he's fit as a fiddle." The sharply amused chuckle came from just behind Danny's shoulder now as Ramirez scooted over to insist that Steve lay flat back on the floor.

"It's a painful wound and he's lost a fair amount of blood but should be fine if we can get him out of here. His pressure is low and he's on the shocky side of things. I'm insisting on at least one overnight at the hospital and maybe two." Ramirez further explained as he pulled additional medical supplies off the closest shelving. "Kono, if you wouldn't mind making sure an ambulance is en route please?"

"Medics are already out front, Doc and ready to transport. I'll get them in here since we're secure." Kono noted quickly as she relayed her orders to Duke to allow the medics access now that the trio had been apprehended.

"Steve?" Crouched down, Danny was bouncing nervously on his heels and becoming more alarmed as his partner's eyes began to drift close. He trusted Ramirez but his partner's silent lapses were increasing at an alarming pace.

"Doc, are you sure he's going to be okay?" Danny pushed more as Ramirez rechecked the bandages and patiently nodded a strong affirmative. The older man was truly exhausted too from the stress of the day, and his thoughts were immediately now going to where his niece might be.

"Becca? Is she alright?" Ponch asked next while thumbing his stethoscope back into his ears, pleased when Danny genuinely smiled.

"She's outside and Ellen may even be here by now, Doc." Danny clasped a friendly hand to the big doctor's shoulder where residual stress made the large frame shake almost imperceptibly. "She's a smart little girl and we couldn't have done this without her help. The dog is locked up in another exam room."

"Ellen, of course." Rising to his feet with a small wobble, Ramirez wiped his face with the side of his elbow. "Good. Thank you. I need to go see Becca once I know Steve is loaded for emergency; then I'll take care of the dog. Where is that ambulance crew?"

Rounding the corner to the room at a remarkable pace, Ramirez found himself careening into Jasper Mitchell. Flustered and distressed, the younger doctor gratefully gripped his friend's arms and gave him a stern, worried shake. "Ponch! You okay? Seriously?"

"Seriously fine, Mitchell. Glad to see you here." Distinctly pleased to see Jazz, Ponch heaved a sigh to settle himself even more before gently aiming the younger physician towards Steve. "Help them out would you? He's in pain and I had nothing at my disposal. Push a dose of Fentanyl before they transport Steve to take the edge off. Then close up shop for the day; even the weekend."

"Absolutely." Despite the fact that the big doctor didn't actually own the clinic and he did, Jazz grinned in relief. He warmly welcomed the older man's penchant to give orders and commandeer a situation. "You got it; Becca's sitting in the back of Kono's car waiting for you."

With that Ramirez was in a rush making room for Jasper and then for the medics who were coming in to retrieve their patient for transport. But on the way there, the ex-Tripler medical doctor found it necessary to spout orders to them about Steve's pulse, respiration and need for fluids.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to get that pain medication." Before leaving the room, Jazz smiled reassuringly at Danny about Ramirez's bluster. "Habits. He's a tough old bird who has control issues."

"God help me." Danny moaned dramatically. "Is that Steve in thirty years?"

"No, brah, that's him now." Kono happily corrected him.

"Ha! Either way, I guess you are in trouble, my friend!" But for that remark, Jazz's comical snort scarily mirrored his mentor's as he forcibly instructed and antagonized the incoming medics even more. "Get him on oxygen. Push those fluids and I'll be right back."

"Take good care of him." Danny demanded next as he squeezed into a corner for the medics to have access to his partner. Refusing to leave, he kept his hand on Steve's shoulder as he watched the duly run intravenous lines and helped position the oxygen mask against Steve's reactive refusal.

"How is he?" Danny asked for the hundredth time as one medic palmed his own stethoscope off after taking Steve's blood pressure. Then he was smacking the tired hand which had strayed upwards again. "Oxygen. Leave the mask on."

"I'm right here you know." Steve breathed out in complaint as his eyes fluttered back open, only to close painfully as he was jostled. The ongoing chatter above him was nearly incessant as activity increased supposedly for his benefit.

"You all need to stop badgering everyone. Bossy group. Too much talking." He winced apologetically as one of the medic's carefully inspected his wounded side by skittering around the already placed pressure bandages. Removing the adeptly placed bandages would be a decisive error at this stage so the medic merely rechecked their skilled placement.

"His blood pressure is on the low side. But all things considered, his vitals are relatively stable; he'll have a nice relaxing day or two at the hospital." The medic confirmed as Danny let out a soft puff of air.

"I'm fine, Danno." Peeking up through his lashes, Steve found himself nearly nose to nose with his harried partner. Danny's hair was tousled and unkempt from his day on the water. Far from being unscathed, there was a roughened scratch on one cheek and a decent sized scrape across his forearm which gave testament to his few dramatic tumbles. Half tan and half rosy sun-burn, only Danny's eyes continually broadcasted the level of his concern. At his feet, Steve met Kono's eyes as she crouched down in a similar fashion, the yellow of her bathing suit just peeking through the cover up which in turn was styled by her own heavy black tac-vest. Both friends were an odd mix of authority and holiday beach bum.

"You used flash bangs." Steve muttered in approval despite Danny's almost defensive frown which was a contrast to Kono's very pleased grin. "You were in my truck."

"Yeah, well the negotiator was taking too long and I knew I'd find some sort of fun SEAL toys in the glove box." Danny retorted with a worried glance at the medics who were both now readying the stretcher. "You're very predictable, Steven."

"Well. Most of the time." Kono countered with a wide-armed motion to beg that validity since he was far from his own garage where he was supposed to be working on his Marquis.

Coming from behind Kono, Jazz returned with the requisite pain medication and the group made way so he could slowly inject it into Steve's arm.

"This should help quite a bit." Jazz noted calmly as Steve's pinched expression began to smooth out. He then continually lingered to offer support where needed until he had to interrupt their growing banter so that Steve could be moved. "Okay. We're ready to go." The young doctor confirmed softly as a gurney was brought in. "Let's get this show on the road, people."

"Danny." With a weak grin, Steve tapped his partner's hand to pull his attention back before he could be moved. The medication Ponch had prescribed and which Jasper had dutifully given him had more than taken the debilitating pain away from his side. Heaving in a steadying breath, he had to force his eyes to remain open for a few more minutes.

"How was surfing, Danno? Looked great to me, brah. Kono's right, you are pretty good." He breathed out steadily around a grin.

"What? I'm … what?" Danny croaked as he glanced up to Kono to see if she'd heard the same thing. Based on her surprised reaction and sharp inhale, she certainly had and the two almost had nothing to say.

"Were you spying on us?" Danny cautiously questioned as his partner was deftly transferred from floor to gurney. A blanket was tucked around him to offset the ill chill which briefly returned. But with his eyes growing heavy once more, Steve allowed himself to drift off while still managing to grin up into their dual stunned expressions.

~ to be continued ~