Danny walked down the long hallway hearing only the shuffling of his feet. After discarding the protective gear he stopped in the nearest bathroom and after washing up well he found the nearest exit and walked out into the empty courtyard. It was a brisk fall morning and as the crisp air hit his lungs he sobbed. He walked to a nearby tree and leaning against it he slumped to the ground as the events of the last eighteen hours crashed in on him. He sobbed for Steve. He sobbed for 5-0 and for Gracie, for MaryAnn and he sobbed for himself. Steve had to make it...he just had to make it...

After about fifteen minutes, Danny leaned his head back against the tree. His face chilled as the air hit his dampened cheeks. He sniffled and brought his hands to his face to wipe his eyes. He pinched his nose and talked to himself quietly, "Get a grip on yourself Williams, damn it get a grip"

It was about four thirty and he decided he had better call Chin.
Chin Ho answered on the second ring, "Danny? What is it?"
"Hey brother, sorry to call so early"
The shakiness of Danny's voice terrified Chin, "Danny...is he okay?"
"He's hanging on Chin...it's bad though. His fever is so high...he's delirious"
"How high is it?"
"An hour ago it spiked to 104.7"
"Jesus Christ"

"We're icing him down. Shit Chin, he's bleeding from his nose and his mouth. He's coughing up blood. He's got diarrhea, the chills, he's drenched in sweat...his skin is so bruised that it hurts him to even be touched... God he's in so much pain"

"Danny, do you need me there?"
"No, Chin absolutely not! I'm sorry, I just needed to talk...I'm sorry"

"Danny, please stop. Brother you have NOTHING to be sorry for. I'm glad you called me. Now listen to me buddy, you have to stay strong for him okay. You don't let him quit on us"

Danny sighed deeply, "That's what I needed to hear brother...thank you. I may not be able to call you for a while, I'm afraid to leave him"
"That's okay Danny, no news is good news. You don't worry about us, just take care of him"
"Will do...I've gotta get back up there now. Thanks Chin"
"Call me anytime bro', Kono and I love you both"
"I love you too, bye now"

Danny stood and after taking a couple of deep breaths he turned and made his way back inside.

505050505050505050505050

He re-entered the room to find no marked change in Steve's condition.
He moved to the table with Doctor Gallegos.
"Thank you Doctor, I needed that"
"I thought you might. His temperature is down slightly Danny, to 104.5"
"Well it's going in the right direction, huh?"
The Doctor smiled, "We need to keep doing what we're doing and you just keep talking to him"
"I'm good at that Doc, I kind of drive him crazy at times"

"Well keep it up young man. You're doing him more good than know. I also received a call when you were out. The monkey's Mother and two other adult spider monkeys tested positive for Ebola and they've been put down. One of the adults had just arrived at the zoo from Africa two weeks before Steve came into contact with Zeus. We're assuming the male was infected and he must have infected the other two. Zeus' Mother then passed it on to him"

"How are the zoo keepers?"
"They're fine. At this point neither of them has shown any symptoms. They're in a room just down the hall"
"And we're certain there were no other humans in contact with the monkeys?"

"According to them there was no one else. They have one other assistant but he's been out of work for the last month on medical leave for a back injury. So far Danny, it looks like Steve may be the only one infected"

"Well, that's good...but I tell you what, he's not going to become a casualty Doc"
The Doctor placed a comforting hand on Danny's shoulder, "Let's go see to it"

505050505050505050505050

Over the next four hours Steve remained unconscious and there was no change in his condition. At nine o'clock Doctor Ross, Janelle and Amy arrived to take over. They brought breakfast with them for the others and Doctor Gallegos, Jackie and Heather ate with Danny before heading home to sleep. The two teams would be alternating twelve hour shifts during Steve's recovery and Danny promised Doctor Gallegos that he would get some sleep today.

When Danny returned Doctor Ross let him know that they were continuing with the ice packs and that Steve's temperature was up a bit, to 104.7 again. At about eleven in the morning Steve was again in the throes of another torturous nightmare.
He was calling out, "Find Wes…..Tommyy ffind Wes…"
Danny needed to calm him. His breathing was becoming even more rapid and as Danny placed a hand on his chest he was alarmed at the feel of Steve's heart pounding furiously.

Danny looked to the Doctor and Nurses briefly explaining to them, as he had to the others that Steve was an ex-SEAL.

Holding his partner firmly to the bed he talked calmly, steadily to Steve, "Commander McGarrett, we have Wes Sir, he's safe"
Steve's eyes bolted open wide, "TOMMY, TAKE COVER! IN-COMING TOMMY!"
Sensing Steve's distress Danny had maneuvered his body, leaning into the tent to get closer to his friend. Steve had raised both of his arms grabbing Danny's gown at the shoulders. His hand's gripped tightly as he ranted on about the mission.

"COMMANDER MCGARRETT, LOOK AT ME SIR"
Steve's eyes remained unfocused as he continued to bark out orders to his SEAL Team.
"WES IS DOWN, TOMMY COVER ME!"
Steve's body was shaking in pain. The Nurses and Doctor Ross held his midsection and legs as Danny continued to calm him. Steve was speaking in a firm, clear voice as adrenaline coursed through his ill body.

"STEVE! STEVE! LOOK AT ME, FOCUS ON ME STEVE!"
"TOMMY, LET ME GO! WE HAVE TO GET TO WES! YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE BASTARDS WILL DO TO HIM. I'M YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER AND YOU WILL FOLLOW MY ORDERS!"

"SIR, WES IS SAFE! SEE, HE'S SAFE"
"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TOMMY? WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?"
"SIR, Wes is safe...you're hurt Sir. You need to calm down so I can help you"
"Whhat? I'm hit?"
"You're going to be fine Commander but I need you to relax. We've got Wes and everyone is out safe. Do you understand? Look at me Sir"

A sudden clarity came to Steve's eyes as he spoke softly, "Wes isss ookay?
"Yes Sir, Wes is fine...everybody's fine"
"Except...Andy...ooohhhhh shit Tommy, wwee llost hhim"
"Sir, you have to relax now. I need you to listen to me. You have to slow down your breathing for me"

"MMy ffault Tommy...I mmissed him...fuck how ccould I have mmissed him?"

"Sir, please you have to calm down. We can talk about this later. Now slow down your breathing Steve. In...out...in...out...in...out...that's good Sir, in...out...in...out...nice and slow"

It was working. Steve's body began to relax and Danny kept up the soothing talk until Steve was back under. He then stepped back as the Doctor checked his vitals and the Nurse's worked on cleaning up his soiled diaper and inserting a new catheter. He was shaking as he watched his partner, his entire body drenched in sweat and covered with bruises. His eyes were drawn to Steve's lower abdomen and gratefully the color of the bruising hadn't darkened. He then looked to his partner's chest which was still pumping up and down fast...way too fast. Suddenly Danny became light headed and he moved back a few additional steps and leaned up against the wall. A horrible feeling of dread overtook him….his partner was dying.