I do NOT own anything, but the plot.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!

As always, thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy what's to come!

I'm not going to apologise for that little cliffhanger…

Nalo a loaʻa

-loosely translate to "lost and found"-

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The first bullet had ripped through his side at such velocity that Steve never felt the pain - he just reacted.

Seeing Franklin Wright on his front porch very much alive made Steve respond to the threat

The second bullet tore the air apart, and Steve's training kicked in as adrenaline pumped into his system. He was quick to force the gun skyward before Franklin could fire another shot. Nearly unarmed, Steve used his other hand to get an upper cut against Franklin's jaw. The force sent the man backwards, nearly falling over as he went down the few steps of the porch and Steve followed, fuelled only by anger. He knew nothing of the gunshot wound to his torso, only that Franklin was a threat to his family, and he had to save them.

Years of training came into focus, his drive to protect every single person in the house behind him propelling him to apprehend Franklin. He had no idea how this was happening; he came home solely because Franklin had died. Someone clearly lied and he worried how this would affect his standing back with his Ohana.

"Give it up, Steve," Franklin grunted, sniggering as he wiped blood from his lip. "This was how it was always going to end."

Not to Steve it wasn't.

He was home, and he was here to stay.

He'd fight until the end to prove that if he had to.

"Unlikely," Steve grunted, moving forward. "You're meant to be dead ... this time I'll make sure the job's done properly."

Lunging, Steve took a punch only to receive a blow to his injured side. Laughing, Franklin kicked Steve in the leg, forcing his knee to twist and bend at an awkward angle, Franklin landing a short at his thigh, too. Taking his shot while the former SEAL was down, Franklin grabbed Steve by the back of head, slamming his head downwards towards one of the vehicles on the drive. Steve felt his head connect with the wheel arch of his Silverado, and immediately everything washed to white then came back into focus at a dizzying rate as blood poured down his face. He recovered quickly, forcing his knee to work on adrenaline alone, using his stumble to swing around and connect his fist with Franklin's jaw, taking his opportunity to grab the other man's hair and slam his face into the side of Danny's Camaro, Steve didn't give a thought to the dent it could leave, just that he had to eliminate this threat.

For everything that happened, he had to put Franklin down or die trying.

Letting him go, he waited to see if Franklin would move, his hand finally finding purchase on why his side was hurting. Glancing down, he saw the blood pouring between his fingers, and fell against his truck. His adrenaline was waning, his body an assortment of pain, but he needed to get something to subdue Franklin in case he came to.

"Steve!" Chin called out, exiting the house in time to see Steve hold himself up against his Silverado. "Lou, call for an ambulance and HPD backup. Get Steve's cuffs, too."

Franklin started to move, slowly rising, but Chin couldn't even alert Steve when his boss turned around and caught the man in a chokehold. He watched as Steve kept a tightened grip until the body slipped to the ground with a hard thud, unmoving, and Steve used his truck to turn. Chin noticed the red on his boss' hand, but it wasn't until Steve faced the house that he realised the crimson on Steve's grey cotton top and the blood on his boss' face.

"Shit," Danny swore as he came to stand beside Chin.

"Danny, help him ... I'll grab something to stop the bleeding."

"Already on it!" Danny exclaimed, rushing past Chin in his quickest advance to Steve. "C'mon, big fella, let's sit you down before you fall down."

Steve didn't argue, something that unnerved Danny. Franklin had landed a few good hits against Steve's side, making an already nasty wound worse, leaving Steve pale faced and panting. As Danny helped, Steve felt the way his knee struggled with any type of weigh on it and hobbled clear of the drive and onto the cushioning of the lawn.

"Not going to tell me you're fine?" Danny jested, keeping a strong grasp on his friend.

"N-no." Was the panted reply. "I-I stopped him," Steve grunted as he was laid down, every muscle loosening on him. "Th-thought he was de-dead."

"You and I both, Babe," Danny said, flattening his hands above the bullet wound to his partner's side. He was going to have the Governor and every police official by the balls for this. "He got you good. Bullet's still inside."

"I tried t-to move, b-but I wasn't qui-quick enough."

Steve was staring upwards, taking in the bright blue cloudless sky, but he knew this feeling that was taking him over, had lived it too many times to count. It was in that very moment, Steve wished he'd been more open and honest with the team, allowed them to know absolutely everything.

He had nothing but regrets.

"Hey, c'mon, Babe, what's so good up there?" Danny asked, worried that Steve's distant expression was him giving up.

"Da-Danny?"

"Yeah, Steven, what's up?"

"Don't let m-me die." Steve's wide eyes came away from the skies to look at Danny, transfixed and panicked he placed his hand on the detective's arm, Steve clung on. "Pl-please."

Danny could see the sheer desperation in Steve's eyes. In seeing tears line Steve's lashes, Danny felt something kick in, a part of his old self came back as Steve lay hurt. The small part of him that just couldn't let go of the past six months finally relented its hold and Danny finally felt like his old self.

"Hey, hey, you big goof, this is, as you would always say, just a scratch. We're going to get you to the hospital and they're going to slap a band aid on this, and you'll be fighting with the doctors in an hour tops to be back home. We have the grill on for Christ's sake and while Lou knows what he's doing, we know you're the true master."

Steve laughed before grunting at the pain.

"K-kids?" Steve asked craning his neck to look backwards at the house. "W-where are they?"

"Kono took them down to the beach," Danny told him, hating how panicked Steve looked. "They didn't see anything."

"Ever-everyone o-okay?"

"Yeah, we're all good because of you."

Gulping, Steve started to unwind, his fear of dying now outweighing his fear of Franklin Wright on his doorstep.

"Th-this is b-bad," Steve whispered, trying hard to keep himself calm. "D-dont wa-want to d-do this to y-you again."

"Shh, this isn't like before ... you managed to smash his face in."

Danny would crack any joke under the sun to keep Steve with him and calm.

"D-Dan-no," Steve said, his words stutter as his breathing became more rapid. "I'm s-so sor-ry. Tell them th-that."

"Hey, thought we cleared the air," Chin announced, crouching beside Steve opposite Danny. "Got some towels." He proceeded to help Danny by applying extra pressure to Steve's wound. "You just need to concentrate on getting back to us."

"I-I've been tr-try-ing."

"Well, keep it up," Chin said, giving him a smile. "So that's the bastard behind all of this?"

"Y-yeah." Steve groaned as Danny pushed down harder. "Dan-ny!"

"Look I'm trying to keep the red stuff inside you, okay? So, suck it up, Buttercup, because I'm sure you've had worse. You've always had worse. You and your damn army missions."

"Na-vy. It's the navy, D-Danny!"

"Oh, hush with the semantics right now ... you say navy I say army ... we both know you're GI-freaking-Joe either way."

"He's got a point," Chin mused, laughing slightly. "Only you would run in the direction bullets are flying."

"The gun," Steve grunted, and tried to move. "I h-hit the gun ou-out of his hand," Steve said through gritted teeth, worried about who would find it. "Ch-Charlie..."

"He's with Kono. He's safe." Looking up, Danny saw Lou handling the discarded firearm. "Lou's secured the gun, Babe. Now, calm the hell down," Danny stated, praying Steve would settle down.

Noticing how distant Steve's gaze was becoming and the warmth of blood soaking the clean towel, Danny knew he had to keep his partner speaking and as present as possible.

"Let me get this right..."

"Oh, h-here he goes," Steve said wryly, grinning as his drowsy eyes move to Danny.

Cocking a brow, Danny began to speak, choosing to ignore Steve.

"He shot you and you thought it wise to go after him?"

"I ha-had an oppor-opportu-nity to s-save you." Arching against Danny's tightening hold, Steve ground the words out. "Had to get him a-away from you all."

"You're leaking the good stuff, Babe, what were you expecting to do with a literal hole in your side?"

"K-kill or be killed."

It was feeble, but Steve kept that motto close to his heart - on or off duty. It served more purpose when a direct threat was aimed at his Ohana.

Danny suddenly felt wetness hit his knee, stealing a glance he saw blood seeping onto the grass under them and he quickly noticed Steve's leg was bleeding.

"Steven, did he shoot you in the leg?"

Danny was met with a bleary confused look. Steve blinked a few times, the confusion knitting his brows together.

"Wh-what?"

Steve tried in vain to get up, to look where Danny was but Danny simply pressed his hands to Steve's side, invariably keeping him in place.

"Steven, did he shoot you in the leg?" Danny reiterated, making sure to enunciate each word. "Your leg is bleeding."

"N-no?" Steve questioned confused. "What?"

"I've got it."

Steve felt his heart drop as he looked at the new voice and he wanted to fight to get away.

"Gr-Gracie, no."

He didn't want her to witness this.

Not after everything.

Not when they still weren't really okay.

"Stop it, Uncle Steve." Her words were matched with a similar strength Danny possessed as she pressed a new towel against his leg. "Let us help you."

"Sor-ry," he griped as he flinched.

"Hey, Babe, sirens are getting closer. You'll be serving us steaks by sunset."

Danny knew it was a bogus lie, but he was determined to play into Steve's normal narrative even if Steve wasn't.

"N-need a beer af-after this."

"You're buying, Brah," Chin commented, chuckling.

Gritting his teeth, as the copper taste of blood hit the back of his mouth, Steve tried his hardest to not give into the blackness seeping into his vision, the edges colouring to grey. He was scared if he lost consciousness, he wouldn't come back a second time. He still had so many bridges to build and relationships to mend, but he knew his body would give out on him, he could feel it. When the warehouse exploded, he felt nothing after his body was caught in the concussive fallout and he hit a large shipping crate. He had no choice back then to will himself alive, but this time he did, and he didn't want to close his eyes and miss any chance.

"Di-didn't want this t-to happen, gu-guys."

"We know, we know," Danny confirmed, his voice shaking slightly. "We should know that with you at the helm, trouble will sure follow."

"Uncle Steve," Grace whispered softly.

"I know," Steve started, only to gulp. "I-I know you di-didn't want me ba-back."

The grief that showed on Grace's face was enormous and accompanied by the thickest tears Steve had ever seen.

"I'd d-do anything t-to make it al-right."

"I know," she said, suppressing a sob. "I know you would."

It was now, with her hands pressed to his thigh, Grace realised how badly she had behaved. She had her uncle back, a man who meant as much to her as her Danno did, but she'd treated him like he was worthless.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Steve willed as much adrenaline as possible to keep him awake, regardless of how bad it was getting.

"O-on-ly easy day w-was yes-terday."

Danny rolled his eyes at Steve. "Steven, now is not the time to be rattling off one of your SEAL mantras."

"Been saying i-it a lot lately," Steve admitted, grimacing, but he felt his eyes watering. "Onl-y easy day w-was yesterday."

Steve's face was losing its colour and the sweat that soaked his ashen features wasn't making Danny or Chin feel confident.

"Grace," Steve managed. "You got-gotta know I'm sorry."

"I do," she said, her lip trembling.

"Ne-never do an-anything to hu-hurt you guys."

Steve let out a loud moan that erupted a tremor throughout his whole body, it was now he realised his teeth were chattering uncontrollable along with his shaking muscles.

"Hey Steven, what's wrong?"

"I-it's getting c-cold, Dan-ny."

"Your SEAL training not teach you how to vibrate to keep warm or some other stupid thing you know that no human being does?"

And while Steve grunted on a laugh, Danny looked up to catch Chin's worrisome expression. Steve was rapidly unravelling and deteriorating, that was very abundant based on the fact the sun was sat high in sky and there wasn't even a cloud in sight.

"Hey, D-Danno?"

Steve's rough voice caught all their attention.

"What's up, Super SEAL?"

"Cath and M-Mary," Steve started, stopping only to wet his lips and calm himself. "The-they have to kn-know I'm sorry."

"You'll be able to do that yourself," Danny said, unwilling to have this chat.

He felt the way Grace tensed and he knew she understood the severity of the situation.

"I-I tri-tried already. Th-they didn't c-care," Steve admitted, locking eyes on Danny. "If an-anything happens..."

"Stop talking like that, Steven. We're going to get you checked out and home. Nothing is going to happen."

"Pl-please, Danny."

He needed to know that Danny would do his utmost to make the two women realise he never wanted a single moment of this to happen.

"Uncle Steve," Grace spoke, hoping he would look at her. "You've got to come back to us." She gave him the strongest smile she could muster. "Then we'll all talk to Catherine and Mary together."

"And no one ignores Miss Grace," Danny added, watching Steve's eyes flicker from Grace to him. "So, what do you say, big fguy? Going to fight to see another day?"

Steve knew he would do anything for another chance.

"On-only easy day w-was yesterday," Steve managed albeit quietly.

"That's right, you keep throwing that super SEAL crap my way," Danny answered proudly as the ambulance finally arrived.

"Gracie, get ready to step back and let the EMTs in, okay?"

"What about his leg?" Grace asked, her voice trembling.

"They'll be able to deal with it better ... you're doing a great job, but they need to have room to work, okay?"

"O-okay," she replied, glancing down at her uncle Steve, worried at how heavy his eyes were getting. "I can do that."

By this point, Steve had become scarily quiet. Danny had noticed how he was staring at the sky again, his eyes losing their colour as his skin continued to pale.

As one paramedic dropped next to Steve, Chin moved out of their way, preparing to help Grace to move, knowing she was showing signs of shock.

"What have we got?"

"This is Commander McGarrett. Shot ten to fifteen minutes ago, have had pressure on both, but he's now complaining he's cold and he's becoming quite drowsy."

Danny took control of the situation, remaining calm while his mind was unravelling with his fast it was turning.

"What's your name, Commander?"

"S-Steve," Steve said through clenched teeth.

"Let me get an IV started and I'll get some pain meds on board, Steve. Then we'll look at getting you to the hospital." He then turned his attention to his patient while his hands found purchase on an IV kit. "How you doing there, Steve?"

"'m f-fine," he said dragging his eyes over to Danny, to grin.

It was an unspoken notion between the partners, he wanted Danny to know he would fight everything to not die, but he also wanted an old part of them to be revived.

"You're incorrigible," Danny replied with a heavy eye roll.

"I was going to say fine is definitely not the word to describe this," the EMT joked, but turn serious to look at their co-worker. "How's he really doing?"

"Blood pressure's plummeting, pulse is getting thready," the medic replied, frowning. "Let's apply pressure bandages, push more fluids, and move, I want us at Queen's in less than ten minutes."

Saying nothing, Danny hung onto Steve's side until the medic needed him to move. As he started to move away, Steve mustered all his strength to reach up, his hand wrapping around Danny's forearm with as much strength as he had.

"Don't leave m-me," Steve begged Danny, unwilling to let go.

"I'm not going anywhere, Babe," Danny reassured, taking Steve's hand. "I'm staying."

For a moment, Danny saw the fear in Steve's eyes and knew he wouldn't forget it. Squeezing tight, Danny moved to Steve's head, Grace falling to her knees on the other side.

"We're not going anywhere, Uncle Steve," Grace stated, her voice while strong wavered slightly. "I promise."

"She's right, Steve. Rest and we'll get you to a hospital soon."

With Danny's hand in his, and Grace's hand on his shoulder, Steve closed his eyes as the pain meds started to work, finally feeling at ease. He knew he wouldn't sleep, but he had found a certain level of calm all of a sudden.

"Right, we need to move!"

The sound of urgency from the medic on his left forced him to open his eyes and he hated how his hand was taken from Danny's and Grace was forced to backup as he was moved from the grass to a stretcher. Everything was blurring and he couldn't make anything come into focus anymore, but he could just work out Danny and Grace remaining close by with Chin by their side.

"We've got it handled," Chin announced, as the medics started to move towards the ambulance, letting Danny know it was safe to go with their boss. "Me and Kono have the kids... go. We'll follow."

"I'm going with them!" Grace declared, unwilling to go in any other direction but the ambulance.

Allowing the EMTs to go ahead, Danny regrettably put a bloody hand on Grace's wrist to prevent her going.

"Grace, I'm going to go with Steve, but I need you to get cleaned up. I won't keep you from the hospital, but right now, my priority is getting him to one. Stay with Chin and I'll see you there ... okay?"

Grace stared at the EMTs fussing over Steve, unable to do anything but let her lips fall apart.

"I need words, Monkey... actual verbal ones or I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay," she whispered as a tear fell. "Okay."

"Good," he started, going to run a hand over his face before he took stock of the blood on them. "Good... Now, I need you to look after Charlie, Grace. You're strong, I know you are, and he's going to know something's happened. He needs you."

"Danno?"

"What?"

"Don't let him die," she begged almost inaudibly, not short of sobbing. "Please, don't let him die."

"Not happening, Monkey. Now, let's go save Super SEAL, hey?"

She nodded and he took a moment to kiss her forehead before rushing to the awaiting ambulance, he looked back at the house, giving them the barest of smiles he could before taking Steve's hand and prayed he wouldn't break his promise.