Lexi lay still on the bed. Her long hair was matted to her face and body from blood and sweat. The cover over her eyes was too tight. Her throat was so dry she wasn't sure she would even be able to speak. The pain in her shoulder was like being stabbed over and over with every breath she took. But she laid still and waited, waited for Steve to come for her. She had no idea how long it had been since they had taken her off the island. All she knew was that Wo Fat was leading him to her and she just had to hang on until then. She felt herself drifting back to sleep when someone entered the room. The edge of the mattress indented when they sat down next to her. A hand went under her neck lifting her up slowly. "Steve?" she muttered.

"Drink." a voice said as she felt the bottle to her lips. She opened her mouth when the cool water began to pour out, letting it run down her parched throat. She tried to swallow but the reoccurring pain in her shoulder made her gasp and choke. She turned her head to the side and coughed out the remaining liquid.

"Again," the voice demanded as the grip on her neck tightened.

Lexi shook her head, realizing it was Wo Fat, "No!" she wanted nothing from him.

"Drink!" he demanded again.

Lexi let the liquid enter her mouth and then spit it back up into the direction of his voice.

He let go of her abruptly and stood up, pouring the remaining water over her face, "Defiant one." he threw the empty bottle on the floor and leaned over her body with his hands on either side of her. He purposely bounced the mattress to bring her discomfort.

Lexi gritted her teeth through the pain. She knew whatever he had in store for her was going to be terrifying, but she absolutely refused to falter and show him any satisfaction. "This is going to end very badly for you," she said hoarsely.

He stood up and looked down on her, feeling a slight admiration for her courage, "As it will for you." He turned and walked out of the room.

As soon as she heard the door close she broke down and began to cry, "Steve, where are you?" she whispered, "Hurry," she cried over and over.

Steve stood staring out at the dark ocean, watching mindlessly as the waves rolled over the shore of his backyard. He felt a sting in his chest and put his hand up, rubbing away the discomfort. Lexi consumed his thoughts and his worry intensified when he thought of her shoulder. If an infection had set in it could kill her in a matter of hours. He looked down at his watch, only two more hours. "Hold on baby, just a little while longer." he whispered to himself, willing her to hear him.

Danny came up behind him and held out the cup of coffee. "Here, it's double strength."

Steve took it from him, "When was the last time you slept, Danny? You should take a break."

Danny walked past him and sat in one of the Adirondack chairs in the sand, "I think you're the one that should be taking a siesta. You're like a walking zombie."

Steve followed behind and sat in the chair next to him, glaring at him over the last comment, "I'm fine!"

"How's the head? Oh, and how's the fist, break anything?"

Steve continued the glare, "Is there something you want to get off your chest?"

"As a matter of fact," he said, sitting up, "Look, I feel like I know you pretty well…" he set his coffee down in the sand.

"Well spit it out!" Steve said impatiently.

"Will you calm down?" Danny retaliated, "This is what I mean, you're all emotional right now."

Steve looked at him quizzically, "I'm not emotional! What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm emotional!" he abruptly set the coffee down, spilling half of it, "Are telling me I might go in there tonight and fuck something up and get Lexi killed, because you think I'm emotional?" he stood up, "Don't tell me how to do my job, Danny! You may have been a cop longer than me, but I've been in more battles than you," he raised his voice even louder, "This isn't just some random kidnapping case or hostage situation that I'm dealing with tonight. This is my life! This is personal! I have to get her out of this alive!"

"Well I'm glad you're not all emotional!" Danny yelled back at him, "This is what's worrying me. When the time comes to react, what are you going to do?"

Steve shook his head, "You're not making any sense!"

Danny stood up, facing off with him, "You're right, this isn't some random case," he pointed at his chest, emphasizing the next four words, "this, is, your, life, and you need to plan out your reactions now, before you go in there tonight." He contemplated not saying the next sentence but it had to be dealt with, "You have to take into consideration that you may not be able to help her, if that happens, are you willing to walk into the trap he sets up for you to save someone that can't be saved?"

Steve wanted to punch him, but he knew he was right. It was the very idea he had been avoiding since reading the note from Wo Fat. He just couldn't bring himself to play out that scenario. He had to keep her alive in his thoughts or he was afraid he'd never make it through this. She was coming home with him tonight, no matter what he had to do to accomplish it, she was coming home with him. "I can't think that way, Danny. I just can't."

Danny sat down on the edge of the chair, resting his elbows on his knees, "Let me ask you something," he looked up at him, "and I want the truth."

Steve nodded hesitantly, wondering what else he was going to throw at him, "Ok."

"Are you going in there tonight because you feel like you let her down, or because you feel like you let yourself down, so you have to make things right, no matter what?"

He understood now why he was concerned. If it had been the other way around and it was Danny in this position he would have demanded the same answers. He couldn't help but be amused that somehow they were beginning to think alike. "Listen to me, Danny. I don't know how, but when I was on that island with Lexi," his voice calmed and his eyes softened over, "something happen to me. It happened to Lexi too." he sat down next to him, "I can't go back to my old life, Danny. No matter what happens tonight, I can never go back to what I was before I met her. I don't want to."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, thrown off and completely bewildered by his confession.

He looked him dead in the eye, a hint of panic sweeping over him, "I have to get Lexi back safe. This isn't for my ego. This literally is about my life." he looked out toward the water, "That's why I can't think of her as being…" he couldn't even bring himself to say it, feeling a jolt of pain, "I need her. I've never needed anyone in my entire life, "he looked at him, wanting him to understand more than anyone else, "when I think of my future Danny, Lexi's with me. I'll take any risk necessary to get her back too me."

Danny's mouth hung open, staring at him in disbelief, "Jesus Steve, you really do love this girl." He began to feel the pressure of how important the next few hours where going to be. He'd never seen him like this before. He'd always heckled him about showing just the slightest bit of human quality, but this was no laughing matter. He was desperate in the way that he spoke, so much so that Danny wasn't sure that if the outcome wasn't positive that he would ever fully recover.