NEVER THE SAME

Summary:
One-Shot. Alternate ending to the final episode 10x22 "Aloha".

WARNING: Dark fiction! Please don't read if you're not sure! I don't want to give away the topic / ending but if you want to know more before you read it please send me a PM or read the spoiler at the very bottom - thank you!

Disclaimer:
I don't own anything Five-0 related :-(

Notes:
I really don't know where it came from but I had this image stuck in my mind for two or three weeks and the muse demanded that I had to write this little one-shot.

English is not my native language, so forgive me my mistakes.

Thanks:
Thank you, JazzieG, for the fast betaing and for your all your help and advice! And thank you, rewob17, for reading and (almost) crying and assuring me that this is working.

Steve stepped onto the gas pedal, so hard that he feared his right foot would break through the floor panel. His heart hammered against his ribcage, much too fast, and all he could hear was the blood rushing in his ears. His hands would surely be shaking, if they hadn't gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Gritting his teeth, he willed the car to go faster as it jolted over the bumpy road. He had no idea how much time had passed since he had given that damn cipher to Daiyu Mei, but he knew that every second, every minute that passed was a moment too long. He didn't trust that woman at all and he had seen it in her eyes that she wouldn't stand to her word, but there had been no other chance than giving her the sheet of paper, hoping that he'd have enough time to rush to Danny's side, finding his partner before anything worse happened.

The last time he had felt so helpless had been over ten years ago, when his father had been murdered. He had relived that nightmare over and over again in the last few days and he just couldn't bear the thought that something similar happened to Danny. Steve knew that the image of his friend, chained up, beaten and covered with blood, would haunt him for the rest of his life and despite the fact that he was currently rushing along a gravel road at far too high speed to be safe, he had to close his eyes for a moment in an attempt to chase away the cruel pictures.

Turning around the corner he allowed himself a tiny sigh of relief when a small, green building came in sight and he knew he had finally reached his destination.

Killing off the engine, Steve already drew his gun as he jumped out of the car, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He was glad that he was finally able to act, that he finally had a task to fulfill; sitting in his car with his mind wandering around freely, imagining the worst, had almost driven him crazy. His weapon at the ready he swiftly but cautiously approached the door in a crouched posture, his body knowing exactly what to do. His partner's name already on his lips, Steve didn't dare to shout; alerting Danny's guards that help was here and maybe provoking any unwanted reaction was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

Taking the single step that led onto the roofed porch, Steve noticed immediately that the entrance door was wide open and his heartbeat accelerated even more in a sense of foreboding.

Rushing inside, Steve's heart literally skipped a beat when his worst fear seemed to have come true; Danny was lying on the floor, motionless, his eyes closed, his arms stretched out by his side, his right leg bent. Hastily checking the room, Steve involuntarily noticed a myriad of small things, like the two weapons, one stowed away in Danny's belt, the other one lying next to his left hand causing him to furrow his brow in confusion. Had Daiyu Mei really kept her word? Had she let Danny go? Or had he been able to break out on his own? All those questions involuntarily shot through Steve's mind but he forcefully pushed them away for the moment; later there would be enough time to clarify what had happened, all that counted right now was saving his partner.

Falling down on one knee next to Danny's right side, his eyes darted across the unmoving form. God, there was so much blood, on Danny's face, on his shirt, on the floor beneath him, and for a moment Steve was sure that he'd come too late and Danny was dead.

"Danny, Danny... hey, hey…" he rambled, not really knowing what words left his mouth. His mind was completely empty, his body running and functioning solely on instincts as he pressed his trembling fingers against Danny's neck, briefly closing his eyes in relief when he felt a rapid pulse.

"Hey, there you go," Steve exclaimed when Danny suddenly sucked in a deep breath and defensively raised his arms in an uncoordinated movement. "Okay, all right, buddy. All right. All right," Steve said soothingly, quickly grabbing Danny's left hand before he briefly checked his wounds. As far as he could see Danny had been hit directly in the chest and when Steve examined his friend's back he found the exit hole right beneath his left shoulder blade, his fingers coming away sticky with blood when he gently lowered Danny back onto the ground. Gingerly lifting Danny's shirt he peeked inside, worriedly gritting his teeth when he noticed the location of the entry wound.

Obviously jolted awake by Steve's examination, Danny weakly raised his head, trying to throw a look at his injuries, but he groaned in pain at the slightest movement, his left arm feebly flapping around.

"Okay. Okay, you keep groaning, all right?" Steve encouraged his partner; every reaction was better than nothing, confirming that Danny was still alive and breathing.

Knowing that there was no time to waste, Steve grabbed Danny's right arm and placed it behind his neck, deeply worried about his partner's condition; Danny was barely able to open his eyes let alone get to his feet by his own efforts. "Come here, put your hand behind my head. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on," he murmured, grimacing in sympathy and concern when the movement elicited another pained moan; the last thing he wanted to do was cause Danny more pain than he already was in.

"One, two, three, come on, come on!" Steve ordered, trying to ignore the loud groan that involuntarily left Danny's throat when he heaved him to his feet, Danny's left hand clawed around his arm and his face contorted in agony.

Steve had to carry most of Danny's weight as the two of them made their way outside as fast as possible. He knew that the gunshot wound was probably life-threatening and every second that passed was a second too long; they needed to bring Danny to a hospital without wasting any more precious time.

"Here we go. I'm right here," Steve murmured breathlessly as he cautiously guided Danny down the step at the end of the porch, not really knowing if the words were more for Danny's sake or his own. Raising his head, Steve noticed from the corner of his eye that in the meantime his whole team had arrived, all of them heavily armed and apparently ready to fight for their abducted friend.

"Door, get the door," Steve shouted, addressing no one in particular as he made a beeline for the left back-seat door of his Silverado; by the time they had reached the car Danny was barely conscious anymore, his head limply rolling on his chest, his body hanging heavily in Steve's grip.

"I'll drive!" Tani exclaimed instantly, tearing open the door for her teammates before she hastily climbed into the driver's seat, already starting the engine.

"Okay, climb in. I need you to climb in, all right?" Steve asked rhetorically, removing Danny's arm from around his shoulders as gently as possible, stress and worry radiating from every word he was uttering. "I'm right behind you, buddy. Get in," he continued as he cautiously pushed Danny in front of him, still supporting most of his weight. He honestly didn't know how Danny managed to climb inside the truck but somehow - maybe with the sheer stubbornness that was typical for his partner - he finally succeeded. "All right. I got you, I got you." Steve rambled again, pushing Danny further inside the car so that there was enough space for him to get in too.

He was just about to lower Danny's upper body into his lap when Lou appeared at his side, thrusting a small black package into his left hand. "Pressure pack's inside here," the large man said in a hurry, throwing a last worried look at his injured colleague before he slammed the door shut. "Alright, go." Steve heard his deep, muffled voice just when Tani pulled away.

Trying to keep pressure on the gunshot wound while he simultaneously pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, Steve gritted his teeth as he dialed the number of the hospital. Looking out the window without really seeing anything, he anxiously waited for someone to pick up while Tani raced across the gravel road.

"This is Commander Steve McGarrett of the Five-O Task Force. I got a patient coming in. GSW to the chest. All right?" he blurted out, spending no time on exchanging courtesies. "I need surgeons prepped and ready for him when I get there. I'm bringing him in myself. All right?" He briefly listened to the answer, worriedly looking down at Danny who seemed to have slipped into unconsciousness a few moments ago. "Yes, good," he added before he put the cell phone away, quickly catching Tani's gaze in the rearview mirror. "Go, go, go," he urged her before he returned his full attention to his partner.

Danny's head rested in the crook of his left arm, his face swollen and his shirt covered in blood from the beating he obviously had to endure, just like Steve remembered his appearance from the video feed Daiyu Mei had shown him and his hate for the woman instantly raised to an almost unbearable level. She would pay for everything she had done to his partner, Steve would make sure of that.

"Hey, Danny," Steve murmured soothingly when he noticed that his friend was slightly moving in his grip, weakly raising his left arm as he tried to peel open his eyes. "You're good, buddy, you're good. I got you," he said, immediately grabbing Danny's hand, providing as much support as possible while he still pressed his other hand on Danny's chest, trying to stem the blood flow from the gunshot wound.

"Steve…" Danny groaned hoarsely and Steve's heart leaped when he finally heard his friend's voice, no matter how weak or racked with pain. Danny's blue eyes were clouded, the left one almost completely swollen shut but nevertheless he tried to look up at his boss and partner. "Tell… tell Grace and Charlie… that I… that I love them…" Danny groaned hoarsely, contorting his face in pain as he tried to swallow, his fingers slightly trembling in Steve's grip.

"No, buddy, you'll tell them yourself," Steve replied without missing a beat, anxiously squeezing Danny's hand. Staring down at his friend, he tried to put all his persuasiveness into his voice, making sure that Danny didn't give up. "You'll be fine, you'll tell them yourself. You'll see them soon, Danny, I promise," he wanted to assure the other man but he felt a cold grip around his heart when Danny just weakly shook his head.

"Tell them… please, Steve… tell them… and take care of them… for me…" Danny pleaded, briefly closing his eyes as he tried to ride out a wave of pain.

"Danny, no…" Steve started helplessly, wanting nothing more than to interrupt his friend from going on. He didn't like at all the direction this conversation was leading to; saying goodbye to his children meant that Danny was giving up, that he was seeing no more hope of surviving this situation and Steve just couldn't allow this to happen.

"Promise me… you'll be there… for them…" Danny once more demanded, his voice barely more than a hoarse whisper.

"Danny, don't talk, save your strength, buddy, okay?" Steve replied, unable to fulfill Danny's wish. He just wasn't able to speak out loud what Danny was asking for, not willing to accept the possibility that his partner was about to die. Holding Danny's gaze as long as possible, Steve squeezed his hand again before he finally slightly nodded his head, hoping that this small motion would be enough for Danny to give in and sure enough a faint, content smile appeared on Danny's lips before he allowed his eyes to close again.

Feeling Tani's intense gaze in the rearview mirror, Steve didn't look up, never averting his eyes from his wounded partner, but he knew that their young colleague had witnessed Danny's plea when he heard the engine roar and felt how he was pressed deeper in the seat when Tani accelerated the car.

Danny's eyelids fluttered and his brow furrowed with pain every time the car jolted ever so slightly; every other breath of air was now accompanied by a low moan and Steve felt how Danny's pulse got more and more thready with every passing minute.

"I got you, you're good, buddy… you're good," Steve repeated over and over again, pressing Danny closer to his body as he calculated in his mind the time until they would finally reach the hospital.

Licking his lips, Danny very slowly blinked his eyes open, squeezing Steve's hand as he tried to focus on his surroundings.

"Not your fault… you know..." he mumbled, his eyes suddenly completely clear when he finally managed to catch Steve's gaze. "What happened… not your fault…" he emphasized, even feebly waving his free hand through the air in one of his typical gestures.

"Danny…" Steve said helplessly, his heart constricting with guilt and worry when he took in Danny's words; of course it was his fault, just like his father's death had been so many years ago.

"Say it… Steven…" Danny ordered, his voice more forceful than before and Steve honestly didn't know where his partner took his strength from, where he took the strength to argue with him in his current condition. Not… your… fault," Danny repeated, clipped, breathing heavily as his blue eyes seemed to stare directly into Steve's soul. "Say… it," he groaned, tightly closing his trembling fingers around Steve's hand while he simultaneously raised his other arm and reached up to tap his hand against Steve's upper arm.

"Danny, no.. It's…" Steve started but when he locked eyes with his partner he suddenly knew that Danny would not back down until he'd heard what he wanted to hear. Closing his eyes, Steve pressed his lips together, trying to clear his mind from all the guilt and all the pain he had carried around the last few years, for once trying to push his feelings away and allow himself to see the situation from an outside perspective. Taking a deep breath, he swallowed laboriously before he opened his eyes again, noticing that Danny's gaze was still resting on him.

"It's… it's not my fault," Steve finally admitted barely audible to comfort his partner and deep inside, a very small, very hidden part of his soul hoped that Danny was right and that someday he was also able to see that none of it was actually his fault.

"Not… your fault," Danny repeated calmly, obviously satisfied with Steve's answer. Holding Steve's gaze for another long moment before he sighed softly and allowed his eyes to close again; he once more squeezed Steve's hand to make sure his friend knew he really meant what he had said.

"Dammit," Steve murmured under his breath, worriedly furrowing his brow when he noticed that not even the pressure pack that Lou had handed him earlier had been able to stop the bleeding from the gunshot wound. Feeling Danny's rapid heartbeat growing weaker underneath his touch Steve didn't dare look up; he didn't want to know how far away they were from the hospital, he just had to believe that they'd arrive there in time to save Danny. "I got you, I got you," he said again when Danny weakly moved his head in his lap.

"Steve…" he heard his name a moment later, Danny's voice barely audible over the sound of the engine and Steve felt Danny's hand trembling in his own. "I'm… I'm scared…" Danny breathed hoarsely, once again peeling open his eyes to meet Steve's gaze.

"I got you, buddy, you hear me? I got you…" Steve replied without hesitation, squeezing Danny's hand in an attempt to comfort the injured man.

"You… backup?" Danny asked brokenly with one of his trademark little giggles he always displayed in situations of stress and Steve's heart constricted with fear when he listened to the familiar sound he had heard so many times before in their partnership.

"Yeah… I'm your backup", he tried to say with a laugh, but his voice suddenly failed him and he couldn't prevent the single tear from trickling down his cheek. "I'm the backup, Danno," Steve whispered shakily, holding Danny's hand so tightly that his own fingers began to tremble too.

Involuntarily pressing harder against the gunshot wound, Steve could clearly feel Danny's heartbeat underneath his touch, but then the steady rhythm slowly became irregular, a long pause after one beat, then two or three rapid ones and a long pause again before the next one, and Steve's eyes widened with fear.

"Danny, no…no... you have to fight… stay with me…" he begged, as he stared down at the best friend he'd ever had in his life. All sounds around him seemed to fade, he heard nothing else but his own blood rushing in his ears and all he perceived were Danny's blue eyes staring at him, Danny's hand in his own and Danny's heartbeat so close to his own heart.

Something seemed to flow back and forth between them, something intangible like a tight, indestructible band of energy, made of trust and friendship and love, slowly expanding until it surrounded them both like a large, soft blanket, shutting out every other emotion.

Steve didn't know how much time had passed until Danny eventually spoke again. "Love... you…" he exhaled, obviously summoning all his remaining strength. He still held Steve's gaze without blinking for a few more seconds but then, suddenly, there was no heartbeat anymore, just a dull emptiness underneath Steve's touch. Steve felt Danny's fingers weakly press against his own one last time before his hand went slack in his grip and the bright blue eyes clouded over, just staring into nothingness.

And then, just like that, Danny was gone… and Steve's life would never be the same.

THE END

Thank you so much for reading!

I really appreaciate hearing from you, so please let me know what you think!

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SPOILER:

As mentioned at the very beginning - the topic / ending might upset some readers, so if you want to know what this story is about, here's a warning:

Deathfic, major character death!

If you want to know more before reading, please feel free to send me a PM.