Disclaimer:

I DO NOT own anything of Hawaii 5-0, unfortunately.

Notes:

1) English is not my native language so please forgive if you find any mistakes

2) It doesn't really matter in this chapter, however for the next ones the plot is set in season 10 (after 10x07)

I hope you will enjoy reading, let me know what you think. I'll try to post the next chapter soon.

Return to consciousness was sluggish and painful. The dim light of the place around Steve kept coming and going at first as he tried to open his eyes and keep them open. It felt difficult to draw air into his lungs so he tried to open his mouth and gasp for some air but the adhesive tape on his mouth didn't allow him to do that. His head was pulsing and he could feel a warm streak of sticky blood running down his face, partially blinding his left eye. He tried to lift his arm to check the seriousness of the injury but it didn't move. Instead, sharp and intense pain ran across his arm as the result of the movement and reminded him of a bullet hole in his right bicep. He could hear his own, muffled groan. He looked down and understood the reason his arm stayed in the place. A cold metal of his own handcuffs was tightly wrapped around his wrists and secured to the cold, metal chair. He couldn't move his legs either, ropes were holding them in place, tied to the legs of the chair. He tried to recall how did he get there but he couldn't, everything was way too fuzzy. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on the chest for a moment. He just wanted to forget the pain and drift back to sleep. But he couldn't. Not when he realized he has been held hostage who knows where. Danny was right, once again. If his best friend was here, he would probably remind Steve what a trouble magnet he is.

Wait. Danny. Is he all right? Was he with him? He tried to remember what is the last thing he remembers but throbbing headache impeded his memories to come back. Thought of Danny, however, was enough to wake him up. Was he in a bank? Yes, definitely the bank. But how did he get here? He looked around. The room reminded him of the Five-0 interrogation room. It was dark, only dim, artificial light came from somewhere behind him. The cold brick walls and the concrete floor closed him in the small room with nothing but the chair in the middle of it. A cold damp spread through the basement room.

He lifted his head when he heard a sudden noise of the creaking wooden door and a loud bang. As the door in front of him slammed open, a fine-looking woman with smooth, tan skin, followed by two men with rifles in their hands, walked into the room. As the men took the guard next to the door, she walked toward Steve with a smile stretched on her face and stopped just a few inches in front of him.

"Good morning, Commander," she giggled. The tight, black dress defined her slim and firm figure and revealed her long, slender legs. Long, chestnut brown curls of her hair fell to her revealed shoulders. Steve's eyes widened and a gasp escaped his throat when he finally managed to refocus his fuzzy sight on her face. His heart started to pump faster and drips of sweat emerged on his forehead as he realized who his captor was.

"Shh, shh." She settled herself comfortably on Steve's lap, looping her arms around him. One hand cupped the back of his head and stroked soothing fingers through his hair. "It's all right, calm down…"

Steve's wrists strained against the cold metal of the handcuffs binding his limbs to the chair, heart feeling like it might jump out of his chest.

She leaned her head to Steve's right ear. "Just match your breathing with mine," she whispered. "We both know I'm going to hurt you regardless so there's no point fighting it. Come on, deep breaths. You can do it." She continued to make soothing sounds, crowning Steve's cheek with kisses. He pulled away reluctantly in disgust for a moment before her fingers firmly grabbed his chin and made him look at her. "Don't you like what you see?" she asked. Steve had to admit she was attractive and if the circumstances were different, he would appreciate her beauty. Her slender body, sweet voice, and pretty face didn't show a sign of time spent in Halawa and it would fool a lot of men for sure. But right now he didn't care, he knew she was just another criminal and all he could see was the hint of craziness in her large hazel eyes and a twisted smile. He slipped his chin out of her cold grip to indicate what he thinks. "Too bad," she said as she brushed her fingers through his hair one more time before she slid down from Steve's lap and stood up. "Better be a good boy and I might let you live a little longer. The moment I get bored with you, I won't need you anymore," she added.

She strolled behind his back where Steve couldn't see her, but he could feel her hot breath on his neck as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Would you like to talk to me?" she asked. Of course, he'd appreciate being able to speak and get some more air into his lungs, but he refused to answer. No nod, nothing. He clenched his jaw but didn't move an inch, didn't make a sound other than his labored breathing. He didn't have any control over the situation and he hated that, but he tried to remain calm and think how to get out of this.

With her face still close to Steve's ear she shrugged her shoulders, weaved her fingers through his hair and roughly jerked his head back. A painful moan escaped his throat with a sudden move. His head was throbbing like crazy. She moved her fingers to the tape on his mouth and used her perfectly done nails to peel of the corner of it before abruptly tearing it away in one fast move. Steve tried to be quiet and not to show any weakness but groaned quietly as she peeled the tape off and harshly pushed his head back to place.

When his head stopped spinning and fuzzy vision cleared, she was standing in front of him again. "What do you want?" he asked with despise in his voice. A slight grin was the answer to his question. "Why am I here?" He could barely speak as his throat and mouth were so dry, yearning for water.

She ignored his questions and pointed to the wound on his bicep. "That doesn't look good. I don't want you to bleed out just yet. I'll send somebody to have a look at that after we're done here."

Steve felt the dizziness flooding him and waves of heat and cold flashes ran through his spine. "After we're done with what?" he asked, unsure if he wants to know the answer. But he was sure it doesn't really matter what she does to him, he's been through hell many times before and he doubted it could be any worse.

She looked over her shoulder to one of the men beside the door and nodded at him. As he approached her, she straightened her arm palm up. The man handled her something Steve couldn't see properly as dizziness started to take over and shapes around him started to blur in and out again.

His heart started racing and he curled his sweaty palms into the fists when he managed to focus his gaze on his captor again. He jerked his hands knowing they won't move but his body screamed to try anyway. He always tried not to show weakness to his enemies, he had to do that back in the navy if he wanted to survive. But it's been years ago and he's been through a lot of stuff since then. Before he realized it, his breaths became visibly faster. "Don't," he whispered. Their eyes locked on the syringe in the woman's hand. She grinned, pleased by his reaction. "Don't." A bolt of panic shot through him, dizzying and sick. His limbs lurched uselessly against the restraints clamped cruelly tight. It did nothing. Again. They could barely move an inch.

The pretty brunette swept closer without care.

No drugs. Not again. He still had pretty intense memories of being restrained and drugged by his worst enemy a few years ago. It still felt like it was yesterday, even after he put a bullet through his head. The nightmares were still waking him up sometimes after all this time. The only thing helping him to keep it together was his best friend. Danny. He understood it without any words necessary. He was there for him when he needed him to be, even when he said he didn't. Not again. "What is that?" he demanded.

The woman's look was focused as she pressed the needle at the skin around Steve's veins to test it.

"What is that!?"

"It's a serum developed to seize control of your neural pathways. I'm told it can be excruciating if you fight it. I suggest you take a few deep breaths and try to relax." She caught his expression. "It's a fascinating piece of research, really."

Steve yanked uselessly against the cuffs again. "Stop it… You don't have to do this." He knew it was too late anyway, so he closed his eyes and braced himself, silently wishing for his partner to blast through the door right now and save him from going through this again. He would never admit it out loud, but it was the truth. He hated to feel so weak and helpless, but Danny was his only chance right now.

The serum scorched through her, but the feeling that followed was even worse. It was a skin-crawlingly intimate feeling like something had settled in his head and was now slowly tightening around every bone and muscle in his body and sealing tight while causing excruciate pain. After a while, Steve couldn't feel anything but the burn of the serum which slowly faded away with the rest of the world as his consciousness slipped away due to the pain.

"Good boy. I'll be back later," the woman grinned.