I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: A "what if" alternate story line loosely related to Season 1 Episode 20 "Ma Ke Kahakai". "What if" Danny had to walk back down alone after the EVAC got Steve off the mountain? This includes an assumption that the victim's body was simultaneously removed when Steve was rescued.

Ps – I had forgotten that Steve actually took his backpack with him into the chopper (it didn't stay below on the ledge). Either way, Danny wouldn't have had it. I also corrected the darn Petroglyphs (versus Hieroglyphics in chapter 1). Thank you for pointing that out! How very "Danny-esque" of me to get confused!

NOTE: The Koolau Mountain Range is about 37 miles long and its highest peak rises to 3150 feet. This is where the guys did their hike.

CHAPTER THREE - SOLO

It didn't take long for the feelings of nausea to turn into actual dry-heaves. It happened as he was negotiating a fairly narrow portion of trail which was very rocky and uneven. Large ferns, trees and boulders were to his right, and there was a short downhill slope to his left. For a sick man, it wasn't an easy walk and he found himself using the trees and large rocks to pull himself up the path.

"Nononononono." Danny pitifully groaned and held his stomach with his left hand as he gagged, coughed and heaved up absolutely nothing.

His head throbbed and true weakness had set in. Shaking his head, tears rolling down his cheeks from the sickness, Danny's right hand held him up as he leaned against a large rock on the trail. "Nonono. Not sick, not this."

Weak-kneed, he finally slid down the rock and covered his face with both hands. His body was failing and he admitted to himself that he was truly lost. With surprise, he heard the first soft rain drops as they hit the canopy leaves above his head, eventually he felt them as well as they gently fell on his bowed head and arms.

Lifting his face towards the sky, he closed his eyes and let the cool drops coat his hot and pale cheeks. "Thank you." He sighed. "That feels so good." Danny sat that way for a long time trying to regain some energy and allow his body to cool. Still needing drinking water, he shakily climbed to his feet and rode a wave of dizziness that nearly had him retching again. Breathing hard through his nose in an attempt to control the nausea, Danny staggered forward. But with the added rain, the rough and narrow trail had become slippery and he struggled to simply stay on his feet.

Unexpectedly, the rain began to intensify and what had felt originally refreshing became a strong and uncomfortable downpour. Danny was soaked through and still valiantly struggling up the narrow trail but he was slipping often and near complete exhaustion. "Come on. Come on." He muttered to himself but couldn't get his body to respond. As the rain streamed down his face, he closed his eyes and he just had to stop again. "God, Steve. I can't do this anymore. I just can't."

As he stood there morosely, he heard a noise like breaking sticks and then a wet sucking sound. Blearily, Danny looked up and tried to understand what he was seeing but it made zero sense. A portion of the trail appeared to be moving towards him like a slow, sickening brown and green wave. Small trees, ferns and branches were breaking off joining the wave as it traveled in his direction. Confused he simply stood there for a moment until his brain kicked in.

"Mudslide. It's a FREAKING mudslide." He huffed, as he sluggishly turned and looked for a place to go. Slipping in his haste, he stumbled and got caught up in a small piece of the wave. Just enough to send him tumbling – just enough to knock him totally off balance and then off the trail.

Wind-milling his arms, he fell heavily on his stomach with his feet tangled in a large branch that was caught up in the side-tracking movement of the slide. Slamming his head on a rock, Danny was knocked unconscious and wound up facing down the rocky slope. But his legs remained caught up in the branch and he was dragged along with it for a few feet before it too became lodged between two rocks. Eventually, he and the large branch were left behind as the mudslide continued its downward trend picking up steam and taking up everything else in its path.

Chin and Steve were coping with the rain as well. Albeit only in terms of maintaining their footing as they hastily continued their search down the trail and towards Danny.

Sensing that they were close, Steve came to a halt and bellowed "Danny!" into the depths of the rainforest. He continued to call Danny's name every few minutes as they plunged down the trail.

And then Chin saw it first - the odd side to side movement of the trees and then at their bases. He knew what it was immediately. Yelling loudly, Chin frantically grabbed for Steve's arm. "Stop! Stop! Mudslide!" They both watched fascinated as a portion of the trail lifted and moved away as if it beckoning them to follow.

"Oh my god." Steve was dumbfounded by its slow and methodical power. And his heart was in his throat at the thought of Danny. "Chin. Let's go."

Moving as quickly as they could, they skirted the edges of the natural disaster both amazed at its subtle strength and sickened by the thought that Danny could have been in its path.

Steve was still calling out for Danny every few minutes, but with a new distraught edge to his voice. Though heavy clouds remained, the rain began to lessen as they neared a narrow portion of the trail. The wash out here was more severe and they had to stop to determine the best way to continue.

Chin was beginning to wonder if Danny could have actually gotten this far. Checking his watch, they were more than two hours in and it was nearing eight p.m. The sun was setting and it was becoming very dark in the recesses of the forest.

"Steve, do you think …," but Chin froze when he saw Steve's incredulous gaze. Following the line of sight, he too could see what looked like a hiking boot suspended in a tree limb.

Steve was off and running mere seconds later. Negotiating the wash out, he clambered over to the branch anxiously calling Danny's name. Leaning down, he gasped when he saw that Danny's legs were pinned between the tree limb and two large boulders. He was lying on his stomach, facing downhill with arms outstretched as if he'd been running. A large bloody gash ran along his hairline and ended behind his ear.

"Chin! Get over here and bring the med kit." Steve shouted over his shoulder as he slid down a portion of the wet slope on his butt to land by Danny's upper body. "Please be breathing. Please."

"Danny. Danny!" Steve leaned over as he tried to get a better look at his friend. Using his sleeve, he wiped away blood from a too pale face and then with extreme care, he felt for a pulse. After a few nerve-wracked moments, he nodded an affirmative to a relieved Chin and the two tried to gently rouse their friend. "Hey Danny."

Getting no response, Chin made a decision to move back up the slope in order to untangle Danny's legs. "Steve, we got to get him loose from this. We're not going to be able to see anything soon."

Running his good hand over Danny's head, neck, arms and back Steve first felt for additional injuries. "Well there's at least that." He heaved a sigh declaring he couldn't feel anything obvious, and looked back at Chin. Following Danny's legs, Steve gently felt up into the heavy limbs to see where he was stuck.

Carefully, he and Chin broke and bent branches to gently untangled Danny's legs. Freeing him completely, they worked their way back down to Danny's upper body.

"How do you want to do this?" Chin quietly asked as they heard loud thunder in the distance.

Looking around the immediate area, Steve decided that they'd have to move back up the trail to a safer place and pitch an emergency shelter. Danny's pulse was thready and his respiration was uneven. With the storm blowing back in, they wouldn't be able to walk out or get to an adequate location for an EVAC. He wanted to desperately take a look at the head wound.

Leaving Chin with Danny, Steve quickly scouted for a location and decided on a place under a rock ledge that appeared to be protected from the elements. Instructing Chin to call Kono on the sat-phone with an update and a confirmed location, and though he was hampered by a cast, Steve efficiently setup the shelter.

Running his right hand through his hair in frustration, Steve was upset that Danny hadn't stirred and that they had to move him regardless. "Okay, Okay. Okay." He muttered. "Let's roll him over easy and we'll carry him."

With Chin on one side, Steve cautiously maneuvered Danny so that they could sit him up and each take an arm. On a count of three, Steve and Chin each lifted and draped one of Danny's arms over their shoulders. Then Chin grabbed the back of Danny's belt with his free hand as they half carried, half dragged him into the shelter.

"Home sweet home." Chin remarked softly once they got settled in the tent. But both men then worked silently and independently to manage triage on Danny's wounds.

Chin heard a sharp intake from breath from Steve as he cleaned the head wound.

"Bad?" He asked. Getting a sullen nod from Steve, he grimaced and focused on the cuts on Danny's legs. "His legs are okay though Steve. Mostly superficial cuts and some bruising. I don't think he got too caught up in the slide."

"Okay. Good. That's good." The reply was soft and almost distracted; the stress evident in the tone. "He's bled a lot and looks like he could need a stitch or two." Steve sat back on his heels, "I don't like that he's so unresponsive. He's obviously got a concussion." Examining Danny's face, he added, "He's too pale and his skin is clammy. Not sure if it's shock or dehydration or even both." Cradling his own left arm, which was admittedly starting to ache, Steve simply sat and watched Danny. "Wake up Danno. I need you to open your eyes, buddy."

The rain started to pick up again, along with a strong wind and thunder. The lightening indicated that the storm was getting closer. Already soaked through to his skin, Danny's white t-shirt was a muddy mess. Rummaging through their ample supplies, Chin broke out the emergency blanket and tucked it around his friend. He then went back into the first aid kit and handed Steve two ibuprofen. "And you take these." Chin demanded. "For your arm. I for one, don't need to deal with two of you tonight."

With a slight grin that expressed his gratitude, Steve gladly accepted the pills and downed them. He hesitated and then frowned, looking down at Danny. "What? Something wrong?" Chin asked in alarm.

"No, not wrong. But I'm not sure. I think I saw him move his hand." Steve gently placed his right hand on Danny's shoulder. "Danno? It's Steve. Danny. Can you open your eyes for us?"

Getting no response, Steve picked up Danny's hand and waited before trying again. "Come on Danno. Can you squeeze my hand? Danny." Looking at Chin, he set his jaw and demanded a reaction from his partner in an unyielding voice. "Danny. Danno. Squeeze my hand. Come on. Danny squeeze my hand."

And then, very slowly both Steve and Chin watched as Danny's lax fingers curled around Steve's hand. It wasn't strong, but it was there. Breaking into huge smiles, Steve and Chin continued to encourage more from Danny and eventually his eyes fluttered open.

~ to be continued ~

Awwwwwwwwwwwww isn't he sooo great!

BTW, don't get all too spoiled with the rapid chapter uploads. For some reason, I'm really taken with this alternate story and I've had a horrific work at week. I'm loving the distraction. ENJOY! And thank you all for the great feedback.