Hi! So, my surgery got postponed to October 2nd. Bad for me, but it does mean I can probably finish this before then! Not so sure about the other story I'm working on though…Not sure what I'll call it yet, but I might post the first chapter tonight so keep a look out!

Steve was tired. Chin and Kono frequently found him out cold in the recliner, his hand on top of Danny's so he would know if his partner stirred. He was recovering, but it was slow going. Doctors came in every hour to draw blood and administer more of the antibiotic. They did the same for the man in the bed next to him, but Danny was not improving. When Steve was awake, he did everything he could to keep Danny fighting. He would bathe Danny's burning skin with a cool cloth. He would also talk to him. Usually Danny was the talker, but now Steve was getting the last word and he didn't like it one bit. He would sometimes tell Danny to fight, sometimes tell him what was going on, or sometimes he would just tell him every old story he remembered. Despite Whitney's pleas for him lie down in an actual bed, Steve refused to leave his partner. He felt that the moment he let would be the moment he lost Danny forever. Rachel and Grace called daily, but stayed in England at Steve's request. Hawaii was still on lockdown, but Steve knew that Danny would want his family safe so he had them stay as far away as possible. Chin and Kono were rarely there, working tirelessly with HPD to find Elin and keep the island from total panic. Gas was being rationed and food was being dropped from planes, bet they knew the island couldn't sustain itself for long. They had checked everywhere, but she had completely gone off the radar. After five days, they still had nothing. At the end of the day, they made their usual visit to the hospital. As usual, Steve was dead to the world, his neck at a funny angle, hand draped limply over Danny's. They sat in the chairs on the other side of Danny's bed and Kono took up the washcloth. After about twenty minutes, Danny began to mumble something.

"Grace…" it was a weak and breathy whisper, but it in the quiet room, it was as loud as a gunshot. Steve snapped awake instantly and placed a hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Danny? You with me?" Steve asked gently. Danny's eyes were closed, but Steve could still read the terrified expression.

"Grace…no…not safe! Gonna get sick!" Danny whispered, weakly struggling against the blankets. Steve frowned. Danny was definitely not with them.

"Danno," Steve said, hoping the use of his daughter's nickname for him would get the sick man's attention. "Grace isn't here. She's in England with Rachel, remember?"

"'teve? No…sick. My fault?"

"No…not your fault. I'm gonna be okay. I'm getting better. You're the one who's sick, Danno."

"Steve…leave me…gonna get worse…hurt you…she's gonna come back…go while you…can." Danny went still after the last word, completely spent. Steve put his head down for a moment as if in prayer, then turned to the fearful faces of Chin and Kono.

"Please tell me we're closer to finding this bitch." Chin shook his head sadly.

"No…she's disappeared. I called Interpol and had them try to pick up Briarley, but his place is now being quarantined. They found him dead, same thing you guys had, but a more aggressive strain, if that's even possible."

"You need to rest, boss. We'll stay here tonight to watch over Danny, okay brah?" Steve nodded, then went to sleep in the same position as before.

H

5

0

In the morning, he woke up to the sound of a nurse bustling about checking Danny over. As he did every morning, he asked how his partner was.

"He's holding his own, but I'm afraid he's no better than yesterday. I'm sorry Steve." She turned to go, but then stopped and faced him again. "Oh, and Dr. Whitney asked me to tell you that you had been assigned a new doctor. She'll be in later." The nurse smiled and left. As Steve waited for the doctor, he decided to tell Danny the story of when he was seventeen years old and he broke Chin's old records at Kukiu High School. He knew Danny loved football. So absorbed was he in his story that he didn't even notice the doctor come in. It was only when he saw a flash of the familiar silver hair that it registered in his mind who his new doctor was.

"It's good to see you, Steven." She smiled warmly. Her voice was still dreamy and her eyes still crazed.

"Elin Valburg." Steve said icily.

"Oh good! This avoids all those awkward 'who are you' questions!" she clapped her hands like a school girl and while she was distracted, Steve slipped his phone under the blanket that covered his lap. There was a small app Charlie had installed for them. All they need do if they were in trouble was press the button and immediately the rest of Five-0 and HPD would be alerted. He pressed what he hoped was the right app and prayed help was on its away. Steve didn't know if he could fight in his weakened state.

"What do you want Elin? Revenge?" She laughed.

"No no sweet boy! I'm not mad! In fact, this is a most interesting experiment! However, I have so much to do and so little time, so unfortunately, you two have to go. But it has been fun!" She said, Swedish accent thick in her excitement. She removed a small syringe from the pocket and filled it with a dark, evil looking liquid. Hoping to stay he hand a little longer, Steve spoke.

"What I don't understand is why you killed Briarley."

"Thomas? Oh he was just a loose end much like you." Although he already knew the answer, Steve asked, "Didn't you love him?" she let out a tinkling laugh.

"Love? Oh goodness no! I am not that stupid. Thomas was very useful, and if properly…motivated, highly influential. He was the one who really helped me start this thing!" Steve felt the short vibration in his hand, a signal that Chin used to tell him he had received the alert and would be there in five minutes. They didn't have five minutes. Just as Elin jabbed the needle into Danny's IV line, the sick man awoke with a start.

Wow, I'm writing shorter and shorter chapters. I'm sorry!