A/N: So, it was gently brought to my attention that I have been spelling Steve's last name wrong. From here on out, I'll spell it correctly. Sorry bout that! This is my first Five-0 fic, though, so cut me some slack…Thanks for the support guys!
The door swings open and bangs against the wall, and Steve knows something is different. Lennon's footsteps are faster, heavier. And rapidly approaching. A fist slams into McGarrett's jaw and Lennon grabs him by the hair.
"My level of seriousness just does not seem to be getting into that thick head of yours," Lennon says through clenched teeth. He yanks off the blindfold and grabs Steve's jaw, turning his head toward Danny. "There. See? This is what your reluctance has done!"
Steve's heart stops as he takes in the broken form of his partner. Danny is shivering, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glazed and wandering. There's a cut above his eyebrow and blood down the side of his face, and his jaw is swollen. His shirt is soaked through with sweat and vomit and blood. His left pant leg is tight around his knee, which is swollen and undoubtedly broken. His chest rises and falls unevenly and shallowly.
"What do you want to know?" Steve asks weakly.
Lennon smiles at him. "I knew you'd come around eventually. I need you to tell me where Cameron Holloway is."
McGarrett stares at him. "Are you insane? How the hell would I know that?"
"Don't! Lie to me!" Lennon shouts, kicking him in the ribs.
Steve coughs and struggles to catch his breath. His mind races.
Holloway is a scumbag and an asshole and McGarrett can hardly believe that he is choosing that piece of shit over his best friend. But Holloway is the key witness in a high profile case that could put a very, very dangerous man behind bars. But Danny is fearless, selfless, and recklessly loyal…
"What do you want with Holloway? You working for Greenway?"
"No, I'm not. You think Greenway is the only one who wants that back stabbing bastard dead? No, I don't work for Greenway. Now tell me! Where he is!" Lennon's pissed, his eyes wild. Steve knows he's not playing.
He considers the choice before him. He knows where Holloway is. Maybe he could work Lennon, get him to let Danny go…
And then his eye catches Danny's, and Danny shakes his head ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, Danno," McGarrett says, and looks up at Lennon and sets his jaw defiantly.
Lennon stares at him, chest heaving, nostrils flaring. And in a swift, sudden movement, he turns, pulls a gun from the waistband of his pants and pulls the trigger.
"Danny!"
XXX
Kono and Chin walk around one side of the building with half of the tact team as the other half fans out to block all the exits.
"We've got to be careful, guys, Lennon is most likely armed and he has two of our men," Chin says.
Suddenly, there's the sound of a gunshot and Kono and Chin start running. "We've got a shot fired! Move in! NOW!"
"Freeze! Drop the weapon! Drop the weapon!" Kono shouts as they burst into the boathouse.
Lennon turns around, the gun still in his hand.
"I said drop your weapon, Lennon! We've got the building surrounded! You're not getting out of this one."
Lennon flashes her a quick grin, puts the gun in his mouth, and pulls the trigger. Chin is already calling an ambulance.
Kono drops her gun and rushes to Danny's side. He's slumped down, and blood is spilling from a bullet hole in his shoulder. She can hear Steve crying behind her, Chin speaking softly to him. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she feels for a pulse. Her heart pounds in here ears and she can hardly think. She's shocked by how hot the skin beneath her fingers is. There. His pulse is weak and thready, and he doesn't respond to her touch.
"He's alive," she says. "Steve, he's alive!" She goes around to the other side of the pole and takes out her key, quickly removing Danny's handcuffs. Now that she can think more clearly, she can hear his faint wheezing. He's obviously struggling to breath.
"Chin, how long until we get someone out here?"
"Six, seven minutes," Chin responds.
That may not be soon enough, Kono thinks. She removes her bullet-proof vest and tears off a strip of her shirt, pressing it against the wound in his shoulder, the carefully leans Danny forward and maneuvers herself behind him. She gently pulls him into a more upright position, so he's leaning heavily against her, in an attempt to help his breathing.
As soon as Chin undoes his handcuffs, McGarrett is by Danny's side.
"Dannydannydanny," he says under his breath, taking Danny's hand in his own. "Come on, Danno. You did good, you did so good. Just a little longer, okay? Just keep breathing for me. We'll get you patched up in no time. You have to take Grace to the movies, remember? You promised. And you lost that bet awhile back, you still owe me a drink." He pauses expectantly for a moment. There's no response. "Shit, Danny!" He's in tears now. "Why the hell did you make me promise, huh? You damn stupid bastard. This is your fault. This is your damn fault."
Chin puts his hands on McGarrett's shoulders and gently pulls him away. "The ambulance is here, Steve. They're gonna take good care of him."
"They better," Steve says loudly as the paramedics rush in. "Because if they don't they will answer to me."
Chin gives him a sharp look. Steve ignores it. Five-0 watches in stony silence as their fallen member is loaded onto the ambulance. Steve gets in to ride with him.
"Come on, Kono. We can follow," Chin says. "…Kono? You alright, Cuz?"
Kono is still leaning against the pole, staring down at the blood on her hands and shirt, silent tears streaming down her face. She's shaking badly. Chin sits on the floor next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulders. She buries her head in his shirt and she cries.
XXX