A/N: This story is told from Danny's POV, so there's a jump in time.

Chapter Five

Awareness came back very slowly this time. He knew he was in the hospital by the sounds, and the smells, around him. But he had no idea how he'd gotten there, or how long he'd been unconscious. The last thing he remembered was Steve sitting him up, a sharp pain, then nothing.

"I know you're awake. Open your eyes, Danno, please!" Steve's voice was so close, and sounded so desperate, Danny immediately blinked his eyes open.

His partner was leaning over him, his face mere inches away, and his hand resting on Danny's right shoulder. How had he not felt that before? The worry in his friend's eyes stopped the rant that came to him about personal space.

"There you are. Don't ever do that to me again, Danno." Steve sat down with an exhausted sigh, running his hands down his face as if he was trying to wipe away the exhaustion.

"Okay, I won't, if you tell me what I did." His voice sound cracked and unused. He was also incredibly thirsty.

Steve immediately picked up a cup of ice chips and fed him a couple. The cool, soothing feeling was like heaven.

"When you sat up, one of your cracked ribs broke and punctured your lung. I shouldn't have moved you like that. I'm sorry."

Steve was looking at the cup in his hands, not his partner.

"Okay, but there's more isn't there?"

"You stopped breathing before I could get a tube in to relieve the pressure in your chest." Steve put the cup down and shifted forward again, placing his hand on Danny's forearm. "It's been the worst two days of my life."

"Oh!" Danny didn't know what to say. Couldn't say anything, he just imagined how he'd have felt if it had been Steve, that was enough.

"I thought I'd lost you, Danny." Now there were unshed tears in his partner's eyes, and Danny didn't want to be the cause of that.

"I'm so sorry, Steve. I never wanted to put you through something like that. But I'm glad you were there with me. You saved my life, didn't you?"

"No. The doctors here at Tripler saved your life. I just managed to keep you alive long enough to get here."

"Don't be so modest." Danny thought about what Steve had said. "I've been out for two days?"

"Yeah, the doctors wanted to keep you on the ventilator to give your lung a chance to start healing. With your claustrophobia, they thought it best if you stayed asleep for that."

"That's good." Danny was relieved he hadn't woken up to find himself with a tube down his throat, the thought alone made him feel a sense of panic.

"Thank you, Steve." Danny raised his right hand and Steve slid his hand down from where it was resting, into his raised hand.

"For what?"

"Whether you think so or not, you did save my life, and I'm grateful." Steve brought his other hand over and wrapped Danny's in both of his.

"I couldn't lose you, Danno. I've lost too many people."

"I know, babe."

They stayed the way they were for a few minutes. Danny's was assessing how he felt, and decided it wasn't too bad. His left arm ached, but was in a case from shoulder to wrist. His side also ached, but was manageable. He figured he was on the mend, and this somber mood his best friend was in needed to change.

"So, when can I go home?"

"What?" Steve stared at him, a look of disbelief on his face.

"I'm feeling good. Not at death's door anymore. So, when can I go home?"

"Seriously? You're seriously asking me that? You just woke up from being on a ventilator for two days, almost dying, and you want to go home?" One of Steve hands was waving around as he spoke. The other was still encased in Danny's, who refused to let it go.

"Too soon?"

"Yes, Danny. Too soon." Steve calmed down, but there was now a smile on his face. "You are something else, partner. You did that deliberately, didn't you?"

"Yep. You were way too far inside your head there, babe."

"Well, the doc said you'd be here five days to a week, once you woke up. So, get used to it, you're not leaving early."

Danny smiled at this partner. "Wouldn't dream of it, babe."

Before anymore could be said a nurse came in, followed by, Danny assumed, his doctor. He was prodded and poked, then told he was doing well, for how sick he'd been when he arrived. The doctor confirmed he'd be staying with them for five more days.

Once the medical personnel left, Danny was tired and sore. But the nurse had administered some pain relief, so he was rapidly feeling better. There was one question he needed to ask before sleep took him though.

"Steve, how's Chin?"

Steve sat back down beside the bed. "Chin's good. He broke a bone in his ankle and has a walking cast on. Kono's looking after him." Steve checked his watch. "In fact, they'll be by in another couple of hours."

"You're not still upset with him, are you?" Danny knew just how protective Steve could be and didn't want Chin to suffer because he'd been with him when he was hurt.

"No, Chin and I are fine." Steve rested his hand on Danny's arm. "Now will you go to sleep? Stop fighting the drugs, you need to rest."

"Have you talked to Grace? I want to see her, if Rachel will allow it."

"Yes, I've spoken to Grace. I went to see her, once you were stable. She's fine, and Rachel promised to bring her by when you were awake. Now, will you rest?"

"Okay, but wake me when Chin and Kono arrive."

Once Steve nodded his agreement to wake him, Danny closed his eyes and let the drugs take him under.

TBC

A/N: No one really thought I'd kill him, did they?