Note: time for some more Steve in SEAL mode. Operation Rescue Danny.

Chapter Seven.

The team raced back to the office and pulled up maps of Oahu, trying to locate the position of the private cove. Frustrated at the length of time it had taken to locate, and then reach it, Steve glanced at his watch once more. It was now 5pm, Danny had been missing for more than 24 hours, and he knew time was running out for his best friend. He wouldn't even allow himself to contemplate they may already be too late.

As they approached the cove their boat slowed while they were still some way out to sea. They didn't want to alert anyone, on possible look out, to their presence. Raising binoculars to her eyes Kono let out a gasp. "Steve. He's there. Danny, he's on the beach."

"What?" Steve said raising his own binoculars to his face."

"What's he doing on the beach?" Grover asked. They had expected to have to search the property to find their lost team member.

"Vargas is a dead man," Steve replied. "He has him streaked out on the beach in the sun. I can't tell if he's even alive."

"There." Kono cried with relief, "I just saw him move, only a little but it was definitely movement."

"Thank goodness." Chin sighed. "So what's the plan, you want to storm the beach?"

"No. Too risky." Grover said

"Lou's right, if they see us coming, Danny is a sitting target, they could easily take him out." Steve explained. "I'll swim in. Try and free Danny myself. Once he's secured, then you storm in. Take them out if necessary."

Steve quickly stripped off his t-shirt and shoes. He packed his gun, and a medical kit from the Coast Guard into a water proof bag. He added his comm link, so once ashore he would be able to communicate with the team. Checking his knife was secured, he launched himself into the water and started a fast swim. He ploughed through the water, keeping close to the rock line so as to keep himself hidden. Approaching the waters edge, Steve took a second to pause and look closely at the house. No one appeared to be keeping watch. They obviously thought their position was well hidden. Rising from the water Steve crept up the beach keeping close to the rocks. Finally level with Danny, he stopped and pulled out his gun and comm link.

"Ok guys, I'm almost with Danny now. There's no sign of anyone on look out, get ready to breach."

"We're ready Steve." Chin replied.

"Just get Danny out of the way." Kono replied.

5-0-5-0-5-0-5-0

Danny was lost in a world of pain. His ribs hurt with every breath he took, and his lungs burned, causing him to hold his breath every now and again for a break from the pain. The ache in his stomach had grown throughout the many hours he had been left on the beach. Danny's newest, and now biggest problem was the burning of his skin. Red from the sun, his skin felt tight and caused horrible pain every time he moved. He was now so hot, and his mouth felt so dry. He hadn't had anything to drink in well over a day and the several hours out in the sun had left him seriously dehydrated.

A sudden stomach cramp hit, and Danny tried to curl in on him self to ease the pain. The cramping finally subsided only for Danny's body to be racked by a coughing fit from his abused lungs. Opening his eyes to look out to sea he had to blink twice as he saw movement working its way up the beach.

"Steve?" He whispered to himself as he made out a body crouching by the rocks. Great now I'm hallucinating. I definitely have heat stroke now.

Closing his eyes he allowed himself to drift for a second, until he felt a cold wet hand touching his neck and checking for a pulse.

Steve cautiously approached Danny. As he got closer he saw how red his skin was and there was blisters starting to form. Laid on his side his chest was also visible, and colourful bruises covered his skin. Steve was also alerted to Danny's laboured breathing. Unsure if his friend was even conscious, he reached out and checked Danny's pulse. Finding it fast and thready, Steve was surprised when Danny slowly opened his eyes.

"Hey there partner." Steve said.

Danny blinked a few times before croaking, "Steve?"

"Yeah buddy, sorry it took so long to track you down."

"You're really here?" Danny questioned.

"Of course I'm really here. You look like hell man, let's get you out of here." Steve said pulling his knife out and starting to saw through the rope tying Danny's hands to the chain.

"Matt?" Danny managed to whisper before he was racked by a coughing fit again.

"Easy Danno, easy." Steve soothed. He really wanted to rub or pat Danny's back, but the angry blisters there made him hold off. As Danny finally got his breathing back under control he reassured, "Matt is safe. We got him to a safe house."

"Thanks." Danny whispered then his eyes slipped closed.

"Hey, none of that buddy. Come on wake up." Steve said gently tapping Danny's cheek. Blue eyes peeled open once more, and Steve took the opportunity to get moving before Danny lost consciousness. "Sorry buddy, this is gonna hurt." He apologied throwing Danny's arm over his shoulder and pulling him up. Danny groaned as the movement caused his body to scream in pain.

Steve half dragged Danny over to the rocks, as his feet were unable to take his weight. Easing him down behind some boulders, to provide cover, Steve spoke into his comm link, "ok guys, I have Danny. Go get those bastards." The roar of a motor could be heard springing to life, and Danny cracked open his eyes.

"Aren't you going to go do your Rambo thing? You're missing out on the fun."

"They can handle it, I belong with my partner, let me check you over." Steve said running his hand across Danny's chest to check his ribs.

"Babe, please no," Danny said weakly trying to push Steve's hand away.

"I'm really sorry Danny, but I need to see what we're dealing with." Steve said checking the other side of Danny's chest. Moving on to Danny's abdomen he hit a particularly sensitive spot, causing Danny the scream out. "Sorry buddy." He apologised.

Gun fire erupted from the direction of the house, but Steve ignored it as he dug into the bag and pulled out the medical kit to grabb the stuff he needed. "Danny."

"Mmmm." Danny replied.

"You're really dehydrated buddy."

"Tell me something I don't know." Danny croaked.

"And you're way too hot. I think you have heat stroke." Steve continued. "I'm going to start an IV, ok?"

"You're gonna start one?" Danny asked, looking sceptically at his friend.

"Yeah, relax, I've done it loads of times before," Steve reassured cleaning the inside of Danny's arm. Working quickly and effectively Steve soon had the IV in place and started running much needed fluids. Placing the fluid bag on a rock, Steve reached back into the bag and pulled out a small pre-filled syringe. "Danny I know you're in a world of pain right now."

"You can say that again." Danny said through gritted teeth.

"I know you're in a world of pain right now." Steve repeated hoping to piss off his partner. Because a pissed off partner, meant a ranting partner, and a ranting partner meant Danny was ok.

"Ass." Was all that Danny replied, not having the strength or will to rant.

"Sorry," Steve laughed, not quite a rant but he'd take it. "Danny, I want to give you some morphine."

"Oh god yes please," Danny begged.

"D, you obviously have a concussion, so I'm taking a risk giving you some, so I'm only gonna start off with a half dose, ok?" Steve explained.

"I'll take what I can get. My back is killing me from the sunburn." Danny sighed.

"It's good that it hurts Danno." Steve said injecting the half does into the IV line.

"Good? Good? You think it's good that I'm in agony, that I've been turned in to a human lobster?" Danny finally ranted.

"If you're in pain, it means the burns aren't too deep. Pain is actually a good thing." Steve explained.

The gun fire had stopped now and his ear piece crackled into life, "Steve, the house is clear. We have two dead, but there's no sign of Miguel Vargas." Grover reported.

"Keep searching, he has to be somewhere. Check every damn cupboard, and under every bed. He does not get away with this." Steve ordered.

Steve looked back down at Danny. His breathing had slowed a little but every breath was accompanied by a wheeze. Danny opened his eyes and smiled at Steve, "knew you'd come." He managed before a coughing fit took hold. "Easy, Danny. Nice, easy breaths," Steve coached. "Why the hell does your chest sound so bad.

"Wa... Water… Boarded." Danny spluttered between coughing fits.

"What did you say? It sounded like water boarded." Steve asked, certain he had miss heard, but when Danny nodded in confirmation, Steve was enraged.

"Shit." Steve answered. He knew Danny was a tough son of a bitch, but he had managed to endure one hell of a beating, water boarding and being streaked out in the sun to burn to a crisp. Many men would have given up by now, but Danny still had a defiant glint in his eye.

Danny finally got his breathing back under control, but laid on his back totally spent, eyes half mast.

"You did good Danno." Steve said placing a hand on Danny's chest and feeling the heat radiating off him.

"If this…this is good, I'd hate to see bad." Danny coughed. Looking up at Steve his eyes suddenly widened with fear. "Steve, behind you!"

Spinning around, Steve saw what Danny had alerted to him to. Stood on top of the boulder was Miguel Vargas, gun raised and pointing at his head."

TBC