Note: Time for Danny to start getting better now I think.

Chapter Twelve.

Three very long days later, Steve was still sat by Danny's bedside, but things were finally looking better. The medical team were weaning Danny from the ventilator and hoped to have Danny awake and breathing on his own in the next few hours. Steve was more than ready to have his partner awake and ranting, but a part of him was very relieved that Danny had been able to sleep through the worse of the burns to his body. He had been present when the nurses changed the dressings each day, and the first day Steve was horrified to see how blistered Danny's skin was, and could only imagine how painful it would have been for his best friend. At least now they were looking much better, as the heat from the burns had left Danny's skin.

Steve was also relieved that his partner hadn't had to endure the hourly suctioning the nurses had carried out for the first 24 hours, until the antibiotics kicked in and his lungs started to improve.

Glancing at his partner, he watched for any sign that his best friend was returning to him. But Danny's face was still slack, lips parted around the tube. Late the first evening, Dr. Pearce had returned to review Danny, before heading home for the night, and had ordered a feeding tube to be sited. Knowing it would be several days before Danny was awake and able to eat, she wanted to get vital nourishment into him to give his body energy to fight the infection. Steve's eyes followed the tube up to the bag that hung from the pole at Danny's bedside. The pump attached whirred as it forced the liquid into Danny's stomach.

Stretching in his chair Steve longed to itch his thigh, a scab had covered the bullet graze to his leg, a sign that it was healing well. But Steve was counting down the days 'til the stitches could be removed. He decided to get up and stretch his legs further, so moved over to look out the window. Hours of sitting in Danny's room, day in day out was starting to frustrate the normally very active man. He had left the hospital only once to go home, shower and change his clothes. No amount of persuasion from the others could sway him from his bedside vigil. A part of him still feeling guilty that he didn't protect his partner better, and was only able to find him after he had gone through so much torture.

Amber had also spent a lot of time at her boyfriend's bedside. Holding his hand, or running her fingers through his messy hair, while talking to him. Coming up with ideas for things to do once Danny was well enough, and Grace was back on the island. She had gone home the night before to sleep in her own bed, and was expected to return shortly.

Chin, Kono and Lou had all regularly rotated in to keep Steve company, and take updates back to the rest of the team. As much as they all wanted to be at the hospital with Danny, space was limited in the room, given the amount of machinery Danny was connected to, and unfortunately crime hadn't stopped on the island just because Danny was ill. So there were cases to be looked at. The Governor had wanted Steve to return to the office too to lead the team, but Steve had greatly over exaggerated his gun shot wound, allowing him to stay by his partner's side.

The FBI graciously let Matt visit again the day before, but they were now keen to move him to the mainland. Plans had been made for a flight the next morning, so Steve was desperate for Danny to wake up so he would get a chance to speak to his brother, before he left the island.

A noise from behind him had him spinning on the spot. Steve realised he was about to get his wish and Danny was indeed waking up. Danny was gagging on the tube, eyes flitting from side to side under closed eyelids. Looking around for Dawn who was once again Danny's nurse for the day he saw her enter the room, she had obviously been alerted to the change from the monitors at the nurses station.

"Danny, open your eyes buddy. Come on, time to wake up." Steve cajoled hoping to settle his partner, but Danny didn't respond and the gagging continued. Steve saw Danny's hands grip the sheets, so took hold of the hand nearest to him and attempted to sooth, "Danny, you're safe. You're in the hospital, open you're eyes."

Dawn had obviously alerted Dr. Pearce because she arrived seconds later, and after checking Danny's vitals, proceeded to remove the tube from his mouth and replace it with an oxygen mask. Danny immediately seemed to settle, but stubbornly refused to wake up.

Finally after a few more minutes of coaxing from Steve, Dawn and Dr. Pearce, they were rewarded with two sleepy blue eyes.

Danny slowly became aware of his surroundings, unsure as to where he was. Unable to open his eyes just yet he attempted to call out, only to feel something hard in his throat. He immediately gagged around the tube, panicking that he couldn't breathe. He's confused mind flashed back to the boat shed and the feeling of his lungs burning, desperate for oxygen. As he choked around the tube, Danny could almost taste the rancid water once again, and hear the evil chuckle from Vargas. He fisted the bed sheets, desperate for his ordeal to be over with. Then suddenly the hard tube was gone and Danny could breathe, the cool freshness of oxygen flowing over his face and into his lungs, easing the burning inside them. Exhausted from his struggle, Danny laid still, his mind catching up with the reality that he was no longer in the boat shed. Hearing the familiar voices of his partner and medical staff he was unfortunately all too familiar with, he finally obeyed their request and peeled his eyes open.

"Welcome back Danny." Dawn smiled.

Danny glanced at his hand, held in Steve's, then looked up at Steve who was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Hey buddy, been pretty quiet around here the past few days while you've been napping."

"Days?" Danny croaked, and was immediately offered some ice chips by Dawn.

"The pneumonia got pretty bad Danny, and we had to help you out with your breathing for a few days, but the antibiotics are working and you're doing much better. The sunburn is healing well, as are the gunshot wound and surgical wound." Dr. Pearce explained.

"Okay." Danny said with a small cough. Looking at Steve he said, "You're still holding my hand you know?"

Steve let go and blushed red, "you scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry." Danny whispered.

"We'll leave you two alone." Dr. Pearce said. "That oxygen mask needs to stay on Danny, and try not to talk too much. If you're in pain let Dawn know."

Danny nodded and closed his eyes taking a few deeper breaths to test his ribs. Finding them much better than the last time he remembered, he sighed with relief and opened his eyes to find only Steve left in the room.

"You ok?" Steve asked as he sat in the chair beside Danny.

"Yeah." Danny replied, although if he was honest with himself he still felt a little shaky from his flashback to the boat shed.

"You sure?" Steve asked again aware of the tension in his partner's body.

Danny looked at Steve and knew he couldn't hide anything from him, he knew him too well. Repositioning his oxygen mask into a more comfy position he placed his hand on his chest, wincing as it rested on a blistered area of skin. "Yeah, it's just...I couldn't breathe, the tube, it felt like I couldn't breathe. For a second, I thought..." Danny stopped unable to say it.

"You thought you were back there." Steve finished for him. Seeing Danny nod he continued. "I know you're not up to it now Danny, but when you are, I think you need to talk about what happened."

"You think I need a shrink?" Danny replied a little offended that Steve didn't think he could handle what he went through.

"No you dope, I meant talk to me, or Chin, Kono, who ever you want. Just talking about it helps you process it."

"Did you learn that at SEAL school? I didn't realise the army taught psychobabble." Danny asked.

"Navy Danny, Navy. And stop deflecting. When Wo Fat captured me, you know what got me through that?" When Danny didn't answer he continued, "You did. You were there and listened to me. Let me tell you what went down. You were there to listen after Afghanistan. All I'm saying Danny, is I'm here if you need to talk."

"Thanks...and I will." Danny said a small tear forming in the corner of his eye.

"Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up. Amber should be here soon and no doubt as soon as I let the team know you're awake, they'll be here too." Steve said.

"Ok." Danny said closing his eyes, he had only been awake a few minutes but he already felt exhausted. Steve watched Danny for a second, and thinking he was asleep stood up to go ring the team. As he reached the door Danny suddenly asked, "Steve, where's Matt? What's happening with him?"

Steve stopped and returned to Danny's side. He explained. "The FBI are moving him to the mainland tomorrow, I'll ring them and see if he can visit before. He's already been in twice."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's all over Danny. Vargas is dead. All the high rankers in the cartel have been brought in. Matt is testifying, and the FBI agreed to two years minimum security. Now get some sleep. I need to go call your mom." Steve ordered.

"Oh god, good luck with that." Danny joked.

"Make the most of the ICU, buddy, I have strict instructions, as soon as you're in a private room to set up a Skype session, so they can see you for themselves." Steve left the room and laughed to himself as he heard Danny groan.

TBC