As promised, Steve could see the ambulance's flashing lights as the coastguard's launch slowed its approach to the South Shore, the Katie in tow. He sipped at the ever present bottle of water in his hand and squinted to try and make out the rest of his team in the failing light of the evening, smiling when he spotted Cat and Chin waiting on the dock side.

"The EMT's are ready to board as soon as we dock, captain," a man said somewhere behind Steve, and he looked further along the quay until he saw three uniformed men standing with a gurney and equipment.

Danny was still sleeping, the coastguard medical officer, Pula, with him, and Steve was relieved that his partner was minutes away from hospital treatment, glad that their disastrous fishing trip was over. Now, they had a case to solve and a murderer to catch.

Following closely behind the EMT's as they boarded and headed for Danny, Steve explained what had happened to the detective, "Nine millimetre, single gunshot wound to the upper left shoulder, bullet went through. That was just after midday, and then the coastguard administered medical aid around nineteen hundred hours."

"He means seven o'clock."

"Danny!" Steve grinned, pleased to see his partner awake and looking a lot better than he had before. "How you doing? You okay, brah? You're looking better."

"Feeling better, too," Danny smiled loosely, eyes slowly tracking up to the IV fluids, "Must be the good stuff, huh."

"Rapid infusion of twenty millilitres per kilogram isotonic IV solution, broad spectrum antibiotic..." Pula added the pertinent medical information as Danny was checked over and carefully lifted onto the gurney. "And 2mg of hydromorphone administered an hour ago."

"Thanks. Okay, Detective, we're just going to strap you in. You comfy?" one of the EMT's asked with a smile. Danny grunted as a blanket was placed over him and the gurney belt was tightened and secured over his hips.

"Oh yeah. You tucked me in well there," he nodded. "Feel like a burrito. Can't move a muscle."

"Safety first. Hold that and hang on," the EMT winked handing him his IV bag. "Just going to give you a little oxygen for the ride, okay?" he said suddenly appearing with a nasal cannula, which he hooked under Danny's nose and around his ears. Danny frowned at him, clearly irked with the tubes poking him up his nose, but the EMT just smiled and turned to his colleague, "Okay, Amosa, I think the good Detective is ready now!"

"You hang in there, Danno, I'm right behind you, okay?" Steve told him. Danny smiled up at his friend, that one look conveying a lot more than words could say. A moment later, they were on the move.

Heading along the quayside towards the ambulance, Steve walked beside the gurney, quietly talking with Danny and bringing him up to speed on the case so far. They slowed as they approached the vehicle, both men looking up when Cat and Chin approached meeting them halfway.

"Steve, I was so worried," Cat said as she wrapped her arms around Steve's body.

"Hey, I'm fine," Danny said over his shoulder, his fingers fiddling with the annoying tube up his nose as he was wheeled past them, to which both Cat and Steve turned and blinked at him. Steve raised an eye brow. Seriously!?

"God, Danny," Cat sighed in relief and gave him a careful hug when the gurney stopped by the back of the open ambulance. Danny wrapped his free arm around her and hung on, smirking when Steve's expression changed into something akin to possessive.

"We were fine," the SEAL said when Danny let go. He stopped the man from pulling the cannula off his face and added, "We were lucky to find that boat, but we were fine."

Chin, smiling widely, moved to one side to let the EMT's make sure their patient was comfortable and alright for travel. He patted Danny on his good shoulder, his amused eyes checking out the wavy blonde hair, but quickly looked away when Steve shrewdly indicated that mentioning it would be very bad. Hiding a smirk, Chin decided to secretly tell Kono later anyway, but right now he was glad his team mates were alive and would be alright, and listened to his friends bicker like normal.

Hearing Steve's very loose rendition of the day's events, Danny waved his hand incredulously as soon as his wrist was released from having his pulse taken. "We were not fine, okay? Tell her about the sharks. Tell him about the sharks!"

Chin blinked at Cat. "Sharks?" she asked.

"Shark. A shark!" Steve stated as if it wasn't a big deal. In fact he said so. "There was one shark, and it wasn't a big deal!"

Voice rising, fingers back fiddling with the irritating tube, Danny glared at his partner. "Of course it was a big deal! What are you talking about? It was a big deal, trust me! The thing ate the dinghy!"

"We're back on dry land, we're safe and sound," Steve reasoned matter-of-factly as he once more caught his partner's hand and held it away from the oxygen cannula. Danny's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Chin stepped in then and said, sounding like a father reprimanding two naughty kids, "You know, you two need to spend some time apart."

Snatching his hand back, Danny nodded with a curt, "I agree."

Doctor Max Bergman, Five-O's Chief Medical Examiner, then limped towards them with his cane, halting any further exchange between the small group.

"Commander McGarrett, Detective Williams, good to have you two back," he nodded, frowning slightly at Danny's condition when he saw the EMT carefully check the injury.

"It's good to be back... on dry land," Danny answered quickly, glancing up at Steve purposely.

"Are you alright? I was informed that you had been shot in the upper left shoulder," Max asked worriedly, looking at the stained bandage.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Max," Danny smiled convincingly. Max stared for a second as though judging for himself. His assessment of the detective's condition seemed to assuage his fears and he smiled, and held up a tube of lotion.

"Unguent?"

Danny blinked confused. "Excuse me?" He looked up at Steve, who just shook his head and shrugged equally as baffled. Chin and Cat hid identical smirks.

"It's cream for your sunburn," Max explained. "It contains aloe. As you know aloe is naturally soothing to the irritated skin and sunburn. If you need assistance applying it to your affected areas then I'm more than happy to..."

"No, no I... thank you, I'm good," Danny declined taking the tube and ignoring the comical smile on the EMT's face.

"I'm very gentle," Max continued.

"I bet."

"Oh. Apply liberally."

Watching the verbal ping-pong match finally finish, Steve shook his head and got back to the matter at hand.

"Alright. Ah, the victim is below deck, aft cabin, okay?" he told Max. "We preserved the crime scene."

Max nodded and motioned his crew towards the yacht moored behind the coastguard boat and followed them.

"You said you got something on the suspect?" Steve asked Chin, glaring at Danny when he absently tweaked the cannula. Danny rolled his eyes and lowered his hand.

Chin stepped in and held up his cell showing Danny and Steve an image of the boat-jacker. "Guy's name is Gil Scates. We managed to pull his print off the boat."

"That's him. That's our boat-jacker," Danny announced loudly and with a hint of menace.

"He's an unemployed security guard," Chin continued. "When we searched his apartment we found operators manuals for a yacht. We think he might've been planning to steal Al Burgess's boat."

"Yeah, well, he botched that too," Danny muttered, wincing when he pressed his hand against his shoulder.

"Would you like something for the pain, Detective?" the EMT asked noticing the flinch of pain. Danny shook his head.

"Okay, we find any connection between Al Burgess and Gil Scates?" Steve asked Chin, his eyes on Danny though.

"I got Kono asking Al's wife that very question."

"Well, we're about to take Detective Williams and Commander McGarrett to the hospital now, so... if you'll excuse us, guys," the EMT stated, halting Danny's hand when it, again, moved back up to his nose. "Leave it in place, Detective."

Steve frowned, "Wait, what? Why do I need to go? I don't need to go to the hospital!" He had a case to solve, a murderer to find.

"Kayl Pula, the coastguard MO, reported that you, too, were suffering from dehydration and severe headaches. You've had a rough day, Commander, better to get you checked out," the EMT explained.

"Headaches? Steve, come on, you're going to the hospital with me," Danny said, scratching at the tubing around his ear. It dislodged and he pulled it off.

"Danny, would you leave that alone, huh?" Steve rolled his eyes and stuck the cannula back under his nose and looped it around his ears. "And no, I'm not going with you. I'm fine." He turned to the EMT, "If I start feeling bad I promise I'll check into the ER myself, alright?"

"It's against my better judgement, but make sure you have someone with you to watch for any signs of discomfort, nausea, etcetera," the man nodded helping another EMT load Danny into the ambulance.

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him," Chin stated. Steve started to complain that he didn't need a babysitter, but immediately closed his mouth at the stern look the older detective had on his face, and signed the Refusal of Medical Treatment form in silence.

"Steve-" Danny called from the ambulance, concern clear in his blue eyes. Steve hopped inside leaving Chin and Cat waiting at the open doors.

"Gimme a minute," he murmured to the EMT's, and then turned to his partner, hand covering his when it unconsciously drifted up to the cannula once more. "I'll be by the hospital later, Danno."

"Steve, you're exhausted. You nearly got turned into man-sushi today," Danny said softly, "We were boat-jacked, at gunpoint... Please, at least get an all clear, babe."

"I'm fine," Steve reassured him. "Pula gave me enough water to sink a battleship, and I feel okay." He looked into Danny's eyes, promising, "I'm gonna find him, I'm gonna find Scates."

"I know," Danny nodded. Studying his partner's face, he saw the determination and ever-present focussed energy that drove the SEAL in every mission he committed to. He trusted that and relaxed slightly, a small accepting smile on his lips.

Seeing Danny believe that he was okay, Steve squeezed his hand gently, murmuring softly, "You want me to contact Rachel and Grace?"

"No," Danny shook his head. He didn't want to scare Grace, and he didn't want to ruin her weekend with her mom. "No, they're on the Big Island. No point in them cutting their trip short, nothing really for them to be here for, and I'm fine... will be fine in a day or so. Don't wanna worry them."

Steve didn't quite agree with that, but he accepted Danny's decision and nodded. The EMT cleared his throat and Steve got the message. Smiling at his partner, he jumped out of the rig. "Later, Danno, be good, and stop fiddling with that oxygen tube!"

"Shut up," Danny scowled, dropping his hand to his lap anyway. The doors then closed and he was gone.

Watching the ambulance drive away, lights flashing only, made Steve feel oddly bereft and he blew out a slow, shaky breath. After the day they'd had, and knowing how close he'd come to losing his partner, it just seemed wrong somehow to just let him go. But he knew Danny was in good hands, and no doubt trying to negotiate his early release from the hospital even now, before he got there. He looked around when Cat tugged at his arm, nodding when she urged him towards Chin's car.

H-5-0

Kono parked her Chevrolet close to the front door of Katie Burgess's house, clicking off her cell after giving Charlie Fong the news that they'd found Steve and Danny and they were both alive and relatively okay. She switched the engine off and sat in silence for a moment, focussing her thoughts. She was worried for her friend, Danny, but trusted Steve when he'd told her that the detective was fine and in good hands. She believed him, but wouldn't truly relax until she'd seen Danny with her own eyes. In the meantime, she had a job to do. It was late and dark, but the property had a good range of outdoor lights that lit up the drive as she approached the door. Kono knocked twice and waited.

"Katie Burgess? I'm Officer Kono Kalakuaua," she introduced herself when the door opened. Katie Burgess nodded, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Kono noticed another woman behind her. "May we speak alone, Mrs Burgess?"

"It's okay, this is Jenny, Al's sister," Katie said opening the door wider for the officer. "I asked her to be here when I heard."

Nodding and walking into the house, Kono sat down and expressed her sympathies for the loss of her husband, before asking her questions. She learned that Katie had become worried and notified the coastguard after she'd tried to contact her husband and he'd not answered her calls. Apparently, Al Burgess had wanted to sell his yacht, which prompted Jenny to inform Kono that her brother didn't even know how to swim, openly accusing Katie of wanting the yacht when Al didn't. Kono detected an air of ill feeling between the two women, and mentally filed it away, putting it down to grief for the moment.

Katie then told Kono that Al had had a potential buyer, although she didn't know the name. After showing her a picture of Gil Scates, she recognised him as the security guard for the neighbourhood, and was shocked that he was the man suspected of murdering her husband, telling Kono that Al Burgess had called the security company and had Gil fired after she'd told him that the man had made inappropriate advances towards her, and that she'd caught him peeking in her windows.

Kono frowned in thought. "Why would your husband take him out on the boat after getting him fired?"

"I don't know," Katie sighed, dabbing at her eyes again.

"Did your husband know what Gil looked like?"

"Not that I know of. Al was away on business when all this happened. He only knew his name," Katie explained. "Do you think that Gil did this to get back at us?"

"That's what we're gonna find out," Kono promised sincerely.

Returning back to Five-O headquarters when she'd finished her interview with Katie Burgess, Kono wasn't surprised to still see Chin in his office on the telephone, and Steve standing at the smart table drinking coffee and going over the new information she'd filled them in with while she'd driven back.

She checked her watch and sighed; it was going to be another long night. "Hey Steve, how's Danny?"

Steve turned and nodded a quick hello. "He's, ah, he's okay. Just called for an update twenty minutes ago... he's already driving the staff at Queens Medical mad by the sounds of it."

"Sounds like our Danny," Kono snickered. "Lemme guess, he doesn't want to be their guest for the night?"

"Yeah," Steve answered softly lowering his eyes. He still felt guilty as hell that as a result of his actions, Danny had got hurt. Kono saw the flash of remorse before Steve carefully hid it.

"You know it's not your fault, don't you?" she said quietly. "There's only one person to blame for Danny being in the hospital here; Gil Scates."

Vigorously scrubbing his hands over his hair, Steve sighed heavily and nodded. Danny had already tried to tell him it wasn't his fault, and he knew Kono had a point too, but his best friend was still hurt because of him regardless. Kono just shook her head, at least Danny would drill it into his guilt-thick skull until Steve believed it, later. She patted his arm and moved away to get a caffeine fix as Chin emerged from his office.

"So, I just reached out to Safe House Securities and found out that the Burgesses filed three complaints over the last two months, all against Gil Scates," he reported as Kono, large coffee in her grip, walked back over. "Those charges actually got him dismissed. His supervisor says he was pretty hot about the termination."

"Okay, maybe Scates wasn't trying to steal the boat and the wife was right. Maybe Gil was trying to get back at Al for having him fired," Steve said, rubbing his fingers over his mouth in thought.

"Katie Burgess said her husband didn't know what Scates looked like, so yeah that's possible," Kono added.

Steve leaned forward on the table, his mind working one possible idea, "Okay, so Al Burgess places an ad for the boat in the 'Advertiser'..."

"Right, and Gil comes in, calls, and posing as a potential buyer, takes him out to the ocean and puts a bullet in him," Chin continued. Kono nodded, agreeing.

"Right, he probably would've taken the boat, but the boat's not working," Steve tagged on looking up, his hand pointing to an image of the Katie on one of the computer screens.

"Despite everything, he still manages to get away with it," Chin frowned, but Kono shook her head and Steve's eyes widened when it all fell into place.

"Oh... No, no, wait a minute—So he thinks," Steve corrects. "Scates doesn't know that Danny and I are alive and found that crime scene."

Chin looked at both Steve and Kono, "If Gil believes he got away with murder, he's gonna try and blend back in like nothing ever happened."

"And that's how we're gonna get him," Steve nodded. "Chin, coordinate with HPD and get a twenty four hour surveillance set up on Scates' apartment, and get a BOLO on him, too."

Nodding, the detective disappeared into his office again, returning minutes later reporting that everything had been set up.

Kono looked at the computer image of Gil Scates again, knowing his freedom was limited, and smirked. She hid a yawn into her coffee, blinking when Chin took the mug away.

"Hey-"

"We'll start again early, guys," Steve said checking his watch. It was past twenty three hundred hours and his team was beat, although he had no intention of going home himself, he wanted to get over to the hospital and see Danny. "Time to go home, get some rest. Chin, you and Kono relieve HPD and stake out Scates' apartment tomorrow morning; I'll then take the evening shift, if he hasn't shown up yet. I want this man in custody."

"Copy that," Kono muttered with feeling.

"Tell Danny we hope he's feeling better," Chin said as he ushered Kono out of the HQ. Steve nodded with a small smile; his team knew him far too well.

H-5-0