Danny was released from the hospital without much fanfare. Even though he signed out against the doctor's orders, it all seemed rather routine. Like he'd been admitted to the ER for stubbing his toe. He shrugged it all off, just wanting to get out of there. Fresh air, no walls. That's what he wanted. Pain he could take. Terror was just no good.

"Yea I gotta get out of these clothes." Was his only response when Steve suggested packing a bag and crashing at his place.

Danny looked down at himself, taking a quick second survey. Soiled, dirty, bloody, sweaty. He felt a little self conscious standing there like that. The need to run came out of nowhere, and Steve grabbed his arm just in time. "Hey, Danny, you ready to go?"

Their eyes met, and they both just knew the same thing. It was time to go, to move on. Because this part of the game sucked.

Unable to forego the mandatory wheelchair escort, Danny slid into the chair with a groan. He felt like a child, but he let his partner push him to the entrance. The place was mostly empty as the sun was just rising. Both men were pleased to see Chin had parked the truck up front so the walk wouldn't be a long one. Steve kept an eye on Danny not wanting to impose by asking any questions or offering to help. Not yet.

"Gumby, Steven?" Danny fastened his seatbelt, deciding he wouldn't tempt fate by not wearing it. "How the hell do you know about Gumby?"

"I was a kid once too, Danno."

"Oh you were, huh? I didn't think they had much in the way of toys back in the Stone Age with all the Neanderthals. I thought you just played with rocks and sticks."

"Funny stuff."

"Thanks." Danny did his best to stretch out in seat. He opened his window a few inches. "Thanks for having my back in there."

"Any time, man." Steve nodded without looking at his partner. Looking at Danny would surely break the dam that had been holding back his emotions all night. He was there. They were together. Things were okay.

A few minutes down the road and Danny now had what Steve affectionately called a tone. "No one does that to me and gets away with it. I mean, I just bought that TV."

Steve wanted to laugh, but he knew Danny was getting to something serious in his roundabout way. Hashing out his anger and all those other unpleasant feelings.

"Now I have to get the carpet cleaned. My landlord's a killer." Danny chuckled. "Bad choice of words."

Steve glanced at his friend when he could. He was concentrating on making this a smooth drive, no hard turns or stops. Danny didn't even look his direction. He seemed focused straight ahead in a trance of aggravation, repeating his grievance like a mantra. "No one puts me in a box and gets away with it."

Steve nodded with a heavy sigh. "I know this has been rough, man."

Danny whipped his head Steve's direction. "No. You don't. You my friend, have no idea. No clue."

Then he turned just as abruptly out the window without saying another word.

Steve wasn't letting it go. "So that's what this is all about? You. Your fear?"

Danny did not take the bait. Steve continued down this path, hoping ultimately to get his friend to open up about what happened. But Danny didn't budge.

"You held it together, Danno. You survived."

Danny closed his eyes and clenched his jaw every so slightly. Steve decided to jab him just a little harder. "You have to let it go, brah. You are here right now. With me. Alive."

This sent Danny over the edge. He almost jumped out of his seat as he lunged toward his partner, getting within inches of his face. Steve swerved, but regained his composure quickly.

"Let it go?" Danny was a flurry of hands and hair. All his words practically separate sentences, different universes. "You're telling me to get over it?"

Danny fell back into his seat and stopped talking. For the first time he could really feel just how irritated he was. He wanted to keep going. To scratch that itch. To let the torrent of harsh words take over some of the space in his roaring head. But he didn't want to ruin their day. So he let out an exaggerated sigh like someone releasing the pressure from a soda bottle.

Closing his eyes, he counted to ten before opening his mouth again. "Thank you, Steven. For saving me."

Steve did his best to hide a grin and didn't look Danny's direction. Sometimes this whirlwind that was his partner was fun to watch. The shifts in mood, the gestures. He could tell, right now, that Danny was holding back.

"What? That's it? That's all I get?" Some days Steve really didn't know when to stop with the pushing.

This time, Danny took the bait. "Shouldn't it be enough?"

"I almost lost you." Steve cleared his throat.

Danny snapped back, words dripping with sarcasm. Something in him couldn't help the next words. "Happens a lot."

"What's that supposed to mean?" This threw Steve just a little.

"You tell me, man. You tell me. How many times have you gotten me shot at?"

"You're not thinking straight, Danno." The conversation had taken a swing toward the irrational. Something wasn't right.

"Time in a box'll do that to you." Danny turned back to the window. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, rougher. "Pull over."

Steve obeyed without question. The highway was empty even for this time of the morning. Danny opened his door.

"Wait – where are you going?" Steve put his hand on Danny's chest.

Danny moved out from his friend's reach. "I'm tired, Steve."

"You're not making any sense. You're tired and you're gonna – what – walk home?"

Danny shrugged. "Yea, something maybe like that. I just need some air."

He did his best to hide a shiver as he exited the truck.

Then it hit Steve. He turned off the engine and closed his eyes. They were both quite in over their heads with this one. His best friend had been buried, trapped in that awful box. He'd stopped breathing, just hours ago. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They both needed more than fresh air.

Danny leaned on the guard rail. The cliff tumbled away from him, ocean roaring down below. He fought to catch his breath, pushing down his panic.

"I need to catch my breath, that's all."

"Maybe we should go back to the hos-"

"No. Not going back there." Danny squeezed the guard rail and shook his head. "Just need a moment."

"Okay, I got ya, man." Steve stood beside him. "I got your back."

Danny brushed a hand across his face and then smoothed out his hair in vain. "I know, babe."

His next words, an attempt at a proper thank you were more than a little choked up. He looked like he was about to crumple so Steve did the first thing that came to mind. He grabbed his best friend and wrapped him in a bear hug, grateful for the moment.

"I gotcha, Danno. I gotcha." After a minute or two, Steve helped Danny back into the truck. There was no way Steve was letting his friend stay at what was basically now a crime scene, until whoever did this was behind bars – or dead. Steve wasn't sure which option he liked better. No one messed with his friends, his ohana, and got away with it.

/././

Steve pulled up to Danny's place. He waited for his friend to make the first move.

"I just need a minute."

"Okay, man, whatever you need."

Danny climbed out of the truck, let himself into his house and sat on the couch. One fluid motion.

Steve followed at a short distance, pulling the door shut with barely a click. The room still gave him a chill. For a second he wondered what would have happened if he'd been there too. Man's Weekend might have gone differently – for better or for worse. Danny thankfully interrupted this train of thought.

"You know – I'm a pretty strong guy. I can take a lot of shit." He closed his eyes and tried to flex his hand. "But this splint is driving me –" He slipped his fingers under the bottom edge.

"Don't." Steve brushed his hand away.

"What are you? My Dad?" Danny wouldn't admit it, but he could see himself doing the same to his partner. The hovering, the nagging. Right then, he just didn't have the patience for anything.

"When you need it." Steve grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. Proud of himself.

"That's funny. Ha ha." Danny did his best to appear indignant, but he was really hiding a smile. Steve's grins were sadly contagious most of the time. "Do you see me laughing?"

Steve cleared his throat. He had something to tell Danny, and his friend would most definitely not be laughing once he heard what Steve had to say. He'd waited long enough.

"Danny – your nephew – he's on the island."

Danny gave his partner a puzzled look and then smiled, clearly not getting it. "So? That's great."

"We haven't been able to locate him."

The serious look on Steve's face still hadn't quite sunk in; of course Danny wasn't really looking at him. He had his head resting on the couch, eyes to the ceiling. "Typical Eric, not checking in."

Steve turned on his heel and walked to the other side of the room. "Your sister didn't know he was here until we called her."

The light changed in Danny's eyes. Steve could tell he was piecing together what he'd just been told. The concussion and stress of the last few hours clearly slowing him down a bit. Steve waited for his friend to catch up.

"Wait." Danny held up his good hand. "Then how did you know he was in Hawaii?"

Steve could see the wheels turning so he waited before speaking. Worried flashed across Danny's face. "He's not –"

"Danny, we honestly don't know."

"Then how may I ask do you even know my nephew is on the island?" His irritation evident.

"His prints turned up at your place. Chin told me while you were getting your wrist wrapped." Steve gave it a few seconds to process.

"My place?" Danny looked around the room not seeming to comprehend what he'd just been told. "I didn't have this place when Eric visited."

He closed his eyes, shaking his head, hoping to chase away the impending headache.

"My sister?"

"Knew nothing."

"Where the hell did she think he was?"

"She didn't know. They haven't been getting along. Apparently he's been having some trouble sticking to his classes. She was crying, Danny."

Danny tried to calm his mind but an impatient, harsh ramble filled with angry words wanted to pop out of his mouth. He'd been through so much. He loved his sister – knew she meant well. Eric was a tough nut to crack. They all thought he'd sorted himself out after his visit. What the hell had gone wrong?

Then Detective's mind circled back to the only important detail. "He was here, at my place?"

Steve nodded.

Danny shook his head, hand on his face. "I don't remember."

"Tell me – what do you remember, D?"