As their car pulled up to the curb near the Edwards' home, Danny said softly "Steve you can't do this….you're too weak"
Adrenaline was coursing through Steve's body. He was sweating and was horribly pale as he ran his hand across his forehead. His back and belly hurt like hell and while he silently agreed with his partner that he was weak, there was no way that he wasn't going to go through with the plan. He couldn't love Gracie any more if she had been his own, and her life was in danger. He would go through hell and back for that little girl…..and for Danny. As he looked into the blue eyes of his best friend he smiled softly and said, "I'm going to get her out of there safely buddy"

Stan entered the kitchen and Gracie noticed the gun first. Dropping her pencil onto the table she said quietly, "Mommy….."
As she turned the burner off and turned from the stove her eyes fell on her husband who had lifted the gun and was pointing it at her.
"Stanley? What are you doing?"
Gracie was sobbing as she repeated, "Mommy…"
While keeping the gun on his wife, Stan said "Gracie, everything's going to be alright. Your Mommy and I just need to talk. I need you to go upstairs to your brother's room, close the door and stay in there until we come and get you, okay?"

Rachel smiled at her daughter and nodded to her, "It's okay honey. Do what you're told and I'll be up soon to get you and your brother"
"Mommy, I don't want to leave you"
"Gracie, you must do as you're told now. Everything will be alright….I love you sweetheart, go watch Charlie for me now…..go"
Tears were streaming down the child's face as she stood from the table and slowly left the room.
Stan told Rachel, "Don't you move" as he turned to watch the tiny eight year old walk up the stairs and disappear around the corner.

As she turned the corner, she ran quickly past her brother's bedroom and into the master bedroom. Grabbing the cordless phone she then ran to Charlie's room and softly closed the door. The baby was sleeping soundly in his crib and sitting with her back against the door she dialed her Daddy.

The 5-0 team were standing around the vehicles with the HPD Officers finalizing their plans as the phone rang.
Danny answered it frantically, "Gracie? Baby where are you? Are you alright?"

The terrified child was sobbing as she replied, "Daddy…...Stan has a gun"
The blood drained from his face as he repeated her words, "Stan has a gun…..Monkey, where are you?"
"He made me go into Charlie's room and close the door?"
"Are you hurt baby?"
"No…."
"Gracie, I need you to listen to me very carefully. You're going to be okay. Is Charlie sleeping?"
"Yes, he's sleeping"
Danny struggled to keep his voice calm and soothing, "Good, that's good Monkey"
Steve then said quietly, "Ask her if the bedroom window is open"
"Gracie, is the bedroom window open?"
"Uh huh…..a little bit"
"Okay, good. Now I need you to go into Charlie's closet and close the door behind you. Tell me when you're in there" As he waited, Steve squeezed his shoulder supportively.

"I'm in there Daddy….I'm scared"
"I know you're scared baby but I need you to listen. I need you to stay right where you are until I come and get you okay? You promise me that no matter what you hear, you stay right there, do you understand me?"

"Yes, I understand"
"I'm so proud of you. You're so brave and I love you more than anything"
"I love you too Danno"
Tears slid down the hardened detective's cheeks as he asked, "Now can you tell me where Stan and your Mommy are?"
"In the kitchen"
"Okay, so what are you going to do now Monkey?"
"I'm going to stay right here until you come and get me"
"That's my girl. Now, I have to talk to Uncle Steve and we're going to come and get you. I need you to hang up the phone now baby. I love you"
She was sobbing uncontrollably as she said, "I love you more" and the phone then went dead.

Danny's hands were shaking as he slipped his phone into his pocket.
"Stan has a gun on Rachel and they're in the kitchen. Gracie and Charlie are upstairs in his room and he's sleeping"
Duke inquired, "This changes things. He has a gun and hostages now"
Kono asked, "Do you think he knows we're here?"
Steve responded, "I don't know….let's find out"

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Once Gracie had moved upstairs, Stan had Rachel move out to the living room.
Motioning to the couch, he said coldly, "Sit down"
Doing as she was told, she asked "Stan, what is this all about? Why are you doing this?"

He turned his back on her and moving to the windows that overlooked the front yard, he pulled the blinds.
Remaining at the window, he turned to Rachel. "Why am I doing this? YOU ASK ME WHY AM I DOING THIS?"

Rachel recoiled in fear. She had never seen Stan this angry. In fact he was beyond angry. His eyes were dark, cold and full of rage.
He pointed the gun at her and spoke deliberately, "Everything we've had. Every moment we've spent together has been a lie hasn't it Rachel?"
When she didn't respond, he screamed, "ANSWER ME BITCH! IT'S ALL BEEN A LIE HASN'T IT?"

Her voice shook as she said, "Stan, what are you talking about?"
"OUR MARRIAGE…two and a half years….and you've never loved me"
Tears were streaming down both their cheeks and she replied softly, "That's not true Stanley, I love you very much"

"DON'T LIE TO ME RACHEL! NO MORE LIES!"
She was terrified as her eyes moved from the gun he held in his shaking hand to his eyes which were filled with a hatred she had never seen before.
"Stan we can talk about this…"
"NO, THE TALKING IS OVER! I can't believe anything you say to me Rachel. You have deceived me since day one. You've never loved me. You've never loved anyone but Danny!"

"That's not true Stan"
After peeking through the blinds and seeing nothing he turned back to Rachel. "Our marriage is over Rachel, you know it and I know it. But there is no way in hell that I'm going to let you take Charlie away from me!"

"I would never do that Stan…he's your son….…."
Stan screamed out, "NO, HE'S NOT MY SON! HE'S DANNY'S"
"No Stanley, you're wrong"
"I'm not wrong Rachel! I did a home DNA test on him and I AM NOT HIS FATHER!
Rachel was stunned, "What? Stan, I really thought…"

He interrupted her, "Well you were wrong! You cheated on me and I've been that little boy's daddy since he was born and you're not taking him from me"
There was silence for a few moments before Rachel said softly, "I'm so sorry Stan…I never meant to hurt you"

He again looked through the blinds and Rachel asked nervously, "Who are you looking for?"
She screamed in shocked horror as Stan suddenly began to fire out the window. After firing five shots he spun away from the window and with his back up against the wall he smiled evilly at his wife and as he re-loaded the gun he said, "If I can't have you, nobody will"

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After the call from Gracie, 5-0 and the officers had quickly revised their initial plans.
They watched on from behind the iron gate that surrounded the property as Stan pulled the blinds on the living room windows.
Once the blinds closed, Danny entered the gate code (at this point thanking God that Rachel hadn't listened to him and changed the code from Gracie's birthdate). Then moving as swiftly as his injured and aching body allowed him to move, Steve made his way along the fencing of the property as Kono and officer Martin Hooper followed closely behind, their weapons drawn and aimed at the front of the house.

Once they were out of the vision of front window, Duke and one of his officers slowly drove their squad cars through the gate and onto the property. Parking the vehicles, the officers along with Danny and Chin took up position behind them and waited.

Knowing the layout of the home, Steve began to climb up the sturdy, iron wrought, ivy-lined trellis that lead to the overhang accessing the second story bedrooms.
Once he made it to the top, Kono began her climb as Steve moved towards Charlie's bedroom window. He moaned softly as pains shot across his back and abdomen. He could feel blood running from his wound so he knew the stitches had broken open. Reaching the window, he drew in a deep breath and pulled open the window. Glancing over at the crib and noting the baby was still sleeping he crawled through the window and moved to the closet.

He spoke softly as he opened the door so not to alarm the terrified child. As soon as the door opened Gracie flung herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly and whispered softly, "Ssshhhh, I've got you baby…..sshhhhh relax"
He stood, lifting her and moving quickly he carried her to the window. Once at the ledge he kissed her and said, "You go with Kono now and she'll get you to Danno okay?"
"What about my Mommy Uncle Steve?"
We wiped her tears with his thumb and said, "After I get Charlie I'm going down to help your Mommy. Gracie you're being so brave"
She again flung her tiny arms around his neck saying softly, "I love you Uncle Steve"
"I love you too baby. Now here's Kono, you go with her and Officer Hooper okay?"
"Uh huh"
After helping her out to Kono, he went to the crib and bundling Charlie in a blanket he handed him out to her.
Taking the baby her asked, "Are you okay boss?"
He smiled at her, "I'm fine Kono. You just get these kids to safety and don't worry about me"

At that moment the gunfire rang out as Stan shot at the squad cars. He looked at Kono and said, "Go, go now!"
Hooper was half way down the trellis with Gracie in his arms and Kono also began her descent with Charlie as Steve raced from the room to the stairs.

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As Steve leaned against wall, his head was spinning as a wave of dizziness and nausea overwhelmed him. Shutting out the pain, Steve listened closely as he slowly walked down the steps, one by one… moments later his ears perked as he heard the distinct sound of a gun re-loading and he heard Stan's voice saying, "If I can't have you, nobody will"

Moving quickly down the remaining stairs, the SEAL came around the corner, gun drawn and pointed at Stan Edwards.
Stan continued to struggle with the gun as Steve moved in front of the couch, standing between Stan and his target.
"Stan drop the gun. I SAID DROP THE GUN STAN!"
As Stan began to slowly raise the gun, his head turned as Chin Ho Kelly and the HDP Officers came barreling through the front door.
Steve fired one shot, and with amazing accuracy he struck the man in the right hand knocking the gun from his grasp and causing him to scream out in pain.
Duke and Chin were on the man in seconds taking him to the ground and Steve head was spinning as he dropped down to his hands and knees.

As he fell, Danny came through the door and after glancing at Stan he turned towards the couch. Rachel had curled up to the corner of the couch and tears were streaming down her cheeks. Seeing the blood that had soaked through the back of Steve's shirt he ran to him and placing a hand on his shoulder he asked, "Steve, Steve are you okay?"

Without looking up Steve replied softly, "M fine, I'm fine….go to Rachel"
Danny sat on the couch next his ex-wife and she fell into his arms, sobbing hysterically "Oh my God Danny, oh my God I'm so sorry"
He pulled her to his chest and held her tightly as he stroked her hair, "Ssshhhh it's over Rachel, ssshhhhh, it's over"
"Where are the kids Danny"
"They're fine, Kono's got them"
As the words left his mouth, Gracie entered through the kitchen entry calling out "MOMMY….MOMMY"
In seconds she was on the couch in the loving arms of her Mother as Danny held them both and Kono stood next to them, holding the still sleeping baby.

Duke and his officers quickly removed Stan from the home and Chin moved to Steve's side.
Kneeling down he leaned close and whispered, "Talk to me Steve, how bad is it?"
"It hurts….….I think I ripped open the stitches….I'm dizzy and I feel sick. Can you get me to the bathroom Chin?"
"Sure, let's go"
Danny watched on nervously as Chin helped Steve to his feet and down the hallway to the bathroom.

Once in the bathroom Chin helped his injured friend to his knees and as Steve began to vomit into the toilet bowel, Chin reached around his body and loosened his Kevlar vest. Steve placed his arm across the seat and resting his head on it he mumbled, "Oh shit"
Chin lifted the back of Steve's shirt, noting the incision had totally torn open and that it was bleeding freely.
He took a hand towel and bath towel from a nearby cupboard and dampening the hand towel he knelt at Steve's side.
"How you doing?"
"Better…..thanks"
"Your incision is torn open and you're bleeding pretty good buddy. I'm going to put a wet towel against it to staunch the bleeding"
"'K"

Steve flinched ever so slightly as Chin applied the towel to the wound and then he wrapped the bath towel around him, tying it tightly.
As Chin was helping him to his feet, Danny entered the room asking "How are you doing Superman?"
Steve ran his forearm across his mouth, "I'm going to be fine partner"
As Chin continued to hold onto Steve keeping him steady, Danny shook his finger at him, "I'm happy to hear that Steven, but that's NOT what I asked is it? How are you now, right now?"

Steve looked at him incredulously, "I've been better, okay? How's the family?"
"They're scared and they're confused…." Danny voice dropped and shook with emotion as he added, "But they're all alive because of you. Thank you partner"
Steve grinned painfully, "You're welcome"

Danny then turned to Chin, "So Chin…how is he?"
"He's been better"
Steve chuckled as Danny said, "You two are a couple of real comedienne's I tell you"
Chin then said, "He ripped open his stiches and he's bleeding pretty good" Leaning over and flushing the toilet he added, "He threw up, but there's no signs of blood in it. He's just a little dizzy"

Steve leaned over the sink and turning on the water, he rinsed out his mouth and splashed water on his face.
Danny handed him a towel as he said, "Let's get you back to the hospital now"
"Just help me to the car. You stay here with your family"
"I need to go with you?"
"No you don't Danno, I'm fine. You need to stay here with your family…..they need you"
Danny moved forward and the two men embraced. "I can never re-pay you for this"
Steve chuckled as he said, "Oh, I'll think of something"

******* More to come…..I hope you're enjoying and I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful reviews! As always, reviews are that keep me writing, so THANK YOU! *******