Danny stared at his ex-wife in shock. This was all he'd ever hoped for since the divorce but he couldn't help being more than a bit sickened by the way it was happening. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Rachel nodded. "You know I love Grace but I think it's best if you assume sole custody of her. She hasn't taken news of the new baby well and I think she'll be better off with one parent who can devote all their attention to her."

"I see," Danny said carefully. "And have you told her this yet?"

Rachel shook her head. "I thought it best that she hear it from you or, at least, we tell her together."

Danny rolled her eyes, just knowing that Rachel was looking for an opportunity to make him seem like the bad guy in all of this. It wasn't his fault that the baby she was carrying wasn't hers after all but rather the child of the news husband she was growing tired of or that she couldn't be bothered putting forth the effort required to help their daughter adjust to not being an only child anymore.

"Well if you have the time we can talk to her now," Danny, who had been hit with the news he was getting sole custody of his daughter when he arrived to collect Grace for their fortnightly weekend together. "That way I can start making plans with her this weekend."

Rachel nodded. "That sounds perfect, Daniel."

"And when were you thinking she should move in with me?" Danny enquired, wanting to know just how much thought Rachel had put into this.

"I think as soon as possible would be best," she said. "I'm hoping that things can be a little more settled around here before the new baby comes and I'm afraid Stanley and Grace aren't really comfortable around each other anymore."

Danny nodded, feeling a little guilty. He knew that the deterioration of Grace's relationship with 'Step Stan' was mostly his fault. For Stan Grace was a reminder of the affair his wife had had and even if it was mostly unconsciously he took his animosity at Danny out on her. Danny still felt that Stan shouldn't be taking things out on a nine year old girl but he did feel a little bad. "I'll start making arrangements, then," he said.

"Thank you, Daniel," Rachel said, looking relieved. "Stanley and I will, of course, continue to pay her school fees and pay you child support."

Danny wanted to tell her to shove it, that he would take care of his daughter on his own. He knew that he had to swallow his pride and take the money, though. While 5-0 paid better than HPD there was still no way he'd be able to afford the fees to Grace's fancy school on his own salary and his apartment, while adequate for the short weekend visits with his daughter Rachel had previously allowed him, wasn't appropriate to have a little girl around all the time. If he was going to have Grace permanently he would need to find a more child-friendly place to live. Everything in Hawaii was so expensive, though and the money from Stan and Rachel would help him offset the costs.

"I'll get you the details of my bank account this weekend and have a lawyer start putting everything into writing," he said.

Rachel nodded. "That sounds good. Let's go and talk to Grace now."

Their daughter was sprawled across her bed, working on her laptop as she waited for her father to arrive. Grace instantly looked stricken when both her parents walked into her room. "What's wrong?" she asked frantically. "Has something happened to Uncle Steve or Grandma or Step Stan?"

"No, no Monkey," Danny said, crouching down to reassure his daughter, despite the pain it caused to his knee. "Everyone's fine, I promise. Why would you think that something bad happened?"

"There's no way you both would be this nice to each other unless you were going to give me some bad news," Grace said perceptively.

"Oh Monkey, there's nothing wrong but your mom and I do have some news for you," Danny said, really not sure how Grace was going to take the announcement. Between Rachel and Stan breaking him, Danny and Rachel briefly getting back together before breaking up again, Rachel and Grace briefly returning to New Jersey before coming back to Hawaii and Rachel and Stan getting back together Grace had been very unsettled in the past few months, especially on top of the news of the new baby. She was coping remarkably well but Danny was very conscious of the fact that his daughter was only nine years old and couldn't help wondering if this would be the change that was one too many for her.

"What?" Grace asked nervously.

"You know how, since the divorce, you've lived with mom and Step Stan most of the time and only seen me every second weekend?" Danny asked, choosing his words very carefully.

"Yes," Grace said.

"Well, mom and I've been talking and we think it might be nice if you come and live with me for most of the time now so we can catch up on all the time we've missed out on," Danny said. It irked him to have to basically defend the ex-wife who'd given him the run around for years now but there was no way he was going to hurt Grace by telling her Rachel was simply taking the easy way out.

"Oh," Grace said, looking down at her duvet. A few seconds later she looked up at her mother. "Will I still get to see you?"

"Of course, darling," Rachel said, speaking for the first time since she and Danny had come into the room. "I was thinking you could come round to dinner sometimes and that you can stay here whenever your father has to work late."

"Well I guess that would be okay, then," Grace said.

"Good," Rachel smiled. "Well, I'll leave you and your father to make plans. Come and tell me before you leave, please."

Grace watched her mother leave, a sad expression on her face. "Hey, what's wrong Monkey?" Danny asked. "I promise, even though you'll be living with me you can still see your mother whenever you want."

"It's okay, Danno. You don't have to lie to me," Grace said despondently. I know she likes the new baby more than me. I've known ever since she told me she was going to have a baby she and Step Stan would want me out in the end."

"Monkey, your mom doesn't want you to go," Danny said gently. "And she still loves you just as much as she always has. She's just worried about you. New babies need lots of attention so with her and Step Stan looking after the baby she thinks you'll be lonely if you stay here. That's why she wants you to come and live with me. It's not because she doesn't love you."

Grace still looked sceptical but she let it go for now. "So, we're going to live in your apartment?"

"Well now I have you with me all the time I'll need to get a bigger place but for now we'll have to make do," Danny said. "How about you pack a few of your things so we can get out of here? We'll come back for the rest of your things later, okay?"

"Okay," Grace said, rushing to her closet to pull out a bag.

They got a few of her things together and then went to leave. The conversation between Rachel and Grace as they did so was stilted and awkward. Despite Danny's reassurances to Grace about how much Rachel loved her he couldn't help but fear that the relationship between mother and daughter had just changed forever and not for the better.

His phone rang just as he was driving out the gates of the Edwards property. Caller ID said it was Steve. Danny frowned. Unless they had something special planned Steve knew not to bother him during his weekends with Grace unless it was an emergency. He realised that now he had Grace all the time he was going to have to work out an excellent childcare plan, for both the afternoons after school and the crazy hours he sometimes had to work when there was an important case on. He pressed the button to put the call on speaker.

"This better be good, Super SEAL because I've got Gracie with me and a million things to do," he said by way of greeting.

"I'm sorry," Steve said, sounding uncharacteristically panicky. "But Danno, I need your help!"