Fandom Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Character(s)/Pairing(s) Chin, Danny, Grace; no pairings intended, take this as you will
Genre Drama/Friendship/Future/Philosophy
Rating G
Word Count 749
Disclaimer Hawaii Five-0 c. CBS
Summary When the consequences arrive for the events in season one episode twelve, Danny struggles with how the aftermath might affect and contradict what he's taught Grace all these years.
Warning(s) spoilers up through season one episode twelve
Notes I sat down to work on that five jobs radioactive sludge plotbunny fic and this came out instead. Ahahaha…I will finish that five jobs fic someday. I promise! D:
Bread
This was not the last place Danny thought he would find himself, but at the same time, he had never anticipated it either. It had been a week now since Kono and Steve had been arrested for their parts in stealing the money to help free Chin from the bomb. They had no bail and it was looking like the Five-0 was now disbanded in the eyes of the law. The HPD once again cast Chin aside in all of the mess that unraveled after Danny took Grace back to Rachel's last weekend. Danny had a temporary suspension. While he could plead probable deniability, the HPD wanted to double check.
"It was on the front page of the local paper. She knows already," Chin stated from the passenger seat of Danny's car. They had yet to separate since Danny arrived at Chin's doorstep after receiving his suspension. They had to do something for Kono and Steve. It was the island way or something, that and Danny felt responsibility on his shoulders by not participating with them.
"I know. I know." Danny frowned. "Rachel wasn't even sure I should get her this weekend – and to be honest I wasn't sure either." He flexed his hands so they would not go numb from gripping the steering wheel too tight. "What do I tell her? This is going against everything I've taught Grace. I want to see her, don't get me wrong, but…" his voice trailed.
"You don't want to become a person who does bad things in her eyes or contradict yourself," Chin finished.
Danny nodded. He used to wonder when Chin did something like that, if he was just that transparent or Chin was just that observant. Kono sometimes seemed to see right through him as well, but Steve just did not see anything. Danny tried to tell himself that it meant he was not that easy to read, but part of him thought maybe Steve was just not making his observations verbally. "When I was little my first grade teacher asked us 'if a man steals bread for himself because he can and another steals it for his starving family, who is more in the wrong?' and I told her it was equal because they were both stealing bread. I mean you know, there are food banks and the YMCA, you don't have to steal." He paused and concentrated on a curve in the road. "And so I told Grace that too. Just because you feel justified in the moment, doesn't make a bad thing right."
Chin remained quiet for a long time. He was clearly thinking, not ignoring the story. "You did not participate."
"I don't mean the robbery," Danny stated. They were in sight of the mansion now. "I mean helping Steve and Kono."
Chin leaned back in his seat and looked at Danny as Danny parked the car on the street. "They are family, friends." He paused and stated, "Perhaps the problem lies in the question. Teachers ask, 'Who is more wrong?' not, 'Should you strive to be the man who steals bread because he can or the man who steals to feed his family?' It doesn't make stealing right, but it reflects on your own personal morality."
"Well, I'd like to hope Grace's 'personal morality' won't lead her into repeating this mess." Danny fumbled with unlocking his seatbelt.
"No one is perfect, Danny, but so far she's a good kid, isn't she?" Chin watched Danny open the car door. "Knows her rights from wrongs without prompting?"
"Of course." Danny slipped out of the car, and then leaned down so he could keep eye contact with Chin, his forehead hovering near the top of the open door.
"Then use this to teach her. If she's already good on her own volition, this won't break that so easily." Chin gave Danny a small but reassuring lopsided smile.
"Yeah." Danny nodded and shut the door. As he walked up to the privacy gate, he considered what to do. If Grace did not bring it up, maybe he could wait and explain when everything was over. It did not sound like perhaps the right thing to do, but he could play this by ear. He rang the bell and once he identified himself, Grace shot out of the house excitedly. Danny watched the gate open and welcomed her into a tight embrace. He would figure it out somehow. He try not to let Grace down from here on out.
The End