A/N: thank you for reading this story! please don't forget to leave a review, telling me your thoughts!
Health class is the most boring class ever, she decides on a unusually dreary Tuesday. The teacher loves to hear herself talk, with the cherry on top being she has an annoying voice. Class has only been going on for five minutes, and already Grace is fantasizing about simply leaving class, just to escape that endless drone. The repercussions would be worth it.
"Today, we're going to be discussing strength," the teacher announces. "And not just physical strength, but mental and emotional strength. Part of living a healthy lifestyle includes being healthy in all categories- physically, mentally, and emotionally. Can anyone give me examples of physical strength?"
Grace struggles with this for a second, but then comes up with an example she's sure no one else will be able to top. With a sly grin, she raises her hand. Upon being called on, she gives the following example.
"One time, my dad and Uncle Steve were trapped under 300 pounds of concrete, when a bomb went off in this building they were in. A piece of concrete was on my dad's leg, and he couldn't move, so my uncle had to lift up the piece of concrete so he could roll out of the way. They're fine now," she adds, as an afterthought. The teacher and class are blatantly staring at her, amazed by the incredible tale.
"That certainly is a great example of physical strength," the teacher recovers. A few more kids are called upon to give examples. They move onto emotional and mental strength, but she remains silent for the rest of discussion, even though she has some fantastic examples she could share. Some are too personal, such as the strength it took her dad to be in the ocean after watching his best friend die. Others are too top-secret or inappropriate, such as the time her dad flew a plane by himself while uncle Steve was bleeding out from gunshot wounds in the passenger seat.
Although, their reactions would be pretty great.
Later that night, the concepts of emotional and mental strength are still swirling through her mind. She realizes just how much her dad has tried to shield her from, and how exhausting that must be to have to constantly be strong for other people.
Selfishly, maybe, she contemplates if she could have the strength to go through some of the things that he did- from uncle Matt's death, to his child being kidnapped.
A part of her wants to talk to her dad about it, but she knows that he wouldn't really give her a straight answer. However, there is someone who would give her an answer. And she knows just where she can find him...
Xxxx
That Friday, she requests to go to Uncle Steve's for a cookout. Her father is surprised, but not unpleased, and by 5:00 they're standing on Uncle Steve's lanai, watching the crashing ocean waves. Somewhere deep inside of her, she knows she'll always live by the ocean, because she can't ever imagine not having that soothing white noise to lull her to sleep at night.
Her father is in the house, preparing food, leaving her and Uncle Steve alone. It's now or never to ask her question.
"Uncle Steve?" she begins. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, kiddo. What's up?"
"How is my dad so strong? And I don't just mean physically, I mean mentally too. To go through everything that he has..."
Uncle Steve considers her question for a moment, and takes a sip of his beer. Finally, he looks at her dead in the eye, in that serious way that always gives her the urge to squirm. She has no idea how suspects don't confess immediately under that intense glare.
"Danno will never admit it, but he has hope. He hopes that he makes a positive difference in others' lives, he hopes that he's a good influence on those around him. The looks on people's faces, when we find their child, or we catch their loved ones' killer...those looks keep him going, because they remind him that we are fighting for something. That our cause is worthy. That he is making that difference."
She mulls over his words.
"I'm pretty lucky to have him as a dad, aren't I?"
He reaches over and ruffles her hair.
"You are, indeed. And he's pretty lucky to have you as a daughter."