Sammy & Ilna - Ahhh another chance to tell you how you are the coolest and bestest! Love you both. For all the fun, support and love. And for making last week better ... No easy feat! We've only just begun!

REAL McRollers, thank you so much for the never ending support of the REAL World, and for loving and respecting Steve & Catherine as much as we do. Nonna hugs to you all! xo

Conversations with Grace: Priorities

McGarrett/Rollins Home

Steve entered the living room to see Catherine and Grace side by side on the sofa, in front of the TV. "What are you watching?"

Catherine smiled up at him, "The Brady Bunch."

He sat on her other side, kissed her cheek, and grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl on her lap. "Really?"

"Yeah, it's on vintage TV. Grace has never seen it."

Grace nodded, her eyes on the screen. "They have a lot of kids, Uncle Steve."

Steve's eyes went to the TV where the Brady kids milled about the 70's style living room. "Definitely."

Grace glanced away to look between Steve and Catherine, "And the mom's got no job. The dad must work all the time, because they have so many kids and live-in help, too!"

Steve laughed at Grace's practical reasoning. She showed it often, and her reasoning was definitely his partner's. "Did you watch this in reruns?" he said to Catherine.

She nodded. "Sure. Since I was an only child I always wondered if having a lot of siblings would be that much fun. My mom used to get a huge kick out of how 'put together' they were."

Catherine pointed at the screen, "Look at the parents; perfectly dressed for dinner at home with six kids." She grinned and eyed her tank top and cutoffs and Steve's t-shirt, boardies and bare feet with a smirk. "Mr. Brady in his tie and Mrs. Brady there, all done up in her snazzy dress and styled hair. They look so ... mature. We'd probably horrify her."

Steve grinned. "They're a lot older than us, and besides, you …" he kissed her temple, "are much prettier. Right, Gracie?"

"Of course!" Grace nodded, delighted at Steve's gesture.

"Aw, I wasn't fishing for a compliment but thank you both," Catherine smiled. "And Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"They're our age." She tilted her chin at the TV.

"No way." He shook his head. "They've gotta be ten years older than us."

"Nope." She laughed, "I just googled the show. Grace wanted to know what year it started." She nodded at the screen. "The actors playing the parents are thirty-six and thirty-eight right there in that episode."

"People looked older back in the day, Uncle Steve," Grace said matter-of-factly. "I think it was their old fashioned hair and clothes."

"I think it was the six kids ..." Catherine laughed.

"Although they'd have been lucky to have six like Gracie," Steve added, which earned him a smile from his niece.

"Can you imagine Danno with five more daughters?" She grinned. "He'd probably move us to a deserted island where there were no boys."

Catherine's laughter joined her niece's as Steve pretended to contemplate her thought. "Ya know, maybe ..." He waved a hand. "Nah. I'd miss you too much." He kissed her cheek before he stood. "I'll go pick up dinner, what are you ladies thinking?"

Catherine placed a hand on his arm. "How about if Grace and I go get some steaks to grill and then we'll make pancakes for breakfast?" Grace was spending the night while Danny attended a wedding of some friends from New Jersey who were getting married on the island.

"That sounds even better, but I can go."

"Nah, stay and run Cammie for a little bit. Or take her for a swim. She missed you earlier when you were out with Cody."

Cammie stood and moved to Steve's side. "I missed you, too." He grinned at the dog. "How about we swim while Catherine picks up food?" He turned to Grace. "Do you want to stay with me and Cammie or take a ride with Catherine?"

"I'll take a ride with Auntie Cath, if that's okay." She looked at Catherine. "I thought maybe we could look at the new gel nail polish colors while we're there? It's buy one get one."

"You got it. That teal color in the email you sent me looked awesome."

"And there's our answer, Cammie." Steve loved how the two of them were so close. He kissed Catherine, hugged Grace, and said, "See you later. C'mon, girl, I'll change real quick and we'll burn off some of that energy."

Cammie did a play bow and leaped in the air before beating Steve to the second floor. The dog seemed to know from Grace's things in the bedroom she used at the beach house that one of her favorite people would be staying the night. She leaped onto Grace's bed and yipped before hopping back off to follow Steve into the master bedroom.

Catherine's Car

They'd purchased what they needed for dinner, plus two bottles of what they decided were the coolest of the new nail polish colors. While Catherine was driving home, Grace glanced at her.

"You know, I was thinking after watching that family on TV, Mrs. Allen has a lot of kids, too."

"Yeah, she does," Catherine agreed. She knew Grace's expression was one of concern, even without taking her eyes from the road.

"I'm glad she's letting them get mentored, not just 'cause our family is awesome ..." Grace smiled. It wasn't bragging if it was true. "Which we are, or because the Allens are all so nice, I'm mostly glad because they have no other family and they never see their dad. That's a lot on Mrs. Allen. Being the only adult." She thought for a second. "Danno says she's a great mom."

Catherine nodded. Grace definitely had Danny's skill for analyzing a situation. "I'm glad you enjoy spending time with Kaitlyn, I know the time she spends with you and your dad is good for her."

"I really like her, she's so sweet and she's very funny. I like all the kids. Jacob is super adorable."

Grace was quiet for a bit as she plucked invisible threads from her t-shirt, and Catherine knew she was gathering her thoughts.

"They don't have a lot of money, huh?"

"Mrs. Allen is working hard to recover from the fire." Catherine didn't want to share too much about Jenna's situation with Grace, but she and Steve never lied to her, either.

"Danno worked really hard, too."

Catherine immediately caught Grace's use of the word 'worked' past tense. "Of course, Sweetheart, he always does."

"He's a great detective, isn't he?" Pride in her dad was evident in her tone.

"Grace, your dad is one of the best detectives out there. I've learned so much from him since I joined the team. So has Uncle Steve. What are you getting at, Sweetie?"

"When we first moved here, Danno worked really hard, just like always, and still ... we couldn't even afford an apartment with two bedrooms. He'd sleep on the sofa when it was our weekend together. When he had the place with only one room, he'd sleep on a blow up mattress on the floor." Grace took a breath. "And it was just us. He only had to worry about buying stuff for me. Stan has ... you know, money." Grace looked a little sheepish and Catherine smiled at how she really did have Danny's values "And mom had primary physical custody back then. Danno was worried all the time that the judge would cut down our visitation." She played with one of her braids, unwinding and rewinding the elastic.

"You know, the judge wouldn't listen when I said I didn't care about that stuff and wanted to live with Danno no matter what."

Grace's jaw was set in a way that reminded Catherine not of Danny, but Steve, and it warmed her heart. Her niece's tone was earnest when she said, "I'd have lived full time with Danno if we had to sleep in a tent."

Unbidden tears pricked at the corners of Catherine's eyes as she reached over and rested her hand over Grace's. Her twelve-year-old niece rattling off phrases like 'primary physical custody' and worrying about what Danny had gone through to keep her made Catherine want to hug the very composed child sitting beside her.

"I'm sorry you went through that, Grace. Both you and Danny."

"No. It's okay. We're great now. I mean, Danno's not rich but it's ... we're happy." Her smile was bright and genuine. "We're really good."

"I'm glad, Sweetheart." Catherine returned her smile.

Grace continued, "Because of that time back then, I feel extra bad for the Allens. Mrs. Allen has six people to feed and buy stuff for and their dad doesn't help. But what's more sad is he doesn't even call or anything."

"That is sad." Catherine nodded. "Has Kaitlyn said anything to you about it?"

Grace shook her head. "Not really. She doesn't remember too much about him. She told me they used to see him sometimes but then he just ... stopped coming over." Grace paused. "Danno gave up his job and being near our whole family to follow me here. Their dad lives right on the island. How can he not want to see his kids when my dad fought so hard for every single minute with me. I know I'm lucky, Auntie Cath, so I guess I have a hard time getting that.

I talked to Mom and Danno about it and they both said pretty much the same thing. That just because someone has kids doesn't mean they're a good parent. When I told Danno Kaitlyn hardly remembers her dad, he looked sadder than she did when she told me."

Catherine pulled into the driveway but didn't cut the engine. She turned to face Grace. "I can't pretend to understand either, Sweetie, but some people just have their … priorities wrong."

Grace shrugged and nodded. Her next words made a lump form in Catherine's throat.

"Like Doris."

Regret for Steve slammed into Catherine like a fist. It momentarily stole her breath and she didn't answer for a heartbeat.

Grace's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, should I not have …? I just … I really hate what she did to Uncle Steve." She looked genuinely concerned. "And Mary, too."

Catherine unbuckled her seat belt, shut the engine off and leaned over as far as she could to hug her niece. "You're one very special person, Grace Williams, do you know that?" She kissed the top of her head. "And never apologize for saying what you honestly think, Honey, especially when you're saying it out of love."

Grace blinked at Catherine when they broke the hug. "I only know what Danno and Uncle Steve explained. That … Doris" She hesitated over the name a bit … "thought they were in danger so she hid. And yeah, okay, I get that maybe she was afraid, but her husband was a cop. She couldn't even tell Uncle Steve's dad?" Grace looked skeptical, her brows knitted in a frown. "And she hid for twenty years? Without ever seeing her kids? Danno would die before he'd leave me. My mom would, too."

Catherine could see Grace had given Doris' actions some serious thought as her niece nodded solemnly and continued.

"I think I got to know your mom and dad pretty good, Auntie Cath." Grace looked her square in the eyes. "And I'm totally sure Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Joseph would never leave you and just disappear. Even now. Even though you're an adult and you have Uncle Steve. They wouldn't hurt you like that. They love you too much."

Grace's frustration caused her eyes to shimmer with unshed tears, and Catherine took the girl's hand in her own, but didn't interrupt.

"He was trying to forgive her, how could she hurt Uncle Steve like that again? He just wanted to get to know his mom." Grace's expression was a mixture of anger and hurt for the man she loved like a second father, and Catherine's heart swelled.

"Grace, Sweetheart, no one knows exactly why Doris did what she did. Maybe not even Doris."

Grace sighed. "But when Uncle Steve found her, he seemed glad after a while, and she was around and stuff for a little bit, and then she did it again. Who does something like that twice? Uncle Steve's smart and brave and a SEAL. He can fix anything." Grace's absolute conviction was in her voice and her eyes. "And she did it to him again. She didn't care if she hurt his feelings, Auntie Cath. I hate that."

Catherine nodded. "Have you talked to Uncle Steve about any of this?"

She shook her head. "Not in a really long time. I asked him back when she first came around. Because I thought she was dead and then she was alive and here at the house, and I only knew what I'd overheard so I asked. I was little and he explained what he could, but I didn't want to upset him by bringing it up again. He seems," Grace's expression lightened. "Really, really happy lately."

Catherine smiled at Grace's consideration, and at how she noticed Steve was happier. "I think you should. He can explain things better than I could, and I know he'd like to help you understand more, now that you're older. What has you thinking of all this, Grace? Just talking to Kaitlyn?"

"No. I want to keep helping you with the family photo wall, you know? And I was thinking of maybe asking you if I could help with a picture of Uncle Steve and his dad. And then I thought, I bet Uncle Chin has one from when they were partners, too. I know you want more photos of Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Joseph and Grandma Ang and your Grandpa Rocky, and your Grandma Kathleen and Grandpa Thomas, too."

Catherine smiled at Grace's ability rattle off each of her grandparents by name. "I love having your help." She was happy Grace felt like she could work on a family photo wall because she and Danny were absolutely family.

Grace's voice dropped a bit when she added, "Then I got thinking, what about Doris?"

Catherine ran a hand over Grace's hair. "You're right. I don't think Uncle Steve's quite ready for that," she said with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's what I figured. Like, I have pictures of my mom and Danno in both my rooms, but not their wedding photo or anything. I mean they're not together, I love them both, but I have separate pictures. Then I thought if I was Uncle Steve ... I wouldn't want his parents' wedding picture since she lied to his dad and ran away on him, too. And after what she did to Uncle Steve and Mary, wouldn't looking at any picture of her make him sad or angry? And if Uncle Steve's sad, then you'd be sad, too."

Catherine nodded. "You know Uncle Steve and I love you very much, and we're very happy you care about how we feel. But we also don't want you to worry either." She looked Grace in the eyes. "Sweetie, I promise you Uncle Steve is doing okay, but I want you to talk to him about how you feel and what you think, okay?"

Grace nodded again. "I will. Know how I know he'll be okay?"

"How?" Catherine expected an answer akin to 'he's the best, or bravest' but Grace's answer made her lean over and kiss her niece's forehead.

"He's got you. Same reason I know you'll always be okay. You have each other." Grace smiled softly, "I'll talk to him. And you and I will figure out something with the photo wall that'll make Uncle Steve smile."

"We definitely will. Now, let's get inside before he sends out a search party."

That made Grace laugh. "I'll make the salad while you and Uncle Steve do the veggies and the steaks, okay?"

"You got it." Catherine and Grace opened the car doors, gathered the grocery bags, and walked inside, side by side.

As they entered the foyer, Steve silently asked 'you were in the driveway a long time, everything okay?' and Catherine nodded and whispered, "Later" against his lips as she handed him the bag with the steaks.

They were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner and Grace offered to take Cammie into the yard for a potty break. When she left the room, Steve turned to Catherine with furrowed brows.

"Gracie looked very serious when you got home." His eyes searched hers. "And you were talking in the car for a while. She's okay, right?

"She's okay. We were discussing ..." Catherine glanced at the door Grace had gone through and back at Steve. She lowered her voice and said, "Doris."

Steve did a double take. "Doris? Why on earth did she come up?"

"We started on Jenna and the kids' father not helping financially. It bothers Grace. It bothers her even more that he's not around for them. She's talked to both her parents, and she and Danny discussed how he and Jenna's ex are pretty much polar opposites as fathers. I commented that some parents don't have their priorities in order."

Catherine touched Steve's hand. "She just looked at me and said, 'Like Doris.' "

"Shit." His eyes looked pained. "She's not worried about me again, is she? I tried to explain it to her when Doris first came back, because Gracie was worrying about me." He sighed. "I don't want her worrying, Cath. About anything, ever, but especially not about me."

Catherine stepped closer and placed a hand on his chest.

"She's clearly thought about what Doris did. I know you explained when she asked before, but I think you need to talk again. She's older, she has different questions. I suggested she talk to you."

"Gracie can ask me anything, she knows that." Steve scrubbed a hand through his hair. "She does know that, right?"

"She does. Of course she does. She said she didn't want to bring it up because you looked so," Catherine smiled at him and touched his cheek. "Happy lately. She's also trying to process how someone could hurt her hero. On top of being concerned that if she asks about it, it'll make you sad. "

Steve's eye's took on a soft look. "God. She's never gotta worry about ... you told her that's not the case, right?"

"I did, and I think she's more upset and angry about you being hurt than worried about you coping, but I think she needs to tell you her thoughts on it." Catherine leaned up and kissed him lightly as they heard Grace returning to the kitchen.

Later that evening

After a game of cards, Catherine stood and called Cammie over. "C'mon, Cammie, let's get you out for the last time." She grinned when the sleeping dog was instantly awake and at the door. "I'm going to walk her, I'll lock up and see you upstairs." She kissed Steve's cheek before turning to Grace. "Sweetie, I'll pop in before bed, okay? Help yourself, you know where everything is," she told Grace, who nodded.

With a pointed look at Steve, Catherine took Cammie's leash, clipped it on and slipped out the door.

Steve patted the sofa, indicating Grace should take a seat. "I think we should talk, Gracie."

Grace tucked her legs up under her and faced him with a sigh. "Yeah. I don't want to upset you, though. Is it okay if we talk about … you know … your mo …uh Doris? I'm not even sure what to call her, Uncle Steve. I mean, you know I don't usually call adults by their first name, but I … she left your dad and made him think …" Grace took a breath and shuddered a little, as if saying it out loud made it more real. "She made him think his wife was dead and made him have to tell you guys your mom died. So, I'm sorry, but Mrs. McGarrett sounds wrong. And I'm definitely not calling anyone that left you Aunt anything so I kinda just think of her as Doris."

Steve nodded. He knew Grace was a compassionate child, she always had been, and his heart went out to her. It tore him up to see her get a splinter; having her agonize over a situation in his life, he wouldn't have that. Not if it was in his power to stop it. "Sweetheart, I'm okay if we talk about anything. Always know that, please?" He held her eyes, "What's bothering you specifically, Gracie?

"I know you explained about why Doris left a couple of years ago when I asked. But I … what bothers me, Uncle Steve is that on top of her leaving you as a kid, you let her come back, and then she just … disappears again."

"Gracie, please, don't …"

"Don't tell me not to worry. I know you're okay. You have family, you and Auntie Cath have all of us, and her family and ours. But I think it was mean and selfish and I don't like that she hurt you when you were a kid and that she thought it was totally okay to do it again." Grace shook her head slowly, her eyes never leaving Steve's.

"Ahh, Gracie," Steve began, but his niece stopped him with a hand up.

"I was thinking about the family photo wall Auntie Cath is making. The one like Nonna's got. And I want to keep helping with it. And then, after thinking about pictures of your dad, I thought 'what about Doris?' Because if my mother did that to me, I wouldn't want her photo up in my house to remind me. Maybe I'm not an adult, but I know what she did stinks and if I got the chance, I'd tell her." Grace's nod punctuated her words.

His niece's expression was one Steve was familiar with. Serious. Focused. Intense. He'd seen it in the mirror, many times.

"I'd tell her you're the best uncle ever and you'd be an awesome son, but she doesn't even know you." Grace's eyes were starting to well up. "And I'd tell her something else, too. That you and Auntie Cath are like second parents to me, and that you're a million times better at it than she was as mom to you. You have … priorities." As she used Catherine's term, her voice broke. "And that she had no right to treat you like … like that."

Steve's heart clenched, but he let her continue, because she clearly needed to.

"Or Mary. She really doesn't know Mary. Mary was younger than I am now when she left. She hasn't even met Joan." Grace looked at Steve with earnest eyes. "Mary told me she did a lot of stupid stuff starting back when she was my age. She kinda tried to warn me. She said, 'Don't hang with bad people, Grace, they drag you down.' Then she said, 'but your parents ...' and she stopped. I'm pretty sure she was gonna say my parents care. And I know she didn't realize your dad cared for a long time, but I'm also sure she feels like Doris still doesn't." Grace swiped her hand over her eyes.

Steve cleared his throat and spoke around the lump that had formed there. "Sweetheart, please, please, don't be upset about me being hurt in the past. I honestly don't know why Doris would choose to do what she did. Especially a second time. But I can't spend my life dwelling on it, right?" When Grace shrugged with a nod, he continued, "Yes, I was hurt, and yes, I wish I had an explanation, but I'm okay and I'm past it. Or I'm getting past it, and I'm just fine." He took her small hand in his large one. "You know why?"

"Auntie Catherine?" Grace's face relaxed into the tiny hint of a smile.

"Yes. And you. And Danno treating me like a brother. And Uncle Chin and Auntie Kono and Catherine's family and Nonna." Steve's smile was genuine. "And Kamekona and Max, and … look at that. That's a lot of people, isn't it?"

Grace nodded. "But they're not your mom."

"No. They're not. But they don't have to be, Sweetheart. And Mary's doing okay, too. She's got all of us and Joan and she's been so much happier. Now, listen, I love you very much for caring and being angry for me, but don't let it eat at you, Gracie, because anger doesn't change anything and I never want you to be upset." He let go of her hand and used his finger to tilt her chin up to meet his eyes. "Even for a second. Okay?"

Grace sniffed and nodded. "Okay. But if you ever think about it and feel bad, you'll tell someone? Auntie Catherine, Danno, me?"

Steve gathered her into a hug and he noticed she held on just a little tighter and longer than usual. When he felt her relax, he kissed the top of her head.

Both sets of eyes turned to Catherine as she entered at that moment. "Oh, hey. I can ..." She gestured to the stairs, indicating she'd give them privacy.

"No, c'mere." Steve reached out for her and drew her close. "It's fine. Right, Gracie?"

Grace nodded. "Of course. I was just telling Uncle Steve what we talked about before."

Catherine sat on the arm of the sofa and placed a hand on the back of Steve's neck. She brushed her thumb gently across his nape. "Good. I'm glad."

"Uncle Steve was just gonna promise he'd tell someone if he has a day when he feels bad, right?" She turned to him, and Catherine smiled.

"I promise." He held up a hand. "Anything else you want to know, Gracie?"

"Actually ..."

"What, Sweetheart?"

"Is Doris really a … a spy?" Grace's eyes flicked to Steve's, then Catherine's. "That's what Danno said."

Steve's smile was wry. "Well, she worked for an agency doing covert operations, so yeah, I guess you could say that's true."

"And so after hiding for twenty years, and coming back, they just … hired her again? Isn't there new spy stuff she doesn't know?" Grace looked skeptical and absolutely serious. She crossed her arms. "I'm not sure I believe her. I wouldn't trust her not to tell more lies, you know?"

"You." Steve leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Are the best. I promise I don't either." He smiled and placed a hand over Grace's. "Anybody ever tell you you're gonna make a really outstanding investigator?"

Grace grinned, Steve had alleviated her worries about Doris' actions weighing him down, and him getting taken in by her lies. "Besides you?" She looked at Catherine. "And Auntie Cath? And Danno saying I get it from him, but I'm forbidden to ever join Five-0?"

"We'll talk about that; after the Academy …" Steve smirked back. "Besides, Danno doesn't do the hiring, I do, so maybe ..."

"Good. 'Cause, maybe someday …" She leaned over, kissed his cheek and pulled him into another hug. "I love you, Uncle Steve."

"Love you, Gracie. Go on upstairs, Sweetheart. Get some sleep, okay?"

She stood and hugged Catherine. "Night, Auntie Cath. Thanks."

"Good night, Sweetie. Love you. Are you feeling better about things?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "You were right, I do. Love you." Grace turned to Cammie. "C'mon, Cammie, I'll race you upstairs."

Steve and Catherine exchanged a look as girl and dog tore up the steps. Catherine slid off the arm of the sofa and sat next to him. "That went okay, huh?"

"That went … more than okay." She could see his eyes as he glanced at the stairs Grace had taken. They were filled with love.

"She said we were like … " Steve's voice caught for just a second and she placed a gentle hand on his knee. "Second par …" he cleared his throat, "parents."

Catherine's hand tightened on his leg and her eyes pricked with unshed tears; both at the confirmation of just how much Grace had come to love and trust her as well as Steve, but at what that meant to Steve, who'd felt so alone and adrift during his teenage years. "That's … wow, that's something, huh?"

"It is. I'd never have …" He shook his head. "She amazes me, sometimes. She just … not only about how she considers my feelings, but … about that new spy stuff comment? Cath, she's damn near perfectly right."

Catherine nodded. "I know. It's almost exactly what we've discussed. Reactivation is very rare, especially after so long. Miss Grace Williams is gonna be quite a force to contend with in a few years. She may join Five-0 at that." She settled against Steve, but pulled back to glance at him for a second. "You tell Danny I said that part, I'll deny it." She grinned.

She snuggled back into his embrace as Steve murmured into her hair, "Won't have to tell him ... at least till after the Navy…"

When he kissed her temple, Catherine could feel what she knew was a beautiful smile.

.

End. Thanks for reading.

Coming up in less than one week ... Saturday is day 1 of The REAL World Anniversary Marathon! 9 stories in 9 days to celebrate our first year of Steve & Catherine McRoll in the REAL World. Thank you for all the support and love!

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