Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing and favouring. It is much appreciated that you take time to read the story. Hope you enjoy this one. As always all mistakes are my own. Just some fluff involving Steve and Grace.
H 5 O - H 5 O - H 5 O
Danny and Grace were late for their special date with him and that didn't sit well with Steve.
"Grace normally gets Danny up out of bed early if they are coming over to spend the day" Steve mutters to himself as he paces between the kitchen and the living room, looking through the windows to see if he could spot the Camaro coming up the drive way. Spidey senses now in overdrive and tingling he reaches for his phone to call his wayward partner to find out where they are but before he can press the call button the familiar sound of the Camaro could be heard coming up the driveway.
Opening the door with what Danny calls his goofy grin he is met by a crying Grace to just rushes past him straight onto the lanai.
"Grace honey what's wr.." he starts to ask but is interrupted by his disheveled partner who looks like he hasn't slept in a week and is capable of killing someone with his own version of a death stare. The last time his partner looked like this was after a day out with Grace and she spent the whole morning telling him about the new boy in class. It took him, Chin and Kono a couple of days to talk the concerned dad down from going out to threaten the poor boy.
"Just leave her be babe, she needs some time on her own. You have fresh coffee brewing? I will tell you all about it once I can focus again. Let me tell you it's my worst nightmare come true. I feel like smacking something or someone. She's my baby. It feels like just yesterday that she was playing with dolphin trainer Annie. When did she grow up? What am I going to do? I'm not ready for this. I hate boys! Boys are evil."
"Slow down partner, you're not making any sense. Come on there is fresh coffee and I even got some malasadas for your guys. You sure we should leave her outside on her own? She looks upset Danny."
Pouring himself a big cup of brew he turns to Steve with a look no one has seen before. If Danny could see his own face he is sure he would find an appropriate name for it but Steve was at a loss and didn't know what to do. Danny had a mixture of someone just kicked my puppy, took my last malasada from my mouth, stole all my ties and hair care products all rolled into one.
"He broke her heart Steven. She was so happy when I dropped her off at school on Thursday, talking about the dance at school tonight and then yesterday when I picked her up she was crying and would not stop. No matter what I did or say she wouldn't stop. I was up the whole night with her in my lap trying to get her to calm down. She eventually fell asleep. I hate boys Steven. They should all be sent to Mars. "
"OK so there is boy involved" Steve mumbles to himself. That's something I can deal with. I'm sure there is something in my arsenal of tricks that I can use to get to this boy. Any one that hurts Grace and her Danno hurts me and they will pay.
"Calm down Danno, have your coffee and eat a malasada while I talk to Grace."
"She's only 13 Steve. I'm not ready for this. I thought I had another year or so. Why can't she stay 5 forever?"
Giving his friend a squeeze on the shoulder Steve moves outside to see what he could do to help his Ohana.
"Grace honey, you ok? Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" he asks as he quietly sits next to the distraught girl thinking back to their 1st meeting at the football match just after he coerced Danny into becoming his partner. He also couldn't believe that same little girl was now a teenager and that she was getting ready to go out into the big bad world. If he felt like this then he could just imagine how anxious Danny was.
"What's wrong with me Uncle Steve? Why doesn't he like me anymore ? We were going to go to the spring dance and then yesterday he tells me that he's taking Sadie and not me."
It takes all the self control he has to not get up and get into the truck and go and wring the neck of the boy responsible for the new flood of tears. "Calm down Steve, don't lose it" he tells himself as he takes a couple of deep breaths and turns around and picks her up into his lap. She was getting to big sit in their laps but he could see that she needed the comfort and why not give it when it was needed. He remembers a while ago when he was down and out and she came to the lanai with a bottle of water for him and tried to comfort him and make him understand that he was loved. Now was his chance to repay the favour.
Taking the towel that was hanging over the chair he gently wipes her face of the tears and gives her a hug.
"You talking about Mark honey? The boy you told me about?"
"Yes, we were going to go to the spring dance together. I bought a new dress and everything and then yesterday at lunch he comes over and tells me that he's taking Sadie instead. I was so humiliated Uncle Steve. I really liked him and I thought he liked me. Why did he not want to take me anymore? Am I not pretty enough?"
"O honey, you are pretty, never doubt that. Not only are you beautiful on the outside but on the inside as well and if Mark is too blind to see that then it's his loss. I'm sure that Danno has also told you many many times how pretty you are."
"You have to say that Uncle Steve, that's what family does."
"I am family yes that's true but have you ever known me to say things that I don't mean? How long have we known each other Gracie and I've never lied to you and I don't intend to start now. I'm going to tell you some things and I want you to listen carefully. You know that Danno and I were boys as well a long time ago and from what I can remember boys aren't very clever at this age. We get easily distracted and what we find interesting today might differ from what we find interesting tomorrow. Just like girls we have hormones coursing through our bodies that confuses us and makes us do silly things. We aren't as emotionally talented as girls and we don't know how to go about doing things without hurting other people. That is a skill we pick up later in life. Mark probably woke up yesterday deciding that he was interested in blonde girls named Sadie. It's no excuse for what he's done because once you give your word then you honour it but I think you are better off without him. You have so much to look forward to, so many things too see and explore. If you wait a while before you get involved with boys you will see that they are a bit more mature and that they can focus on more than football and girls."
"Go to the dance tomorrow night with your friends, dress up like you planned to and enjoy it. Don't let one boy spoil something for you that you have been looking forward to so much. Maybe if Mark sees that you are enjoying yourself without him it will deflate his ego a bit and he'll realize that he made a mistake by going with Sadie. My dad once told me forget what hurt you but never ever forget what it taught you. Mark might have hurt you now but you are going to learn so much from it."
"You are a smart, caring, compassionate, funny and beautiful young woman Grace. Don't let any young man or person make you feel inferior or less than you are. You are going to make such a mark on the world and you make your Danno so proud with everything you do. I could not love you more if you were my own daughter. Always know that we are there for you no matter what. Now dry your tears, square back your shoulders and face life head on. Go wash your face and come back out to the lanai and we'll see if we can talk Danno in letting you go for a pedicure. I know someone who would only be too happy to help you get ready for the dance."
Steve could see that Grace was listening intently to every word and was now mulling it around in her head trying to make everything stick.
"I love you Uncle Steve." With one last rib cracking hug she jumps off his lap and runs into the house. Stopping in the living room to give her dad a hug as well. "I love you Danno. Uncle Steve is waiting for you on the lanai. I'm just going to wash my face then we want to talk to you about something."
Happy to see a smile on her face again he moves to the lanai to thank his friend. Not sure how someone so emotionally stunted could get through to a crying 13 year but for now that didn't matter. His little girl was smiling again and he would do anything to keep that smile on her face.
"Thank you babe. I'm not sure what you said but it's good to see that smile on her face again. I was so worried she was never going to smile again. I owe you big time big guy."
"Only a pleasure Danno. I feel honoured that you allow her to share her life with me and I would do almost anything to make her smile. Let's go and get some more coffee and once Gracie is down we have something to discuss with you."
"Do I want to know what that is Steven ? I'm sure you put her up to something she would not have thought of by herself. Don't make me regret coming over."
Steve is sure that Danny rants some more as they enter the house but he has stopped listening and just smiles at his friend pretending he is listening to his every word. He's going to have so much fun convincing the detective to allow Grace to doll up for the dance. Life is good. Grace is happy again and he can torture his best friend for the rest of the day.