Sammy & Ilna - love you guys to the moon.

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SEVENTEEN

Airfield on Oahu's North Shore.

"Okay, Gracie, one more time, what are the steps?" Steve asked as they approached the plane with Danny and Catherine on either side.

"Cross arms, head back, knees bent, jump." Grace smiled brightly and when Danny groaned, Steve grinned at his best friend.

"She's got this, Danny."

"I know, I know, but, Grace, listen, you can change your mind. Up 'til the last second."

"I won't, I'm ready." She nodded with all the confidence in the world. "I did everything Uncle Steve said. I went to sleep early and I didn't overeat because the spirals the chute does on landing can make you feel sick if you've just eaten." Grace looked between her father and uncle. "Besides I'll be tethered to Uncle Steve."

"That's right," Steve reiterated, and placed a hand on his partner's shoulder as they walked. "Danny, she'll be fine."

The detective sighed and the best friend's eyes met in understanding. Steve's saying, "I'll guard her with my life," while Danny's telegraphed "I know, but you get it." What he said out loud was, "Now more than ever."

Catherine nodded her own understanding. "And I'll be right there taking video, so remember to smile." She winked at Grace.

They'd reached the plane, which Steve had arranged through a former SEAL who'd opened a jump business upon retirement and Danny gathered his daughter into a hug. Kissing her head, he pointed at his partner. "If you change your mind, just shove Uncle Steve out and go sit with the pilot."

Liam, the pilot/instructor, laughed as he greeted the trio and they climbed aboard. "I'll have her back safe and sound, Dad. I have three of my own, they've been jumping since they were fifteen." He held up a hand in promise and Danny stepped back and shook his head at his daughter's spirit of adventure as the door closed on her beaming smile and wave.

As the plane reached 10,000 feet, Steve said, "Any questions, Gracie?"

"No, I got it all." She knew he was smiling without seeing his face.

"Okay, sweetheart, it's gonna get really, really loud when the door opens." He checked her harness a third time and motioned to Catherine. "Remember one tap on the shoulder to open your arms. Second to bring your arms to your chest when the chute opens. Third means knees bent for landing."

Grace nodded excitedly as Catherine stepped forward and Liam's assistant instructor checked the altimeter and opened the door.

A near-deafening roar filled the plane as Catherine gave their niece a thumbs up and disappeared outside. Seconds after she vanished, Steve stepped them up to the door and time froze as they were in freefall.

Grace looked up and around and saw Catherine float into view and she returned the thumbs up her aunt was displaying.

What seemed like forever and yet only seconds later, Steve pulled the chute and their decent slowed dramatically, and while her aunt and uncle warned her that she may get a bit dizzy or feel winded, she felt nothing but exhilarated.

Grace felt Steve's signal to lift her knees for landing and she did so. After the chute leveled out they glided into the grass.

Danny met the trio halfway back to the hangar and wrapped Grace in a tight hug. "You're gonna kill me with one of these birthday adventures," he said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Please tell me you hated it and you're going for lunch next year," he teased.

"It was …" Grace shook her head, unable to find the words. "I don't even know what it was, other than so amazing … it's like really fast and slow motion all at once and the wind is loud but it's peaceful up there, too." She was breathless and flushed from the excitement and Catherine shared a smile with her beaming husband as their niece said, "Right? It's hard to describe and I've wanted to do it for so long and then last night I thought what if after all these years it's not as cool as I thought, but it was even better!" She flung her arms around Steve and then Catherine. "Thank you so much. And if Angie wants to go when she's old enough I want to come on her first skydive."

"If?" Danny shook his head and relieved his daughter of the helmet she was carrying. "She's genetically programmed to be fearless." He pointed across the field to where the toddler was waiting with Gabby. "Look at her, she'd dive off that pile of airbags in a second if Gabby let her."

Angie was holding Gabby's hands and bouncing on a stack of discarded safety bags just outside the hangar's parking area where they had eaten a snack while watching.

Cupping his hands, Steve called, "Angie!" and the toddler looked up and, with Gabby's help, hopped down. Waving excitedly, she took off at a run with Gabby close behind.

When she reached the foursome she was lifted off her feet by her cousin for a hug.

"Gwace fwy! Mama Dada fwy!" she announced as Grace bubbled, "It was unbelievable!" to Gabby.

Going into her mother's arms and bouncing happily, she asked, "Danno fwy?" causing her godfather to laugh out loud.

"Uncle Danno doesn't fly, Angie," he said with a chuckle. "Unless the plane's going down and he has no choice."

When another group of divers landed where their family had and the little girl said, "Angie fwy?" Steve lifted her and swooped her above her head as his best friend pointed.

"What did I say?" He placed an arm around his daughter's shoulders. "She'd be doing HALO jumps in grammar school if these two let her."

"Brave and beautiful, like your mommy," Steve said as he lowered the giggling toddler.

"No fear gene like your daddy," Danny added as Catherine and Gabby shared a smile. "So, are you ready to come hang out with Uncle Danno?" He clapped and opened his arms and Angie ran right into them.

"First, we're going to have lunch with Gabby," he began and Angie said, "Yay! Ga-ee!"

"Then, we're dropping her off at work and you and I are going to the library while these guys go have un-fun grown up food." He made a 'yucky' face and the little girl giggled. "We are having awesome pizza and theeeennnn…" he drew out the word, "we're having a super fun, awesomely cool sleepover." He stage whispered, "And Gabby bought cookies for when we watch Paw Patrol with Scout."

"Cookie Ga-ee 'cout! cookie" The little face lit up further.

"Laser focus on those cookies," Catherine said as she kissed her daughter.

Grace clapped and Angie followed suit. "Save room for breakfast because we're all meeting for pancakes when Mommy and Daddy pick you up. And I wanna hear all about the awesome sleepover, Okay?"

As if she understood every word, Angie nodded and said, "'kay!"

Danny held her out towards Catherine and Steve. "Kiss Mommy, Daddy and Grace and let's go have fun." When she did, he gave Grace a one armed hug and kissed her before she moved to hug Gabby. "Have fun, danger girl." He pointed between his … he shook his head in disbelief … seventeen year old and his best friend. "Don't parasail off a mountain after dinner."

Sharing a smile with Catherine, Steve pretended to ponder and as he best friend rolled his eyes, said, "Actually, I do know a guy…"

Check on Ilna's story on Friday for the rest of Grace's seventeenth birthday!

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