Haole

Hello all. This is my first swing into the universe that is Hawaii Five-0 though I've been a fan of the show for quite some time. I had meant to write something for this 'verse for a long while now but was busy with a sequel to another story I had written long ago. Now that I have the free time to dedicate myself to another story, the ideas just didn't seem to stop coming! This fic actually started as a recurring dream I had, and it was always so vivid and felt so real I couldn't get it out of my mind. I hope you all like it as much as I have these last few weeks; I think it`s a nice little feel-good fic.

I have no beta so all errors in this story are completely on me.

Rated T, as there be swearing!

Disclaimer: I own no part of this amazing show. CBC has claim to all copyrights and I simply get the sandbox, but oh what a sandbox! I write solely for pleasure, not profit.

Detective Danny Williams ducked his head, both out of respect for the situation he found himself in but to keep the driving rain from his blue eyes. Garbed in his dress blues, he pulled the oh-so hated rimmed cap further on his head as a harsh gust of wind threatened to tear it off. It was also to hide his face from his boss and best friend Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett. The man knew him better than his own brother it seemed, and could read Danny like an open book. Standing shoulder to shoulder between said man and coworker Chin Ho Kelly, Danny may have seemed calm and collected on this dreary gray February afternoon but broiling just underneath his skin was an anger he was battling to contain. The last thing he needed was Steve taking him aside and interrogating him for the truth, especially today of all days. It would only cause a scene so he did the only thing he could do: hide and deceive.

Shooting a glance behind his shoulder he bore witness to the mass of blue uniforms – now black with the falling rain - that was the Honolulu Police Department, here to lay a brother to rest; a friend and colleague taken much too early in his short life. Yet another victim of seemingly horrid circumstance and bad timing. The blonde detective had never met Officer Raymond Abe but the youth had been in Kono's graduating class and had been a good friend of the rookie since childhood, hence the reason for Five-0's presence. The young officer sat with the victim's family, just visible from where Danny stood through the mass of people and black umbrella's. The officer left behind a wife and a newborn son who would grow up never knowing his father.

Even with the funeral proceeding in full swing, the Fathers low gravelly voice echoing through the graveyard, they still stared. The untrusting glances towards himself and his two coworkers continued despite the fact that one of their own was dead, as if it were Danny's fault; as though if they looked away he would commit something insidious. He knew the three of them were the odd men out; it didn't take any particular rocket science to come to that conclusion.

There was McGarrett, bedecked in his finest Naval garb with all the bells and whistles, pins and badges of his accomplishments displayed to all who cared to look. He was a SEAL, a decorated military officer, not a cop. He was a soldier who suddenly became one of the most powerful men on the island literally in a day, able to shoot down the top brass in HPD and commandeer any case he wished. Many people resented him for that, as well for his less than stellar knowledge of due process and warrants. Danny had also resented it the first time he met the man little over a year ago, but had learned to deal with it. It was that or drown in frustration.

There was Chin Ho, the respectable officer turned criminal in the eyes of his peers. He had never taken that money from the asset forfeiture locker those years ago, but people in the department only saw what they wanted to. Internal Affairs had affixed blinders on the officers around Chin, obscuring the case in doubt and pinning Chin to the wall with accusations and rumors. Individuals he once trusted to watch his six could no longer look him in the eye and officers who had become close friends had abandoned him like garbage in the streets. He had chosen to wear a black suit in lieu of his old HPD dress uniform to stave off any unwanted confrontations, but the disgust was still present in many people's eyes as he had walked Kono to the closed casket.

Then there was him. He had never known such open hostility back in New Jersey; sure there were those who hated the badge and authority but his uniform usually came with the respect it deserved. Now the natives of Hawaii drilled holes into the patches on his sleeves that declared him an officer of Newark's police department. For what they were worth here in Honolulu, they might as well have been bullseye's. Even his six months on the force with HPD had been a lesson in frustration, all because he was from the mainland. He was grateful that as a detective he didn't need to wear their insignia; he wouldn't even if they gave him a raise. His days as a cop were born in New Jersey and when he too passed on he swore he would be buried in the soil of his homeland in the uniform he loved more than the badge on his hip.

He had never wanted to come here, this volcanic rock with too much sun and not enough good beer, but for Grace he would have moved to the summit of a mountain. Never in a million years would he have thought that, simply because he was born in a different state, would he be treated with such disdain once he moved here to be close to her. His hair was too light, eyes too blue, skin too pale. He was not a Hawaiian but a foreigner and an outsider. He was a haole.

And therein lay the origins of his rage, that word that he had come to abhor more than anything, more than the rain in his eyes and the chill seeping into his bones as the deluge continued around them. At first he couldn't have cared less about being called the epitome of 'cracker' in Hawaiian; he was from New Jersey for God's sake! He'd been called much worse. In fact it hadn't been until three days ago that he'd even thought twice about the term, but one heartbreaking phone call was all it took for him to do a complete 180. It had been a call that would haunt him for years to come. It's why his mind was so far away as the priest wrapped up the final prayers and the crowd began to disperse. It took Steve's heavy hand on his shoulder to break him back into reality.

The taller man gave a nod towards the parking lot. "Let's get out of here."

Giving a terse nod, Danny was about to follow when a young officer walked by them, a small grin on his face. "Nice duds, haole."

It was the straw that broke the camels back. Danny swung towards the man, eyes ablaze. "What the fuck did you just say to me?" he spat viciously.

The officer backpedaled, arms up defensively as the Jersey native stalked towards him. He only got a few steps before Steve grabbed his shoulders and dragged him back towards the cars, denying Danny the violence he craved. He vaguely heard Chin uttering an apology to the man as he was towed towards the Camaro.

"Get the hell off of me!" Danny growled and he attempted to shrug from the SEAL's grasp. The man had fingers of steel. Only once they were beside the silver sports car did he finally let go. "Goddamn Neanderthal!"

"What the hell is your problem, man? The dude was talking to me!"

"Like hell he was!"

"God's sake, he was looking right at me!" Steve gestured towards himself, rainwater flying off the brim of his hat. He held up a hand as Danny went to retort. "Christ, ever since you got that call Tuesday, then ran out of the office like a bat out of hell – which you refuse to talk to me about – you've been stalking around like you're about to murder someone. Now would you-"

"For fucks sake Steven, what? I can't be mad once in a while?" Danny cut in, voice probably a few decibels too loud but he couldn't give two shits. "I can't have a personal day where I get to scream at people, maybe drive some cars onto freighters and shoot people in the face? You the only one licensed to kill around here?"

"Would you keep your voice down? We're at a funeral!" Steve hissed, leaning into Danny's personal space. It took every ounce of energy to not punch the man as Chin and Kono made their way over.

"Don't think I know that?" Danny didn't lower his voice. Several people had stopped to watch the spectacle. "I'm only standing in a monsoon in my blues 'cause I feel like it!"

"Danny, please…" Kono almost begged, eyes still red from crying. The whole ordeal had taken its toll on the young woman.

Danny sighed, the sight of his friend in pain taking some of the wind from his sails. "Kono, babe, I'm sorry."

"What's wrong, brah?" Chin asked, concern for Danny in his dark eyes. He had his arms around his cousin protectively, but all his attention was on the blonde.

"This whole place," Danny gestured wildly around them, "that's what's wrong!" He lowered his voice out of respect for Kono, but it didn't dilute the venom in his voice. "Ever since I got here it's been nothing but bullshit, pineapple, constant sand in my goddamn shoes and coconut scented everything! The overcrowded beaches, tacky tourists, you name it and it sucks! I figured I'd never utter these words in my whole life but I miss snow!"

"Snow?" Steve raised an eyebrow, knowing as soon as he asked he should have kept his mouth shut.

"Yes Rambo, snow! You know, the white fluffy stuff that occurs when this shit freezes!" He pointed skyward. "And if nothing else, I hate fighting to be heard and respected on this freaking island all because I'm a mainlander, a…"

"Haole?" Chin offered.

Danny pointed an angry finger at Chin. "Yes, that fucking word. It amazes me how you people can just toss it around like it's nothing, even though it's so offensive."

The others fell silent, the only sounds being the striking of raindrops on their uniforms and the roof of the vehicle. "Danny," Steve's voice was soft, treading carefully, "what happened?"

"Grace…" It took the detective a moment to gain control of his emotions before he elaborated. "Grace phoned me the other day, in tears."

Steve closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly as he put two and two together. He should have known it involved Danny's daughter. "Shit, Danny I'm sorry."

"She was in class, chatting it up with Tommy or Jimmy or whatever the fuck little shit's name is, because she's a social butterfly. One thing lead to another and the kids got into an argument over something ridiculous, at which point the other kid said, and I quote, 'What would you know? You're just a stupid haole.' The other kids, thinking this was hilarious because their parents failed miserably when raising them, all started laughing at her." Whipping his cap off, he ran a hand through his hair. Even thinking about it made his blood boil. No longer able to control himself he slammed a fist into the Camaro's driver side door.

"Danny…"

"Shut up! Shut up and listen!" Danny turned back to Steve, finger aimed at the mans chest. "My baby girl was so embarrassed she ran out of class bawling her goddamn eyes out. And guess what? She just kept running! By the time she phoned me and I got to the school, she wasn't there anymore! I had tried to get the story from her over the phone but she couldn't string two words together, let alone sentences…I thought she's been kidnapped! I was almost in cardiac arrest by the time I found her, three blocks away under a fucking palm tree shaking like a leaf and it took ten minutes to calm her enough so she could speak. They didn't just run her out of class but her own school, and the teacher didn't raise a finger! When I confronted her about it, she acted as though nothing happened before telling me that Grace was too sensitive and that it was just a word." He ran a shaking hand over his face. "It's not just a word…not where my daughter is concerned."

Danny's friends were silent and he took the moment to get his breathing under control. Even his venting had done nothing to quell the fury, his need to destroy something alive and well. What he really wanted to do was go back to the Academy of the Sacred Hearts and beat some sense into Grace's teacher. Talking seemed the better option than being arrested for assault, so he took a breath and went on. "You know…I've been doing some research. Did you know the last day of school before summer vacation here in Hawaii is called 'Kill Haole Day'?" He crossed his arms and looked pointedly at Steve, Kono and Chin in turn. "What the fuck is wrong with this island? How am I supposed to protect Grace from shit like that when it's everywhere?"

Again no one said a word, either from frustration at what had happened to Grace or simply subdued by their friends raw emotional outburst. Danny knew there was nothing that could be said; what was done was done but he didn't have to be happy about it. It had always taken him a while to calm from emotionally charged situations and once he had a daughter it had increased tenfold. She was his life, his reason for being and if anything ever happened to her he knew he'd never survive. He felt a touch guilty about emptying on his friends on a day that was already full of heartbreak, especially for poor Kono, but Steve and that idiot officer had cracked his shell. He was then suddenly very cold, spent, and it had nothing to do with the storm or his tirade.

Reaching out to Steve, palm to the sky, he made sure to keep his tone civil. "Keys."

Steven seemed confused at first but fished the Chevy's keys from his pocket, dropping them into the puddle that had formed in his partner's hand. He hoped his eyes conveyed the multitude of questions he had for the Jersey native. Apparently the detective wasn't in the 'sharing' mood any longer

"Sorry babe." Danny turned and gave Kono a quick hug before turning to unlock his, thankfully, unblemished car door. Slipping inside, he considered slamming the door. The thought was briefly lived and he shut it instead with a soft click. It was still much louder in Danny's mind than it should have been and, as he started the ignition and pulled away from the curb, he tried hard not to look at his ohana in the rearview mirror. He'd had no idea to who he'd apologized to; maybe all, perhaps none.

The incessant ringing of his cell phone was what finally dragged him back into consciousness. Blinking his eyes open slowly, he glanced towards his bedside table at where his cell lay next to his alarm clock. The red numbers of the clock flashed the daunting time of 4:17 and he mentally swore at whoever had just dialed him. He tried to ignore the caller, knowing that the ringing would eventually stop; if it was really important they would leave a message. Sighing as the cell finally quit, he buried his head into the soft pillows of his bed while trying to regain a comfortable position on his piece of crap pullout.

After a long drive around the island trying to clear his mind, despite the atrocious weather, Danny had headed back to his apartment to shower, get warm and down a few beers. A few had turned swiftly turned into a few-too-many and, with nothing good on television and out of alcohol, he'd retired to his bed. Now as he registered the fuzzy texture of his mouth, the slight twinge of a headache and a twist to his gut, he wished he had exerted a little self control. This was his weekend with Grace and wouldn't Rachel just love him picking up their daughter with a hangover.

Finally finding a comfortable position on his stomach, determined to get in a few more hours before he picked up his little girl, Danny swore a litany of curses as his phone began ringing once again. Reaching blindly behind him for the device, he pulled it up to his face. He swore again as the name 'McGarrett' flashed at him from the touch screen. Rolling onto his back with a sigh, he hit 'Accept' and tossed the phone onto the pillow by his head. "Speak."

"Danno, sorry if I woke you-"

"No you`re not."

"-but this is your weekend with Grace isn't it?" Steve sounded slightly breathless, no doubt coming home from another strenuous workout.

The detective was silent for a long moment as he tried to think through Steve`s rationale. He was actually surprised the commander was phoning him at all after the incident at the cemetery. "So…" he paused, running a tired hand down his face, "let me get this straight so I can understand, Steven. You decide it`s best to call me at 4:17 in the morning, not for a case, but to ask if I had Grace this weekend? Something I had told you a week ago after you once again decided to get us trapped between the bad guys and their exit strategy? I guess my yelling at you that I can`t be a father if I`m dead has yet to pierce that thick skull of yours. Do you not remember that I am aware of where you live?" Reaching into the drawer of the bedside table, he pulled out his service weapon. Holding the gun over the phone, he pulled the weapons slide open, a round chambering with an audible click. "Hear that? This is me getting ready to come over to said house and shoot you for waking me up at such an ungodly hour for a question you already knew the answer to!"

"Are you done?"

Flipping the guns safety on, he tossed it onto the bed. "With you, I`ll never be done."

"What time are you going to pick her up today?"

"Not at 4:17 in the goddamn morning!"

"And do you have anything planned?"

Danny glanced at the clock again. 4:20…At this point in time he wished he were high. Might make Steve easier to deal with. "Nothing yet. We Williams have long since mastered the art of `winging it`."

"Great. Can you and Grace be at the Kalaeloa Airport by 0900 hours?"

"This isn`t the military Steven. Can you just say nine o`clock like a normal person?"

"Just answer the question."

"I have the capacity, yes."

"To what, be there or to answer the question?"

"Wouldn`t you like to know." Danny couldn`t help but grin at the frustrated sigh of his partner. "Yes we can be there. Question is, though, why? And please don`t say it`s because you`ve booked us to go skydiving. If that`s true, I`ll never let Gracie near her Uncle Steve ever again."

Steve chuckled, voice slightly tinny over the line. "Just be there Danno. And make sure Grace wears shoes, not sandals." And without another word the man hung up.

Grabbing his now blank cell, as well as his gun, he tossed both back onto the table. "Frigging super soldier and frigging cryptic bullshit…" he muttered, flopping back onto his stomach in a shot at more sleep.

Unfortunately for Danny, all attempts at regaining any extra sleep was for naught. Slowly he watched as the hours tick by until it was time to go and retrieve Grace from Step-Stan`s ridiculous mansion. He was still feeling a bit under the weather as he made the drive to the expensive community and the day was turning out to be gorgeous, which was both good and bad. Good as he could expect a fun, bright day with his little girl and bad because the heat streaming through the vehicles windows was making him feel a bit car sick. He was sure that his ex wouldn`t let him get away with some excuse like work exhaustion; she had lived with a cop after all. Just as he figured, as Rachel answered the door and saw his bloodshot eyes and slightly disheveled appearance – even though he had run a comb through his hair close to a hundred times – she gave him a severe, albeit quiet, tongue lashing.

"Danno!" Danny had never been more delighted to hear his daughter`s voice as she bounded down the steps to launch herself into his arms, effectively silencing Rachel's tirade. It also meant they could quickly escape from this gated hell hole.

"Monkey!" He laughed, picking her up and spinning her in a circle. Her exuberant giggles made him smile despite the poor choice of actions. "Ready for an awesome day?"

"Yeah! What are we going to do?" Setting his girl back down, she stared up at him expectantly with bright, brown eyes.

Giving a quick glance at her feet, making sure she had the appropriate SEAL approved footwear, he nodded as he spotted the bright pink and white sneakers. "Well sweetheart, I`m not sure. Uncle Steve has something up his sleeve and wants us to meet him at Kalaeloa in a half hour."

"Uncle Steve is coming with us?" Grace beamed, obviously ecstatic.

"Well someone has to watch the guy, make sure he doesn`t get in trouble right? Now grab your stuff babe. We got to head out quickly." He watched as she nodded and went to grab her backpack. Turning to Rachel, who gave him a look promising their prior conversation was in no way finished, he gave her his best shit-eating grin. "Always a pleasure."

As Grace led the way back to the Camaro, Rachel called after them, "Make sure she`s back home by eight tomorrow!"

Danny didn`t bother to respond, giving her a quick wave. Pulling out of the ridiculous driveway and making his way towards the Lunalilo Freeway, he handed his phone to his daughter with specific instruction to put it on silent.

The drive to the airport was slow going due to the hectic Saturday morning traffic, as well as a short pit stop along the way. Driving through a chain link gateway along the east side of the airstrip, he easily recognized Steve`s blue Silverado as well as, to his surprise, Kono`s red Cruze parked near a Cessna Citation, if he knew his planes. Grace seemed to spot it at the same time and grinned in excitement. Pulling up between the two vehicles, he stepped out into the early morning sun and glanced around for his partner. There was no one in sight, though it was difficult to see too far with the heat radiating off the black tarmac.

Hearing the passenger door open then close, he felt Grace`s hand clutch his own. "Daddy, where is everyone?"

About to answer, his retort was cut off as a low chink resounded from the plane next to them. Glancing over, the stairs of the plane began to descend and, as Danny went over to investigate, Steve`s head poked out of the doorway.

"Danno," Steve began, glancing at his watch, "you are late. What happened to nine o`clock like a normal person?"

"Fashionably late, babe." Danny responded as Grace cried for her `uncle` and ran up the gangway to hug him around the waist. "Besides, we needed to make a stop so Grace could use the bathroom. Too much milk with breakfast. Enough of that though…what`s all this?"

Steve smiled down at the blushing girl clinging to his leg. "It means get on."

"Why?"

"Does everything have to be an argument with you?"

"Yes. It`s a medical condition."

"It means get on, brah!" Kono appeared then behind Steve, all smiles. It was good to see, especially after seeing her cry nearly all day yesterday.

"Yeah, come on Danno!" Grace called down, giving Kono a big hug before moving inside the plane, leaving Danny little choice but to follow.

Walking inside, he was grateful for the air conditioning. Steve gave his shoulder a slap as he moved past into the main cabin. Kono and Grace were sitting two rows in, and Chin grinned at him from the chair across from his cousin. He smiled and waved at the man before turning back to the two women. Throwing Kono a look and a tilt of his chin, Kono stood and followed him deeper into the small aircraft as the engines started up with a high whine and Steve locked the gangway with a loud click.

Turning to face his friend and colleague, he was happy that Kono looked so well. Dressed in light jeans, a white tank top and a pink plaid pullover, she seemed happy and excited about their trip to…wherever the hell they were going. Without a word he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. It was unsightly and rude and I`m so sorry. We were there for you, and I twisted a memory of your friend into a temper tantrum."

He was surprised when she hugged him back, maybe tighter than he was holding her. "You were mad about what those kids had done to Gracie. How could I be mad about that?" She breathed then let him go. "Ray," she paused, "Ray was a good friend, but so are you. There`s nothing I could do for him and I think that`s what hurt the most. He`s in a better place now and what I can to do…need to do is worry about and help those who are still with me."

Danny was floored at how much Kono had grown since being with Five-0 and sometimes he figured that maybe she was much wiser in her years than even he was. "Thank you."

He gave her one last hug before joining the others in their seats. He snuck in beside Chin as the plane started to move. Grace began chatting amiably with Kono about clothes or what have you and Danny turned to Chin. "So where`s Steve? And where the hell are we going?"

The man just grinned. "Can`t answer the second question for you but as for the first…" he pointed towards the closed pilot`s quarters.

Danny threw his hands in the air. "Of course he`s flying…"

The flight was a short one, only about an hour or so, before they landed on another island and transferred from the plane onto a helicopter, much to Danny`s displeasure and curiosity. "Flying death traps." He had muttered as they took off, hooking an arm around Grace`s shoulders to hold her tight.

Again Steve was piloting the aircraft and seemed to know exactly where he was going. He and Grace exchanged a look; neither had any clue what was going on, and neither of the cousins were offering any clues. He kept pestering Kono with questions as they flew, being the poor individual who had opted to sit in the back with him and Grace, but she wasn`t giving up anything. Thus, seeing the interrogation was fruitless, Danny fell silent and stared out the window. Grace though, being Danny`s child, continued where he left off. The blonde couldn`t help but smile.

It was only about fifteen minutes later when Danny spotted a sight that had his jaw dropping. Tapping his headset to make sure it was working, he sputtered, "Steve, is that…?"

"Yeah Danno. We`ll be landing in five, so hold on." Steve responded from the pilots chair and the detective was sure the man was grinning.

Finding a flat surface to land the chopper, Steve killed the rotors as Danny pulled off his headset and swung the door open. What greeted him was something he never imagined he`d ever see again. The sky was clear, making the mountain they were currently perched on shine brilliantly and he wished he had remembered his sunglasses. Taking a hand to shield his eyes, he stared over the landscape, spotting an observatory further in the distance. That`s not what had his attention though; it was the fact that the mountainside was covered in a sheet of crisp white snow.

"Daddy, look!" Grace squealed, leaping into the snowdrift like a snow leopard.

"Oh, I`m looking babe!" Danny followed his little girl into the ankle deep drifts. Grabbing a handful of the frozen white stuff, he rolled it expertly in his hands. Turning towards the chopper, he looked at his colleagues. "What`s all this now?"

"This is Mauna Kea, or White Mountain." Chin explained, gesturing to their environment. "In the winter season the summit is usually covered in snow and ice because of its high elevation."

"Usually we wouldn`t be allowed up here." Steve spoke up. "The summit`s of all Hawaii`s mountains are sacred to the natives of the islands. I managed to pull some strings with the governor with some story about needing to go to the observatory for a case…" The man pointed towards the buildings in the distance.

"You lied to the governor…?" Danny stared at the commander. The man just shrugged. "Why?"

"You were upset, Danno, not to mention the fact you told us you missed snow so…I figured it would help cheer you up."

"That`s…wow." Danny didn`t know what to say. He was touched his friends would go to such lengths for him. "Thank you."

A snowball to his back interrupted the touching moment and had him turning to his daughter, who sported a wide smile and a mischievous glint in her eyes. He gave her a pointed look, hands on his hips.

"You want to start that now? Remember who would always kick your butt back in Jersey?"

"Yeah, Uncle Mattie!" she smirked.

Danny dramatically threw his hands over his heart. "You cut me deep! That hurts, sweetie."

Grace just giggled at his antics, so he made a show of reaching down and patting more snow onto his snowball. He really had missed the bite of the cold against his skin. Winding his arm back as Grace squealed and ran to take cover, he spun on his toes and whipped the snowball straight into Steve`s shoulder. The ball exploded on impact, showering Steve`s surprised face and clothes with ice chips.

Shaking his clothes clean, Steve pointed dangerously at his partner. "Oh, it`s so on now!" Leaping into the snow he ran at the blonde.

"Shit!" Danny barked a laugh, taking off and running towards his daughter, who tossed another snowball at Steve. Grabbing a handful of snow as he went, Steve shot it at Danny but missed, the detective dodging skillfully.

One more snowball from Danny, this time hitting Steve in the side of the head, turned it into an all out war. It was the Islanders versus the Mainlanders and Chin, being the always diplomatic one, stood by as the referee to keep the numbers even. As they figured Kono had the ninja whereas Danny and Grace had experience so it all worked out. Torso shots were two points, arms and legs were one point each and head shots were five points, thus Danny took every opportunity he could to shoot Steve in the face. The SEAL had some awesome moves, ducking and weaving as much as possible, but he was no match for Danny`s fast pitch. Kono and Grace also got some excellent shots in as the game wore on. It had to have been hours they tromped through the snow, war cries and laughter echoing around the mountain before Kono held up her hands in a T.

"I concede! No more, I`m freezing!" she laughed, but a visible shiver ran up her body.

"That`s because you`re 50 pounds soaking wet!" Danny laughed. "It`s beautiful out here. Hey Chin, what`s the score at?"

Chin, who had also taken some shots during the chaos, smiled and shrugged. "With you and McGarrett trading so many blows I lost count pretty quickly. I proclaim it a tie, cause I`m freezing too."

Danny groaned. "A tie? Really? Do you see his face? Any more shots to it he`d be brain dead." He leaned over to Grace whose cheeks were red, hair and clothes wet. "I think we had that in the bag!"

"Uh huh!" she nodded as they traded a high five.

Steve walked over, still grinning and face slightly red from the cold and exertion. "I think I can deal with a tie. That`s a killer fastball you`ve got, brah!" he patted Danny`s shoulder. Turning to Grace he grinned, "And you have a pretty good arm on you too!"

"She did learn from the best." Danny smirked.

"That she did. Hey, Gracie can I talk to you for a minute?"

At her nod, he took her hand and led her away from Chin. Danny followed at a distance, enough to give them their privacy but close enough to hear what was being said. Always the protective father…Steve turned to the little girl and, despite the cold, knelt next to her so they were eye to eye and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sweetheart, I heard about what happened to you at school."

Steve had known this was going to be a touchy subject for the little girl even before her eyes began to get glossy with unshed tears. He could see Danny tense in her peripherals.

"They called me names and laughed." Grace sniffed, and it killed Steve to see her in such a state. "I thought Tommy was my friend."

"I know, Gracie, I know. It`s not fair." Steve paused, knowing his next words would probably rile up papa bear. "I heard they called you a haole."

The word caused a tear to run down the little girl`s face, one that her father did not miss. As Danny began to approach them Steve held out a hand, eyes pleading for just a little more time. Danny did stop but he remained where he was, eyes boring holes into Steve.

Steve turned his attention back to Grace. "Gracie, do you know what haole means in Hawaiian?"

She nodded, not looking him in the eye but at the wet shoes on her feet. "Daddy told me it means outsider, someone who doesn't belong."

Steve shot Danny a look and received a hard glare in response. He didn't deny anything. Steve shook his head and gave Grace a gentle shake. "Hey honey, look at me." She glanced up, but not quite all the way. "Haole is a term people on Hawaii use for people who have light skin or are from the mainland, like you and Danno. It does not mean you don't belong, nor does it mean that you aren't just as important as everyone else." He looked between Grace and Danny, hoping they both got the message. "Even I get called that, sweetheart, but don't let it get you down. Remember, it's only a word. Remember that old saying about sticks and stones?" At Graces nod, he gave her a reassuring smile. "And I'll tell you a secret…I wish I was from the mainland sometimes."

"Really?" Grace looked skeptical. "Why is that?"

"Well, because mainlanders are really tough!" Steve pointed at Chin and Kono, both of whom were standing by the helicopter chatting but clearly shivering. "They're really cold because of the snow and I'm getting pretty cold too. But look at you and Danno! You're not cold at all and you are even wearing a skirt! I've never worn one myself-"

"Don't listen to him babe." Danno grinned. "I'm sure he has."

"-but I'm sure they aren't warm." Steve finished, glaring at his partner. Grace giggled at the adult's antics, eyes now dry and smile back in place. "What I'm saying is that you are tougher than any of those kids all because you are from the mainland. So, if anyone ever calls you a haole again, be proud of that fact Gracie. And between you and me, those kids should be afraid of you. Like I said before, that's a mean throwing arm you have!"

Her smile widened as Danny walked up to them. "What is this Steven? Teaching my daughter physical violence solves everything?" Danny tried to look serious but his eyes gave him away. "I already taught her that."

The commander smirked at his partner before Grace grabbed him into a big hug. "Thanks Uncle Steve." She whispered into his ear.

"Any time sweetheart." Steve replied.

"Grace, why don't you go ask Auntie Kono if she'll make snow angels with you?" Danny nodded towards the Hawaiian by the chopper. "Teach her how to make those really nice ones you do."

"Ok!" the girl beamed before bounding away.

Danny scratched the side of his nose, watching his daughter skip away happily. "You know," he commented as Steve rose to his feet, "I told her that I don't know how many times and it had no effect. Coming from a person she knows who is from Hawaii…thanks babe. I really appreciate it."

"I'd do anything for Gracie and you know that." Steve watched the girl as well. "And I know you'll appreciate this."

Before Danny could inquire, Steve swung the snowball he'd hidden in his grip – grabbed during the heart to heart - and smashed in onto the back of Danny's neck. The detective gave a strangled cry as the small chunks of ice ran down the back of his shirt. Untucking his shirt as fast as humanly possible, Danny shook his shirt out before glaring daggers at Steve.

"I'm going to kill you!" Danny roared, sending a laughing Steve scrambling as the shorter man chased after him. Unfortunately he didn't make it fifteen feet before the SEAL snagged his toe on a hidden rock, sending him tumbling head over heels down the mountain slope. Coming to a stop flat on his back, he didn't move for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. Blinking a few times, four heads suddenly popped into view.

"You alright Uncle Steve?" Grace looked worried, as did Chin and Kono. Danny looked more than amused.

"Yeah, boss. Everything in one piece?" Chin gave him a once over, seeing nothing amiss.

"Guys don't worry." Danny gestured complacently. "He's got a hard head."

"Shut up and help me up." Steve reached up and Danny dragged him to his feet.

"Karma's pretty mean, huh?"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up? Please stop talking…my head hurts."

"You sure you're good?" Kono questioned.

"I'm good guys, really." Steve glanced at his team and down at Grace. "We should probably head out though. We're all soaked."

Walking back towards the chopper, Danny picked Grace up and set her on his hip. "What, you cold Super SEAL?"

"If you must know, yes I am."

Danny looked to the other members of his team as Grace leaned her head on his shoulder, obviously tired. She was wet and her skin was cool as well but she was a Williams after all; she didn't shiver or even have goose bumps. The girl was a trooper. The others though were visibly shaking from the colder mountain air and snow, even I-wont-express-my-feelings McGarrett. His team was tough, he knew; they would all take a bullet for him without question, and he for them. Unlike the officers of HPD, they had gone out of their way to make him and Grace feel welcome. Ohana didn't really start to explain what they all meant to him now. Even Grace calling them her aunt and uncles showed she loved his team to death; she wasn't one to trust easily which Danny was grateful for. If anything were to happen to his teammates, he wasn't sure what he would do.

Almost at the chopper, Steve turned to say something to the rest of them but another errant rock nearly had him eating snow. Danny couldn't stop himself from bursting into laughter.

"You really are Hawaiian. The snow is certainly not your natural environment babe."

The shivering, stumbling natives all turned back to send him pointed glares. The mainlander just smiled. Maybe being haole wasn't so bad after all.

Thanks for reading, everyone. I am a lover of reviews and would enjoy nothing more than hearing what you all thought!

Until next time!

»Crystal Marionette«