Title - New Dawn
Rating - PG
Characters - Grace Williams, Steve McGarrett, Danny Williams
Summary - No-one was prepared for the world to end.
A/N - Inspired by stories such as 'Red Dawn' & 'Tomorrow, When the War Began'. Written for the weekend challenge 1_million_words on livejournal. Written as several 100 word drabbles to make up 1,900 words.
Prompt - The Sky is Burning.
No-one was prepared for the world to end. Nobody had said that this was what you do when the sky burns, when the air turns to ash, when the apocalpyse comes with the fading light of the setting sun. Grace Williams stood silent and quiet as all around her, friends, strangers, different faces blurred into shadows of horror and confusion. Where their fear caused them to flee, years of careful, gentle, wisdom freed her mind of the chaos. A chapter of her life was beginning and ending in that same moment, she kept her wits and it saved her life.
With a cool head that belonged to someone older than her years, she turned to find others who hadn't fled the oncoming attack. She wasn't the oldest of the group, or the most outspoken, but they looked to her for guidance, like it was natural she would lead. Grace Williams, the girl with both feet steady on the ground.
"This way," she said, ignoring people who carelessly crossed her path and buffeted against her body. She knew where she had to go. Her dad and Steve, they would know what was happening. They'd tell her what she needed to do.
They took to the jungle forest near the beach, she was prepared for this, having someone like Steve as her survivalist mentor was a godsend. She hadn't ever imagined these type of circumstances would be when she put the knowledge to good use. They formed a line and they stuck to the shadows. Explosions were foreign sounds on the air and multitudes of aircraft droned overhead. It wasn't going to be easy and Grace's mind reeled at the distance they had to make. Would they be at home or HQ? Perhaps Pearl?
She didn't even know if they were alive.
"You're fifteen, you don't know how to drive," Lani pointed out in her usual matter of fact way.
Grace rolled her eyes at her and tried to pull the door open but it was jammed from the impact. The driver was sprawled head first over the wheel and blood was already caking into a dry mess down the side of his face and neck.
"I don't want to drive it," Grace replied, gritting her teeth and reaching in through the broken window. "I just want the radio, to see if I can contact my dad or Steve. Help me please?"
Hands were on her legs steadying her and she fought the urge to dry heave at the thought of being so close to a dead person. She was half lain against him, having had to crawl through the window to reach the radio, she held it to her ear and listened to the static as she searched for a signal. Scrolling through the channels, the static ceased, she pressed the button, bringing the radio to her lips.
"He - hello? Is anybody there?" She asked, heart in her mouth. Please let someone answer. Please let them not be alone. "Hello?"
"Identify yourself," A crackling voice brought the radio to life. "What's your number?"
Grace searched the car but there was so much blood and shattered glass nothing was distinguishable.
"Hello?" the voice asked again.
It seemed familiar and she felt a rush of familiarity and relief. With shaking fingers she lifted the radio again, squeezing her eyes against the unshed tears.
"Duke, is that you? This is Grace Williams."
"My god, where are you?" Duke's voice was like a lifeline.
"We were camping at Diamond Head," Grace began. It had only been three days. It felt like a lifetime ago.
Painstakingly Duke gave her instructions over the radio. She took the dead cops gun, as well as ammo, hand shaking as she made sure the safety was on. Danny had always been strict about guns and her touching them, but he'd also made sure she knew how to handle one just in case. She also took his radio and Duke asked her to get his ID, which took some doing positioned as he was.
"Hale, his name is Hale," Grace told him.
"Is his partner there? Patrol units travel in pairs."
"No."
Probably ran and hoped to god the nightmare would end.
Duke wasn't able to give her information on her dad or Steve. They abandoned the car and took to the streets, staying in the shadows. There was still chaos but people ignored them, like sheep they were heading in one direction, all following the person in front of them with shocked expressions. The sky was dark now, aircraft still flew overhead and in the distance explosions still sounded on the air. It was going to be a long night to get home and Grace wasn't sure if they'd even make it, or what they would find when they got there.
Each step took her closer to the house and part of her wanted to keep it that way. Duke kept in regular contact but there was still no word from Danny or Steve. Grace's mind whirred desperately for answers. Who was attacking and why? Where was her family? Was her mom and Stan okay? Little Charlie, who'd cried when she'd gone without him, desperate to be part of her crowd despite that he was only four. She'd promised she'd take him something back, here she was now with nothing but bullets in her pocket and a gun in her hand.
The streets here were empty, either everyone was in hiding or had fled the area. Small fires blazed in the yards but the houses seemed fairly intact. The bombings seemed to have occurred more inland that on the coastline. The sound of a vehicle, tyres screeching as it took a corner had them hiding behind some bushes. It seemed natural to hide, out of sight just in case. The sound of the others breathing near her ear seemed deafening, along with her own heartbeat thumping through her chest. She watched the car coast down the street, peering through the darkness.
Hands grabbed at her to stay put, but she had to do something. The others yelled at her, but nobody followed, fear making them motionless. But something else spurred Grace on and she raced into the road yelling with the last of her strength until the van screeched to a halt.
"Dad! Danno!" Her knees gave way but she kept running until she fling herself against him, the relief surging through her when strong, familiar arms held her so tight she couldn't breathe.
"Oh my god Grace, Gracie."
Danny's voice whispered quietly. Grace gave in to her fear and cried.
"We have to go," Steve said from beside them. Grace looked at him and knew he was in full command mode. He stroked fingers against her face with a look of relief before he looked about them. "Come on."
"My friends," Grace said, looking to where they now stood, on the outskirts of their reunion.
Steve nodded sharply and motioned with his head to the van. "Everybody in, we need to go. Now."
Wordlessly everybody obeyed.
Grace handed Danny the radio and the gun. "We've been talking to Duke. He told me to take this. There was a dead cop-."
"What about Mom? Stan and Charlie?" Grace asked as Steve weaved through streets, passed burning homes and abandoned cars. "Have you seen them?"
"People were being evacuated as soon as the attack began," Danny told her. "We think they're safe, but communication is bad Grace. We just don't know for sure."
"Where are we going?"
"Airfield," Steve replied. "If it hasn't been taken out yet there's a chance of getting you on a bird."
"But where will we go? Who is attacking us? Why is this happening?"
"I don't have the answers Grace. But I need you to trust me."
The airfield was still safe and Steve got cleared through the gates whilst a crowd of desperate people tried in vain for access. Steve got into deep conversation with an officer as Danny gripped Grace's hand hard. They walked out onto the airstrip where a plane was being prepped.
"Five minutes commander," the officer said before dashing off.
"But what about our parents? And where are we being taken?" Lani asked, hugging herself in fear.
"It's okay Lani, Dad and Steve will take care of us," Grace assured her, looking to Danny and Steve.
She didn't like what she saw.
"Grace, listen to me," Danny said, hands on her shoulders. She shook her head, hands balling into fists which she pushed into his chest.
"No, no, I'm not leaving without you," she shouted back, voice breaking as her tears started again.
"We're needed here," Danny said, voice tight with emotion. "There are others who need us."
"I need you," Grace said, hitting him again. "I need you Danno."
Danny pulled her close even though she fought against him. She hit and cried and tried to make sense of the world but the night had brought chaos and madness to life.
"We need to get them on the plane," Steve said, ushering the others to the steps. "Grace, come on."
"No, I'm not going, I'm staying with you," Grace yelled, struggling as Danny tried in vain to pull her to the plane. "Please don't make me, don't! No!"
Steve took charge, grabbing and lifting her effortlessly like a doll. She watched Danny stand and let it happen and beat against Steve angrily. "Please Steve, please."
He set her down at the top of the steps and barred the escape with his body, looking at her with eyes full of sorrow and pain.
"What if-," Grace said, words catching in her throat. Steve brushed her hair out of her eyes, placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face to look at him.
"Don't ever say it," he told her. "We all have things to do here. I need you to do what you have been doing, take care of your friends, find other people. Me and Danny, we need to stay here and put our skills to good use. We have to find Chin, Kono, Kamekona, Max, Charlie. What if they need us to rescue them? What if they need saving?"
"Promise when you find them all you'll come get me," Grace demanded, looking him in the eye.
"I promise," Steve said firmly.
"And look after Danno, don't let anything happen to you both," Grace said, clinging to him, face buried into his chest.
"I promise," Steve said again. "Promise me you'll do whatever it takes to survive this Grace, whatever happens."
"I will dad," Grace promised in return.
"Commander, we have to leave now." And urgent voice broke them apart.
Grace gazed through the window as the plane took off, watching until Danny and Steve became dots on the ground.
'It's been five months since the first attacks. Oahu was the second of the islands to be taken, but Moloka'i has evaded enemy takeover. Those of us who survived the attacks and evaded capture have been doing everything in our power to fight back. It's all we can do. We hear of groups all over the islands resisting the takeover, a day will come when they will fall. It's only a matter of time. Until then, we'll do everything we can to make life here difficult for them, they will never be victorious. Not whilst hope survives and we are free. '