Danny crept quietly into Grace's room. The only light came from the small window facing the ocean. Danny opened the window and walked over to the bed. Grace was fast asleep with a book open laying partially under her head.
"Anne of Green Gables," Danny read quietly. She must be trying to get a head start on her reading for school, Danny thought. Then Danny just stood for a moment, watching his little girl, her small frame moving up and down rhythmically as she slept. He knew that he had never seen true beauty until this little girl had come into his life, and then he remembered that it was about to have it come into his life again. Danny pulled the book gently from beneath Grace's head and kissed her.
Danny lay down next to Rachel. Her chest moving up and down in a similar manner to the way his daughters had been. Suddenly Danny saw movement inside Rachel's belly. The baby was getting so big so fast, had Grace grown that fast? Danny found he could hardly remember, it seemed so long ago and yet, like it was only yesterday. Soon she would be a teenager and never want to hang out with her dad anymore. Heck, she might even think he was uncool. Danny shuddered at the thought.
"Nah," he said, "she could never do that to me." The lack of confidence on his face seems to tell another story.
"Wow" said Danny as the baby's foot, or was it a hand, pressed against the side of Rachel's belly. A little too loudly apparently, as Rachel began to shift.
"What?" said Rachel, halfway between consciousness and dreaming, "is something the matter?"
"No no, it's just so crazy and I'm…" said Danny thoughtfully.
"What?" said Rachel, now aware that she would not be going back to sleep any time soon.
"Nervous," said Danny as Rachel leaned her head against his arm, "I'm just not sure if I remember how to do all this new dad stuff. What if I screw up?"
"Danny, Parenthood is all about making mistakes and becoming better for them. I wouldn't have had Grace with you in the first place if I didn't think you would rise to the occasion."
"Thanks Rach, good to know." Danny smirked
"Now do you think you can make it the rest of the night without waking me? I am sleeping for two right now and no one in this house is going to be very happy if I don't get my rest." Said Rachel tiredly and teasingly.
"Yes," said Danny, "go back to sleep. I love you." He said as he kissed her forehead and turned over, content with the answers she had provided for him.
"Love you too." Rachel said in a slower, more contemplative voice as she also smiled and laid back on her side.
For an evening at least, all was peaceful in the William's household.
5-0
"Danny brought baby pictures!" said Kono excitedly
"Ooo," Jenna said, "let me see!"
"Isn't the baby still, like, inside?" A confused Steve said
"Not a photograph Steve, picture from the ultrasound," Kono said in exasperation, "where have you been?"
"Well excuse me for not being in the baby loop!"
"Getting excited yet?" Chin asked, seeming completely oblivious to the shrieks of the women.
"I've been excited since I found out she was pregnant. Getting nervous is more like it."
"Ah, you'll be fine brah. You raised a great kid, I'm sure you can do it again."
"Thanks Chin," Danny said, giving Chin a pat on the back.
"Hey, why are you so calm and collected about all this baby stuff?" Asked Steve.
"I raised, like, 10 cousins before I was disowned by my family. Had I been uncomfortable I would have died." Chin smiled
"Right. I forgot all about the whole 'it takes a whole village' thing." Said Danny
"Hey, speaking of that, when are you guys having Rachel's baby shower? I mean the baby's almost here." Said Kono
"Oh, Rachel doesn't really want to have a baby shower, too much hassle and commotion."
"Wah?" exclaimed Kono and Jenna in unison
"You have to have a shower Danny!" Jenna said
"Especially now that you're in Hawaii!" said Kono rising from her chair to walk over to Danny.
"I know but it's just so much work and Rachel's really tired all the time and … it's just too much work"
"Oh my god Danny! Let Jenna and me throw the baby shower!" Kono said excitedly grabbing Danny's arm
"Uh, ok. Just make sure it's ok with Rachel I guess."
"Oh I'm sure it will be! Oh my goodness this is going to be so much fun! Jenna we need to start planning right away. We'll need a diaper cake and games. We can throw the shower in Steve's backyard."
"Hey! When did I get pulled into this?" Steve asked
"Hey yourself! You don't have to worry about anything. Jenna and I will take care of everything."
"Get ready for a room full of old Hawaiian ladies." Said Chin a huge grin on his face
"Well obviously," said Kono,"they have no other family here."
"So what's this case about?" said Steve swiftly ending the baby shower disscusion
"A little boy, 5 years old, he was found buried in the jungle about two weeks ago." Said Chin all traces of humor gone from his voice,"then yesterday another one. It's looking serial."
"I guess you'll have to check it out, Mr. Homicide detective." Said Steve
"Yeah, I guess so." Danny said
"You know, the timing of this is just too close for comfort." Said Jenna
"Yeah I know," said Danny," so let's finish it quick and keep this guy from doing it again." Danny said as he grabbed his keys and headed out to the parking lot."
