Sammy & Ilna - A toast to another fabulous marathon! Love you both!

REALMcRollers & Readers - thank you all for the love and wonderful feedback, always. And especially for the marathon. Angie says thank you :)

Absolutely Ahead

Dr. Violet rested her stethoscope around her neck and stepped back.

"Okay Catherine, face her away from me." While the baby was looking at the panda poster on the exam room wall, the doctor called, "Angie!" and smiled when the little one's head whipped around immediately at the sound of her name. "Perfect. Babies should recognize their names and respond at twelve months and she's right on target. Angie's actually a little ahead in several areas."

Catherine smiled at how Steve's eyes glinted with pride.

"And she's eating and sleeping well?" the doctor asked as she administered a varicella vaccine.

"Ahhhh!" Angie startled and looked at Steve with a quivering lip as her mother nodded yes to the question.

"It's okay, you're okay, we've got you," he soothed, placing one hand on the back of her head as Catherine kissed her cheek. "That's the last one, baby girl."

"Daddy's right," Dr. Violet assured her and handed her a small, soft cookie as a reward. "All done." She looked at the attentive parents who were murmuring to their daughter, telling her what a brave girl she was and smiled. "I'll write you a script for next stage vitamins and leave it at the desk." She finger waved at the baby. "Bye, bye, Angie, see you soon. Keep up the good work. All three of you."

"Babababa ahhh!" Angie responded with a wave and the doctor slipped out of the exam room just as Steve's phone buzzed a call.

Seconds later the family was back in the waiting room and as Catherine settled with the receptionist, Steve ended the call with, "Come get me, I'll be outside."

Later that afternoon, the partners were headed back to the beach house since Steve and Catherine had taken Angie to the doctor's office in the truck.

An escalating hostage situation had ended - unfortunately with several casualties - and they were parked in the driveway when Catherine, Angie and Cammie exited the house.

"Hey, Uncle Danno!" Catherine announced, encouraging Angie to wave. "Say thank you for dropping Daddy off."

"Hi, gorgeous!" Danny reached for the baby and gave her a tickle. "You are very welcome. I don't know if it counts as dropping off when your control-freak father always drives, but I get to see you, so Uncle Danno's happy." He turned to Catherine with a grin as Steve took the baby. "So," he asked, "I hear someone aced their one year checkup?"

Catherine nodded as Angie played with her daddy's shirt collar. "She did."

Steve leaned down to kiss Catherine hello. "She's okay after the shots?" He remembered all too vividly the episode after Angie's first vaccines.

"So far, so good. Not cranky and she ate all her dinner."

"Woof!" Cammie danced happily as Danny fussed over her.

"Well, except what she shared with you, right, pretty girl?" Catherine amended.

"Did she take any steps for the doctor?" Danny asked.

"Six!" Steve and Catherine said together.

"Attagirl!" Danny said, smiling broadly. "She's ahead on some of the milestones, right? Grace was always ahead on a few."

"Definitely," Steve confirmed. "She's eating great and can use the sippy cup; she points when she wants to show us something; and she knows people by their names even if she can't say them all. She's absolutely ahead."

"She said the most important one first." Danny smirked and pointed to himself. "What's my name, sweetheart?"

"Daaa noo!"

"Ha! Perfect! That's my girl."

Steve rolled is eyes and continued, "She's got excellent fine motor skills, too. The doctor said she's weeks ahead there." He looked ready to burst as he kissed their daughter's cheek and Catherine placed a hand on his bicep while they shared a grin.

"What about her social skills?" Danny prompted, unable to control the chuckle that escaped. "Because she's already got you beat in that department."

"She's ahead there, too, funny man," Steve huffed, but couldn't hide his own grin. "Doctor Violet said most one-year-olds enjoy playing games with other people, like peekaboo and pat-a-cake. Angie started doing that at ten months. And she imitates stuff. Like whan Cath is brushing her hair, she copies the movement on her own head."

"Clearly your genes kicking in," Danny teased Catherine. "Because … yeah." He waved at his partner. Checking his watch, he kissed Angie goodbye and said, "I gotta go pick Grace up at Linda's. You keep taking after your mommy, okay, beautiful?"

"Ahh Mama!"

"She gets half of her amazing traits from Steve, you know." Catherine smiled at the teasing.

"Exactly." Danny glanced at his best friend and shook his head. Steve had many, many qualities that Angie was exhibiting; curiosity, bravery and confidence among them, but his relationship with the man he considered his brother, who he couldn't help but tease dictated one item he couldn't resist pointing out.

Remembering the exuberance and joy his goddaughter exhibited on her birthday, he smiled, waved a hand and faced his partner. "Her social skills may be all Rollins, but that was definitely one hundred percent McGarrett attacking that cupcake."

# End. Thanks for reading!

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