Notes: Thank you to Mari and Sammy for your insights and your friendship – particularly through the ups and downs of the last month or so.

Thank you, readers and REAL McRollers, for your unwavering support. I apologize again for being so far behind in my review responses, but please know I do absolutely treasure every word of support.

Hope you enjoy!

Resolutions (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

Steve entered the break room and set his coffee mug in the sink. Danny was at the table with a piece of paper in front of him, twirling a pen thoughtfully.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked.

"Oh, uh . . . Grace has an assignment. She's supposed to take a friend or family member's New Year's resolution and research suggestions on how they can keep it. I'm trying to think of a good resolution."

Steve folded his arms. "All right, I'll help you."

"Uh . . . no, thank you. I'll pass on that offer."

"Why?"

"I don't need to hear any of your ideas on how I can improve as a person."

"Come on, it's for Gracie. Let me help. What have you come up with so far?" Steve asked, leaning against the counter and motioning to the paper in front of his partner.

Danny sighed and set his pen down on the table. Picking up the paper, he took a deep breath and said, "Nothing."

Steve's brow furrowed. "What do you mean 'nothing'?"

"I mean I've got nothing. None of the usual resolutions really apply. I don't need to lose weight. I don't need to get organized. I don't smoke so I don't need to quit."

"Hey guys, what are you talking about?" Kono asked as she entered the room followed by Catherine.

"New Year's resolutions," Steve said.

"Oh, did you make one?" Kono asked, grabbing an orange from a basket of fruit on the counter and starting to peel it.

Steve shook his head. "I don't make New Year's resolutions," he said.

Danny scoffed. "Oh, right, 'cause you're perfect. I forgot."

Catherine chuckled, opening the fridge door and removing one of her water bottles.

"I'm not saying I'm perfect," Steve said as Chin came in the room. "I'm not perfect. I just think if there's something you want to change or learn, you don't need to wait for a certain date. You just do it."

Catherine nodded her agreement as she took a drink.

"Who's perfect?" Chin asked.

"No one's perfect," Steve said.

"We're talking about New Year's resolutions," Catherine told Chin.

"You know, I was reading an article about resolutions the other day," he said. "There's a bunch of them published this time of year. Something like 45% of Americans make some kind of resolution each New Year's."

"Yeah, but how many actually keep them?" Kono asked before eating a section of her orange.

"Well, that's where it gets more complicated. The percentage of those able to keep their resolutions drops off as the year goes by. And the number of people who actually say they're successful is pretty low. But there's still some evidence that suggests having a goal is better than not having one."

Kono gave a little shrug as she nodded. "That makes sense."

"But I'm with Steve. I don't think you have to wait for New Year's. At the risk of sounding like Oprah," Chin continued with a chuckle. "I think you do the best you can with the things you know, and when you know better . . . do better."

Steve pointed at him, nodding his agreement.

Catherine smiled. "That's kind of like what Grandma Ang says: Just live a good life and change what you think you need to."

Kono nodded. "I like that."

"Grandma Ang usually does say it best," Steve agreed.

"Well, that's all well and good," Danny said. "But none of this helps with Grace's assignment." He waved the paper back and forth.

"Grace?" Catherine asked.

"Why didn't you say?" Chin continued.

"Yeah, what do you need?" Kono asked, sitting down.

Danny smiled as the team converged on the table as swiftly as they did with any case at the simple mention of his daughter's name.

That night, Catherine was straightening the dining room when she came across the Happy 2015 hat Cammie had worn for her New Year's Eve picture courtesy of Esther.

Steve came through the back door with Cammie just as Catherine picked up the hat.

Catherine smiled when the dog gave a soft woof.

"I know it's yours," she said and put the hat on the table. She looked at Steve. "Hey, what did Danny end up going with . . . resolution-wise? He had it narrowed down to three when I left for court."

"Uh, he went with your idea: volunteering more."

"Oh, good. I think Grace will come up with some really good suggestions for him. And I bet most of them will be things they can do together. I mean, Danny's always set such a good example for Grace in terms of generosity and thoughtfulness."

"Yeah," Steve agreed with a soft smile.

Catherine bent and rubbed Cammie's head.

"What about you, Cammie?" she asked. "Any New Year's resolutions for you?"

She smiled when Cammie gave her a cheek a puppy kiss.

"No? Good. 'Cause I wouldn't change anything about you, pretty girl."

She kissed the top of Cammie's head and straightened to see Steve smiling at her.

"That goes for you, too, Commander," she said.

"Oh yeah? What about that chuckle in the breakroom?"

Her eyebrows knitted. "Huh?"

"When Danny was joking around about being perfect."

"Well, you said yourself, no one's perfect. Besides, 'perfect' is a pretty relative term. Everyone has their own idea on what that would look like." She shifted to face him more fully. "I don't want perfect. The things about you . . . your traits, your habits . . . they make you you. They make you the man I love. I mean, if there's something you wanted to change about yourself, I'd support you. But you definitely don't have to change anything for me." She tilted her head, smiling at him. "And I think you already know that."

He smiled. "I do know that. Doesn't mean it's not nice to hear." He shook his head. "But I was just teasing you, I wasn't really out for compliments."

"I know that. You're the most confident man I know." She smiled. "Doesn't mean it's not important to say."

He nodded. "And just for the record, you know there's not a damn thing I'd change about you, right?"

"I know," she said with a smile.

He stepped closer and slipped his arms around her waist. "Except for . . ."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "For . . .?"

"Maybe your current state of dress," he said as his hands slid under the back of her t-shirt.

She smiled, bringing her arms around his neck.

"Now there's a resolution I can happily make."

His grin matched hers as he bent to kiss her deeply.

Hope you enjoyed!

Note: Special thanks to Sammy and Mari for letting me use your adages for Chin and Grandma Ang in this story.

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