Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-0…
"Steve, I got a favor to ask." Danny knew that Steve probably wouldn't oppose the favor, especially since it had to do with Grace.
"What is it Danno?"
"Grace is sick and I need you to babysit her."
"What about you? Or Rachel?" asked Steve; fully knowing that Danny would rather stay with Grace.
"I got some stuff to do. And Rachel's out of town with Stan."
"Stuff?" Steve queried suspiciously.
"Can you just do this? Please?"
"Yeah, sure. What time do you want me to go get her?"
"Now, if possible. Thanks, Steve" Danny sounded surprisingly grateful and Steve couldn't help being curious about the 'business' Danny had.
"Hey, Gracie" Steve crouched in front of Danny's daughter. Grace tiredly rubbed her eyes with one hand.
"Where's Danno?" she asked softly.
"He's at work kiddo. I'm gonna take you home, okay?" Steve gently placed his hand on her forehead, frowning at the heat he felt. Grace nodded and Steve easily picked her up, carrying her to his car.
By the time Steve pulled up to his house, Grace was fast asleep. They had made a quick stop at Rachel's house and Steve had grabbed a pair of Grace's pajamas and a clean set of clothes. Steve got out of his car, quietly cradling a still sleeping Grace against his chest.
He set Grace down on the couch and gently woke her up.
"Gracie, c'mon" Steve handed her the pajamas, "you wanna change into these?"
Grace nodded and silently took the clothes.
"I'm gonna heat up some soup, okay?" Grace nodded again and Steve's concern ratcheted up another notch. Normally Grace was a chatterbox, always talking about Danno, or school, or her friends. For Danny's daughter to be so abnormally quiet, Steve knew it was bad.
He heated up a can of slightly expired (only by a month) chicken noodle soup while Grace changed.
Steve brought the steaming bowl to Grace who gave him a tiny smile.
He sat next to Grace, idly turning on the TV, surfing through channels to find one that Grace liked. Just as Steve had settled on some channel that Grace had decided she liked, his phone rang.
"Hey Catherine" he sighed.
"Steve, I thought we were supposed to, you know, meet for lunch?" At least Catherine didn't sound too upset.
"Yeah I- I'm sorry. Danny's daughter's sick, so I'm kinda on babysitting duty." Steve ran a hand through his hair.
"You're kidding me? Commander Steve McGarrett, babysitting?" Steve could hear Catherine trying to stifle giggles over the phone and he smiled.
"So…you think I could take a rain-check?"
"Yeah, you know what? I'll just come over now."
"Are you sure? Not afraid of catching a cold?" Steve asked as Grace sneezed in the background.
"I'll take my chances. See you soon" Catherine laughed as she hung up.
"Hey, Grace?" Grace looked up at Steve.
"I've got a friend coming over soon. Uh, she's really nice…" Steve trailed off awkwardly. After a moment Grace smiled and held out her now empty bowl.
"You want some more, kiddo?" Steve asked, grinning as he noted Grace's enthusiastic grin.
Both Steve and Grace were curled up on the couch, watching some old TV show when there was a knock on the door.
Steve hurried to open it, revealing a smiling Catherine holding a plastic grocery bag.
"Hey" he smiled and hugged her. Catherine's reply was muffled in his shoulder.
"What's in there?" Steve gestured to the plastic bag she was holding.
"Just some stuff I thought you might need" Catherine handed over the bag. Steve poked through its contents; revealing a very fluffy teddy bear, at least five cans of chicken noodle soup, a large box of saltine crackers and a few cans of ginger ale.
"My mom used to feed me soup and ginger ale whenever I was sick, so…"
"And the teddy bear?" Steve asked.
"Oh, that's for Danny's daughter. Speaking of her, where is she?"
"On the couch" Steve trailed after Catherine who approached Grace. Grace eyed the woman with curiosity, her eyes immediately focusing on the teddy bear Catherine was carrying.
"Hey, I'm Catherine."
"Grace" Grace all but whispered.
"Well Grace, I got you a present" Catherine handed her the teddy bear, and watched as Grace's face lit up with delight.
"Thank you" she whispered.
"You're welcome" Catherine smiled.
"She's so sweet" Catherine murmured, a few hours later. She was curled up next to Steve on one end of the couch, while Grace slept on the other.
"Yeah, much different than her father. The apple really did fall far from the tree." Steve rolled his eyes as Catherine playfully swatted his arm.
"You're really good with kids."
Steve huffed and shook his head.
"No, I mean it" she insisted, "Grace really likes you."
Steve hugged Catherine close to him, smiling into her hair.
Danny came by Steve's place at around six. He was in the process of carrying a sleepy Grace out of Steve's house, when Grace stopped him.
"Wait Danno" she said as she scrambled to get down.
She ran back to Catherine and hugged the woman.
"Thank you" she murmured.
Fin.
As promised, another Hawaii Five-0 fanfic! Hope you enjoyed this!