Merry Christmas everyone! Just a quick note before you begin. If you have read my stories in the past you know that I try to stay on track with the original characters but also add knew ones. In this case of Danny's family, if I have misrepresented a family member's age, marital status, etc., then I apologize, but I tried to stay true to character as possible. So with that said…thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 1
Steve folded down his laptop as the flight attendant stopped in front of his row. He nudged Danny with his elbow who was engrossed in a movie next to him, letting him know of her arrival.
They'd left Oahu early that morning, landing in LA first and then boarded their next flight to New Jersey. Danny was headed home on a much needed vacation and to spend Christmas with the William's clan.
Steve still wasn't sure at what precise moment that he had agreed to come with him, but the next thing he knew they were on a flight heading east.
Once airborne, he now felt the excitement of a real vacation, never having been to New York, let alone Jersey, which Danny assured him was a better place. He was looking forward to seeing all the places that he'd read about and seen pictures of. For once in his life he was going to play tourist instead of living amongst them.
"Do you have Longboard?" Steve asked the flight attendant as she set a napkin and a small bag of pretzels down on the tray table in front of him.
Danny huffed, "We're flying somewhere over Colorado headed in the opposite direction of a Longboard," he reminded him as she reached across Steve and set the same items on his tray table. "Get off the island and try something different."
Steve sighed and looked up at her again, ignoring the suggestion. "Do you have Longboard?"
She smiled, reaching inside the cart she was pushing and brought out a Longboard, displaying it as if it were a bottle of fine wine. "Yes sir we do."
Steve smiled back, looking at her nametag. "Thank you very much, Teresa. I'll have that."
"Would you like a glass?" She popped the top off for him, setting it down on the tray.
"No thank you."
"And for you, Sir?" she asked Danny.
Steve looked over at him, "Mai Tai?"
"Shut up. I'll take a Heineken, please."
"Could you put an umbrella in that?" Steve asked, chucking over his joke as he took a drink of his beer. He glanced up at Teresa who was doing her best not to smile over it as well.
"You gentlemen are from Hawaii I take it?" Teresa asked, opening Danny's beer.
"Yes, ma'am," Steve replied. "Have you ever been?"
"Yes, quite a few times. I love it there."
"Everyone does," Danny moaned, taking the beer from her.
"You'll have to excuse my partner," Steve said, using a gangster tone. "He's a Jersey boy,"
Teresa couldn't help but laugh over the wording "I love the east coast as well. I saw on the manifest that we had two off duty police officers traveling with us today."
Danny raised his right hand, "Guilty."
"Well it just so happens that today is off duty officer day. Free beers to all who apply."
"Thank you Teresa," Steve smiled up at her. "If you are ever in Honolulu again, I know a couple of nice places that have free off duty flight attendant drinks too."
She bit her bottom lip. "I'll have to keep that in mind officer." She smiled at him once more before moving on.
"Please do," he replied, glancing around the back of his chair as she made her way down the isle. He sat back with a pleased grin, noticing the stare coming from the seat next to him. He glanced over at Danny, "What?"
He shook his head at him.
"What?" he repeated, looking over his shoulder at her again. "You don't think that was worth the attempt?" He didn't care what Danny thought; Teresa was pretty, there was no argument in that. "You want me to see if she has a flight attendant friend for you?" he teased him.
Danny laughed over that. "Is that what this trip is going to be about, you hitting on everything that moves."
"I don't hit on everything that moves," Steve replied annoyingly. "Is that what this vacation is going to be about, you nagging me every five seconds like home, because if it is, I'm heading back to Longboard land as soon as we touch down."
Danny braced his feet on the floor and pushed himself back into the seat, letting out a low moan as he rubbed his hands up and down his thighs. "Sorry, I'm just a little nervous about this trip."
Steve reached over and slapped him a couple of times on the knee, "Relax Buddy, it's going to be fine. Reunions are only scary the first five minutes, after that its like going back in time and jumping in where you left off years before. You should focus on the fact that you're going home for Christmas. That's what this trip is about isn't it?"
"I guess."
"Besides, this girl you're so anxious about seeing might have changed over the years, who knows, you might be getting all nervous and tense over someone that's grown hair out of her ears and didn't age as gracefully as yourself."
Danny chuckled, "I doubt that. She was stunning back in high school and I'm pretty sure she's held up. I saw a picture a couple of years ago, believe me, she's held up. She's still has long blond hair and a fantastic body."
"Well, there you go," Steve couldn't help but tease him some more, "I guess you should be scared shitless then."
Danny looked over at him with a scowl, "Shut…up!"
Steve took another drink of his beer. "Unlike you, I'm really looking forward to this trip. How cold do you think it will be when we land?"
Danny shrugged, "I don't know, twenty-five, maybe thirty degrees. I talked to my Dad yesterday and he said it was snowing. They already have about two feet on the ground, AND," he glanced over at him, "I am really looking forward to this trip. It's been four years since I've been home for Christmas. That's the reason I'm going," he pointed out adamantly.
"Ok, but I'm pretty sure you purchased that ticket five seconds after you heard she was hoping to seeing you at your parent's Christmas party this year."
Danny couldn't conceal the smile over the truth in that statement. "Yeah, yeah, alright, I'll give you that. But I am looking forward to a nice old fashioned William's Christmas." He sighed heavily, feeling the absence of his daughter. "Gracie should be here too."
Steve sighed as well, feeling that vacancy almost as much as Danny was. "That was kind of a raw deal."
"Don't even get me started," he replied with a low growl. "Rachel could have stepped in and forced a hand on that, but she didn't. I don't care if they had this trip to Japan planned for over a year, how often do I get home for the holidays? Gracie should be sitting next to us."
Steve didn't argue this subject, agreeing with him to an extent, but he could also see Rachel's point of view that it was her year to have Gracie and if Danny wanted to have a Jersey Christmas with her, then he should have made it happen in the previous years. But he wasn't about to bring that up. It was none of his business and if he had to choose a side, it was Danny's of course. But in the end, they were both missing the presence of Gracie.
"Next year," Steve replied.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Hey," Steve said, tapping his bottle of beer against Danny's, "we've got three weeks off and are wayyyy out reach of dispatch. Let's enjoy the freedom while we got it."
Danny grinned, "Merry Christmas," he replied happily as they both drank to that toast.
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Steve leaned over, looking out the windshield of Danny's Mom's SUV so he could get a full view of the Empire State building as they passed downtown on the nearby freeway. "I can't believe how tall that it is."
"We should stop and take you up to the top," Clara suggested.
"No!" Danny chimed in from the backseat, allowing Steve to ride shotgun so he could view the city better. "It's freezing out there, plus the wait is like an hour long if not more."
"You've been there several times," she scolded him, "Steven never has. That's why he came here." She glanced over at him. "It's beautiful up there this time of year with all the Christmas lights everywhere."
"Fine," Danny caved, "You two go and have a fabulous New York minute and I'll take a cab home."
"Never mind, Clara," Steve said. "I've got three weeks, plenty of time to see it." He looked over his shoulder at Danny. "Alone!"
"Speaking of that," she said, looking over at Steve and then at her son in the back seat, "how in the world did both of you manage a three week trip away from work at the same time, and during Christmas?"
Steve shifted his body, smiling at Danny in the back, getting the same victorious grin in return.
"Because you raised a smart kid, Mom."
"Brilliants more like it," Steve agreed.
They both laughed.
"What did you do, Daniel Williams?"
"Nothing! I just reminded them that neither one of us had taken any vacation time in the past two years and that we were getting close to being maxed out. So they should either pay it out in cash or allow us to take some of it. And since no government agency likes parting with cash, we got three weeks vacation granted."
Steve raised his hand over the back of the seat as Danny reached up and bumped fists with him. "Smart kid you raised there, Clara" he smiled over at Danny's mom.
"Handsome too," she added, smiling at him in the rearview mirror.
"Thank you, Mommy," he replied happily. "It's good to be home."
"I'm so happy you're here," she said, glancing over at Steve as she reached over gently patting his leg. "We're glad you are here too."
"Thank you, Mommy," he replied, imitating Danny's childlike voice.
"Settle down up there," Danny scolded him. "It's Clara to you. I'll share my vacation but that's as far as it goes. I'm greedy when it comes to my Mom. She spoils us kids rotten and we're too old for another sibling."
"Speak for yourself," she replied to Danny and winked over at Steve. "I always wanted five kids. It's never too late."
Steve smiled and looked around the corner of his seat at Danny, grinning even wider. "Hey Bro."
"Shut up," Danny chuckled.
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Thirty minutes later they pulled into the driveway of Danny's parent's home.
Steve looked out the windshield at the two-story brick house that had a blanket of snow on the roof and fresh powder that was piled up in the flower baskets beneath the second story windows. A cloud of grey smoke that was coming out of the chimney topped off the iconic image of the all-American home. He opened the car door and was hit by a cool, crisp chill that made him shiver as he zipped up his red parka jacket.
Danny was already out walking to the back of the SUV to retrieve their luggage. "Hey," he said to Steve, glancing around the back of the car at him as he stared up at the structure. "If you're going to be a part of this family, then the hospitality ceases to exist. Come get your suitcase."
The driveway was cleared of snow and the recent layer of salt crunched beneath their feet.
Steve walked backward a couple of steps before turning and meeting him around the back.
"Is this the house you grew up in?" he asked, pulling out his suitcase and setting it on the ground and then reaching in for the carry on.
"Yes, why?"
Steve grinned, "I like it. It reminds me of something Norman Rockwell would paint. Do you put up Christmas lights?"
"Every year." Danny smiled proudly over Steve's admiration of the place he called home. "Matty, me and my Dad were in charge of the outside and my mom and sisters were in charge of the inside and decorating the tree."
"Do you buy one off a lot or cut one down?" he asked curiously, never having been a part of a real traditional Christmas before.
Danny scoffed, repeating that question. "Buy one off a lot?! That's taboo in this part of the country. We make fun of people who buy one off a lot. My mom makes a big batch of hot chocolate and we all go together over to Regis Farms and the girls hunt down the best one while the guys warm up with some spiked hot chocolate and then cut it down."
Steve picked up his carry on and pulled out the handle of his larger suitcase, following Danny toward the house. "You go as a family?"
"Yes. It used to be just the six of us…when Matty was alive." He felt that all too familiar pain over that loss. Even though it had been five years, his brother's absence at family events was still the hardest part of it. "With my sister's getting married their husbands now come and of course the kids."
Steve understood all too well their loss over hearing Matt's name. Not only had he lived through the loss of both of his parents but unfortunately he'd also had a front row seat at Danny's brother's death. He knew he was welcome there for Christmas but wasn't sure how far that hospitality went when it came to traditional family events. "You must be looking forward to going and cutting one down?"
"It is pretty fun. We have some good laughs."
"Do you think they'd mind if I came along? I've never done that before."
Danny stopped and turned to him, a little taken back by not only the question, but also the eagerness in which it was asked, as if he were holding his breath for a 'yes'.
"Of course you can go. You can even cut it down if you want."
Steve's enthusiasm grew over that. "Seriously?! You don't think your Dad or brother-in-laws would mind?"
Danny almost laughed over that question. Doing the actual cutting down of the tree was a chore none of them wanted and it was decided by a quick game of drawing the shortest straw. He was pretty sure that if Steve wanted to do the honors that none of them would stand in his way.
"I'm pretty sure they would be ok with that."
Steve smiled brightly, "That would be awesome!" He continued to follow him up to the house with a wide grin, anticipating that day.
Danny chuckled over his eagerness; pretty sure his dad and brother in laws, Pete and Stan, were going to be just as thrilled over his enthusiasm.
"Danny!"
They both looked up, seeing his sister Kelly come running out of the house through the garage toward them.
She made her way down the driveway careful not to slip on any ice that had built up since the neighbor boy had shoveled the new snow off the day before. She waved and cheered his name one more time before jumping into his open arms.
"I'm so excited that you're here! This is going to be the best Christmas!" She squeezed him tightly as she received the same.
"How's my favorite little sister?" he said happily, bending backwards, lifting her off the ground as she squealed with laughter.
Steve smiled at the display, not used to seeing Danny so playful.
"Steve, this is my spunky little sister Kelly." He set her down and motioned to him, "Kelly, this is my partner, Steve."
"Hi Kelly, it's nice to meet you. I thought you'd be walking on water the way your brother brags about you."
She chuckled over that, giving Danny a playful slap in the arm. She forwent Steve's out stretched hand and reached up and gave him a hug, something he wasn't expecting. "Hi, Steve, welcome to Jersey. Merry Christmas."
Two young boys appeared from around the side of the house, dressed for playing outside in the snow.
"Uncle Danny!" they both shouted.
"Wow!" Danny said taking a step back as they came running toward him. "Look how big you two have gotten!"
Carter, the oldest of the two who was ten stopped just before him, but Benjamin who was six didn't and slammed in to his body. "Hi Uncle Danny," he said happily, hugging him.
"How you doing buddy," he said to the young boy, hugging him back. He glanced over at Carter holding his arm out. "What? Got too big to give you're old Uncle a hug after he traveled five thousand miles to see you? Get over here?" he said in a gangster voice.
Carter smiled and rolled his eyes, going to him and putting his arms around Danny's chest.
"That's more like it." He put a hand on each one of the boy's heads and turned them toward Steve. "Guys, this is Steve."
Steve put his hand out to Carter first, "Hey Carter, nice to meet ya."
"Hi," he replied, accepting the gesture. "Are you Uncle Danny's police partner?"
"Yep."
"Cool."
Steve turned to Benjamin next, "Hi Benjamin."
"Hi," he responded accepting the handshake. "Are you spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa's too?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Santa comes to Grandma and Grandpa's even though no kids live here." He said it matter of factly, as if that news was a vital piece of information that he felt Steve needed to know.
"He does?" Steve replied with a sigh, wiping his hand across his forehead, "Whew, I'm so glad to hear that. I was afraid he wouldn't find me since I wasn't home. Thank you Benjamin for letting me know that."
He looked up at the others proud of himself and then back at Steve, "You're welcome. We're making a snow fort," he blurted out. "Do you and Uncle Danny want to come and play?"
Danny put a hand on his head, "We will in a little bit buddy. You guys go ahead. We want to say hi to everyone first, ok?"
"Ok," he replied as a six year old would. They both turned and ran toward the side of the house again.
"Danny!"
They heard another shout as his other sister Bridgette came down the driveway, mirroring her sister's action of not slipping on any ice. "Oh my God!" she screamed, and then stopped right in front of him, punching him in the arm.
"Ouch!"
"You little shit, look at how fricking tan you are! I hate you," she grinned, giving him a hug.
He hugged her back, "You know hitting a cop is a federal offense. I have the authority to defend myself."
She let go of him and stepped back, raising an eyebrow. "You want to go little brother." She playfully shoved him. "I can still whip your butt."
"Nah," he shook his head and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "That could be humiliating in front of Steve."
"For her or for YOU?" Steve chimed in.
Bridgette and Kelly both laughed.
"I like him," Bridgette said going toward him. "You are welcome here anytime."
Danny raised his hands in defeat, rolling his eyes, "Bridgette this is Steve. Steve this is my big sister Bridgette, who terrorized me as a child and who I admit, that I'm still a little frightened of." He focused on his sister, "Bridgette, Steve terrorizes me on a regular basis so I'm sure you two will get along just fine."
"Nice to meet you, Bridgette." He greeted her with another extended hand but as with Kelly, it was declined as she hugged him.
"No one shakes hands in the Williams family, Steve, except when you make a bet."
They each grabbed a handle of one of Danny's suitcases and began pulling them up the driveway cupping their other hand around his arm, walking with him in the middle. The resemblance between them was uncanny. Steve could easily see the similarity in the three of them as they walked and chatted. Bridgette was the tallest, but only by an inch while Kelly was shorter than both of them by at least three inches. They all had the same blond hair but Danny's was slightly lighter due to his island life in the sun, but it was their facial features and the way they moved that was the most similar. They were brothers and sisters; no one could argue that.
Kelly looked over her shoulder at him, "Come on, Steve. Don't be shy. You better learn to keep up in the next couple of weeks or A, you will get left behind, and B, you will starve at dinner time."
Danny looked back at him and grinned. "Come on, Partner. She's right about both A and B. This is your home for the next three weeks. Treat it that way."
He followed them up the driveway. "I'm coming." He glanced up at the two-story house once again but this time he didn't see just a nice structure, he saw a home, pleased that he had come along on the trip.
Eddie, Danny's father greeted them as they came inside the garage. He hugged his son tightly and then stretched his hand out to Steve; shaking his firmly while his other arm went over his shoulder, "Welcome home boys!"