Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing. It makes writing the stories worth it. Just another piece of fluff following on Scars. As always all mistakes are of my own making.
Don't own anything or anyone to do with the TV series. Just playing around with them for a bit.
* H 5 O – H 5 O – H 5 O *
It was a normal school day and the kids were outside during break and running around and playing like they should. One corner of the play area however attracted some attention and a small group of kids were forming. "Scarface, scarface ! Don't you know Halloween has come and gone? When are you going to get rid of your costume? You're scaring the little kids! Frankenstein called, he's looking for his sister." The snide remarks from the boys kept coming and with every remark the girl shrunk more back into herself trying to move away but the group was growing and no one seemed to want to stop the boys, enjoying the teasing.
Out of the crowd Grace moves forward with as much guts and determination as a young girl her age can have and goes to stand next to Helen. Slowly taking her hand as not to scare the other girl she looks the boys straight in the eyes, displaying a mix between her Uncle Steve's thousand yard stare and her Danno's exasperated stare. Without saying anything to the boys as per Danno's instructions they make their way over to the playground monitor to tell them that the boys were being mean to Helen.
"Miss may you please come with us to the principal's office. Peter and Andrew's been teasing Helen again and we would like to report it."
"No Grace. I don't want to go the principal's office. The kids will tease me even more. Let's just go and sit under the tree till break is over. I'm used to being teased. They will grow tired of it after a while and then move on to someone new. I can stick it out till they're tired. Please let's just go. Let's just go and do something else. I'm going to have the scar operated on during spring break and when I come back they won't be able to tease me anymore because the scar will be gone. I can handle their teasing till then. Please!"
She's not a Williams for nothing. Learning how to fight the injustices of the world from her extended Ohana and in particular from her Danno who will not give up once he is onto something. Glad to hear that her friend will get help with the scar Grace is still smart enough to know that it's time that the boys are stopped.
" No Helen. Danno said that we have to report it. Their parents must be called and Peter and his friends must learn to understand that you can't tease other people. It's not right and you shouldn't have to wait till after the operation is done. We have the power to stop them from teasing you or anyone again. Miss Akanu will call their parents and talk to them. You can do this Helen, you have been doing this all on your own for so long but now it's time to teach those boys that there are consequences to their actions. Don't be scared. I will be right next to you. We are going to stand up for all the kids they've bullied so far."
Reaching the headmistress' office they enter and carefully and accurately relay the story of what just happened on the playground.
"Thank you so much girls for bringing this to our attention. The boys and their friends will be reprimanded and punished accordingly. I will contact their parents as soon as you return back to class. I will be calling your parents as well and explain the situation to them. I'm very sorry Helen that your time here with us hasn't been pleasant and I'm sure that makes you miss your friends back in Ohio even more but I promise that from today things will change. You have been so brave to try and handle all of this on your own but you don't need to. We are here to make your school career a fun and exciting experience so please come and speak to us any time if something bothers you. Grace is a good friend and if you guys stick together you'll enjoy school even more. You can go back to your class and enjoy the rest of the day." Giving each girl a gentle hug she turns them around and steers them in the direction of their class.
Walking back to class Grace carefully studies her friend not understanding why she's not excited about the operation and the opportunity to get rid of the scar that has been making her life so miserable for most of her life. Definitely something that she has to discuss with Danno and Uncle Steve. They might help her understand.
"Uncle Steve !" comes the excited shout from Grace as she spots her Uncle collecting her from school. She knew that Danno would be in court for most of the day and might not be able to collect her and that Steve would come in his place."
"Grace !" he shouts back with the same enthusiasm. He enjoys the alone time they get to spend together. Already thinking of where he can take her for an after school treat. "You want to go for some frozen yoghurt at Munchies?" There was nothing on this Island that didn't come in some form or shape of frozen and Grace was determined to cross them all off her list before she turned 18.
"Yes please. The one near the beach. I want to talk to you about something."
That last sentence gets Steve's guard up like he was on a SEAL mission and he immediately starts checking out the area for any danger or threats."
"Stand down Uncle Steve, it's nothing serious. I just need help understanding something."
Only relaxing slightly they make their way to get their treats and then take a short walk to sit on a favourite rock where many a conversation has been shared.
"Ok Grace. What can I help you with?" comes the question. Snuggling closer to Steve she starts to tell the tale about what happened on the playground this morning knowing that with Danny in court all day Steve would not know what happened.
"I don't understand why she's not happy about the operation Uncle Steve. Surely that will stop people from staring at her and making fun. It would make me happy to be able to get rid of it and I would not be able to wait till Spring break to get it done."
Knowing that he has to tread carefully Steve puts his cup of yoghurt down and turns so that he can look Grace in the eyes.
"Gracie I think that Helen's been carrying around both the external and internal scars around with her for so long that she can't remember what life was like before the accident. She was so young when it happened and she's grown so much as a person since then and being teased and made fun of was always part of her school life. I guess she felt that she had to hide it when she was sad and everything that happened to her at school because she didn't want to upset her parents. She might even have started to believe that she's ugly and not worth anything cos of all the teasing. There's whole new life waiting for her now after the op and it's scary and not going to be easy. There are things that she's going to be able to do now that she hasn't before and those might be things that we have taken for granted like playing on the beach without having to worry about the sun. By being there for her while she goes through all the new fun and exciting things she will see and realize that change is good. There will be days when she'll still be scared but then you just show her that life is fun and that you must enjoy it to the fullest. Helen's outside scar might heal after the operation but the inside scar from all the teasing and being made fun of might take longer to heal. You just have to be patient with her and remember that the inside scars also make us who we are. We take the pain from them and work through it and that forms us into the people that we become. It's never fun but if we have people around us who care and love us enough and show us that they love us no matter what then it becomes easier day by day. Once Helen's outside scar has healed after the op you must bring her round to the house and we can have a cook out on the beach to help her celebrate and show her that she has our Ohana looking out for her as well."
"I've seen Danno's scars from when he was shot and he's told me that while the outside scars heal the ones on the inside sometimes take a little longer but that they also heal eventually and that what you do with the scars is what makes you the person you are. That's why Danno is so strong and why he loves us all so much. I never really understood what he meant but after talking with you I now understand what he means. I also now understand Uncle Steve that all your inside scars made you the Uncle that you are. That you are using everything what you learned to keep us safe and to protect us from something like that happening to us. I don't like the fact that you and Danno have inside scars and I hope I never get any but I know that with our Ohana we can get through everything. I love you Uncle Steve." They both stand up and Grace moves in to give Steve one of her trademarks hugs.
"Your Danno is a wise man Grace and you will do well to listen him. Do you feel like a quick swim before Danno and the rest of the Ohana comes for a cook out?"
"Yes please ! Last one to the car has to bring the drinks down to the house!" Steve pretended he was racing but he knew how much Grace like to think that she won and he's ok with that. It's not hard bringing down a tray with some glasses on it and the joy on Grace's face more than makes up for it.