A/N: I don't own Hawaii Five-0 and this is my first Hawaii Five-0 story. So, in this universe I am slowly, but surely, crafting, there was someone else in the McGarrett house the day Victor Hesse shot John. Her name is Moana "Ana" Rose McGarrett. Ana is highly intelligent, highly perceptive, and highly adorable; how could she not be, seeing as who her father is. How can her mere existence change the course of history for the Five-0 team? Yes, this will be AU, quite obviously! R&R!
It had all started as a perfectly normal day for the McGarrett family. John McGarrett was in his kitchen, washing up after breakfast; his son Steve, a Navy SEAL, was away on a mission that involved capturing the terrorist duo that was the Hesse brothers; and Moana McGarrett, only eight years old, was upstairs getting ready to go to school. That was when the front door was forced open.
Moana heard the yelling, the sounds of a struggle, and John's worried voice calling out to the intruders to leave. When John's voice became slightly muffled, the little girl decided to take refuge in her closet. It was impossible to tell how long she had been in hiding, but Moana knew she was safer staying inside her closet than anywhere else at the moment. She heard the intruders talking, saying to call Steve. There came a brief sound of numbers being dialed on John's cell phone, and then Moana heard half of the conversation between the intruders and the McGarrett men.
In the middle of the conversation, she heard a thump. Then, the intruders kept asking each other what happened, why was Steve no longer on the phone, etcetera. The beeping of a phone was heard again, and Moana held her breath. Within two minutes, she heard it. A single gunshot went off, and she knew what had happened. Tears slipped down her face as she heard the intruders, men by the sounds of their voices, leave the house.
As soon as she heard the front door close again, a car drive off, and an overwhelming silence develop, Moana ran across the hall and into John's bedroom. As quickly, and shakily, as possible, she pressed the "Speaker Phone" button and dialed the same phone number the men had: Steve's. He answered quickly.
"Dad?", he asked hopefully.
"No, Daddy, it's me! The men who broke in shot Grandpa! He's dead, isn't he? Please come home, Daddy! I'm scared! What if they come back?", her voice was almost as shaky as her hands, and Steve felt his heart begin to break.
"Ana, oh God, what time is it there? Shouldn't you be at school?", he asked, and the child looked up at the clock on the nightstand.
"The clock says it's noon; school was closed today because a pipe burst in the main building. I don't want to be here without you, Daddy! I want you to come home instead! I want- Someone's here!", Moana answered through her streams of tears.
"Nai'a, it's probably the police. I want you to go with them, be careful, and do not look into the living room. I'll get home as soon as possible, and we'll be together again. I love you so much, baby girl, and I promise you I'll be home soon. Go to your room and pack everything you think you might need for the next few days, because we'll have to be out of the house for a while. I'm so sorry you had to be there when this happened, my little nai'a.", Steve told her softly, a plan already forming in his mind.
"Why did they have to shoot Grandpa, Daddy? Why?", the small girl cried, not noticing the blond man in the doorway holding a picture frame.
"I wish I had an answer for that, baby girl. I really wish I did. I'll see you when I get home in a few hours, but I really need to go if I'm going to get on the plane. I wish this had never happened, Ana, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure these men never hurt you or anyone else ever again.", and Steve's hardened SEAL heart finally and fully broke wide open as he heard his daughter's cries.
"Come home soon, Daddy! Please?", Moana hiccupped slightly as she spoke.
"I'll be home this afternoon, baby girl. I promise!", Steve told her gently.
"I love you, Daddy.", the eight year old said in barely a whisper.
"I love you too, my nai'a. A hui hou.", her father replied, speaking in the language native to their home.
"A hui hou, Daddy!", Moana repeated before ending her call, tears still cascading down her tanned face.
"You're John McGarrett's granddaughter, aren't you?", the blond man in the doorway asked at this time.
"Yes, Sir. Are you a police officer?", she asked, turning her wide, turquoise eyes on him.
"I am a police officer. I'm Detective Danny Williams. Is there anyone you can stay with until your dad gets here?", the blond asked, setting the picture frame in his hands down on the nearby dresser.
"Detective Williams, Daddy told me to pack up everything I'll for the time we'll have to be out of the house and to go with the police officers until his plane lands and he picks me up this afternoon. He's already on his way home.", Moana answered glumly.
"How did he already know something happened to your grandpa?", Danny asked, and the child tried to wipe her eyes as she spoke.
"The men who broke into the house called Daddy and had him on the phone when they shot Grandpa. The men broke in this morning, but it took hours before they called Daddy. I hid in my closet until I heard them leave, then I came in here and called Daddy. He needs to come home and stop trying to be Superman before I lose him too!", and a fresh wave of tears washed over the girl, and Danny sat down on the bed and pulled the crying girl into his arms.
"Hey, dry those tears, because it'll be alright. I'm sure your dad will come home for good real soon. How could he leave again knowing you're all alone? I have a daughter too, and I couldn't imagine leaving her if she was all alone! Then again, Grace is a bit of a troublemaker, so I might not want to leave her alone anyway, right?", Danny's remarks seemed to help Moana a little bit, as she giggled.
"Detective Williams, may I stay with you until Daddy gets home?", her timid voice asked in a mild whisper, and Danny knew he could not say no to the crying girl.
"Of course you can, sweetheart, as soon as you tell me your name.", he answered, and she let out a giggle.
"It's Moana, Moana Rose McGarrett. My name means 'Ocean' in Hawaiian. Most people call me 'Ana', and Daddy calls me his nai'a, which means dolphin. He says it's because I swim like a fish underwater, but I, in the span of a few minutes, have to repeatedly come up for air like a dolphin does.", Moana rattled everything off to Danny, and he smiled at the grin that appeared on the girl's face as she spoke of her beloved father.
"Okay then, Ana, let's go and pack your things.", and that's how Danny ended up placing two turquoise colored suitcases into the back seat of his car before driving Moana to the precinct.
During the drive, Danny found himself being educated on the ways of Hawaii by the eight year old beside him.
"You know, Detective Williams, no one on this island will take you seriously as long as you wear a tie. People only wear ties around here on formal occasions, if then.", little Ana stated as she observed what her, in her opinion, new friend was wearing.
"Really?", he asked, though he had heard this before from his partner Meka.
"Yes, really. Here, we're all pretty laid back. Only the private school kids really wear uniforms, and when we're not out and about for work or school, most of us just wear comfortable clothes. Even Daddy, when he's home on leave, wears cool clothes like cargo pants or shorts, flip flops, and t-shirts. I know this how you dressed when you were back in New Jersey; but I hate to break it to you, Toto, you're not in New Jersey anymore; it doesn't usually get too cold here.", if Danny had expected that out of an eight year old, he would have had to have been a psychic.
"How do you know so much about me?", he asked her, and Ana sighed faintly.
"Grandpa knew Governor Jameson. She was going to create a task force to handle major crimes, like serial killers and terror threats, on the island; she asked Grandpa for help, as he knew the police department pretty well and could help create a list of possible candidates for forming this task force. Grandpa made a few calls, got a hold of the records of a decent number of current and former officers, and he picked out two files that he thought had some chance of being a helpful member of the task force. One belonged to my adoptive uncle, Chin-Ho Kelley. The other file was yours, Detective.", Danny was floored.
"Really? What would I be doing on this task force, little lady?", he asked, and she grinned.
"Grandpa felt that the task force would need something a little extra to make it at least look more threatening than Honolulu PD, so he was planning on attempting to get Daddy to be a part of it also. You two were going to be partners and the team's co-leaders; Uncle Chin would be the third member of your team. Grandpa planned on letting you three choose any other members on your own as needed. This task force was also supposed to have complete immunity and unlimited resources, too! Before you ask, I learned to listen on the second handset upstairs whenever Grandpa was on the phone when I was five years old.", Danny was impressed with just how resourceful and eloquent the eight year old was, but he was amazed at the same time that he was supposed to be a foil to a Navy SEAL on a task force that dealt with things that were majorly above his paygrade.
"Now that sounds cool. Not only would I get to keep the island, and therefore my daughter, even safer, but you would also have your dad home with you!", Danny said, and Ana giggled at his slightly muted enthusiasm and attempts at making her pain decrease.
"I think that was Grandpa's plan for Daddy all along. Neither one of us liked Daddy being so far way for such a long time, nor is it a secret that Daddy hates not being at every milestone I have. Again, I eavesdrop on phone conversations, even though I shouldn't.", at least he could tell that the girl was honest.
"So what you're saying, going back to the original statement you made, is that if I want to be on that task force with your dad and adoptive uncle and get taken seriously by the criminals I arrest, I have to quit wearing ties to work? I'll think about it.", Danny told her, and Ana smiled.
At least he said he would think about it. Most people ignored her advice, no matter how sound it was. It was just a fact of eight year old life.
About two hours later, Danny sat at his desk with Ana; the two of them were looking at something on his computer, and Danny was growing frustrated. Ana, on the other hand, was barely controlling her laughter.
"You need to understand the language in order to live here, Detective Williams! These are just basic phrases from Lilo & Stitch!", she told him, and the blond detective shook his head.
"Spanish was never this difficult! Do you have to make this look so easy when we all know it isn't?", he responded, though he was grinning at her.
"Well, I've been on this island my entire eight years of life, and Daddy was born and raised here. Maybe we should slow down a little more, purely for your benefit. Have you ever actually watched Lilo & Stitch?", Ana asked, and Danny shook his head.
"Grace may have seen it with her mother, but I never even had the tiniest fleeting thought about Hawaii until I found out that moving here was the only way I'd get to see my daughter. I have no clue how your dad can go so long without seeing you, Ana.", he answered, neither one noticing Danny's partner and another detective approaching them.
"Williams, call just came in. There's someone on the McGarrett property, and we haven't released the scene.", the second detective told Danny before realizing Ana was there.
"That can't be good. Meka, watch her for me; this is Moana McGarrett, and she is to stay here until her father gets here or I get back.", Danny said as he turned to look at each person he spoke to before getting down on Ana's level. "Ana, I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Like I said, until your dad gets back, you can stay with me; but, I need to make sure no one is trying to get into your house and mess with any remaining evidence. Do you understand that?"
"I understand, Detective Williams. Would it be alright if I used your computer to look up some things that might help you while you're on the island?", Ana responded calmly, and Danny smiled at the little girl he had come to actually admire; she was so much like his Grace, in that she was intelligent and eager to help someone she saw to be in need; other little girls were not as considerate and compassionate as Moana McGarrett and Grace Williams, Danny thought.
"Go right ahead, Ana. Just be careful about what sites you click on.", and with that, Danny made his way out to his car, the two turquoise suitcases still in the back seat.
Steve McGarrett was in the garage of his childhood home, deciding he needed to get down to the bottom of whatever his dad had wanted him to know as soon as possible. His daughter was safe, for the time being, so he would definitely need to work at top speed. Normally, Steve would have waited until after the funeral to investigate; but he would be lacking in time once he had Moana with him.
Getting into the house, finding what his dad was trying to tell him to look for, and getting to wherever his daughter had been taken by the police was all he had been counting on. It was the blond man who entered the garage, while Steve was looking through the tool box with a "Champ" sticker that he had discovered, that he had not counted on encountering.
"Honolulu PD, put the tool box down.", Danny said calmly.
"This is-was my father's house. It's mine now, therefore, this is mine too.", Steve said just as calmly, and Danny's entire demeanor changed.
"I want to believe you. Show me some ID to prove it, Lt. Commander.", Danny said, and Steve huffed slightly before pulling out his ID.
"Are you happy now?", he asked, and Danny rolled his eyes.
"At this point, I'm satisfied at best. I had to move here from New Jersey just to get extremely limited visitation with my eight year old daughter. Sorry, forget about that. Ignore my attitude; I'm naturally sarcastic. No, that's good; I just didn't want to hand Ana over to anyone other than her father. In the picture I found of you with her, she was just a baby, and you've changed a bit since then. Can't let yourself be wrong when a child's safety may be at stake and everything.", Steve's demeanor changed the second Danny mentioned Ana.
"You've got my daughter?", he asked.
"I found her in the master bedroom while she was still on the phone with you. She's spent the last few hours trying to educate me on how to get the people around her to take me seriously. That's quite the girl you've got, McGarrett, so I'd try to keep her as close as possible for as long as you can. If I could have my daughter with me full time, I'd do it in a heartbeat.", Danny answered, unable to keep the smile off his face as thoughts of both his daughter and the little girl he had only met a few hours prior flitted through his mind.
"I don't think I have much of a choice now. I called my sister, and she doesn't plan on coming into town for the funeral; it's looking like the Reserves for me, after all.", Steve said, but then Danny cleared his throat.
"Look, I know you've had a really horrible day, but this is still my crime scene. You'll need to leave the tool box here, unless you have another way of taking over the case…", Danny left his statement open for interpretation, and Steve looked at him oddly.
"You know about Governor Jameson's task force, don't you?", Steve asked, and Danny just smirked.
"You don't know, do you? Your dad was essentially the recruiter for the task force; he wanted the team to be made up of you and me as co-leaders. I would balance you out with proper police procedural techniques, and you would be a bit, okay, a lot more of muscle than it is possible for me to be. Our third member was supposed to be Chin-Ho Kelly; Ana referred to him as 'Uncle Chin' if I recall correctly. In case you're confused, because I was at this point, Ana says she learned to use the handset not in use to listen in on your dad's phone conversations when she was five.", the blond detective gave an answer that the SEAL had not been anticipating, but it gave him an idea.
"Let me just make a quick call to the Governor, and we can do just that; well, we can do that if you want to. If you don't want to be on the task force, Chin and I can probably handle it ourselves.", Danny raised an eyebrow at Steve.
"There's no way I'm not going to be a part of this! Your dad apparently felt that you would need me to do this, and I've already told Ana I thought it was a cool idea. I don't think I have the heart to go back on my word with her.", now it was Steve's turn to raise an eyebrow as he dialed the number Governor Jameson had given him.
"I really hope you don't regret this and blame my daughter.", was the last thing the Hawaiian said to the New Jersian before his call was answered.
None of the detectives or officers in the vicinity of Danny's desk knew what was going on. One minute, the McGarrett girl was scanning through several online Hawaiian dictionaries; the next, her head had snapped up faster than lighting and her ears twitched like a rabbit's. She took off at a relatively leisurely pace, but it was clear she knew where she was going. Seemingly distracted by the little girl, the detectives and officers watched as she broke into a run as she entered the prescient's lobby.
"Daddy!", she called out, and the tall man, the one who they all realized had entered with the newly returned Danny, caught her and twirled her around in one fluid motion before clutching her to his chest.
"I told you I'd be here this afternoon, nai'a. Guess who we're having dinner with tonight? I think you'll be happy!", Steve said as he placed a kiss to the top of his daughter's head.
"Uncle Chin?", she responded, and Steve nodded.
"I called him on the way here. I have to tell him about his new job assignment, courtesy of the governor. Of course, Detective Williams will also be there. After talking with him, I can only hope that you've figured out what's going on by now.", he told her quietly, and Ana turned her gaze on Danny.
"You accepted the offer? Welcome to our ohana, Uncle Danny!", she cheered, and Danny felt the smile stretching across his face as the new title was thrust upon him; perhaps Ana and Grace would become friends, he mused to himself as he accepted the hug the little girl was now giving him after she had wriggled out of her father's arms.
That night, sitting in one of the various restaurants at the hotel Steve and Moana were staying at until the McGarrett house was cleared, the rather unlikely group of four sat at a table in the back. Dinner was over, for the most part, with Ana the only one still eating. While the eight year old munched happily on her coconut cake, the three men sipped on their mugs of coffee.
"Steve, dinner was nice, but why am I really here?", Chin asked as he set his mug down in front of him on the table.
"I should preface this whole thing by saying I asked Danny to look into why you weren't still on the Force. Did you take the money?", Steve replied in a whisper.
"No. Now what is all of this about?", Chin answered firmly.
"Why don't we let the resident spy tell you what's going on?", Danny said to Steve, who nodded in agreement, and the two men turned to Ana.
"What, me? Okay, Daddy, Uncle Danny. Governor Jameson wanted to start a task force to take on serial killers and terror threats to Hawaii; she called Grandpa about a month ago and asked him to use any and all of his old police contacts to create a group of possible candidates to serve of this task force. I would eaves drop on Grandpa's conversations with Governor Jameson whenever he used the house phone. He told her three names of people he thought could work together, balance each other out, and be effective in the way the task force should be. There was a fourth spot available, but Grandpa told Governor Jameson that his three picks, should they all accept, needed to pick the fourth person themselves. That way, everyone would be able to get along with his or her teammates. Uncle Chin, Grandpa picked you, Uncle Danny, and Daddy to form the Governor's task force.", Ana said after swallowing her last bite of coconut cake.
"I've already accepted, as has Danny. He's my partner and co-leader of the team. So, what do you say, Chin? I could use someone as good as you on my-our team.", one look from Ana and Danny combined made Steve correct himself with a laugh.
"Okay, I'm in. Now, how should we go about finding our fourth member?", the oldest of the three men finally said, and Ana was the first to come up with an answer.
"Maybe you should add a woman to the team? I think female victims of assaults and robberies might react better to a female officer.", she said with more intelligence than most eight year olds possessed.
"Now, who do I blame for the list of vocabulary words I doubt any average eight year old girl would know?", Danny asked with a small smile.
"Well, Uncle Danny, I'd say you'd have to blame Grandpa and Daddy both.", Ana giggled in reply, and the three men began chuckling along with her.
"On that note, as the bill has been taken care of, I think it's time we say goodnight.", Steve said as the laughter died down; that was what they did.
By Wednesday afternoon, two days later, John McGarrett's funeral had happened, the task force had begun to establish a headquarters at Aliʻiōlani Hale, and Steve had already gotten Danny shot once; he had also twisted Danny's arm behind his back, and Danny retaliated by punching Steve in the face. They had made up once they met up with Chin. It was early in the afternoon, so Ana was still at school; for that, Danny was grateful. He would have hated for the highly intelligent girl to have watched him go off on her father. Of course, Steve's next trick of getting Danny roped into wearing an oversized t-shirt and eating shave ice only angered the blond cop more.
"Is this was being your partner is going to get me, being both shot at and forced to wear ridiculous clothing?", he asked Steve in a whisper as Chin made his way over towards them from where he had been trying to get a name out of his former confidential informant, Kamekona.
"How many times am I going to have to apologize to you? Danny, I never meant for you to get shot. Perhaps I should have apologized sooner, but I've apologized at least thirty, maybe thirty-five times in the last two hours! I think it may be time to let it go for today.", Steve responded, but Danny never got the chance to reply to him, as Chin had finally reached them and Steve had started talking again. "You better have a name."
Back at Headquarters, Chin told the other two what Kamekona had told him. The head of the human trafficking industry on the island was a man by the name of Sang Min.
"Okay, say he is how Hesse got into the country. He still has no reason to tell us anything. How do we get him to talk?", Danny asked.
"We do a simple bait and trap. We send in an undercover with a wire.", Steve offered, but Chin shook his head.
"That might work on the mainland, brah, but we're on an island with less than a million people. This means that the bad guys know the good guys; we need to look for our bait outside of the box.", he countered, though he was smiling.
"And I take it you've already got a guy in mind?", Steve responded, and Danny tried to appear hopeful that the plan would work.
"Oh yeah. I have a cousin who still talks to me that may be willing to help us. Don't worry about being late to pick Ana up, Steve, because she'll already be there.", was Chin's mysterious answer that left Danny more puzzled than before.
"That's your cousin?", Danny asked as they stood on the beach and observed a young woman surfing.
"Choose you next words carefully, both of you.", Chin warned as a soaking wet projectile launched itself at Steve.
"Daddy!", it was Ana, and she had a child's sized surf board on the ground behind her.
"Hey there, nai'a. What are you doing here?", he asked before turning to Chin.
"Grandpa said I could start learning the basics of surfing when I turned eight. I'm eight now, and Aunt Kono's been teaching me how to surf since then. Wednesdays, she picks me up from school, and we usually practice on our private beach; but, at least until the police tape comes down, Aunt Kono and I moved practice here. It's a little crowded, but I'm going to have to surf around people eventually, right?", Ana answered as Chin's cousin wiped out.
"We've talked several times since your birthday, yet I knew nothing about this. Why didn't you tell me you were learning to surf, baby girl? I'm so proud of you!", Steve gushed, and Danny smiled at the sight of a proud father and his daughter; not that he planned on letting his Grace learn how to surf anytime soon, mind you.
"Yeah, Kono's good at teaching. She was on the pro-circuit for three years before she blew out her knee. The kid was devastated; she had to re-invent herself and decided to wear a badge. Unfortunately, she's family; so, HPD will never take her seriously." Chin began, but Ana was quick to jump in.
"She graduates from the academy next week!", the girl said excitedly.
"Are you sure she's ready for this. She doesn't have any street experience.", but Steve's words were meaningless as Kono punched out the guy who had caused her to wipe out in the first place, then she saw the four on the beach.
"Cousin! Ana, just because you saw me punch someone does not mean it was the right thing to do, are we clear?", she said as she approached them, and Ana nodded.
"You had it, Water Woman!", Chin said as he hugged her tightly.
"Ah, waste! First good pipe of the season!", she lamented.
"Tourists, what are you gonna do?", Chin added before introducing his new team/friends to his cousin. "This is Commander Steve McGarrett, this little keiki's father; and this is Detective Danny Williams."
Steve was sure to complement her surfing, Ana clung to her father's side, and Danny gave her a warm smile while shaking her hand a bit longer than necessary. Once he let go, at Chin's insistence and Ana's giggling, Danny looked back over at Steve. He knew already what that look meant. The SEAL started talking to Kono.
"Your cousin and my daughter say you're graduating from the academy next week. How would you like to earn a little extra credit before you do?", Kono smiled.
"I'm listening.", and Ana was excited; she felt her Aunt Kono would be the perfect fourth member of the new task force.
Once the group had returned to the team's headquarters and Kono had agreed to act as bait for Sang Min, Steve decided it was time to take Ana home; or well, he planned on taking Ana back to the hotel they had been staying in. He had the crime tape taken down, but Ana was still not ready to go back inside the house. It scared her to know that someone had been able to get inside her one safe-haven. Danny had been quick to pick up on that.
"Thank you, Kono, really. I can't speak for Steve completely, but I understand how bad he wants to catch Hesse.", he said to her quietly as he watched Steve take Ana out to Danny's car.
"How bad are we talking, because I know that he said the governor said the team has full immunity?", Kono asked, and Danny frowned.
"As far as I can tell, Ana has never known her mother. There are no pictures of her anywhere in the McGarrett house, not even in Ana's room. Based on the photographs that are there, Steve was in the US Naval Reserve for the first three years of Ana's life. He was with Naval Intelligence before (and technically after) that, and he's been a SEAL for at least the last five. I haven't had time to get the most accurate information, but I plan on finding out eventually. When Hesse broke into John McGarrett's home, tied him up, and shot him at point-blank range, he did more than take away Steve's father. Victor Hesse endangered the life of Steve's daughter, and that is one thing that no father ever wants to happen to his child. If someone did anything like that to my eight year old daughter, Grace, I'd hunt them to the end of time as long as I knew I would have the pleasure of scaring them just as much as she was before I ensure he gets the proper punishment.", Danny explained firmly, and Kono felt the hairs on the backs of her arms stand on end.
"How has Ana been holding up, because she tried hiding her pain from me at our surfing practice? I love that kid, and I think I may want to terrorize whoever hurt her.", Kono asked sadly.
"Steve said she's been clingy, fighting sleep, and all-around terrified Hesse and his men will come back for her when they realized they left a loose end behind. Being raised by a retired cop and a Navy SEAL gave her a sense of being untouchable, like no one was brave enough to mess with her family. Now, she's scared because someone broke that safety net she had in two. I have an idea that I'm going to tell Steve about in the car on how to help her, though.", he answered, and Kono thought it sounded as if Danny had a personal experience similar to Ana's.
"Who was it for you?", she asked gently.
"My uncles, well, one of my uncles. He was the reason I wanted to become a cop in the first place. My other uncle, his and my mom's brother, owned a pizzeria; I worked there when I was in high school, and I was there the day two guys tried to rob the place. Uncle Dom was behind the counter, kneading dough. Uncle Daniel, who my mother named me after, was sitting at the table nearest the kitchen, talking to me while he ate his lunch. As an officer of the law, he moved to stop the two guys. One of the guys had a gun, and he shot both of my uncles while his partner raided the cash register; Uncle Dom was hit in the shoulder, and that was only because he had his back to the two guys; but Uncle Daniel, he had been facing them, so he got hit in the chest. He was dead before the paramedics even got there. Uncle Dom survived, but he kept the doors on the place locked for a few months. When he first reopened, I couldn't make myself go through the front doors; I just kept expecting to walk in and see Uncle Daniel in the back booth eating his triple meat supreme slice he always had for lunch. Finally, Uncle Dom renovated the entire pizzeria dining room. After that, I was able to walk in and recognize the place, but I didn't feel like I was about to see Uncle Daniel anymore; I knew where I was, but it was like I was finally free from what I heard and saw that day. Groundhog Day had finally ended for me, and I think that's what Ana needs now.", Danny answered, desperately trying to keep his mind from wandering to the remainder of the memory of his uncle's death.
"Danny, we can't hang around here all night, you know!", Steve called out as he walked back into the room Danny and Kono were standing in.
"We won't. Kono and I just finished our conversation; if you care to know, she was asking how Ana was holding up. With you being out of the room, I am naturally the next person to ask because I was the one who got her out of the house and watched her until I got a call about someone breaking into the house.", Danny replied with an eye roll at the end of his statement.
"Sorry if I disturbed you being educated on the ways of Hawaii from my daughter, Danny. But, thanks, still, for taking care of her. You know, it's really no wonder she's so fond of you, as you happen to be her savior as far as she is concerned.", Steve countered again, and Kono chuckled at the way they bickered.
"She's a sweet kid; besides, I sort of know what she's going through. With your crazy ass being her father, she may need all the help she can get!", Danny teased as he turned to leave.
"Boys, just go take care of Ana. Wait, where is she?", Kono asked, not seeing the girl.
"She wanted to say good night to Chin before we left. I asked if she wanted to say good night to you, but Ana told me she already had.", Steve answered, and Kono smiled.
"Yeah, she did. Well, it's getting late, and I have a meeting with Sang Min in the morning. Good night, boys. Stay out of trouble!", she told them as she began walking away.
"The same could be said for you! Night!", Danny called after her.
"Good night, Kono!", Steve added as he laughed at her warning.
"C'mon, you maniac. Let's get you two back to the hotel; maybe you'll last the night without dangling anyone off the roof.", Danny said with a chuckle as he and Steve headed downstairs to where Ana and Chin were waiting.
"I told you I wasn't planning on dropping him! I'm a trained Navy SEAL, Danny!", Steve said with a roll of his eyes, and the two partners continued on down the hallway, laughing the entire time.
An hour later, Danny and Steve were sitting in the living room area of the Presidential Suite at the Kahala Hotel; Steve had gone to run a bath for Ana, and the little girl was gathering her pajamas, so Danny decided to check out the suite. He was impressed by the suite's sheer size and high-end furniture. The blond was so mesmerized by his surrounding, he barely registered his dark-haired partner reentering the room; the cogs in Steve's brain began turning as he saw the way Danny observed every small detail of the space. Given that everything went okay with Sang Min, he knew exactly how he was going to tell Danny he was sorry for getting him shot without actually saying the words to him (again).
"Nice place.", Danny muttered, and Steve shook his head.
"Governor Jameson offered to put Ana and me up in a hotel until the house was in working order again, but this was a surprise to me when we first got here yesterday.", Steve said.
"Your house, now that's a subject I was hoping to talk to you about! Your house is fine the way it is for a normal house, but it's not fine for Ana.", the blond piped up, and the SEAL looked perplexed.
"Why?", he asked.
"I told Kono why I became a cop. My Uncle Daniel, who I am named for, was a cop; he was shot to death while trying to stop a robbery at my Uncle Dom's pizzeria. Uncle Dom was his little brother, so protecting him was something Uncle Daniel thought was his responsibility. Make that a double responsibility to stop the robbers, because it was almost time for the lunch rush. I was in the back, getting some of the pizza toppings out of the freezer when the guys entered. All I remember was hearing the shots, waiting for the bell on the door to go off again, and walking into the dining room to find Uncle Dom behind the counter with a bullet in his shoulder and Uncle Daniel on the other side of the counter with a bullet in his chest. Uncle Dom made it, Uncle Daniel didn't, and I couldn't walk into that dining room for a very long time. I'm afraid, because I have experience, that Ana might not be comfortable going home just yet. She'll walk in the front door and have a break down when she realizes that Grandpa John is gone and that's where it happened. Perhaps a renovation is in order?", Danny explained, and Steve raised an eyebrow.
"You think I should change the way it looks? How will changing her home help at all? Are you sure I'm the crazy one?", he rattled of the question Danny had anticipated, so the blond sighed before answering each one.
"Yes, it will help her because she won't associate a new look with gunshots or the man who cared for her being beaten and shot. Also, yes, I am sure you're the crazy one in our partnership. Besides, I think you may need to let go of the past, things you can't change, and bring your house out of the shadow of decades past.", Steve went to reply as Danny's cell phone began blaring the funeral march.
Danny answered it, got into a mild argument with his ex-wife, and hung up with a huff. Steve rolled his eyes.
"I'm the one who needs to let go of the past.", he said sarcastically.
"What does that mean?", Danny asked incredulously.
"Have you ever heard yourself arguing with your ex? She divorced you; she moved your daughter out of, not just your home, but your entire home state; and she makes it to where you can barely ever even see your daughter. Yet, for some reason, you still seem to crave a relationship with her. Are you sure it isn't time to move on from, I think you said, Rachel?", Steve answered, and Danny huffed.
"What do you know? We have a child together, so there will always be a connection between us.", Danny replied, obviously in denial.
"What do I know? Having a child with someone means nothing unless you both accept responsibility for the child and you both grow up instead of trying to blame one another for reasons your relationship isn't working out.", Steve said, albeit a bit bitterly.
"And how do you know this?", Danny asked in the same tone as before.
"I know because of Ana's mother. Her name's Catherine Rollins, and she's a US Naval Lieutenant. I've known her for years, and we had been together, technically, for about a year when Ana was born. My dad had been hurt in the line of duty, and I was on leave so that I could take care of him until he was able to be on his own again; I was at home when she showed up with my newborn daughter. Catherine told me to either keep her or give her up, but she didn't want to raise a child. While I've been with her several times in the last eight years, I've never once actually told Catherine that I kept Ana.", Danny was in shock, Steve was letting out a lot of his misplaced aggression, and Ana was sitting open-mouthed as she pressed her ear to the master bedroom's door.
"Why wouldn't you tell her?", he asked.
"She never asked me what I did, though I've given her ample opportunities. A few of the times that we've been out somewhere and someone asked us if we were together and/or had any children, and Catherine always said that we didn't have any children nor would she ever. The day she left Ana with me, she signed away her parental rights. There are some people who just want a friends-with-benefits relationship, some just want children and no other real commitments, some people want to always live safe lives with normal families, and some want a family and a relationship that will last. Where you're concerned, I believe Rachel wants the third option. I know for a fact what Catherine wants, AKA option one. I also know what I want, and that would be the fourth option. The only way you can move on is to decided which option you want.", Steve stated firmly, and Danny's eye bugged out as the words reached his ears.
"Wow! That makes a lot of sense. Do you do this every time you meet someone new and force them to be your partner?", Danny asked, the first half of his statement completely serious while the latter half was playful and joking.
"Only when I actually like the person I've forced to be my partner.", Steve assured, and Danny chuckled before remembering the question he had wanted to ask Steve about once Ana had gotten out of earshot.
"Oh, hey, did you notice the looks the concierge was giving you? Someone likes you, but I'm not sure if you two play on the same team though!", he said to the SEAL with a full on laugh.
"Um…", Steve trailed off, his face turning bright red.
"Wait, really? I don't care, you know.", Danny responded, and Steve let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank God! I only ever told four other people the truth; my parents and sister knew when I was in my sophomore year of high school, and I had to have that conversation with Ana when she stumbled across a phrase in a book of Hawaiian history.", Danny's interest was piqued at this point.
"Care to elaborate?", he asked.
"Last year, I was given a mandatory leave after breaking my right arm and left leg simultaneously. One night, while I tucked Ana into bed, she started asking questions about the Hawaiian history book my dad had given her. 'Why did they believe in nature gods, why does my name translate to Ocean, and what does the phrase 'homosexual relationships' mean' where the main ones. The first two were easy for me to tell her, but the last one… I told her not to bother with the book again for several years, but I sat down and tried to explain it in child terms.", Steve answered, and Danny was slightly impressed.
"You didn't treat her like a baby, but you didn't just tell her everything. Nice. So, how did you explain?", he asked, and Steve told him.
"I told her that, a lot of times, boys fall in love with girls; other times, boys fall in love with boys and girls fall in love with girls. She asked me if it was possible for someone to fall in love with both boys and girls. I told her it was, and that I would know because I have. Her response was priceless, and I count it as one of my favorite memories.", Ana chose that moment to reveal that she had been at the bedroom door nearly the whole time.
"I told him that, if I'd known that's all that it was, I wouldn't have bothered to ask. One of the girls at school has two moms, another girl I know has two dads. I don't mind it at all, because I believe you don't choose who you fall in love with. It just sort of happens, like in Beauty and the Beast, and you never know when it might happen. Besides, it's fun, for me, to wonder if I'll have a step-mom or a step-dad.", she said as she got onto the couch and crawled into Steve's lap with her hairbrush and a single ponytail holder.
"How long have you been awake, nai'a?", he asked her, and Danny wanted to know the answer to that too.
"It took me a lot more time than it should have to find my brush, but I reached the door when you said that my mother never even wanted me. If she never wanted me, why did she even have me?", Ana asked as the tears began to form in her eyes.
"You mother probably doesn't believe in getting rid of a baby before it's even been born. But, hey, I'm glad she decided to let your dad decide what to do with you. If she didn't, I might never have met you; if that hadn't happened, I might not have ever met your dad. How horrible would that have been, huh? I think you and Grace would be great friends, so maybe the four of us can hang out this weekend?", Danny consoled the girl, and Steve was astounded at how quickly Ana dried her eyes and giggled.
"I'd like that, Uncle Danny!", she chirped happily.
"That sounds like a blast, so let's do it!", Steve agreed, and then all three began laughing together and planning for the weekend while Steve braided Ana's long, dark hair.
"Let's go to the Waikiki Aquarium!", Ana said once they had all calmed down.
"That sounds like an excellent idea, but a certain little girl needs to get to sleep before any of that can happen.", Steve said, but Ana just curled in closer to his side.
"I don't want to go to sleep, Daddy.", she said, though it was muffled as she had buried her face in Steve's chest.
"What's wrong, baby girl?", he asked her gently.
"Nightmares; I had them last night too.", was all Ana managed to say, and Danny gave Steve an "I told you so" look.
"It's okay to have nightmares, Ana. It's even perfectly alright for you to cry given what you've been through in the last two days. The hurt you're feeling, it never goes away, but it does fade into the background eventually. You will never not wish your grandpa was still alive, trust me on this one; but I have a feeling that he wouldn't want you to bottle up your grief like this. Not letting it out leads to misplaced aggression.", Danny's tone was kind, and Ana could tell he was being sincere; so she nodded and then promptly burst into tears.
"Let it out, baby girl, let it out.", Steve said as he held her close; Danny decided to help by starting to gently rub circles into the little girl's back.
Soon enough, Ana was all cried out and asleep in Steve's arms. Steve put his daughter back in the bed, tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and returned to sit on the couch beside Danny. The blond detective was opening the metal case he had brought with him.
"Think we might actually be able to work now?", Steve asked with a chuckle.
"I'm not going to take what just happened and say 'I told you so,' but I did bring the surveillance equipment you wanted. We better send Sang Min to prison for what I'm in for if any of this gets damaged.", Danny answered quickly but quietly.
"Don't worry, we will. You ever gonna tell me what 'Danno' means?", Steve responded.
"That depends, are you going to tell me what was in the tool box?", was Danny's reply.
"I don't actually know. My dad wanted me to find it, but nothing in it made sense to me. I wish he left me a note explaining everything in detail.", Steve answered without missing a beat.
"You did that on purpose!", Danny exclaimed while trying to be quiet.
"What?", Steve asked innocently.
"You told me what was in the box so that I'd tell you what 'Danno' means!", but Steve merely sighed.
"I did no such thing. You wanted to know, so I told you. Partnership and teamwork is about trust.", he insisted, and Danny thought he looked a bit like a kicked puppy.
"Okay, so I can't argue with that. Did you learn that one in the Army?", Danny responded jokingly, waiting for Steve to reply, if only in hopes of getting the aforementioned "kicked-puppy" look off his face.
"I'm in the US NAVAL Reserves, Danny! Now, what does it mean?", the SEAL answered with a laugh, and Danny caved; at least his plan had worked and Steve was smiling.
"Fine! When Grace was three, she tried to say my name, and all she could manage was 'Danno.' She calls me Danno the way Ana calls you Daddy. She's the only one I ever let call me that, you know. Not even Rachel was allowed to use it while talking to me directly.", he explained while trying to remain calm, and Steve smiled.
"It's cute. I understand where you're coming from with that, honestly. She hasn't said it since I got back, but Ana sometimes calls me Sila; it's the Hawaiian word for seal, and she's the only one who ever gets away with it.", Danny felt his anger dissipate as his own smile made its way across his face.
"Yeah, I guess we've got some pretty adorable girls.", he said, and Steve nodded.
"You're a good father.", he told the blond.
"Well, there's three ways of looking at it: one, I could get myself killed chasing some meth head scumbag; two, she thinks I'm a completely selfish son of a- you know what I'm saying there. Little ears may still be awake.", Danny replied, and Steve nodded.
"I always looked up to my dad for the sacrifices he made. So, what's the third one?", was the only thing he said.
"Well, I can tell myself that this isn't permanent as much as I want; but, this is Grace's home now, and it's my job to keep it safe. If that means putting up with your 'I'm never wrong' attitude, then so be it, I guess.", Danny told him with a smile.
"You say 'well' a lot when you explain things.", Steve commented.
"I do not!", Danny replied.
"Yes, you do! Now, we are grown men; we won't argue over this tonight. It's late, and we're both going to need sleep for tomorrow.", Steve said, ending the fight before it ever really got started.
"If you try to quote me on this, ever, I will deny it, but you're right. Are we dropping Ana off at school before you commandeer my car and do who knows what to it again? I mean, you got my car shot at today.", Danny asked, though he was smiling.
"Yeah, although I don't anticipate your car being shot at tomorrow. Here, this is the second key to the room; you may need it if you decide to come by a little early.", and with that, Danny nodded, took the key card, and left for his apartment.
Steve, meanwhile, made his way into the master bedroom. After quickly changing into a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, Steve got into bed and let Ana curl into his side. His last coherent thought before slipping into blissful sleep was that, when he caught up with Victor Hesse, the bastard was going to pay for everything he had ever done to the McGarrett family.
The next morning, Ana woke to find her father playing with her hair. Giggling, the little girl snuggled closer to his side. Moments like this were what Steve lived for.
"Do I have to go to school, Daddy?", Ana asked after a few moments passed.
"Yes, you do have to go to school. I can't go out and catch the bad guys until I know you're somewhere away from the fighting.", Steve answered, his ears perking up as he heard the door to the suite open. "I think Uncle Danny's here."
"Yay!", Ana cheered, and then the little girl pulled herself away from her father and hurried into the bathroom.
Steve sighed contently as she went, Danny's faint chuckle reaching his ears as his partner leaned against the open bedroom door.
"C'mon, Sleeping Beauty, we don't exactly have time to waste today. That's what Sundays are for, hopefully. Welcome to the world of police work and single-parenthood.", he said, and Steve rolled his eyes.
"Morning to you, too, Danny.", the SEAL said as he rose from the bed.
But before Danny could say another word, the bathroom door opened, and Ana ran over to him. She was dressed for school, but he was sure he could see her bathing suit's shoulder straps peeking out from her t-shirt. It seemed like everyone in Hawaii was always wearing a bathing suit.
"Morning, Uncle Danny!", she chirped, and Danny knelt down to Ana's level so she could give him a proper hug.
"Morning, Ana. Did you sleep better last night after our talk?", he asked as he hugged her.
"I did; thank you for talking to me about my feelings, Uncle Danny.", she answered with an infectious smile.
"It was no problem, sweetheart. I don't know if you heard me when I told your dad last night, but I was only bit older than you, about sixteen years old, when my uncle died; I was there when it happened, and I could still hear what happened as clearly as if it was going on beside me months afterward. But, I had no one to talk to; I had to deal with everything on my own. My brother and sisters were sad, but they didn't hear it happen. My mom was completely beside herself, and my dad was trying to console everyone at once. I kept everything bottled up inside me so that I could help everyone else, and I didn't let it all out until I hurt my knee. Not being able to do anything but go to school, come home, and sit gave me a lot of time to think. It also gave me plenty of time to be mean to my brother and sisters, and that was wrong. Once I was able to talk about it, eventually with my mom, I realized if I had done anything else, I would have gotten hurt, or worse, too. That would have made my uncle even more upset than anything else. I'm glad you talked to your dad and me last night, because you have people who understand and who want to help you.", Danny's words only made Ana smile wider, happy to know that she still had an Ohana, even if she did not have her grandpa.
Steve, who had gone into the bathroom almost the second Ana had walked out, reentered the bedroom to find his partner and daughter still hugging. Smiling to himself, Steve could not resist the temptation to take a picture of them on his phone. Danny looked up right after he heard the click.
"Really, McGarrett?", he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I thought it was cute, Williams. I say we get this show on the road.", Steve answered, and the trio headed out, gathering things like school bags and fruit for breakfast as they went.
That afternoon, when Ana exited her school's front doors, she saw a familiar face leaning against an equally familiar red car. Kono was smiling brightly at her, but Ana knew this meant that Steve and Danny were chasing after a bad guy. When they did this the day before, they had managed to get shot at.
"Hi, Aunt Kono! Are Daddy and Uncle Danny trying to get shot at two days in a row now or something?", she asked her honorary aunt sarcastically.
"It wouldn't surprise me, given that they think they've found the man who shot your grandpa. We're going to have to cancel practice today, keiki. I'm sorry.", but Ana shook her head at Kono's apology.
"Don't worry about it. Do you know how to get to Sacred Hearts Academy?", the eight year old asked with a smile.
"Sure, but why?", Kono replied.
"Grace goes there, and Uncle Danny was supposed to pick her up this afternoon. I thought we might be able to go there so I could keep her company until after her mom calls Uncle Danny and they fight before someone eventually picks her up. Daddy and Uncle Danny said the four of us might go to the aquarium this weekend too!", Ana explained, and Kono nodded.
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan. C'mon, we need to get going if we're going to stay with Grace until her mom or Danny shows up.", and then the two left in the red car.
Grace Williams was sitting in front of her school, contemplating calling her mother. Danno, her father, was supposed to have picked her up already. But there she was, still sitting in front of Sacred Hearts Academy for Girls. She was about to dial her mom's number, on the new cell phone her Step-Stan had given her, when she felt someone sit down beside her. Turning to face the mystery person, Grace found herself facing a girl her age with dark hair, tanned skin, and turquoise colored eyes.
"Hi, I'm Moana McGarrett, but you can call me Ana. Our dads work together.", the girl said, and Grace tilted her head in confusion.
"I thought my daddy's partner only had a son?", she asked, and Ana laughed.
"Well, his old partner did. Three days ago, my grandpa was killed by a man named Victor Hesse; Governor Jameson had been talking with my grandpa about creating a task force to solve the really big cases, like serial killers and terror threats, here on the island. She told my dad about it when he got back from South Korea; he's a Navy SEAL! Well, at first, Daddy said he didn't want to be on a task force; but then he met your dad, and, after I told them about eaves dropping on Grandpa John's phone calls and knowing all about the task force, they decided to form it anyway and work together. Now our dads are partners, and they get to lead the task force. My Uncle Chin Ho Kelly, who's not really my uncle, is on the team, too!", she explained, and Grace blinked.
"That sounds like really important work! Is that why my daddy hasn't gotten here and picked me up yet?", the brown eyed girl asked her new friend.
"Yep. This morning, the team was supposed to go after a man who they think helped the man who killed my grandpa onto the island. Seeing as how Aunt Kono was their bait and she's who brought me here, I think they got that guy. Oh, that's Aunt Kono over there by the red car! Our dads are probably going after Victor Hesse as we speak.", Ana answered, and Grace giggled at how melodramatic Ana was being.
"I don't want to be rude, because Danno always says that's a bad thing, but if your Aunt Kono brought you here, where's your mom?", Grace tried to ask delicately as the older woman Ana had pointed out moments before walked closer to them.
"My mom never wanted me. She left me with Daddy a few days after I was born.", Ana admitted, and Grace instantly felt horrible for asking.
"How did you find out?", she asked, scooting closer to Ana.
"Last night, I was looking for my hairbrush and heard Daddy and Uncle Danny, what I call your dad, arguing about something. When I got to the bedroom door, I heard Daddy saying that my mom showed up at my grandpa's house with me when I was a newborn; she told him she didn't want me, to either keep me or give me up because she didn't care. He's gone out on dates with her a few times, just to give her a chance to admit she's my mom and has abandoned her responsibilities and all, but she won't ever as much as ask him what he decided to do with me. I half-expect to find out that she gave me a common name that Daddy changed once he decided to keep me, because I really don't see a haole like my mother coming up with the name Moana Rose.", Ana said, and Grace frowned.
"What does that word mean?", she asked, and Ana crinkled her eyes in confusion.
"It's a name native Hawaiians, and sometimes the locals, call people who come from the mainland and, not to be rude, look like Uncle Danny. Some people even say that about Daddy until he starts speaking in Hawaiian and brings up the fact that he was born here. Why?", the turquoise-eyed girl responded.
"Some of the girls here call me that. My friends don't, but other girls do. I told my mom that they were calling me names, but she told me they would stop after a while. I've been living here for six months, and they haven't stopped yet!", Grace explained her interest in the word; it made Ana's blood boil to think of people bullying her new friend.
"If you want, I can teach you what I know about Hawaii's people and history. I've already told Uncle Danny that no one will take him seriously if he goes around in a tie.", Ana offered up.
"Really? You would help me like that? We barely even know each other.", that was the part of the conversation Kono walked up on.
"Look, I'm Hawaiian, and we Hawaiians have a word we use to describe the people we're closest to: Ohana. It means family, and sometimes the best family is the one you choose, not the one you're born into. It'll take longer for the adults to admit it, but we're already a new, small ohana. You're part of my family now, Grace, so of course I'll help you.", Ana said as she hugged Grace, and Grace hugged her back.
"Was that my first lesson?", Grace joked, and the two girls began giggling.
"Okay, what did I miss?", Kono asked as she sat down on Ana's other side.
"Aunt Kono, this is Uncle Danny's daughter, Grace Williams. Grace, this is my aunt, Kono Kalakaua. She graduates from the police academy next week, so until then she's the unofficial fourth member of the team.", Ana introduced the two, and the three sat there talking until Kono's cell phone rage, the caller ID showing it was Steve.
"Hey, Boss! She's with me, as is Other-Boss' daughter. Yeah, she wanted to make sure Grace wasn't alone. She figured it out when I picked her up. I can bring them both HQ if you guys want. We are? You did what! Fine, we're on our way.", and then Kono hung up.
"What did Daddy do now?", Ana asked without a thought.
"He got shot trying to take down Hesse. Your dad shot Hesse, but the body is missing. Hesse shot back before he went down, and your dad got hit in the shoulder. Danny's got a cut on his head, but that's about all.", Kono knew hiding information from Ana was a bad idea.
"Seriously? My father, Lt. Commander Steven J. McGarrett, is the most accident prone person on this island!", the eight year old McGarrett cried out exasperatedly.
"Aren't you worried about that Hesse guy?", Grace asked.
"No. Daddy will catch him when he resurfaces.", Ana said firmly.
"What are we doing now, Ms. Kalakaua?", Grace turned her attention to Kono.
"First, you can call me Auntie Kono, Grace. Second, I am going to take the two of you with me to our headquarters. Your daddies decided we're having an ohana dinner tonight, and that includes both of you. Any more questions?", Kono told the two little girls with a smile.
When both girls shook their heads, Kono led them back to her car; the three females listened to the radio, laughed, and told stories for the whole twenty minutes it took to get back to Aliʻiōlani Hale. Grace was sure she was going to like her new ohana, and Ana was well on her way to being the best friend Grace had on the island that was now her home.
Danny sat at his desk, organizing his belongings the way he wanted them, when Steve walked in and sat down on the edge of his desk. Danny gave him a look signaling for him to move off his desk, but Steve did not budge. Danny pushed his chair back from his desk and gave his partner his full attention.
"What?", he asked.
"I'm taking your advice and renovating the house.", Steve said casually.
"Good for you, but there's more here. What else?", Danny replied.
"Ana and I will be staying at the Kahala until the renovations are finished; I've already talked to the governor about it, and she's going to let us stay because she doesn't want a child to be forced to relive that pain. This weekend, I want you to come and stay with us.", this only confused the blond.
"What is your problem with my apartment?", he asked, and Steve rolled his eyes.
"You have Grace this weekend, right? We're taking the girls to the aquarium, remember? The suite has two bedrooms, so you and Grace can share the second bedroom. We'll do the aquarium on Sunday, so the girls can go swimming with the dolphins on Saturday. Friday, we can take them to the movies or something. Just accept the invitation.", the SEAL explained, and Danny realized he was trying to apologize again.
"Fine, you win this round, McGarrett. Any idea how you're going to renovate yet?", he responded, accepting the invitation.
"It already seems so cookie-cutter American on the inside, so I'm thinking it could be a little more tropical looking, I guess?", Steve said, unsure of his word choice.
"That could work, but I wouldn't go over-the-top with it.", Danny told him, and their conversation was seeming to slip into small talk.
"Kono should be here with the girls any time now. Do you think they're best friends yet? Ana won't stop until they are.", Steve said with a smile, and Danny chuckled.
"Knowing Grace, they're probably jabbering away with Kono. Are you sure all three of them should be at dinner tonight against you, me, and Chin?", the blond joked.
"Everything will be fine, Danny. Trust me.", and before Danny could get the last word like he normally would have, the sound of little girls laughing reached their ears.
The two men exited Danny's office and saw their daughters walking towards them, Kono trailing slightly behind. They were definitely already best friends. However, neither man could guess as to what the two eight year olds and Kono had been talking about on the car ride back.
A/N: So, here is the first chapter. I am hoping to do this episode by episode with shorter chapters in between. Yes, this story is headed in the direction of McDanno; no, I do not intend on making Catherine completely unlikeable; and yes, I will probably play up the dislikeable traits Rachel and Stan possess. I hope you will not mind this, and I hope you leave me lots of reviews! Thank you for reading!