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The Challenge - sequel to Competitive Edge

The morning of the SEAL challenge, Steve and Catherine greeted Grace and Danny at the check-in entrance which was set up on the beach.

"Uncle Steve!" Grace dropped the duffel she was carrying and ran to hug him. "After I had spaghetti and meatballs with a Gatorade last night I went to sleep at 8:30 like you said."

Steve's smile was huge. "Excellent. Did you have breakfast?"

Grace nodded. "Yes, a plain bagel with peanut butter and a cup of Gatorade."

"Perfect. You're ready. Let's get you registered."

Danny wrapped Grace in a hug. "Do your best. Don't get hurt. Don't enlist. I love you." He smiled at his partner over her head as she laughed.

"Got it. Love you, Danno."

"I'm going to find a spot to watch the swim." He pointed.

"I'll come with you." Catherine hugged Grace, too. "Good luck, sweetheart." She grinned as Grace and Steve turned to walk towards the registration table. "See you at the finish."

"Thanks!" Grace was vibrating with excitement as she fell into step with Steve who was sizing up the field. Men outnumbered women about 6 to 1 and ranged from middle-schoolers to people that looked to be about 70. Halfway to the registration table, she looked up. "Uncle Steve?"

"Yeah, Gracie?" He stopped scanning the area and the participants to glance down at her.

She smiled, squinting slightly in the sun. "Thanks."

He gave her a one-armed hug. "You are very welcome."

Check-in point

"Commander McGarrett, sir." A younger man offered his hand, and Steve shook it. "Lieutenant Harrison, honor to meet you, sir."

"Lieutenant." Steve nodded as the shook. "This is my niece, Grace."

"Nice to meet you, sir." She extended her hand and they shook.

"Nice to meet you, Grace. Let's get you two some of the VIP seats we reserve for SEALs and their families."

Uncle and niece shared a grin. "Actually, Grace is taking the challenge."

"That is outstanding." Lieutenant Harrison smiled. "Then let's get you logged in."

She gave her name and pre-registration number and was given her starting point. Steve took her duffel, bent to look her in the eyes and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. "You got this, Gracie. Focus and determination. I'll be out front where you can see me at every leg."

She nodded. "Thanks." She looked around at the mostly twenty-something guys ready to compete and back at Steve. "I hope I do good enough to make you proud."

He kissed her cheek. "You already make me proud. Every day. Go show 'em what you're made of."

After he accepted her hug and watched her run off, Catherine waved him over to the area where she was waiting behind spectator ropes. She saw so much love in his eyes that when he ducked under the rope, she stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm.

"Just a little proud, Commander?" Her smile matched his.

He nodded to where Grace was listening intently to the instructions. "Look at her, Cath. She's gonna nail this."

"Of course she is. C'mon, let's go calm Danny down."

When they reached him in the crowd, Danny was standing nervously within the spectator's area near the water's edge. He turned to Steve. "All those swimmers splashing will scare away the giant man-eating sharks, right?"

Steve smiled. "She's fine, Danny." He strode to the front of the cordoned off part of the beach so Grace would have a clear view of him.

"There's like 20 teenagers, a few older people and a thousand guys from every gym on the island." Danny pointed at his smiling daughter and returned her enthusiastic wave. "What if one of those Amazons tramples her?"

Steve gave her a thumbs up. "Nobody's getting trampled." He placed a hand on his partner's shoulder. "Danny, seriously, I wouldn't let her compete if I thought she'd get hurt."

His best friend took a deep breath. "Yeah I know that, you know I trust you, but she looks so … fragile compared to all those guys."

"People used to say that about me." Catherine smiled softly and touched Danny's arm.

"Until she kicked their asses in hand to hand or on the obstacle course," Steve said proudly. "Or both."

"Okay that makes me feel better." Danny's smile was genuine and his next words were lost when one of the SEALs stepped forward with a megaphone and announced the rules for the 500 yard swim.

Last leg: 1.5 mile run

At the end of the final event, the run, Grace approached the finish line to Steve's voice ringing above the rest of the crowd.

"Gracie! You did it!"

She all but stumbled into his arms as he was standing outside the barrier set up for spectators.

Panting, she grabbed the water he was holding and drank as Steve walked with her during a cool down. "Easy, small sips. You nailed it, I'm so proud of you." He gave her a hug.

"I … I'm … tired but … I feel … really good … I think I … did okay … I completed every event …" Grace panted as Danny ran up and gave her a huge hug before pulling back and touching her forehead.

"Are you overheating?"

She shook her head. "I'm okay …" She took a deep breath. "I think I did pretty … good."

Catherine hugged her with a smile. "You did amazing. 82 push-ups, 84 sit-ups, 12 pull-ups and the one-point-five run. You were incredible, sweetheart."

Steve looked as proud and happy as Catherine had ever seen him as they listened to the lieutenant on a portable mic.

"Anyone who showed up today deserves applause. This was no easy feat." He waited until the cheering spectators calmed down. "On any given day, a SEAL carries up to 75 pounds of gear. If we have a man down, we can add another 180 pounds. Think of that, then think of scaling a twelve foot wall." He paused and looked around at the participants. "That takes strength. And each of these people here today - who range in age from thirteen to seventy one, by the way - showed not only strength but strength of character. Let's give them all a hooyah as we distribute their shirts." He began passing them out with several other SEALs.

Minutes later, Grace was tearing through the crowd at them, the coveted blue Navy SEAL T-shirt clutched in the hand she was waving. Steve caught her on the fly and swung her around. "That's my girl!" He set her on her feet and kissed the top of her head.

"Blue shirt!" She unfurled it and held it across her body.

"Never had a minute's doubt." Steve wrapped her in a second hug as she thanked him.

Seconds later, Catherine and Danny were there, hugging the excited teen and taking photo after photo.

As they talked about the challenge, Steve handed Grace a snack bar. "Here you go, 40 grams of carbs for the first four hours to replenish, then dinner to restore your overall fuel and energy."

She grinned and unwrapped the bar, wrinkling her nose as she took a bite. "Thanks, Uncle Steve."

"That good, huh?" Danny smiled.

"Kinda not so tasty, but Uncle Steve said I need to replenish carefully." She glanced at him. "Right?"

"Right. Training includes after an event. That's when people go off the plan and get sick from loading up on the wrong foods."

"Dinner will be awesome." Grace took another bite. "Auntie Cath and Uncle Steve are making lentil soup, mahi mahi with mango salsa and veggies."

"Nonna's soup?" Danny grinned at Catherine.

She returned his smile. "Would we make any other lentil soup?"

Danny rubbed his hands together. "My incredible daughter does an outstanding job and I get Nonna's lentil soup? Perfect day."

Steve looked between his best friend and Grace before linking his fingers with Catherine's. Smiling into her eyes he nodded. "Perfect."

Back at Steve and Catherine's as they finished dinner, Steve went into the den and returned with a small object.

"Gracie, this is for you." He held his right hand out and placed a bronze object in her right hand.

Grace turned it over. "NAVY Seals. But Uncle Steve, this is yours, are you sure ...?"

"I'm very sure." He smiled as she rose to kiss his cheek.

"Wow … thank you." She looked at it carefully before showing her father. "Danno, it's a SEAL coin."

"I see." Danny looked at his best friend. "That's a very special gift."

"Do you know the story behind a challenge coin?" Catherine asked Grace, who was still studying it intently.

She shook her head.

Catherine smiled and explained, "The history of challenge coins began in the Army Air Force during World War One when flying squadrons were manned by volunteer pilots. One volunteer ordered little medallion coins to give to the other pilots in his squadron as tokens of appreciation for their service and dedication to the United States. The tradition grew during the Vietnam War.

Today, challenge coins are given out by commanders for jobs well done or on special occasions. I kept at least one from every ship I've served on." Catherine looked at Danny. "If we were in a military bar and didn't have a coin with us, we'd have to buy drinks for all the sailors or soldiers who had coins." Her eyes flitted to Steve and back to Grace, who was listening intently. "Navy SEAL challenge coins are extra special, because they're given to members when they join to commemorate their inclusion in the SEALs and to build morale."

"And you want me to have it? Really?" Grace looked touched and a little awed.

"Absolutely. I got that one after a mission in Syria." Steve exchanged a look with Catherine before continuing, "It's normal for the giver to offer an explanation of the reason for awarding the coin. Today was a job well done. I'm very proud of how you trained and accomplished your goal, Gracie, and I want you to have that." He nodded to indicate the coin.

"I'll keep it forever." She raised on her toes to offer another heartfelt hug.

Danny's phone dinged a text and he smiled. "Looks like our celebration dinner with everyone is set for next week at Kamekona's."

"Oh yay! I'll get Casey to tell her mom as soon as we get home." She smiled. "I promised I'd call her tonight. She said she's seriously thinking about taking the challenge next time - Auntie Kono already said she'll coach her."

"You know," Steve's grin was a mile wide, "there's no limit on competing, we could -"

"Try to beat my time?" Grace's look equaled Steve's as she finished his sentence.

Danny exchanged a look of sincere thanks with his best friend as Catherine hugged Grace goodbye.

"First new thing I'm adding," she told her aunt.

"Adding to what?" Steve looked between the two.

"Auntie Cath and I found this cool box at the mall and I bought it. I want to start putting important things in a …"

"Keepsake box." Steve leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. "And you're adding the coin?"

Grace nodded and smiled. "Perfect, right?"

Steve nodded and glanced between his wife and his niece with emotion filled eyes. "Absolutely perfect."

# End thanks for reading

AN: One of the largest collections of coins exists in the Army Engineer Association's (AEA) Engineer Regimental Store, in the Engineer Museum at the home of the Engineer Regiment. The coins were donated by store customers who have passed through the store since it opened in the late 1980s.

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