Thanks to all my readers for the great reviews and unending support. You always make me happy to post a new fic. Ohana & McRoll is what got me hooked on H50, and ohana & McRoll is what keeps me loving H50. Here's a short little homage to family.
Hugs, Mari
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Family
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McGarrett Residence – Beach 9:30 a.m. – Saturday
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"Hey Uncle Steve, I have a question."
"What, Gracie?" Steve turned to look at Grace, who was lying on a beach blanket next to Catherine, facing the water. He and Danny were in the wing chairs just behind them, coffee cups in hand.
"How come Mary adopted baby Joan? Why didn't she just have a baby?"
Catherine rolled to face Steve and Grace, clearly wanting to see where she was going with her inquiry and Danny decided to let his daughter's question go. It wasn't like everyone hadn't already asked not only why, but how exactly had Mary been allowed to adopt any child, let alone a healthy infant, with her history. Grace might as well join the club, he thought.
"She wanted to be a mom, and I guess she wanted to help a baby who needed a family." Steve answered carefully.
"Oh. 'Cause Mary kind of always acted like more of a kid than a mom, ya know? I mean, she's fun and kind of silly and she never acted really grown up when I saw her before she got Joan."
Grace sat up, faced Steve and traced Joan in the sand with her finger. "Anyway, I love Joan, she's so cute. I told Mary I'd baby sit in a few years whenever she visits. I can, when I'm thirteen. The Aloha Girls have a babysitter's class and when you're done taking it you get certified in Child and Infant CPR and you earn a badge. I'm definitely gonna do it. I'm really good at watching Charles; I just can't watch him alone yet. We have Miss Lizzie for that, but I want to get certified, just in case, I mean."
"That's great, Sweetheart." Steve was glad Grace was happy about Joan. Steve was glad whenever Gracie was happy, period.
"And when she's old enough, I'll tell Joan how it's really cool that since you're my uncle and her uncle, too, we're cousins. I'm glad she's in our family. It's fun having a big family, right, Danno?" Grace swiveled to face her dad.
Danny grinned at his daughter. He realized when they'd arrived and saw Catherine's bathing suit, why Grace just had to buy a blue one. She'd wanted to match her Aunty Cath. "Right, Monkey. You're so right."
"We were used to having a big family in New Jersey. When we first moved here, we just had us, Danno and me. But now we've got you guys, and Uncle Chin and Aunty Kono and all our ohana. It's so great to have a big family again." Danny saw Steve's eyes literally light up. He smirked when he noticed how Catherine's did, too. Her's most likely because it made her so happy that Steve gained the chance to have the family he felt he lost so many years ago.
Suddenly, Grace jumped up and grabbed Catherine's hand, exclaiming, "C'mon! We'll race you to the water, Uncle Steve!" Catherine laughed and tore off behind Grace while Steve bolted after them.
Steve caught up in three paces and snatched Grace right off her feet on the fly. "Got ya!" Without missing a step, he ran full speed into the ocean with Grace in his arms as her squealing laughter echoed across the water.
"Aunty Cath! Help!" She pleaded and just like that, a game was afoot.
Danny stood and put his coffee cup in the sand. He looked out at the water as laughter floated above the sound of the surf. His heart warmed as he watched Grace splash Steve while Catherine jumped on his back in an attempt to hold him still.
Danny had felt so out of place and angry when he'd arrived in Hawaii. All he could see in his future was working in an unwelcoming precinct to fill the void between visits with Grace, and his heart had sunk at the prospect. Steve had pegged that the first week they'd met; even told him as much.
Now, Danny watched the man he'd never have chosen as a partner and the woman whose path he'd never have crossed and his heart lifted. Instead of seeing a crazy gung-ho SEAL on a vendetta and a brilliant intelligence officer whose love for his partner he couldn't quite figure out, Danny saw … family. He saw a woman he loved like a sister and for whom he'd risked his career without a second thought.
He saw not only his partner and best friend, but his brother. The man whose back he'd always have no matter what, who he knew would always have his. Maybe even more importantly, he saw Grace's beloved Uncle Steve and Aunty Catherine. People he could trust with not only his life, but hers. Who would give their lives to protect his daughter and keep her safe.
He shook himself out of his reverie at the sound of his name "Danno! C'mon, Man! I'm outnumbered!" Steve yelled. Danny ran across the beach he'd claimed to hate, toward the ocean he'd dreaded since his teen years, in a place he'd never wanted to live, and he smiled. A genuine, heartfelt smile. Because Danny Williams was running toward family.
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End
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