Hi, Thank you so much for all your reviews! I am really behind in replying and hope you will forgive me!

Mari217 has yet again sorted me out so, yea her! *tiny flag waving*

Disclaimer - ok, they are not mine I am not paid. *sigh*

Perhaps more importantly I am not remotely medical, my info for this comes from a first aid course I did a while back and a little research online {though I started feeling sick} yes, I am squeamish, who knew -not me and not the friend who came with me on the course and got to practice how to revive fainted people, TWICE! *hangs head in embarrassment* So please suspend disbelief now...

Hugs!

"Gracie!"

The panic in Danny's voice caused Steve and Chin to whirl round, just in time to see the little girl stumble on the rough ground and pitch headfirst into the shallow gully at the side of the track with a small scream. She landed awkwardly with a crack thud and was still.

It was a glorious afternoon and Steve, Danny, Chin and Grace were returning from a hike and picnic. Grace had been past herself with delight at hearing that she was included in the plans and had spent ages with Steve selecting what she thought would be the perfect picnic spot. Completely at ease, the little girl had been spending the hike back running between her beloved father and her honorary uncles. Steve and Chin had moved ahead discussing college football as Danny showed Grace how to take a picture with her new camera, a gift from Step-Stan.

Grace had been flying to catch up with the other two men to show them her attempt at photography. None of the three of them was sure exactly what happened, how she came to fall, simply that she had. And it was a bad fall, they all recognised that.

"Gracie! Grace! Danno's coming!" Danny nearly fell himself in his desperate scramble to reach his fallen daughter. Steve, dropped his pack as he also closed the small distance at a sprint, relieved to see the little girl struggling to right herself as they reached her.

Chin retrieved Steve's pack and pulled out the first aid kit and sat phone he knew Steve always carried. He hovered slightly to one side, anxious to see if the little girl was alright, poised to help if she was not.

"Stay still, Gracie," Steve immediately took control, stopping Danny from grabbing the child to him, with a gentle hand on his arm. He ignored the fierce look the other man gave him. She stopped trying to move and lay still on her side with a small whimper. The sound was a knife in the hearts of the two men.

Steve crouched down beside her, while Danny took up a similar stance on the other side gently draping his arm around her, "Grace, where are you hurt?"

She looked at him, eyes wide with shock, "My arm, Danno!" her voice was shaking, "It feels funny." Danny shot a desperate look at his partner at the sight of the clearly broken arm held at a funny angle.

"Shh, it's ok, Baby." Danny rubbed small circles on her back and looked anxiously at his partner. While his own first aid training was of a good standard, he had rarely been called on to use it for fractures - now bullet wounds, since working with Steve he complained that his first hand knowledge of those had increased exponentially, but on everything else he would happily defer to Steve's extensive military first aid experience.

"Gracie, I am just going to check you aren't hurt anywhere else," Steve spoke softly, gentle fingers already expertly checking her over. She had a nasty graze on her forehead which was bleeding sluggishly. He was relieved though that her eyes seemed to be tracking normally, that was a good sign. The arm however, that was nasty. Something would have to be done about that.

The moment Steve nodded to Danny confirming the lack of other injuries, he scooped Grace tighter to him, bringing her round to nestle against his chest, leaning back against a boulder, possibly even the one her arm had hit on the way down.

"Daddy, it hurts!" She hissed, her failure to use her father's nickname telling of her distress.

"Shh, Baby. Its gonna be ok.' he puffed a breath out, wishing it was him in pain and not his baby girl. "Steve?"

Steve met his eyes, "Ok, Gracie, it looks like you broke your arm." He smiled reassuringly at her. "I'm sure it's really sore but we'll get you all fixed up real quick. Just you wait here for a second."

Grace whimpered slightly and leant more against Danny as he brushed her hair back from her face. Silent tears were trickling down her cheeks.

Behind him, Chin was already on the phone. Steve stood and moved towards him, nodding his approval as he heard the conversation taking place. He added a few things which Chin relayed to whoever was on the other end.

Danny watched the two men carefully, all the while keeping up a continuous whisper of soothing nonsense to the trembling little girl.

"Ok Gracie," Steve crouched back down in front of her. "I want to have a look at your arm." At this the little girl shook her head, her trembling increasing. She refused to look at him.

"No! Please! Uncle Steve, it hurts!"

Steve swallowed hard, like Danny he wished it was he who was in such pain. This had to be done, though. "Uncle Chin called an ambulance to meet us. I need to know how bad your arm is so we can tell them what to expect and so we can decide the best way to get you down to them."

"Come on, Monkey. I need you to be a brave girl," suppressing his, hurt-my-daughter-and-I-will-kill-you instincts he locked eyes with his partner - he could see the stress and regret in the normally unreadable hazel eyes and he spoke as much to him as his scared daughter, "We trust Uncle Steve, and he has to do this."

Steve's chest tightened a little at this. He nodded his gratitude at Danny, knowing as upset as he was, Danny was feeling ten times worse. Grace looked up and met his gaze; she nodded slightly and moved her good arm from its protective position.

Not waiting for another invitation, Steve quickly and gently examined the arm. He ignored the pained cry that came as he touched the swollen limb. He kept his face neutral though inside he was biting back a string of expletives. The bone was broken through just below her elbow and he suspected a second fracture down towards her wrist, it felt like part of the bone was completely loose. He wasn't prepared to hurt her, however, in trying to confirm his diagnosis.

Smiling at his patient he put a hand on her cheek, noting the clammy skin, "All done! You did great, Gracie. You're definitely going to be missing out on some homework this week." His heart broke at the small smile she gave him.

Chin came and knelt in front of Grace, "Aunty Kono is meeting us at the bottom of the trail, if we cut down the next path we will get to a closer car park really quickly."

Keeping his tone low Steve addressed Chin, "I need to stabilize this for us to move her, could you get the blanket out too? She's a little shocky." They both shared a further silent conversation. Chin nodded quickly and went to retrieve the emergency blanket from the pack.

Steve kept his tone light as he delved into his first aid kit, pulling out some bandages and other things. This was not going to be fun. "Remember we practiced first aid for your Aloha Girl's badge?"

The little girl nodded.

"Remember what we have to do with a broken bone? Especially if we need to move the patient?"

Grace gave another little nod, her eyes bright with tears and fear. "Uncle Steve...I...it's gonna hurt!"

Steve met Danny's eyes briefly seeking his permission as he answered, "It is, Gracie. I need you to be brave again." Seeing Danny stiffen in worry Steve continued, "You were so good at doing this, remember how we put so many bandages on Aunty Kono, she looked like a mummy?"

A small laugh followed by a cry of pain.

"Danno looks worried. Do you think you could tell him what we're going to do?"

Grace tilted her head back so she could better see her father's face. "You have to immobilize the limb to stop further injury. It should make it hurt less. You can use a stick or even rolled up newspaper to make a splint. Uncle Steve once had to use a rifle!"

Despite the situation, Danny had to smile at his daughter's suddenly improved tone, the injury momentarily forgotten as she imparted the knowledge.

"Hardly an appropriate story for my daughter," Danny paid lip service to his role as designated SEAL trainer while searching his partner's face for reassurance. He wasn't completely happy with what he found there as his partner refused to meet his eyes.

"My troop leader said my slings were the best and that's because Uncle Steve showed me just like the SEALs do. He'll just use a stick this time though, won't you Uncle Steve?" She bit her lip suddenly afraid as the throbbing in her arm reminded her this was not just pretend.

"That's right, Sweetie," Chin arrived back with the blanket and a handful of different sized sticks. Steve sorted through them quickly selecting two roughly the right size.

"Danny," Steve didn't look directly at his friend. "You need to call Rachel and tell her to meet us at the hospital. Chin'll wait with Grace and me."

"No, Steve. I'll call from the road." He knew what they were trying to do, was grateful even but he was not letting go of his little girl any time soon.

"Danny," Steve did look at his partner now, his tone pleading but Danny was not going to relinquish his hold on his Grace. There was a brief standoff. Recognizing that Danny wouldn't move away, Steve didn't try again. He drew a deep breath and slammed down all the emotions that threatened to spill out. This was a mission. He would complete it.

Chin sensed the change in the other man. He knelt next to him, taking Grace's free hand.

"Ok, Keiki. You squeeze as hard as you need."

Grace nodded again, but had stiffened pushing hard against Danny in an unconscious effort to put more distance between her and the pain about to hit.

"Last time I did this, Grace, it was my own arm! Danno had to run the whole way to the top of the hill to call for help, and he complained the whole way!" She didn't smile back at him and he hesitated.

Grace locked eyes with him again, there was fear in them, pain and something else, something that nearly undid the Ex-SEAL, such absolute trust it took his breath away. His heart constricted painfully. Chin witnessing the silent exchange squeezed his shoulder with his free hand, it was a simple gesture unseen by the father and daughter, but it was enough to steady Steve's slightly wavering emotions.

"Ready, Grace?" Without really giving her a chance to answer Steve began to work. He moved the arm quickly and efficiently, making no unnecessary adjustments. He chose not to hear the agonized cry that broke from the little girl's throat or Danny's voice talking louder over her, soothing her or berating him, he was unsure. He tuned it out as if it were enemy gunfire. Both Chin and Danny held her tight as he worked. He fastened the sticks in place with bandages from the first aid kit just as he felt the little body go lax.

"Grace! Steve!" Danny's face was streaked with wet, sweat or tears Steve chose not to question as his own anxious fingers felt for her neck, a brief moment of blind panic until he felt the pulse, strong under his fingers. Defenses slamming back down tight as he lifted the little girl off her father and put her in the rescue position before checking her again.

"She's just passed out, Danny. She's ok." his voice was too devoid of emotion for Danny as he watched as Steve again checked his 'niece' for hidden injuries.

"Ok!? Ok, Steven! You call this ok? What are you? Some kind of cyborg?" He was gearing up for a rant of epic proportions and while Chin knew he needed it, one look at Steve's tight face showed that Steve did not need to be on the receiving end right now. The other man didn't even look up from his gentle triage but his manner was too controlled, too deliberate. Chin didn't blame him, his own heart was shredded to see their Gracie like this.

"Danny, calm down, Brah." Chin physically put himself in front of Danny.

"Danno," the child was awake again.

"Hey, Monkey," Danny was instantly back at his daughter's side and Chin marveled at the change from crazed father to pussy cat at a single word. "How you feelin'?"

"Doesn't hurt...so bad." she puffed out.

"Good, Baby. I'm glad." He brushed damp hair off her forehead gently.

"Right, the paramedics are 40 minutes out and we should reach the parking lot in about fifty so let's move." Steve was all business and Danny bit down a retort. Instead he let Chin help him to his feet.

Steve scooped Grace up effortlessly, "You did good, Sweetie," he whispered to her, his voice gruff. The little girl managed a small grin as she was handed gently to her father, he and Chin would take their turns to carry her, but Danny would be the first. Checking his charge was wrapped tightly in the blanket and settled as comfortably as could be, they began their hike.

It was later, after the ambulance had taken her away; after he had watched Danny try and calm her distraught mother in the hospital corridor; after a long surgery to fix the segmental fracture; after Chin and Kono had left to retrieve his abandoned truck, Steve found himself in the little girl's room alone.

Danny was outside calling his mom to fill her in and Rachel had gone to get a coffee. Now that the child was through surgery and her parents were calm again, Steve felt the last vestiges of adrenaline leave him. Hands that had not shaken earlier trembled as he ran a hand over his tired face. He'd performed battle field surgery on friends under heavy fire, he'd held men's hands as they died from their wounds but he had never, never felt as helpless and afraid as he had that afternoon.

He stood beside her bed in the quiet semi darkness and watched her sleep. She had woken briefly, smiled at her fraught parents and returned to sleep where the doctors were confident she would remain until the morning. Barring complications she would be released to her mother the next day.

He stretched a hand out and stroked a stray hair back from her face. He wasn't sure how or when he had come to, well, to love this child as much as he did. Somewhere in the last year or so, she and her father had both wormed their way into his heart. Kono and Chin too.

Ohana

He felt back to the events of earlier and it scared him. Scared him how vulnerable caring made him. It had not been the pain she had been in, or even the fact that he had had to inflict more that had so unsettled him, it had been the complete and unwavering trust she had given him as he had hurt her. The responsibility and privilege of that trust weighed heavily.

The cries he had shut out earlier played in his head and he gripped the rail of her bed to steady the shake that had begun in earnest. He let himself sink into the chair beside the bed, moving his large hand to capture the tiny pale one that lay on the sheets. He hated how much he had hurt her. He leant his head wearily on his other hand.

"They asked who had splinted her arm, you know, said it was...that whoever did it had done a great job...left it on till they got here," Danny had slipped back into the room, unheard by his normally highly alert friend. Steve started at the voice, testament to his shot nerves.

Danny noticed. Now that Grace was confirmed ok and he could see her sleeping, pain free, Danny could breathe again. He looked at his partner; saw the slight shake of his hands and the exhaustion that was clear on his face. This had been hard on his friend, his brother. Grace adored him and he her.

He had remained silent the whole time they had been here, waiting for Grace to come through surgery. He had barely moved from his spot, not speaking, just watching, ready to perform any act of service that they might have needed. His silent presence the entire time had kept Danny from completely loosing it as his baby girl had been in surgery. Danny felt a sudden rush of affection for the other man.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she told them with pride that it was her Uncle Steve. Regaled them with tales of your unparalleled heroism in the face of all things scary."

Steve huffed out a sigh. Danny watched him carefully

"You ok?"

"'Yep, fine." Steve lied. "You?"

"Me?" Danny held up his hands in mock surprise. "Sure I just aged fifty years in an afternoon and swear that I shall never again go hiking on this hell whole death trap of an island!"

A soft giggle made Danny rush to join Grace at the bed.

"Gracie," Danny smoothed her hair back. "Are you ok? You sore, Baby?"

She looked groggily at the two concerned faces, "I feel all floaty..."

"That's 'cause they've got you on the good stuff, Gracie," Steve chuckled softly, relief easing some of his burden. The little girl was already almost asleep again.

"You'll take me...you'll take me hiking again...Uncle Steve?" She opened her eyes blearily, smiling drunkenly at her favorite uncle.

"Sure, Gracie. Course I will," Steve grinned at her, not really able to believe she would want his company again after what had happened. "We can send Danno pictures from the top of mountains and things."

"Would you two behave? Plotting already. You'll give your old Danno seriously grey hair."

Another groggy giggle. "Shhh!" Danny soothed the little girl as she drifted off again. She was still again and both men relaxed watching her sleep when she made a last valiant effort to open her eyes again. "Shh, Go back to sleep, Baby." her father soothed but Grace fought to open her eyes and look at Steve.

"U'cl 'eve," the small face twisted with concern and the effort of speaking.

"Yes, Gracie?" Steve leant in closer.

"Was I...brave enough..."

"Sweetie?"

"…to make you proud...?"

Steve's chest tightened for the thousandth time that day and he squeezed the little hand he was still holding. A million thoughts and emotions all jarred in his head almost completely undoing his carefully cultivated Navy SEAL image. His eyes were unnaturally bright and he swallowed thickly before answering, surprising himself when his voice came out steady,

"Always, Gracie. Always..." his other hand touched her cheek gently.

Satisfied, the little girl went back to sleep and didn't move again till the morning.

There ya go! Hope you liked it ok! Next one will be fluffier! Let me know what you think if you get a chance. Thanks for popping by!