Hi, long time no publish. Real life kicking my butt time wise lately, though it is all good! To everyone who has read and reviewed this nonsense - thank you so much, you are awesome and i am unworthy!

Couple of things- not mine, though I am being awful good and Santa can work miracles... Also this was beta-ed by the amazing Mari217, though she pointed out the ending was a bit of a downer, so I have happified it for you babe! Hope I haven't put in too many mistakes in doing so!

This is a one shot from a longer story that exists in its entirety in my head - should psychic paper ever become reality, it'd be really good, I am sure...it is a little angsty - the next chapter is almost done and is much more fluffy - promise!

Steve McGarrett jerked awake suddenly, just as the sound of chopper blades started in is head. Damn dreams. He scrubbed a hand over his face, his chin already rough with stubble. He bent forward, stretching his back, stiff from remaining too long in one position. He looked at the too still, too pale figure on the bed and scrubbed his face again. "Stable" had been the last word, the "for now" had hung unspoken in the air as the doctor had checked his patient thoroughly.

The whoosh of the ventilator combined with the beep beep of the monitors and the click of the drips as they delivered antibiotics, fluid and a myriad of other essentials to the patient. It had started to be a tune in Steve's head, a kind of sick rhythm, taunting him; whoosh, beep, beep, click; whoosh, beep, beep, click: I nearly died, I nearly died, I still could die, I still could die.

It was four in the afternoon, he only knew the afternoon part because it was still daylight outside. He fiddled with the bandages on his hand then pushed himself up to stand and moved to the window. At least it was an end cubicle in the ICU and a little sunlight came in the small window, it helped with his concept of time, tracking the shadows.

Four days; four days now since this nightmare had begun. Four days since he had slept for more than an hour at any one time, four days since the memories of that FUBAR mission had resurfaced, triggered by a too familiar situation with a too familiar face.

They had given up trying to get him to leave. He had been on his way home to sleep that first night, had been leaning in to kiss her goodbye when all hell had broken loose. The ventilator spoke of the violent infection that her body was fighting. His beautiful Catherine, fighting for her life.

He scrubbed his face again. He knew his team was worried about him, saw the looks of sympathy and concern that they threw his way and he knew he must look horrendous. They had only left him alone these last few hours as something had come up at The Palace. He was partially relieved to have a break from Danny's mother-hen routine and the constant attempts to make him eat or rest, but at the same time the silence in the room was oppressive.

There was a tap at the glass that separated the room from the nurses' station. The sudden noise made Steve jump and he would be lying if he said his head didn't spin slightly at the sudden movement.

It was Danny. Instead of coming into the room, he motioned to Steve to join him in the hall. Steve frowned and cast a glance at the bed. They all cared about Catherine; Danny, Kono and Chin. They were family. The tap came again and Steve realized he must have zoned out for a moment.

Danny motioned again to the door. 'He looks haggard' Steve thought sadly though he bit down a wry smile as he could see his partner's lips moving, muttering something no doubt rude about him. Feeling bone weary but comforted, if a little puzzled, Steve went to join him in the hallway, pausing at the bed to squeeze the lifeless hand before he left the room.

"Danny?" he asked, his tired mind sluggishly attempting to guess what his partner wanted.

"Uncle Steve!" the small girl came out from behind her father as Steve emerged from the room.

"Gracie? What are you...Danny?" Steve looked to his partner for an explanation. He was really not expecting this. His partner was extremely protective of his daughter and bringing her to the hospital to see one of her favorite 'Aunts' who was fighting for her life didn't fit in with this.

Danny stepped back with a small shrug indicating that Steve should speak to the small girl who had stopped short of her favorite Uncle and was staring at him with a look of intense scrutiny.

"Gracie? I...uh," Steve crouched down in front of the little girl. "Gracie, Aunty Catherine is sleeping at the moment and I...uh..." he glanced at his partner again, surprised at his lack of intervention, "I think maybe you should wait a little while until you see her."

"Uncle Steve," Grace spoke his name again but remained where she was, her tone sad.

"Gracie, sweetie, it is lovely to see you, but...I, that is, I don't think you really should be here," he again turned to Danny, unable to understand and becoming irritated by his partner's silence in this situation. Grace didn't seem to be listening to him, instead she continued her unwavering and, if Steve was honest, now slightly unnerving stare.

"Poor Uncle Steve," Now Grace closed the last step between them and put a hand on his cheek. The gesture was so unexpected and so tender after hours of sitting in isolation, it caught him completely off guard. He pulled her into a hug, as much to hide the sudden rush of emotions that threatened to spill over as anything else. He had to fight the urge to bury his face in her soft brown hair and sob in anger and frustration at everything.

Grace made no movement to end the hug, and when he finally felt in control enough to pull away he again glanced at his partner who also had uncharacteristically bright eyes.

Now Danny moved forward. "Tell Uncle Steve why we're here, Monkey."

Not removing her hand from his arm she gently guided Steve to a couple of chairs in the corridor and settled herself beside him. If Danny wasn't so worried about his friend he would have taken more amusement and pride in the way his petite daughter commanded the ex-Navy SEAL with barely a gesture.

Putty in her hands, he huffed out a soft humorous laugh. What he would do with his partner, his brother, should things end badly here, he didn't even want to think. If Steve's behavior in the last four days was an indicator, he was thoroughly afraid that should Catherine die, he would be unable to prevent Steve from imploding.

The team was at a loss. Steve refused to leave Catherine's side unless absolutely necessary; he barely ate; hadn't slept that they could see in days and he was basically going to end up in the room beside Catherine on a drip soon.

They were all frantic with worry about Catherine and unable to prevent Steve's increasing despair. And now, against his better judgment, Danny had brought in what Kono had dubbed, "the big guns" when he had called her to explain his daughter's plan. Now he stood, scared to breathe to see if 'phase one' of Gracie's Operation Uncle Steve was going to work.

"I am not here to see Aunty Catherine, Uncle Steve. I am here to see you."

Steve looked at her blankly as she continued to gaze into his face. "I, uh..."

"Danno was talking to Mommy and he said you looked like hell," here her solemn gaze intensified again, as if she expected him to have grown horns or something since she had last seen him.

"Oh, he did?" Steve squeezed the bridge of his nose and glanced at his partner who was leaning against the wall opposite them now, Again Danny simply made a little half shrug. "And what do you think?"

There was a brief moment of silence as her gaze raked over him from head to toe. "I don't know, though I don't know what hell looks like. I don't think you look like the pictures of the devil I've seen, but then Tommy says those are just for babies. Hell is a place, not a person, so I don't know how a person is supposed to look like it," she paused and looked up at her father, "but I guess Danno knows these things."

Steve found his face twitching into a half grin at this despite himself, "I suppose he does."

"I think you look very worried and a little bit sad. And you've hurt your hand! What happened to it? Is it very sore?"

Feeling Danny stiffen a little at the question, she looked up at him again, growing suddenly unsure. Steve smiled what he hoped was a comforting smile and ignored the first part of her question, not wanting to tell her about his loss of control two nights earlier. Instead, he held his bandaged left hand out for inspection, "It's nothing, it isn't sore at all now, the doctor fixed it right up."

"Oh no, poor you." her examination of the hand seemed to have reassured her that it was indeed properly bandaged because her train of thought resumed its original assessment of his condition. "I've never seen your beard so long. It has two little grey patches on either side, Danno's is red when it gets long. Aunty Cath told me she likes your stubble a little long though it's s a little scruffy looking right now" she missed his involuntary movement when she mentioned Catherine, "...and I think your tee-shirt is a bit dirty...and you look a little sick."

"Thanks for the honest appraisal, Gracie." Steve was amused by her blunt assessment of his appearance. He figured it was probably accurate.

"It's ok, Uncle Steve. I'm here to help."

"Gracie, I don't think there's much you can..."

"Shh, Uncle Steve. I've brought you some things." she motioned the previously unnoticed 'Hello, Kitty' backpack her father was clutching.

Seeing Steve's exhausted bewilderment, Danny finally took pity on his partner. "Gracie overheard her mother and I having a conversation last night," the meaningful look he gave his daughter at that caused her to blush and look away. Steve read between the lines that a discussion on the evils of eavesdropping had occurred.

"Anyway, she became very determined that she needed to see you," Danny paused, determined had been an understatement, he and Rachel had finally given in to her plan to calm the increasingly agitated child. Upset by Catherine's serious condition and the events of the past few days, overhearing that her favorite Uncle was going to put himself in an early grave had left the little girl firstly distraught then strangely determined. Danny and Rachel had not been able to get to the bottom of it.

"Wow, well it's great to see you, Sweetie." He was enveloped in another hug. Then Grace took the backpack from her father.

"I have everything we need in here, and Kono will be here in a minute so we can start."

Steve again looked at Danny in confusion.

"Grace has enlisted a few people to help her help you."

"Danny, I..."

"Uncle Steve, you have to look after yourself."

"I know, Gracie. I am…"

Again the penetrating gaze searched his face, "Aunty Catherine was right," but she didn't elaborate.

"I don't understand."

"You have to come with me now and we will fix you up." Grace got to her feet and tugged gently on his arm.

Finding himself confused and again irritated Steve took a deep breath, "Gracie, I can't leave at the moment. Aunty Catherine is very, very sick and I... " he swallowed thickly. "I need to stay here. Can you understand that?" He was beginning to feel anxious already having only stepped away a few moments.

"Danno said that the doctors have given Aunty Catherine special sleepy drugs and she won't be awake for a while, maybe even a few days so she can get better."

Steve looked at Danny who nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"Do they think she will wake up soon?" there was a hopefulness in her voice that hurt Steve's heart.

He shook his head. They wouldn't consider dialing back on the sedation until they knew if the new antibiotics were actually going to work.

"Good. Then you can come with me and not be worried about her waking up without you."

"I..."

Danny smiled slightly at her logic; Steve would have a battle on his hands getting out of this one. Danny hoped he wouldn't have to deal with a crushed little girl, but then Steve would never hurt Gracie.

Sensing the nearness of a win, Grace continued, "Remember when Danno was really sick?'

Steve nodded, memories of the incident burnt into his brain forever.

"Remember I was really scared and didn't want to leave Danno even when he was asleep"

Again a nod. Grace never ceased to take his breath away, he was already wondering where this chain of logic would take them.

"You told me that the doctors in Tripler were the best in the world and if they said Danno would be asleep for a while and that he would be ok if I went home with Mommy...you said that they were right. And they were. Are Aunty Cath's doctors not as good?" the question was genuine, concern riddled the little face Steve loved.

His voice was a little hoarse as he answered, "No, I mean...uh...yeah, they are the best."

"And Aunty Catherine will be alright?"

Seeing his partner's loss of words, Danny helped him out, "We talked about this, Monkey." Crouching down beside the little girl he took her hand, "The doctors are the best but Aunty Cath is very, very sick."

The small mouth trembled slightly and the eyes filled with tears but then the small chin jutted forward, "She'll be ok, Uncle Steve. You'll see, she's in the Navy and really, really brave and strong, just like Aunty Kono." She rubbed his arm comfortingly as she said this and Steve was lost for words at her logic.

Steve was saved from responding to this assertion by the arrival of Aunty Kono herself.

Grace leapt to her feet and hugged the slight woman as she reached them. Steve was studiously eyeing the plastic floor tiles. The one by his left foot was chipped at the corner, revealing the dull black underlay below the sterile grey square. He missed the concerned glances his team mates shared above his head.

"Uncle Steve, Aunty Kono is here to sit with Aunty Cath while you and I go and get something to eat."

Danny held his breath; his own attempts at this had ended in a barely contained argument with the ex-SEAL the day before.

"That's very kind, Gracie, really," he really meant it too, his smile was genuine if sad. "But...I can't leave just now, Sweetie. Maybe if you came back..."

"Uncle Steve!" Grace was standing in front of him now, "It is all planned, the nurses say we can go to their lounge which is just outside here," she motioned to the doors. "Aunty Kono is going to sit with Aunty Catherine, I brought her this to read to her because it is Aunty Catherine 's favorite. She wouldn't let me watch the movie, remember? She said the book was much better and that she and I would read it together." Grace pulled a ragged copy of Pride and Prejudice from the backback as she spoke. Her cheeks were getting red and Danny was beginning to regret attempting this her way. However, he saw his partner wavering, almost as doomed to obey the little girl as her father was, Danny could see that Steve was going to allow himself to be looked after.

He was loathe to leave Cath's side, but Grace's logic had been flawless and he was self aware enough to realize he needed even a short break. "Gracie, maybe..." Steve started gently to agree.

Grace however, misread the relieved look that passed between Danny and Kono and thought a refusal was coming. She was worried and frightened by how stressed the adults around her were and had put a lot of energy into her Operation Uncle Steve.

"No, Uncle Steve!" All three adults reacted with surprise as the tiny foot came down on the chipped grey tile between Steve's feet.

"Grace," her father tried to calm her mounting distress. "Uncle Steve would love..."

"No, Daddy. Uncle Steve is not looking after himself! I heard you tell Mommy how worried you were and that he looked like hell and you said other things and you won't tell me how sick Aunty Cath is but it must be bad if she is in there and you won't let me go in and Uncle Steve is scared to leave and I haven't seen her since the helicopter came and got her and..." now the tears were flowing down her cheeks as the others watched aghast, "And you won't let me keep my promise! Aunty Cath will wake up and see you and know I broke my promise and it's all your fault Uncle Steve!" With that the little girl spun on her heels and fled along the corridor.

Danny swore and leapt to go after her with Steve hot on his heels. She hadn't gone far, the door into the nurses' lounge was swinging shut as they exited the ICU. Steve put a hand on Danny's arm, "Let me?"

Danny paused and looked full into his partner's haggard face. He nodded curtly holding the door open to allow his partner past and following him into the room.

At first they thought they were mistaken. The room looked empty and Steve felt a lump in his throat at the two places laid on the coffee table with a takeout bag from Kamekona's sitting waiting. "She did this?" he gestured to the food feeling a complicated mix of emotions.

"She contacted the Big Guy and Kono before she let me in on the plan." Their eyes swept the room carefully. Danny motioned to the table in the corner where a small sniffle was quickly muffled. The two exchanged a look. Danny motioned to Steve to go ahead. The tall man crouched down and peered into the darkness under the table. A small shape was huddled in the corner.

"Gracie?"

"Go away!"

"Um," he looked to Danny who motioned him to try again. "Come on, Gracie...I know things are really messed up, but I'm so glad you're here." Again, as he spoke he realized he really meant it. "I really like the food. I didn't think I was hungry, but now I smell it...is that my favorite?"

A small sniff answered. He wriggled down, actually lying on his stomach to see her better. Had Danny not been so worried about them both he would have laughed. As it was, he bit at his knuckle and watched anxiously. He had to fight the urge to push the other man away to let him grab his daughter.

"Gracie...please," the emotion in Steve's voice was raw. "I can't talk to you like this. I, uh, I, could you come out now...I guess I could, ah, I could take a hug?"

Another muffled snuffle but this time the small form began to wriggle out. Steve pushed himself up and waited as Grace emerged and flung herself into his arms sobbing. His own emotions barely in check he comforted the small girl as best as he could. Maneuvering himself so that he was seated with his back against the wall Steve held her close.

She was mumbling incoherently into his shirt and Steve gently pushed her back so he could see her face.

"I can't hear you, Sweetie."

"I...I'm sorry I got mad at you, Uncle Steve."

"That's ok, baby. Everyone is very upset at the moment."

"I just don't want Aunty Cath to be mad at me."

"Mad at you?" Danny could no longer be quiet in the face of Grace's despair. "What on earth...I mean, Grace...why, why would you think that?"

Grace wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve and gazed at her favorite Uncle. She looked down.

"Hey, Babe. I promise Aunty Cath won't mind if you tell us."

"I promised her something."

"Catherine?" Steve's eyebrows rose at Danny who was likewise in the dark.

Grace nodded and feeling comforted in Steve's arms, continued with only a little encouragement. "Yep, the last time she was sent away really suddenly. She was in her white uniform which I think is really pretty and you and Danno were outside and she was waiting for you to drive her to the base, Uncle Steve, and she looked sad to be going. So I was talking to her and she gave me a hug and told me I had to make sure you took care of yourself when she was away because you were a..." she pushed back to look at Steve again a slight smile on her face, "a stupid big doofus and no good without someone to look after you."

"She's got your number, Babe." Danny clapped a hand on Steve's shoulder as a myriad of emotions crossed his tired face.

Steve huffed out a laugh and rubbed his hand over his face, a gesture fast becoming a habit in the last few days.

"And you...?"

"I promised her I would and I did but now...now it's like Aunty Cath isn't here either and you aren't looking after yourself and I promised I would...so I asked Kamekona and Aunty Kono to help..."

"I see."

"Are you mad? You look kinda funny?"

"Mad..." he simply pulled the little girl flush to his chest. "It's...Gracie, it's the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a very long time."

"Really?"

"Really."

Her smile was sunlight after rain and Steve felt he would do anything to keep it on her face. "Gracie, I have been worried and I guess...well, Cath was maybe right that I sometimes don't take care of myself. I promise to try harder so when," he hesitated, old memories casting a dark shadow over current events, "So when Aunty Cath wakes up she won't be mad at me."

Grace beamed up at him and shuffled down from his knee, excitedly chattering about the meal she had ordered for Steve.

"Thank you." Steve mouthed to Danny over his daughter' head.

"Ohana" Danny mouthed back and Steve squeezed the bridge of his nose and tried to listen to the story Grace was telling. He felt a wave of gratitude and affection for the little girl.

Grace was just explaining to Steve that she had his favorite shaving kit, aftershave Catherine had bought him and a clean shirt so he could shower in the staff shower room next door before returning to his vigil. Steve listened marveling that such a perfect little creature would care this much about him. He was still getting used to having family around. He didn't know what the next twelve hours would bring but he knew that he wouldn't have to face it alone.

He dutifully managed a few mouthfuls of the plate he was handed, he had been hungry and felt better for it. He sank back into the surprisingly comfortable sofa and listened to the music of Grace's constant chatter as she fussed around him. He didn't even feel his eyes droop and for once the sound of helicopter rotors didn't jerk him awake.

"Do you want some more, Uncle Steve?" Grace turned towards the quiet form beside her, "Uncle Steve?" Grace felt slightly alarmed when she saw his closed eyes. "Danno?"

Danny looked at the sleeping form and grinned at Grace. "He's asleep, you are a brilliant girl." Danny dropped a kiss on her head. "I would say Operation Uncle Steve is a success."

Grace returned his grin and, pulling a blanket from the back of another chair, gently draped it over him. "Sleep well, Uncle Steve," she whispered sadly before crawling onto her Danno's lap for reassurance.

Steve was woken two hours later by the doctor. "Commander! A word?"

Steve went from unconscious to full alert in seconds. Danny, nursing a still dosing Grace also leapt up, depositing the little girl on the chair. He hurried to his partner's side.

"What's happened, is she ok? What...?" Steve scrubbed his hand across his face, chasing the last of the sleep away.

The doctor put his hand up, "I am sorry to disturb you Commander, but I thought you would like to know...the blood result are back. The new antibiotics are working as we had hoped."

Steve almost slumped to the floor as relief coursed through his body. Danny put an arm round his shoulder as he swayed slightly.

"Wow, I mean, thanks,..wow...thank you!"

"She is not out of the woods yet, Commander but the Lieutenant has definitely turned a corner.

Steve grabbed his hand and shook it hard a huge grin illuminating his tired face, "I understand, Doc, but...that's...that's just great. Can I..." he was already on his way to the door.

"The nurses are just working with her at the moment, if you would just wait here, I will ensure someone comes to get you the moment you can go back in."

"Sure I, wow..." Steve sat back down heavily, rubbing his face again, trying to process the news.

"Thanks, Doc. We'll take it from here," Danny told the physician who was also smiling, relieved to be delivering good news. He nodded at the blonde detective and left to continue his rounds.

"Danno? Is Aunty Cath going to be alright?"

"Yes, Monkey,"

The little girl clapped her hands in delight. "See Uncle Steve, I told you so!"

"Yes, Gracie," Steve grinned at her, holding his arms open as she barrelled towards him. "You did." He hugged her tightly to him, eyes shut.

She pushed away after a moment, "Uncle Steve?"

"Umm?" he still felt rather dazed.

"I think you should go and shower now cos...well...you are a little..." she wafted her hand in front of her face.

Laughing, Danny tossed the backpack towards his partner, "The girl has a point. Hurry up, can't have Cath thinking you were pinning for her."

Faced with the joint force of the Williams' and feeling lighter than he had in four days, Steve admitted defeat and went to have a Navy shower before returning to the room where Catherine would find him when she woke late the next day.

Thanks for reading - hope everyone is getting geared up for the best Christmas yet!