Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.
"Good morning Monkey. Did you sleep well?" Danny moved his hand from Steve's leg and stretched out his arms for a morning hug. Grace was a little bleary-eyed and had a bad case of bed head. She reached out for Danny's neck and curled up in his lap, not being content with just a hug.
"Morning Danno." She managed to return Danny's greeting before settling against his chest, content to listen to Danny's heartbeat.
"Still tired Grace?" Steve leaned toward Grace and spoke soothingly as he stroked her back.
"Hmm" was all Grace could manage. With her eyes half-closed, she reached over to grab Steve's neck. She pulled him in for a hug so that Steve's and Danny's heads were touching now.
Steve closed his eyes and relished the moment, storing it away in his mental archives to bring up when things got rough again. This had been missing from his life, this intimate linking with others. He had not experienced it with anyone, not even Catherine. He was fond of Catherine, but they were just old friends with benefits. They hadn't expected anything more of each other than whatever was in the moment.
Danny also closed his eyes and kept his head rested again Steve's. He felt a quiet contentment, a completeness he couldn't remember. He knew that he and Rachel had been this way in the beginning. But it had been missing during their short-lived reconciliation.
"Looks like you wore our little girl out yesterday", Danny finally said.
Steve's heart lurched at the comment. Was Danny reading his mind, or was he being too obvious?
Steve started to get up. "I'll fix breakfast Danny; oatmeal and fruit okay? You stay here and keep the sleepyhead company."
Danny stopped Steve and instead, shifted Grace so she was in Steve's lap now. "No, I said I would fix breakfast. The offer is still good now that you've decided to make a reasonable request. You take Grace." Steve had seemed a little melancholy this morning and Danny knew from experience that a Grace hug was just the cure.
So Steve found himself with a warm snuggling Grace on his lap. Danny even brought a fresh cup of coffee for Steve fixed just the way Steve liked. This is just about perfect, Steve thought. No, it is exactly perfect, he corrected himself.
Danny quickly put breakfast together. He found fresh pineapple (which was okay as long as it was not on pizza), grapes, apples, and bananas. He sliced up the fruit and cooked the oatmeal. Danny stepped out the back door and told Steve, "Five minute warning. You want to wake the Monkey up?"
Grace was marginally more awake the second time around. As they ate, Danny asked "Do you mind if I run back to my apartment for a few things? I need to do some laundry, and I thought I could bring some stuff back with me. I didn't really have enough room to unpack much there. And my back is feeling so great that I can't face even one more night on the fold-out couch."
Steve smiled and quickly offered "Why don't I come back with you. If we work together, we can bring all of your personal stuff back this morning. Then you'll only need to pack up household goods and furniture. We can finish up after work during the week if we spend an hour or two a day. We can store most of it in the garage until you need it." Steve hoped Danny would never need it but knew now was too soon to say anything.
With the day planned out, everyone finished breakfast and headed to Danny's. It only took an hour to gather most of Danny's clothes and pile some boxes in Steve's truck. Danny sorted out his dirty clothes and started the first load in the washer. Steve located the board games and mentally thanked his father for keeping their childhood mementos.
The day quickly passed. They played games all afternoon, pausing only for lunch or to let Danny move his laundry around. There was a lot of laughing and teasing, especially when Steve got to go to the prom with Poindexter. Of course, Danny was paired with 'Bob'. Steve teased Danny, "Hey Danny, your date grew up to work at every help line I've ever called." Grace won the prize date with Ken, but Steve and Danny teased that he was a 'girly-man'. For both men, it was a blissful way to spend the time.
Finally, they put the games away and fixed dinner. It was a simply meal, a chicken stir-fry and salad. Steve and Danny chopped and sliced away while Grace was perched on the counter. Steve took care to make extra salad so that he and Danny could take a healthy lunch tomorrow.
It was time to take Grace back to Rachel's. Normally, Danny would already be in a funk. Instead, he was looking forward to finishing his move from the apartment and talking to Chin's cousin. Grace would be back soon, maybe for a longer visit next time. And he wouldn't be stuck in his lonely apartment anymore. Even if Steve can be a little (maybe a lot) insane sometimes, it would still be better than sitting alone every night.
Steve crouched down to give Grace a final hug. "Aloha Grace. Have a good week. Thanks for playing with me this weekend. I'll see you soon." Grace gave Steve a long hug like she knew it would have to last for a while. "I had a good time too. Love you Uncle Steve." "I love you too Grace", Steve managed to choke out. His eyes were bright when he released Grace and stood up. Steve looked a little forlorn and Danny knew how he felt. This had been his life since the divorce.
Danny wanted to comfort his friend before he left. This time, he was the one who stepped into Steve's personal space. He slung his arm around Steve and leaned close, "Hey babe, it's okay. She'll be back. And I shall return in about an hour, maybe less. I need to talk to Rachel and tell her what's going on. When I get back, maybe you and I can discuss the arrangements here."
Steve appreciated Danny's words and mentally put another check by 'times Danny initiates physical contact'. He had a sudden thought. "Hey are you going to be okay with seeing Rachel. I mean, I know you must have seen her at the airport. But this will be back at Stan's and for a longer time."
Danny appreciated Steve's concern and quickly assured him. "I told you I was moving on. I admit I was dreading the moment earlier this week. I feel stronger now. It's been a great couple of days, and I'm so relieved to have my 'little' housing problem solved. I was feeling like such a loser, like I couldn't do anything right. I don't feel that way anymore. I had my doubts about whether this would work", Danny said gesturing between the two of them. "I think if we can continue on like this, it will be okay. Actually, I think it will be a lot more than okay. I'll see you in a little while." Danny gave Steve one more quick man-hug and took Grace home.
Grace was quiet on the way home which gave Danny time to put on his game face. The gate to the big house opened before he could even get out of the car. He drove up, wondering if Stan was around and how their first meeting would go. Rachel was waiting at the front door. Suddenly Grace came to life. She ran to her mom for a hug, then quickly chattered on about her weekend with Danno and Uncle Steve.
Danny stopped her before she could disclose his new living arrangements. He felt he should be the one to tell Rachel. "Monkey, why don't you run upstairs and put your stuff away. I need to talk to your mom for a little bit. I'll call you down before I leave for a goodbye hug, okay?"
"Okay Danno". Grace started to pick up her suitcase but Stan picked it up first. "I'll take this up for you in a minute Grace. Go on up." Danny hadn't even seen him come in. Once Grace was safely out of earshot, Stan turned to Danny.
Rachel had already escaped into the living room, the coward. Danny steeled himself for whatever was coming next. He knew that he had it coming. He was the 'other man' in their affair. Stan glared at him for a moment. Great, Danny thought, is that supposed to scare me? It was so not scary after being at the receiving end of some of Steve's death glares.
Finally Stan spoke, "Williams, the only reason you're still standing here is that all this was partly my fault for being away all the time. That, and the time you didn't tell Rachel the truth about the housing commissioner. But if I ever catch you with my wife again, I will kill you."
Danny had several thoughts and sorted through them carefully. "Gee Stan, bad thing to say to a cop." Nope. "You do realize that I'm armed and trained in the martial arts." Nope. "Don't worry Stan, it's over between Rachel and me. I'm sorry and it won't happen again." Yep, he went with that one. Stan merely nodded and strode away. Danny heaved a sigh of relief that the encounter was over. It would be a while but eventually they would establish a polite civility.
Rachel was looking out the front window when Danny went into the living room. He imagined that things had been quite awkward between her and Stan. He realized that's why Rachel had been so gracious with the visitation this weekend. Rachel and Stan could confront the infidelity and make peace with what had happened without traumatizing Grace with all of it. He thought she had been crying before she came in. His first impulse was to go to her and try to offer comfort. He knew that would be a bad move. Instead, he kept his distance and stuck his hands in his pockets. He was dressed casually in khaki shorts, a Yankees t-shirt, and sneakers. He looked tanned and strangely happy.
Rachel wondered about the difference in Danny's appearance from the airport last Friday. Then, he had looked frantic and haggard. "Danny, did you want to talk about joint custody. Don't tell me you've found a new place already. Grace didn't say anything about looking at apartments or houses this weekend. It sounds like she had a delightful weekend with you and Commander McGarrett this weekend. How is he doing anyway? I heard that he had been stabbed in prison before he escaped."
"Steve's doing much better now, thank you. He's still healing but he seems to be in a better place than he has been since I've known him. That's part of what I wanted you to talk about. Steve has graciously invited me to move in. I'll pay rent and help out while I'm there."
"That sounds lovely Danny. But what will you do when you have Grace? The Commander can't want to have a little girl around half the time."
Danny half-laughed and said, "You wouldn't say that if you had seen the three of us huddled around the table all day playing games. Super-SEAL even played this Barbie-goes-to-the-prom game. He got the nerd!" Danny snorted at the memory. "He says Grace is welcome and after watching the two of them, I believe him." He ran through the montage in his head: Steve hugging Grace; Steve tucking Grace in bed; Steve holding Grace on the lanai that morning. Yes, he deserved to be in Grace's life as much as Step-Stan, maybe more.
Rachel was surprised at Danny's reply. She had seen the two of them together during the surveillance next door. She couldn't belief the easy give and take between the partners. She had thought that Danny was having a tough time in his interactions with the department. He had found a friend in Meka but that had ended. Steve actually seemed to enjoy being with Danny. He easily deflected Danny's rants. More importantly, he absolutely respected Danny's ability to do his job. She had been a little jealous at the time. Her thought at the time had been, "Stop that he's mine". Now, she felt that same pang of jealousy. She knew she had lost any right to feel that way and tamped down the emotions.
She had been so angry during and after the divorce. She had lashed out at Danny and then inflicted a sentence worse than death: she had taken Grace away. She had been even angrier when he followed Grace (and her) to Hawaii. Rachel knew that love and hate can be opposite sides of the same coin. It was time to put the hate and love away, for once and for all.
"Very well Danny. If you think it will work, then I trust your judgment. You've found suitable housing. How about childcare?
Danny almost started to rant "Now you trust my judgment!" but pulled back. He realized that Rachel was showing remarkable restraint and decided to put on his 'big-boy' pants and behave himself.
"Chin Ho has a cousin whose daughter attends Grace's school. She takes care of at least one other child after school. Chin thought she would be willing to watch Grace for me. Chin said she would understand that my schedule might be a little irregular at times. I plan on talking to her tomorrow. Can I call you when I know something?"
"Yes Danny. I'll pick up when you call. Do you think we could stop the phone games and be grown-ups. I'll make the effort if you will."
Danny looked a little sheepish. "I promise to stop ducking your calls. If I don't pick up, it will be because I really can't. I've got to get back. We brought all my personal stuff back to Steve's this morning and I should probably try to stow it before I crash for the night. When do you want to tell Grace?"
"I think now is a good time." Rachel walked to the entrance hall and called up to Grace.
Grace was waiting for the call. She had been listening at the door, wondering if Mommy and Danno were going to yell at each other like before. She hadn't heard any yelling. After a while, she heard Rachel calling her down. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Rachel and Danny were waiting for her.
"Grace, your dad and I wanted to talk to you. Since your dad has found a nicer place to live, we think it would idea for us to share custody. Do you know what that means?"
"Yes, no, I'm not sure." Grace was a little confused but her Mom and Dad hadn't been very good at sharing since the divorce. This had to be a good thing, right?
"It means that you will be living here half of the time and with your Dad the other half of the time at your Uncle Steve's. How does that sound sweetheart?"
"I'd like that Mommy. Danno is really sad when we're not together. Will you be okay when I'm with Danno?" It was just like Grace to be worried about both parents. She has always been such a loving child, the best of both of them.
"I'll be fine Grace. I'll have Stan and the new baby in a little while." Rachel knew that she would miss Grace but she had been selfish for too long.
"Okay. When do we start?" Leave it to Grace to cut to the heart of the matter.
"If your dad can make the arrangements, we can start next weekend. Otherwise the weekend after that." Rachel looked at Danny to see if that was okay with him. Danny nodded his approval.
"I'd like that Mommy. I'll have a family here with you and Step-Stan, and I'll have another family with Danno and Uncle Steve." What's that saying, out of the mouths of babes?
Danny was dumbstruck. Steve always talked about how they were family. But this is something more…intimate? They would be sharing a house now. And he and Steve had gotten touchy-feely this weekend. Strangely enough, Danny hadn't minded. In fact, he had initiated some of the touching. Danny knew he should be freaked but couldn't quite muster it.
Again, this is something he'll need to consider later. It was time to bid Grace good-bye. He moved over to Grace and crouched down, mimicking Steve's earlier moves. "I'm going now. I'll see you real soon. And I'll call you every night. Danno loves you." Grace hugged Danny tightly and replied, "Love you too Danno."
Danny drove home deep in thought. Does Steve know what he has done? Grace had pronounced them a family unit. It's one thing to invite a child into your home on a part-time basis. It's another to find yourself a co-parent. And what would that say about the relationship between Steve and him? He promised Steve that he would be back soon. There was still a conversation about their living arrangement hanging between them.
He would have to broach the topic of Grace's feelings with Steve to be fair. Danny didn't think they could be a 'family' and then move out in a couple of months. He'd end up sharing visitation with 'Step-Steve' then. He pulled up in the McGarrett driveway and got out of the car. Well, there's no time like the present. Danny squared his shoulders and opened the front door. "Honey, I'm home!"
This has been a long chapter, the second for the day. I'm consoling myself to the end of the season for the Tigers. I'll be back at work tomorrow so I'll be stuck with shorter daily chapters when I can. Have a Happy Monday everyone.