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.
Steve and Danny both slept in a little on Sunday morning. The alarm woke them, but neither was in a hurry to get up. Apparently, the alarm also woke Grace because she came in a few minutes later. As she scrambled up the bed, Danny realized that she probably would outgrow the habit soon, just as she would probably not crawl onto his lap much longer. It made him sad to think about it.
Steve noticed the Danny's mind was elsewhere, so he kept Grace occupied in a discussion for today's plans. They decided it might be nice to have something light for breakfast and go for brunch after church. It was something that Steve's parents would do occasionally when he was younger, and he always enjoyed it. He also planned to see if he could get Grace to tell them the name of the kids who were bothering her at school.
"Danno, are you with us? I asked if it was okay with you if we go out for brunch after church." Steve saw the look of sadness in Danny's eyes. It was gone in an instant, replaced by the smile Danny used to hide what he was thinking.
"That sounds good, babe. Do you have any place special in mind?"
Steve patiently repeated the conversation he had with Grace, and Danny agreed it was a good plan. They lingered in bed since they wouldn't need time for a full breakfast. They grabbed a granola bar on the way out and made it to church with time to spare.
Steve and Danny enjoyed the service as they had before. Several members of the congregation nodded to them as they walked out. The pastor greeted them again at the door. "Steve, Danny, it's good to see you here again. We've missed you. I hoped that you would come again. Congratulations to both of you. I read in the newspaper that you're officially partners now. Miss Grace, it's good to see you."
Steve realized that the pastor had given him the angle he needed to ask Grace about the incident at school. On the way to brunch, Steve casually told Grace about his visit from the reporter. He explained that although they kept their relationship private in the beginning, it was unfair to either of them to continue to do so when they wanted to make a lifetime commitment. "Grace, Danno and I aren't happy that we were mentioned in the newspaper. There are some people who have a problem with two men or two women being together. I remember how it was in school. Kids tease other kids about everything."
Danny knew where Steve was going with this. Steve was using his most charming and sympathetic voice, the one he used when was trying to pry answers from a reluctant witness. "That's right, Monkey. As you could guess, I was teased about my height." It pained Danny to admit it even though it was obvious.
"I was teased about being a nerd." That was painful for Steve too. At Danny's look of surprise, Steve shrugged. "I was a late bloomer, but I was always a good student. I was pretty good at most subjects, but my science projects were always… noteworthy. It wasn't until I went through a growth spurt in high school and I bulked up some for football that it stopped."
Danny rolled his eyes. "You were lucky. I'm still teased about my size, although the badge and the gun help a little."
Steve remembered the short jokes he made at Danny's expense and winced. "Danny, anyone who doesn't see the big man you are has a little mind. Anyway, Danno and I are worried that some of the kids at school might tease you about us now that it's public knowledge. Do you promise to talk to us if that happens?"
Danny liked Steve's approach. Rather than asking Grace if she had been teased, Steve asked if she would tell them if it happened. He waited to see how Grace would reply.
"Daddy, I don't want to get someone in trouble." Grace spoke so softly that Steve and Danny almost didn't hear her.
"Grace, you wouldn't get anyone in trouble. It just wouldn't be right for someone to give you a hard time for something you have no control over. Sometimes people give Danno and me a hard time about being together, and we handle it because it's our choice. You are not a fair target for small-minded people or kids. If one of the kids at school has a problem with us, then they should be able to tell us directly." Steve knew it was a sneaky approach, but he would not let Grace suffer if he could help it.
"Two boys at school are teasing me," was all that Grace said at first. She knew that Daddy wouldn't let it go and decided that she had to trust him. "Greg Pratt and his friend, Marty Young, say things when we're on the playground. Most of the kids are okay with you and Danno. A lot of the girls have a crush on you and Danno. Most of the boys think Daddy is a hero. They saw him when he surprised us at school in his uniform when he got back from his training. He looked really tough. I don't think Greg has a daddy. I think he's jealous because I have three. Marty just goes along with whatever Greg says."
Danny shook head in disbelief. This Greg kid was teasing Grace on the playground, and she figured out what his problem was. "It still hurts when he says things, doesn't it." Danny was very gentle in his prompting.
"I don't like what he says about you and Daddy. It makes me so mad, but I know it would be bad to get in a fight at school." Grace crossed her arms and bit her bottom lip, determined not to cry. She always loved school, but the teasing was getting worse every day.
"Grace, these boys sound like they're bullying you. There's a no-bullying policy at your school. These boys are probably bullying other kids too. Danno and I need to talk to your teacher to see if the school is aware of what is going on. Think of how some of the younger kids are feeling. Do you trust us?" Steve held his breath for her answer.
"Yes Daddy, I trust you and Danno. Promise you won't get mad when you talk to the teacher?" Grace heard Danno talk about Steve how scary he could be. She didn't want a big scene in her class.
"I promise that I won't get mad. Danno and I will talk to your teacher in the morning. She will notify the playground monitor to watch out for these kids. When they bully you or any other kids, they will be sent to the office. Grace, it's important to stop bullies early before they get worse. It will be okay." Steve watched her in the back seat. She wouldn't meet his eyes in the rear view mirror, but she nodded.
Grace was quiet at brunch, but she perked up when Steve told stories about when his family would go out for the brunch buffet. Mary had a habit of getting too much food, or she would order something new and find that she didn't like it. Steve would usually swap plates with Mary, so he learned to eat a lot of different dishes.
Danny watched in fascination. He couldn't reconcile this man with the stoic hard-nosed SEAL who pulled a gun on him at their first meeting. Steve was offering Grace a forkful of some seafood delicacy that Danny wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. She sniffed at it and took a small taste. Grace made a face, which made Steve laugh. Grace offered Steve a forkful of her chocolate chip waffle with whipped cream. Steve took a taste and made a face. Grace giggled at Steve's face and ate the rest of the bite.
At Steve's suggestion, they went home to change clothes before taking a trip to the Honolulu Zoo. Grace had a report due in a week on her favorite animal, and she wanted to do some research before she decided which animal was her favorite. They walked around most of the afternoon, stopping only for water and a snack. Grace finally pronounced that the gorillas were her favorite. She thought they looked very intelligent as they watched the visitors walk around.
Steve grilled fish for supper, a healthy meal after the splurge of brunch. They ate on the lanai as the sun set lower on the horizon. Danny thought back over the weekend. They had the tantrum from Grace on Friday, the conversation first with Rachel, and later with Stan on Saturday, and the information Steve gleaned from Grace this morning about the bullies at school.
Life was certainly not getting any easier, and Rachel had yet to give birth. He expected the blessed event would stir up even more emotions. Danny felt a pang of longing when he saw Rachel, not for the woman but for the baby she carried. He no longer wanted a life with Rachel, but he had such mixed feelings about another child. Danny loved Grace as much as a father could love his child, but he would have loved to have a son too. He knew that they had options if they wanted to add to their family, but he couldn't imagine bringing a baby into their household. They had their hands full with a ten year old daughter. It would be absolute chaos with a baby.
Later that night, Steve and Danny talked as they packed lunches for tomorrow. "Do you want to tell me where you were at supper? You looked like you were a million miles away." Steve knew that Danny had zoned out on them a couple of times today.
Grace was safely tucked in upstairs, so there was no danger she would overhead their conversation. Danny burped the lid of bowl holding a salad for their lunch tomorrow. He thought about what to say and opted for the truth. "I was thinking about the baby, Stan and Rachel's baby. I was remembering how I felt when I thought I was going to be a father again."
Steve turned to Danny and put his arm around him. "Danny, do you want to have another child?"
Danny sighed, choosing his words carefully. "Yes, and no." Steve's puzzlement at Danny's answer was easy to see. Danny plowed ahead with his explanation. "I thought about what it would be like to have another baby, and I remember what it was like with Grace. Rachel stayed home full-time for the first six months, and we hardly slept even then. It was worse when she went back to work. I cannot imagine going through that again. Seeing Rachel like that on Saturday just stirred up a lot of stuff I try not to think about."
Steve pulled Danny in for a hug. "Well, I imagine you will get an opportunity to hold this baby. I understand good babysitters are hard to find. You'll be Uncle Danny who gets to play with the happy baby and send the cranky baby home."
That merited a smile from Danny. "Steve, just humor me on this. I promise that I don't want to be with Rachel anymore. I was never this happy with her, even in the beginning. I don't regret being with you. I guess it's just because there was a time when I thought the baby was mine."
"Danny, it's really okay. You're entitled to how you feel. Just tell me if it gets to the point where you want to do something about it. We might not be set up for a newborn, but we could open our home to a child. We could adopt, or just take in a foster child at first. We could specify that we want a boy. It would be better if the child was older, maybe potty-trained, or even school age. Or we could volunteer for the Big Brother program. We have a lot of options. Don't feel like you have to settle for the status quo."
Steve's words were a comfort to Danny. He remembered one of his sisters talking about how hard it was to decide to only have two children. She opted for surgery immediately after her youngest was born because she knew the urge for another baby would hit when the youngest was a couple of years old. Danny knew how she felt.
When their chores were finished for the night, Steve pulled Danny upstairs. Steve knew other ways to comfort Danny. He started with a back rub that soon turned into a full body massage. When all the tension was gone from Danny's body, Steve very sweetly made love to him. It was a nice way to end their weekend.
Steve and Danny left earlier than usual on Monday to drop Grace off at school. They wanted a chance to talk to the teacher. On the way to Grace's classroom, Grace pointed out her tormentors. Steve calmly pulled his phone out, pretending to check a message. Instead, he snapped a couple of pictures of Greg and Marty.
The teacher was well aware that something was going on during recess that was upsetting to Grace. Steve explained who the bullies were and gave her an idea what the subject was. The teacher was very upset and promised that the staff would keep an eye on the situation. They dealt with bullies severely; the problem was getting the students to identify who they were.
On the way out of the school, Steve saw the two boys by a couple of younger kids. He couldn't help himself. Steve hooked the hem of his shirt around his badge and gun so they were visible. Steve and Danny quietly walked over to Greg and Marty and stood behind them; it didn't take long to deduce that the older boys were shaking down the younger boys for money.
The younger boys saw Steve and Danny walk up and froze. Greg and Marty weren't that smart. They continued with their demands, and threatened to find the younger boys on the playground if they didn't pay up. That was all Steve needed to hear.
"Detective Williams, doesn't that sound like extortion to you? Why don't you take the names of the victims while I interrogate the suspects?" Danny pulled the younger boys aside and did as Steve requested, staying close in case Steve got out of hand.
Normally, Steve would have gotten down to the boys' height to talk to them. This time he was opting for intimidation. If anything, he stood taller. "Okay boys, what do you have to say for yourselves before I read you your Miranda rights?"
Marty turned pale, but Greg decided to cop an attitude. "We don't have to say anything. You don't have any authority here."
"Actually, I have authority on all of Hawaii's islands, and certainly in this school. Now march to the principal's office, and don't think about trying to run for it. I've chased down bigger punks than you. I know who you are." Greg was silent as they walked to the principal's office. All the kids turned to watch them. Danny was two steps behind with the names of the other boys.
The principal was not happy to have two law enforcement officers in her office, and even less so when she heard the story. "Commander McGarrett, surely you understand that it is improper for you to talk to these boys without parental permission."
"Yes ma'am, I understand. But Detective Williams and I both witnessed the attempted extortion. I believe these boys fit the description of bullies. According to what I read on your website, bullies aren't tolerated here. I have other reports about these boys, and I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. What do you intend to do about it? Ma'am, they threatened beat up two first-graders on the playground. I'm sure if I contact their parents, I'll hear how those kids dread coming to school." Steve stood firm for Grace and for the other kids in the school. The problem was more than a couple of boys teasing a girl because she had two dads living together.
"The boys will remain in detention until I can verify the information. If your story checks out, we'll expel both boys. Is that satisfactory?" Steve was making the principal nervous now. Danny stood next to Steve enjoying the show. Steve nodded his agreement, satisfied that this was the best he could hope for this morning. Steve asked to be kept up to date. He casually mentioned that he was ready file a report with HPD if necessary. He knew that would be a black eye for the school.
Steve and Danny were able to get to HQ only a few minutes late. Danny's only comment was, "I have to say that was the first time I ever enjoyed being in the principal's office."