A/N: Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! This mean we are into a long weekend and we'll see if I can kick my own butt into doing more work on this story! I thought it was over, I was writing as if I was ending and then all of a sudden something spoke to me and bam, it wasn't over! So I am going to take this time off, this weekend, to try and wrap up this story. Until then, enjoy this Danny at home chapter that is fluffy and kinda sappy and emotional. Gotta give y'all the daddy Danny moments!

Also, thank you everyone for all he comments! You are all so wonderful!

Chapter 11: Homeward Bound

Danny dropped Steve back at the Hale, and even though he protested, Steve sent him home to see his kids. He found Grace still at the kitchen table working through her homework. Rosie came down stairs when she heard him come in.

"Charlie is in bed," She announced after she watched Danny wrap one arm around his daughter and kissed the top of her head.

He looked up and smiled at her but there was so much more in it and none of it said happiness to her.

"How was cheer?" He asked, not ready to talk about the case with his daughter right there and not at all ready to let her out of his sight just yet.

"It was good. We placed for finals and if we win then national are in Washington this year," Grace said excitedly.

"If you win, like you're not the best team on the island?" Danny asked sarcastically.

"You'll take time off to come to the mainland, won't you?" She asked as she looked up at him and batted her eyes.

"Absolutely, you aren't going to Washington without me," he answered. "Besides, Danno needs a vacation from Uncle Steve."

"Do you think you could come too Rosie?" Grace asked knowing full well just how well things had been going for her father.

"I have furlough I can take if you want me to come," Rosie said and smiled. "I've never been to Washington."

"State, not D.C," Grace said to clarify. "Seattle to be exact."

"I've been to the capitol like twelve times for diners and parades and all kinds of stuff regarding work. Seattle, now there is something new," Rosie said with excitement.

"It will be fun," Danny nodded and finally released his daughter from the embrace. "How much more of this do you have? It's getting late," he added and turned her attention back to her math homework.

"Two more questions and I'm done," she answered cheerfully.

"And how was the social science presentation? How did you do?" He asked.

"It was postponed until tomorrow because the school had a safety assembly," Grace answered and pulled a booklet out of her bag and handed it to her father. "They want you to sign it so that they can make sure we talked to our parents about it. Charlie has one too," she added and found his tiny backpack.

"A little girl went missing from a school yesterday," Rosie said by way of warning for Danny.

"You're working this case, aren't you, Danno?" Grace asked as she laid another booklet on the counter and returned to her seat.

"Yeah," Danny answered and put the booklet down on the table. He wasn't about to lie to his child about what he was doing, but he also wasn't going to get into details with her. He took his pen out of his pocket, signed the booklet where the line had been indicated to him and handed it back to Grace. "There, we talked about it." He said, moved to the counter and signed the other one.

"Then I forgive you for missing cheer," Grace said, stood and hugged her father again. "She's like, my age, isn't she?"

"A little younger," Danny answered and cradled her head in his hands, and pulled her closer to him. "I need you to be smart and safe, Monkey. I can't protect you all the time. Please, don't go anywhere alone."

"I won't," she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"Okay, finish you homework and then off to bed with you," Danny said and sighed deeply. "You still have school in the morning, and had cheer all night, and a responsible father I must be. Even though I would much rather spend as many precious moments with you as I possible can."

"Dad, stop!" Grace said and waved him away.

"Why did you have to grow up on me?" He asked sadly as he turned to leave her.

"I hope you find her," Grace said before he could leave completely.

"Rosie was called to her location this afternoon. She's in the hospital, terrible things happened to her, but she's alive. And I'm going to find the person who did this," Danny vowed because he knew that this young woman before him would worry about her father. "But I need you to be safe, Grace. I just need you and your brother to be safe right now," he repeated himself and had to walk away.

Moments later Rosie followed him into the living room and found him staring out the window at the street in front of his house.

"Daniel, are you going to be all right?" She asked as she came to stand next to him.

"I met a friend of yours today, well a voice at least," he said to deflect from the question. "Gabriel."

"Ah yes, my angel on the dashboard who always rides shotgun," Rosie said and leaned into him. "He's like the knight rider of my ambo."

"Can he talk directly to you in the rig?" Danny asked.

"Oh yes, the radio works both ways," she said and giggled.

"Was he with you today?" Danny asked.

"He was mostly in the back with Aaron once he told me which hospital was closest and what streets to avoid in my hasty driving," she answered.

"Good, I feel better knowing you've always got someone looking out for you," Danny said and took her hand and raised it to his lips.

"What happened today?" She asked again, this time more like a whisper.

"We were looking in the wrong place," Danny answered with a sigh. "We missed something pretty huge, I think, and then Steve sent me home."

"Well you do look like hell," she said and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you have Steve always looking out for you."

"I should be there working this case," Danny protested.

"No, you should be here to know that, yes, your children are safe in their beds tonight. And you need to be home so that you will be rested and alert by morning so that you can catch this guy," She said as Grace came out of the kitchen.

"All finished Monkey?" Danny asked cheerfully but not really feeling it.

"Yes, finally," she said with a sigh. "I'm going to shower and then go to bed. Is that okay?"

"Make it quick, it's already later then usual for you," He gave the go ahead but also hammered home his point and his rules.

"I'm glad you're home, Danno. The presentation today scared me a little. Not that I don't trust you, Rosie, but.."

"You need your dad," Rosie finished for her. "I'll clean up the kitchen. You deal with your kids!" She said to Danny and disappeared again.

"Come here, Monkey," Danny said and she came across the room again and into his arms. "I want you to see this okay," he added and steered her toward the window. "You see that blue pole? It's an EMS pole."

"Rosie told me about them when we came home tonight," Grace said.

"If you ever find yourself in trouble, look for the pole," he added with a grin and mentally made a note to thank Rosie later.

"When am I ever going to need the pole when I have you?" Grace asked sleepily.

"Please don't ever turn into a crazy defiant teenager on me. I could never bare it," he said with half a laugh as he kissed her head again.

"I wont, I know what's out there," Grace said and leaned her head onto his chest and listened to his heart beat. "I'm glad you're home tonight."

"Me too," he whispered and just stood there for a long time holding his eldest child, despite his previous warnings of the lateness of the hour.

"I really do need a shower," Grace whispered after another long moment had passed them by.

"Yeah, you do, you smell like gym," Danny teased as he released her. "Go, quick, and get to bed." He said and shooed her away.

Grace ran off into the depths of the house and as Danny turned around he saw Rosie leaning in the arch that separated the kitchen from the living room.

"You have a pair of really great kids, do you know that?" She asked as he came back across the room toward her.

"I'm bias, but tell me why you think that," he said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Because Charlie's had questions about the assembly as well, and Grace did her very best to make him feel safe. And you know how she did that? She talked all about you and how amazing you are, and how you'll never stop protecting them," Rosie explained. "And not a word of it was an over exaggeration."

A bashful grin cross Danny's face, but it didn't take away from the weariness that was there are well.

"I believe in you, Daniel, and so do your children. You'll get this guy. You'll make this right," Rosie whispered in his ear.

"Yes I will," Danny vowed, kissed her, and released her. "I'm going to check on Charlie, and make sure Grace makes it to bed without that monstrosity we call technology, and then I will see you in bed."

"Oh will you now?" She asked playfully.

"Girl, don't make me come over there," he added with a wink, and headed up the stairs.

Rosie laughed to herself, turned off all of the lights in the kitchen, and headed for the bedroom.