14.
Sure enough, it takes less than an hour for Grace to be almost entirely comfortable in the SEAL's company. They go back to the McGarrett household, and John 'makes himself scarce' as Steve, Danny and Grace head out to the back yard, making themselves comfortable on the private beach. It's not long before Danny is watching Steve aid his daughter in her sandcastle efforts, building the most extravagantly ridiculous structure the beach has ever seen.
Grace runs back towards Danny, settles herself at Danny's side as Steve trails behind, Danny smiling up at him as he sits back down next to them. Really? After twenty years of pain, how can it have been so easy for the damned idiot to have simply waltzed back into his life, the reappearance causing him no trouble whatsoever.
"Danno, can I go get some shells from down the beach with Steve?" Steve throws a glance Danny's way, hoping to convey that he won't take offence if Danny says no.
But Danny just smiles wide, opens his arms so Grace can move away from him again. "Sure Monkey, just keep an eye on him okay. Make sure he doesn't fall in." Grace just laughs because even she detects that tone in Danny's voice, and she launches herself up off of the ground and back towards Steve with a grin.
Predictably, Steve likes Grace. She's a little human, she's bright and talkative, and though she hasn't inherited Danny's sarcasm or hand gestures just yet, she's got a level of willpower to rival most. He flinches as she lifts a hand to touch his, quickly reminding himself that it's only Grace. That in mind, he opens his hand for hers, biting down on his lip to suppress a smile as Grace slips her hand into his.
Grace chats about school as they walk a little further along the beach before eventually crouching down to look at the shells. Grace throws a few in a bucket, and Steve holds up a couple every now and then for careful inspection as Grace changes the topic of conversation.
"Are you going to work with Danno?" Grace looks up at him, and Steve nods and smiles.
"Yeah, hopefully." They continue in silence for a few seconds. "D'you think he'd like that?"
Grace chucks another shell into the bucket and smiles wide. "Yeah, I think he's been happy the past couple of days when we talked on the phone, and he said that the man he was working with was driving him crazy yesterday." Clearly, Grace isn't aware of how long Steve has been in town. He lets out a loud laugh and glances to Danny who's looking over at him curiously. If only Grace could understand the full implication of that sentence, the reality that has Steve as the man working with Danny and 'driving him crazy' whilst simultaneously making him happy. At least he hopes that it's his presence making Danny happy.
Grace continues to talk about school and friends whilst she finishes up her shell collection, and then she clasps hold of Steve's hand again as they make their way back over to Danny.
"Will I get to see you again?" Grace asks, and Steve gives her hand a light squeeze.
"Yeah, I hope so." And he really does. Because even if Danny does decide against working with him on a new task force, Steve really hopes that won't mark the end of their personal relationship.
Apparently Grace isn't satisfied with that answer of uncertainty. "Danno, can we come back here on the weekend?" Danny doesn't even have to glance over the top of Grace's head to know that Steve is grinning, but he does it anyway. Honestly, Danny hadn't been so sure how this would pan out, whether Grace would be so scared by the guy that she'd run in the other direction. But Steve looks different around a kid, maybe it's just because she's one that he actually wants to get along with. He's the same guy, but there's a softer look in his eyes, a slight hesitance of his touches.
Grace lies back in the sand and the boys follow suit, and before they know it, the sky has darkened and Grace lies asleep on the ground. "You mind if I put her on the couch?" Steve shakes his head, and Danny stands up and leans down to pick up Grace before whispering, "I'll be back in a minute."
He disappears towards the house, only to find John McGarrett in the kitchen. He looks over to Danny, now setting Grace down gently on the couch, just about still asleep. When he speaks, his voice is a whisper, "You should take the job, Danny." Danny just looks at him, leans back against the counter. "Look, I'm not an idiot. He loves you." Danny remains motionless, blinking a couple of times to try and figure out if he feels the same. But really, who's he kidding; he's felt the same for twenty years. "And besides, you're good for him, he's gonna need someone to keep him in line in a new task force." Danny has still said nothing. "Look, all I'm saying is give it some serious thought." He walks towards the stairs. "And there's beer in the fridge."
Danny just shakes his head and pulls the fridge open, grabbing a couple of Longboards before heading back into the warm night. Honestly, Danny had thought that John McGarrett would pose a far bigger obstacle to a gay relationship than he's proving to be. And whilst he's being honest, Danny knows about the Navy, thought maybe that would have been a bigger issue as well. But with DADT scheduled for repeal, and Steve seemingly unconcerned, maybe Danny holds something close for Steve as to what Steve holds for Danny. Maybe this really can work.
Steve sits up as Danny plants his ass next to him, and right now, in the quiet, this private patch of beach could just as well be their patch from all those years ago. He hands Steve a beer, and they both take a pull before Steve speaks, voice low and quiet.
"So, this mean you'll take the job?" Steve is feeling hopeful, suspects his father has more to do with this whole arrangement than he's letting on.
Danny sighs, takes another sip as he looks down to the sand between his legs. "Maybe." But for all John's explanation of why he shipped Steve off, there's still something bugging Danny. "But I need to know something first." He swallows, finally looks into Steve's eyes and decides he's going to get an honest answer. "Why didn't you call…write…send a bottled letter for chris'sake? How was it so easy for you to leave and never see me again?"
Steve's face falls, and he immediately looks guilty. Because if Danny thinks that it's been easy for him, he's sorely mistaken. Danny doesn't allow his gaze to falter though, determined to hold the eye contact so that he can see whether Steve is telling the truth.
"Believe me, Danny, it was anything but easy." Steve seems to be struggling a little with this, and so Danny stays uncharacteristically quiet, gives him the time he needs as Steve looks into his eyes again, burning with the intensity of their feelings. "I asked Dad about you in the one and only phone call I made for the first year away, and he said you seemed upset…I wanted to call, but I'm not stupid; I know what we had…have," he corrects with a smirk. "I know it was special, even then, and I hoped that if I left you alone, you'd get over it, move on."
"I didn't."
Steve nods, and Danny thinks maybe he really does understand. "I know; I know that now. Anyway, I screwed up my exams, the Navy seemed like a good option, but with DADT and the instability of the lifestyle, I didn't want to mess with you. I figured you'd have found someone else by then anyway." He looks up, and Danny believes him completely. "What about your ex?"
Danny shrugs, and the words come out far easier than they ever have before. "She gave me Grace, and that's more than I could ever have possibly hoped for. But it was never going to work between us. When it was good, things were fine, but we couldn't put up with each other." There's another few seconds of silence. "You gonna tell me some more about this job then?"
"Sure. It would be me, you, and a couple of cousins from HPD. Chin Ho is a detective," Danny nods, he recognizes the name. "And Kono is fresh outta the academy. The governor said with their relationship we're already bound to be close." Danny watches as Steve takes his hands off of his knees, leans in a little closer. "Which is why anything between us wouldn't be a problem, as long as we keep things professional at work."
He's got one eyebrow raised in an expression that's so familiar that it makes Danny's heart skip a beat. He sets his beer in the sand, turns back to Steve with a light smile. Steve moves closer, and it's a fraction of a second before their lips are pressed together. Danny opens his mouth, granting entry as their tongues dance together, lips tracing the outlines of each other as their hands move to explore each others' bodies. It's a few minutes before Danny smiles and lets out a sigh at the familiar feeling of Steve's lips at his neck, teeth lightly scraping over his collar bone before their lips meet again. It's probably the least urgent kiss they've ever shared, and really, there's no need for anything else in this moment, no need to rush things.
Steve and Danny have the rest of their lives for this, and Danny's beginning to firm up his feelings that this thing - this partnership - could really work, in both their professional and personal lives. Danny pulls away, leans his forehead against Steve's as he finally gets around to saying those three words he should have said twenty years ago.
"I love you." His breaths are slightly labored, and the sound of their breathing breaks the silence. But fuck, it's a thousand times better than any of Danny's romantic moments from the last two decades.
He can feel Steve's forehead crease as he smiles against him, and Danny's lips curve into an involuntary smile. "Love you too," Steve says, and he pulls away to look into Danny's eyes. Yeah, things are going to be good from now on.