A/N: Alright Day 2 of my marathon. Happy day for me. Thanks so much for all the reviews. It is nice to know that despite the absence there is still interest in this story. As always, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own H50.

Day 8: Mid Morning

Danny and Grace walked hand in hand down to the private beach on Steve's property. After sleeping in and a late breakfast Grace had begged her dad to take her down to play in the sand and water. Both felt the texture change under their feet as they went from grass to sand. The pair looked out over the sparkling blue water as they made their way to the chairs that Steve had brought down from the lanai. They could see among the waves Steve's form making its way through the surf.

Steve had come out for a morning swim not long after Grace and Danny had woken up. His head came up out of the water and noticed the pair settling into the chairs. He took a deep breath and disappeared under the waves. Danny and Grace could see his form underneath the crystal clear water as he headed into shore. Steve suddenly stood and walked dripping out of the surf. He made his way to the chairs and picked up his towel.

"Hey, you two," he said smiling as he wiped his face.

"How's the water?" Grace asked looking past Steve at the waves crashing onto the shore.

"Perfect," Steve answered as he rubbed the towel over his head.

"Let's go, Danno," Grace said excitedly.

She stood, picked up his hand, and began tugging on it. Danny chuckled.

"Sunscreen first," Danny said smiling.

Grace immediately picked up their beach bag and began rummaging through it. After moving their towels out of the way something other than the sunscreen caught her eye. Grace pulled out a pink football and studied it. Steve and Danny sat silently and watched her. She turned it over in her hands and ran her fingers across the worn fabric on the outside.

An image suddenly popped into Grace's head. She was tearing open a brightly colored package. Inside was a box that contained the pink football. She then looked from the football to someone standing close by. It was Danno. He was smiling down at her obviously glad at her reaction to the present.

"Happy Birthday, Baby," she saw him say as he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

As quickly as it had come the memory seemed to end right there. She couldn't remember asking for a pink football or any other reason why Danno would have given that to her as a gift.

Danny and Steve both saw tears suddenly falling down onto the ball. Danny knelt down in the sand next to her his daughter.

"Grace," he whispered putting a hand on her shoulders.

The little girl flung herself at him wrapping her arms around his torso. She buried her face into his bare chest and cried. Danny's arms were around his sobbing child microseconds later. He didn't think his heart could break any further than it already had at all of the tears his daughter had cried in the past few days, but once again he could feel his insides aching with grief. He offered what little comfort he could by holding her close and letting her know that she was not alone.

The football had fallen from Grace's hands when she had latched herself onto Danny. It lay in the sand unmoving looking up at the two bewildered men. They weren't sure if she had remembered something or if she was again showing her frustration at the lack of memory she continued to have.

Grace once again felt warm and comforted by Danny. While she held onto him she realized she could recall the sliver of a memory that had found her way into her head. She played it in her head over and over hoping that maybe events prior or following would find their way in. Nothing. All she could remember was opening the present, pulling out the football, and Danno wishing her a happy birthday.

It took her a few more minutes to calm herself down enough to talk to Danny and Steve. Grace pulled back slightly from Danny and wiped her face with the back of her hand. Danny reached over and picked up a towel corner. Grace took it gratefully wiping the moisture off her face.

The two men waited patiently until the little girl was ready to talk to them. Still sniffing, Grace told them about the memory that had come up in her head. Danny felt some of his crumbling heart pulled together as she talked. Steve saw a slight smile curl over the detective's lips as he listened.

"But that's all I can remember Danno," Grace said frustrated once again.

She laid her head back against Danny's chest.

"I know it's hard babe," Danny said rubbing her back, "but at least this time it was a whole memory and not just a word, phrase, or familiar feeling."

He kissed her on top of her head.

"Just give it some more time, sweetheart," Steve said placing a hand on Grace's shoulder, "You still want to go swimming?"

The question broke some of the tension in the air. Grace nodded her head, but didn't pull away from Danny. Steve reached over and picked up their beach bag and pulled out the bottle of sunscreen.

"Come on, baby," Danny said getting to his feet and pulling Grace up with him. Grace rubbed her face once more with the towel before letting it drop down to the sand. The pair brushed the sand off as well. Steve handed Danny the can and the detective proceeded to spray his daughter.

"All done," he said after a few moments.

Grace immediately took the can from Danny and went around behind him to do his back. Steve and Danny exchanged a glance as Grace once again did something she had always done without realizing it. As with finding the bathroom on her own the day before the two men decided not to say anything about it. Neither wanted to upset her again. Perhaps some of the automatic responses that she was showing would some how open up the rest of her memories. Although it seemed like there was no pattern to her remembering what little she had. Doubts were beginning to creep into Danny's head about Grace's memory returning all at once. It seemed like that would not be happening.

"Come on Danno," Grace said tugging on Danny's hand once again and bringing him out of his thoughts.

The blond sigh and smiled as his little girl dragged him down to the water. A warm wave splashed over their feet showing them that the temperature was perfect as Steve had said before. Still clutching Danny's hand as if she were a young child the pair went deeper and deeper in.

The further out they went the bigger the waves got. Soon the water was lifting them off their feet as the waves rolled around them. Danny playfully put his arms under Grace's and lifted her high into the air. She giggled with delight as he did so and brought her back down into the water. He repeated that with several more waves. Grace laughed and giggled as the waves splashed around her. She suddenly turned around in between waves and wrapped her arms around Danny's waist. He heard her sigh contentedly next to him. Danny lifted her into his arms and brushed a strand of wet hair off her face.

"You were 8," he said silently, "The football was a present for your 8th birthday."

Grace nodded and smiled at him. She wrapped her arms around his thick neck.

"It's just going to take some time," came Steve's words back into her head.

Grace took comfort in the words as well as the comfort she got from holding onto her Danno, her dad, her daddy.

Day 9: Evening

"You in or out, babe," Danny said looking over at Steve.

The Navy SEAL was deep in thought as he assessed his position and the risk involved with his decision.

"Can't put it off forever," Danny taunted with a wide grin.

"Will you shut your mouth, Williams," Steve barked giving his partner a dirty look, "I'm thinking. . . . Just give me a second, alright?"

Danny couldn't hide the smirk on his face.

"Alright, Grace," Steve said finally, "I'll see your 10 and raise you 20."

Steve threw several brightly colored chips into the pile on the middle of his coffee table.

"Call," Grace said with out hesitation and matching the bet.

Danny added to the pot and the three showed their cards.

"Full House," Grace announced triumphantly eyeballing the piled of chips in the center of the table.

Danny and Steve both groaned seeing that she had easily beaten the both of them.

The three had spent most of the past two days outside enjoying the beach in Steve's backyard. They had swum, thrown around Grace's pink football, and enjoyed the sunshine. Steve had barbecued dinner for the two evenings on his lanai while Grace and Danny had built a sand castle in the setting the sun. It had been two fun filled days.

As it grew dark Grace had surprised both men when she asked if either of them want to play a card game with her. They were even more stunned to find out that the game she had in mind was five card draw. Grace confided that she didn't know how she remembered the rules and that she first remembered them back at Erika's house.

Danny saw a brief bit of hesitation from Grace as she brought up the woman who had held her captive. However, to his relief she seemed able to get a hold of herself and shot both concerned men a smile.

At first Steve and Danny thought they would go easy on Grace. They were about 3 hands into the game when they realized that would not be necessary. Despite the amnesia she was doing quite well on her own.

Even when they stopped going easy on Grace they couldn't seem to stop their piles of chips from diminishing while hers continued to grow. At least they weren't playing for cash.

Danny watched affectionately as Grace claimed her latest pot and began to organize them into stacks based on color. Steve took the deck and began to shuffle the cards. He suddenly stopped mid shuffle and glanced under the coffee table.

"Alright, Gracie, I know you are hiding those extra cards somewhere," Steve playfully accused her.

His comment made the little girl begin to giggle.

"I'm just lucky tonight," she responded.

"I'd ask to see the inside of your sleeves, but you don't have any," Steve continued eyeing Grace's tank top.

"Just deal the cards, Super SEAL," Danny said, "Unless your tired of having your butt whooped by an 11 year old."

Steve finished his shuffle and began to deal out the next hand. They continued on and were in the middle of betting when Danny's phone vibrated. Both Steve and Grace saw the smile disappear from his face as he looked at the screen. Danny got to his feet and waited until he was out of the room before answering the call.

"Uncle Steve?" Grace questioned, "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Steve answered keeping his gaze on the spot that Danny had disappeared.

Part of him wanted to get up and see what the phone call was about, but an even bigger part didn't want to leave Grace by herself. He forced himself to sit and wait patiently until Danny returned.

The detective reentered the room with a frustrated look on his face.

"What's wrong, Danno?" Grace asked.

Danny looked down at Grace with his big blue eyes. He then made a beeline for her. In several quick movements he was sitting on the couch with Grace in his lap. Grace didn't like how worried he looked and how quickly his mood had changed from their lighthearted game.

"Danny?" Steve questioned waiting impatiently to be filled in on what his phone call had been about.

Danny took in several deep breaths trying to put off the inevitable. He was certain that what he had to say was going to upset his daughter.

"That was Detective Okura with HPD."

Grace and Steve both waited patiently for more information.

"He. . . .uh. . . .wants me to bring Grace down to the station so they can take her statement about what happened with Jason Cortman."

Danny and Steve shared a glance. This was something that they hoped would not be requested by HPD. Grace was still recovering from her traumatic experience in that house as well as trying to remember who she really was. However, both law enforcers knew that she was also a witness and probably one of the last people to see Jason Cortman alive.

"Do I have to talk about him, Danno?" Grace said leaning in closer to him, "He scared me."

"I know, baby," Danny said stroking her hair, "It will help the other officers in their investigation. And it's the right thing to do. I'll be with you the whole time and if you get uncomfortable or scared then you tell me and I'll take of it. . . .I'll take care of you."

"Me too," Steve piped in.

There was no way he was going to stay out of this. His main priority right now was the safety and well being of Danny and Grace.

Knowing she wouldn't be on her own Grace nodded her head and even managed a weak smile at the pair. Letting out a sigh she got off Danny's lap and retook her place on the floor next to the coffee table. She picked up her hand and studied them a moment.

"Your bet," Steve told Danny.

The detective picked up his cards and looked at them. The game continued on as all three tried not to think too hard about the events of the next day.

A/N: Once again hope this chapter was enjoyed. By the way, I do have a bit of an obsession with the pink football mentioned in Season 1 Episode 3. It might make another appearance in another story. Grace telling Danny that she wants a squishy pink football for her birthday is one of my favorite Danny/Grace moments. Anyway, sadly my posting marathon may not continue tomorrow. I have some plans that will probably take up a good chunk of the day. I hope to post again soon. Thanks for reading and please review.