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.
Spoiler Alert! Post Season 2, Episode 15, "Mai Ka Wa Kahiko"
Steve was startled awake a little after 5 a.m. when Grace started crying. Steve saw that Danny was also awake. "Grace, wake up sweetheart. You're having a bad dream. You're at home with Danno and me."
Grace woke up trembling with fear. Then she realized that she was sandwiched between Danno and Daddy. She didn't know that Daddy was home; he was still at work when Grace went to bed. Grace threw her arms around Steve's neck and held on. "I didn't know you came home. Don't be mad. I know that you and Danno told me not to go with strangers, but that man said he was a friend. He knew about our house in New Jersey."
Steve raised his eyebrows in question. Danny shook his head, indicating that Grace hadn't mentioned feeling guilty about going with Peterson this afternoon. Steve sat up and pulled Grace onto his lap and rocked her. "Grace, it's not your fault. He worked with Danno in New Jersey. If you hadn't gone with him, he might have hurt your tennis instructor and taken you anyway. You're safe now. Danno and I won't let anyone hurt you."
Grace finally settled down a little. She had been on the verge of hysterics at the hospital, so the doctor gave her a mild sedative. Apparently, the medication had worn off. Danny considered whether they should go back for another dose and decided against it. Grace needed to talk about the kidnapping at some point, and he couldn't think of anywhere safer than in bed with her family.
Danny moved closer to Steve so that he could help comfort Grace. "Grace, we'll work up a plan tomorrow so that this won't happen again. It's still early. Do you think you can get back to sleep?"
"I don't know. Where's mommy? Is Daddy Stan going to be okay?"
Steve could tell that Grace was getting wound up again and wasn't sure what he should do next. "I talked to Daddy Stan while you were on your way to the hospital. He's going to be fine; your mother is staying at the hospital with him tonight. He'll go home tomorrow. Would you like some hot chocolate? I didn't eat any supper last night and I'm feeling a little hungry. Maybe we should get something to eat. How does an omelet sound?" Steve was exhausted, but he recognized that Grace needed a diversion. They could take a nap later when Grace was calm again.
"Can I have a lot of marshmallows?"
"As many as you want. You want some hot chocolate too Danno?"
"Sounds good babe." Danny was surprised that Grace slept at all after what she had been through. He was grateful that Steve managed to calm Grace. Danny spent most of last evening trying to calm her, and he wasn't sure what to say or do next.
Grace and her two weary fathers went downstairs to the kitchen. Danny turned lights on to dispel the early morning darkness. Steve put a pan of milk on the stove to heat while he assembled the ingredients for omelets. As he promised, Grace was allowed to put a big handful of marshmallows in her mug. Soon, she sat on the counter chatting with Steve as he poured the egg mixture into the skillet.
Danny was amazed again that Steve was able to settle Grace so easily. He had seen Steve do this several times over the last few months. Danny was emotionally wrung out and knew that he would have been at a loss to handle Grace this morning. The hot chocolate was soothing, especially after Steve added some Bailey's Irish Cream to his mug. He noted that Steve didn't put any in his mug and almost protested, but he didn't have the energy. Steve was taking care of Grace and him for now, and Danny was smart enough to let him do it.
Steve slid Grace's omelet on a plate and put it on the table. Grace jumped down from the counter and ate her breakfast with more enthusiasm than Steve expected. Steve buttered her raisin toast and started Danny's omelet. This was something he had done countless times in the past, and the normalcy was comforting.
By the time that breakfast was over, both men were feeling a little more ready to face what was sure to be a difficult day. Grace went upstairs to get dressed while Steve and Danny cleaned up the kitchen. Danny started a pot of coffee; caffeine would be their best friend today. Grace came back downstairs dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of capris. Danny decided that comfort would be the order of the day, so he dressed in a t-shirt and board shorts. He knew that Steve would dress similarly.
They settled in the living room to watch morning cartoons. Steve's cell phone went off a little after 7 o'clock. It was Rachel who wanted to know how Grace was doing. "Steve, I hope I'm not calling too early. I know that you're an early riser. How is Grace this morning?"
When Grace heard her mother's voice, she wanted the phone. "Mommy, where are you? Is Daddy Stan okay?"
"Grace, I'm with Daddy Stan now. He's eating breakfast and waiting for the doctor to sign the papers so we can go home. Did you sleep last night?"
"Uh-huh. I slept with Danno and Daddy when he came home. I woke up early when I had a bad dream, and Daddy fixed us hot chocolate and omelets. When can I see you?"
"Why don't you let me speak to your father and I'll see what we can work out." Rachel turned to Stan to see if he would be up for a visit with Grace. He agreed that he should be okay as long as he kept on top of his pain meds. He couldn't believe how painful it was to get shot. He knew that Danny and Steve had taken hits over the years, and his respect went up several notches.
"Rachel, I think it would be helpful for Grace to see you both. She's been really worried about Stan. I need to see him too. I need for him to know that I had no choice." Danny walked into the kitchen so he wouldn't upset Grace. Danny carried his own load of guilt since yesterday; he was certain that he should have been able to avoid shooting Stan. "The detectives from HPD will be over later this morning to interview us. I'm thinking we'll need a nap after lunch. Would you like to come over for dinner? I'll get Steve to make his mom's spaghetti recipe."
Rachel was sitting on the bed next to Stan so he could hear the conversation first-hand. Stan took the phone from Rachel. "Danny, I know that you had no choice. I love Grace too. I would have shot you if our positions had been reversed. And spaghetti is a good idea. I'm going to have trouble cutting my meat for a couple of days." Stan mustered a laugh to let Danny know that he was joking.
"Thanks Stan. We'll see you later today. I'm sure that Grace would like to say hi. She's been worried about you, and I don't think she'll rest easy until she talks to you. Hang on a second." Danny walked back into the living room and handed the phone to Grace. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Grace brightened when she heard Stan's voice on the other end. She talked with Stan for a few minutes before she ended the call. "Daddy Stan said they're coming over for dinner, and we're having spaghetti."
Danny looked at Steve apologetically. "Sorry babe, I sort of promised that you would make spaghetti. Do we have everything we need?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that we do. You and Grace are going to be my helpers. Maybe we can try the pasta maker. Mom told me it wasn't too difficult when she saw it in the cabinet over Christmas. I called her from HQ last night, and I'm sure she'll want an update today. She can talk me through the process." Steve also knew that keeping Grace busy would give her less time to dwell on the events of the last 18 hours.
The detectives called at 8 a.m. to see if it was too early to come over to take the family's statement. Danny wanted to get it over with, so he told them to come now. Steve was in the kitchen mixing batter for muffins. When Danny raised his eyes in question, Steve shrugged.
"I thought they might go well with coffee. I'm going to need lots of coffee today. I really need to at least go for my swim this morning; I need to do something physical. This will do for now, and working on the pasta this afternoon will be good therapy for you and Grace too." Steve added mashed bananas and walnuts to the batter and poured the mixture into the muffin tin.
"Wow, after all the time we spend together, you can still surprise me. Muffins sound great, and you're right about working in the kitchen. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with Mom slicing and dicing while she helped me work through my problems. You should be able to go for your swim after the detectives leave. I think Grace and I will join you. I called the school and told them that Grace would be out today and probably tomorrow. The principal offered to drop her assignments off for the next two days. She told me that everyone at the school was concerned."
"When something like this happens, it really shakes you up. Emelina called my cell while you were on the phone with Rachel and Stan. She asked if she could bring Ali over for a few minutes after school. Ali was sick with worry last night, and she needs to see that Grace is okay." Steve knew that they owed some others a phone call, but he focused on finishing the task on hand.
By the time that the detectives arrived, the aroma of fresh banana walnut muffins filled the house. Detectives Tammy Lockwood and Michael Beard introduced themselves to the family. Lockwood was the senior partner of the team from Special Crimes. They handled the cases involving crimes against children. Both were a little unsure of the reception they would receive from the head of 5-0 and his second-in-charge.
The tension was eased when Steve invited them to sit out on the lanai. It was a beautiful morning on Oahu, and the prospect of coffee and muffins was inviting. Lockwood decided it was the right backdrop for their interviews. Grace was seated between Steve and Danny, drinking another mug of hot chocolate. Lockwood and Beard knew that McGarrett and his partner were one of the many couples joined in civil ceremonies since the first of the year. They were impressed by the obvious affection between the men and Williams' daughter. They knew it would go a long way to helping young Grace recover from her ordeal.
The interview went smoothly. Whenever Grace showed signs of distress, Steve and Danny would hold her hand or rub her back to soothe her. She ended the interview curled on Danny's lap. The detectives assured Steve and Danny that they had everything they needed. Other detectives in their squad would be talking to Chin, Kono, Lori, Rachel, and Stan today. IA would review their findings since Danny fired on a civilian and a prisoner, but they didn't expect any repercussions.
"Commander, Detective, your daughter has been through quite a lot of trauma. From what I can see of your family dynamics, I believe she'll come through this with little long-term effects. We can recommend counselors who work with patients who've been through similar trauma if you wish. My advice is to give your family some time to work through the aftermath. Please call me or Detective Beard if there's anything we can do. Oh, and thanks for the muffins and coffee. It will make the rest of our morning a little easier." Tammy Lockwood shook hands with Steve and Danny and joined her partner in the car.
The family was relieved to have that ordeal over, and Danny proclaimed it beach time. Steve went for a long swim while Danny and Grace swam closer to shore. Steve joined them in the shallow water for a game of tag after his swim. A hot shower revived them enough for lunch, but they all had a long nap as soon as lunch dishes were loaded in the dishwasher.
Steve woke a little after 2 p.m. He was unused to sleeping during the day, but he did feel better. Steve went to the kitchen to get a start on the spaghetti sauce. He enjoyed dicing the onions and mincing the garlic. The tomatoes and sauce came next followed by the spices. Steve had a combination of ground sirloin and Italian sausage browning in a big skillet. He had the earpiece from his cell phone in, and he was talking to Mom Williams.
Rick Peterson made the news in Jersey; the murder of a federal marshal and kidnapping of the daughter of a former local detective was big news. Steve used every ounce of persuasion to talk Mom out of boarding a plane for Hawaii now. "Mom, Grace is upstairs with Danno taking a nap right now. I'm making sauce, and I need a little guidance on making pasta. Rachel, Stan, and the baby are coming over for dinner later. We need to spend some joint family time together."
Mom knew that Steve would look after his family and keep them safe. "Okay, dear. I sent you the recipe I use in an e-mail last month. Do you still have it?"
When Steve said that he did, Mom walked him through the steps for rolling out pasta and cutting it into noodles. Grace and Danny came downstairs to the wonderful scent of tomato sauce and spices and saw Steve talking to himself. When Steve turned, they could see the earpiece attached to his cell phone.
Grace insisted on talking to Nana. Danny walked over to Steve to pull him into a hug. "Why didn't you wake me? I could have helped you down here. It smells great. Is there anything we need to get?" When Steve turned to kiss him, Danny tasted sauce. Passion flared for just an instant before Danny broke the kiss.
Steve rested his forehead against Danny's. "I think we could use some Italian bread and maybe something for dessert. Rachel likes canollis, doesn't she?"
"I'm trying to decide how weird it is that you know what my ex-wife likes for dessert."
"You took her a box of canollis after we had dinner out when she was pregnant."
Danny knew Steve had an astounding memory for details, so it shouldn't have surprised him that Steve remembered Rachel's dessert preference. "When Grace is finished talking to Mom, we can start on the pasta. Then Grace and I will run by Nino's. Were Mom and Dad really shaken by the news? Thanks for calling them, by the way."
"Danny, you had your hands full with Grace. Mom wanted to come over to make sure everyone was okay, but I talked her out of it. She told me that you used to help with the pasta at home. Can you print the recipe out of my e-mail account?"
Before Danny could open the laptop, the doorbell rang. Danny could see the news van in the driveway. "Babe, it's a TV reporter. I hate to ask, but can you answer it? I don't think that I can face the news vultures today."
"Sure, the meat is ready to go into the sauce. I'll be right back." Steve handed Danny the big spoon and walked to the front door. When he opened the door, he recognized the reporter as the woman who interviewed him last month. She kept her word and didn't print the picture of his first kiss with Danny after their ceremony. Steve decided to listen to what she had to say.
"Commander McGarrett, I know that you and your family have been through quite an ordeal. Would you care to make a statement? The whole island was glued to their TV's and radios, waiting for news of your daughter. Steve, we're concerned how Grace is doing. I won't ask you any questions. Just tell us what you feel comfortable saying."
Steve thought for a moment and decided her request was fair. "Give me a moment to talk to Danny and put a clean shirt on. I've been making sauce for supper. You can come in and sit in the living room." Steve showed the reporter and her cameraman in and went to talk to Danny and Grace. Steve quickly explained that the reporter had been fair with them in the past, and this was a chance to thank everyone for their concern.
Grace insisted on talking to the reporter although Steve and Danny wouldn't let her speak on camera. Steve and Danny both changed into something a little less casual and combed their hair. Danny decided that maybe he would be able to say a few words.
The reporter set up the shot in the living room with Steve sitting on the leather couch. When she indicated that she was ready, the camera rolled. "I'm at the home of Commander Steve McGarrett and Detective Danny Williams. Commander, your family suffered every parent's worst nightmare when young Grace was taken hostage. Everyone wants to know how your family is doing today."
"First, Danny, Rachel, Stan, and I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and concern. We all had a tough time yesterday, and we're having family time today. The 5-0 team, Lt. Chin Ho Kelly, Officer Kono Kalakaua, and Agent Lori Weston, as well as HPD, worked diligently to help us find Grace. She's a little shaky, but mostly she's had a good day. We have a lot of support from our family and friends. We'll make it through this. We just need some time." Steve nodded to indicate that was all he wanted to say.
"Detective Williams, would you care to add anything?"
Danny was sitting next to Steve. He reached over to hold Steve's hand. "I want to add my thanks to our 5-0 team and HPD. I knew they would find me and help me bring Grace home."
"Thank you Detective Williams. I'd like to add that I spoke briefly with Grace. She asked me to tell our viewers that she is much better today after spending time with her family."
Later, Steve was setting up the pasta maker while Danny stirred the sauce. "So Danny, you realize that we were holding hands for the local TV audience?"
Danny stopped in mid-stir. "What? What are you talking about?"
"When you made your statement to the reporter, you were holding my hand."
"I guess I wasn't thinking. I needed to hold your hand, so I did. It's our home, and I should be able to hold your hand if I want to. Do you have a problem with that?"
Steve walked over to Danny and pulled him close for a kiss. "No, you know I don't. I love you Danno. I was terrified that I wouldn't get you and Grace back."
Danny banded his arms around Steve. Steve had been traumatized by the kidnapping too, and Danny realized that he would need time a deal with everything too. Today both families would unite for Grace, and maybe tonight, he could return Steve's support.