This story is a bit disjointed at times, disorienting. The style and format may not be clean enough for the purists. The flow isn't smooth on purpose. The timeline is all over the place. Until it all comes together at the end. A warning for readers who still see Grace as a cute little girl – shield your eyes. I'd love to know what you all think. Enjoy…
"What do we do next?" Will was so earnest and so shy. He used humor to deflect. Like her dad did. Maybe that's why she liked him so much.
Grace breathed into her smile, feeling at peace with what came next.
"Stay here."
A flash of sheer terror lit his eyes before he blurted. "Tonight? I'll get killed."
"They don't expect you back. Not til later."
"Yea, you're right." He could see her wanting to soothe him, and he believed her as always.
"And Danno is with Uncle Steve. He's not coming home tonight."
"He trusts you?"
"I think Uncle Steve has him tied to a chair."
Her laughter fell like rose petals in the wind. Will touched her hand and then leaned in for a kiss.
"I'll miss you."
"Me too."
They fell back against the nest of pillows and comforter. Tucked into their own little world.
/././
Two Days Later
Grace woke from a dream. She kept going back to that perfect moment. She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep. Thought she knew what day it was by keeping track of the slit of sunshine that crossed her room. She figured she'd been there two days. No food. Four bottles of water. A mattress and a blanket. A bucket.
Hunger had come and gone, mostly quelled by a stabbing fear she kept pushing away. She couldn't be scared. She wanted to stay alert, ready for – she stopped herself. Letting anger burn in her cheeks for a few breaths. Fear had a way of conning its way into her thoughts. Dwelling on anything was useless and a gateway to becoming a quivering mess. Her dad and Uncle Steve had taught her better.
She hadn't cried. Still in shock, despite her best efforts to deny what happened. The dream was an escape, a shield. Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come. She repeated those words any time tears threatened. She couldn't allow herself to feel anything. She listened and watched. All she could hear were seagulls and an ever-present breeze. There wasn't much to catalog for later. Grey walls, cement floor. Black metal door with no handle. Window way up high.
Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come.
She was hard. Tough as nails. Trained to remain calm. No, she would not let fear win.
She took a sip of her water. Just a sip. She didn't want to waste her supply.
But worse, she didn't want to pee in a bucket. It was awkward and horrible and -
Were they watching?
She scanned the room for a camera. She didn't see one but that didn't mean there wasn't one hidden. Uncle Jerry had taught her that. She smiled. He always made her laugh. She could hear him in her head. She lay back and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders thinking of her kooky, nerdy uncle.
She had a lot of uncles.
Jerry, Lou, Adam, Junior, Kamekona, Flippa, Chin ... Steve.
She was counting on all of them – and Tani. She couldn't forget her newest kickass auntie.
And her dad.
God, she knew he was not okay right then. She could picture him red-faced and serious. Weighed down by worry and running on angry fumes. Uncle Steve would keep him in line. They'd work together, and they'd find her.
Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come.
With a deep breath she allowed herself to think of Will. Grace didn't know if he was alive...or dead.
She stopped that thought. No way. Will was alive and he would help them find her. That's why he was there. That's why he'd spent the night. Thank God he'd stayed the whole night. She'd take a hundred million scoldings to get home safe. Grounded forever. No phone. She'd watch her brother every night until she left for college.
Well... she laughed again. That might be taking it too far.
Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come.
/././
Two Days Earlier
"Hey Grace!" Danny closed the front door behind him with his foot, balancing an empty suitcase and three bags of groceries. "Grace? You ready to go?"
I could use a little help. He let the sentence drift through his mind. It was a dad thought that often went unanswered.
Dropping the suitcase in the front room, Danny headed for the kitchen. He'd borrowed the bag from Steve. Though borrowed wasn't the right word. Steve might never see it again. Grace was taking it to college. Packing it with her life. Steve didn't care. Said he knew Grace would bring it back one day.
That patented Steve McGarrett brand of assured arrogance made Danny roll his eyes at even at the memory. Steve could get on his nerves worse than his kids. How could he be so certain a good thing would happen?
Danny set the groceries on the counter. His chest tightened a little. He'd eaten four slices of pizza after midnight. He may as well have signed his death sentence for the next day. Or two. Sometimes he ate his emotions. He could hear Steve laughing at him, telling him he should go for a swim instead.
But this feeling was different. Something was off. He found himself holding his breath, straining to listen.
"Grace? Monkey?"
His voice rose in pitch at saying her nickname. He rarely did that anymore. She was too big. An adult.
But right then he felt a ribbon of fear slither through his veins. Danny needed to see his daughter.
"Grace." He wasn't asking now. "Answer me, young lady."
Hand to his hip, he hated that he felt the need for his gun. It wasn't there anyway. He'd left it locked in his glove box.
Danny froze when he heard the slightest sound. Might have been a whimper. A sharp inhale. He wanted to call out again, but knew he couldn't keep it together if he did. Instead he talked to himself, griping. It's what he did. No one would think anything of it.
"You know, I really could use a hand. I bought groceries for your party. Uncle Steve is excited. He can't wait to see you. I think he wants to stow away in that frickin suitcase. It's big enough."
Edging his way out of the kitchen, Danny was ready to keep rambling, but then he heard it again. It was more of a wheeze this time. His heart rate increased.
Now he was sure there was someone else in the house with him. And somewhere in his heart, he knew it wasn't Grace.
But he didn't know if they were a threat. He tried humor to lighten the mood. But it came out a little darker than he'd like.
"I hope your friends don't think I'm gonna let them spike the punch." Danny actually laughed. "You know Uncle Steve will break their fingers."
He'd break more than that if someone hurt his Grace.
One step, two steps.
And then he saw them.
Bare feet sticking out from where there shouldn't be anything but an open doorway.
Grace's room.
Shit.
His eyes watered and he couldn't breathe if he wanted.
Another step.
He was unarmed, but ready to kick some ass.
God, he knew those feet.
Will.
Wowzers...what do you think? This story is finished. I'll post every other day. I'm also working on the next chapters for What Were You Thinking...