Here's another chapter. I hope you enjoy!
/././
"We have everything Danno said we needed," Charlie proclaimed.
He stood by the table, borderline pout on his face. Baking cookies had been his idea, but he was an impatient boy. He didn't realize just how much prep was involved.
Butter, salt, baking soda, flour and sugar plus measuring cups, a mixing bowl and various other utensils were arranged beside a cookbook opened to a dog-eared page. Steve's eyes watered a little when he read Danny's notes about adjusting baking time for the weather, about how to mix sugars to get different textures and who liked a softer cookie vs a crunchier one. There was so much depth to simply baking cookies. So much care taken. So much love.
Steve hoped he'd preheated the oven properly. He double checked the temperature with a separate thermometer. This was the first time he'd used the appliance since he'd remodeled the kitchen. He cooked his meals over the fire or stuck to protein bars. The generator was tricky. He had enough propane to run the cabin with all the modern amenities for the holidays plus some, but his mind was always planning for every contingency. Nightmares of the assault on the place still haunted him. He didn't want to run out of power, but he also didn't want to disappoint his favorite little boy.
"You're missing the most important ingredient!" Steve laughed. He held up a bag of chocolate chips.
"Danno said you had to keep an eye on them," Charlie said.
Steve raised a fake serious eyebrow and replied, "Because you'll eat them. That's why."
Charlie huffed and explained his side like it was obvious. Which it was. "They're yummy. I have to taste test them."
"Then there won't be any left for the cookies, silly."
Steve ruffled Charlie's hair.
/././
Danny and Grace sat in front of the fire, making a popcorn and cranberry garland. Snowflakes stuck to the window as the wind gained speed. If this weather kept up, they would definitely get Magic Christmas Snow. Charlie had watched Frosty way too many times.
Laughter from the kitchen made both father and daughter turn to listen.
"Do you think we'll get edible cookies?" Grace asked. She rearranged her string of white and red, pushing the popcorn and berries along to make room for more. The plan was to weave the garland through the pine boughs they'd cut from some trees on the property. Simple and environmentally kind, according to Grace. She was going through a minimalist phase which gave Danny a chuckle.
"Yea, they'll figure it out, Monkey," Danny replied. He popped some popcorn into his mouth and added, "Oh man, this is dry."
"Wow, dad."
"What? I like popcorn, and it's way past lunch."
"No, not that." She said.
Her eyes were soft, gaze fond. He knew she was telling him he was a goof, plus something else. He took a swig of his cold coffee and waited.
"I'm not used to the new Danno."
"New Danno?" Danny asked. He was surprised at her comment. He poked himself as he attempted to add more popcorn to his garland. Stopping, he sucked on his finger. "What do you mean, Grace?"
She smiled and replied, "You. The power of positive thinking. I like it, but it's kinda weird."
The way she wrinkled her nose and waved her hand in a big circle, popcorn and cranberries almost falling out of her lap, made Danny feel flushed with pride and a deep happiness he hadn't felt in ages.
Danny pulled his daughter close and said, "Well, get used to it."
/././
Hours later, Grace watched through the window. Her dad hit Steve with a snowball. Steve scrambled and tossed one back. The glow of the lights made them look younger, like the last few years hadn't happened. She knew her dad favored his knee, and Uncle Steve still had monster headaches. But there they were, acting like kids. Giggling and chasing one another in the snow. It felt wrong to spy, but she couldn't look away. They were mesmerizing. She loved them so much.
She worried about their future, though. Their lives were dangerous. She knew her Uncle Steve would come back to Hawaii once he was finished with the work at the cabin. She sensed something more was at play, but she didn't know the details. Her dad had come here once before to bring Uncle Steve home.
Grace figured her dad and Uncle Steve would get into something together. Probably not Five-0. She pictured them being private investigators. That way they could still help people. The restaurant had tanked, so they had to find something more suited to their abilities. Because there was no separating them now. She felt that deeply. Watching them was so breathtaking it was painful. That's where the worry came from. Now that she had them together, what would happen if some bad guy took them away? It was always a possibility. There had been too many close calls.
It was wrong to think this way so close to Christmas. You were supposed to be happy and hopeful. Her life had been filled with joy and pain. Like most people, except there was more. She'd gone to therapy groups with other kids from military and law enforcement families. She knew she wasn't alone. This feeling different. Always waiting for the worst. Yet, she knew deeply how to savor every moment. To treasure even the most mundane things.
She often wondered if pessimism was genetic. She certainly hadn't inherited her mother's less cautious attitude. Grace was her dad through and through. Glancing at Charlie, she noted that he was asleep, chocolate on his face. How was this messy little whirlwind her brother? He was more like their mother. He didn't think things through. But he was also still a boy. He'd been shielded from much of the turmoil. She'd made sure of that, cornering her mother and father more than once about keeping their bullshit away from Charlie. Her own experience pushed her to be protective.
That protective streak was in full force now. She loved Danno and Uncle Steve. She'd fight for them any day. Putting up with her annoying little brother was only part of the battle. Grace also wanted everyone to have an awesome holiday.
/././
The next morning…
Steve dried his hands with a flowered dish towel. A gift from Grace to brighten up the place. She'd become a very practical young lady and a patient big sister. He could hear her talking to Charlie in the next room. The brother-sister team was hanging garland and putting up the decorations they brought from home.
He turned to his partner and said, "He humored me about the chimney and the cookies."
Danny chuckled. "Yea, he doesn't believe in Santa anymore. Doesn't know that I know."
"He's growing up, Danno. And you're taking this entirely too well." Steve moved away from the sink, studying Danny.
"What?" Danny replied, backing up.
"You," Steve said. He raised an eyebrow and cupped Danny's face. "You're not freaking out."
"I'm not freaking out." Danny brushed his nose against Steve's, his reply a warm whisper.
He was on his tip toes a little. For some reason this turned Steve on. The height difference was electric.
"Wow. This is progress." Steve kissed Danny, sucking on his bottom lip.
Hissing, Danny shook his head. "Progress."
He slid his hands in Steve's back pockets. He always loved when Rachel did that to him.
"You better be careful with those hands, Danno. You might get an early Christmas present. Or I will, I mean…god, do you know what you do to me…"
"Yea, I do, but…kids…" Danny tried to pull away.
With a sigh and a nod, Steve wrapped Danny in his arms, keeping his hands on top of their clothes. Smelling like bacon, cheek smeared with pancake batter, they stood there in the too small kitchen, holding one another. A brother-sister blur brushed past them.
"I did not!" Charlie yelled.
"Yes you did!" Grace screamed.
The tornado moved through the room and out the door into the snow.
Both men laughed, still caught in their embrace. A whoosh of cold air broke them apart. Danny shut the door.
"I don't miss that," Danny remarked.
Steve replied, "Do you mean the snow or the bickering? Because I know you enjoy bickering."
"Maybe with you." Danny smiled.
"I knew it! All this time."
"Yes, our arguments – Chin dubbed them carguments – were a turn-on."
"But you do miss this. All of us together."
"You may be right, Steven."
Steve took Danny's hand and pulled him close again, nuzzling his neck. "Wow, is this all it took?"
Danny pushed away, but still held on. He frowned to cover a shiver and asked, "So you think sex makes me agreeable?"
With a shrug, Steve swooped in and stole another kiss from those grouchy lips.
"See, there you go again," Danny said.
"Uh huh. That's right. I know your weak spots." Steve's hands slid from Danny's waist to his hips and then around to his ass. He gave Danny a squeeze, digging his fingers in just a little. "And you love it."
"Stop that. Charlie and Grace."
Steve brushed his lips against Danny's ear and said, "Say I'm right."
"About what exactly?" Danny scrunched his shoulders in a reflexive cringe as he tried to squirm away.
"Everything."
"You're an animal."
The door swung open with a burst of snow flurries and squabbling siblings.
"That's my hat!"
"Give it back!"
"Danno!"
"He took my hat."
"Didn't you bring that for a snowman?" Steve asked, his voice practically booming.
Both kids froze. Steve stepped forward, hands on his hips. All Danny could do was watch. This new dad side of Steve was absolutely mesmerizing. And Danny was super grateful he wasn't still wearing his sleep pants.
"Wait, I think that's Danno's. You can't put that on the snowman." Steve took the knit hat from Charlie. He examined it and hummed to himself. "It's my hat now."
Two mouths gaped in disagreement, but didn't protest. They knew the battle was lost.
Steve was on a roll. He kept going. "I think you both need to get cleaned up for breakfast. After all, Danno made pancakes and bacon."
"Hot cocoa too?" Charlie asked. The skirmish over snowman attire forgotten.
Nodding, Steve handed the hat to Danny and replied, "Yup."
"With marshmallows?" Charlie beamed.
"Can you have cocoa without marshmallows?" Steve asked, eyebrow raised and head tilted in the most adorable way. "But first you need to hang up your coat."
Charlie bolted from the room, stripping off his outer layers. Grace rolled her eyes and cemented her scowl with a glare that meant business.
"Hey, come on, Gracie. It's Christmas," Steve said.
"I'm not a kid anymore." She huffed.
"Everyone's a kid at Christmas." Danny pulled her close. He held back a building rant about not fighting with her brother and didn't mention that this might be their last Christmas all together. Grace might want to spend the holidays with her boyfriend next year.
"Danno," She replied with a drawn-out sigh.
This made Danny smile. She was still his Monkey for the time being. Steve watched their exchange with the warmest feeling.
"Feels like the holidays to me." Steve grinned. He dumped marshmallows into the steaming mugs of cocoa.
/././
Steve stood at the window. Frozen. His chest hurt. His eyes burned with tears.
He loved this place, and he loved sharing it even more. Joe would have been thrilled to have the kids there. The place was alive. Happy. Giddy with the holiday. Overflowing.
A squeal made Steve focus on the activity outside. Grace had her arms around Charlie. He was wiggling away and the sharp sound of delight had been come from him. Danny marched to his kids. His hat was askew. He was missing a glove. As he turned, Steve could see snow all over the front of his best friend.
He laughed with them as he dabbed away the tears of joy.
Snowball battles. There had been three so far in two days. Plus one surprise sniping run. Charlie had hidden behind a tree and nailed Danny in the face. Danny had not been pleased. Charlie had sat in a chair for ten minutes, kicking the rungs and groaning. It was only snow, Danno. Danny had spent some one-on-one time with his little guy, explaining why you didn't hit people in the face. Steve could think of a thousand reasons why you might want to, but none of them applied here. And Charlie was not quite old enough to understand the nuance.
Steve marveled at Danny. His poise and patience should win him a medal. He never gave up. He was a steady presence. Steve had known he could wander because Danny was there.
Which wasn't fair.
He had so much to make up for. He would do his best. This family holiday was the beginning of what Steve hoped would be an annual tradition.
If only he could sleep.
/././
Don't worry. Everything really is ok.