Title: Be Careful of What You Say
Rating: T
Pairings/Characters:
Steve/Danny, Grace
Word Count:
3,532

Notes: So, I'm kind of brand new to this fandom. I know. I'm way late to the game. I started binge-watching about two months ago. And I just finished Season 8 last night. Impressive, huh? Obviously, when I'm not working, taking care of my dogs, and writing, I have no life.

So, this is my first story in the fandom. Sorry if it's not that great.

For the sake of this story, Charlie isn't Danny's son. I came up with the idea before that was revealed, and I didn't feel like reworking the idea to take into account, Charlie.

Be Careful of What You Say


"You listen to me, Grace—" Steve began.

"No!" Grace interrupted with a shout. "I don't have to listen to you! You're not my dad!" She whipped around, stomped to her bedroom, and slammed it shut once she was inside.

The sound was deafening in the otherwise quiet house.

Steve thought about going to her and trying to talk rationally, but he knew what Danny would say.

'Let her cool off. If you go now, she'll just scream again.'

Instead, he went to the couch and slumped down on it. Danny was only gone for two days, and already he was failing at the whole step-father thing.

Steve stared at the floor, Grace's words ringing in his ear. 'I don't have to listen to you! You're not my dad!'

He rapidly blinked, telling himself it was stupid to cry over words. Words he knew deep down that she didn't mean. It didn't stop them from hurting, though.

He had known Gracie since she was 8. He had always had a good relationship with her. Even Before he and Danny got their collective heads out of the asses and admitted to being in love.

And when they had begun dating, Grace had been the one most ecstatic about it. And she was their biggest fan when they announced their plans to get married.

Steve's relationship with Grace never stopped being good. There were very rarely any harsh words said between them, and any disagreements were minor and cleared up within a couple of hours. If Steve was honest with himself, he could admit that if Grace needed disciplining while at their house, that usually fell on Danny's shoulders. Steve was never forced to be the one to say 'no.'

And maybe that was the reason behind her extreme reaction. She was never told 'no' by Steve, so when he was finally forced to do it, she reacted like a typical teenager.

He took out his cell phone, opened his contacts, and found the name 'Danno.' His finger hovered over the call button, but he sighed and put the phone down. He wasn't going to bother Danny with this.

Steve could handle it.

He just wished Danny was here because he could use a hug right now.

That whole day, Gracie stayed in her room. She refused to come out. When it was dinner time, and he had his baked chicken, smothered in cheese and topped with bacon, cooking in the oven (one of Grace's favorites), he braved the angry teenage girl.

He knocked on her door. "Gracie, dinner's cooking. It's my cheesy bacon chicken. You want to come out?"

"Go away!" she screamed.

Steve took a deep breath. "You have to be hungry by now. And you love that meal. You should come out and eat."

This time, her scream was even louder. "Go away and leave me alone!" Steve was surprised her voice didn't go hoarse.

Steve's shoulders slumped as he trudged back to the kitchen. He had been so looking forward to spending some quality time with Grace, and no matter what he did, it felt like he was doing something wrong in her eyes.

So, once the chicken was done cooking, he ate it alone at the table. And then he put the rest of it in a Tupperware contain before putting it into the refrigerator. Maybe she'd be hungry enough to forget her anger and eat it later.

He hoped.

He didn't want to have to explain to Danny why his daughter was skin and bones when he returned tomorrow.

The rest of the night was quiet. The TV played, but Steve didn't pay attention to it. His eyes kept going to where Grace's bedroom was, waiting for her to make an appearance. She never did, though.

He turned the TV off and moved to go to the bedroom but stopped. He had a bad feeling about going to bed in his room upstairs. He felt the need to stay close to Grace downstairs. So, he grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet and laid down on the couch. He closed his eyes and did his best to sleep even with the turmoil in his heart.

He must have fallen asleep. Because he startled awake and after glancing at his watch, saw it was about an hour after he turned the TV off and laid down to sleep.

He blinked his eyes, trying to figure out what caused him to wake up. And in the darkness, he saw a shadowy figure quietly moving to the front door.

He didn't automatically reach for his gun. Despite the bad visibility, he knew who it was. "Going somewhere, Gracie?" he asked as he sat up.

The figure froze.

"I hoped I was wrong when I decided to sleep down here instead of my room. I hoped it was just my Navy Seal paranoia telling me to sleep down here. Because there is no way Grace Williams would go to an unsupervised party, where she admitted there would possibly be drugs and alcohol, when I explicitly said 'no.'"

The figure still said nothing.

Steve stood up and walked over to the light switch, flicking it on. "Grace, do you have anything to say? Anything at all?"

Instead of looking remorseful, Grace looks defiant. "It's not a big deal. I'm 16 years old. Stop treating me like I'm a kid."

"And you think sneaking out is the adult thing to do? Instead of accepting being told 'no.'"

"All of my friends are going to be at this party. If I don't go, I'll look like a loser."

"I don't care. I said 'no.'"

"You're not the boss of me!" Grace yelled.

"When you're at this house, and your dad isn't here, yes I am. Just because you dad isn't here right now doesn't mean you don't have rules. And you're not going to get your way no matter how much you scream about it. And I'm sure if your dad was here, he would agree with me about this party."

Grace glared at him. "I hate you! I wish my dad never married you!" And she ran out of the room.

Steve took a deep breath. He really was failing as a step-parent. Within 24 hours, he was told that he wasn't Gracie's father, she hated him, and she wished he never married his dad. Steve wasn't sure which one hurt the most.

He sat back down on the couch, leaving the light on. He didn't think she'd try to sneak out a second time after being caught the first, but she was a Williams, and he knew better than to underestimate them.

Still, he couldn't stay awake all night. He laid down, and with the light still on, he dozed on and off throughout the night, waking up any time he thought he heard a sound.

When morning came, he went over to Grace's bedroom. He knocked lightly on the door. "Do you want breakfast?"

There was no reply.

Steve tiredly pressed his forehead against the cool wooden door. "Please, at least make a sound so I know you're in the room. Otherwise, I'm coming in."

"Go away," Grace said.

At least, it wasn't screamed this time. Small mercies.

Steve had really hoped she would have cooled off by now and saw his decision was based on what was best for her. He knew Williams could be hot-headed, but how important was this party that she was still so angry about not being able to go?

The day was spent with Steve moping. When he glanced at the clock and saw Danny would be back any minute, Steve took a beer out to the lanai. He wasn't ready to face Danny. Maybe Danny would think Steve was too harsh with Grace, too.

He talked a good game with Grace last night about Danny agreeing about the party being a bad idea, but maybe Steve was wrong about that. Maybe Danny would take Grace's side, think Steve over-reacted. Or maybe Danny would think Steve had no right with laying down the law. After all, Grace was right. Steve wasn't her father. What right did he have to tell her what to do?

Steve took a shuddering breath. All he wanted yesterday was Danny. And now, he was afraid of what Danny would say.

Even if he stepped over the line with Grace, he hoped Danny would forgive him. Because he wasn't sure Grace would, and that alone, was enough to cause his heart to break.

He loved that girl so much, and if she never forgave him, he didn't know how he'd handle it.

xXx

Danny opened the door, happy to be home. He placed his overnight back in front of the closet by the front door, hoping to remember to grab it up later to unpack.

Steve's boxers would get in a twist if he just left it lying there for more than six hours. His neat freak sensibilities would be compromised.

He frowned when no one came to the door to greet him. It was surprisingly quiet. He knew his two favorite people were home since Steve's truck was out there. But where were they?

He wondered if they were at the beach. He decided to check his daughter's room first before going down to the beach.

Danny walked down the hallway. When he got to the closed room, he lightly knocked on it, "Grace, Danno's home. Are you in there?"

"Yes, Danno," came the quiet response.

Something wasn't right in her voice. Alarm bells were ringing.

"Can I come in?" he asked. He always did his best to respect her privacy despite his innate desire to know every little thing about the people he loved.

"Yes, Danno."

He opened the door.

Grace, his sixteen-year-old daughter, sat on her bed, her back against the headboard and her knees pulled up to her chest. She hugged her knees tightly, her chin resting on them. Her eyes were slightly red and puffy. She looked miserable. "Have you spoken to Steve yet? Does he hate me?"

Danny blinked, trying to stem the rising panic building within him. Something must have happened while he was gone. If it had been truly serious, he knew Steve would have called him, so it was probably just a fight between two people that were normally peas in a pod.

"No, I haven't spoken to Steve yet. I thought the two of you might be at the beach when no one came to say 'hi', but I decided to check your room first."

Grace closed her eyes. "I was mean to Steve."

Danny came and sat on the bed. "What happened?"

"I wanted to go to a party last night, and Steve said 'no.' So, I got angry and said some mean things to him."

Danny nodded. "Did Steve have a good reason to say 'no' to the party? Because usually, he's more laid back than I am."

Grace sighed and averted her eyes. A dead giveaway.

"Tell me," Danny ordered.

"There was no adult supervision, and I heard around school that there might be drugs and alcohol." Danny opened his mouth. Grace hurried on before Danny could say anything. "I told that to Steve, though. I didn't try to hide it. I'm a good kid. He should trust me to not do any of that stuff even if it's available. I know better than that!"

Danny had to remind himself that she was only sixteen and despite some traumatic experiences, like being kidnapped one year and being held hostage at a dance another year, in some ways, she was a little naïve. "Gracie, even if you didn't touch the stuff, and I don't think Steve believed you would, you could still get into trouble. When people take that stuff, they make bad decisions. And someone else's bad decision could cause you to end up hurt or worse. We don't just protect you from your own bad decisions; we protect you from other people's bad decisions as well. You might not like us having to say 'no,' but we will if it's to protect you. Even if it makes us unpopular with you."

Grace nodded. "I understand."

"Now another question. What did you stay to Steve?"

Tears well up in Grace's eyes. "I was horrible to him. I said that I didn't have to listen to him because he wasn't my dad. I told him I hated him. And I told him I wished the two of you never got married."

"Grace," Danny admonished, shocked at how cruel his daughter's words were.

"I know, Danno. It was horrible. And I know I probably hurt him. I was just so angry that he wasn't letting me do what I wanted."

"Well, obviously, you know you were wrong to say it. Have you apologized?"

"I haven't spoken to him since last night. Other than this morning when I told him to 'go away' when he knocked on my door for breakfast."

Danny took a breath. "And why haven't you apologized? And why did you continue to be rude this morning when you obviously already felt bad?"

"I don't know," Grace muttered.

"Yes, you do."

"I thought he wouldn't forgive me. And he shouldn't forgive me. I wouldn't blame him if wished he could just keep you and get rid of me."

Despite the situation, Danny felt him soften slightly. "Well, that's the thing about being a dad. No matter how mean your kid gets, you never stop loving them. And you never want to get rid of them. And you might not be his kid biologically, but you are his kid in his heart. And he loves you so much. You owe him a huge apology."

Grace nodded. "I know."

"But first, I want to speak to Steve. I want to see where his head is before you two talk."

"Okay, Danno."

Danny stood up and walked to the door. Before he left the room, he paused. "Grace, I know you have my quick temper. Not to mention Rachel is no slouch in the temper department either. So basically, between the two of us, you probably didn't stand a chance, and I'm sorry for that. But you need to try to remember that words hurt. When you get angry, take a deep breath. Remove yourself from the situation. Leave the room. Go for a walk. Do something to help you calm down. Before you say something that you regret. Steve will forgive you. He loves you too much to hold a grudge. But one day, you might say something to someone who won't be as forgiving. You need to learn how to censor yourself. And hopefully, you can learn it easier than I did."

"Danno, do you censor yourself? Because I'm not sure that you do most of the time."

Danny shrugged. "Eh, not as much as I should. Do as I say. Not as I do." And with that, he walked out of the room.

Now that he knew what happened, Danny knew where to find Steve. And sure enough, when he went out to the lanai, Steve was on his chair, a beer in his hand. He was looking down at the bottle in deep thought, his forehead wrinkled in concentration.

"Hey, babe."

Steve didn't jump. "Hi."

"So, Grace told me about your rough night last night. Are—"

"If I overstepped, I'm sorry," Steve interrupted. He stood up, put the beer on the table, and faced Danny. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"What makes you think you have anything to be sorry for?" Danny asked cautiously, a little confused about where Steve's thought process was leading him.

"I told Grace you'd agree with my decision, but maybe I was wrong. I should have asked you if Grace could go to the party instead of making a unilateral decision. I'm so sorry for overstepping my place. I'm sorry. Please, give me another chance. I won't do it again."

Danny's heart broke. Steve really thought Danny would walk away? Just give up on their family? Steve thought he had been wrong in how he handled the situation last night? "Babe, it's okay." He strode to Steve and took him in his arms, holding him close. Sometimes, a hug was the only way to calm Steve if he began spiraling.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Steve kept muttering, clutching Danny's shirt.

A hug wasn't doing it. Steve was too far gone in his own head. So, Danny leaned back, took Steve's chin, and gave him a deep kiss, letting his tongue plunge into Steve's mouth, tasting Steve. It was his absolute favorite taste. Pure Steve.

When Steve began returning the kiss, Danny knew he had his husband back.

So he took a step back, smiling softly when Steve followed him, trying to recapture his mouth in another kiss.

"No, no, no Steve. We need to talk. There will be plenty of time for kissing later."

Steve nodded and plopped back down on his chair. Danny took the chair next to him.

"First of all, I want to dispose of what you incorrectly believe. And that is the belief that you need to refer to me when it comes to handling Grace. Steve, you're her stepfather. And I know you want what's best for her. You don't need to ask me if you're correct in punishment or saying 'no.' I trust your judgment with her because even though you routinely put your own life in danger, and by extension, mine, I know you won't take the same risk with Grace's life. So, I never want to hear you say anything about you overstepping because that's not possible. Do you understand?"

Steve's eyes were wide. He looked so shocked by Danny's words, and it caused almost physical pain within Danny that he didn't do a good enough job in showing Steve how important he was in their family.

Steve silently nodded. For once, he was speechless.

"Good. Now, the second thing. Grace told me what she said, and I know you. I know you took her words to heart. But, you need to remember, she's sixteen years old. And they say stuff that they don't mean when they're angry."

"She told me she hates me."

"Kids say that all of the time. It doesn't make it right, and it certainly doesn't make it true, but unfortunately, it's a fact of life. It comes with the territory of raising a teenager. Unfortunately, you can't only be her friend. You need to be her father too, and that means sometimes saying 'no.'"

Steve stared at his lap. "What if she does hate me, though? What if by marrying you, I ruined my relationship with her? She acted like she was happy for us, but maybe it was an act, and the truth is just now coming out." Steve's fingers curled in the fabric of his shorts.

Danny took Steven's hand, rubbing the knuckles. Before he could say anything, another voice popped up. Grace must have gotten tired of waiting for their talk to be over.

"It's not the truth, though."

Steve nearly jumped out of his seat and whirled around to face Grace. "What?"

Grace bit her bottom lip. "It's not the truth. I never hated you and Danno marrying. Even before the two of you got together, you were like a dad to me. You were always there for me. Whether it was helping me with homework or helping me train for the fitness challenge. And every time Danno got hurt, you promised me you'd bring him home to me. And you always did. You never broke your promise to me. I was so happy when you officially because my dad. I love you, and I'm so sorry for what I said last night."

Steve held open his arms and Grace ran into them. The two of them held each other.

"I am so sorry," she whispered again. "I know you said 'no' for my own good, and instead of just accepting it, I behaved like a brat. But I should have never said those things to you." She looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheek. "You are my dad. I love you. And the day you and Danno married, it was one of the happiest days of my life."

Steve had his own tears in his eyes. "I love you, too, Gracie. So much." They continued to hug.

Danny stood up. He went to his two favorite people in the world and the two-person hug became a three-person hug.

He knew things would be fine. Grace would probably say hurtful things in anger again—she was a teenager after all—but hopefully, she'd learn to think before she spoke more often in the future.

And Steve, his beloved Neanderthal, would learn that his place was with their family. And he would learn that he could never overstep by loving them so much that he wanted to protect them from themselves and from others.

The three of them were a family. And they would always be a family. No matter what.