Winning Your Hand

Ch. 3

By

St. Bridget

Danny almost called off the wedding three times. Steve asked him to elope six. Danny didn't realize just how much effort it took to plan a wedding—Rachel had hired a wedding planner and made all the decisions herself, and Danny's mom had invited all the family on his side. All Danny had to do was give the names of the few friends he wanted to invite and get fitted for his tux. They used standard vows, so he didn't even have to do that.

This was different. Steve and Danny were planning the whole thing themselves, and it was causing a real strain on their relationship. Food they didn't have to worry about—Kamekona was catering at the "family" rate (which was still exorbitant in Danny's mind), and he even promised to put some of the dishes from the restaurant on the menu (Danny was pulling for the seafood meatballs. Kamekona had "improved" the recipe which Danny, to his own surprise, loved. It was going to be a featured dish on the restaurant menu). That still left plenty of things for Steve and Danny to bicker over.

The first hurdle was the location. Steve wanted it on the beach. Danny most emphatically didn't.

"I refuse to have it on the beach," Danny said, adamantly. "I am not getting sand in inappropriate places at my own wedding."

"Come on, Danny," Steve wheedled. "It's classic. Haven't you always dreamed of a Hawaiian beach wedding?"

"Absolutely not," Danny said. "That's Grace's dream, not mine. You may have gotten me to surf, but I still hate the beach, and I still hate the ocean. No beach wedding."

Steve knew when he was beat. "Okay, fine, no beach wedding. Where do you suggest?"

"We could get married at St. Augustine by the Sea," Danny suggested.

"That's a Catholic Church," Steve said.

"Yeah, the oldest one on the island," Danny said. "I may not go to mass much, but I'm still a good Catholic."

"I'm not," Steve pointed out. "Last time I checked, they won't marry you in the church if you're not Catholic."

"Okay, fine," Danny said. "What about the Hilton where Aunt Deb got married? Or that place where Kono and Adam did? Or Malia and Chin? Those all had great views."

"I don't want to get married where someone else did," Steve said. "I want the place to be ours."

Steve had a point. Danny would be impressed with the romance if he weren't so frustrated. "So, where, then?" Danny asked.

"We could just elope," Steve said. "Go down to City Hall and get it over with."

"Sounds good to me," Danny said, "but our friends would kill us, not to mention my ma."

Steve sighed. "You have a point. Maybe Kamekona has an idea."

Danny groaned. He hated to ask the big man for anything, but Kamekona had connections all over the island. If anyone could find a good location for a reasonable price, it would be him.

Kamekona came through. One of his cousins had a private garden filled with lush, tropical vegetation that would be absolutely perfect. Danny and Steve fell in love instantly. One problem solved.

The guest list was next. Steve put his foot down when Danny wanted to invite 20+ assorted relatives from New Jersey. "No, Danny, we're not inviting all those people."

"But they're my relatives!" Danny protested. He paced around Steve's dining room where they were writing the list, hands waving in agitation.

"Do you even know them?" Steve asked.

"That's not the point!" Danny said. "They're family! Ma will have a fit if I don't invite them."

"And I'm going to have a fit if you do," Steve said, stubbornly.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Danny ranted. He ran his fingers through his hair. This was ridiculous. How were they supposed to manage married life if they couldn't even agree on the guest list? Danny was considering calling it all off when Steve motioned to him to sit.

Danny sat across the table from Steve. Steve reached over and took both of Danny's hands in his. The SEAL looked his fiance in the eyes. "Danny, this is our wedding, yours and mine. I don't want to share it with people I barely know. I want to share it with close friends and family, the people that mean something to me. This is special, private. I want to keep it just us. If it's that important for your mom to invite all those people, she can throw her own wedding."

Danny melted at Steve's sincere words. Danny hadn't thought of it like that. "Okay," Danny said. "Just friends."

Steve beamed.

The next disagreement was over colors. Danny and Steve could care less, but Grace and Tani, who had apparently taken it upon themselves to coordinate everything, insisted. "How else are we supposed to know what colors to use in decorating?" Tani asked.

"Isn't the garden decoration enough?" Steve said. "Can't you just cut flowers and put them on the tables?"

"That's a great idea," Danny said enthusiastically.

Grace made a face. "That will look tacky, like you just threw something together."

"We could just elope," Steve suggested. "That way, we don't have to worry about colors or decorations or anything."

Danny was about to agree when he saw the twin disappointed looks Grace and Tani fixed on them. He sighed. "Okay, fine. Pick what you want. Just no pink."

They beamed at him. "Great! You won't be disappointed!" Grace said.

Danny didn't think anything they did could disappoint him. "I know," he said.

Steve suggested they elope again after a 30 minute discussion on whether or not to wear tuxes, their dress uniforms, suits, or just sports jackets. Danny wanted the their uniforms, Steve wanted to keep it casual and just wanted jackets. Danny supposed he should be grateful Steve didn't suggest Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops (sorry, slippahs). They finally compromised on suits, "but you have to wear a tie, Steven," Danny stipulated.

The cake, at least, they agreed on. Kamekona brought them pictures of the elaborate, multi-tiered creations the friend of the daughter of an aunt's second cousin (or was it the cousin of the aunt of a daughter's friend?) brought. Danny and Steve took one look at the cakes laden in roses and swirls of frosting and immediately vetoed any and all such items. "She also makes sheet cakes," Kamekona said.

"Great," Danny said. "Let's try some of those."

They immediately agreed on a chocolate mousse cake that, in Danny's words, was "heavenly." It would have a simple edging of frosting, no curlicues or flowers, and "Danny and Steve" in the center. After some thought, they agreed to get a matching vanilla one for those who didn't like chocolate ("Do those people even exist?" Danny wanted to know). That was another thing checked off their list.

Finally, the big day came. Danny fidgeted with his tie as he stood next to Steve at the entrance to the garden. All their friends, their ohana, and their relatives were sitting in neat rows of folding chairs, craning their necks, trying to get a glimpse of the grooms. Danny was impressed—there were probably over 50 people there, even without extended family. His parents and his sisters made it, along with Mary. The team was in the second row right behind family, Charlie, Grace, and Nehele with them. Kono, Abby, and Chin had come out from the mainland for the occasion. Pua, Duke, and a few others from HPD were in the crowd. Catherine had showed up from God knows where. Danny's heart swelled at the support. The only person missing was Doris. Danny knew Steve had mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, there was still a lot of bitterness. On the other, she was still his mother.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight began playing. The processional had been another point of contention. Neither of them wanted Here Comes the Bride. Steve wanted the Hawaiian Weddin March, but Danny refused. They'd thrown out a number of suggestions before Danny suggested Can You Feel the Love Tonight.

"Really?" Steve scoffed. "Are we 10 year old girls now? Sounds like something Grace would pick, not you."

"It's a great song," Danny insisted. "It's perfect. Here, listen." Danny sat down at the computer and pulled the song up on iTunes. Steve listened, dubiously, but by the end he found himself agreeing with Danny. Can You Feel the Love tonight it was.

Danny turned to Steve and extended his arm. "Shall we?" They had elected to walk down the aisle side by side, no one escorting them, no attendants. That disappointed Tani and Grace who wanted to be bridesmaids, but they understood when Steve and Danny explained it was a symbol of their partnership. All eyes were on the pair as they made their way down the aisle arm in arm.

They reached the front and faced the officiant, a judge they knew slightly from cases who had agreed to marry them. Steve and Danny nodded, and the man began the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved," he intoned, "we are gathered here today to join these men in marriage. Steve and Danny have elected to write their own vows." He nodded at Danny. "Danny, you may begin."

Danny took a deep breath, butterflies tap-dancing in his stomach. Danny would have preferred standard vows, but Steve insisted he wanted to write his own to show Danny how much he loved him. That caused Danny several stressful hours as he tried to put what he felt for Steve into words. He was glad he was going first; that way, he wouldn't feel inadequate after the beautiful words Steve was sure to have come up with. "Steven, you were the first person on this miserable island who showed me an ounce of respect. You invited a new, haole detective to be part of your elite task force, and even though I didn't say it, it meant the world to me. It gave me hope that I might actually fit in. More than that, it gave me ohana, even if I had no idea at the time what that word meant. You became one of my best friends, and, gradually, you became more. Without you, I never would have learned to call Hawaii home. Without you, I would still be that surly, disliked detective. Without you, I would be lonely and alone far from home. With you, I am challenged, respected, and, most of all, loved. I may complain about the situations you get into, but I wouldn't change who you are, and I wouldn't trade any of this for the world. Steven J. McGarrett, will you marry me?"

"I will," Steve said, then began his own vows. "Danny, you drew me in from the moment I met you. You stood up to me. You didn't back down, you didn't let me bully you. You punched me when I went too far. You kept me in line, and you kept me from losing my mind. I was adrift when I came back to Hawaii. I didn't know what I was going to do. Without you, I wouldn't have accepted the offer to lead the task force. That got me an ohana, but, most importantly, it got me you. Even before I fell in love with you, there was nobody who understood me like you, who could push me to be my best. You nagged, ranted, and yelled, but you made me into a better man. You gave my life meaning again. You make the house where my dad died a home. You and the kids are my family, something I didn't think I'd ever have as a SEAL. You changed my world for the better. Daniel Williams, will you marry me?"

Danny teared up at Steve's words. He wiped them away before nodding. "Yes, Steven, I'll marry you. Happily."

The judge nodded at Tani, who passed over the rings. Danny placed it on Steve's finger, and Steve did the same. "With this ring, I thee wed," they repeated in turn.

"I now pronounce you married," the judge said. "You may now kiss."

Steve swept Danny into his arms and kissed him passionately. It was the best kiss ever. The world melted away. All Danny was aware of was the man holding him, the man he would spend the rest of his life with, the man he loved. His heart soared as the kiss grew in intensity.

A wolf-whistle from Tani brought Danny back to the present. He blushed as he and Steve drew apart. This time, Steve was the one who offered his arm. "Shall we?"

Danny took it. "We shall."

Ave Maria, a tribute to Danny's Italian heritage, played as the men walked up the aisle, out of the garden, and to the limousine waiting to take them to the reception. They collapsed into their seats, exhausted. Danny leaned his head against Steve's chest. "Well, we did it. Was it worth it?"

Steve kissed Danny's head. "Worth every star," he said.