Guardian

A/N: Alas, Danno is home For the reviewer that asked, he was in a hotel because by the time he was able to leave NJ the flights involved an overnight layover in California.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and make no money doing this. I'm just having fun playing with them.

Chapter 8

"Thanks for picking me up, Chin. You know I could have just grabbed a taxi." Danny shoved his suitcase in the back seat.

"Brah, that's insulting and you know it. No ohana of mine is taking a taxi from the airport. Besides, I lost. Kono gets to pick Mom up this evening."

Chin was glad to see the indignant frown on the other man's face.

"Seriously? I'm being trumped by my own mother? You guys have only met her once."

The Hawaiian laughed. "I know, but her cooking will never be forgotten. Think we'll ever convince her to move here?"

Danny watched the island scenery fly by as Chin navigated toward Steve's house.

"A year ago, heck a week ago, I would have denied that possibility. Now, faced with both Grace and Steve for however long she stays on this trip, I'm not so sure. I swear my mother loves them both more than me." He smirked.

Everyone knew his mom adored all three of them, though she did seem to have a soft spot for Steve. He'd yet to figure out how the Super Seal managed to win her over so fast. Of course, Danny had to admit while it had taken longer for the Seal to win him over; the result was no less concrete.

The rest of the drive passed with Chin reviewing the details of his conversation with Stan. There was no indication of prior physical abuse at the Edwards house and the mean were still stunned Stan had snapped so completely.

"How are Steve and Grace holding up?" He knew they'd both been trying to play tough for him. Even though he'd gotten Steve to open up some last night, he worried that he was still trying to play tough. "We've only swapped texts this morning to confirm I made it on the plane."

Continuing to watch the road, Chin contemplated is answer.

"They're making it. They both miss you." He silently wondered if Danny and Steve would ever quit dancing around things and admit their feelings. The cousins were convinced this tragedy might actually be the catalyst. "Steve is being Steve."

Danny quirked an eyebrow. "I assume you mean Gracie's Steve not Rambo Steve."

"Precisely, brah. Precisely. He has been there for her since the school called. Anyone outside our ohana would be floored to see it."

"I don't doubt it. I don't think any of us would believe it if we hadn't been there to see it develop." Of course, Danny knew that, at least in Grace's eyes, there was even more to it than the others saw.

"Anyway, she's doing remarkably well given everything that's happened. Not sure how much is just shock at this point though, so I'd imagine it's going to get worse before it gets better. I'm sure the funeral will be rough, but we'll all be there."

Danny sighed, he hadn't thought about the funeral.

"Rachel's mother is flying in and handling the arrangements. Duke spoke with her yesterday."

He was relieved it hadn't somehow fallen to him. He would have done it for Grace's sake, but it was a distraction didn't welcome.

Pulling into Steve's driveway, Chin gave Danny's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Kono and I will be back in about an hour with lunch. She's of doing some shopping now so you guys won't have to."

"Thanks man. We'll see you soon." He hopped out and grabbing his bag.

Approaching the door, he found it still locked and fumbled in his pocket for his keys. If they'd fallen asleep, he didn't want to wake them.

Opening the door quietly, he left his bag in the entry and crept toward the sound of soft snoring in the living room.

Seeing the scene in front of him, he couldn't resist taking his phone out and snapping a picture. The sight of his partner sitting up, head fallen back against the back of the couch, and arms wrapped securely around Grace in his arms made his heard clench. He loved them both so much.

Phone safely tucked back away, Danny slid onto the couch next to his daughter's feet.

At the slight movement of the couch, Steve's head snapped up, instantly alert.

"Relax, babe." Danny whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "It's just me."

"Welcome home, Danno. Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep again before you get here." He still sounded a bit groggy.

"Rough night?" The detective gestured to the sleeping girl.

"Not too bad. One bad nightmare about an hour and a half after we talked. I brought her out here and that seemed to help." Steve leaned closer to Grace's ear. "Gracie, Danno's here."

Her eyes opened sleepily and looked up at Steve. He looked toward his partner and was thrilled to see the smile spread across her face as her eyes followed his.

Opening his arms to her, Danno moved closer, so her legs were draped over his lap and he was next to Steve.

The little girl slipped into her father's lap and hugged him tightly. Tears filled the man's eyes as he looked to his partner.

"Thank you." He mouthed silently.

Shaking his head, as if to deny he'd done anything, and suddenly feeling as if he were intruding on the reunion, Steve started to stand.

Arms wrapped around his daughter, Danny still managed to get a hand on Steve's forearm, stalling his retreat. As their eyes met, he shook his head. "Stay." He mouthed.

The Seal gave him a cautious look, but leaned back into the cushions. Continuing to watch the father and daughter, Steve wondered what would happen now that they were reunited. Would they settle into comfortable routine with the three of them or would he end up being the close range outsider looking in on the family.

Giving himself a mental shake, Steve decided he was going to try his best to make them a family. Clearly Grace already considered him family. It was just a matter of figuring out what role Danny was going to let him play.

Looking back to the pair beside him, he found them both staring at him.

"Lost ya there for a second, babe." His partner elbowed him in the ribs.

"I'm glad you're home, Danno. We've missed you." Grace smiled up at both of them. With the two men here, she could almost pretend everything was still okay. That nothing at the Edwards' house had actually happened.

"I'm very glad to be home, Monkey. I missed you too. Both of you." He heard Steve's stomach growling and chuckled as he gave the larger man a sardonic look. "Skip breakfast?"

Looking rather sheepish that he'd failed to feed Grace, he admitted quietly. "We lost track of time. I'd planned to fix breakfast, but apparently, I fell back asleep. Sorry."

Danny's hand clamped firmly over his mouth stalled his apology. "Relax, babe. It's not the first breakfast missed in the Williams' house. From the look of it, you two needed the sleep more than you needed breakfast. Anyway, Chin and Kono will be here in less than an hour with food."

Grace wriggled around on her father's lap until her feet where draped over Steve's legs. One arm stretched across her stomach to clasp Danny's hand on her side. Without thinking, she stretched her other out to grab Steve's hand where he'd rested it on her knee and pulled it further into her lap.

"Can we show Danno the ideas for my room?" She looked hopefully up at Steve.

"I have an idea, Monkey." Her father answered first. "Why don't the pair of you go get dressed for the day before everybody while I go make some coffee. Then you can show me everything."

"Okay." Giving both men a hug, she slipped off their laps and scurried up stairs. Hesitating for only a moment, Steve rose and started to follow up the stairs. Before he could get more than a step away from the couch, he felt Danny's hand on his arm.

Turning, he was surprised to be pulled into the shorter man's arms for a tight hug. "You, Super Seal, are an amazing man."

Steve was still too shocked to argue with his partner as he wrapped his arms around him, returning the hug. They stood in silence for a moment, before Danny loosened his grip.

"Now, get your ass upstairs and get dressed while I fix the coffee. I think we could both use some."

"Thanks, Danno." Steven turned to head up the stairs. His return wasn't going to mean things would be perfect, things were going to get harder before they got easier, but somehow it felt more manageable now.

Watching the Seal disappear up the stairs, Danny smiled. Pulling out his phone he looked at the picture of the sleeping pair. That one needed to go somewhere that he could see it often.

Still looking at the picture, he headed toward the coffee pot realizing he better make good on the promise of coffee.

/

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