Guardian
A/N: Okay… deep breath. Ready or not I'm posting this one. Apparently the little bout of writer's block I had in the chaos of the last few weeks has resolved itself. Either that or this is a total fluke (I mean really, 3 chapters in one day) and I'm going to wake up tomorrow and be incapable of stringing a coherent sentence together.
This is one of those chapters that I'll shameless beg for reviews for… pretty please.
Please note that this chapter does not claim to be an accurate description of any specific religious funeral services, etc. This chapter is meant to focus on the family and the emotion of the day.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and make no money doing this. I'm just having fun playing with them.
Chapter 41
Pulling into the church parking lot, Dianne and Beth were both shocked to see the number of police cruisers in the area.
"I suppose this is because the governor said he was attending." Mrs. Bradley appreciated that he was coming, but hated to think it would turn her daughter's funeral into a three ring circus.
"No, ma'am." Catherine shook her head, as she maneuvered Steve's truck into the parking lot behind the Camaro. "I think this is just a show of support for Five-0 and their family."
Dianne and Beth looked at each other and then back out of the windows.
Pulling the car into one of the closest parking spots to the entrance, Steve looked around them and then over at Danny.
"I never imagined this." The detective met his partner's eyes as he struggled to blink back tears. Aside from Meka, he'd always been made to feel like the outsider, the haole cop from Jersey before he'd joined the task force.
Climbing from the car, Danny grabbed Grace's hand and held her close as they headed for the church. Steve met them at the front of the car, clearly watching their surroundings to ensure they met no surprises.
Duke and a few other uniformed HPD officers met them on the sidewalk. Nodding, silently the officers fell into step with the family, escorting them toward the door.
"Thank you." Steve's words were quiet and heartfelt when he opened the church door to usher his family inside.
"There will always be guys close by if you need one of us." Duke grasped the taller man's shoulder. Though they knew their presence would be impossible to miss, he was closest to the members of the task force and had agreed to handle any necessary communication with them to avoid overwhelming them.
The governor had blessed this unofficial HPD mission, understanding that there would still be plenty of officers out on patrol even while half the force was at the funeral. Many officers had given up part of their day off to assist with this vigil. Despite early tensions with McGarrett and Five-0 they'd all seen the good the four did and appreciated their value to their home.
Once the last member of the family passed through the door, McGarrett stepped inside behind them.
"A few of us will come in when others start to arrive." Duke spoke as he closed the door behind the Seal. Steve understood, they'd have warning before they were expected to deal with anyone else.
The priest was standing between Dianne and Danny assuring them that everything was taken care of when Steve approached. Not wishing to interrupt, he took his place behind Danny and Grace, placing a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders.
"Would you care to see her before the others arrive?"
A sob escaped Dianne even as she nodded yes. Danny reached one hand out to capture hers, but was relieved when Catherine stepped up next to the older woman and wrapped an arm around her.
"Would you like me to go with you?" The Navy woman whispered.
"Please." Her voice broke as she answered. Turning to go to the front of the church, Dianne felt another strong, but feminine arm slip around her from the other side. Peering sideways, she wasn't surprised to see Kono's brown eyes watching her. "Thank you."
The three women made their way forward, their progress slowing as they neared the casket where Rachel's body was carefully arranged for mourners to say goodbye.
At the back of the church, Danny watched his ex-mother-in-law and two close friends. He and Grace would be next, but he wanted Dianne to have her chance to say goodbye without concern for her granddaughter witnessing it. For what felt like the thousandth time, he appreciated the strength and compassion of his ohana that they stepped in to help her and by extension him make it through the afternoon.
His heart lurched as he watched Kono and Cath's arms support Mrs. Bradley as she nearly crumpled under the weight of her grief upon seeing her daughter. They could hear her cries from where they stood, Danny tried not to imagine the anguish she felt at seeing her only child like that. He shuddered at the thought of having to do the same.
Feeling Steve's hand still resting on his shoulder, Danny leaned into the strong hand. He couldn't help but think back to Meka's funeral. Things had been far different between them then, but even so his partner had been there offering his quiet support and comforting presence to ground Danny during the gathering. He would need it even more today.
After several long, silent moments Dianne, Catherine, and Kono turned away from the casket and made their way to the front row to sit. Realizing it was time for them to go, Danny looked down at Grace. Tears were already welling up in her eyes. This would be the first time she'd see her mother since the night she died and the last time as well.
Squatting down, Danny held both her hands in front of him and looked her in the eyes. "Gracie, you don't have to go up and look if you don't want to. The choice is entirely yours and no one will be upset with whatever you decide."
"I want to say goodbye." The first tear slipped down her cheek, crushing Danny's and Steve's hearts with it. "You'll stay with me, right?" She looked from her Danno to her Daddy for confirmation.
"We'll be right by your side." Steve assured as he squatted down next to the father and daughter.
Standing back up, the men walked up the aisle with the small girl between them. Just before they were close enough for Grace to see Rachel the she froze in place. Looking first to Danno, she stared up at him.
Danny knew what his daughter was asking with that look, no words needed to be spoken. She couldn't do it, she couldn't take those last few steps on her own, but with a maturity and wisdom beyond her years she knew he couldn't hold them both up. He nodded his understanding and support, offering a small smile that was at best utterly pathetic.
Watching the silent exchange, Steve was unsure what it meant until Danny nodded and Grace turned to him. Her tear streaked cheeks and trembling lips were nearly his undoing, but he understood then. Reaching down, he pulled her up into his arms, settling her on his hip and wrapping his arm securely around her.
As soon as she was settled, Danny stepped closer to them. Wrapping an arm around Steve, his hand found Grace's arm where it clung to the Seal.
"We do this together." Steve whispered the words so only the three of them could hear it. When both Grace and Danny nodded, the two men stepped forward.
Their daughter kept her face buried against Steve's neck until they came to a stop in front of the casket. Feeling Danno's hand tighten on her arm and hearing the choked cry escape him she knew she needed to look.
The Seal tightened his hold on her as he watched her lift her head to see her mother for the final time. He felt her small body shake as sobs wracked her body and she fell apart in his arms.
At the same time, he felt Danny crumple against his side. Holding on to the two as tightly as he could, he was determined to be the rock they needed even as their overwhelming pain threatened to tear him apart. He was equipped to endure endless amounts of pain, but he was suddenly completely unsure he was capable of handling the pain of those he loved so deeply. He knew he couldn't take it from them; he could only stand strong and support them.
Just as he began to think he would crumble, he felt Mary wrap herself around Grace where she was attached to his side. A second later, Chin and Beth appeared on Danny's other side helping to support the Jersey native. Though the pain in Steve's chest didn't lessen, the silent reminder that it wasn't just him, but their entire ohana that would see Danny and Grace through the pain of losing Rachel helped keep him upright.
After what felt like a year, but was likely only a few moments, the six made their way to the seats next the rest of their family. Through the tears blurring his own vision, Steve could see tears falling down the faces of everyone with him. No matter what their individual relationships to Rachel were, the family mourned together for the loss of Grace's mother, Dianne's daughter, Danny's ex-wife and the impact on those they held dear.
The priest hovered near by, ready to console if needed, but seemingly unsure what to do given the obvious reliance of the key mourners on those with them. When the door opened at the back of the church, he excused himself and headed back to see to the new arrivals.
Steve turned his head toward the back and noted Duke, Governor Denning, Kamekona, Max, Charlie, Ms. Jones, and several others from HPD that were reasonably close to the task force. This group filed in quietly and seated themselves in the row immediately behind the family.
Danny felt the pats and squeezes on his shoulder and back as their friends took their seats and cherished each show of silent support. Even in his somewhat dazed state, he recognized the care they'd taken to arrive early enough to come in and provide a buffer between them and others that would join the funeral.
As the church continued to fill, various groups and individuals made their way forward to say their goodbyes to Rachel. Dianne was pleased to see that there were people that cared to come and honor her daughter.
Eventually the priest came forward and spoke. Dianne, Grace, and Danny couldn't have told you a word that was said later. They were certain they'd only managed to go through the correct motions thanks to the rest of the family guiding them through it.
After the service ended, Dianne made her way to the casket flanked again by Catherine and Kono before following the others to the back. She was placed at the head of the line next to Danny.
Grace stood next to her father, leaning into him with her arms wrapped around his waist. She was determined to be strong in front of all these people. It helped that she could feel Steve's solid leg pressed against her, his hand resting gently on her neck from where he stood behind Danno. Her Uncle Chin was next to her Daddy, positioned to easily shield her.
This would only be the beginning, everyone would reconvene in the fellowship hall after stopping to convey their condolences to the family. Thus far interaction had been constrained by the nature of the services, but this would mean less structure and more potential landminds to navigate.
Steve did his best to encourage people to keep moving through the line. From where he stood he could feel both Dianne and Danny sway slightly every once in a while and he knew this was taking a great deal out of both of them. Fortunately, many of the mourners seemed content to leave Grace alone and not force her into engaging with them.
When the entire line had exited the church, the nine stood silently for a moment before Dianne finally moved toward the door.
"I'm not sure how long I can face them in there." She admitted as she stood staring the large door to the outside.
"Remember, you just give one of us the sign and we'll get you out." Steve reminded her.
"I won't leave without you." Catherine wrapped a supportive arm around Dianne again. She had the keys to Steve's truck so she knew she could provide an escape if needed.
"I'll make sure all of us our out before I leave." Chin offered. "That way if any of you need to head home before the others can get away we can go as groups if needed."
Taking a deep breath, Dianne rested her and on Cath's arm and nodded her head.
"Let's do this."
The members of Five-0 and the Naval officer couldn't help but smile at the steel in Mrs. Bradley's voice. She was definitely one of the family.
/
I'd like to say the sad part is over, but alas we still have to get through the next piece of the gathering before I let the family go back to the McGarrett stronghold and recover.
Reviews are very welcome and appreciated! Please take a few seconds to leave one. As mentioned above, I'm begging for them on this chapter. Though this is completely different from the earlier new territory I covered in this story it is again completely new territory and I greatly appreciate honest feedback on how I did.