Guardian
A/N: First, I've spent the last several days feeling like I was in the land of the dead thanks to some sinus crud. Thankfully, I've now rejoined the land of the living and am back to writing. On that note, I'm writing while medicated so someone please tell me if this chapter turned out badly and I should stop all writing until I'm no longer under the influence of cold meds.
Second, since I've had a couple of reviewers mention concern about Dianne and I'm really not the type to needlessly make you worry – she isn't going to try anything.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and make no money doing this. I'm just having fun playing with them.
Chapter 46
Dinner was a relatively quiet affair. Tonight they all seemed content to quietly remind themselves they were surrounded by friends and family, however unlikely some of those included may have seemed several days ago.
"Dianne," Chin gathered his dishes as he started to rise. "We should probably go grab your things before it gets any later."
He suspected Grace would be ready for an early night, but wouldn't want to head to bed until her grandmother was safely back at the house.
"You're right." She rose and started to clear her dishes. Catherine's hand covered hers, stalling her motions
"Don't worry about those. We'll take care of them. You just go get what you need." Her words were gentle but firm.
Mrs. Bradley smiled down at him and nodded before heading to follow Chin from the room.
Catherine, Kono, and Mary slipped from their chairs and began gathering the remnants of dinner to take to the kitchen.
When Steve started to push his chair back, Mary swatted at his shoulder. "Don't even think it Super Seal."
Turning to face her, his eye brow shot up in surprise. "What?" He questioned indignantly.
"You can either stay where you are, go sit in the living room, or go sit outside, but you are not going anywhere near dirty dishes or the kitchen right now."
Danny picked that moment to move his own chair back and lift his own plate to clear it.
"That goes for you too." Catherine's bark stopped him as he was only half standing.
"You too Grace." Kono chimed in before the little girl could even try. "The three of you just go stay out of trouble for a bit. We'll join you shortly."
Smart enough to know that arguing with the women would get them nowhere the three simply nodded in mute agreement.
As the trio and most of the dishes disappeared into the kitchen, Sam and Beth couldn't hold their laughter in any longer.
"Well, at least I know who to call if I ever need to reel you two in." The governor laughed.
"What? I never need reeling in; that's all Super Seal." Danny couldn't help but laugh.
Beth and Grace both giggled quietly at his assertion as Steve pretended to look incredibly offended.
"Come on. It's a beautiful evening. What do you say we grab a couple of blankets and go enjoy it on the beach?"
"I'll second that idea, ma." Steve grinned at her attempt to diffuse the teasing attack on his tendency to get into trouble. He also knew that, much like him, Grace found the beach soothing. "Think they'll let me in the kitchen long enough to grab some drinks?"
"It's worth a try." Danny laughed. "Why don't I go find the blankets while you brave our fearsome trio of Amazon warriors?"
"Ha! Don't let them hear you say that." Steve stood as he shook his head. He had to admit the nickname was probably appropriate for at least two of the three and a big part of him hoped that Mary had a bit more warrior in her than he'd often seen.
"Grace, why don't we go pick a spot?" Beth extended a hand to her granddaughter, the little girl quickly coming to her side and clasping the offered hand.
The governor rose, a bit unsure if he should bid his goodbyes and leave for the evening. He'd been assigned no specific role in the after dinner plans, but he also hadn't been pointed to the door.
"It appears my backup is abandoning me to find blankets. There's a beer in it for you if you care to fill the vacancy." McGarrett appeared beside him, nudging him in the side with an elbow.
Shaking his head, Sam couldn't help but smile at the offer. "That's probably the best offer I've had all week."
Poking his head into the kitchen, Steve was immediately spotted by Catherine. "Don't shoot. We come in peace." He held his hands up in surrender as he entered the room.
"You come in peace, eh?" Kono questioned. "Weren't you told to stay out of the kitchen?"
Governor Denning stepped around the corner to Steve's side. "We'll leave as soon as we grab drinks to take outside. The other ladies have requested we join them on the beach for an after dinner beverage."
The three women eyed them skeptically, but finally relented. Cath reached inside the fridge and grabbed three longboards and one of the fruity drinks mom liked as Kono grabbed a reusable bottle to fill with pink lemonade for Grace.
"We'll bring more out with us when we're done." Cath commented as they handed the drinks over to the waiting me. "Now get outta here before we remove you by force."
"Yes ma'am" Both McGarrett and Denning turned quickly and left before the women decided to follow through with their threat.
Walking toward the door, Sam paused for a moment. Sensing the other man's hesitation, Steve stopped a step ahead of him and turned to see what was going on.
"This is one of the first times I've actually had a chance to speak to you alone and in person since all this happened." Denning paused, slightly unsure of how to proceed.
McGarrett looked back at him expectantly, completely at a loss as to what might come of out his boss's mouth next.
"I know I've already explained to everyone here just how highly I think of you all, but I feel like there is more that should be said."
Steve shook his head, "Sir, after everything you've done for us since I found Grace I don't think there is much more that need to be said."
"I appreciate that, but I want there to be no doubt. I've learned to trust you and your team implicitly. I've also learned that the loyalty between you all is like nothing I've ever seen." His words halted for a second, but he held his hand up slightly to keep McGarrett silent. "Even then, after the betrayal you suffered from my predecessor, I always expected you would all continue your excellent work because of your ties to each other and dedication to protecting this islands. I assumed it would be nearly impossible to earn any true trust and loyalty from you."
Steve couldn't help but snicker a bit at that statement. "I can understand why you would think that."
"Then I suppose you understand why I'm more than a bit surprised that you've welcomed me so warmly into your home, among your ohana, especially in the middle of a family crisis."
Another snicker escaped Steve before he responded. "I could kick you out if that would make you feel better?" The glint in his eyes and tone of his voice clearly said he was joking. "I'll be honest, we had our reservations, but we've come to respect you over time and your actions since you found out about Grace and Rachel have been nothing short of what we would expect from a member of the family."
They stood in silence for a few seconds before Steve spoke again. "Listen, I know there will always be some level of formality required in our professional interactions, but at this point everyone on my team trusts you and Grace likes you. So unless you decide to prove us wrong, we're happy to have you."
"Well, I can promise I have no intention of doing that. I have no wish to end up on the wrong side of this family. Especially Grace, I bet she's a force to be reckoned with when she's mad."
Stepping forward to open the door, Steve looked over his shoulder at the governor. "Just like her father."
Stepping through the door, the Seal immediately her a small voice. "Daddy! We're over here."
"I'm right behind ya." Danno called before the door shut behind them, prompting Steve to hold it open a few seconds longer as his partner emerged, arms overflowing with blankets.
"Did you leave any in the house?" McGarrett teased even as he leaned in to steal a quick kiss.
Together men made their way toward Grace and Beth. The Williams trio quickly spread a few of the blankets out before the five settled on to them, leaving plenty of room for the other to join them.
Danny and Steve's eyes met as they sat, legs stretched out with ankles crossed and shoulders pressed against each other. Grace immediately nestled her way into the space between them, her back against the length of her Daddy's leg and head resting on Danno's thigh.
Listening to the sound of the soft breeze rustling the palm trees and gentle waves lapping at the shore, the five felt no need for conversation.
The governor stared out over the water, pondering how much things had changed with his task force since he'd come into office. Knowing what he did now, he was immensely relieved that he didn't dismantle it as he'd originally considered.
Beth couldn't help but watch her son with the new family he'd formed. She could see his time with Steve earlier had helped ease some of the intense sorrow and tension he'd been carrying since the funeral. She hated to see her son hurting, but saw she'd been right that it was Steve that he needed to lean on most to get through this.
Eyes falling to her granddaughter, Beth could the sadness still present in her small features even as she tried to be strong. The little girl's hands moved quietly and slowly, seeking the comfort of two very different hands. She watched as Steve's long, tanned fingers wrapped securely around the small hand that had Grace had maneuvered in his direction even as Danno's more compact and pale hand found the other.
Beth's gaze flicked up to their faces and she noted that neither man appeared to be watching Grace, but somehow they'd both known she was reaching for them. The two seemed to move with an automatic awareness of each other and their daughter that spoke of many hours spent together.
Mary, Cath, and Kono appeared after several minutes. The three were content to join their family in the peaceful, quietness found on the McGarrett beach. The only sound was the occasional movement as someone took a sip of a drink.
Sometime later the sound of Chin's car pulling into the driveway interrupted the atmosphere. Kono immediately saw that Steve was moving to go find them and shook her head.
"I sent him a text." She whispered from her position near him. He gave a small nod and smile before letting his eyes close again and he listened to the sound of the water.
When the last two joined them, the silence held for a short while longer before Danny cleared his voice, bringing everyone's attention to him.
"Not to interrupt the lovely ambience we have going here, but I want to thank you all for being here for Grace and me these last several days." His eyes shifted from person to person, catching each pair of eyes for a second before moving on to the next. "I just… I can't…" Unable to finish, he felt his daughter climb into his lap and wrap her small arms around him.
"I think what Danny's try to get at is how much the family we've all built here means to him… to me." Steve tried to continue for him as he wrapped an arm around his partner's shoulders, pulling them closer to his chest. "I… we.."
"Give it up boss man." Kono interrupted, her voice thick. "We know."
"We're ohana brah. You both know that and you both know what that means." Chin summed everything up in those two sentences.
As the family pulled together in a tangled collection of arms and hugs surrounding Grace, Danny, and Steve, Governor Denning and Dianne both were surprised to feel themselves being tugged into the fray.
"Ready or not, I believe you've both been claimed as member so the extended Five-0 family."
Nearly an hour later, after more hugs and tears than any of them would care to recount, it was finally decided that Grace should head to bed.
Those that would leave for the night gave the little girl a final hug before heading to their vehicles, most knowing they would return the next day.
When Steve started to rise to help Danny up, he felt Beth's hand pressing him back down. "We'll get Grace down for the night. You two just stay out here for a bit longer and enjoy the quiet."
Before he could argue, Mary set two fresh beers next to him and gave him a knowing wink.
Grace appeared fine going with her aunt and grandmothers, stopping only to give Danno and Daddy both big hugs before heading into the house.
When he heard the door close behind them, Steve handed Danny one of the beers before reaching for his own.
"She is an amazing little girl." Steve couldn't help making the observation. "So much like her father it's amazing."
"Love you babe," was Danny's only answer before he moved to sit between the Seal's legs, leaning back against the warm chest.
"Love you too Danno."
/ GUARDIAN /
A/N: Please take a minute and leave a review. I love hearing what you think of the story.
Also, I will be traveling 2/10-2/13, so if I don't get a new chapter up before I go you can probably expect one as soon as I get back. I always write when I travel, but don't have access to post.
Finally, please take a second to check out my profile page for more information on my sister's soon to be released book. She's an amazing writer and I highly recommend checking her and Fire of Stars and Dragons out. As a member of her beta team, believe me it is worth adding to your to read list.