A/N: Let me start by saying - Wow! You guys are amazing. I would love to respond individually to each and every review that is written, but I am pretty sure you would rather I just shut up and keep writing new chapters. Please know that I read every single review and your overwhelming support means the world to me.

I'm sure I could have found a spot somewhere to split this into two normal length chapters, but I'm being stubborn and really just want to wrap Saturday up. So I give you a chapter on steroids and it comes with an extended final scene if you pop over to Guardian: Love Explored. This would have been up earlier, but a little plot bunny for a future chapter got demanding.

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

Chapter 65

Watching Steve carrying Grace toward the house from the window, Danny knew that his daughter had taken her time to help his partner firmly anchor himself. He marveled at her ability to connect with him and handle him with such ease. Their bond with each other rivaled his own with each of them. While he did not completely understand it all the time, he accepted it fully and without question.

Turning from the window, he saw his mom and Dianne both watching him as they pulled out plates and silverware to set the table for dinner. "Go on. We have this covered." His mom gave him an understanding look.

By the time they opened the door, he was standing in the middle of the entry waiting for them. "I thought I sent you to give him a towel, not to get yourself wet." He laughed when he saw that despite sitting out under the Hawaiian sun for quite some time, Grace's clothes were still damp where she had been curled against the SEAL. Grace squeezed her arms tight around Steve's neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek before slipping out of his arms to go change.

"You never told me to stay dry." She quipped as she headed toward the stairs.

"Oh hell. We are in so much trouble when she gets older." Her father shook his head, unable to contain the smile on his face. He would take a daughter full of spirit any day. "You. Come here." He pointed at Steve. When the SEAL stepped forward with little hesitation, he grabbed his hand and started for the stairs. Not another word was spoken until the door to their bedroom shut.

"Danny, I'm sorry about earlier."

"I swear I'm going to get a shock collar for you so I can zap you every time you apologize for something you shouldn't." The detective laughed. "Go put some dry clothes on and then come here." He sat on the edge of the bed, much like he had earlier in the day only this time the mood was entirely different.

Steve nodded, grabbed some dry clothes, and headed toward the bathroom to get rinsed off and changed. When he reappeared, Danny just patted the bed next to him. The SEAL sat down, leaving almost a foot of space between them. Instead of fussing at him, Danny just scooted himself over until their thighs were touching and grabbed one of Steve's hands.

"I assume our daughter talked you out of the tangled web that is your head."

"She keeps this up, she's going to put Doc Thompson out of a job with me." Steve confirmed.

Danny laughed. "She might." He paused for a second. "Dianne said you broke his nose."

"There's a good chance she was right." Steve glanced at him.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me. I might have to pay him a visit some day and help him readjust it. I want all the gory details later." He smiled at the image of leaving Stan with another broken and bloodied nose. "So are you okay? Or at least as okay as you can get for now?"

"Yeah. I think so. Grace …" he paused for a minute, trying to decide how to explain what he felt. "The way she talked and the things she said. I started to see that instead of seeing me as the monster I fear I have turned into, she seems me as a protector. As a guardian."

Danny could see the SEAL was still coming to terms with this new way of thinking. "You are her guardian Super SEAL. I know we tease you with that nickname all the time, but there is more truth to it than you let yourself acknowledge." Wanting his partner to really get what he was saying, Danny lowered himself onto the floor, kneeling between the SEAL's legs so he could really see him. His voice was quiet, but with his eyes locked on McGarrett's he knew the other man could hear him. "I want you to listen to me. You are a Navy SEAL, a trained killer, conditioned to stay cool and controlled in situations that would break a lesser man in seconds, but you are also a great many other things. You are a father, a friend, a lover, you are the biggest damned softy I've ever met when you let your guard down, a pain in my ass, a collector of broken people, the glue that brought this ohana together, fiercely loyal, an absolute menace when provoked, and the list could go on forever. No single one of those things defines everything you are, but they are all pieces of what makes you the person you are. You are not a monster, even when you let Cujo out of his cage. You are never a monster. You are the man I love and the only person I trust to be Grace's Daddy."

Steve's hands rose from his lap, his thumbs reaching to brush the tears that Danny hadn't realized were falling from his eyes during his rather passionate lecture. He could see the moisture pooling in the SEAL's eyes as the taller man slid off the bed and onto his knees in front of him. The hands resting gently on the side of Danny's head pulled him closer, until their lips met.

When they broke apart for air, Steve's forehead rested against his partner's. "Danny, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to. And don't think for one minute that I think this is over. I have long since figured out it is going to take a good long while before I get you over all the bullshit that has happened in your life. I signed on to this knowing exactly that, so don't you ever think, even for one second, that I will walk away because you come with enough baggage and emotional trauma to fill a cargo ship."

"I wouldn't blame you." Steve gave him a small smile.

"I know. And I know you're going to spend far more time than you should thinking you have done something that is going to change that. Just know that ever single time that happens, I will be there to prove you wrong. Grace will be there to prove you wrong. And heaven help you, so will my mother." Danny gave him a gentle kiss.

"Speaking of mom, do you think we should head down for dinner?"

Instead of answer, Danny rocked himself back onto his feet so he could stand, watching as Steve did the same with far more grace and ease. "I hate you some times, you know what."

"But you just said you loved me." Steve reached for his hand as they headed for the door.

"I do, but then you go and make shit like getting off the floor look so easy. We're the same damned age, and yet there are times you make me feel like an old man."

"But you are my old man." Steve grinned before ducking just out of Danny's reach and making a break for the dining room.

"Why are you running from my eldest?" Beth smiled as he scrambled into the room and sat in his chair, Danny hot on his heels. The SEAL gave her an innocent smile that made her and Dianne both laugh. "You two behave."

Grace giggled from her seat. With only the five of them there for dinner, she was seated across from her two dads between her grandmothers. Seeing Steve come downstairs smiling and laughing made all three women happy.

Dinner was a simple affair with just the five of them. They ate and chatted. Dianne told them more about her life in England. Grace insisted she wanted to go visit when she got a little bit older. In short, they all enjoyed these final hours together. By the time they all pushed back from the table, it was getting late and despite her earlier nap, Grace was getting tired.

"Before you head to bed, there are a few things I'd like to show you." Dianne told Grace. Danny had brought the small box of jewelry into her room earlier, guessing she would want to take the chance to show them to Grace tonight. "Why don't you join us, Daniel?" She beckoned to him as she and Grace stood.

Knowing his daughter might need help remembering some of what she learned, he followed without question.

"We'll clean up down here." Beth gave Grace a hug and a kiss before the little girl went to say good night to Steve.

When the three were headed up the stairs, Beth and Steve grabbed the dishes. They washed up all the plates in a companionable silence. Beth kept watching her son's partner, but standing over a sink of dishes didn't feel like the right place for the conversation she wanted to have. For his part, Steve kept staring out the window toward the water as he washed the plates.

As they finished up, Beth turned to him. "I'm just going to go wipe down the table. Why don't you go sit out by the water. You look like your mind is already out there." She pushed him toward the door, watching from the window as he went. She could tell he was doing remarkably well considering the day he had, but it was also clear he needed to hear certain things a few more times before he really let himself believe. Knowing that Danny and Dianne were likely to be tied up for a while, she decided there was no time like the present.

Once she finished wiping off the table, Beth grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge and headed out after the man she considered one of her children.

Steve eyed Beth as she handed him a beer. He had known this was coming since the first look she gave him before dinner. "Mind if I join you?" She asked, gesturing to the chair where Danny usually sat while they enjoyed a beer at the end of a long day.

"Of course not, but would it really matter if I did?" Steve leaned back, taking a long draw from his bottle.

"No. Not this time." She sat down, taking a sip of her own drink. "You did good today, you know that."

"So I've been told." He angled his head toward her, brow arched.

"I imagine so. Not a single one of us was blind to what going in there to confront Stan with Dianne did to you today." She pivoted around in her seat, tucking her leg up so she could sit sideways in the chair and watch him. "Steven, I know that no matter how much we all tell you things, it takes more than words and the short amount of time we have had to counter a lifetime of doubts. Neither you or Danny have told me the full story of what happened when you were growing up, what drove you to Annapolis, or what you went through while you were on active duty, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to piece together the important stuff." She reached across the small table, resting her hand on his forearm. "I have no doubt your parents loved you in the best way they could, but they both made choices that left you feeling vulnerable. Parents are supposed to teach their children the concepts of unconditional love and acceptance, or at least that is what I have always believed. You did not get that lesson, but that does not make it your fault that you find it hard to accept the idea that those things exist."

Steve stared at her. He had expected another version of the 'you are not a monster' speech, but Beth went for an even deeper pain.

"I know." He wasn't sure what else to say.

"You know in your head when you are thinking clearly, but Steven don't expect me to believe for one moment that you know that with every fiber of your being. That you know it so well that you remember it when things go sideways. You can lie to yourself, but don't try to lie to me."

"I don't know how to fix it. To fix me." His face fell, full of all the sadness he felt because he knew she was right. Deep down, he was still the broken boy trying to earn his parents approval, trying to do anything so they might decide he was worthy of their love and attention.

"It isn't you that needs to be fixed. You, my darling, are one of the best me, the best people, I have ever met. Next to Daniel, I have never seen anyone that loves so fiercely and cares so deeply for the people he lets in. All you have to do is give the people that love you a chance to prove it. Let us prove how much we love you. Let us prove that we accept you for all of you, not just the polished parts."

"How?"

"You already are, Steven. You have let a growing group of people in to our inner circle. Some closer than others," she smiled, "but you have let people in. You are so adamant in making sure that each person in your ohana knows they have a place there, sometimes I think you fail to realize that you are what binds us all together. As long as you don't push us away, I'm convinced that some day you will realize you aren't waiting for us to set you aside and run. Some day you will look around and know with a certainty you never thought possible, that we all love you and accept you just as much as you do us."

Steve leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he considered what Danny's mom had said. Her words were different, but she echoed the same ideas Danny was so adamant about. They knew he was broken, but that would not drive them away.

Deciding she had given him enough time to think about her words, Beth interrupted his thoughts. "You really are good for them you know? It's so nice to see Daniel and Grace with someone that will truly take care of them."

"I … They …"

"I know. They take care of you too, but that doesn't lessen the importance of what you do for them. You and Daniel compliment each other well. As a mother, I couldn't ask for more for my eldest or my granddaughter."

Steve smiled thinking about the two of them, especially Grace. "I just want better for her. I want her to grow up with no doubt that she is loved. No doubt we believe in her. No doubt that we will love her no matter what she decides to do in her life." He spoke with a passionate determination that made Beth proud.

"And that is what makes you an amazing parent. You may not have brought her into this world, but Steven DNA doesn't always matter. What you feel for her; all those things you want for her. Those are the things that matter most. You know as well as anyone, the bonds of family are often strongest with the family we chose, not the family we're born with." She wondered if he realized how clearly he had articulated his desire for Grace to have the very things that Beth had pointed out his own parents failed to give him. Would his drive to ensure she understood those fundamental truths help him to accept that the same was true of himself?

Draining the last of her beer, she set it on the table and reached over to take his hand.

"I am very glad you are part of our family, Steven."

"Me too, ma."

/ GUARDIAN/

Standing at the kitchen window, Danny watched as his mother held on to his partner's hand. He wondered what she had told him, wondered if it had made a difference.

"She is all settled in for the night." Dianne spoke quietly as she stepped up beside him, looking over the scene he had been watching. "You two really have something special. I know I have said it before, but I feel very blessed that after everything I have said and done to you, you still let me in. I am honestly not sure I would have survived this trip without your family and the team."

"They are your family now too, you know? They may be a little more unconventional than what you are used to, but it includes you now too." Danny wrapped an arm around Rachel's mom.

"I am sorry I didn't give you a chance when were were still married to Rachel. I don't believe it would have made a difference for the two of you, and you are very much where you belong now, but it might have made things a bit easier. You are twenty times the man I ever gave you credit for being, and you are the best father my granddaughter could ever ask for."

"Thank you. You are right, it wouldn't have saved my marriage, but from what I have seen this week, it would have been a lot of fun to get to know you better. I'm just glad we still have a chance. We aren't kidding about keeping you closer. Video chats every weekend, phone calls any time in between, and I hope you are serious about those twice a year visits. Maybe between the two of us we can keep enough of Rachel's memory alive so that Grace doesn't feel like she has lost her completely. And she can get to know what an amazing woman her grandmother is."

Dianne leaned her head on his shoulder. "I look forward to it."

"I still can't believe you got to see Steve punch Stan in the nose." He chuckled.

"That wasn't the half of it. Your partner is a thing of beauty when he is enraged. I may not have gotten any answers worth remembering from Stanley, but knowing what he did to them, it was oddly satisfying to see him put so squarely in his place." She admitted, safe in the knowledge that Danny would think no less of her because of it.

"For all his issues, he is always a thing of beauty." The stood together watching as Beth and Steve approached the house.

Drifting into the living room, they met other two.

"Have a good chat?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. We did." It surprised him when Steve answered for them, pulling Beth into another hug. "Love you, ma." He whispered before letting her go.

"Love you too. Now you two better head on up to bed. We'll lock up down here." Beth grabbed the empty beer bottle from his hands. "We'll see you in the morning."

**** Switch to Guardian: Love Explored if you desire the full uncensored version of the last scene*****

Steve kicked his sandals off just inside the bedroom door. Watching as Danny sat down to remove his own shoes. Heading toward the hamper, he was surprised when Danny stepped up and blocked his path.

"Am I about to get another lecture?" Steve asked, only half joking. Danny's eyes darkened, making Steve's breath catch.

"No. No lecture. Tell me what you need, babe. Do you want to sleep …"

"No. Not sleep. I need you." And while he hadn't given much thought to being intimate since their teasing earlier in the day, Steve found he meant that with ever cell in his body.

"Okay. I can work with that." Danny closed the distance between them. Running his fingers along the hem of Steve's shirt, he edged them underneath until they splayed over the SEAL's heated skin. He watched Steve's expression, watched his eyes flutter closed at the contact. "Come on babe. Tell me what you need from me. Let Danno take care of you." His voice was soft as the pushed the t-shirt up, prodding Steve to lift his arms so he could remove it. "Do you want to give or take? Take control or let yourself go?"

Danny knew Steve would let him do whatever he wanted, but this was the first time he was able to handle his partner in this way after Steve had gone into full on Cujo mode. Knowing the demons he fought over that side of himself, Danny didn't want to push too hard.

"I want you to push me Danny. I want you to make me come unglued. I want you to take control." Steve's voice trembled as he stared into his partner's deep blue eyes. It was a huge step of faith to put those sentiments out there for the first time in his life. His entire life had been all about control, but right now he needed to know that he could lose control and still be completely safe.

"Okay. But if I go to far, you tell me to stop."

"I know." Steve's eyes softened.

"Okay then." Danny placed his hands on Steve's abs, feeling the muscles tremble under his touch. He had honestly expected a repeat of the prior day with Steve in full dominant alpha mode, so Danny was going to have to wing this a bit, to let Steve's reactions guide him.

He had a feeling this was as much about Steve affirming is trust in Danny as it was in letting his own control break. That he was putting himself in this position told Danny a great deal about just how concrete their relationship was, even if the silly SEAL still questioned it himself.

"I want you to remember four things tonight. One - Danno loves you." He placed his hand over Steve's heart, felt it racing at his touch. "Two - Danno's got you. No matter what, you are safe with me." He ran his other hand across the SEAL's cheek. "Three - You are allowed to let you and simply feel. Don't try to control your reactions. Just let them happen." His hand skimmed down Steve's neck and chest, sending a shiver across his skin. "Four - I want you to tell me what feels good, or what doesn't."

"Good. This is good." The SEAL's voice quivered.

/ GUARDIAN/

A/N: With all the talk of this story going on forever, I thought I'd get your opinions on names for the continuation. Rather than creating a bunch of different one offs, I think I am going to have one master story where the different one shots go and an M rated companion because you know how McDanno gets. I'm thinking Guardian: Ohana Forever and Guardian: Love Endures. Should I go back to the drawing board?

Second, when I said the final scene in the Guardian: Love Explored version is uncensored, I really mean what you got above is the censored version of the opening to that chapter. ;) Venture on over at your own risk.