A/N: Anybody else as happy about the season 6 renewal announcement as I am? So happy they're coming back. Though I'm so not happy with Rachel. My husband looked slightly alarmed when something along the lines of "I'm glad I killed that bitch off." came out of my mouth during Friday's episodes.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and make no money doing this. I'm just having fun playing with them. My beta reader is awesome, but all mistakes are my own.
Chapter 75
Wrapped in the SEAL's long arms, Danny blinked sleepily trying to figure out what had woken him. It was still full dark, the middle of the night. After a few seconds he ruled out any noise coming from Grace's room, and started focusing on his more immediate surroundings. His first clue was the racing heart pressed hard against his back. If Steve's heart rate went up any more it was likely to burst straight out of his chest.
Before he could try to shift to face his partner, the muscles of the SEAL's arms began twitching and a series of unintelligible grunts and moans escaped his lips.
"Shit." Danny murmured under his breath. This was the first time Steve was wrapped around him while having a nightmare. Unsure of what to do, the detective ghosted his fingers gently over Steve's forearm where it was wrapped around his waist. At first he felt the muscles tensing under his touch, but after a few seconds they began to relax ever so slightly.
After a few minutes he was beginning to think the taller man had fallen back into a more peaceful sleep. Allowing himself to start drifting off again, Danny practically jumped out of his skin when Steve's arm jerked away from him, the SEAL diving off the side of the bed. Danny barely heard Steve's feet hit the floor, before he scrambled up keeping his back against the headboard as his eyes sought Steve in the darkness.
"Babe. You're home. You're safe." Danny's tried to keep his voice soft and reassuring as his eyes began to adjust and he made out the shape of his lover crouched beside the nightstand. He couldn't make out Steve's face, but he could see the rigidity of his body, coiled to spring at the slightest provocation. "Steven. Look at me." He kept talking, hoping that a familiar voice would breakthrough to the SEAL's nightmare ridden brain.
"Danny?" Steve's voice shook. "Are you okay?"
The detective rolled his eyes, positive the SEAL's night vision wasn't so good that he'd see. "Yes. I was nice and cozy wrapped up with my personal space heater when said heater dove off the bed. Are you okay?" Danny watched as the tension in Steve's frame relaxed and he seemed to ooze the rest of the way onto the floor. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was Korea again." Darkness or not, Danny could see his partner shudder as he spoke.
"I know that one isn't classified, so you can talk to me about it, but do you think you should call Dr. Thompson again? That's two of those nightmares you've had in the last few nights." The Jersey native scooted across the bed, letting himself slip onto the floor so he was practically on top of the SEAL's feet.
"Yeah. I'll call him in the morning."
Danny thought Steve's easy acceptance of the idea should have made him feel better, instead it worried him more. "Do you want to talk about it? I won't force you, but I hate to see what it's doing to you."
"It was the same part as before. I was stuck in the chains. I had to watch as Wo Fat shot Jenna. I couldn't save her." Steve's head fell forward, a quiet sob wracking his body.
Danny swung onto his knees, pulling his partner against his chest. "Ssshhh. Babe, you know there is nothing you could have done. Jenna made her choice. She was a smart woman. She knew the risks of what she was doing."
"I know." Steve answered, but Danny knew from his voice that he didn't want to accept that.
"You may know it, but that doesn't mean you want to accept it. If there is one thing I know about you, babe, it is that you do not ever allow yourself the option of not saving the people you care about." Danny held him close, trying to keep his voice quiet as he spoke against Steve's short hair. "You can't save everybody. Nobody expects you to."
"But …"
"No. No buts. Super SEAL or not you are only one man and you are still human no matter what you might sometimes trick us into believing." Danny relaxed slightly when he realized the shaking of Steve's shoulders was a weak laugh this time and not another sob. "Really? You find that amusing."
"What is it you think I am when I'm supposedly tricking you into thinking I'm not human?"
"I don't know. Maybe they had a little bit more of that serum shit they used on Captain America lying around so they used it on you. It would explain a lot of things actually. Though I'd think you'd have faster healing times if that were the case, and I'm pretty sure you still heal at approximately the same rate as us mere mortals even if you refuse to allow yourself enough time to actually recover properly."
"I wish."
"Of course you do, because being your bad ass self isn't enough for you. You want to join the fucking Avengers."
"Nah. Pretty sure we've got our own little crew of super heroes here. But I could really mess with the criminal element of Hawaii if I had that stuff." Steve finally looked up, grinning at Danny.
"Nope. I can barely keep up with you as it is. I do not need you becoming some ultra-enhanced super soldier." Danny kissed his forehead before falling back onto his heels. "What do you say we make use of the bed that's sitting here so nice and empty? I know you're used to all kinds of hideously uncomfortable sleeping positions, but my knee will not thank me in the morning if I stay like this much longer."
The SEAL nodded and made to push himself off the floor, pulling Danny with him.
"I'm sorry I woke you up. I could always go crash on the couch." Steve offered, though he didn't do a very good job of hiding just how much he didn't want to do that.
"Not happening. I want you where I can keep an eye on you. We've been over this already. Your nightmares and cargo ship full of baggage are not news to me. We are not picking and choosing which parts of each other we want to deal with, and you should know better than to suggest such things."
"Not suggesting you are trying to get rid of me or can't deal with my issues. Just thought you might sleep better if you don't have me freaking out in my sleep every time you turn around." Steve countered.
"Nope. You are staying in here. There will be no argument. Yes. I might lose a bit of sleep every now and then when you have a nightmare, but if you try to sleep on the couch I'll lie up here awake the whole damned night listening in case you so much as twitch in your sleep. At least when you're sleeping wrapped around me I know I'll be alerted if you need me."
Settling back into bed, Danny was on his back, Steve curled around him, head resting on the blond's chest. "You do make a nice pillow." Steve murmured sleepily, this edginess abating now that he was back in bed with Danny.
"I'm glad you think so. Now go back to sleep. I don't know what time it is, and I don't want to know, but it is still the middle of the night. If you're going to run in the morning you need your beauty sleep first."
"No if. Gracie wants to run with me." Steve answered sleepily.
"Then get some sleep so she isn't running circles around you." Danny wrapped his arm around Steve's shoulder, content to know that while they hadn't talked a lot, Steve had opened up to him a bit about the nightmare and promised to call Dr. Thompson. He would count that as a win.
Several hours later, the SEAL woke still curled around his partner. He remembered the nightmare of the night before all too well, but he also recalled their conversation and Danny's reassurances. Shifting his head, Steve looked up at Danny's sleeping form. His face was calm and breathing even. Carefully extricating himself from the shorter man's arm, Steve leaned over to place a gentle kiss over Danny's heart before slipping from the bed.
By the time he was dressed and ready to leave, Danny had curled toward the center of the bed. Steve paused to make sure he was still asleep, and smiled when he heard the soft snore. Easing the door open and closed with as little noise as possible, the SEAL tried to cross the hall silently to avoid waking up the parents.
His efforts were for naught, as their bedroom door popped open and Paul's figure emerged. Mr. Williams saw Steve and paused after closing the bedroom door. "Beth may be adjusted to Hawaiian time, but I'm not yet. I've been awake for at least two hours."
"And you were still in there?" Steve questioned. He was never one to be able to stay still in bed when he couldn't sleep.
"Didn't particularly want to get shot if I woke anyone else up prowling around the house." Paul winked at him. "Anyway, seemed a bit rude to be rummaging around the house on my own."
The SEAL shook his head. "Not rude. You're family and until your new house is ready, you're living here. Make yourself at home. The worst I'll do is spook you if I come to investigate the noise. I'm pretty good at assessing targets and only shooting the bad guys." Both men chuckled at this assertion. Paul froze when the door to Grace's room popped open, but Steve just smiled wider.
"I thought you were going to come get me?" The little girl questioned, already dressed for their run.
"I was on the way when I ran into your grandpa." Steve nodded his head in Paul's direction.
Realizing they were going to wake Beth or Danny up if they stood around in the hallway talking, Steve motioned for them to head down the stairs. When they reached the kitchen, Grace started grabbing water bottles before disappearing to grab towels. She'd only asked about running, but she was pretty sure Steve would let her swim too.
"Beth said you were letting Grace run with you. Looks like she's enjoying it." Paul smiled. "I have to say, I'm impressed with how you're encouraging them both to do new things." Steve quirked an eyebrow at his statement. "I never realized that she wanted to learn self-defense. I should have thought about it and encouraged it. Same with her swimming. She used to love doing that, but with the kids she stayed so busy. It's just nice to see her settling in so well here already."
The SEAL nodded. "I just want you guys to feel at home here. To feel like part of the family." He spoke as Grace returned with their towels. "I take it you're swimming too."
"If it's okay with you." Grace answered a little sheepishly.
"Always." Steve pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. He didn't miss the affectionate expression on Paul's face.
"I think I'm going to get the coffee started while you two go get sweaty." He moved toward the machine and started getting things ready, clearly comfortable with how to work it.
"Make yourself at home. I recommend coffee on the beach or the lanai if you are so inclined. We'll be back and in the water in about a half hour or so." Steve grabbed his water bottle and followed Grace to the door.
Pitching their stuff on one of the chairs outside, they rounded the house and took off down the road.
"So how'd you sleep last night?" Steve inquired after a moment or two of silence.
"Good. No nightmares." Grace answered. "How about you?"
"Not great. I had one." Steve shrugged, not wanting to alarm her, but not wanting to lie to her either.
"Are you going to see Dr. Thompson again?" She looked up at him as they continued at a slow jog to warm up.
"Yeah. I promised Danno I would call this morning."
"Good." She smiled at him. "Nightmares are no fun."
"I know." Steve watched her from the corner of his eye trying to gauge if there was more to this line of conversation. "You know you can talk to me if something's bothering you, right?" She turned to look up at him again.
"Yep, but I'm okay this morning." Grace gave him a reassuring smile. "A little nervous about school tomorrow, but okay."
"You know you can call us if you need us tomorrow. You're an amazing, strong girl, but you're not in this alone. I know Ms. Jones is really looking forward to having you back, and so are your classmates."
"It'll be nice to see my friends, especially Nikki." Her grin implied there was more to seeing Nikki than just missing her friend. Steve remembered his conversation with Danny and wondered if the other little girl knew that Grace was hoping for a second daddy.
"Maybe sometime soon we can invite Nikki and her dads over for lunch on a weekend." Steve offered.
"Really?" Her face lit up at the idea.
"Of course. I'm sure Danno would agree. We want you to be able to see your friends." The SEAL knew that having friends her own age was important, and he suspected Danny would be just as eager to meet any close friends and their parents as he was.
"I never got to invite friends over before." She looked thoughtful, but not as sad as Steve would have expected with that assertion. "I asked if I could have Nikki over once, but Mommy said Stan wouldn't approve of having too many noisy kids around the house."
The SEAL frowned slightly, not that he was surprised. But it was no wonder Grace felt like she was in the way if the idea of inviting a single friend over qualified as too many noisy kids.
"Well, I'll see if your dad and I can wrangle an introduction with Nikki's parents so we can set something up." Steve smiled at her, hoping she understood that he really did want her to be happy and be able to have friends over to play.
Grace gave him a smile that warmed his heart before glancing up ahead of them. "Race you to the stop sign." She stuck her tongue out at him and took off, the SEAL right on her heels.
When they returned to the house, both covered in sweat, they found Paul sitting on the lanai enjoying his coffee.
"So who won the race?" Paul grinned at them over his coffee mug.
"Me, but I think Super SEAL lets me win." Grace leaned against Steve's side as they each took a drink of their water. The SEAL started to sputter some denial, but Grace cut him off. "It's okay. One of these days I'll be able to beat you for real."
"I don't doubt it." Steve laughed as they both kicked off their shoes, peeling the socks from their feet.
"Time to swim?" Paul asked the obvious question when Grace pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her bathing suit.
"Yep." The little girl giggled when she started tipping sideways and Steve caught her, her t-shirt somehow stuck on her head.
"Need a hand there, Gracie?" Steve laughed.
"Yep." She giggled again as the SEAL freed the neck of her t-shirt from her ponytail.
"You two have fun." Paul chuckled as the other two finished their wardrobe change and headed toward the water. He was still laughing as he watched them a few minutes later when Beth slipped into the chair beside him.
"What's tickling your funny bone this morning?" She looked at him for a moment before following his gaze out to their granddaughter and Steve.
"The pair of them. I can see what you meant about them. It's almost hard to believe that the man that almost panicked the first time you hugged him is the same one out there with her now." Paul looked at his wife.
"It is, but it isn't. He still struggles with the ideas of love, acceptance, and affection when they are directed at him, but we're wearing him down."
Paul knew what she meant without further question. "Mission accepted." He reached over, lacing his fingers through hers. "If what I've seen since arriving is any indication, a good bit of headway has been made, but you know I'm game for my part. I see the way he looks at Danny and Grace. I couldn't have handpicked someone better for them."
The pair sat watching their son's partner and their granddaughter slicing through the Hawaiian surf, glad they didn't have to return to an empty house on the other side of the country. They both knew that this island was, without a doubt, exactly where they belonged now.
/ GUARDIAN/
A/N: So I thought I was going to get further into the day than I did, but you know how this bunch gets. Oh well, what would life be without Steve having nightmares and getting a bit angsty from time to time. Hope you enjoyed the latest. Take a few seconds to drop a review and let me know.