Chapter Six

BethBobby

'Along comes a baby girl

And suddenly my little world

Just got a whole lot bigger, yes it did

And people that I barely knew

They love me because I'm part of you'

Keith Urban – Without You

PleaseNote: I've changed my url from 'BethBobbyxoxo' to just 'BethBobby'. Just thought I'd tell you all because I'm weird :)

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They walked along in silence for a few minutes; the only sound was the waves hitting the beach in a soothing pattern.

Steve watched Grace out of the corner of his eye, the bags under her eyes clear in the moonlight, her eyes dark and troubled.

'Here.' Steve said holding out his hand for the now almost empty bucket.

Man that child could eat when she wanted to.

She handed it over to him and he deposited it in the nearest trash can before he reached down to take her hand.

Grace moved closer to Steve, pushing up the sleeves of the jacket so that she could clutch his hand.

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It amazed Steve, the fact that Grace would so willingly put her trust in him despite everything that had happened.

The little girl followed him down the beach to his favourite spot where they sat down.

Steve sat cross legged, just like he'd used to when he'd visited the beach in the short time in-between his mother's death and his father sending them away to the mainland.

Still she didn't speak, but that was okay, he could wait as long as it took.

It took an hour; she just stared out at the sea, not moving until she eventually turned her head to look at Steve.

'Steve?'

'Yeah?' He asked, looking down at her.

'Why did Mommy and Danno die?' Grace moved closer to Steve.

The SEAL thought for a moment before he spoke.

'Gracie, your Mommy and Daddy were murdered because of a bad man. Danno always caught the bad guys right?' he paused and she nodded.

'Well, this time the bad guy really didn't want to be caught because he'd done a lot of bad things to people so he thought that if he killed Danno he wouldn't get caught.' Steve explained 'the bad guy who killed your Mom and Dad was the same bad guy who had my Mom and Dad killed too.'

Grace pondered this for a moment.

'Why did he kill my Grandma's and Grandad too?' she asked steadily.

'Because..' Steve stopped for a moment 'because he was a very bad man and instead of just hurting Danno, he decided to hurt everyone including your Grandparents.'

Steve knew that that wasn't the whole truth but the whole truth could wait until she was older when she'd be able to understand the ins and outs more easily.

'Did he want to hurt you and Auntie Kono and Uncle Chin too?' she asked.

'Yeah, he's a very bad man.' Steve nodded honestly, putting his hand on Grace's shoulder as he eyes widened.

'But why?' Grace moved so that she was sat in Steve's lap, pulling his arm around her like Steve had seen her do to her father when they sat together on a sofa and she wanted to sleep.

'Because bad people don't want to get caught and sometimes they do bad things to stop bad things happening to them.'

'Bad things happening to them?' Grace asked.

She is cold, Steve thought as he said 'bad things like going to prison, bad guys don't want to go to prison.'

'But Danno and you and Uncle Chin and Auntie Kono put them in prison, right?' Grace clarified.

'We try our best yeah.' Steve rubbed her arm as she pressed herself closer to his warm body.

'Uncle Steve, I can't sleep.' She said with a sniff, the first bit of real emotion she'd shown since they'd started talking.

'I know honey, I know, what happens in the nightmare you keep having?' he asked gently, expecting her to cry and shut down completely so he was slightly shocked when she spoke.

'I keep seeing Danno and Mommy on...' she paused, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes 'that day.'

'Oh Gr..' Steve started to speak but she cut him off.

'And then I keep seeing you with Daddy when the car exploded and you died too and then some days it's just Danno and then I saw my Grandma and she said that it was all Danno's fault.' The tears were coming thick and fast.

'It wasn't Danno's fault was it?' Grace sobbed, her hands wrapping around Steve's back.

Steve felt his mouth fall open and he put his finger under Grace's chin, pulling her face up so that she was looking at him.

'No, it was not Danno's fault. Never think that, you hear? It wasn't your Dad's fault, it was the bad mans fault. Okay? Danno was a hero, he saved so many people's lives here and back in New Jersey, he was amazing and he loved you more than anything in the whole world and he would never, ever do anything to hurt you! This isn't his fault.' Steve told her firmly.

'But why did they have to go away. I miss them so much.' She pulled her face back and buried her head into Steve's chest.

Steve took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around the little girl tightly.

'I know you do sweetie,' Steve told her, kissing the top of her head.

'But it hurts so much and it doesn't stop hurting even when I go to sleep.' Grace cried.

'I know it hurts, but eventually it starts to hurt less, you'll always miss them because they're your Mom and Dad,' Steve told her.

'Do you still miss your Mom and Dad?'

'Every day, but I know that they're looking after me like your Mommy and Daddy are and they wouldn't want you to be sad all the time. They love you and they'd want you to be happy. I miss Danno too, he's the only one who ever put up with me at work and he always made me laugh,' Steve told her 'especially when Kono tried to teach him how to surf!'

Steve felt Grace laugh slightly 'Danno didn't like the beach, or the water. Mommy used to always swim. He never liked the fruit here either.'

'I know, but do you know why he came here?' Steve asked.

Grace shook her head.

'He came here and he took surfing lessons and put up with the sand and pineapple for you. Because he didn't want to lose you. That's how much he loved you and your Mom, he would have done anything for you.'

Grace looked up and gave a watery smile 'Danno always said I was his princess.'

'You were and he loved you more than anything in this world. That's why you have to be happy because Danno wouldn't want you to be sad. When you're sad that makes Danno and Mommy sad too.' Steve smiled back at her.

'I don't want to be sad,' Grace admitted.

'Then you don't have to be.' Steve told her.

'I'll try not to be sad anymore.' Grace looked at him.

'For Danno,' Steve nodded.

'And Mommy and Grandma Williams and Grandma and Grandad.'

'Good girl,' Steve said, holding her to him as she pressed her cheek against him.

'I'm tired.' She mumbled.

'Then sleep.' Steve told her 'it's okay.'

He felt her nod and within minutes he felt her body slacken as she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

It was the first time she'd slept properly since the death of her parents and Steve knew that it was the first step in the right direction.

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Two updates in a week!

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