Chapter 19
By
BethBobby
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Hi!
Just a quick update today as I have an essay for uni due in that I really need to do and check as well.
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'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
(yes I know I used these lyrics before, but they seemed perfect so I figured people wouldn't mind)
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'Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Gracie, Happy Birthday to you!' Steve, Kono and Chin sang as they walked into Grace's bedroom, armed with presents wrapped in the bright pink paper that Kono had picked out for all of them, claiming that the boys were hopeless.
Steve saw Grace smile, probably not expecting them to get her anything.
'Up you get birthday girl,' Steve said as they all sat on the edge, of her bed and waited until she sat up before dumping their gifts onto her lap.
'Thank you,' Grace beamed at them.
'Hau'oli lā hānau Grace,' Chin smiled back.
'Go ahead Grace, open your presents,' Kono urged excitedly even though she knew what most of them were.
Steve smiled at the rookie, seeing a glimpse of Christmas' with her own kids when she got older.
'Okay.' Grace smiled picking up the first of Chin's gifts.
A Tuberose Lei with orchids which was a beautiful pink and white mix of flowers.
'Thank you Uncle Chin.' Grace said honestly.
The lei was stunning, perfect for Grace.
The next present from Chin was a surfer Barbie (that Steve was pretty sure Kono picked out) and lastly was a wetsuit that Steve knew cost way more than Chin would be willing to admit.
'Thank you.' Grace grinned, reaching over to hug the older man.
'You're welcome Grace. Happy Birthday.' Chin kissed her forehead.
Then game Kono's presents, a Hawaiian grass skirt with matching top with a promise that she would teach her the dance, a normal dress (which even Steve had to admit, was very cute) and lastly a child's sized surfboard that Kono claimed was 'the best board you would ever find' as it had been the board she learnt on as a kid.
'Thank you.' Grace told her hugging her too.
'Mine next!' Steve urged, smiling at the happiness in Grace's eyes.
He hadn't seen that look in a while.
Steve knew he had gone slightly overboard with his gifts but he didn't care, after everything that had happened, she deserved some happiness in her life, and anyway, before her he had never had anything to spend his money on other than on Cath's fleeting visits.
Steve watched as Grace pulled out the clothes he had bought, then the new dolphin trainer Ken, then the gift vouchers he had bought for her which would enable her to pick out whatever she wanted to re-decorate her new room. He had also gotten her a new phone, saying that she could call him whenever, even if he was at work, but claiming that the first time a boy called he would personally see to it that the phone ended up underneath his truck, accidentally of course.
Grace had laughed, opening the next gift, a party dress.
'You need to hold onto that one,' Steve winked at her.
'Okay.' Grace smiled, pulling the last package towards her.
A rectangular box, around the size of a shoebox.
Grace frowned slightly as she ripped the paper, confused, as it was too light to be shoes.
Her face changed the second she saw the contents of the box.
A leather collar and lead.
'Really?' she squealed at Steve.
'Yeah, really, but not a puppy, a fully grown dog.' Steve clarified as Grace threw herself at him
'Okay, a real dog!' she squeaked, clutching him around the neck so tightly that Steve began to fear for his life.
'Yeah, a real dog.' Steve laughed.
Kono shot him a smile and a look that said 'you're such a pushover McGarrett.'
Steve shrugged at her.
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'So I don't have to go to school and you don't have to go to work?' Grace repeated for the third time.
'That's right, because we are going to see a man about a dog.'
'And I get to pick?'
'As long as you pick one that is right for us, then yes, you get to pick.' Steve nodded.
'When can we go?'
'When you have actually eaten breakfast.'
'I've had enough!' Grace protested.
'Well it's only nine o'clock and we can't be there until ten o'clock, so you have time to finish, now come on, eat.' Steve handed her the spoon for her cereal.
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Grace literally bounced all the way to the Navy training base, diving out of the car as soon as Steve pulled up the handbrake.
'Are you excited or something?' Steve joked as she ran around to his side of the car, clutching the collar and lead.
'Come on, come on!' Grace grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the entrance, where Steve could see Mark waiting.
'You must be Gracie,' Mark said, greeting the little girl and shaking Steve's hand.
'Are you going to help us pick a dog?' Grace asked.
'I sure am little lady, I got a few waiting for you to look at that I think might be perfect for you.' Mark smiled at her.
Grace beamed up at him.
'Come on then, let's go.' Mark said, walking towards a different compound, where Steve could already hear the barking associated with kennels.
Once they were inside the compound, Mark led them to a large room.
'Wait here for one second and I'll just bring the dogs in, I picked out around five for you to look at, that okay Steve?'
'Sure, thanks.' Steve nodded as Mark disappeared.
Grace stood, watching the door that Mark had disappeared from; swaying on her heals from excitement.
Mark quickly returned with five dogs in tow, their tails wagging and dragging him through the door.
'These are the five, I can tell you names and ages when you chose the one you want, they're all under four years old, so none of them are very old.' Mark told them, releasing one dog off its lead at a time.
The first one, a Springer Spaniel, sprinted towards them, before changing its mind and moving to sniff the room, as did the second dog, a Golden Retriever.
'I thought those two might be like that, these three should be a lot friendlier. Those two failed at the final hurdle, so have had most of their training, these three are complete newbie's who couldn't pay attention long enough to sniff out a treat that was right under their noses.' Mark told them.
He released the last three dogs as Steve moved to crouch beside Grace.
Two retrievers bounded over to them as the Springer sprinted to join the other dogs, sniffing at the other side of the room.
'Hey buddy.' Steve said, stroking the head of the huge golden dog.
Grace was stroking the other, who was doing its utmost to try and jump all over her in an overfriendly gesture.
Steve pushed it away, seeing Grace frown.
'Here Grace, look at this one,' Steve inclined his neck towards the dog he was stroking.
Grace moved to stroke the dog, which appeared to be much larger than the other retrievers.
'Why is this one so much bigger?' Steve asked Mark.
'No clue, some just grow more than others, he's got the appetite to match that size.' Mark laughed.
'I like him.' Grace said, giggling as the dog licked her face as she stroked it.
'Sold?' Steve asked her.
Grace nodded 'I want this one.'
Steve saw Mark smile 'that took less time than I thought, this is Noah, he's two years old, housetrained, although expect accidents in the first few days with it being a new house. You want to take him for a walk before we do the paperwork just to check he's the one?'
Steve nodded, the last thing he wanted to do was rush into getting the dog and then breaking Grace's heart having to send him back if he wasn't right.
Mark handed him a lead, which Steve clipped onto the dogs collar.
'Can we put our collar on him?' Grace asked.
'If we take him home you can put our collar on okay?' Steve told her.
Grace nodded and Steve handed her the lead.
'Wait by the door Grace,' Steve told her.
'Okay, c'mon Noah.' Grace told the dog, tugging on the lead and walking towards the door, the dog trotting alongside her.
'You were always a sucker for a pretty face ey McGarrett.' Mark joked as Steve came over to him.
Steve laughed 'I just figured it might help her get over everything if she had something else to concentrate on and play with. She had a rabbit before everything happened and I just thought that the pet might help. She wanted a puppy, but I don't have the time for a puppy, I thought this was a better idea.'
Mark nodded and clapped Steve on the shoulder 'you're doing okay man, she'll be okay.'
'Thanks brah.' Steve nodded, walking over to Grace and Noah.
As he got to them, the huge dog suddenly jumped up, put his paws on Steve's chest and licked his face.
'Bleugh.' Steve pushed the dog down gently, wiping his face.
Grace giggled 'I think he likes you Uncle Steve! See, you can't not let him come live with us.'
And that was how Noah came to join the family.
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*Lei: the Hawaiian flower necklace
Yes it was cheesy, yes I loved writing it as opposed to angst.
Okay, so I know that you wouldn't really go and pick the dog and on her actual birthday with as birthdays are chaos, but in my head this was the cutest way to do everything. Sorry that part was slightly unrealistic.
Review?