Disclaimer: see chapter one
Author's Note: thank you so much for reviewing the last chapter I was blown away by your reviews, so much so that I've decided to add a few more chapters to this story. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I will warn you it's a pretty sweet chapter.
Now that the custody battle was over, Danny felt like he could breathe again. He didn't feel like there was a dark cloud looming overhead ready to rain on any happiness that Danny might have. He could now sit back and relax, for the next seven years he didn't have to worry about Grace ever being taken away from him again. He could finally set down some roots knowing that he wasn't going to be uprooted from his life ever again; well the ring on his finger also insured that.
"Hey Danny, which of these colors will Grace like the best?" Steve asked turning from the large display of paint colors to find Danny staring at the rainbow of colors with a blissful smile on his face, the same blissful smile that he's had since they walked out of the court room two days ago. Steve shook his head, chuckling at his partner before reaching out and shaking Danny lightly.
"What?" Danny asked shaking his head and looking around confused for a moment. Seeing the familiar orange of Home Depot Danny smiled, they were here to finally get the paint to redo Grace's room. "Sorry, did you ask me something?"
"Which of these colors do you think Grace would like best?" Steve patiently asked again showing the three different choices of green, blue, or purple. Danny thought about it for a moment going back over all the conversations that he and Grace had had while coloring pictures about her favorite color when he remembered the most important conversation. It had been a couple of days after Steve had left for his mission, Grace couldn't sleep because she missed Steve and she and Danny were sitting in Steve's arm chair rocking back and forth slowly.
"Ocean blue." Grace whispered suddenly sitting up slightly in Danny's embrace with a confusing look on her face.
"What about ocean blue monkey?" Danny asked rubbing her back in soothing circles.
"I want to paint my room ocean blue, I want a whole ocean theme that when daddy leaves again I'll feel like he's there. It's also the place we have the most fun, ya know Danno?"
"Yeah Monkey I know." He murmured as she nestled back into his arms both of them thinking about Steve.
"Ocean blue." Danny finally answered looking up at Steve with a fondness in his eyes. "She wants a whole ocean theme that way when you're gone for 'training' it'll feel like you're still there." Steve smiled softly having a feeling he should've known, taking a deep breath to keep the sudden emotions away he nodded.
"Ocean theme it is then. Hey Danno think we could hang a wallpaper mural of the ocean for her? Ya know on the wall across from her new bed?" Danny laughed at Steve's sudden childlike enthusiasm and nodded lacing their fingers together as they walked to the paint desk to get just the right color mixed. Steve couldn't wait for Gracie to see her room; it would be the fresh start that all of them needed.
Some time later after they had finished emptying the old furniture from Grace's room, Danny leaned against the kitchen counter wiping the sweat from his forehead. He smiled in thanks as Steve handed him ice cold water and leaned back against the counter across from Danny. Steve watched Danny waiting for the 'overheated Danno' rant that Danny also used when the heat and humidity just became too much for him. He's actually been waiting for it since they started emptying Grace's room and he's worried that something's wrong with Danny. But instead of, asking Danny the question that sits on the tip of his tongue so desperate to slip out he glances at Danny every couple of seconds hoping to catch a weird look on his partner's face.
Danny furrows his brow when he catches Steve looking at him oddly for the second time in less than a minute. He looks down wondering if there was something on his shirt or pants, but finds nothing so he looks up again and sees Steve quickly glancing away from him. "What?" Danny asks wondering what was going on with his partner.
"Nothing." Steve replies quickly making Danny even more suspicious that something's wrong with his partner.
"No what? Do I have something on my shirt I can't see? My pants? What? Why do you keep looking at me?" Danny almost rants his free hand flying lightly in front of him. Steve can't help but smile at Danny's quick jump into 'rant mode' as Steve's grown to call it.
"No Danno, there's nothing on your shirt or pants. I'm just wondering about something that's all." Steve vaguely concludes finishing off his water and placing the empty glass in the sink.
"What's that?" Danny asks a little more calmly than a few second ago. He's curious about Steve's sudden staring.
"It's hot in here correct?" Danny nods and shrugs at the same time not sure how to answer that question. Yeah it's hot in the house, but they're also moving heavy furniture down the stairs. "Usually by now I'd be listening to the 'I hate heat and Hawaii' rant by now."
"First off the fact that you've named my rants worries me a little bit and secondly that usually only happens at work. Are we at work right now? Am I dressed for work? No, I'm not. Plus this is for my daughter and as you'll recall I never rant about anything regarding my daughter." Steve nodded along with Danny as he explained the calm almost tranquil air between them. Steve reaches over feeling as if they're having a moment.
"So does that mean that if I can work Grace into anything rant worthy at work I can avoid the rant?" Steve can't help but ask with an adorable innocent expression spread across his face. Laughing Danny shoves Steve lightly and finishes off his water.
"No, everything you do makes me want to rant." Danny turns and leaves the kitchen still laughing at Steve's crestfallen face. Steve waits a few moments before following Danny out of the kitchen and back up the stairs, because the wallpaper isn't going to hang itself. Danny can't help but smile up at him when he reenters the room as he continues rolling glue onto the back of the piece of wallpaper.
"I like this." Steve comments some time later, as he's hanging the last piece of their mural. Danny has already stepped back to admire their hard work.
"The mural? Yeah it is pretty great, Grace is gonna love it." Danny replied smiling at the ocean mural in front of him. Steve turns and smiles at the blessed out smile on Danny's face.
"Yes and no. I mean the mural is great, but I meant today, doing home improvement projects with you. It's such a domestic thing to do, plus I haven't really done anything like this since my mom and I repainted my room the year before she died." Danny stopped opening the lid on the paint cans and looked up at Steve. Any time that Steve opened up about his mom, or even life before he was slipped back to the mainland, was a treasured moment for Danny.
"I bet you drove her crazy." Danny joked making his way over to Steve to join him in admiring the mural. Steve didn't turn but lifted his arm to drape it over Danny's shoulders.
"Kinda, only when it came to the actual color of my room. I wanted green, but she insisted that I needed a more peaceful color like blue. We went back and forth for days before she finally gave up and just told me to pick a color." Steve spoke fondly a small smile spread across his face. He could almost picture his mom standing in front of him telling him that blue was going to be the color of his room. "But I think that's the first time that my dad was actually told me he was proud of me. He had come home from the station and he smiled when he saw my room completely redone and put back together. He clapped me on the shoulder and told me he was proud that I listened to my mom."
"Your dad was probably always proud of you, he was probably just like my dad and didn't say it every often." Steve glanced over at Danny and nodded, their fathers were very similar in some regards. Steve thinks that's one of the reasons he wanted Danny's dad to like him so much.
"I've been thinking." Steve started turning so he could wrap his arms around Danny's waist.
"Uh huh that's usually never good." Danny couldn't help but joke making Steve poke him hard in the ribs. "Ow Steven that actually hurt." Danny whined rubbing the sore spot.
"Anyway, I was thinking that we should take a family photo. Ya know so mom could have one and we could hang it downstairs." A large smile broke out on Danny's face as he pulled Steve tight against his body, using his hand to pull Steve's head closer to his so he could rest his forehead against Steve's.
"I think that's the best romantically sweet idea you've had to date that I absolutely love. It's about time we make this familial unit official." Steve smiled and leaned forward capturing Danny's lips in a light yet passionate kiss. He would never get over just how much this man means to him. He brought so much into Steve's life that he didn't even know he wanted, but now that he had it he's never going to let it go. "Do you realize though that I'm going to make you dress up a little bit right? I want to capture your James Bond sexiness."
"Yeah Danno I wouldn't expect anything less from you." Glancing around the room Steve couldn't help but groan. "We have so much left to do. We better get back to work." Danny glanced around the room as well and nodded his head. Yet neither moved for a few more moments both wanting to remember every detail about this moment. It's probably the most open Steve has been about his family since that day they went hiking all those months ago, back when Danny was the only one in love. And Danny treasures that day as much as he holds his moment close to his heart, because he'll never get the opportunity to meet Steve's parents and tell them what an amazing son they raised. He'll never get to see how loving and caring his parents were to him, the only glimpse he has about Steve's parents are the memories he shares with him occasionally.
Steve shares more memories of his mother as he and Danny finish painting the rest of the room. For the first time in awhile, Danny works quietly letting Steve talk as much or as little as he wants to. He doesn't want Steve to stop sharing memories from his childhood because he feels as if he's getting even closer to his partner. He has his almost obsessive need to know everything about the man he's going to spend the rest of his life with and he will do whatever it takes for Steve to completely open up to him. Steve knows what Danny's doing, he knows that he's remaining quiet so that Steve can regale him with baby SEAL stories as he's called them before and he appreciates it. He loves that Danny is willing to remain silent so that Steve can tell the story how he sees fit, even remaining quiet when Steve stops for a few moments to let the emotions die down that come along with talking about his mom. His stories help the work go quicker and before either of them knows it it's two am and they're not even tired.
"We should get to bed." Danny states after catching a glimpse of the clock. Thankfully tomorrow is Sunday and they don't have to work so they can sleep as long as they want to. But as they rinse out their brushes and rollers either feels tired. For once Danny's not exhausted beyond belief, even though they did spend the majority of the day working in a hot room. He feels energized for some reason and he can tell with just one look that Steve's feeling the same way.
"You can head up to bed if you want, I'm gonna stay up for a little bit. I'm too wound up to fall asleep any time soon." Danny thinks about it for a moment before shaking his head no and heading into the kitchen and starting a pot of coffee. Steve smiles when he hears the coffeemaker come to life and heads out onto the lanai, he knows that Danny will join him as soon as the coffee's done.
Twenty minutes later Danny comes out with not only coffee but muffins and a granola bar for Steve. "We might as well have breakfast." Steve nods taking the muffin and his coffee letting the early morning calm wash over him and Danny.
"Ya know I always wanted a little brother." Steve remarks nursing his cup of coffee and staring out to the ocean. "Before Mary was born and mom and dad didn't know the baby was a she, I actually prayed for a brother. I wanted someone to play Navy with and catch with since Dad was always busy at the station or on base I thought it would be awesome." He stopped suddenly whipping his head towards Danny finally realizing just what he was saying. Danny smiled softly, a thin layer of tears in his eyes. Danny did have a little brother, still does, but he has no idea where he was.
"It's okay, babe. I'm okay I promise. Matt was an awesome little brother most of the time. Since we're somewhat close in age it was natural that we get along especially with Lauren hanging around. He was the best friend I had growing up and even as an adult. You're lucky though, sometimes I wished I only had one sibling."
"Do you want to know something funny?" Steve asks turning in his chair so he and Danny are looking at each other. "I was a little bit jealous when we went to Jersey and I saw you with your siblings. If one sibling annoys you, there's another one there to entertain you. I wanted another sibling, especially when Mary really got on my nerves. But I love Mary and I feel bad sometimes when I get to see her so much while you're family is still on the mainland so far away from you."
"Yeah sometimes that sucks, but the highlight is that they'll be here soon enough. I can't wait to show them everything Oahu has to offer. I may still hate some things about this place, but it definitely has it's benefits."
"I knew it was only a matter of time before you came around Danno."
"There may have been a gorgeous SEAL right there making this place even better." Steve melts at the love in Danny's eyes and leans forward gently kissing Danny as the waves crashed in the distance and Jack lay sleeping at their feet.
"I love you Danno." Danny sighed in content and gently kissed Steve again.
"I love you too Goof." Jack looked up at their feet as if he were telling them he loved them too. Steve chuckled leaning down to rub Jack's ears. This was only the beginning of his and Danno's story and Steve couldn't wait to see what happened next, especially when the William's clan invaded Hawaii. Things were bound to get interesting.
A/N 2: so did you like it? I had so much fun writing sweet and happy McDanno. The next chapter will be the reception party and I'm not sure what's going to happen but I think we're done with the tension for the remainder of the story, like always let me know what you guys thought and if you have any ideas I'm brainstorming for the next story and am always open to new ideas. Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~