Danny opened his eyes to bright sunlight, so bright that it made him snap his eyes shut again and groan in annoyance. He could hear movement around him, and a moment later the light was not as harsh, so he tried opening his eyes again.

He was not surprised to find his partner, looking like he hadn't slept a wink all night, and fiddling nervously with the curtains. Well, his evident nervousness was a bit surprising. "What did you blow up?" He asked him as a greeting.

Steve looked at him startled. "What?" He asked, looking at him from head to toe, as if he was deciding to get the nurse to knock him out again.

Danny rolled his eyes, regretting the movement right away when a piercing pain in his head reminded him that he was injured. "Babe, you've got a face, one that you only get when you're afraid I'm going to freak out about something you did, so out with it…" He said, with a wave of his good hand.

Steve shook his head, confused. "I've no idea what you're talking about, buddy… I was just worried about you, that's all… How're you feeling?"

Danny frowned. "Worried about me? Why would you be…" Before he could finish the thought he remembered the events from the previous day, or part of them at least. "Damn… I'm sorry babe… I don't know what came over me last night… It was last night, right?" He said, sounding confused and embarrassed.

Steve sat down on a chair next to Danny's bed, leaning forward to catch his friend's eye. "Hey Danny… You have nothing to apologize about, ok? Yesterday was a very rough day for you…"

Danny shook his head with a tired sigh. He lifted his hand to rub his aching forehead, until he remembered something. "Hey… Did you call Rachel?" He asked, when Steve's panicky look increased tenfold, Danny grew concerned. "You called her, right? Does Grace know I'm in the hospital? I don't want her to find out through the news or a classmate or something like that!" He said, growing nervous.

Steve was shaking his head with a frown on his face. He wasn't sure how to respond. "What? Grace? Yes, she knows you're in the hospital… She came over last night to see you for a little while…" He said, wondering if that would prick Danny's memories.

Danny frowned, not remembering Grace's visit at all. "She came over last night? Damn… Everything about last night is a fuzzy blur! Please tell me I didn't say anything stupid to her?!" He asked, concerned.

Steve tried to smile reassuringly. "Don't worry Danny, you didn't say anything stupid. By the time she got here you were almost asleep. She stayed for a couple of hours and then I drove her home…" He said, trying to make it all sound like nothing out of the ordinary.

Danny frowned, somehow knowing that Steve wasn't telling him everything. "Was she too scared?" He asked, concerned.

Steve shook his head. "She was worried at first, but she knows you were getting out of here real soon, so she calmed down. In fact, Rachel is bringing her over later today…" He said, still not telling Danny anything about what really happened the previous night.

Danny looked surprised. "She is?... What about the… They're not going to Vegas yet, right?" He asked in a small voice.

Steve came closer and put a reassuring hand on Danny's shoulder. "Yes she is, Danny. I'm not sure what their plans are, but I'm sure they're not leaving until you all have had time to talk…"

Danny didn't look too convinced, but nodded in relief. "Ok… Thanks babe."

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly for Danny. Grace came over and spent the entire afternoon sitting on the bed, squished against his side. Danny was a bit concerned by the worried looks she gave him from time to time, but he was too busy with the visit of Nat, Kelly and their parents, and the constant checkups of the doctor and the nurses to ask her about it. By the time he had a minute alone with his little girl they were interrupted by Rachel, who was coming by to pick her up.

Rachel's greeting was kind, and far more civil than she had been since the whole custody issue started. "Hello Danny. I'm glad that you're looking better." She said, not really looking at his face.

Danny was too busy looking at his lap to notice Rachel's behavior. He was really trying not to think on the judge's decision, and how soon Grace would leave the island.

It was an awkward situation all around, one that fortunately Rachel wanted to end quickly. "Grace Sweetheart, it's time to go home…" She said.

Nobody was expecting Grace's reply, or the tone she used. "No, I'm not leaving. I'm staying with Danno." She snapped at her mother, not even bothering to look in her direction.

The silence that followed was deafening.

TBC…

A/N: Thank you all for your lovely reviews, and in general for just stopping by and reading!

I'm not entirely sure about this chapter, because not much happens, but hopefully there'll be better stuff in the next one(s?).

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chater anyway! See you soon!