Note: Thanks for all the reviews. Glad you liked the last chapter. This one is much more mellow.

Chapter Six

"Uncle Steve." Grace called out and ran into his arms. Steve enveloped her and kissed the top of her head.

"Gracie, are you ok?" Steve whispered.

She nodded then pulled back to look her uncle in the face. "Uncle Chin said Danno was stabbed, is he ok?"

Steve looked to Leilani who had followed Grace into the room and smiled his thanks to her for bringing Grace. He pulled Grace on to his knee and observed her red puffy eyes. "Gracie, I'm not gonna lie to you honey, your dad is really hurt. The doctors are doing their very best to try and help him, and he is in surgery right now to fix the damage."

"He'll be ok though, right?"

"I know your dad is fighting with everything he's got. There is no way he would leave you without putting up a fight. Your dad loves you so much Gracie, don't ever forget that."

"I know he does, Uncle Steve. I don't understand why Ian hurt Danno though."

"We don't know for sure he did, Grace. But we will find out who did, and why. I promise you." Steve replied giving Grace another hug. Just holding Danny's daughter made him feel closer to his partner.

Grace started to quietly cry once again and buried her face in Steve's chest. His heart felt like it was breaking. Seeing the little girl, he loved like a niece, so desperate to know her dad would be ok. He pulled her in closer, and just held her. Nothing he could say could make things better. Not until they knew Danny had made it through surgery.

An hour later Chin, and Kono arrived. Grace was now sat, quietly, flipping through a magazine, but it was obvious to everyone that her mind was a million miles away.

Steve and Leilani stood to greet them, and moved away so the young girl couldn't hear their conversation. Leilani had wanted to question further about Danny's injuries, but knew Steve wouldn't want to talk about them in front of Grace.

"How is he?" Were the first words from Kono.

"In surgery, But it's bad, Very bad. They almost lost him when we got here. Dr. Pearce managed to find the source of the bleeding and plug it with her finger. I think they had to cut into his chest in the ER. It gave them enough time to get to the OR. I haven't heard anything for the past hour and a half, so I guess he is still hanging in there." Steve explained, keeping his voice low.

All three tried to keep their reaction to the news under wraps, acutely aware that Grace was watching them. "Did you get Grace's friend home ok?" Steve asked trying to move the conversation along.

"Yeah we did, and Ian Richards is now our only suspect. He'd been back to the Parkers, cleared out his clothes, and stolen a wallet and Rolex. We have an APB out on him and his car."

"Why the hell did he attack Danny? The guy was a nanny for Pete's sake." Steve asked confused.

"Well we think he gave the Parkers fake references. We have them here and will chase them up. We wanted to see how Danny was doing first." Kono explained, and Steve nodded. Chins phone rang interrupting the conversation.

"Hey Duke." Chin answered seeing the caller ID.

"Chin any word on Danny?" The seasoned cop asked.

"He's in surgery, but its touch and go." Chin replied.

"We've all got everything crossed here Chin, and the whole force is on the look out for this guy. I wanted to let you know that his car has been found abandoned, downtown. A bloody knife was on the passenger seat. CSU are on it and will confirm his prints. All airports and docks have been notified."

"Thanks Duke. We appreciate all the help." Chin said, grateful for HPD's support.

"No problem, just keep me updated so I can keep all the officers informed."

"Will do," Chin said hanging up the phone.

"HPD found the car and knife. No sign of Richards, so far." Chin informed them.

"I don't know about you, but I could do with a coffee, why don't I go get us all one." Leilani offered.

"Thanks Leilani." Chin smiled grateful to have her near by.

Chin and Kono sat at one side of the room making calls to chase up Ian Richards references, and getting background on him. Grace had fallen into a fitful doze, exhausted by the crying and adrenaline. Her head rested on Steve's blood stained knees, feet across Leilani's lap.

"All these references are fakes." Kono announced hanging up her phone.

"That certainly doesn't surprise me, after what I've just heard from Charlie." Chin said moving closer to the resting trio, and signalling Kono over. "Charlie ran prints on the knife. They came back as an Ian Roberts." He whispered so as to not wake Grace.

"He's been using an alias?" Steve asked, disgusted that this man had been working as a nanny, surrounded by vulnerable children.

"Yes. Ian Roberts used to be a teacher. I say used to because he was dismissed after an incident with a pupil. He lost his temper and threw a text book at the kid that needed stitches to the face. He was struck off, never allowed to teach again, and ordered to take anger management sessions. Then a year later he was arrested for domestic assault on his boyfriend. Well ex boyfriend. They had split a month earlier, the ex decided not to press charges. It seems Roberts then moved to Hawaii and changed his surname to get a job with fake references."

"Son of a bitch has a temper on him then. So maybe Danny upset him some how, and he lost it." Steve replied anger evident in his voice.

"The girls didn't hear them arguing though." Kono said trying to work out what had happened.

"You're right. Danny also didn't have any defensive wounds. Whatever happened took Danny by surprise." Steve summarised. "When we catch this guy I'm gonna kill him." Steve said coldly. "What he has put Danny through, Grace through. I'm gonna make him pay."

"Steve I know you're hurting, but killing the guy will get you nowhere but Halawa. That's not gonna help Danny, or Grace." Chin said trying to calm his friend. They all wanted this guy to pay, but they would do it by the book.

They were pulled from their conversation by the arrival of a tired looking Dr. Pearce. She had taken the time to shower, and change, not wanting to expose Danny's Ohana to the trauma of seeing her blood stained clothes and shoes. She smiled sweetly, seeing Grace out for the count then looked at the adults in the room. Her face was blank, she was giving nothing away. In that second all four of Danny's friends held their breaths, desperate to hear if their friend had won, or lost, his battle.

TBC