AN: I don't own the characters or anything. This is just to get this story out of my head.

A/N Just saw the tsunami episode that begins with Kono teaching Danny how to surf. I was so jealous of Kono and even more of Grace Park because I'm sure they did more than one take of that scene. Seriously, her hands on Danny/Scott's hips like that! Oh my! And those shorts he was wearing, low on his hips! The powers that be knew what they were doing. Anyone agree that that surfing scene was seriously hot?.

A/N Another tip of the hat to Scott in this chapter. (Hope you're not getting tired of them). Anybody know what it is? A shout out to whomever gets it right.

Having worn themselves out at the playground, father and son both dozed off in the car. Danny had told Steve the surprise destination so he headed there enveloped in a peaceful quiet. Danny roused himself as they neared, somehow aware of their progress despite the closed eyes. "Hey Tiger," he said, managing to turn slightly in his seat to look at the dozing boy. "Ready for the surprise?"

Stretching and wiping the sleep from his eyes, Charlie perked up. "What is it Danno?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise."

Charlie peered out the window, legs bouncing in the seat. Steve turned into the parking lot and Charlie finally figured out where they were going. "The firehouse!"

The big doors were open and the trucks were shining and gleaming. A few firemen sat out front in the beautiful evening sun. One stood and approached, a big smile on his face until he got a closer look. Danny had a black eye with a bandage next to it tinged with blood. Through his snug fitting blue shirt it was obvious that his right shoulder was swollen and he held the arm stiffly at his side. There was a limp to his walk. "Danny, you okay?"

Danny shook the man's hand, bending his right arm at the elbow but not much else. "Of course I'm okay. I got my boy with me." He squeezed the boy's right hand with his left.

"How's your Dad?"

"Pops is good, really good. He and Mom are happy again," Danny told him with a big smile. "Thanks for asking."

"That's quite the shiner you got there," Chester said. "What's the other guy look like?"

"The other guy was a car," Danny said simply, before adding, "Chester, this is my friend Steve and my son Charlie." He turned now, making proper introductions. "Steve, this is Lieutenant Chester Jones. He and Pop became friends while he was here."

After the men shook hands, Chester looked at the boy as they began to walk inside. "Nice to meet you Charlie. Your daddy here says you like fire and rescue trucks."

Charlie looked up, confused. "He's not Daddy."

Steve jumped in quickly to the rescue. "He means Danno, Charlie."

The 'dad' confusion and the fact that several other firefighters were now joining the group seemed to overwhelm the small boy. He turned in to Danny's thigh and looked up, begging silently to be lifted. Sure that there was no way he could even get him off the ground now, Danny had another idea. "Where's Sparky?" he asked Chester.

The dog, who had been lying serenely in the corner, perked up at the mention of his name and came over, nails clacking on the floor. Danny made to go down on one knee next to the boy but Steve stopped him with a hand as one of the men pulled over a folding chair. "Before you keel over," he said.

Danny gratefully sat as Charlie pressed up next to him. Danny spoke soft, gentle, encouraging words and soon Charlie was laughing and hugging the firehouse dog. He started talking again, a sure sign that he was no longer nervous.

"You see the way he's wagging his tail, Tiger? That means he likes you."

"Really? His nose is wet Danno. It tickles."

"You want to see the trucks now?" Danny knew that the alarm could sound any minute and the trucks and firefighters would have to leave.

Charlie nodded his head enthusiastically and tugged on Danny's left arm to pull him out of the chair. He reached up his other hand to Steve. "Wanna see the firetrucks, Uncle Steve? Danno knows all about them. His daddy is a firefighter. He's my Grandpa. I have three Grandpas. Most kids only have two but Danno says I'm special."

Steve smiled, amazed at how Danny could be so pessimistic and grumpy about his life yet always put a positive twist on things for his kids. He was also impressed more than ever how Danny could so willingly allow Stan and his family to remain in Charlie's life as they had been before. It was the best thing for Charlie and that was what mattered most. "That's right Charlie. You are special – just like your Danno."

Danny and Chester led the way around each truck, taking turns explaining what different parts and instruments did. Danny had grown up around fire trucks and was pretty informed. Steve knew that he was physically pushing himself to keep going so he'd quietly step in and do the lifting as Charlie climbed on and off, in and out of the various trucks. Charlie was asking questions, mostly, "What's that Danno?" and making observations the whole way. Steve handled most of the physical part while Danny verbally interacted with his boy as he held himself painfully erect, often using the trucks for support. Danny would sometimes go more in depth with an explanation when he sensed Steve's interest. Steve was fascinated as well as Charlie and learned a few things about firefighting that he had never known before, amused but not surprised that Danny had picked up so much as he grew up.

As they finished looking at each of the trucks, Charlie spotted the shiny fire pole and asked his usual question. "What's that Danno?"

Danny answered with his usual patience and ability to explain things in a way the boy would understand. "That's a fire pole. There are beds and showers upstairs. If the alarm goes off when the firefighters are up there they use the pole to come down. You know how mom and dad tell you don't run on the stairs?" Charlie nodded yes and Danny went on. "Well, that's because it's not safe. It's not safe for the firefighters either so they use the pole instead."

"Cool! Can I try it? Will you take me, please? Please Danno? Please! Please! Please!"

Danny remembered the thrill of sliding down that pole as a kid. When he was very small, his Dad would grab onto the pole first and take him between his arms and guide him down so he couldn't possibly fall. He wanted his son to have that same joy. But, there was simply no way he would be able to grab onto that pole and slide down himself, much less guiding his boy down as well.

Steve instantly understood his friend's dilemma and came up with a quick solution. "I've never been down a fire pole before either Charlie. How about we go together?" The look of gratitude in Danny's eyes caught Steve up short for just a heartbeat before Danny spoke.

"That's a great idea," Danny said.

"Come on, I'll show you," Chester said. But first he turned to one of the men who had been lingering nearby the whole time they were there. "Danny, this is Johnny, one of our paramedics. We'll be upstairs a little while as I show them around so he'll keep you company." His message was simple – you look like a mess and he's going to check you out.

"Take good care of him Johnny," Steve said, as they walked by.

Charlie reached up and grabbed Steve's hand. The feel of the small hand in his felt so good to Steve, so natural. He didn't want to ever let go. He wondered about that. Had his father felt this way when he held his hand? When was the last time they had held hands? Do you know when that last time is or does it just happen less and less until it doesn't happen anymore and you can't remember what the last time was? Thinking about his father again, he considered how his father had sent he and Mary away to protect them. He no longer doubted that his father loved them, although before that fateful phone call he had doubted it many times. He was just never sure that sending them away was the right decision. He thought of Danny – who had left everyone he loved and gave up everything he had and lost everything he had ever worked for, just to be with Grace. He looked down at Charlie, the boy who Danny didn't even know was his son until a few short months ago but who now had a hold on his partner's heart that seemed to match the complete, selfless love he had for Grace. Danny had sacrificed a lot for Charlie already as well. Charlie looked up at him and smiled. Steve knew then, knew for sure, that his father had most definitely made the wrong decision. Love was the best thing you could give your child. There were no guarantees that you could give your child anything else, not food or clothing or even protection, all of those things depended on many other factors. But love was yours to give freely and nobody could change that.

Charlie's voice brought him out of his reverie. "Uncle Steve?"

They were at the top of the stairs now and he didn't even remember getting there. "Yeah Charlie?"

"Danno said the firefighters used the pole. Why are there stairs?"

Steve smiled. He could handle this one. He tried to put it into simple words the way his partner would for the little boy. "Most of the time they use the stairs. It's kind of hard to climb UP the pole, right?"

Charlie nodded his head.

"And look at all of the things they have up here – beds and lockers and clothes…"

"You can't carry them up and down the pole," Charlie laughed, understanding now. He tugged on Steve's hand. He wanted to check out the whole room upstairs.

Meanwhile, downstairs, "You're bleeding," Johnny said, pointing to Danny's eye as he led him over to the paramedic truck. Danny sunk gratefully onto the bumper as Johnny pulled out a box of supplies. "And can you even lift that arm at all?" he asked, pointing to Danny's right.

"A little," Danny answered. A very little, he answered more honestly to himself.

Johnny removed the bloodied gauze and checked the wound. "Looks clean but you need stitches if you want this to heal right," he said as he put a clean bandage in place.

"Not going to make my boy sit in the Emergency Room," Danny explained.

Then the paramedic looked at the bruising down Danny's arm and ran his trained hands along Danny's shoulder. "You have quite a bit of swelling here. I can give you some Ibuprofen but you have to get it checked by a doctor, too. "

"It doesn't really hurt," Danny told him. "Just a heavy ache." Okay, he was downplaying things quite a bit.

"Seriously, you're playing the tough guy now, but you'll have serious long-term problems if you don't take proper care of this shoulder."

"Not my first rodeo," Danny assured him. "When I drop him off with his mother, then I'll go."

"Hey Danno!" Steve called, peering down from the whole in the floor, looking as excited as a little kid.

"Thanks Johnny," Danny said to the paramedic before getting up and going to the pole.

He watched as Steve wrapped a strong arm and his legs around the pole, before looking up to grab a firm but gentle hold on Charlie. With the boy enveloped securely between his body and the pole, Steve said, "You ready Charlie?"

"Ready Uncle Steve. Look Danno!"

Danny wasn't sure which one was smiling the broadest as they reached the floor and turned to him.

"Did you see that Danno? Did you see that? I did that just like the fire fighters."

Danny reached for him and the boy stepped easily into his single armed hug. "Of course I saw that. Your Pops would be so proud of you."

"Really?"

"Really! Now if we want to eat before you go home, we better get moving."

They said their thank you's and good byes and headed out to the Suburban under darkening evening skies.

"What do you want to eat, Tiger?"

"Pizza!"

"What kind do you like, Charlie?" Steve asked.

"Not pineapple," Charlie said with a face.

Steve looked at Danny, who had a pleasantly surprised grin on his face, but spoke to Charlie. "Your Danno tell you to say that?"

"No. Pineapple on pizza is just yucky!" the three year old informed him in no uncertain terms.

Steve shook his head and laughed. "He really is yours," he said quietly to Danny. "It's the only explanation."

tbc