This chapter is not my best, sorry, but I had to write it for future chapters. So, if it's kinda boring, or if anyone is too OOC, I apologize and hope it doesn't scare you gals/guys off.

With that out of the way. Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts last chapter. This story is not my usual type of thing, I have only ever written one other multi-chapter death fic, but I will try to continue on as best as I can. But it'll probably be slow going because I have a habit of writing jokes at inappropriate times. Very inappropriate times.

And I wasn't sure where Stan was from, so I took a shot and picked a state at random. So, if he's not from Maine… (**shrugs shoulders**)

So, please enjoy, drop a comment if you can, and let's hope chapter 3 is a bit better.

I OWN NOTHING…

Bye…

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Danny…

2000…

A sudden crash from behind had my head slamming into the dashboard. I was disoriented for a good six seconds, a wave of sudden dizziness and nausea rolling through me. From outside I thought I heard a voice asking if I were okay, but I couldn't be sure. As my head began to clear, I realized somebody actually was asking me if I were okay: the person who just plowed into me.

I opened my door, feeling warm liquid rolling down my head, and said, "Am I okay? You just hit the back of my squad car. My partner is going to kill…" I trailed off, meeting her brown eyes. "Hi."

"Hello," she said with a small smile.

"I'm, uh, I'm…" for a split second I forgot what I was going to say. Then I heard my mouth ask, "Are you okay?"

"You're the one bleeding," she replied pointing at my head.

"It's nothing," I assured her. She smiled again.

"I'm sorry about your car," she said slowly, a worried look crossing her face.

"What?" I glanced at the car, oh, that. I shrugged once and said, "I'm Danny by the way."

"I'm Rachel…"

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Present Day…

I lay in bed, remembering that day. She had me believing, for years, it had been an accident, when really she just wanted to talk to me. Makes me wonder if that was the first time she had seen me. That would be something, getting unknowingly stalked by my future ex-wife… Correction: my future, deceased ex-wife.

Rachel and Stan had been dead two days, six hours, and seven minutes. I wasn't keeping a running tally for any reason other than to remind myself of what Grace had lost. What I had lost.

It was the day of their funeral, and after two days of debating between Rachel's mother and Stan's parents they decided the couple should be buried in Hawaii. Why not, right? The two had friends here, ties here. Why have everybody fly to England or Maine when their families could easily fly here? It made perfect sense. Or as much sense as any of this could make.

The funeral was at eleven-thirty, meaning Grace and I had to be there early. Great, something to look forward to, an hour and a half with Rachel's mother. I could already hear her berating me, my life style, and everything else under the sun that had to do with me. Why think about her dead daughter when complaining about the ex, to his face, seemed like the better option.

I sighed, turning over to look at Grace. The first night I hadn't noticed she crawled into bed with me, and last night she fell asleep watching a movie and I didn't have the heart to move her. She needed contact. She needed to know she was loved. But what she needed the most was her mother. I could give her two out of the three at the very least.

"Monkey," I said quietly, resting my hand on her hair. "Time to get up."

She turned onto her back, a small sigh leaving her lips as she whispered, "Mommy?" For a second I didn't know what to say, didn't even think I could say anything, but eventually found my voice and said, "No, it's Danno."

She opened her eyes, her brain taking a second to unscramble from sleep. When realization dawned on her, her face crumbled and her eyes filled with tears. I wasn't surprised about the tears she had awoken the same way the day before. And like yesterday I just gave her a hug and told her everything was going to be okay.

She calmed down after a few minutes, hiccupping into my shoulder, and pulled out of my embrace. She sniffed and whispered, "Will Uncle Steve be riding with us today?"

"I don't know," I replied honestly. I hadn't exactly talked to McGarrett about the funeral. I hadn't really talked to him at all since the first night. He mostly just sat with us, in silence, every so often offering to get us stuff we didn't want.

"Can you ask him?"

"Yeah. You get ready and I'll call and ask him." she nodded, getting out of bed. She headed toward the duffle bag we had packed the day before, while I grabbed my phone off the end table. I hit three on speed dial, listening to the cell ring. I guess I had to change two, Rachel not needing it anymore. And the only reason I had her as two was because I had forgotten to change it when we separated…

"Hello," Steve answered on the second ring. He had been awake for a while; I don't think sleeping past six was in his genetic make-up.

"Grace wants to know if you're riding with us." I asked listening to the bathroom door close behind her.

"I hadn't been planning on it, but if you need me to…" he replied slowly.

"I don't need you to," I responded shaking my head, "but Grace asked and I think she would appreciate it if you…"

"Just ask me to ride with you, Danny," Steve interrupted a smile in his voice.

"Would you like to ride with us?" I said rolling my eyes. Even when we weren't working he was still bossy.

"Fine, but only for Grace."

"Absolutely," I agreed nodding once. "For Grace."

"Okay." Silence followed, I chewed on my lip wondering if there was anything really left to say. Then Steve asked, "Are we taking your car or mine?"

Fair question, one I hadn't given much thought to. How were we getting to the church? We could take the Camaro, but Rachel's mother would probably comment on the safety issues of having a fast car. Or we could take Steve's truck, but 'the nightmare' would probably nag me about not being able to afford my own vehicle. Either way I wasn't going to win any brownie points with Mrs. Parker.

So, I opted to say, "Whichever you want," and hung up before the conversation could get any more awkward. Mine and Steve's relationship revolved around banter, disagreements, and the occasional beer. I wasn't used to him being so… nice (for lack of a better term) to me. I mean, it's not like I was the one who…

Grace entered the room again, wearing a black skirt and white shirt. She shoved her pajamas into her bag and looked at me, "What did he say?"

"He's riding with us," I replied getting out of bed.

"That's good," she said nodding once then headed out of the room again. I ran a hand through my hair, fighting the urge to throw something. With Rachel's life went Grace's lively personality. She was a shell of her old self, and I couldn't take seeing her that way. It was too painful, too nerve-wracking to watch. But what could I really do. Her mother was gone… Rachel was gone.

I sank down onto my bed, burying my face in my hands. I guess I had been unconsciously denying the fact that she was gone, but today would prove me wrong. They were burying my first love today. Grace and I were burying Rachel today. And Stan by default, I guess.

Rachel and I used to be a dysfunctional team, trying to be civil toward each other for Grace's sake. Romance may have been out of the question for us, but we did have a relationship: we were Grace's parents. Now it was just parent. Singular. One. Just me and Grace, now. No more lawyers calling me, no more phone tag between Rachel and me, no more Stan trying to get me to come around to his version of parenting… No more Rachel.

I had never believed I'd lose her all over again, had always assumed that divorce was the worst ending to our relationship. But I was wrong…

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Steve…

I hated funerals. Ever since my mom died I just couldn't sit through them. Watching people sitting, crying, silently begging their God, their Lord to take them instead of their dead loved one. I just can't take it. But today was not about me and my dislike of funerals. Today was about Danny and Grace… And Stan's and Rachel's other family and friends.

So, I sat next to Grace because she wanted me to. I listened to the priest talk about leaving too soon, how the good die young, how Rachel and Stan were being reunited with their heavenly father because it was respectable. And I gave Danny and Grace a ride to the graveyard for final good-byes because it was what O'hana did for each other. All of which took, at most, three hours. Three hours to say good-bye to someone they knew for years. It just didn't add up to me.

The whole time I had kept an eye on Danny. He didn't cry, exactly, but he was grieving. He kept his head down, his usual lively hand were uncharacteristically still, raw, unguarded pain and sorrow etched in his eyes. It wasn't something I saw often on my partner, but in the rare moments I did I couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him.

Danny shared so many things with me, sometimes against his better judgment, but I knew there was a lot he kept locked inside. Like his love for Rachel. I sometimes wondered if he was even aware he still loved her. But just the way he looked at her sometimes, it was evident that a part of him had to know. Even if it was just a small part.

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When Rachel and Stan had been put to rest, Danny mumbled something about me taking Grace to the truck. He was looking at an older, intimidating, slightly owlish looking woman standing under a tent to keep the sunlight off her velvet black dress. Velvet? In Hawaii? She was definitely not from around here.

"Is that Rachel's mother?" I asked watching as the woman whispered to a man who had to be Stan's dad. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Unfortunately," Danny replied taking a breath. "Just take her to the truck, please."

"Alright," I said and walked toward Grace, Chin, and Kono. I glanced back, watching as Danny headed toward the woman. She stood at his approach, giving him a withering stare as he started to speak. He barely said four words when her sharp voice, loud enough to be heard where I stood, asked, "What are you going to be doing about your living arrangements?"

I stopped short of Kono, Chin, and Grace, fully turning around in case Danny might need assistance. I felt more than saw Kono and Chin stop right behind me, obviously they were expecting a fight, too. Danny said something, quiet so we couldn't hear him, but Mrs. Parker's loud timbre made his hushed tones unnecessary. "What do you mean you'll figure something out? Rachel talked about your apartment. Or should I say 'shoebox.'"

"Look, Matilda…" Danny tried but the older woman didn't give him time to finish his sentence.

"I think Grace would be better off coming to live with me," she said glancing over at Grace, or me. I was blocking her granddaughter from her view. "It'd be better than living in the squalor you chose to live in."

"I am her father," Danny protested gesturing to himself, "and I'm not going to let you take her from me."

"I have the best lawyers in London. If a jury saw what passes for an apartment in your mind they'd have no problem agreeing that I should have Grace." Mrs. Parker took a breath, a serious look crossing her face as she said, "At my home she will have her own room, her own space. Comfort. With you she has a pullout sofa and cramped accommodations. I just can't picture Gracie living in that hellhole you call a place. She would be better off with me." Okay, grieving mother or not she needed a swift kick in the head.

I crossed the graveyard in half a dozen steps, stopping next to Danny. I fixed Matilda Parker with my fiercest glare and said, nice and slow, "You will leave that little girl with her father. Do you hear me?"

"Says who?" she snapped back meeting my eyes, almost unfazed by my look.

"Says us," a voice said behind me and Kono moved to stand on Danny's other side. "We're O'hana, we stick together."

"What's this O'hana rubbish?" Matilda barked looking between Kono and me.

"It means family, lady," Chin responded from behind Danny.

"You people are not her family. I am her family." She glared at Chin, Kono, and me.

"Matilda she hasn't seen you in six years. Family is constant, always around. You aren't," Danny said quietly. "Don't take her from me."

"But that apartment…"

I don't know what made me speak up, probably the desperation in Danny's eyes, but the next few words out of my mouth shocked even me. "They can live with me…"

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Danny…

Wait what? Had I just heard right or were my ears still ringing with rage. Had Steve McGarrett-Mr. I like my space. Mr. I have control issues-just offer up his bat cave to Grace and me? I looked around. Yeah, I heard right. The flabbergasted look on Steve's face was proof enough. Super SEAL took himself by surprise. I knew that spur of the moment crap was going to catch up with him.

"What?" Matilda asked meeting Steve's eyes.

"They can live with me. Just until Danny finds a bigger place." He started talking smoother now, actually sounding like he had the idea the whole time, "I have the room, don't actually take up that much space. Yeah," he nodded once, "they can live with me."

Okay, I had to say something. "I don't think she had that in mind. I mean, it's her daughter's funeral…"

"Show me this place," Matilda said before I could finish my sentence.

"Really, Matilda we don't…" I tried again.

"It's a ten minute drive from here," McGarrett cut in. "If you'll just follow me."

So, we headed to McGarrett's house. The whole drive, Grace with Kono and Chin so I could use swear words, Steve and I argued.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" I snapped crossing my arms.

"I am trying to help you," he retorted glancing at me.

"I never asked for your help," I said slowly not meeting his eyes. He had helped me in the past, but this was just one time too many in my opinion.

"Look, I saw the look in your eyes. Losing Grace would kill you, I can't have that happen. And Kono would probably kill Rachel's mother to keep her from taking Grace. I can't have that happen, either. So, this seemed like the logical choice.

"Besides, it's only 'til you find a bigger place. And if it gets Matilda off your back…" he trailed off, giving me a triumphant look before looking out the windshield again. Damn it, I hated when he was right. And he was, in a big way.

I hated taking charity from people, hated having the feeling of being under somebody's thumb. But I couldn't lose Grace, she was my daughter, and she was loved by my whole team. They would help me fight tooth and nail to keep her.

"Fine, but for Grace. And it'll only be a month tops." I could find an affordable, decent place in a month. It was the same deadline I gave my parents when I finished the police academy. I beat it then, I could easily beat it now.

Rachel had always wanted me to get a bigger place. It just took her passing to get me to relent. Sometimes life had a habit of just spitting in my face. Especially when it knew I couldn't spit back. It did it when Rachel left me, did it when Stan became Grace's stepdad, did it when I had to move to this hellhole, did it when I became McGarrett's partner. Why should this time be any different?

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P.S. The flashbacks are going to become a big part of this story. Most of them will revolve around Danny's and Rachel's relationship, but a few will also be about Steve and his life after his mother died.

So, quick question for anyone: In the episode where Mary got kidnapped she said that their dad had put her and Steve on different planes back to the mainland. Was it directly after their mother died or did Jack wait until his kids had graduated school? I need to know now for a flashback later. And, for future reference, many thanks to all who help me.

And a side note: This is not going to turn into a slash story. I never had need to warn my readers before, but while writing this chapter I got a slashy feel. Just warning you it's not a slash. I haven't written one before, I won't start now.

Bye…