Steve was happily settled on the couch watching the TV when Grace stormed through the front door. He looked up and smiled as he welcomed her home, but frowned when he saw that she was crying.
"Where's my Dad, Uncle Steve?"
"Shower." Steve replied. Grace sighed as she joined him, sitting on the other end of the couch. "Gracie okay?"
Grace shook her head, her long hair hiding her face. "It's fine, I'll wait for him to finish his shower."
Steve nodded, masking his disappointment. He sat with her for a few minutes, stealing glances at her as she was preoccupied with her phone until the awkard silence proved too much for him. He abruptly stood and Grace looked up as Steve trundled down the hall, returning shortly afterwards to sit next to her and thrust his stuffed cat towards her.
"Uncle Steve… why are you giving me your cat?"
"He makes me better. So maybe help Gracie?" Steve said, a hopeful expression on his face.
Grace stared at him, not quite sure what to do. She knew that Steve never let anyone touch that toy - his others maybe, but not this one. It was his favourite, as Grace had given it to him when he was in hospital. Even Danny was only allowed to touch it sometimes. So for Steve to offer it to her was a momentous occasion.
"...Thank you." Grace said quietly as she finally accepted the offered toy, holding it close to her chest. It was slightly tattered and smelt strongly of its owner, and made her feel bad for not talking to Steve. Grace missed talking to him like they used to before his accident, and realised now that she could have told Steve what had happened in simpler terms so that he would understand.
"Welcome, Gracie." Steve smiled.
"Sorry I didn't want to talk to you, Uncle Steve." Grace said eventually. "It's complicated, and I… I didn't want to confuse you."
Grace glanced a look up at the man sitting next to her and cringed when she saw that Steve was still looking at her, his permanently dilated pupils made his eyes seem even bigger in this close proximity. He was twisting his shirt in his hands, a sure fire sign that he was anxious.
"Basically, it's just this girl at school… Long story short, I thought she was my friend. But then she made fun of y- of me." Grace caught herself. She'd wait until later to tell Danny what Lucy Jackson had called her Uncle Steve.
"Not very nice." Steve frowned, not noticing her slip. "Gracie okay now?"
Grace looked at Steve and nodded. "Yeah, I'm a bit better now. So, how was your day, Uncle Steve?"
They were so absorbed in talking to each other that neither of them noticed Danny looking down at them from his hiding place. Sitting at the top of the stairs and peeking through the gap in the banister slats, he smiled as the scene unfolded on the ground floor. He'd noticed Grace's almost-slip and would bring that up with her later, but Danny smiled as he went back to his room to finish getting dressed and left Steve and Grace to their conversation.
Breathe… 1,2,3… Holy hell, I knew it would be tough but I didn't think it would be this bad. Whose stupid idea even was this? Oh yeah. Mine.
Danny felt like he couldn't breath as he pushed himself and carried on running. His blue vest was stuck to his chest with a glue of sweat and mud, and his legs felt like jelly, but he carried on, with Chin and Kono right behind him. Because of what they were running for.
The day centre that Steve attends during the week was raising money in the hopes of turning a spare room into a sensory room filled with lots of different textures, sounds and lights to help encourage development. It would also turn into a relaxing environment and somewhere to calm down if need be.
Steve was fixated on anything with colourful lights, and Danny knew that he'd love to spend time in the room once it was built. He was also a fan of the large, fluffy rug that was on the living room floor - he was so distracted by the sight and feel of it under his hands as he lay on his back on the rug that he hardly paid any attention to Danny bending and stretching his legs as part of his ongoing physical therapy every evening.
So when Danny heard about what they were planning he happily agreed to help them raise money. He didn't know where to start for a few days, but then he saw an advert for the Tough Mudder contest and it just screamed Steve. In fact, Danny was sure that if Steve was healthy he'd have them all doing it just for fun.
Chin and Kono happily agreed to form a team with Danny to compete, Lou appreciated the offer but was happy to just cheer from the sidelines as they practised with paddling pools filled with mud and were sprayed with hosepipes by Max. Steve sometimes came and watched too, even if he didn't really understand what they were doing.
But now the main event was here and Danny was wondering if he'd actually make it to the finish line in one piece. His knee was beginning to seriously protest all the running, jumping and climbing. So he wasn't surprised in the slightest when it gave way and he fell down as they were running towards the next obstacle.
"Shit!" Danny spat the mud out of his mouth as he managed to get up onto his knees. Fortunately his teammates were instantly by his side.
"Come on, Danny! We're just over halfway now!" Chin said and he and Kono hoisted Danny up and carried him between them, his arms around their necks.
"I can't, Chin…" Danny panted as they arrived at their next challenge - a huge wooden wall that they had to climb over.
"Yes you can - remember why we're doing this!" Kono reminded him as Chin scaled the wall and straddled the top of it. Danny stared up at him and let those words sink in as memories washed over him.
Steve waking up from his coma. Being told that his brain damage was permanent. His first words and steps on his own. Bringing Steve home from his rehab centre. Seeing him after he climbed out of the helicopter after dropping a nuclear bomb in the ocean. How happy Steve is to see him every day.
"Yeah… yeah, you're right." Danny grit his teeth in determination and took Chin's outstretched hand, grinning as he was helped over the wall.
"Did you want another drink, Steve?"
"Please." Steve nodded and accepted his beaker that Lou held out, taking a few gulps before handing it back. "Thank you."
"No problem, buddy." Lou then turned his attention back to the finish line that was a short distance away from where they were sitting on a bench with Kamekona and Flippa.
"I've heard this thing is as tough as it gets. Do you reckon they'll finish?" Flippa thought out loud. Everyone, including Steve, looked at him with confused expressions.
Lou raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "Brother, I'm gonna pretend that you didn't just say that. These guys are the best in the business!"
"Yeah!" Steve grinned. "Danno's the best." Lou glanced at him and then nodded to Flippa as if to say See?
Flippa held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry!"
"Never mind now, I think they're coming round the corner!" Kamekona pointed.
Everyone turned to watch and cheer as Danny crossed the finish line, being held up by Chin and Kono. Steve beamed as he saw Danny be engulfed in a group hug by the cousins, and ignored Lou's half-hearted protests as he stood up and squelched across the mud to join them, the brace on his weakened right leg clinking as he walked.
"Didn't Detective Williams ask you to keep his boy out of the mud?" Kamekona asked.
"You wanna be the one to tell him that he can't be a part of that hug?" Lou smiled and shook his head. "Besides, this is for him, right?"
"Hey Lou, I gave you one job! " Danny shouted in his direction as Steve wrapped his arms around him. "Steve, I'm all muddy!" He tried to prize him off but Steve shook his head, spreading the mud on himself even more.
"But Steve happy for Danno!"
Danny opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't think of anything to say that would actually make him let go. So he simply smiled and shook his head as Kono and Chin joined their embrace.
Besides, seeing Steve happy to be included in their team's celebrations and the group photo - regardless of the fact that he was now just as muddy as they were - would be worth the mountain of washing he'd have to do when he got home.