Kono tried to calm down the SEAL. "Steve, it was nothing. We know you two are an item. We had to convince the smugglers we were looking for a private place to make out and when we had them all focused on us, HPD did their thing and-WHAMO!-we got em all!"
Steve stormed into his office, half dragging Danny by the elbow. "What the hell was that? You gave her a hickey…a HICKEY?! Just why, Danny? Why?"
Danny was confused. He used the kissing to cover so the HPD could get into position for the bust. "Steve, you know nothing happened with Kono. She is so NOT my type. No, my type is in a six-foot tall, genuine U.S. Navy Reservist with brown hair and hazel eyes, with a body made for both work and play and in case you missed it, that is YOU, babe. So NOT Kono, got me?"
"Danno, you missed Chin and I coming in by only five minutes. You couldn't wait for five little minutes for us to come back? I can't believe your best plan was to make out with Kono. You couldn't have used stun flash grenades or something to draw the crooks out other than to neck with Kono? And, you left her a hickey? What was that all about? A going away present?"
Danny loved that Steve was so jealous but, he could not understand why. "Steven, it was harmless. Kono knows I love and am in love with you. You, my big goof have nothing to worry about. If it had been you and Kono necking, I would not have made this much of a fuss. Why? Because, I trust you and our love. I think you would have handled this all Neanderthal and bomb the place but, Kono and I aren't like you-we used our talents and got the job done with no fatalities! I thought you would have been happy with how we got the job done-with back up, mind you and no one in body bags."
Steve frowned a bit but, he grudgingly understood that Danny was the finesse in their relationship and he was the brawn. "Danny, I hardly think Kono would have had as much fun kissing me as she had kissing you. You two have chemistry. Her and I-nope can't see me necking with her-let alone presenting her with a hickey."
Danny slid around Steve's desk and dropped into his lap. He ran his fingers through Steve's inch long hair and curved around the back of his neck. He kissed Steve softly and licked his lips asking for entrance. Steve reluctantly gave in and let Danny do his thing and kiss him breathless. "Now, if I were kissing YOU at that bust instead of Kono, I would have done a few things differently." He whispered several naughty things into Steve's ear, making him blush with wonder. "Am I forgiven, Steven?"
Steve sighed and said, "Kono is not mine-YOU, however, ARE. I love you and trust you. You are my whole world in and out of work. I just wish I had been there to help with the bust." He pouted and kicked at his desk for emphasis.
Danny thought Steve was being totally adorable. He kissed Steve again and smiled when he did. "I love you. You are mine, too. I see your side of the discussion and I will try to get ahold of you next time there is a break in a case, deal?" he offered his hand to Steve.
Steve pulled him into a long lingering kiss. "That is how we settle deals, Danno. No handshakes for us, Jersey."
Chin had cornered Kono in her office and she said, "Brah! Chill it. Danny may kiss like a porn star but, I know his heart is always with Steve. No worries. And, the hickey was a bit of an accident. I leaned into his mouth and tickled him a bit too hard-he bit me on the neck-it was harmless. You boys should have seen Danny and I-we startled them and then when we busted them, it was poetry in motion. They never saw our guns and when they did, they were so surprised they had no chance to reach for their own. It was a textbook takedown."
Chin smiled at his younger cousin's enthusiastic telling of the bust but, then he sobered, "Danny and you kissing was enough for Steve to yank Danny into his office. I hope Steve and Danny are still talking when that door opens, for your sake, cuz. You are the Best Woman for the wedding. You are supposed to protect Danny-NOT kiss the stuffing out of him!"
She was about to say something to that end but, Danny opened Steve's office door and Kono watched him walk to his office. She poked her head in and asked, "Um, Danny? Everything OK with the Bossman?"
Danny smiled and said, "Yeah. He is upset about your hickey but, he is still going to marry me. I know how committed he is to me and that is a good thing. We can stash Steve's party stuff at your place and make it work. He'll never suspect a thing."
Steve came out of his office and smirked. Danny smirked back at him. 'Oh, they are fine.' Kono sighed inwardly. She was afraid their 'brilliant' idea had screwed up Steve and Danny's relationship. Kono was relieved. Steve turned to her and said, "Nice work on the bust of the smugglers, Kono. Next time, no kissing my fiancée, please? His lips are only made to kiss two people-Grace and me. Understood?" Kono nodded and smiled at the pair of them.
Danny said, "Now, it's time for the Best Woman and her groom to write reports and time for the Best Man and his groom to shop for rings. Let's get to it!"
Chin and Steve headed to the jewelers. Ring shopping would be a breeze since Steve knew Danny and his style-simple and elegant. Steve knew what he wanted the inscription to say: Together at last-SM & DW. It would be perfect.
Danny and Kono worked on the reports long enough to see them leave and when Steve and Chin were gone, they pulled up websites and began to look for the perfect gift for Steve's birthday. They knew from trying in years past, it was insanely hard to surprise Steve with a gift for anything-be it birthday or Christmas. He always knew what he was getting and 'acted' surprised every time but, in the end, he KNEW. Danny looked at Steve's favorite bands and saw that Journey was performing a concert at the Honolulu Bowl on the night after Steve's birthday. He and Kono used Kamekona's connections and got two front row tickets and backstage passes to the concert for Steve's gift. It was perfect. Danny used cash to pay for the tickets from his stash-lunch money he said he was using that he had saved up for the gift. He had $500.00 saved. Used $200.00 of the money to score the tickets-the rest he reasoned could be for souvenirs. It was a great idea.
When the tickets arrived later that evening at Kamekona's shrimp truck, he picked them up and gave them to Kono to stash in her home. He swung by her place on his way home to Steve and dropped off the envelope. She smiled and said, "He will never know what you got for him this year. We pulled off the perfect gift!"
When he got home to Steve at 7:00 that night, Steve was watching a Disney movie with Grace-Cinderella. Grace saw him and said, "Danno, Dad looks like the Prince in this movie!"
Danny said, "Grace, that would make me his Cinderella and I am not Cinderella!" huffing a bit at the mental comparison he swore both Steve and Grace were making right then.
Steve smirked and said, "I would always find you even if you dressed in rags. I love my Cinderfella!"
Steve ducked the pillow thrown at his head and laughed. Danny said, "I am no one's Cinderfella. I am my own Prince Charming, I'll have you know. Just because the Disney Princes are all brunette does not mean I am not a prince!"
Grace smiled and said, "Danno, you are always my hero. That should be enough forever!" as she hugged her father and stopped his rant cold in its tracks. She kissed him soundly on the cheek and headed for bed. "I love you, Daddy. I love you, Danno! You are both my princes and you always save the day! Good night!"
Steve smiled at Danny and said, "That little thing today with Kono-it is in the past, OK? I want to concentrate on the here, " as he kissed Danny's neck and smiled into his skin, "and the now." He curved his hand around Danny's neck and brought their lips together for a smoldering hot kiss, leaving Danny completely wanting.
Danny moaned at the pair of demanding lips and hands. He turned into Steve's embrace and said, "We need to move this to the bedroom so Grace doesn't see. Take me to bed, Steven."
Steve walked Danny upstairs to the bedroom and both of them got undressed and slid into bed. They snuggled into each other and kissed. They murmured sweet nothings and caressed each other until they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.
When Danny woke up the next morning, he was alone in the bed, customary as Steve swam and ran in the early morning. He showered and got dressed for work and made lunches for him and Steve to take into work. Grace was ready to go to her friend's house because Susan and her mum had asked to take Grace to the Honolulu Zoo and she wanted to go. Danny gave her five $20.00 bills and said, "Spend this wisely and have a great day, OK, Monkey? Danno and Daddy love you very much."
Steve came back in and saw Grace gearing up to leave with Susan and her mother and just for 'extras', slipped Grace an extra $40.00 whispering, "If you see something you really like, get it with this, OK., Gracie?" She nodded and giggled, "OK, Daddy." kissing him on the cheek and running out to meet her friend.
Danny smiled and said, "She is a responsible kid. She asked me if she could get you a birthday gift with any money she has left. She asked me what you liked and I said you like guns and our family and that was about it. She is thinking. I wonder what she will come up with for you. She is very creative with her gift giving. Surprises me all the time."
Steve just grinned. "You should just show me what you're getting me, Danny. I am never surprised. I always know what you, Kono and Chin get me every year. Grace will tell me what you got me and I will act surprised. She and I have run this op on you guys every year. It works like a charm."
Danny made a mental note to NOT tell Grace about Steve's gift this year. Texted Kono to tell her not to mention it to Grace, either. Now that he knew Grace was his spy, he would arrange a decoy surprise and tell her about it so the real surprise could still be a surprise. 'Try wrapping your mind around THAT, McGarrett!' he thought to himself, snarkily.
Danny called Kamekona and explained this plan to him five times before he got it and said, "Now, we need a decoy. I am thinking a party we tell Grace about so he will show up and act surprised. He'll never know what his real gift is until I get him to Honolulu, OK?"
Kamekona scratched his head and thought to himself, 'Silly Haoles and their crazy plans.' "OK, Haole! Whatever you say."
Danny planned to keep Steve at Headquarters for the day working on cold cases while Chin, Kono, Kamekona, Max, and Grace decorated the house and got the cake, shave ice trolley (thanks, Kamekona!), and the gifts to the lanai. Steve got a text from Grace saying 'Party at your house. They are planning a surprise. Act surprised, Daddy. Love you!'
Steve grinned. 'They never learn. Got to love my Ohana!'
Steve and Danny pulled into the house in the Camaro and walked into the house. Danny waited till Steve got to the lanai and everyone yelled "Surprise!" to catch Steve's reaction and smiled. 'Grace texted him.' Danny thought. 'She is his ultimate spy…he'll never see his real present coming and boy, he'll be surprised!'
Steve saw the pile of gifts and he was very touched as he was every year because his ohana remembered his birthday and had thought to give him presents. He acted surprised when Kono gave him a copy of the latest Journey CD, 'Revelation'. He smiled and said, "Thanks, Kono! I love their music." Max gave Steve a personal gift certificate for treatment for any injuries he may suffer in the line of duty good for the next year. Max figured Steve hated hospitals and he was a doctor so, he could field treat any minor injuries that may pop up with no hospital visits. Steve grinned and said, "Thanks, Max. This may prove to be the most useful gift I get all night!" Chin gave him a box of arrows for his crossbow and a slip with an IOU for wild boar hunting on the North Shore. "Chin, this is great. I'd love to go out and get us some wild boar!" Kamekona gave him a gift certificate for ten free lunches at his shrimp truck. "As usual, Kamekona gives the gift of food. I love it!" Grace gave him a picture of herself and Danny framed in a frame with the word 'Family' calligraphied on its base. He swallowed and said in a slightly off-kilter voice, "Thanks, Grace. You are the best daughter any father could wish for. I love my gift and I love you very much." After he got his hug from Grace, he waited for Danny to give him his gift.
Danny was nervous. He knew Steve was not looking for this type of gift from him. He even disguised it in a book so Steve would not know what he was really getting. Steve opened the gift, a history of the Roman Empire, complete with battle strategies. Steve was amazed that Danny would get him something he could put to practical use and he said, "Thanks, Danny. I love my gift." Danny laughed and said, "There is a little something extra in the book if you open it." When Steve opened the cover and saw the envelope inside, he opened it and was shocked to find front row tickets for the upcoming Journey concert at the Honolulu Bowl. "I thought this concert was sold out. How did you score tickets to this, Danno?" He hugged Danny against his chest and whispered in his ear, "Are you coming with me?" When Danny nodded his head, Steve smiled and said, "An overnight trip to Honolulu with my handsome fiancée-how could I resist?"
Danny and Steve drove to Honolulu that afternoon and checked into the Hilton Honolulu Hotel and put their luggage in their room, changed their clothes and went to the venue to find their seats. Danny had held off on the backstage passes until they got to the Bowl. When they went to the stage door, Steve was confused until Danny put his backstage pass around his neck on the pebble chain. Steve's eyes got huge as he marveled at his Jersey Man and what he had done for him. Steve got to meet Journey and get autographs and they went a step above and got him and Danny swag bags of all the concert souvenirs they sold. It was a great meeting for Steve. Neal Schon was his favorite guitarist and he loved talking about his job at 5-0 with him.
When the concert started, Steve stood behind Danny and held him close when all of the slow songs were sung. When they did 'Kiss Me Softly' Steve was swaying with Danny in his arms and he whispered in Danny's ear, "This is our wedding first dance, huh, Danno? I love you so much." Danny nodded and sighed in Steve's arms, happy that his gift made Steve open up to him in such a loving way.
When they got back to the Hotel, Steve asked again, "How did you score those tickets and the backstage passes without me knowing you did it? I thought I knew what I was getting from everyone at my party but, you managed to surprise me. How?"
Danny chuckled and said, "Kono and Kamekona are really snarky at rustling up concert tickets. Connections, my handsome goof, connections. It's all in who you know and what they can pull off, you know?"
Danny then turned serious for a second and said, "Steve, you have to let the universe show you a few surprises in your life. It keeps things on their edge. Not quite so predictable, you know?" Danny kissed Steve's neck and pulled away from him long enough to pull off his tee shirt and Steve's and, with the skin to skin contact he left a trail of open mouthed kisses over Steve's collar bones and trailed over to his chest, taking a nipple into his mouth and suckling, making his goof moan and melt into his embrace.
Steve smiled and toed off his shoes and took his pants and boxers down in a flash. Danny never knew how Steve could get naked so fast but, never complained at the view-Steve was his own private playground and he never got tired of playing on it. Steve soon had Danny naked as well and they spent the evening wrapped up in each other's arms, happy and content.
When they got back to their home, Steve and Danny unpacked and relaxed for a little while before Grace came for her visit. Rachel decided this was the perfect time to discuss the six month split they were talking about doing for after Steve and Danny had their ceremony. She wanted to have it start on January 1st and run till July 1st for her and run the rest of the time for Danny and Steve. That way, she could have Easter and Mother's Day. They could split time during the rest of the holidays. They both sent Grace off with Kono for her surfing lesson and sat down to discuss this with Rachel.
"With Charles being so fussy and Grace not getting much sleep, it would be beneficial to her to spend more time with you and Steve until he settles into a sleep-through-the-night schedule. Will you agree to this, please, Daniel?"
Danny was happy to accept Rachel's proposal. "Whenever you want us to have Grace, we are happy to have her here. This is as much her home as it is ours. We love having her here. You are welcome to leave her here any time."
Steve agreed. "Grace is welcome in our home anytime she wants. She has her own bedroom and she can stay with us whenever you need her to, Rachel. I'll protect her with my life and I promise she will be safe here."
Rachel relaxed and smiled as she knew Grace was in a good place here. "OK, Danny. You and Steve can have Grace for her Spring Vacation as a sort of test run on the new custody agreement. She has a science project due by next Monday and an English project due as well. If you can guide her through both of them and keep her on a regular eating and sleeping schedule, then I will have my lawyer draw up the new agreement to take effect when you two are back from your ceremony. Deal?"
Danny and Steve both said, "Deal!" at the same time.
Grace was called in to discuss the arrangements for her Spring Vacation and she was thrilled to be spending the time with her two dads as she thought of them. She said, "I get the whole week with Danno and Steve? That is so-just so-WICKED!" as she ran back to finish her surfing lesson with Kono. She was breathless, carefree and happy!