A/N I've broken the next chapter into two updates.

These are vignettes that I wanted to write, but didn't think they needed their own chapters. "Mary" occurs the same day as "Dear Danno,". The rest are random, happening in no particular order within the first six months Steve's gone. (Spoiler alert: Steve's gone longer than six months.)

Mary

Leaning up against the workbench in the garage, Danny gave the Marquis the evil eye. He couldn't be mad at Steve anymore, didn't have it in him since Grace turned those sad eyes on him. He could, however, be angry at an inanimate object that hated him as much as he hated it. Yep, he had no problem with that at all. Especially as it was now, apparently, his.

Theoretically, he could sell the damn thing and get, what, fifty bucks for it maybe? A nice day out for him and Grace.

Yeah right, like he'd actually get rid of John McGarrett's car. Steve would regret that decision when he got back – whenever he finally came to his damn senses, that was. Hell, maybe Danny was no better than Steve had been all these years – leave the elder McGarrett's shit right where it was. No, wait, that wasn't right at all because John McGarrett was actually dead; Steve would actually come back. You know, eventually. Probably. More than likely.

He drained the bottle in his hand and set the empty behind him on the workbench. Two down of the fresh six pack he'd found in Steve's otherwise mostly empty fridge. Bastard had kinda thought of everything.

As he stood there thinking about maybe going for a third, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID. Well. Maybe Super SEAL hadn't thought of everything after all. Guess even Ninja SEALs aren't perfect. Who knew? He accepted the call and brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello, Mary. Everything all right?"

"Well, that's what I was calling to ask you. What's wrong with Steve?"

Danny raised his eyebrow even though there was no one around to see it. "Mary. You know that list is endless. I'll use up all your minutes if I go through all of the things that are wrong with that Neanderthal." Humour. That was always good, right?

"Danny, I'm serious. Is Steve okay? He's not answering my calls. Is he... is he okay?"

Closing his yes, Danny took a deep breath, regretted not getting that other beer before he answered the call. What did it say about him that he didn't even think about calling Steve when he realized what he'd done? No, that's probably not true. His brain probably had the thought, realized he'd probably get the same result as Mary and didn't brother letting him in on the idea.

"Yeah, he's good."

"Well, do you know where he is? I really need to talk to him."

"What's wrong, Mary?" Danny tried again, hearing the break in her voice.

"Well, I just got this box yesterday. It's got a bunch of our folks' stuff in it and I... I just don't know what's going on and I can't get a hold of him to talk to him. I've been trying since yesterday afternoon. I mean, why is he sending me this stuff now, after five years? Especially when it would be safer with him, at the house. It can't just be because of Joanie, like his note says because I've had her for a while now."

Danny sighed and looked around for somewhere to sit. Not seeing any other option aside from hopping up onto the workbench, he opened the door to the Marquis and slid behind the wheel.

"Steve's gone, Mary. I mean, he left. He went back to the Navy." There was silence on the other end of the line. "Mary?"

"He didn't say anything. Just left that note that said he thought I might want all this stuff for Joan. Oh my God. Danny, I can't lose him too."

"Mary, listen to me. You're not gonna lose him."

"No, you don't get it. The last time he joined the Navy, I didn't hear from him for ten years. I don't know if I can do that again, Danny. And this time, I don't know, it's different."

Danny couldn't help feeling a pang of fear at her words. He didn't know Steve when he first joined the Navy, of course, but he knew him now. And it could go one of two ways. He didn't want to think about which option was more likely, but Mary needed reassuring so he focused on a happier ending to this shit show.

"Yeah, maybe it's different now. But it's going to be fine. I've got a feeling we won't have to wait ten years this time. He'll be okay. He just needs some time away. He'll be back." He wasn't sure if Mary believed him or not. He wasn't sure if he believed himself; who he was trying to convince. "You should come home, Mary."

"Steve said it wasn't safe. He said I had to stay away."

"Yeah, well, he was wrong, but then, he didn't really have the best examples to go by on how to protect his family, did he? Also, the threat has been neutralized." More silence. "Besides, the Neanderthal isn't here anymore, is he? You've got a home here and you've got us, your family."

Doris

"—and... argh! I just wanted to punch him in the face!" Grace punched the seat of the car beside her instead.

"Monkey, what have I said about Tommy?"

"Yeah, I know. Which is why I didn't. He's just so dumb! And besides, it's not like it's Morgan's fault she's got two dads. And even if it was, who cares? They're kind of awesome." She met his eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Not as awesome as you, though, Danno."

"Course not, babe."

"So anyway, Mrs Rehnberg was walking by and I called her over and told her what Tommy was doing. He got detention!"

"Good call, Monkey."

"Well, I've got Morgan's back."

Danny laughed as he pulled into the driveway. "Yeah you do."

He turned off the engine and looked up at the house, frowning as he did so. There was a light on and movement upstairs. For a brief moment, he wondered if it was Steve. He pulled the keys from the ignition and turned to Grace as he undid his seat belt.

"Grace, I need you stay in the car, okay?"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Probably nothing. Just stay here, okay?" She nodded and he left the car, locking it behind him.

Pocketing his keys with one hand, Danny pulled his gun with the other. He approached the house to find the front door closed but unlocked, and the alarm deactivated. Without stopping to figure out how or why, and hearing the creak of floor boards above him, he moved towards the stairs. Half way up them, a figure appeared on the top landing. Danny maybe could have put his gun away when he saw who it was, but instead just used it to motion that she should follow him as he backed down the stairs.

"Doris," he said when he arrived back on the first floor of the house.

"Danny," she replied, just as cool and steady. She waved at the weapon still pointed at her. "You don't need that anymore, do you?"

"Not sure. Haven't actually decided yet. What exactly are you doing here?"

She raised a Steve McGarrett eyebrow at him. "This is my house, Danny."

"Uh huh, first," he lowered but did not holster his sidearm. "if your visit here is that innocent, why didn't you just park in the driveway?"

"I took a cab."

"Ah, so that randomly parked black car at the end of the block has nothing to do with you?" She just stared, poker-faced, at him. "Whatever. Second, you'd actually be wrong. This isn't your house. It's my house. So get the fuck out before I call the cops. Oh, wait, actually, whaddya know. I am the cops."

The poker face cracked. "What do you mean?"

"You need me to explain the concepts of police and the law and how it's illegal to enter another person's house without their consent? Or do you actually mean to tell me that your sources informed you Steve went back to the Navy, meaning you could sneak back here without him finding out, but they didn't bother to tell you he got rid of the house?"

She looked around the living room. "It still looks like my house."

"You're not looking hard enough. And besides, it's a temporary gig."

"I didn't know Steve was gone. I just wanted to see him again."

"Uh huh. Like that's any better, or, you know, at all true."

She narrowed her eyes. "Detective Williams—"

"Look, Doris, maybe if I were a better person, I'd let you stay here. But a, I'm not; b, my daughter is here and I don't want any of your crazy around her; and c, I don't actually like you and I definitely don't want to be your roommate. So get out of my house before I arrest you for breaking and entering."

Danny didn't bother to hide his smirk. He'd never been happy about Steve leaving him the house until this moment. The look on her face was priceless. Of course, she would have been easier to keep an eye on here, but he'd call the team after he got rid of her, see if they could track her.

She didn't move and he raised the gun again, as well as an eyebrow. "Wanna test me? I was really looking forward to a relaxing night with my daughter. You do actually remember what those are, right? Or maybe not. Whatever, I do know what those are and I actually enjoy them. So, the longer you interrupt my plans, the more pissed off I'm getting."

She tried staring him down for another moment or two, then seemed to decide it wasn't worth it and started for the door. He kept his gun trained on her until he stepped outside, holstering it before Grace could see.

Grace was right where he left her, studying the house. Danny saw the moment she recognized Doris and he shook his head at her, trying to tell her to stay in the car. She either didn't see, or didn't care, because the next thing he knew, she was climbing over into the driver's seat, opening the door and coming towards them.

"Mrs. McGarrett?"

Danny said nothing as Doris smiled and crouched down to Grace's level, just like Steve always did. This was his friend's mother, after all, and unless she did something to deserve it, he didn't want to do anything to sway Grace's opinion of her. If hell ever froze over and pigs suddenly grew wings and Steve and Doris ever reconciled because she suddenly stopped being the world's worst mother, the last thing Steve would want would be for Grace to hate or fear her. Of course, none of that was going to stop him from watching her every move, maybe with his hand resting on the gun in its unsnapped holster.

"Hello Gracie."

"Were you looking for Steve?" Doris nodded. "He went away."

"Yes, your father told me."

"He was sad. And he felt like he could protect us better that way." Grace paused for a moment, looking away. Then she turned back and looked right into Doris' eyes. "Is that why you left him and Aunt Mary?"

Doris was silent for a long moment. Maybe she was thinking about her answer. 'Do I lie? Do I tell the truth?' Maybe she was in shock. Danny was no longer surprised at the wisdom that came from his little girl.

"Yes, sweetheart."

Grace nodded slow, like that explained everything, and made everything all right. "Uncle Steve still loves you, though."

"Well, I don't think that's—"

"It is! It is true."

"And how do you know that, dear?"

"Because we still love Steve. Right, Danno?"