A/N: Another 2am update because it's so hot that I just can't sleep, also because I'm heading out to camp for two days and away from the computer. I will be writing but, not posting until probably the weekend.
So, this is a little moment at dinner, before we get into the action of the case. I promise some whump to come, for now, fluff and a sentimental super SEAL, everyone's looking forward to that right?
Enjoy, and remember, I own nothing but I love Danny and Steve!
Chapter 6: The Word is Out
Steve was pleased, when he arrived at the hotel, to see that the Williams were staying in one of the more popular and beautiful resort hotels inOahu. He found Kono and Chin arriving simultaneously, dressed to the nines for the dinner that Danny had planned for his parents, but there wasn't a Williams to be seen. They walked together toward the five star restaurant's, checked in for the reservation and found Veronica, Grace, Rachel and Patrick waiting at the table for them.
"So glad to see you," Veronica greeted as she stood and hugged each of the arriving Five-Os even before the server could blink her eyes. "Don't you shine up like a bright new penny," she added as she looked Steve up and down.
"Thank you Mrs. Williams," Steve smiled and took his seat next to Grace and Rachel.
"Did you get our note Uncle?" Grace asked.
"I have it right here," Steve smiled and slipped the yellow construction paper out of his pocket.
"I picked the yellow because it's sunny, and Nonna picked the blue crayon because she said it was the same colour as the water when she looked out the kitchen window." Grace explained.
Steve smiled, but couldn't response, something choked him up. A memory from his past rung out in his ears and the image flashed somewhere behind his eyes. He saw himself sitting at the kitchen table. He saw his mother pacing with a baby Mary in her arms and he was colouring in a colouring book. He had asked his mother what colour he should colour the flowers in the picture and she had said "colour them blue, like the ocean outside our window, my love."
"You ok, Uncle?" Grace asked.
"Yeah, I'm good," Steve smiled, "where's Danno?" he asked deflecting.
"I don't know," Grace sighed, "He called and said he was going to be late. Do you know where Jenna is?" she asked.
"She's right there," Steve stated as the little analyst rushed into the restaurant and looked around frantically before finding her party.
"Sorry I'm late," She apologized as she hugged Veronica.
"Oh you're not late, sweet heart, you're right on time." Veronica cooed, "You look lovely."
"Thanks," Jenna blushed as she sat down beside Kono, "thank you," she whispered to Kono when Veronica's back was turned.
"I got your back," Kono smiled.
"Is she wearing your dress?" Steve asked as he leaned across Jenna to Kono.
"She didn't have anything, she hasn't fully moved in since you gave her a job, boss and she didn't have time to go shopping, so yes I lent her a dress. Her stuff is all still atLangley!" Kono stated.
"You haven't moved out of that hotel?" Steve asked in disbelief.
"I haven't found the right place yet," Jenna sighed.
"What is this all about?" Veronica asked silencing the interrogation by Steve.
"I'm helping Jenna out by helping her find an apartment. She's staying in a hotel right now, but since Steve offered her the full time position with Five-O, she needs to leaveLangleybehind and settle inHawaii." Kono explained.
"We're telling Daniel the same thing, he needs to get out of that little tiny apartment," Veronica sighed. "And really settle into his new life here. I told him we'd help but he will not let us."
"Ronnie, he's fine," Patrick stated.
"He's not, Patrick, look at the beautiful home that Steven has. He's perfectly capable of keeping a house, so why isn't Daniel?" Veronica asked.
"In Danny's defense, my house is my family home, and I really haven't changed anything since it was left to me." Steve stated.
"Don't defend him Steven, he needs to settle and he needs to build his life." Veronica said shaking a finger at Steve.
"Good thing Daniel isn't here," Chin whispered across Rachel toward Steve.
"He's been hearing things like this from his mother for years," Rachel smiled. "You should have heard her when she saw the place we were renting inNew Jersey, and then again when Grace was born, and again when we were talking of having a second child. Even if he does get a house, she'll find fault in it because nothing is good enough for her baby and she hates the Camaro."
"I do indeed; he should have a more sensible car, and not that sporty thing." Veronica stated, "Sometimes he's just too flamboyant."
"He's not really flamboyant if he's living in a tiny apartment," Jenna stated, "and the Camaro is actually a very affordable car. I can crunch some of the numbers for you if you like."
"Oh, dear don't trouble yourself. I'm not worried about the money. I just feel that the apartment is too small and the car is too fast." Veronica corrected.
"He should get out of that tiny apartment, it's horrible," Steve stated agreeing with Veronica.
"If he's happy with it, then just leave it," Chin stated.
Several minutes later, much light chit chat, and the first round of beverages passed the gathering by before the final member of their party showed up.
"Hey sorry I'm late," Danny stated, kissed his mother, Grace and Rachel, almost kissed Kono in the process, and then sat down beside his father, "what did I miss?" he asked as he straightened his tie, and his suit jacket and looked around at all the menus and drinks.
"Can I get you anything?" the little blond waitress asked as she came back to the table.
"Yeah, I'll have what they're having," he stated.
"Ok, I'll be right back," she stated and left.
"Where were you?" Veronica asked as soon as the little waitress had left the table.
"I got a call from someone that I had been in contact with today and they had some information that I needed to pick up before the end of the day, its not big deal," Danny stated and slipped a file out from the bottom of his suit jack, just below the lip of the table and passed it under the table to Chin.
"Please tell me you aren't going to work tonight," Veronica sighed.
"Not tonight Ma, I'm all yours," Danny smiled, "thank you." he stated as the waitress placed the drink before him. "Oh god what is that?" He cringed as he tasted the sweet cocktail and pushed it away.
"Pineapple," Steve laughed. "Usually it would be served in a pineapple but this place is too high class for that." he added as the rest of the team, and Grace giggled around the table.
"Daniel has always hated pineapple, it stems from an incident when he was little," Veronica smiled reminiscently.
"Oh Ma, please don't tell that story," Danny sighed and covered his face with one hand.
"Oh Daniel, it isn't that bad," Veronica smiled, "he was such an apples and oranges kind of child. Very plain and simple, he's grown out of that now, but his uncle on his fathers side was baby sitting one afternoon, it was the hottest day we had had in years and so uncle Samuel was going to make the kids a treat. He decided to make home made ice-cream, but when he used the ice-cream maker some of the salt for the ice got into the cream and flavored it poorly. To cover it up, Sammy put pineapple on the ice-cream and made the kids eat it."
"It was terrible and we all got so sick from it." Danny sighed. "Oh I remember it so vividly, it was horrible."
"That explains a lot," Steve nodded, "I now understand why you hate pineapples and salt water."
"Oh I can fill you in on a lot," Veronica smiled, "what else would you like to know?" she asked as she smiled lovingly at her son.
"Ma, please," Danny half heartedly smiled.
"You are with your friends, Daniel, let them into you life," Veronica said lovingly.
"They know enough," Danny smiled.
"Alright, then let us hear about all of you, I'm dying to know all about your histories," Veronica stated happily.
"Ma, why don't you tell them about you first," Danny smiled.
"Alright," Veronica said, "I was born inItalyand my parents moved to theUnited Stateswhen I was only two. I'm the youngest of 8 children, all boys, and I worked in my parent's restaurant until I was 16 and I met Patrick; we married in that same year. I had Daniel at 17 and the rest to follow from there. And that's my simple little life. I spent most of my young life knowing that I wanted to be a mother, and the rest of my life living out my dream," She smiled lovingly at her son.
"We have had a good run, haven't we Ronnie," Patrick stated when his wife had finished.
"It's only just begun, my love," She smiled, her gaze filled with adoration for the man at her side.
Each of the members of Five-O followed, telling of their families, the exciting things they had done and every happy memory they could to regale the Williams'. Once the life stories ended, stories ofHawaiifollowed and all the things that they needed to do before their vacationing was done. Steve listened, and chatted, but something had struck him. He watched the way Danny and his mother spoke to each other in this easy table setting. Their conversations were happy and light. They joked with one another and everyone else at the table and there were times when things passed between them, only by glancing or smiling, and Steve could tell that mother and son shared something that only they knew about.
Dinner came and went in light, easiness conversations and before long deserts were being served, famous Hawaiian coffee followed and the jokes and the conversation of a mother and son kept the evening rolling along, long after any of them had anticipated. As things continued and stories of Danny as a child were told Steve realized how much of their young lives were similar, all until his mother was killed, and then nothing, he just couldn't relate to the stories of Danny's adolescent years, his high school prom and his mischievous pursuits and his mothers ranting about the ladies he had brought home.
As the night wore on Steve got quieter and quieter, falling into a deep contemplation until he had to excuse himself and walked right out of the hotel to get some air. He sat down on a bench, in part of the hotels grounds, and just stared off out at the calmPacific Oceanand the twinkling of the stars. There wasn't a soul to be found, on the still, calm, beautiful night and Steve found himself letting his mind wander.
"Holy shit, Steve what's the matter?" Danny asked, panic in his voice as he sat down beside his partner.
Steve hadn't even noticed Danny in the darkness, it wasn't until he spoke that Steve instinctively whipped at his tearful eyes.
"Nothing, I'm fine," Steve sighed.
"Right and the walls are back and guarded with razor wire and snipers." Danny stated. "Seriously, what happened, you seemed to be having a good time."
"I miss my mom, ok," Steve said his voice shaking slightly, "I envy you and I wish had stories to tell. I wish my mom could be embarrassing me in front of my friends and watching me with so much pride and adoration that it would make me sick. You know, the last thing I said to my mom, the day she died was 'why do you have to always embarrass me like that?'" he said his voice getting softer and quieter with every word, "She had dropped me off at school, had waved at me as my buddies from the football team came to meet me and she then yell 'I love you sweetie pie.' And I told her she was embarrassing me. I was in that car before it was detonated." Steve explained, tears in his eyes again.
"I'm sorry about you mom," Danny said.
"Me, too," Steve sighed, "even with everything we know it doesn't help. She's still gone. That's still what I said to her and I don't really know what happened. You're mom left me cookies and a note this afternoon and it got me to thinking about all the good times I did have. I have been so stuck on finding her killer and solving my fathers case and catching Wo Fat, and before that becoming a Navy SEAL, that I just didn't even want to think of her the way she was."
"You didn't have time to mourn your mother's death, did you?" Danny asked. "I know I'll be a wreck when it happens to me, but your father sent you away right after it all happened and when were you supposed to come to terms with it?"
"I guess I didn't," Steve said as a tear rolled down his cheek and he stared off into the void where the sky and the ocean meet.
"What did the note say?" Danny asked.
Steve handed over the piece of construction paper for Danny to read.
"It's a shopping list and rambling," Danny laughed.
"I know, but my mom used to do that too," Steve smiled, "only she'd stuff them into the brown paper bag that she packed my lunch in so all the guys at school teased me when they saw them. I used to think of checking my lunch every morning, to save myself from the ridicule, but I never did, because deep down I liked them too much to spoil them."
"Yes, Steven James McGarrett, you are a momma boy whether you want to admit it or not." Danny mocked.
"Yes, I really was," Steve admitted.
"Don't worry, I am too," Danny confessed, "and I love her for it. Listen; while she's here you can borrow her. I'll consent to letting my Ma mother you to the point of embarrassment, if only to prove to the world that the navy didn't totally shut you down as a human being, but I won't tell the crew that you were crying because I'm an awesome friend." He smiled.
"Thanks Danno," Steve chuckled lightly.
"No problem, Steve," Danny smiled, stood, and patted his partner on the shoulder, "you gonna come back in, or should I make excuses for your departure."
"I'll come back, just tell them I'm on the phone with the Governor or something," Steve smiled.
"Ok."