I know this chapter is a little short. Probably the next two chapter will be short. This is the way I want to share this story, so, sorry, but you have to take this short chapters. At least this way the story will last longer. :-)
Thanks to everyone for the reviews, for adding this story to the favourite or alerts. I really appreciate this. I write mostly for your reviews.
Kisses and hugs
Xenia
On Sunday Danny and Grace stayed with Gabrielle. While Danny was driving her home, Grace said.
- Danno…we should have stayed with Uncle Steve today. We always stay with Uncle Steve on weekends.-
- We were with Steve yesterday, monkey. Today Gabby asked us to stay with her…..-
- I know, Danno, but Uncle Steve needs us. Did you see how sad he was last night at dinner? He was the first to leave. And yesterday…he wasn't himself, Danno. He was so sad, didn't you see that?-
- No, honey, why you think he's sad? Uncle Steve is fine-
- No, Danno. He's not. - Grace said looking at her father like he wasn't getting a point that was clear for everyone else. – I think that Uncle Steve thinks that you prefer to stay with Gabrielle than with him. Yesterday he was said because he thought that we would have stayed with her and not with him. –
- Grace, honey…..-
- No, Daddy. You know I'm right. Don't you know that Uncle Steve loves you? You do know that he loves us, we're his family!-
- Of course I know that, monkey. Uncle Steve loves us as much as Uncle Matty did.-
Grace sighed and rolled her eyes. Sometimes her Danno was really silly.
- I didn't mean like that, Danno. Uncle Steve looks at you like you used to look at Mum and you look at him the same way. It's just….Danno, Uncle Steve doesn't know that you love him. He thinks that you love Doctor Asano. That's why he was sad yesterday. You have to tell him, Danno. Uncle Steve needs us, you have to tell him. - She said.
Danny stayed quiet. Grace couldn't be right. She couldn't have seen something that he failed to notice, right? Then he remembered every single moment he and Steve had shared. The way his partner had supported with his brother, the way he'd lied to the FBI to let him reach his brother first. The look in Steve's eyes when he'd drawn that heart in the air, it was hope. Even if he never mentioned that in the days after. He saw him in his hospital room after the Sarin thing; he saw his smile, but even the pain in his eyes when he'd found Rachel asleep next to him. He remembered the joy in Steve's eyes when he'd stayed in Hawaii to clear his name. He was an idiot. He knew that Steve wasn't able to talk about his feelings; he knew how Steve was used to sacrifice his own happiness in favour of the happiness of the ones he loved. He should have realised that Steve was the one who had more reason to think that his feelings were hopeless. Danny was married and had a daughter, while Steve only had Catherine. And Catherine herself had told him that she and Steve were just good friends, who just happened to sleep together sometimes. But Danny hadn't believed her; he had wanted to see in their relationship something that probably wasn't even there. And his baby girl opened his eyes, his wonderful baby girl who, now, was staring at him from the passenger seat.
- Seriously, Danno? Haven't you notice anything? It's a while now that Uncle Steve is sad. Everyone knows why, Danno. Except you. - She said shaking her head. You need to tell him. You need to tell Steve that you love him. Uncle Steve isn't good with words and feelings, you are. You need to tell him.-
They were at Rachel's already. Danny walked Grace to the door and kissed her goodbye.
- Danno loves you, monkey. - He said.
- Love you too, Daddy. But you have to tell him. Promise me. - She said hugging him.
- I promise, monkey. - He said and Grace smiled.