/ / / Surprise \ \ \

Danny threw his phone onto the couch and swore, seconds later Steve was standing behind him, close enough for Danny to feel his body heat without actually touching him.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked his breath fluttering along Danny's neck.

"Rachel is taking Grace to Las Vegas for Christmas," Danny said and turned around to thread his arms under Steve's and bury himself in Steve's chest. Steve slid his arms around Danny and tugged him down onto the couch.

"Why?"

"Because I am trying to do the right thing before the court case and…she's taking her for Christmas, Steve." Danny sighed. "This was going to be our first Christmas together, in the house, I was going to get a tree and pull the Santa suit my mum sent out and…I was going to have the best Christmas and ask you what your Christmas traditions were, mash them all together and have a proper Christmas but, she asked and how the hell do I say no when she tells me she wants to take her son to see his dad at Christmas and I can't have Grace in case we get a case so she's going to be in Las Vegas instead."

"So," Steve said. "We'll have Christmas Day just you and me and when she gets back we'll have everyone over and have a tree and presents and you'll dress like Santa and we'll pretend."

Danny smiled at Steve even though he didn't feel any better with a plan. "That sounds good, babe."

Steve smiled and tugged Danny closer under his arm. "Liar, it's not as good as having Grace here but you are being nice to Rachel and we will do it up right."

Danny nodded but he kept wallowing in self-pity for a while until Steve forced his mind to other things.

/ / / / /

"So," Steve said ducking his head into Danny's office when the case was over and Danny was embroiled in his paperwork. "Cath is finished her leave soon and wanted to catch up so we're all going to Kamekona's this afternoon but I'm going to be a little late so you're going to need to catch a lift with Kono, okay?"

"When she said that she wanted to do something nice before she left I don't think she meant Kamekona's which really isn't that much of a step up from eating in the car."

Steve shrugged. "We'll take her down to the Hilton for drinks or something if she still isn't happy."

Danny smiled at Steve. "Excellent plan. So, what will you be doing?"

Steve just grinned at him and disappeared from Danny's office. Danny shrugged off the mystery and got back to his paperwork.

/ / / / /

The group was sitting at Kamekona's eating salt and pepper shrimp waiting for Steve when Danny saw his car turn into car park. Danny watched Steve walk towards them, he'd obviously changed but Danny wasn't sure why he would have needed to; what had he been up to? Steve arrived with a cheeky grin and Cath smiled at Danny knowingly.

"Why do you look so sneaky, babe?" Danny asked.

"Christmas present," Steve said with a wide grin.

"I've seen my Christmas present, it's underneath our Christmas tree," Danny pointed out while Steve stood above him.

"This is a special Christmas present, come on." Steve grabbed Danny's hand to pull him up.

"Where are we going?" Danny asked suspiciously pulled against Steve.

"If you ask questions, it won't be a surprise." Steve pointed out. "Bye, everyone."

Danny waved goodbye to Five-0 and followed Steve looking at Cath who was watching him in a way that told Danny she knew exactly what was happening. They drove in silence until they reached the air force base.

"What are we doing here?" Danny asked.

"It's still a surprise," Steve said and drove out to one of the hangers were he parked his car in the corner next to two others. He turned to Danny and smiled. "Since we can't have Grace. I thought we could leave the island for Christmas. So, I called in a couple of favours and got us on an air force flight out of Hawaii."

"We're going to Vegas?" Danny asked, half hopeful, half unsure.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't get us to Nellis, I tried. I would've given all my favours to get us there but it's impossible. Hell, it's easier to get us to McMurdo than it is to get to Vegas. I can however," he licked his lips nervously. "Get us to New York."

Danny brightened. "New York, as a car ride from New Jersey?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't do Vegas, they're doing some manoeuvres and aren't accepting any flights unless it's an emergency."

Danny pulled Steve into a kiss. "You mean for Christmas you're taking me to New Jersey? The Jersey where my mum and dad are, where most of my siblings will be for Christmas, where my nana is? And you're apologising for that?"

"It's not Vegas," Steve said with a shrug.

"No, it's not Vegas, and there's no Grace but this is the best Christmas present. Thank you." Danny pulled Steve in for another kiss, half tugging Steve over the centre console.

There was a tap on the window and they flew apart like a couple of teenagers. Danny opened the door and climbed out of the car to face a man wearing fatigues and a scowl.

"They might have retracted the whole 'don't ask, don't tell' thing but if you keep that up me wife is going to get ideas," the blonde man standing in front of him said with a gruff voice. There was a short brunette standing just behind him shaking her head.

"Hey, Bobby," Steve said with a grin coming around the car.

"Ideas?" Danny asked.

"About SEALs and public displays of affection, I told her we don't do that."

"I feel sorry for your wife." Danny said after Steve and Bobby had done a complicated handshake and he knew that the man was friendly.

"We've got four kids, don't feel sorry for her," the man said before his wife slapped him.

"Hello, I'm Jane," she said with a smile.

"Me wife," Bobby said. "You two ready to go?"

Steve nodded and opened the car to grab two duffel bags from the back. Danny grabbed them from him while Steve locked the car and checked to make sure it was secure.

Bobby grabbed the bags from Danny. "I'll get these stowed; lift-off in fifteen." Bobby and Jane turned to head for the plane leaving them alone.

"So…" Danny said. "Just how many favours did you have to call in?"

"Not many," Steve shrugged. "Would have calling in some more if I had to."

"My present is so much crappier than this," Danny said.

Steve smiled. "First time I've had family to spend Christmas with in twenty years, having you is more than reciprocation enough."

"Oh, I love it when you use three dollar words," Danny said slipping his arms around Steve. "I love you."

"I love you too. We should head for the plane."

"Did you pack us coats; it's going to be cold in New York."

"Yeah, just the lightweight thermal ones, we won't need them until we get there."

"How long are we going for?" Danny asked as they stepped onto the plane with the group of army guys in fatigues strapped into their seats. Danny and Steve slid into their utilitarian seats and Steve helped Danny with the harness.

"I got us both six days off from work so we'll be flying back the day before Grace arrives. Our Christmas is the weekend after, already organised the group and we'll have Grace, Malia is getting the food for us."

"You are very organised," Danny said before Bobby appeared in front of them to give everyone a talk about safety, the headsets and other aspects of the flight before he checked everyone was okay and walked to the cockpit.

Steve grinned at him just before the engines started up and Danny was drowned into noise. The seats weren't really comfortable enough for sleeping but Steve was asleep an hour into the flight and Danny let the easy chatter from some of the other passengers float over him as he dozed on and off, tired after their case. They arrived at McGuire Air Force Base just after lunchtime. The air was cold but not bitterly which gave them a chance to get their winter coats on before a sergeant saluted Steve and led them to a car that would be driving them to New Jersey.

/ / / /

Danny rang the bell. "You didn't tell them we were coming?"

Steve shook his head.

The door opened in front of them, it was a tall blonde with Danny's blue eyes. She smiled at them but slapped her hand over her mouth holding in her squeal of happiness. "Ma!" She called out and beamed at them.

Seconds later there was a short woman standing next to her daughter, she didn't hide her scream. "Daniel!" She pulled him forward into a tight hug as she cried against his neck. "You came."

"Hi, Ma," Danny gasped out against her hold and smiled at the sudden appearance of the rest of his family.

Lizzie pulled back and cupped her son's face. "What are you doing here?"

"Merry Christmas," Danny said with a smile. His mother pulled him back into another bone crushing hug.

"Well, hell's bells, he is as hot as he was in the photos," a tiny woman said fighting her way to the front of the gathering. "Stop looking so terrified, Steve, we're your family now too. I'm going to have to take you to the deli and show you off to all the old ladies; I'll have the hottest new grandson-in-law in the place. Finally, show up that Edna Mazur."

Danny pulled back from his mum and turned to Steve who was wearing a terrified expression. Danny grabbed his hand and pulled him in close. "Don't worry, babe, they are not quite as bad as you're thinking."

Suddenly Steve's hand shot out towards Danny's mum. "Hello, Mrs Williams."

Lizzie waved the hand away and pulled Steve down into a hug, Steve tensed and looked back at Danny with fear for a moment before letting go of Danny and sinking into the hug. Danny's mum held him tight for a few minutes and Danny knew she was whispering something into Steve's ear but he couldn't make anything out. He made motions for everyone else to go back inside and placed his hand low on Steve's back to reassure him. Finally, Lizzie let Steve go, gave him a kiss on the cheek and pulled Danny into the house.

"We'll just give him a minute," Lizzie said and pulled Danny into the house and towards the rest of the family.

"No, I should stay with Steve," Danny said and tried to break her hold. Steve looked up at him for a moment.

"Nope, Steven, there is a bathroom at the top of the stairs."

Steve nodded and started up the stairs.

"What did you say to him?" Danny hissed.

"I welcomed him to the family," Lizzie said. "He's a little bit diffident, that man of yours."

"He doesn't have much of a family," Danny said craning around and looking at the stairs.

"Well then, we'll have to make him a part of ours," Lizzie said with certainty. "Now, come in and say hello to everyone so he has a minute to collect himself."

Danny nodded and walked into the lounge room with his family, his mind upstairs with Steve.

/ / /

I've finally caught up with the show so I can relax a little bit now, so the updates will slow down a little.
See, I loved them so much I had to drag them back in properly, I'm so looking forward to the next couple of chapters. Yay!