/ / / Christmas Eve \ \ \

Steve woke up early on Christmas Eve and sighed knowing there was no warm water and the smell of brine to go down and enjoy. He was so glad he had cashed in a fair few favours to come and see Danny's family, to bring him home for Christmas. But…Steve missed home and wondered what their Christmas would have been if they were there. Sun and the beach…though, perhaps it would not have been anything since Grace would not have been there with them. It had been a long time since Steve had had anything much at Christmas, he was glad to now have Danny to share it with but the family, the never-ending surround of people, who wanted information about Steve and wanted to care about him, was overwhelming.

Steve stared up at the ceiling with Danny pressed hot against his side. They didn't have enough space to separate and Steve couldn't think of a single bad thing about having Danny so close to him. He would like to get up and slip out of the house, maybe go for a run but he didn't think Lizzie would let him out if she saw him and he didn't really want to leave Danny's side.

"What's wrong?" Danny mumbled and twisted slightly so he could look at Steve through slitted eyes.

"Nothing."

"Liar," Danny mumbled and kissed Steve's shoulder. "Missing your ocean?"

Steve shrugged.

"Go for a run."

Steve shrugged again and Danny opened his eyes completely.

"Babe," Danny said, shifting completely until his head was even with Steve's. "What's wrong?"

Steve closed his eyes and shrugged.

"Steven."

"Just a lot of people."

Danny laughed. "I know, family, they are in everyone's business and don't know how to stay out of anything. Pains in my arse, it's ridiculous. I swear, they are so nosy. What did they do?"

"Nothing."

Danny squinted at Steve but was silent. He waited Steve out. Steve hated it when he did this. Danny was never still or quiet but when he got like this, silent and watching, Steve knew he was going to cave eventually. It was the trick in Danny's arsenal that Steve hadn't worked out how to resist yet.

"They are a bit overwhelming."

Danny nodded. "A lot different to how things were back then, when it was all of you?"

Steve nodded, looking past Danny. "Mum always knew everything that was going on, and Mary was a nosy little sister but we always had space."

Danny smiled. "You've seen the size of this house; we never had space. We learned to make some for our own and there was the neighbourhood to roam when we needed to. The blocks around here were a web of mothers and grandmothers who always had their eyes on us but we had space when we needed it."

"Then why do you complain when we get in your business."

"One of the best things about leaving home was the fact I no longer had to have seven people involved in my life every second."

"Your sister was going to leave a family dinner because she was worried her son had hurt my feelings."

"She was worried that Eric had done something worse. Is that really all he said?"

"He's a teenager, it wasn't a big deal."

"He was raised better. Hannah had trouble setting boundaries for him when he was younger, she's got much better since, especially with the other boys but she was young when she had Eric. She has tried to turn it around but it's not always easy and Eric has always idolised his father more than he should."

"Eric should be helping her now instead of making things worse."

"He's hurting," Danny said, stifling a yawn. "He never thought his father could ever do something wrong but he ripped apart their family and deserted Eric. I think that's the worst part for Eric, the fact Tom, who he spent a lot of time with, doesn't seem to have any time for him anymore. It's completely ruined his world."

Steve froze. "You never said anything."

"I didn't know how bad it was until I got here, until the thing with Eric and the cops. My little sister, stupid woman, was trying to keep things from me so I didn't get upset."

"Or ask a few old friends to pull Tom over on bullshit charges and make his life hell?"

Danny shrugged. "I wouldn't besmirch the office of law enforcement in such a way."

Steve knew that Danny was full of crap but he didn't want to call him on it right now.

"Today is going to be even worse," Danny said, changing the topic. "The rest of them are coming in ready for tomorrow. Why don't you go for a run? I know it's not the beach or Hawaii but if you go out there and clear your head it might make them all a little easier to deal with."

Steve twisted to look out the window, it wasn't snowing, in fact the sky was clear so it would be cold.

Danny groaned and threw the blankets off them. "Get changed and go. I'll go down and help Ma cook breakfast so you can get out of here cleanly."

Steve changed into some clothes for running and sat back on the bed to tie his shoelaces. Danny kissed Steve before he turned and left their room. Steve followed him down not long after and while Danny went into the lounge room and beyond to the kitchen Steve pocketed the key Danny had slipped him and went outside into the bitter cold to run.

/ \ / \ / \ / \

"Morning, Ma."

Danny's mother turned around and looked at him. "Was that Steve sneaking out of my house?"

Danny smiled. "Still have the best ears in town."

"You're not in high school anymore sneaking Janie Philips out of your window."

Danny turned and looked at his mother. "You knew about that?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes at her son. "Of course I did."

"You never said anything."

Lizzie flipped the bacon over and then looked at Danny more closely. "I knew you were being careful with her."

Danny ducked his head.

"Steve needed a break from the family?"

Danny nodded and pulled out the ingredients for pancakes.

"Georgina won't be in until late tonight but your Uncle Ed and Aunt Sarah are coming back today as well."

"Not going to stay in New York for Christmas."

"They came up from Las Vegas to spend the Christmas with family. They only went to New York for a couple of nights."

Danny nodded and began making the pancakes. "Where're you going to fit them?"

"They are sleeping at Hannah's." Danny looked up at his mother and could see her watching him.

"What, Ma?"

"You should have a word to him, in case the custody issue with Gracie comes about. He'll be able to help you if you move to Vegas."

Danny nodded but didn't say anything.

"Have you heard anything more?"

"We have a date for the court hearing. Steve is going to come as a character witness. Sorry, Lieutenant Commander Steven McGarrett, decorated Navy SEAL, is going to be a character witness."

"He loves Gracie."

"He really does," Danny said.

They stopped talking as a steady flow of people started coming into the kitchen, grabbing coffee and then sitting around the table and waiting for the bacon and pancakes to be done. Danny flipped some pancakes onto a plate for Steve before he put the rest of them on the table.

"Where's Steve?" Ryan asked.

"Out for a run." Danny said and his father said grace before they began to eat.

/ \ / \ / \ / \

Steve hadn't run like this in a built up city for a long time. The concrete under his feet was hard, jarring on his ankles and knees but it also felt good. The burn of his lungs and muscles as he pushed himself further and harder made him feel better. He was heading towards the shore but he didn't think he would make it there even if he ran for longer than he could be away. Steve was running faster, harder, than he normally did but it felt good. The air wasn't as clean and Steve missed the crisp air of Hawaii or even the wet, heady air of some of the places he had been. He much preferred clean air to that of a city.

Steve kept running, his mind clearing out as he pushed himself further and harder. When he felt like he was going to collapse, like he couldn't possibly run any further he slowed down to a walk and stopped to grab a bottle of water. He drank slowly before he turned around and started jogging again. He sped up slowly, never quite running as fast as he had to get there but it felt good as he continued to push his boundaries.

When he finally made it back to Danny's parent's house his shirt was stuck to his skin with sweat and the over-shirt he'd put on to keep the cold out was sticking at his back. Steve stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led up to their door and stretched out, letting his body slowly warm down. He went inside to find Danny sitting on the couch watching for him.

"You still alive?" Danny asked.

Steve nodded, sweat pouring down his neck and back now that he had stopped.

"Feel better?"

"I do."

"I saved you pancakes." Danny stood up and walked over to Steve. He lifted himself up on his toes and kissed Steve and then pulled back. "Go and have a shower."

Steve nodded and headed up the stairs. He saw Ryan on the way and smiled as they passed. By the end of the shower when he made it back downstairs to find the family had expanded Steve happily walked into the centre of it again.

/ / / TBC \ \ \

I wish I could keep this up and get this finished but I'm definitely not holding out much hope. I've changed jobs (and careers) and it is proving much busier than expected. I would like to have this finished before the next season. Next two chapters should end Christmas (it's August, this is dragging terribly).