/ / / Home with Grace \ \ \

Gracie came back to Hawaii just after lunch on a Wednesday. Kono smirked at Danny every time he checked his phone after the alert popped up on the main Five-0 screen to tell them that the flight had arrived at the airport safely. It took Rachel over an hour to let Grace call him.

"Danno!"

"Hey, Gracie."

"I missed you, where are you?"

"I'm at work."

"Already?"

"Of course, we have to keep Hawaii safe for the Gracies of the world."

"Am I still allowed to come over tonight?"

Danny could hear Rachel in the background saying something but before the words could make Grace take back the question he answered. "Of course, it's Wednesday night, and Wednesdays are our night."

"See, Mum, Daddy wants me to come."

Danny knew that there would be an argument with Rachel later, or, at the very least, an annoyed look when he picked Grace up. "I always want to spend time with you."

"Did Steve like meeting Nana and Pop?"

"Did he ever, you can ask him all about it tonight."

Steve appeared in the doorway of Danny's office like he had been called. "Grace?" he mouthed. Danny nodded. "Tonight?" Steve looked so very hopeful that Danny kind of wanted to walk over and kiss him but he couldn't while he was on the phone with Grace, so he nodded instead and Steve's face broke into a delighted smile.

"In fact, he's here and very excited to see you tonight."

"Hello, Steve," Gracie called out loudly, as though he would be able to hear her.

"Grace said hello."

Steve took that as his invitation to come the rest of the way into the room and perch on the corner of Danny's desk.

"Say hello to her for me."

Danny rolled his eyes; this would just make the conversation take forever. Danny pulled the phone away from his ear and hit the speaker button.

"Hello, Grace."

"Hi, Steve, can we go swimming tonight?"

"Won't you be too tired after the flight?"

"Of course not, I'm never too tired for swimming."

"Okay, we can go in for a while."

Danny shook his head.

"Danno, I have to go, I'll see you later."

"Okay, monkey, I'll see you later. Danno loves you."

"I love you too, and you Steve. Bye."

Grace hung up on them and Danny folded down and forward to rest his head against Steve's knee.

"She's home," Steve pointed out, rubbing Danny's neck.

"I know and when we go to pick her up Rachel is not going to be pleased with me."

"Why? Wednesday nights are your night."

Danny scoffed. "Because Rachel had a personality transplant in Vegas?"

Danny's phone rang again and he hit answer without lifting his head from Steve's thigh. "Hello, Rachel."

"She should not be going out the night after a flight."

"How it is any different for her to be at her home with me rather than her home with you?"

"She will be over excited."

"Because she hasn't seen us in weeks."

"I-"

"No, Rachel," Danny sat up. "I know she will be tired and she will go to bed early but Wednesday nights are my night. I said yes to Vegas but I am not missing any more time with her. I will be around to pick her up at 4."

"Very well," Rachel said, stiffly, and hung up on him.

"4?"

"I know, I just said it and we can't get out of here that early."

"If all the paperwork is done we can." Steve stood up and walked out of the room. "Hurry up, we have a deadline."

Danny shook his head; Steve never wanted to do paperwork. It was official – his daughter had magical powers.

At quarter to four Danny and Steve were in Danny's car, with the lights flashing and siren going, speeding towards Rachel's house.

"What happened to not abusing our police badges?" Steve asked, as he took a turn much too fast.

Danny held on tight. "It's Grace and we're only breaking the rules a little."

Steve laughed and sped up a little faster.

"Have I mentioned previously that I love you? And if you kill me driving to pick up Gracie I will haunt you."

"If you die I'm certain I will too."

Danny smiled. "I know you didn't mean it like that, babe, but that was quite sweet."

"Why? If the car accident was bad enough to kill you surely I would die as well."

"Sometimes I just want to kiss the stuffing out of you."

Steve flashed him a bright, white-toothed grin.

As expected Rachel glared at him cooly while Grace ran up to grab her bag and the presents she said she had bought for them. Danny could see the tiredness around her eyes. The swim with Steve when they got home would well and truly finish her off so he would have to make dinner early tonight. They all climbed into the car and headed back to their house, the traffic heavy with people leaving work.

"Are you sure you want to go for a swim, Grace?" Steve asked.

"Yes, I haven't swum in the ocean in ages," Grace said, dragging the last word out.

"Okay," Danny said. "Quick swim and then dinner."

Grace sighed at him. "Do I have to go to bed early?"

"Yes."

"But, Danno."

"No buts, you're going to bed early."

"Fine," Grace said, sounding like she was sinking into teenage annoyance already.

"But, you can pick what we have for dinner."

Grace instantly brightened. "Spaghetti? With garlic bread and chocolate cake for desert?"

Danny sighed and nodded. "Sounds good. We're going to need to stop for a few things then."

While Steve took Grace swimming Danny made the cake and put it in the oven, giving him just enough time to go out and swim with them for a while before he would need to get back inside. He left them to it while he went back inside to pull the cake out of the oven and have a quick shower. By the time he was back in the kitchen, he could hear Steve and Grace washing their feet.

Danny set out all of the ingredients and started on the onions assuming Grace would want to help him cook as soon as she was done in the shower. She ran in, hair wet and dripping down her back, as she stopped next to him.

"Can I make the garlic bread?"

"We need to make the spaghetti sauce first."

Grace sighed and nodded before she started stirring the meat and onions while Danny cut tomatoes and herbs.

"What can I do?" Steve asked, coming into the room and stopping behind Danny, too close but Danny leaned back into the warmth of Steve's body.

"Can you get a pot of water boiling for the spaghetti, please?"

Steve nodded and disappeared from behind Danny.

They finished cooking dinner together and over the meal Grace excitedly told them all about her trip to Vegas. It was hot, but there was no beach, Stan had to work but she, Rachel and Charlie had spent the time visiting things around the strip. She had been to Hoover Dam, Freemont Street, the Adventuredome, and the Shark Reef.

"I don't want to move there though, Danno."

"Me either."

Then Steve and Danny told her all about their trip to see Lizzie and Chris.

Grace looked at him with sad eyes. "I miss Nana and Pop."

Danny kissed her on the head as he stood to collect their plates. "I know you do, but they'll be here before you know it."

Grace nodded.

"We brought you something," Steve said.

Grace turned to him. "But that's for Christmas just like what I bought for you." She turned to her father with worried eyes. "We're still having Christmas, aren't we?"

"Of course we are," Danny said. He carried the chocolate cake, and plates, back to the table. He knew Grace was tired but her look of worry told him just how tired she really was. "We're decorating when I pick you up on Friday and everyone is coming for Christmas on Saturday."

"But the thing I brought you isn't for Christmas it's just from New Jersey."

Grace's face cleared.

"How about you go and pick a movie, then we'll eat the cake in front of the TV."

"Okay, Danno."

"And I'll get the present." Steve said, standing and followed Grace from the room.

Danny wiped the table down before he took the cake and plates through. Grace was putting a disc into the DVD player.

"What are we watching?"

"Mulan."

"Of course Mulan," Danny said. "Little piece or big piece of cake?"

"Big."

"Of course, but only because I missed you so much."

Grace grinned at him.

"Even your dad doesn't know about this present." Steve said, walking into the room, something behind his back.

"I don't?" Danny asked.

"Nope. Your Nana helped me get it." Steve grinned at him and then went back to looking at Grace.

Danny watched Steve carefully as he handed the gift to Grace, inside a brown paper bag – obviously they were going to have to have a talk before Friday about proper wrapping technique. Grace opened the bag and dragged the present out.

"Wow," Grace said, holding out the picture of them all in front of the tree in Rockefeller Centre.

"That was our last day and Lily said you might like it."

"Can I take it to Mum's?"

Steve nodded. "Of course."

"And then we can get another one for here?"

Steve dropped his voice down to a stage whisper. "I might have one for your Dad on Saturday."

Grace beamed at him. "Good."

"Then let's eat cake and watch Mulan save China." Danny said, hugging Grace into his side. She curled around to hug him before swapping the photo for cake.

"I once heard this story told by an old Chinese women to her grandchildren." Steve mused as the opening credits began to roll.

Grace was asleep by the time Mulan had made it to the soldier's camp but Danny left her there not quite wanting the night to be over.

"It was too long," Steve said, reading his mind.

"It always is."

Steve reached over Grace who was sleeping between them to hold onto Danny's hand.

/ / /