Hey everyone,
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy.
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Chapter 26
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Danny woke early in the morning to Steve mumbling and grunting in his sleep. He was moving slightly as well which is what woke Danny in the first place. Danny carefully unwound his arms from around Steve and pulled away. Danny knew better than to startle a sleeping Steve but to startle a sleep Steve who was just back from combat would be much worse. Danny moved to the edge of the bed as Steve started to jerk more and his mumbling and grunting got worse.
"Steve?" Danny said gently. "Steve, babe wake up." Danny wince as Steve jerked around and a grunt of pain passed his lips. "Steve, babe, come on wake up. You're safe here. You're with Danno. Steve babe please wake up." Danny spoke as Steve settled down.
Danny carefully moved closer, making sure his movements were slow, so he didn't startle him.
"Steve? Steve, babe, wake up."
Steve's eyes opened slowly before he turned his head towards Danny. Danny saw a haunted look in his eyes and also pain. Danny didn't want to think about how all the moving made him sore, because he knew Steve wouldn't be able to have any more pain meds till later in the morning.
"Danny?"
"Yeah babe, you with me?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
"No don't be. I would be more worried if you didn't have nightmares. Where you were and what you did is bound to bring back memories."
"Danny…"
"No. Believe me, it's fine. Come here."
Danny laid back and tugged Steve gently till he was in his arms and head on his chest. Steve sighed and his body relaxed instantly when Danny's arms wrapped around him. Danny held him firmly but careful to not hold too tight over his injuries. Steve and Danny were almost back asleep when the door opened and Danny's mother stood there.
"Ma? What is it?"
"Sorry Daniel, Steven. I'm sure you were hoping for a good night sleep but Grace had a nightmare. I have tried to get her back to sleep but can't. She wants you both."
"Bring her in Ma."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah Ma."
"Defiantly. Grace isn't a problem." Steve added.
"Alright."
Clara disappeared as Steve moved back to his side as they heard sniffing and shuffling feet. Both watched as Grace came into view and as soon as she saw them she let out another sob before racing over and launching herself at Danny. Danny let out a grunt when she landed on him before wrapping his arms around her.
"Oh Monkey, it's alright."
Steve sat up slightly, leaning against the bed head, reached out and rubbed her back. Steve looked up sensing eyes on them and saw Clara slowly shutting the door while she turned on the light and dimmed it, so it didn't disturb them. Steve nodded his head in thanks and she smiled before shutting the door completely. Steve turned his attention back to Grace as she reached out for his hand. Steve held her hand as she held on tight, he could feel her trembling.
Steve turned on his side as he laid back down on the bed. Grace looked up at him before she climbed off Danny and was in between them. She hesitated to move closer before Steve reached out and pulled her in gently. Grace pressed into his side firmly, clinging to his shirt tightly. Steve held her firmly feeling her tremble as she tried to calm herself down.
"Gracie, what's wrong?" Steve asked but she shook her head.
"Grace, what was the nightmare about?" Danny asked. "It will help to talk about it. Steve talks to me about his nightmares and I do the same to him."
Grace looked up at Steve who was watching her with a concerned looked. Grace looked down again and pressed back in against him. Steve and Danny waited a minute before she buried her face in Steve's chest with a shudder.
"Uncle Steve didn't come home." She mumbled into his shirt.
Steve could hear this easily but Danny couldn't. Danny looked up a Steve who looked hurt and guilty at what she had said. Steve eyes caught Danny and he took a steady breath before speaking.
"Gracie I came home. I'm back. Everything is alright."
"You almost didn't." She said back.
"I look worse than what it is Grace. I'm always going to do everything I can to come back to you guys." Steve said and kissed her on the top of her head. "Get some sleep."
Grace settled down and slowly drifted off to sleep while Steve and Danny watched her till she fell asleep. Steve looked to Danny once he was sure she was asleep.
"How bad has this been? I know you said that she had nightmares, but I didn't think that it was this bad?"
"I think it might have been worse tonight as she probably didn't feel you were really here. That this is a dream. Hell babe this felt like a dream to me when you walked through that front door."
Steve's arms tightened around Grace as she started to move slightly before settling back down. Steve looked up when Danny moved and his hand rested on the side of his face. Danny leaned over Grace and pulled Steve in slightly for a kiss. Steve felt Danny pull away and opened his eyes he hadn't realised he had closed.
"It's not your fault."
"But it is Danny."
"No it's not. She used to have similar nightmares when she realised how dangerous my job as a cop is. She will be fine." Danny said slowly getting through to him. "She isn't the only one who had nightmares." Danny added causing Steve to look at Danny shocked at that as he looked away. "I just have a better understanding than Grace does on what you do in the Navy and was worried you wouldn't be coming back to us. It was the days we didn't hear from you that were the worst."
"Danny I'm sorry. I had no idea."
"It doesn't matter now. You are back that's what matters. Just be prepared for bit more of a fight next time you are recalled from the reserves."
Steve pulled Danny back over Grace and kissed him. Danny wrapped his hand round the back of Steve's head before pulling away completely. Danny smiled before laying back down and moving in close behind Grace and wrapped his arm over her and drifting back off to sleep. Steve followed soon after.
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Steve jolted awake the next morning feeling something moving around beside him and he thankfully didn't react like he would back in the navy. Steve opened his eyes alert, to see Grace trying to carefully move out of his and Danny's arms. Steve closed his eyes but kept them open as slits for a minute as he watched her. Steve tightened his arms slightly at her movements and saw Danny do the same and realised he was awake as well. Grace made a noise of annoyance when she failed to remove herself from their grip. Steve had to control himself, so he didn't give himself away.
Grace whined when she couldn't get away before pouting. Steve couldn't control himself any more and apparently Danny couldn't either, both started laughing at her making her glare at them both. Grace turned to her father and pushed at him, she would do it to Steve, but she didn't want to hurt him. Danny laughed before loosening his hold on her. Grace looked back at Steve who was smiling and removed his arms from around her letting her sit up.
"What are we doing today Danno?" Grace asked.
"Well it all depends on what the family want to do and if Steve is up for it."
"And what would that be?" Steve asked looking to Danny.
"Well normally it would involve endless hours of shopping as all the big sales are on."
"Well that is what we will do." Steve said.
"Uncle Steve it will be busy and exhausting." Grace said, concerned.
"It will be fine Gracie. I had a good night's sleep with you and Danno. Why don't you see if anyone else is awake and we'll be down shortly for breakfast?" Steve suggested and Grace hesitated before Danny gave her a nudge.
"Good idea, see if Nana is up and then go have a shower and breakfast. Steve and I will get ready as well and be down stairs after you."
Grace climbed out of bed and left the room. Danny looked to Steve when he was sure Grace was out of hearing range.
"Steve are you going to be able to spend the day out shopping? Grace is right, it will be exhausting."
"I will be fine Danny. I can sit down if I get exhausted."
"Alright. If you are sure."
"I am."
Steve pulled Danny in closer to him and wrapped his arms around him as he leaned in and kissed him firmly. Danny slid his hand around Steve's back and kissed him back just as firmly.
"You sleep ok?" Danny asked when they pulled back.
"Yeah I did. I didn't lie to Grace, it was the best I have had in a while. Well after she joined us anyway. I like having my two favourite people close."
"Good. You won't be able to get rid of us for a while I would say."
"Good. That's good." Steve said as they laid there for a little while.
Steve heard small footsteps head downstairs a little while later telling him that Grace had finished getting ready and was heading downstairs. Steve slowly sat up and groaned at the pain in his muscles that had gone stiff during the night. Danny sat up as well watching Steve.
"Steve, we will just stay home today. We can go shopping next week."
"You do this as a family every year right?"
"Yeah?"
"Who am I to break tradition. We are going."
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
"I won't."
There was a knock on the door before a voice called through.
"Daniel, breakfast will be ready in 20mins. Your sisters will be here soon. The bathroom is free."
"Thanks Pop. We'll be down shortly. Tell Grace I'll fix her hair when we come down."
"Your mother already tried and only Steve is allowed." His father laughed before he left.
"Well you are popular today."
"Hehe the best I can do is a ponytail for her."
"She won't care, you know this. I think she just wants to be near you. I can't blame her for that." Danny said as he stood beside Steve who was leaning on the dressing table. "If we were back home you would not leave the house till your pack doc said you could."
Steve's face lit up as Danny spoke, making Danny frown. Steve reached out with one hand and pulled Danny in closer.
"What?"
"You called Hawaii home."
"Oh that's what has you so happy."
"Yeah. Danny you have always call Hawaii a 'Pineapple Infested Hellhole'. Of course I'm happy you are actually calling it home."
"It's only home because you and Gracie are there. That is the only reason why."
"I'm glad."
"Sap."
Steve laughed and pulled Danny in closer and kissed him. Danny pulled away after a short while and removed clothes from the dresser draws for both of them and then led Steve back to the bathroom.
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After having a shower and getting Steve's wounds cleaned and rebandaged they made their way downstairs to the dining room where food was being placed on the table. Danny's sisters with their family were already there, kids were sitting at the table with their fathers while their mothers were placing the last of the breakfast on the table, before sitting down with everyone. Danny's mother and father were the last to join the table as everyone started eating.
Steve was seated beside Grace, as she had pointed at the seat beside her and for Danny on her other side when they first entered the room. Steve smiled when Grace listed all the stores she wanted to go to when a glass of water landed in front of him making him look up.
"Thanks Danny."
"Don't thank me yet."
"What?"
"Here take these."
"These are my pain meds and antibiotics." Steve said taking the bottles from Danny and reading the label.
"Yes and if I don't give them to you, you won't take them."
"Danny…"
"Don't. You want to go shopping then you are taking these now."
Grace giggle beside Steve who look at her with a joking glare before he started to tickle her.
"Uncle Steve, you know Danno is right."
"We aren't supposed to let him know that." Steve said in a fake whisper making everyone at the table laugh.
"Yes hahaha. Now take the pills or we aren't going."
"Fine I'll take them, now sit down and eat."
"I'll sit down and eat when I have seen you taken them."
Steve shook his head as he opened the bottles and took out the dosage he needed and made of show of holding out his hand to Danny before putting them in his mouth and swallowing with a glass of water. Danny muttered a thankyou before taking the bottle back and putting them in his pocket as he figured Steve would need them later in the day.
~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~ End of Chapter 26 ~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~
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