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Grace Williams looked down at her newborn brother, Matt. She wrinkled her nose. "He's funny looking."

Her father, Danny Williams, held Matt protectively. "He's beautiful."

"I agree with Grace," Steve McGarrett, Danny husband, partner, and soulmate, chimed in. "He's funny looking. At least as a human. He's beautiful as a dragon."

"I don't believe you." Danny's hands would have been waving if he hadn't been holding Matt. "Talking that way about your own child. What kind of Neanderthal are you?"

"I'm just saying. . ."

Grace was studying the baby. "He looks like you, Uncle Steve." Even after he and Danny married, Grace still called him Uncle Steve. She said that's what she'd always called him, so why should she change?

Steve grinned goofily. "Yeah. He's got Danno's eyes, though."

"I keep telling you," Danny said, "all newborns have blue eyes."

"And I keep telling you they're going to stay this way."

"He's probably right," Grace said. "How does he know these things anyway?"

"That's what I asked!" Danny exclaimed. Grace and Steve could tell he was fighting the urge to wave his hands again, baby and all.

"Can I hold him?" Grace asked.

"Sure," Steve said.

Danny was doubtful. "I dunno. Are you sure you'd feel comfortable? He's awful tiny and. . ."

"Danno," Grace cut him off, "I know how to hold a baby. I held Charlie lots of times."

"But not when he was so little," Danny protested.

"Yes, when he was so little," Grace said firmly. "Now can I hold him, please?"

"Alright." Danny reluctantly passed her the tiny bundle. She took it and cooed at Matt.

"I wish I could see what he looks like as a dragon."

"Here, I'll show you." Steve reached for the baby.

Grace was surprised. "Can he shift already? He seems too small."

Danny shrugged. "He seems to respond to whoever's holding him. For me, he's human. For Steve, he's a dragon."

"What is he when he's not being held?"

"I dunno," Danny replied. "We haven't left him alone yet."

Grace studied Matt. He had deep purple scales, so dark they were almost black, a long snout, and a tail. "You're right, Uncle Steve, he's beautiful."

"Yeah," Steve said. "He should be a dragon all the time."

"I keep telling you," Danny said, agitated. This time his arms were waving. "He needs to get used to being human. He's going to have to live in a human society."

"But Danno," Grace said, "you don't want him to be ashamed of what he is, do you?" Her "like I was" was unspoken. Even now she really wasn't comfortable in her dragon form.

"He's four hours old. I don't think he's capable of being ashamed."

"My point exactly," Steve said. "If he wants to be a dragon, let him. He's got plenty of time to learn to be a human."

"Alright, fine." Danny knew when he'd lost.

Grace was looking at Matt. "How come he's not golden like we are, Danno? I expected him to be golden."

"Me, too," Steve said.

"Me, too," Danny said. "I guess it's because he has Steve's coloring."

"But I'm dark and I'm golden as a dragon," Grace pointed out.

"I dunno. I guess it's just one of those things," Danny said.

"May I have him back?" Grace held out her arms, and Steve carefully handed her the infant. This time he stayed a dragon. Grace concentrated, and suddenly in her place was a golden half-dragon.

Danny and Steve were surprised. They'd never seen her shift willingly before. Usually she only changed when Steve coaxed her. "What was that for?" Danny asked.

"I wanted to show him what I looked like," Grace said. "So he'd know, and so he wouldn't be ashamed."

Danny was proud of his daughter. "That's a good idea."

"See," Steve said, "I told you there was nothing wrong with him being a dragon."

"Okay, fine," Danny conceded. "May I have him back now?"

Grace passed Matt to her father who cradled him in his arms. Once again, Matt stayed a dragon. "You're right," he admitted. "He is beautiful."

"Our beautiful baby dragon," Steve said.

For nine months Danny had been correcting him, insisting he was human, not a dragon, but this time he didn't. "Our beautiful baby dragon," he agreed.