I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: getting to where I wanted was sure a process! I can't believe it took so long and then ... so many words. Thank you all again and I hope you've enjoyed this! And Phoebe ... so so patient with endless rounds to get this right. thank you!

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O

Hours had gone by - really one night and two complete days - and Grace couldn't stop crying. She also didn't want to leave the house even if she was standing in her Uncle Steve's kitchen watching both him and her father out on the lanai. She was in a very safe and comfortable place. Just then though, she preferred to be alone. Or, at least almost alone because she was content enough to know they were close and just ... there. She needed to know that. It was very late though. Near midnight and the full moon was spectacular, lighting up the lanai and the grassy area all the way down to the beach. The reflection of light on the ocean almost mesmerizing. Part of her begged to go join them and yet, the solitary other half was screaming all the louder so she stayed right where she was, content in keeping an eye on both of them.

Danno was catering to Steve, practically mother-henning him to death since picking him up from the hospital earlier in the day. It should have been annoyingly cute or even border on almost obnoxious but Steve didn't seem to mind and besides, Grace just couldn't find the humor in anything no matter how she tried to mentally slice it. In fact, she hadn't been able to see beyond her reddened nose since Uncle Steve had been released from the hospital.

The hospital.

She should have been happy they were all home together but there were too many reminders. Steve's bullet wound. Her father's bandaged side. She looked down at the cast on her own left arm; the aches and pains from her hospital visit were much too fresh. Her wrist had been fractured and the cast extended mid-way up her forearm. That truth and then seeing the bubblegum pink cast had sent Danno back over a terrible edge where he once again wanted to beat the leaving crud out of Jase Kendall ... until he'd been somewhat diverted by her Uncle Steve's woes. No matter what though, not once had her father even muttered a complaint about his own injury. It was all so typical and Grace should have been relieved, except she wasn't. A simple break was nothing like a gunshot wound ... or two ... even if one was just a crease.

Bullets were bullets and blood was blood.

While his gunshot wound hadn't been life-threatening, it hadn't exactly been the nothing her Uncle Steve had originally claimed. Being at the hospital had been as scary as being at La Mer with Kendall. Looking at her Uncle Steve now, how he had even been released from the hospital just one day after being shot at point blank range was beyond Grace's comprehension. She was still finding it hard to understand a lot of what had happened though. She should have followed her good instincts about Jase Kendall and things would have been normal. At least for her. Reality would have kept the outcome of Five-0's operation much the same - she knew Kendall would have simply found someone else. Kendall would have kept on going until he found some other young female mark in the shopping mall. Danno would still have been undercover and there probably still would have been a violent take-down. As her Danno had patiently said, second-guessing what had happened would get them nowhere.

In other words - Grace's own words - she'd be plain stupid if she thought a lot of what had happened would have been completely different even if she'd done everything right. It didn't make her feel any better though because ... she hadn't and it had been her.

So, she was still just plain old stupid.

There were so many other things she could have done - should have done - but things had happened far too quickly during that short walk. Going round robin in her head, she knew some of those things would have happened if she'd followed her instincts because Kendall held the playbook. He held all the cards. So, it didn't matter if it were her and Andi that day. Kendall would have gotten some other kid to buy his line. The men which Kendall had hired, still would have been waiting along the route.

No matter what naive kid Kendall had in tow, just like she and Andi had been, that kid would have been hustled into a rear freight elevator and then up to the penthouse suite. Stolen and then lost forever.

But it hadn't been someone else. It had been her and if Danno hadn't been there ...God, she was just so so stupid!

Grace closed her eyes and stifled a frightened sob as she considered what would have happened if Danno hadn't miraculously been the mysterious Mr. Cavanaugh. She used to patiently roll her eyes about Danno's claim of wanting to keep the islands safe for her and her brother. Starting now though? She wouldn't ever be so nonchalant or flippant about that vow ever again.

He really really had meant it - and he'd been working at keeping her safe all of her life. Why hadn't his words ever really sunk into her stupid brain? Because it was clearly because she was the stupidest kid on two feet.

Confused and conflicted, Grace began to silently cry again. Tears streamed down her cheeks, clouding her vision even after she sloppily wiped them away with the back of her hand. Alone in the kitchen, she snuffled and then coughed, almost gagging. Her nose was all clogged and her throat was phlegmy. Red blotches covered her face and neck. Her head throbbed relentlessly and she had no idea what she wanted. She was supposed to be sleeping but couldn't do that either.

So there she stood, in the quiet of her Uncle Steve's dimly lit kitchen, supposedly sleeping in his spare bedroom, but watching her father attempt to coax her uncle back into the house. Instead, Steve was laughing. His breathy, loopy chuckle was just reaching her ears through the open window. Danno was flapping his hands wildly through the air, apparently at a loss as to how to get his blissfully drugged-up best friend to his feet.

It should have been funny, yet she saw no humor in it at all. Instead, she watched them through a watery haze incapable of functioning. She pawed at her face again, still unable to stop crying as she created a migraine-level of pain inside her head. God, she needed to stop acting like a baby already. And shaking, her damned hand wouldn't stop its nervous tremble either and she just didn't know why. Using her one good hand, she took a clean drinking glass out of the drain and ran the tap in the sink. She stared at the stream of water rather than filling the glass, her gaze unfocused, just sniffling sadly and generally feeling sorry for herself. Her wrist ached and the cast was already cumbersome. Her fingers were a bit pudgy and stiff, too. She had one good hand. She had to do everything with one hand. She couldn't even do her hair properly.

"Hey? What's this?"

Grace startled, nearly dropping the still empty water glass, and not knowing how her father had managed to sneak up on her. She swiped at her face again, using the back of her hand and vainly trying to force the tears to stop. The water-works were getting her nowhere and her father would only be more upset to see that she was still carrying on like a five-year old. At least he was alone though. Her Uncle Steve was still sitting in his chair down near the beach. He was sitting sideways now, legs every which way and leaning precariously to the side. Where Grace had a cast, her Uncle Steve had his arm immobilized and in a sling. Blue. Of course, boy blue to her girl pink. How apropos ... or just plain stupid like everything else. Looking dismally at her own cast and then thinking about the lightly dressed wound hidden under her father's loose fitting tee-shirt, Grace had no desire to even try and smile.

"I was thirsty," she tried to say, but her father was already shaking his head and wrapping his arms around her.

"Nope, not buying it. Try again," he said. He sighed heavily, finger-combing her hair off her shoulders. "Maybe you should have stayed with your mother ... "

"No," Grace replied so quickly that she surprised herself. She definitely hadn't wanted to do that - still didn't want to do that even if she couldn't adequately explain the reason even to herself. She loved her mother dearly and she didn't doubt that her mother and father still loved each other in some way. But she didn't need to hear about how dangerous her father's job was ... again ... or be the dumb excuse her mother used to self-validate her inability to have stayed a cop's wife.

What did that even mean anymore? If any of it were true, then her brother would never have been born and that thought made Grace scowl. If only her mother wasn't such a damned liar ... she and Danno? They'd have been a family again ...

"But Grace ... it might be better for you," her father was saying and she shook herself back to the present.

"What? No, Dad. No, I don't want to," she insisted because he was ready to push the point and Grace just couldn't stand it anymore. "Why would you even say that?"

That flare of temper was too brief for her to capture though. So, it was she who was then sighing loudly, still wiping at her eyes and using her one good hand to shove her hair behind an ear. Having long hair was going to be a trial and tribulation now.

"Are you sure?" He asked, backing off quickly when she glared at him through her tears but still wanting to help. "Okay. Fine. Can you just talk to me then? Tell me what's wrong?"

Grace stared at him long and hard, willing her brain to provide some kind of explanation for her behavior. He didn't blame her for what she'd done. Andi had confessed everything and even sworn without being asked that she'd pleaded with Grace to go with her. Grace almost wanted that blame though. It would have been easier to deal with her Danno's anger than his unquestionable love because she could barely forgive herself.

"Grace?" He asked again when she stayed quiet. She knew that her father would find some way to blame it on trauma or ... God knew what ... maybe even insist on therapy and she was sure that she didn't want to go there. Ever. She wasn't damaged per se, just confused.

"I'm good here. With you," she finally said. She shook her head when he reached out to her, hoping a hug might help. But she didn't want that either so to avoid acknowledging his crestfallen expression, she asked about her uncle.

"What's Uncle Steve doing out there? It's practically the middle of the night."

"Star gazing," Danny replied around a semi-amused smile. "Can you believe that?" He snorted comically through his nose, gesturing towards the ceiling.

"Says he can see Ursa Minor and the Little Dipper ... he's mumbling something about North Stars or star families and Polynesian mariners. I have no idea; sometimes your Uncle Steve is the font of useless knowledge. That pain medication is doing a number on a brain already scrambled."

"Dad!" Grace was tempted to grin. "That's not nice."

"It's pretty damned funny though," Danny replied, pleased that he managed to get her to lighten up and smile, even if just a tiny bit. "You know what? Sit down. I'll be right back."

"Why?" Grace asked. But she did as he asked and tugged one of the kitchen chairs out for herself. "Why? I just wanted a glass of water."

"Humor me," he said, an eyebrow raised as he examined her flushed and tear-stained cheeks. "Please." When he came back in to the kitchen, he was holding her comb and a few elastic hair bands.

"Oh. You're going to do my hair? Really?" Grace asked softly, fighting that flux of tears all over again. "You don't have to." It wasn't as if Danno couldn't do her hair. He could. It had just been a super long time and the gesture, now, made her self-conscious and feeling like that little kid she was struggling to not be just then.

"You don't have to," Grace repeated.

"I know - but I want to," he said as he got down to business, not offering a single other explanation. Quietly, Grace hung her head and then closed her eyes. With his quiet presence, she concentrated on the way he was combing the strands hair out, making sure there were no snarls or tangles. Then, he gathered the thick lock of hair loosely at the nape of her neck, fussing over how sweaty she was as he made a loose ponytail. Then giving her time to relax, he slowly divided the ponytail into three even sections before beginning a gentle weave from left to right and then back again. When he finished, he fastened the end with another hair band.

"There you go," he said as he leaned over to kiss the side of her cheek. "I still remembered ... it's not too bad."

"Thanks, Dad," she whispered. "I bet it's perfect."

"Almost perfect," Danny corrected her. He was smiling now, too. "I'd be happy to help you out tomorrow - if you need it." Grace nodded, knowing she'd want his help and just maybe, she needed a bit of molly-coddling too and that was going to be perfectly alright. She inhaled deeply and then briefly closed her eyes again. She did need to talk and he knew it; he was merely waiting her out. Filling in empty space, worrying and fretting about her, but not pestering.

Grace looked up and gave her father a small smile. He was watching her. Ever patient and she owed him far too much to stay so quiet.

"You asked me what was wrong," Grace whispered as she searched for what she might say that could make sense. "The truth is, I don't know." She hung her head, not looking at him, but staring at her hands again. "I don't know what's wrong but I think it's because of Cavanaugh ... and seeing you like that. Acting like ... him. You weren't ... you. I mean, how can I know what you do, but not really get it?"

Danny made a soft, quizzical sound under his breath and Grace tried to read his expression. She doubted that he'd expected that to be her first comment and she was both intrigued and thankful when he didn't question her, but trusted her enough with some background to the undercover operation.

"We'd been working on this with the Feds for weeks, Grace. Weeks. The real Cavanaugh was arrested more than a month ago. Once we realized he'd never met Kendall, the rest was easy enough to pull together. I was asked to participate since, even though Cavanaugh laid very low most of the time, the Feds thought I could pull him off in a face to face meet with his primary supplier."

"There's a real Cavanaugh?" Grace whispered in surprise. Her eyes widened because she hadn't though of the guy being real; only that Danno might have created some kind of fictional character to trap Kendall. But if she thought about what Kendall had said about knowing Cavanaugh's likes and dislikes; then there had been girls before her and Andi and maybe a lot of them, too.

"Oh my God, I am so stupid!" she mumbled to herself feeling a new pang of fear. "Of course there is. So ... so what would have happened if you hadn't been there?" Grace swallowed hard as she tried to come to terms with her own question, but her father was already beginning to fall apart. This might have been one of the more anticipated questions - the obvious one - but her father wasn't prepared to answer or confront it.

"Don't let me hear you say that ever again because you are not stupid, Grace. Not at all. But ... I don't ... I can't ...," Danny stumbled over his words, backpedaling and suddenly looking desperate. He raised one hand high only to back up a good many steps, his expression stricken.

"I can't even think about what might have happened if Cavanaugh had still been out there. Or, if Jase Kendall had changed course or taken you to some other client. I can't consider those options. Not you ... it's bad enough ... the other kids. But not you ... no."

"Danno?" Grace asked, worried, as he turned away from her, pacing the kitchen. Balled up motion on the edge of a frenzied meltdown. Whatever hatred and rage he felt was still festering inside him; he hated both Kendall and Cavanaugh with an unbridled passion and she didn't know what to say to him. In fact, his reaction was so visceral, it was proof that he was still hiding a lot about the case from her. Things she shouldn't know and definitely things she didn't need to know.

"Listen, Grace?" Danny started to say. "I ... um ... I need you to hear me out. Okay?"

His eyes were bright with emotion as he knelt down in front of where she was sitting. He winced as he aggravated the crease running along his ribcage and yet, ignored the uncomfortable twinges in favor of her needs. Unhappily, Grace managed not to object as he took her good hand in his, his thumb moving to rub soothing circles over her knuckles. Danno just had to do some things his way despite how distressed she was to feel that he was practically vibrating in pain. Ignoring himself, her father only inhaled deeply, staring for a second or two at her new cast. She was going to have to hear him out no matter what.

"Just ... I've gone over this a million times in my head and I don't know how this could have been avoided. How you could have just walked away from all of this and I come up empty every time because of Andi ... and what she'd asked you do. I get it - I understand. I really do understand how you both got sucked into this thing ... and it's really not your faults. Kendall was - and is - damned smart. He's a snake ... so, please take me seriously whenever you think I'm being over-protective or ... acting like some stupid, over the top parent. I just can't have anything happen to you. Or your brother. Promise me that you'll at least listen?"

"Yeah, okay. I promise... and I do listen. I listen all the time," Grace answered sincerely. "I'm sorry, Danno. I tried to stop Andi and change her mind but then ... I just didn't want to leave Andi alone. It really did just happen."

"I know," her father said. A new sadness was sitting behind his eyes though and Grace fought back her own tears hard. He was as scared as she still was for what almost had happened if he hadn't been there. There might be some time in the future where he might not be there at all. And then what? What would she do? Feeling that spike of fear again, she laced her fingers tightly through his and then leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Danno? I'm really, really glad you were there," Grace whispered softly. "For me ... and for Andi ... and I love you."

"I love you, too, monkey," Danny said as he rocked forward to hug her. "So, so much. If this had to happen ... I'm glad it happened now so that I could be there, too."

"What about me?" Steve's voice boomed from behind them. He startled them both when he suddenly showed up in the kitchen doorway from the lanai. He was blinking owlishly in the brighter lights of the house and looking decidedly off balance.

"I was there."

"Oh my god," Danny muttered, still balanced on his toes in front of Grace. He stared into her eyes and smirked in amusement. "See?" He whispered while tapping the side of his head. "Scrambled brains."

"Dad! Don't!" Grace laughed, covering her mouth far too late to hide her surprise at Steve's unexpected arrival plus her father's sarcastic comment.

"What? I was there ..." Steve repeated innocently. "Wasn't I?" Still smirking, Danny got to his feet, eyeing his unsteady partner who's expression was now bordering on a wounded sense of confusion.

"Yes, Steven ... you were there, too. In my ear the entire time," Danny confirmed. "Bitching and moaning ... the entire time ... even when I had everything under control."

"N'uhm? No," Steve mumbled, suddenly frowning. "You almost went ballistic. But you did good."

"Ya think I did good?" Danny griped. He sighed dramatically, not so secretly pleased when he saw that Grace was still smiling. But a moment later, that happiness was fading fast as his unfiltered partner continued speaking.

"I do," Steve replied all too seriously as he gestured to Grace. "Real good because you know, for a brunette and despite your gene pool, she's not too bad. And really ... I thought you were going to kill Kendall when he said that even if he was right."

Grace's mouth dropped open in stunned disbelief, she had to smile and then laugh out right, a sound that came out more like an inglorious snort because of her swollen sinuses. Her father was blinking far too rapidly as he tried to absorb what Steve had just said.

"What's wrong with you? " Danny more stated than asked. With the back of his hand, he slapped Steve in the chest. Hard. "Now I know for a fact that Doris dropped you on your head."

"But, no. Why? It's true and ... it's a compliment. Isn't it?" Steve blurted, clearly confused by what he might have said wrong. "It's a compliment." His eyes were a bit too glassy as he looked from Danny to Grace. And he looked ... so innocent ... so damned earnest ... that Grace had to laugh harder.

"Oh, Uncle Steve!" she said, chuckling even more when he gave her a baffled, one-shouldered shrug.

"You're a moron," Danny said. He was fighting back a smile though too as he covertly rolled his eyes for Grace's sake and tapped his head again to keep her laughing.

"What? Why?" Steve asked. "So? Hey? Are we gonna do another group hug?"

"No, definitely not," Danny kidded him. "Never. Nope! You don't deserve one after remarks like that."

But it was too late. Rolling his eyes skywards, Danny was clearly begging for some very real patience as Steve lurched forward to literally drape himself over Danny's shoulders. He leaned on him completely on purpose, knocking Danny off balance, all the while grinning like a lunatic.

"So? Who loves me, huh?" Steve asked, his good arm held wide, inviting Grace in to hug him too, which she happily did.

"I love you, Uncle Steve," Grace said as she looked up at him, her smile growing and her tears forgotten.

"C'mere Danno," Steve crooned dramatically as he tucked Danny into his chest next and began to sway to and fro. "I love you, too, buddy."

"Stop it! Bed, now," Danny insisted when Steve's face lit up in a lop-sided smile. "You are so out of it, babe. It's not even funny."

"Gracie loves me," Steve said as he leaned heavily into Danny's upper body for support. "See? She does!"

"Of course she does," Danny sighed patiently. "Now let me go and get to bed before I drop you on that thick skull of yours."

"Wait. What about you, Danno?" Steve pressed, refusing to budge an inch, still swaying from side to side. "Don't you love me back?"

"Love you back? Nope, not at all," Danny said emphatically as he tried to pilot Steve out of the kitchen with Grace carefully supporting Steve's other side, mindful of his bad shoulder and her cast. "Don't like you ... never have ... never will."

"N'uhm? Noooooo ... don't believe it!" Grinning, Steve caught Grace's eye and gave her a covert wink as he bussed Danny's cheek loudly yielding a disgusted flurry of objections from the man. "Now you're monkeying with me, Danno! You love me ... admit it."

Steve chortled happily and Grace burst into laughter because just maybe her uncle wasn't as blissfully drugged up as they'd all thought he was.

~ End. ~