Chapter Text
“Listen to me. If you ever see any guys like that anywhere near Grace, I want you to promise me – promise me – that you will personally rip their eyeballs out of their heads with your bare hands.”
“Detective? That’s hyperbole, I hope?” the therapist comments with wide eyes when she walks into her office and hears the conversation the two men are having.
“No. No it is not hyperbole. And you would understand, believe me, if you could have seen these guys – these middle-aged… accountants!... ogling and hitting on girls half their age – if even!“
“What guys?”
“It was a case we had the other day. These three accountants from Cincinnati…”
“Cleveland…” Steve corrects.
“Cleveland – whatever – Ohio. These three idiots left their wives at home and came to Hawaii and hit on every girl under the age of 25 on the entire island, I think.”
“Is that a crime, now?” she asks with a suppressed smile.
“No, but waking up with a dead girl in your bathtub and then trying to bury the body in the woods is,” Danny replies sharply.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh. Very charming, these guys were.”
“And they killed the young woman?”
“No, actually they didn’t,” Steve interjects. “Someone else did – but Danny had to watch several hours of video of the idiots club-hopping like they were 25. It made the daddy-part of him a little bit angry,” Steve twirls his finger next to his head and gives the therapist a knowing look.
“Hey! It bugged you, too! All the girls in those places… where are their parents? Speaking of which, are you, or are you not, the same guy who suggested that Grace get her college degree online when we were trying to get through that sea of scantily clad girls behaving badly?” Danny yells, looking outraged.
Steve ducks away from Danny. “Hey, relax, Danno. I’m just yanking your chain. I don’t want Gracie anywhere near ‘Spring Break Girls Gone Wild’, either.”
Danny grimaces. “Oh my God, seriously? Please, Steven, for the love of God, do not ever utter the words ‘Girls Gone Wild’ and my daughter’s name in the same sentence again!”
Steve huffs a small laugh. “Right. You’re right. Never again.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
There is a moment of quiet in the room before the therapist sits up a little and clears her throat. “I know you’ve had difficulty with the idea of your daughter growing up, but you do know it’s inevitable, right Detective?”
Danny rolls his eyes and sighs. “You have to remind me? You know, it’s bad enough knowing that my daughter is meeting a boy for an ice cream date, but the thought of her going off to college… I mean, I know I can’t actually lock her away like Rapunzel – though I’ll tell you I am definitely tempted. I… I know she has to go out into the world by herself someday… I just… I don’t know how I can ever have her do that and not spend every minute of every day worrying about her.”
“I’ll tell you how,” Steve says quietly and both Danny and the therapist turn to look at him with mild surprise. Steve looks suddenly nervous and doesn’t say anything further.
“Okay… so, are you going to share?” Danny finally asks, staring at Steve.
Steve takes a deep breath and seems to steel himself. “Look. My mom, she was uh, she was a good mom, when I was little, I guess. But my dad… I know he loved me, but he wasn’t that good at showing it. He was always telling me to be a man, you know? And then… then my mom… left…” Steve gives a small laugh at the ridiculousness of that situation, “…and then, uh, my dad sent me away, and I spent the next 20 years in the military, so… I don’t know, I guess I never… I never got to be very good at putting words to what I was feeling.”
Steve clears his throat and Danny and the therapist sit frozen in their seats, almost as if they are afraid that if they move, whatever spell it is that has Steve under its control will be broken.
“But Danny, you aren’t anything like my father,” Steve continues eventually, looking at Danny earnestly. “You’re so open and loving with Grace, and you let her be exactly who she is. And you let her grow and think for herself and she’s so… confident… and smart… You and Rachel are great parents Danny, and you’re raising a great kid, who’s going to turn out to be an amazing woman. And I know she’s only 12, but I can tell that you’re never really going to need to worry about Gracie, because she’s got you, buddy, and you’re teaching her everything she needs to know to leave home someday and take care of herself and make smart decisions.” Steve finishes and flicks his slightly uncomfortable glance between Danny and the therapist.
Danny eyes Steve thoughtfully. “You know you’re part of that, too, right?” he asks after a moment.
“What?”
“You’re part of what’s made Grace who she is. Part of the reason why she’s such a terrific kid.”
“No… Danny…”
“Yes, Steve… There’s me and there’s Rachel, and as much as I hate to admit it, there’s Stan… and there’s you…”
“But, Stan’s her step-father…”
“And you’re her Uncle Steve. We’ve talked about this. You know you’re really important to her. You’ve played your part in making Grace, Grace. You teach her about self-discipline and hard work, and, yes, controlling herself and not giving in to her emotions so she doesn’t end up the neurotic mess that her father is. I can see your influence on her and it’s a good thing, Steven. Grace loves you and trusts you, and like it or not, your presence in her life has helped to make her who she is.”
Steve swallows noticeably and laughs nervously. “Uh, that’s… that’s a lot of responsibility… I don’t know…”
“Yeah, it is. But, you know, you’ve had that responsibility for, like, the last 4 and a half years, and you’re doing great with it, so you can stop worrying already.”
“Four and a half years?”
“Okay, 4 years, 6 months and 6 days… exactly,” Danny says with a smirk.
“Seriously?” Steve asks, his eyebrows raised high.
“What?” Danny asks disingenuously.
“You’re counting?”
“What? You can count the days, but I’m not allowed to?”
“No, I… I just didn’t know you cared,” Steve returns Danny’s smirk with one of his own.
“Yeah, you did,” Danny replies, his tone turning more serious but his eyes are twinkling.
“Yeah… I did.”
There is silence for a few moments as all three of them look back and forth.
“So, are we good?” Steve asks, quirking one eyebrow up in Danny’s direction.
“Yeah, we’re good, babe. We’re great.”
“You know what gentlemen? I think you’re right. I think both of you have made tremendous progress over the last several months, and I can see that you have more tolerance for each other’s, let’s say… personality quirks. I think we’re done here.”
Danny looks at her hopefully. “You mean, done, done? As in, we don’t have to come back, done?”
She smiles. “Yes, Detective, that’s what I mean. Unless you’d like to continue…”
“No!” they both answer simultaneously, already standing up and moving toward the door.
“Gentlemen,” she stops them, and they both turn back, looking wary. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know you. And, please, if you ever want to talk, my door is always open.”
“Right, thanks,” Steve says, pushing Danny ahead of him out the door.
As they leave she hears one last exchange. “Hey, Danno, how about to celebrate, I’ll let you drive.”
“You know what, babe? That’s okay. I don’t mind…”
POSTSCRIPT
They climb into the Camaro, and Steve pulls out of the parking lot, heading back to HQ. They get about a half-mile down the road before Steve pulls over and stops the car. He turns to look at Danny as he kills the engine. “Once more? For old time’s sake?”
Danny rolls his eyes. “Honest to God, I will be overjoyed never to pull over to the side of this road again!” They sit for a minute in silence, watching other cars race past. “I almost don’t know what to do with myself. We’re really free?” Danny eventually says as he turns to his partner.
“Yeah,” Steve says, a smile creeping onto his face.
“It uh… it wasn’t really so bad though… you know – when you think about it,” Danny contends, looking away and then hesitantly back at Steve.
“No… right… I guess it was maybe helpful. I mean, look at us? We’re getting along better, right?” Steve turns to look fully at his partner.
“Yeah… so much better,” Danny shifts in his seat to face Steve. “And you’re not so controlling… You offered to let me drive – which I appreciate, by the way - thank you!”
“You’re welcome,” Steve says, waving his hand graciously.
Danny sobers a little and turns back in his seat. “And, uh, I just want to let you know. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me in the last year. I know I haven’t been the easiest guy to be around lately…”
“No, Danny… It’s okay. I understand. I’m here for you… always. You know that, right?” Steve says, looking piercingly at her partner.
“Yeah, I know that,” Danny lets out a long breath. “I do know that,” he replies, bobbing his head.
“Hey, uh, and thank you, Danno.”
“Yeah? For what?” Danny raises his eyebrows, curious.
“You know, for… sticking with me. And… helping me keep my hatches battened.”
Danny looks at Steve quizzically, but after a second, realization dawns on his face. “Right… the hatches…” Danny nods in acknowledgement and gives a small, knowing smile. “Anytime, Steven… anytime.”
Steve returns Danny’s smile and starts the engine, pulling out from this particular side of the road for the last time.