Work Text:
A Safe Place
It was well past midnight and Grace sniffled uselessly as she was drenched through. She let out a short exhale as the house finally came into view and she slowed her pace as her feet ached fiercely. Home, the single word entered her mind as she climbed up onto the lanai and tentatively knocked on the heavy wooden door finally sheltered from the torrential rain that was lashing the island.
Steve startled awake sitting upright so quickly that he was suddenly lightheaded which he blinked and breathed through. As soon as the light-headedness passed he frowned wondering what it was that had woken him as he had been having a dreamless sleep but it only took him a few seconds to realise someone was at the door. A panic bloomed and fully erupted in him as nothing good came from a knock on the door at 0229 in the morning, and before he could catch himself he launched himself out of his bed then thundered down the stairs to the front door. "Gracie?!"
"Uncle Steve." Grace's voice cracked and the only thing that stopped her from hugging (clinging to) him was the fact that she was drenched and dripping so much that a puddle had already formed at her feet.
Steve looked past Grace for a few seconds out into the inky blackness of the night half expecting to see Danny but he knew logically that he had not heard the Camaro and Danny had a key which he would not hesitate to use before he returned his focus to Gracie who was awfully pale, shivering violently and soaked through as the torrential rain had not stopped since it had started early in the afternoon which was hours ago. "Get in here sweetheart." He reached out and gently tugged her into the house then closed and locked the door behind her as it was cold.
Grace's teeth chattered and she tightened her arms around herself as she let herself be bought into the house she considered a home. "I'm g-g-getting t-the f-f-floor w-wet." She managed to get out as she could feel as the water dripped and splashed at her feet.
Stupidly Steve furrowed his forehead as he looked down at the hardwood floor, at Gracie's feet, to see the small puddle that was rapidly growing. "Wait right here." He barely got the last word out before he was running up the stairs as towels were needed. It took him all of thirty seconds to pull out three towels (one beach, one old one for cleaning, and one of the fluffiest bath sheets he owned) and then he headed into the bathroom, flicked on the light and the seldom used heater then laid the fluffy bath sheet over the heated towel rail which he turned on so the towel would be warm. He slipped into the bedroom and got one of his old Annapolis sweaters out before he went to the spare bedroom and got a couple more pieces of clothing for her out of 'her' drawer which he then put on the countertop next to the sink in the warming bathroom. With that done he raced back down the stairs to see that she had not moved. He hastily dropped the old towel on the floor as he unfolded the large bright multi coloured beach towel and wrapped it around her violently trembling body rubbing his hands over top of her arms trying to generate some heat. "Here is what we are going to do... You are going to go upstairs and get into the shower. I have put the heater on, a towel is warming and there is a change of clothes on the countertop. And while you are doing that I am going to make you a hot chocolate and a peppermint tea for me, and then we are going to sit down so you can tell me what is going on. Okay sweetheart?" As much as he needed to know what was going on, what had led to her turning up in the middle of the night, it was more important for her to get warm and be in dry clothes.
Grace sniffled and a few tears rolled down her cheeks mingling with the water that was still dripping from her hair. "Okay." She managed to get the single word out without her teeth chattering which was not easy considering how cold she was.
A soft albeit tentative smile tugged at the corner of Steve's lips even as water dripped and splashed onto his bare feet. "Go on, go upstairs and get showered." He urged as she was freezing cold and he did not want her to get sick. "I'll be right down here sweetheart."
"Thanks Uncle Steve." Grace whispered and tugged the towel a little tighter around herself then began to head up the stairs as a hot shower was exactly what she needed.
Steve stayed still and watched Grace as she climbed the stairs taking in the slump of her shoulders and her red rimmed and bloodshot eyes which did nothing to ease his worry. It was only once she was out of his line of sight did he set about cleaning up the puddle and subsequent trail of water that had been left behind. He grabbed his phone off of the bedside table once he had thrown the soggy towel in the hamper and hurried back downstairs as he typed a quick text to Danny that read 'With me'. Admittedly he was a little surprised that Danny had not called him but he quickly realised that it was not Danny's night with the kids although he was sure Rachel would not be spiteful enough to not inform Danny that Grace was not with her. He looked down at himself and his frown deepened as in his haste he had not even bothered to grab some clothes so he was still in his boxers and t-shirt. On his way through to the laundry where there was a basket of washed but not yet folded clothes that he could rifle through, he paused in the kitchen just long enough to fill the kettle with water and fill a saucepan with milk then put both on the elements (burners) so they could begin heating.
A Safe Place
The ding of his phone had Danny grumbling as he blindly flailed his hand out in the direction of the bedside table where his phone was plugged into the charger.
Danny winced at the brightness of the screen in the pitch black of his bedroom and he had to blink several times over before it came into focus. It better be worth it, he thought bitterly as his first good night's sleep in weeks had been interrupted.
'With me' was not the text message that Danny expected nor did he understand it. Of course I am with you goof even if it is almost 3am, he thought with a yawn and he haphazardly tossed his phone to the side then dropped his head back down onto the pillow with a nuzzle.
A Safe Place
A yawn left Steve as he pulled the ridiculously big bag of marshmallows out from where they were stashed in the back of the top cupboard and it was just in time as Grace shuffled into the kitchen. "Feeling a little better sweetheart?" He asked as he looked at her seeing his old Annapolis sweater swamped her but she looked a lot warmer and had some colour back to her skin.
Grace nodded her head softly and looked wearily at her Uncle. "Am I in trouble?" She asked softly as she watched him finish off their drinks.
The question from Grace was not what Steve was expecting and he had no idea how to answer as he knew nothing about what had led to her showing up unexpectedly on his doorstep at 02:30 in the morning. He picked up the two mugs. "Let's go sit down on the couch sweetheart... I have got that comforter out that you like which you can curl up with." She was still trembling which concerned him and it was part of the reason he wanted her sitting down tucked up under a comforter.
Another nod came from Grace before she turned around and headed straight for the couch as curling up under her favourite comforter held a certain appeal as she was beyond exhausted.
The complete near silent compliance from Grace was almost as alarming as when Danny was completely silent, Steve thought as his concern grew even more while he followed her over to the couch. "Here Gracie." He had waited for her to get settled before he held out the steaming mug of hot chocolate that was topped off with a small handful of marshmallows and a swirl of chocolate sauce for her to take.
"Mahalo Uncle Steve." Grace wrapped both of her hands around the mug letting the warmth seep into them, and she sipped from it humming softly at the creaminess of the liquid as Uncle Steve had perfected making hot chocolate.
Steve smiled softly as he moved to sit down on the couch beside Grace with his own mug of peppermint tea as he had decided not to pepper her with questions and instead let her talk when she was ready to do so. He knew a thing or two about dealing with each of the Williams' as Danny needed to be poked and prodded whereas Grace would start talking on her own volition once she had the chance to gather her thoughts and Charlie was too young to hide anything.
A soft sigh left Grace as she let the mug of hot chocolate rest down on her comforter covered knee as the warmth continued to leech into her hands. She knew Uncle Steve was giving her the time she needed to gather herself although she was a mess so prolonging the inevitable was pointless. She heaved a heavy sigh out as she rolled her head a little more to the side so she could see him better. "Mom and I had a fight." She pulled the comforter a little tighter around herself absentmindedly.
A fight between Rachel and Grace would not usually have Grace on my doorstep, Steve thought as he pursed his lips tightly to stop himself from saying it aloud. "It must have been a bad fight sweetheart." He stated softly hoping it would propel her to share more but he was not going to push her as it never worked out well.
A snort left Grace before she could stop it as bad did not even begin to describe the fight they had. "It was more then bad Uncle Steve." She admitted before she bought the mug back up to her lips and took a few big mouthfuls as it was as comforting as it was warming.
Another furl of panic shot through Steve at Grace's comment and he pushed himself up just far enough to set his largely untouched mug down on the coffee table. "Grace, sweetheart, did the argument with your Mom turn physical?" He tried to be as delicate as possible hence his phrasing of the question.
The question caught Grace off balance as Uncle Steve never usually interrupted her instead he let her speak in her own time. She drew her bottom lip in between her teeth and gnawed on it lightly for a few prolonged seconds as the answer was a little complicated. "Not really, I mean Mom grabbed my wrist when I went to walk away from her but nothing else." But the grab was hard enough that some light bruising had already formed around her wrist. She sighed again, a little heavier this time, and scrubbed her hand across her face glad that she had tightly tied her hair up in a messy top bun. "The argument started because I want Charlie and I to stay with Danno more... like on a permanent basis."
Steve winced sharply before he could stop himself from doing so as he was not surprised that an argument erupted. "Okay." He did not want to prevent Gracie from talking so he kept it simple despite the myriad of questions that had formed and were continuing to form in his mind.
Grace drained the rest of the hot chocolate from the mug then set it down on the coffee table before she settled back down. "You are wondering why." It was a statement rather than a question as she could see the unasked questions on her Uncle's face and she understood it as they had not spoken about it before.
Maybe I do have faces, Steve thought idly however he certainly did not dwell on it as the pressing matter of Grace's fight with Rachel took priority. "I am sweetheart." It was a huge decision to make and it had seemingly come out of nowhere however he also knew her well enough to know that she would have thought it through and that it would not be rash. "I am not judging. I just would like to know what bought you to decide what you have." He assured her lightly even though the topic felt far from light.
It was a fair request, Grace admitted silently to herself while pursing her lips as she deliberated on how best to explain herself. With a soft huff she pushed and pulled at the comforter until it was untangled from her legs and she moved so she could curl up against Uncle Steve's side. A smile tugged at her lips as he moved just enough to accommodate and he wrapped his arm around her once the comforter was settled back in place. "That's better." She murmured before she thought Uncle Steve gave the best hugs.
Steve loved that Grace was comfortable enough to curl up against him like it was her spot and it reminded him so much of Danny. He tightened his arm around her before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Yeah it is." He agreed as it wasn't too often that he got to hug Gracie these days as he understood when Danny bemoaned that she was growing up too fast.
A soft hum left Grace as the time it had taken for her to settle had allowed her to gather her thoughts. "I know Charlie and I being at Danno's full time would be hard on Danno because of his job..." She cringed feeling her Uncle tense but it did not deter her from explaining. "One weeknight a week and one weekend a fortnight isn't enough nor is it fair. It never has been Uncle Steve." The older she got the more she realised the indifference in the custody agreement that she knew her Danno had fought against as he had wanted more equality. "I don't really know how to explain it but Mom's feels really toxic and suffocating especially since she and Stan are thinking of trying again despite the divorce and all of the deceiving she has done." She could not stop herself from scoffing. "It won't work." She knew sarcasm would not get her anywhere and she sighed. "It just doesn't feel like home - not like at Danno's or here." And she could see it in Charlie too as he was far more settled. "I just wanted to have a calm, civil, conversation but just like with everything else these days Mom flipped out and started yelling then Charlie started crying because the noise had woken him up which just gave her more reason to yell." Her voice had climbed in pitch and she stopped to take a few deep breaths as there was no reason for it. She deflated as all the emotion bled out of her for the moment and she was beyond exhausted. "Is it so bad that I want to live with Danno, Uncle Steve?" Her voice came out in nothing more than a whisper with the question and absentmindedly she attempted to burrow further into his side.
Steve's heart was both warmed and broken as he listened to Gracie share what had factored into her decision; he was warmed that she considered his house home but he was heartbroken by her belief that being with Danny would be hard because of his job, that she felt she was in a toxic environment where she was clearly not being listened too, and that she actually felt the need to ask the question she had. He caught her hand in his and let his thumb lazily sweep across her knuckles as she curled in tighter to his side. "It is not bad that you want to address it Gracie." He was delicate in his wording as he did not want to say anything inappropriate that would give her false hope and that would risk Danny's ire. "And do not ever think that Danno's job or mine is more important than you and Charlie because it is not." He emphasised it with his voice. "From what you have said, I think a conversation needs to be had between you, Mom and Danno so you all can talk this through properly." While he only had one side of the story he did think Rachel could have reacted better but he did not dare to share that aloud.
Grace exhaled heavily and some of the tension melted away at the confirmation that she was not in the wrong to want to have a discussion about her and Charlie living with Danno on a more permanent basis. "I know that you and Danno love me and Charlie. That wasn't what I meant to imply." She yawned and nuzzled her cheek against the soft fabric of his shoulder. "I just know how busy you and Danno are, that's all."
"I know you didn't Gracie." Steve answered quickly not wanting her to worry about it. "You know we need to talk about how you got here." He had his suspicions but he wanted to let her answer without fear of persecution as she was already upset.
A soft sigh left Grace as she had expected the question earlier but she still did not want to answer it however she knew she was in no position to refrain from doing so as she was the one that had turned up on her Uncle's doorstep drenched from the rain in the middle of the night. "I walked." She admitted keeping her head ducked. "I just had to get out of there Uncle Steve."
Grace had always been taught to de-escalate any situation she found herself in and if she could not de-escalate or she did not feel safe then to distance or remove herself from the situation, Steve thought or rather reminded himself and he was sure Danny had used the same lecture on him once or several times before. "I understand the need to get out of the house Grace." He began only to pause as he had to figure out what to say. "Look I don't care what time it is or where you are but next time you will call me so I can pick you up. You are never going to be in any trouble when you do sweetheart." Undoubtedly there would come a time when she needed a ride home from somewhere and he needed her to know that she had a much safer option. "I want you safe." And walking around in the middle of the night alone was not safe and that was without factoring in the terrible weather.
"I understand... Thanks Uncle Steve." Grace had to pause in between as she yawned so wide she could have sworn her jaw cracked. She knew walking around in the middle of the night was a stupid thing to do and it was not something she ever intended to do because after all she was a Detective's daughter and she knew how cruel the world could be.
There was a lot more to be discussed but it was late and Grace was going to fall asleep sooner rather than later, Steve thought as more of her weight sunk down against him although he did not mind it one bit. "I think it is bedtime Gracie." He whispered softly not missing how her eyelids were fluttering slower and slower and each time she forced them to rise again. "The spare bedroom is ready for you." He continued just as softly grateful that it was actually ready.
A lazy, sleepy, hum left Grace as she nuzzled her cheek against her Uncle's shoulder as she was far too tired and her feet hurt too much to move.
The faintest chuckle left Steve at Grace's resounding hum and he did not have it in his heart to make her move considering she was almost asleep and she looked so comfortable. "Okay, we can stay here sweetheart." He shifted just enough to settle a little lower and put his feet up on the coffee table. He let his head drop back against the cushion with a very soft sigh once he had pressed another feather light kiss to the top of her head and he let his eyelids slide closed as he listened to the intense pitter patter of the torrential rain that seemed not to have any intention of letting up any time soon. "I love you Gracie."
A Safe Place
A loud groan echoed around the pitch black bedroom as the high pitched screeching ring tone woke Danny up from the deep sleep he had settled into. He huffed as he pressed his face further into the pillow while he blindly flung his hand out in search of his phone that he had so haphazardly tossed aside when he had last been woken up.
"Rachel, do you know what time it is?" Danny had no idea what time it was as he answered the phone without looking as he still felt exhausted.
"Grace is gone Danny!" Rachel cried hysterically and loudly through the phone.
The sleepiness that had been clinging to Danny evaporated instantaneously and he hurried to sit up while simultaneously clutching the phone tighter and ignoring the aches, pains and stiffness that bloomed within him. "What? What are you talking about?" He asked frantically as he threw the sheet and comforter off, turned the bedside lamp on with a wince, and then got out of bed as he needed to get dressed.
A sob left Rachel as she paced her living room completely lost on what to do. "We had a fight." She sniffled and cringed as she hoped not to have to go into the particulars of her and Grace's fight. "And I thought it was best to leave it till morning but I couldn't sleep so I went to check on her and she is gone."
"Gone?" Danny echoed as he jammed his phone between his ear and shoulder so he could get dressed. "I am on my way Rachel." He snapped before he ended the call, dropped the phone, pulled a white t-shirt on followed by a pair of jeans, grabbed his gun and badge, and shoved his feet into the first pair of sneakers he spied. He picked his phone up, switched off the light and hurried out of the house only pausing to pick up his keys and lock the door after him.
Grace knew better, Danny thought as he hurried down the quiet yet slick roads with his flashing lights going as he did not want any delays. He sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair messing it up as he did not understand but what he did know was that he was missing a lot of details. For now he had to get to Rachel's as that was the starting point.
Rachel scrubbed her hand over her face once she had dropped the phone down on the couch. She knew she had overreacted, had been too harsh, and ended up being dismissive of Grace and her feelings but she had been caught off guard and immediately became defensive.
"Mama." Charlie's small sleepy voice echoed through the living room from the top of the stairs before he began to toddle down them with his blanket clutched in one hand and stuffed plush seal in the other.
A small startled sound left Rachel before she could stop it and she spun around in a hurry. "What are you doing up sweetie?" Considering the late night wake up and how long it had taken her to get Charlie settled and back to sleep she thought (hoped) he would sleep late into the morning. It was pointless asking, she thought a little scornfully as she knew better because Charlie was almost always non-verbal for the first hour or so of the morning just like his father was until he got through his first cup of coffee.
Charlie paused on the second to last step and held his arms up wanting to be picked up and held as he was tired.
Usually Rachel would love having her son who just wanted to be held and cuddled in her arms especially in the tranquil hours of the morning before the day had truly began but it was far from a normal day as she was running on almost no sleep and Grace had taken off sometime in the night between 11pm and 06:30am which was terrifying. A heavy sigh left her as Charlie continued to wait with his arms up and she slowly closed the distance between them and lifted him up settling him on her hip even though he was getting too big for it.
Heavily Charlie dropped his head down onto his Mom's shoulder and he leaned in closer as the blanket was wrapped around him. He let out a soft huff and nuzzled lightly.
Absentmindedly Rachel let her head rest against Charlie's as she meandered across the living room to the floor to ceiling window that looked out over the front yard out towards the street. There was very little, next to nothing, that reminded her of London yet the torrential rain had left the ground sodden, a damp chill in the air, and as night gave way to the daylight it looked like the dawning day was going to be gloomy.
A shiver ran up Rachel's spine as she desperately wished to be out looking for Grace but the sad truth was that she had absolutely no idea where Grace would have gone, and the realisation only made her sadder.
"Danno..." Charlie mumbled and squirmed.
Rachel startled lightly as she had gotten lost in the avalanche of thoughts swirling around in her mind and she was relieved to see the familiar black Camaro pulling up the drive. "Yeah, Danno's here sweetie." She murmured thickly as she headed towards the front door to unlock and open it.
The drive over to Rachel's had done nothing to ease the panic he felt and instead it had only served to increase his ire but he knew all of the emotions swirling inside of him like a tornado forming had to be put aside until after they found Grace. He bought the Camaro to a hard stop, turned the lights and then the engine off, then hurried to free himself from the restrictive confines of the seatbelt and get out of it. He was unsurprised when the door opened just before he reached it and Rachel was there with her eyes red rimmed and her cheeks blotchy but he was slightly surprised to see Charlie in her arms given that the clock had just ticked over to 0700am and it was a Saturday morning.
"Danny..." Rachel barely managed to hold in the sob that threatened to let loose from her throat and she had to tighten her hold on Charlie as he was getting heavy in her arms. "I'm sorry."
Danny blew out a breath as Rachel was frazzled and struggling to hold up a clingy Charlie. "Give him 'ere Rach." He held his arms out once he was inside with the door closed behind him. "Hey buddy." Charlie transferred over easily and for that he was grateful. "Have you tried calling her?" He asked as he followed her through into the kitchen.
"Of course I have..." Rachel snapped and promptly regretted. "Sorry. I'm sorry." Snapping at Danny was not going to help them locate Grace and it was her own insecurities that were feeding and heightening her emotional state. "She left it in her room."
A huff left Danny at the news that Grace had left her phone and he could not help but wonder how deliberate of an action it had been on Grace's part. "You said you had a fight. What was it about?" He hoped that knowing what the fight was about that it might give him some indication to where Grace had gone.
A cringe marred Rachel's face for a few seconds before she could hide it, and she knew it had not been missed. "Grace said something she should not have." She directly misled him. "I don't know where she would have gone and it doesn't appear that she took anything with her." Years of being with Danny meant subconsciously she knew what the cop side of him needed to know and it also served to redirect him from her and Grace's fight for the time being.
Danny knew when he was not being told the truth but he decided not to call Rachel on it in the moment as finding where Grace had gone was much more important. For a few seconds his attention was diverted as Charlie let out a small moan and tried to burrow closer to his chest. "Alright. Okay." He grumbled as he decided on a plan. "How long do you think she has been gone?" It was too early to call in HPD officially but unofficially he could call in a favour or three to have all of HPD looking out.
"I don't know." Rachel admitted with a shake of her head as she had no idea how Grace managed to leave the house without her hearing anything.
You are not giving me anything to work with, Danny thought somewhat bitterly but he was not going to start an argument with Charlie in his arms. "I want you to stay here and call all of Grace's friend's parents while Charlie indulges in some early morning cartoons. I am going to go and see if she is at any of the places she likes to go." He had a small list already formed in his mind of places that Grace liked. "Charlie, buddy, you are going to watch some cartoons and in a little bit Mom will get you some cereal." It was not a discussion and he made his way over to the couch where he could put Charlie down.
Rachel swallowed thickly and nodded her head not wanting to admit to Danny that she had no idea who to call and she realised that she could see some of the reasoning behind Grace's request (demand). She did not say anything as she watched Danny settle Charlie on the couch and turn the television on to one of the many cartoon channels.
Danny brushed his hand over Charlie's forehead pushing the wild bed hair back even though it sprung back immediately. "I love you." He pressed a kiss to his forehead before he straightened up and looked across at Rachel. "I will call as soon as I know anything." He said to her before he took his leave as he needed to find his daughter.
Watching Danny leave did nothing to quell the swirl of emotions inside of Rachel but what she did know was that this was not like the last time and that Danny would find Grace.
Danny roared out of the driveway and headed in the direction of the Palace as sometimes Grace liked to curl up on the couch in either his office or Steve's and none of the security staff would deem her turning up anything to be alarmed about.
Steve! Danny was sure the thought of Steve made a light bulb go on. "How did I not think of it earlier?" He asked himself aloud as he fumbled with his phone suddenly remembering the strange text message that made no sense a few hours ago. "With me." He read the message aloud. "I am going to teach you how to use your words you animal." He grumbled as he tossed his phone over onto the passenger seat and pulled an abrupt turn that he was sure Steve would be proud of. As much as he wanted to yell at Steve for his lack of context he knew he should have queried the strangeness of the message when it had first arrived but all that mattered was that Grace was safe.
A Safe Place
Steve stirred lightly and he blinked against the light that was peeking in through the window before he looked down at Grace who was still asleep against his chest. As careful as he could and without jostling her, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to check the time seeing it was only a little after 0700. Usually he would get up and go for a swim but he decided to forego it as he did not want to wake her and he certainly was not going to leave her alone. He let his head drop back against the cushion and let his eyelids close as he was comfortable. There were things to be done, Steve thought idly even as he settled into a light doze.
The familiar rumble of the Camaro had Steve forcing his eyelids up as he had half expected Danny to arrive after he had sent the text and the other half of him had expected him to arrive later given that it was the weekend and they had been running on very little sleep all week. He turned his head to the side just as he heard the door unlock and he quickly bought his finger to his lips signalling for Danny to be quiet as he stepped inside.
Danny stilled the moment he let himself inside the house as the heavy ball of panic inside of his stomach imploded and melted away. "Hey." He whispered a little shakily as the relief bloomed within him and a soft smile tugged at his lips as Grace was sleeping peacefully curled into Steve's side. "Is she okay?" He wanted to hear from Grace but she looked exhausted but then again so did Steve.
Steve pursed his lips and looked down at Grace for a few seconds before he looked back at Danny. "Exhausted and upset... Do you want me to wake her?" It was the last thing he wanted to do but it certainly had not escaped his notice how frazzled Danny appeared.
"No." Danny raised his voice accidentally as he wanted to let Grace sleep more than he wanted answers. "No, just let her sleep." He waved his hand about. "I need to let Rachel know that I found her."
"I will make us some coffee while you do." Coffee was definitely needed to get through the morning especially if Rachel arrived which Steve suspected would eventuate. He delicately moved away from Grace before he shifted her so she was lying down with the comforter tucked around her. A soft unintelligible mumble came from her and it made him pause until she settled with another soft noise. "It's all going to be okay sweetheart."
She came to the right place, Danny thought as he watched Steve settle Grace with ease. "Come on babe." He had questions that he wanted answers to as soon as he had finished with the phone call to Rachel. "We are going to talk." He added on as they really needed too.
You always make that sound ominous, Steve thought glumly even as he nodded his head to signal that he had heard Danny. "Meet me in the kitchen." He took one last look at Grace before he made his way to the kitchen to get the coffee going.
Danny was in desperate need of strong freshly brewed coffee but first he had to make a call so with one more relieved look at Grace he headed for the back lanai.
Steve moved around the kitchen as quietly as he could as he had considered making breakfast before deciding against it momentarily. He pursed his lips as he watched through the kitchen window as Danny paced aimlessly across the sodden lawn with his hand flailing about angrily as he argued with Rachel. It was never easy, he thought as he watched Danny's aggravation grow but before he could get caught watching he turned back to the brewing coffee.
Grace stirred at the aroma of coffee emanating from the kitchen and her forehead furrowed for a few seconds before the events of the night came flooding back to her. She let out a groan as she untucked herself from the comforter then scrubbed her hands over her face as her skin had that post cry gross feeling despite the shower she had taken. It felt far too early to be awake yet at the same time she knew she would not be able to go back to sleep. She yawned as she pushed herself up then got off the couch and began to shuffle towards the kitchen.
It was somewhat of a surprise to see Grace shuffle into the kitchen but she did not look rested at all. "Morning sweetheart." Steve kept his voice soft as he pulled a glass off of the shelf then opened the fridge door, pulled out the carton of blackcurrant juice and filled the glass.
"Mahalo Uncle Steve." Grace took the glass and drank from it immediately as she was thirstier than she realised.
"Slow down sweetheart." Steve reminded Grace. "How are you feeling this morning?" He asked as he grabbed two mugs from off of the shelf and set them down ready to be filled.
Grace hummed instead of answering directly as she set the half full glass down on the countertop then leaned back against it. "A little achey." She finally admitted as her feet hurt. "Have you heard from Danno?" Her voice had softened as she was unsure of the reaction she would get.
A frown flittered across Steve's face before he could stop it but it was unsurprising that Grace had not realised. "Danno is here, he is just talking to your Mom on the phone sweetheart." And he did not miss the way she tensed. "It is fine Gracie." He assured her softly hating the uncertainty that presented itself from her. "Do you want something to eat?" Food was always a good distraction.
"... That woman is impossible... British ponce... Oh!" Danny had been grumbling under his breath as he came in through the kitchen door that led to the garage so as not to disturb Grace but there she was. "Come here monkey." He held his arms out as he needed to hug his 'not so little' little girl.
Without meaning to Grace eyed Danny a little wearily as she had expected him to yell instead of wanting to hug her before she finally shuffled to him. "Hi Danno." She whispered before she pressed her face into his chest and a shudder ran through her.
The moment of hesitation from Grace cracked Danny's heart and he did not miss the trace of fear that lingered in her eyes but he let out the breath he had not realised he was holding as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. He glanced over at Steve who simply (and irritatingly) shrugged his shoulders in a far too nonchalant manner which made him narrow his eyes at him for a few seconds before he turned his attention back to Grace. "I love you monkey." He whispered before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head and tightened his hold on her as she had terrified him. The faint smell of her apple scented shampoo surrounded him and settled something inside of him.
Reluctantly Grace pulled away after a few minutes and she brushed her hand over her face as she stepped back. "I'm sorry Danno."
An apology was a start, Danny thought as he nodded his head at it. "Why don't you, me and Uncle Steve go and sit down? You can tell me what is going on and then I will make us all pancakes." It was frighteningly obvious that somehow he had missed something what had led to her seeking refuge at Steve's.
Grace looked at Uncle Steve before she looked back at Danno. "Okay." She knew she had to explain as she owed that much.
The reserved demeanour that Danny had was not what Steve had expected but he was grateful for it. "You two go and sit. I'll join you with the drinks." The coffee needed another thirty seconds of brewing time before it was poured into the awaiting mugs and tempered to each of their likings. "I'll top up your juice too Gracie." He assured her easily.
"Okay." Grace relented uneasily as she was still waiting for the yelling to start.
Danny hated the timid-ness from Grace and she looked so downcast before she shuffled out of the kitchen. "Babe..." He looked at Steve feeling every bit helpless as he did when he was woken up by Rachel telling him that she was gone.
"Just listen to her Danny." Steve implored quietly before he plunged the coffee then set about pouring it into the mugs. "Listen to her."
That was not the advice I was looking for, Danny thought glumly as he shook his head but he could see the value in it. "Make my coffee extra strong." He needed it desperately as he tossed the comment over his shoulder on his way out of the kitchen.
Grace curled up on the couch in the corner once more and tucked the comforter around herself. She pursed her lips tightly as she was worried.
The distant was palpable and all Danny wanted to do was reach out to Grace but he resisted as he settled himself in the recliner. "It's okay monkey."
"Is Mom on her way?" Grace blurted the question out as she could not stand the silence any longer.
Steve stepped out of the kitchen just in time to catch Grace's question and it made him wince even though it was a fair one as he was a little surprised that Rachel had not turned up with Danny. He pushed the mug into Danny's hand as he passed by before he set the glass of juice down on the coffee table in front of Grace then he sat down on the couch next to her.
Shamefully Danny had hoped that Steve would interfere but of course he did not. "No, Mom is not on her way, Grace." He answered then took a sip of coffee which he had to quickly stifle a wince at as it was still on the side of scolding. "She wanted to Grace but I figured it would be best if we talked first so you can tell me what happened last night." Because I know Rachel is not being truthful with me was thought but certainly not shared aloud.
A bloom of relief burst through Grace as she simply was not ready to face her Mom given how heated the argument had gotten. "Didn't Mom tell you?" The relief was destroyed and immediately replaced with dread.
"I want to hear it from you monkey." Danny said as softly yet as firmly as he could as he settled the mug on the corner of the coffee table.
As much as Steve did not want to intervene he could see that both Danny and Grace were anxious and that it was only growing. "Gracie, sweetheart, just tell Danno what you told me... It doesn't matter how it comes out or in what order. Okay?" He assured her with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
Grace took a steadying breath then exhaled slowly. "Okay." She gave a tentative smile as she pushed and pulled at the comforter fidgeting.
Danny knew that Grace had inherited his trait where he needed not to be pushed when he was trying to get his thoughts together. Despite knowing what he did it still was hard to sit and watch his daughter fidget while he waited for an explanation although he took comfort that she was sat in front of him. And he was even more incredibly grateful for Steve in the moment, and he made a mental note to thank Steve later once things were (hopefully) taken care of.
"Mom and I had a fight last night." Grace admitted before she rubbed her hand across her face again as she wished she had taken a minute or two to wash her face to get rid of the itchy feeling. "It devolved into a lot of screaming."
Danny grimaced as he knew all too well what it was like arguing with Rachel and he was aware that Grace had his temperament which meant a lot of natural snark and sass came out. "What was the argument about?" It was kind of fascinating how neither Grace or Rachel had actually told him what had started it.
Steve watched as Grace wavered at the question Danny had asked and as she looked at him he gave her a small but encouraging nod.
Grace squirmed for a few moments as usually Uncle Steve's silent encouragement was all she needed but this argument had not been one she considered 'normal'. She sighed heavily and curled her fingers around the comforter. "I told Mom that I want Charlie and I to live with you." She drew in the quickest breath she could as she did not miss the surprise on his face. "Look I know it is probably not ideal and logistically it is probably a nightmare and Mom will be as difficult as possible while yelling just as loudly... It's your turn Danno... It's suffocating and I don't see why she could not at least have a rational discussion!" She rambled hurriedly before she stopped to draw in a breath. "It just doesn't feel like a home Danno." She finished sadly and far slower than any of her previous words.
It was a lot to take in as Danny blinked heavily at the hurried onslaught of words. Now he knew how Steve felt when he spoke the way Grace was, he thought before he sent a mildly apologetic look towards Steve. For all of the potential topics that could have caused an argument between Rachel and Grace he had not considered this one and he could not help but be bewildered. "Okay." He drew the single word out slowly as he tried to figure out an appropriate response. "It's... uh... clear that you have been thinking about this... for a while." He was sure he was making a mess. "Why haven't you said anything before monkey?" There was a lot to unravel and it seemed like a good starting point.
The urge to shrug was strong for Grace but she resisted as it was a fair question because she had not said anything before. "I guess I didn't want to be told 'no'." She knew it was a childish answer and how petulant it sounded.
"Oh Grace." Danny never wanted Grace and Charlie to feel as if they could not speak to him or that what they wanted was not valid. "You can always talk to me about anything." He made a mental note to reiterate it often to both of them. He got up, moved from the recliner and paused only to slide the glass of juice out of the way before he sat down on the edge of the coffee table. Carefully he reached out and took hold of her hands letting his thumbs sweep lightly over her knuckles. "I need you to hear me, okay?" He paused just long enough for her to squeeze his hand. "I do not care if Uncle Steve and I are on a stakeout or we are in the middle of any craziness that our animal can get us into. I am always going to have time for you and Charlie."
"So does that mean you will talk to Mom?" Grace asked hopeful as she squeezed his hands. "About Charlie and I living with you?"
The last thing Danny wanted to do was disappoint Grace. "I will talk to Mom, I will, but you have to accept what we work out however it also means you get to have and share your opinion." It would be a battle with Rachel but he was always going to fight to spend as much time as he could with his kids. And an alteration or several to their custody agreement certainly would not be a bad thing if it meant more time, he thought as he could never have enough time.
Grace wanted to protest the 'have to accept' part but she knew Danny would keep his word and actually have the conversation about her and Charlie's living arrangements. "Okay." She relented uneasily as she had no doubt that her Mom would not be that open to change.
Danny was worried about Grace's lacklustre response but he could see that she was emotionally and physically exhausted. "How did you get here?" He wanted to have a deeper conversation but he knew it would be better to have once she was not so exhausted however there were still some aspects of the night that he needed to know about.
A grimace crossed Grace's face before she could stop it as she was sure the yelling would begin as soon as she answered the question. "I walked." She admitted as she tugged her hand free to scrub at her face. "I know it was stupid Danno."
There were so many ways a walk in the middle of the night for a person of Grace's age (or any age) could go bad which Danny knew from professional experience. He blew out a noisy breath as he wanted to yell but it was not going to achieve anything nor did he want to ruin the safe space that Steve's house was for her. "I don't want you to do that again... I am sure Uncle Steve will agree with what I am about to say which is we would rather you call one of us for a ride then walk anywhere in the middle of the night." There was so much more that he could say but he decided to keep it simple.
A mild flush coloured Steve's cheeks and he scrubbed his hand over the side of his neck. "Uh... Danno... we kind of already had this conversation." He admitted carefully as like Grace he was still waiting for Danny to yell.
"Yeah Danno. Uncle Steve did." Grace confirmed with a solemn nod before she scrubbed her hand over her face again as the itchy feeling was not subsiding.
"Was it the half-baked marshmallow filled cookie Uncle Steve or the Navy Commander Uncle Steve who you had this talk with?" Danny teased as he already knew the answer because the half-baked marshmallow filled cookie version was the only one that the kids got which he adored.
"Hey!" Steve protested with mock outrage.
A giggle left Grace at Uncle Steve's protest however she quickly sobered as she looked back at Danno. "Uncle Steve did his upmost to be stern but it was the half baked marshmallow filled cookie version." She answered a little sheepishly. "But I will. I promise."
"Ha! See I was stern." Steve poked his tongue out at Danny.
"Menace." Danny grumbled lightly and fondly under his breath before he reached out and booped Steve on the nose with his finger making him go cross-eyed.
Steve scrunched his nose and half-heartedly glared at Danny. "Did you just bop me on the nose?" He asked slowly as only Danny would dare to do it to him.
Danny rolled his eyes even as Grace giggled shamelessly. "I did." He answered just as shamelessly as Grace's giggling. "Why don't you go upstairs and have a shower monkey?" He could tell her facial skin was really bothering her just as it always did whenever she cried.
Nice change of subject Danno, Steve thought but he left it. "If you want to have a bath there are some of those fizzy bath bomb things in the middle drawer to use sweetheart." He offered as Mary had left them after one of her visits and he could always replace them but he knew Mary would not mind either.
"That sounds nice Grace." Danny smiled at Steve's suggestion. "And I will make us pancakes after."
"A bath does sound good." Grace admitted although she would scrub her face first in an effort to get rid of the itchiness and lingering stickiness.
Danny smiled at Grace's cavalier answer. "Go on monkey." He encouraged with one last squeeze of her hand that he still had a hold of before he let go.
A yawn left Grace as she untangled herself from the comforter then stood up with a slight wobble and another yawn. She stretched and arched as she was sorer then she cared to admit. "I'll be back down soon." She mumbled before she shuffled up the stairs.
It was clear that the argument with Rachel still weighed heavily on Grace by the way her shoulders were hunched inwards and Danny hated she felt that way. He picked up his forgotten mug of coffee, bought it to his lips, and gulped the now cold liquid. "I definitely need another coffee." About a gallon should do, he thought as he felt as exhausted as Grace looked. He rolled his head to the side and looked over to Steve who looked just as exhausted but was watching him wearily. "Come on, you can make the coffee while I make the pancakes." He pushed himself up off of the coffee table ignoring the loud popping protest from his knee before he meandered into the kitchen knowing Steve would follow.
Here comes the yelling, Steve thought as he swallowed thickly and pushed himself up off of the couch to follow after Danny as it was clearly what was expected of him. "You okay?" It was probably a stupid question but he felt like it needed to be asked as he stopped and lent against the doorframe.
A short slightly harsh sounding huff came from Danny as he moved around the kitchen pulling out what he needed for their breakfast. He accidentally put the large mixing bowl down on the countertop with a loud thud before he forced himself to duck his head as he slowly inhaled and exhaled a few times. "I woke up to a hysterical phone call from Rachel telling me that Grace was gone." A shudder ran through him and he grabbed onto the edge of the countertop to steady himself. "It's one of the worst feelings in the world and... and its bringing all of those memories to the forefront of that day with... when she was taken..." He shook his head trying and failing to dispel those memories.
Steve hurriedly pushed himself off of the doorframe and closed the distance with Danny. "Hey..." He laid one hand on the nape of Danny's neck and wrapped his other around the side of his neck. "She is here and she is safe." He softened his voice as he let his fingers glide gently over the warmed skin. "Did you not get my text message?" It was undoubtedly the wrong thing to say by how Danny tensed.
"With me is not an adequate message Steve!" Danny raised his voice and flailed his hands about absentmindedly brushing them against Steve's stomach. "And what is worse is that I should have replied to find out what was going on but instead I tossed my phone aside and went back to sleep until I got the call from Rachel... I didn't make the connection as quick as I should have either." He softened his voice as he did not want it to carry and for Grace to overhear. "Even once I did I still didn't know really."
"I'm sorry Danny." Steve hurried to apologise as he had certainly not intended to cause Danny any more stress. "My focus was on Gracie as she was upset and soaked through from the rain." It was not an excuse but rather an explanation. "But I should have sent a longer message or called you instead."
Danny turned into Steve who accommodated him effortlessly and he dropped his forehead to rest against Steve's collarbone with a huff. "I am happy that she came to you." He really was as there was no doubt in his mind that Steve would keep his little girl safe but at the same time he could not help but be a little hurt that she had not come to him. "I had no idea she was that unhappy at Rachel's." And he felt guilty for missing that especially considering how many times he had come home to her when it was not his day.
Steve lightly squeezed the nape of Danny's neck where his hand rested. "We all missed it." They really had as she had been coming around a lot more often and had seemed reluctant to go back to Rachel's every time. Hindsight was a great thing, he thought as it almost always made things clearer. "What are you going to do now?" It was a lot to absorb and he could understand if Danny had not had the time to process or figure out what came next.
Reluctantly Danny pulled himself away from Steve then scrubbed his hand across the side of his stubble covered jaw. "We are going to have breakfast and after that I need to go and talk with Rachel but I don't want Grace to feel pressured to come if she is not ready." Truthfully he was unsure if he should make Grace come with him to talk to Rachel but she had already run once. "I can't leave Grace somewhere that she is not comfortable." He rubbed at his jaw again before he cleared his throat and began to sort out the ingredients for the pancake batter as the mundane task would help to soothe him.
"All of the Williams' have a place here any time they need it Danno." Steve meant every word as he could admit that it was nice when the house was filled. "I was just going to stay round here and spend the day doing as many of the chores that I can which have been neglected because of how busy we have been at work so Gracie is more than welcome to stay." The amount of dirty laundry that he had to do was both ridiculous and scary plus there was an entire list after that to get through. "A quiet day might be good for Grace too."
The pancake recipe that Danny used was one of the many that he knew off by heart and he could eyeball the measurements without an ounce of hesitation. "I think she could do with a long nap at some stage today." I could too, he thought as he yawned while he continued to dump all of the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl.
A light chuckle left Steve as he finally moved to make more coffee without interfering with Danny and his batter making process. "So could you Danno." He murmured softly as he turned the burner on so the kettle could boil the water.
Danny did not miss Steve's murmured words and he certainly was not going to disagree with them. He shook his head softly as he added the wet ingredients into the bowl and began to fold them into the dry ones. "Steve." He waited until Steve turned around before he continued. "Mahalo for taking care of our girl." He softened his voice and deliberately used 'our' because it was fitting.
"You never had to thank me for looking after the kids Danno." Steve smiled tentatively as the 'our' part made him melt. "And she is going to be okay."
Everything felt a little too much, Danny thought through the stress and exhaustion as it had been a whirlwind couple of hours. "Yeah..." He was at a loss for words really as there was still so much to deal with (and by so much he meant Rachel). He winced before he could stop himself as he realised he did not want Charlie to overhear him and Rachel as he was sure it would get loud.
Steve did not miss Danny's wince or the flash of confliction that crossed his face. "What is it?" He asked in a hushed voice as they were both making sure their voices did not carry.
"Do you think you could follow me over to Rachel's and bring Charlie back here? I don't want him hearing us fight." Charlie was perceptive and he reacted to everything around him which is why it was important to take him out of the temperamental environment. "He will be happy to spend the day with you here and I am sure he would be happy to curl up with Grace."
A rambling Danny was a stressed Danny which Steve hated. "Of course I can get Charlie and bring him back here." He could still get all of his laundry done in between making sure Gracie and Charlie were okay (as he was firmly convinced that Grace would refuse the offer to go with Danny to talk to Rachel).
Danny exhaled slowly but before he could respond the sound of Grace's footsteps on the stairs caught his attention, and he caught the subtle nod from Steve signalling he had heard too.
A yawn left Grace as she slowly made her way towards the kitchen as the bath infused with one of the vanilla and cocoa butter bath bombs that she had found had left her loose limbed and feeling a lot more relaxed although the exhaustion was still biting at her. She had twisted her hair up in a braided top bun and found a pair of her black leggings to wear with Uncle Steve's old Annapolis sweater so she was comfortable. "Hi." She spoke softly as she stopped in the doorway of the kitchen with uncertainty lacing her voice as she was unsure if she was interrupting.
"Hey monkey, feeling a bit better after your bath?" Danny asked with a smile as he gently hip checked Steve out of the way as he turned the burner on and set the pan down on top of it so it would be ready for the batter.
Grace brushed a loose strand of hair back behind her ear as Uncle Steve pressed a kiss to her temple on his way past as he moved out of Danny's way. "I am." She answered with another yawn.
As Danny looked at Grace he decided against asking if she wanted to come with him to Rachel's. "So monkey after breakfast Uncle Steve is going to follow me over to your Mom's house and bring Charlie back here while she and I talk. Okay?" By now the dob of butter in the pan was melted and sizzling so he ladled two big scoops of batter into the pan to cook.
"So I can stay here?" Grace hoped she could and she wrapped her arms around herself protectively.
The protective gesture nor the way the question was asked did not go unnoticed by Danny and a quick glance over at Steve told him he had seen it too. "As long as that is what you want to do monkey."
Grace sniffled as her emotions were all over the place and she nodded her head to confirm that she wanted to stay at Uncle Steve's. She was sick of crying, of bring an emotional wreck, and she hastily wiped at her eyes. She waved her hand in front of her in an 'ignore me' manner as she ducked her head. "Sorry... Is it okay if I sit outside until breakfast is ready?" She needed some fresh air as she had a headache.
Steve looked across at Danny before he looked at Grace. "Sure you can Gracie but take the glass of juice as you need to drink and wrap yourself up in the comforter as there is an early morning chill." He paused as she nodded her head. "We will come get you soon sweetheart."
"Stay on the lanai please monkey." Danny did not want Grace going down to the water's edge as he flipped the two pancakes over so the other side could cook.
Grace retreated slowly, detouring to wrap the comforter around herself and pick up the glass of juice that had remained untouched, before she made her way out onto the lanai in the backyard. She settled herself in the old lounger that was tucked into the corner of the lanai and stretched out. Absentmindedly she sipped at the juice as she let the dulcet sounds of the waves calm her. Realistically she knew the unsettled and tumultuous feelings that swirled around inside of her would not absolve until things were truly sorted and she knew it would not be a quick fix especially with her Mom's reaction. She sniffled and tightened the hold she had on the comforter even as she snuggled down a little more in the lounger as she was at home at Uncle Steve's. And if she smiled at the muffled murmur of Danno and Uncle Steve bickering about the quantity or rather the ratio of chocolate chips to pancake batter than that was for her to cherish as it helped her feel even more at home.