Work Text:
Danny paced.
It had been a week since Grace had been moved into the new facility and Danny still hadn’t had time to talk to Steve about Rachel’s request. What didn’t help was that they caught a case. Steve was barely ready to be back at work, let alone an intense run all over the island case. Seven grueling days later, Danny had come home to fall into bed, Steve continuing on as had become his ritual to visit with Monkey and read to her. It seemed to be the only way he relaxed these days. Spending an hour with Grace, his elbows on the edge of the bed, reading from the huge book he read from seemed to leech the tension from his shoulders. He would return home after that and fall exhausted into bed beside Danny, both of them gravitating toward the warmth of the other’s body.
Tonight was different.
Danny had closed the door behind himself and barely had time to walk into the kitchen, intent on finding an advil, a beer, or both, he had decided he wasn’t particularly fussy now that it was already sliding further into tomorrow which way they came, when there was a knock at the door.
Stalking back into the living room, Danny threw the door open expecting to see Steve, “What did you….” He stopped as he took in the man standing at the door. “Sorry I thought you were somebody else.”
“Obviously.” The suited man answered drolly. “Daniel Williams?”
“Yes.” Danny frowned, his hand sliding across his belt only to realize he’d left his gun and badge on the kitchen bench.
“You’ve been difficult to find. You have a court date at nine in the morning. Amendments to your custody order.” He handed Danny a thick envelope, and turned to walk down the pathway.
By the time that Danny’s brain had registered the man’s words all he saw as he looked up was the tail lights of his vehicle as he drove out of Steve’s driveway.
He threw the envelope onto the seat of the recliner, and paced back and forth across the room, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the envelope. After the second time he had transected the living room he stopped by the chair and lifted the envelope. Tearing the end of the envelope, he read quickly through the preamble and cursing threw the papers onto the sofa. Pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes he struggled to maintain his composure.
Taking a deep breath, one hand pressed to his forehead trying to decide how they were going to proceed. Because this was definitely a fight for both of them, Steve was just as much Grace’s father now, in everything but blood he was Grace’s dad, and somehow it made the fight less scary to know that Steve had his back.
Danny wanted nothing more than to phone Rachel and vocally tear strips off of her. She better than most knew how hard the last months had been on all of them, but she also knew it had been a living hell for Steve, with first his injuries and his emotional anguish. He still wasn’t sure that Steve was back to even fifty per cent of his normal physical standards, but he had needed to be back at work. It might slow his physical recovery, but working was only aiding Steve’s mental recovery. Now that things finally seemed to be balancing out and returning to what had become their new normal Rachel appeared to be deliberately tipping them all on their heads again.
Walking out the front door, Danny took a seat on the front step, waiting patiently for Steve’s return.
When the Camaro pulled into the driveway, he steeled himself, given their recent past, to hold himself together while his partner slowly fell apart.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Steve asked as he climbed out of the car.
“You need to rest, Babe.” Danny spoke softly, not missing the wince as Steve’s aches and pains overruled his self-control.
“Isn’t that what bed is for?” Steve smiled at Danny as he lowered himself onto the step beside Danny. Their shoulders and thighs rubbing as he settled.
“We need to talk.” Danny couldn’t help the warmth that flowed through him at the sight of the lop sided tired smile that Steve had focused on him.
“What’s up?” Steve reached over to lay his hand over Danny’s.
“A process server turned up a little while ago.” Danny started.
“She can’t.” Steve interrupted with a breathless gurgle.
“It seems she is.” Danny slipped an arm around Steve’s waist, his free hand lacing itself together with Steve’s. “I’m calling the lawyer in the morning.”
“What can I do?” Steve let his head sink onto Danny’s shoulder.
“Nothing, Babe, just what you’re doing now.” Danny leaned his head against Steve’s, pressing his lips to Steve’s hair.
“When is the hearing?” Steve asked.
“Nine AM.” Danny responded, his eyes closing briefly as he felt Steve stiffen against him.
Steve extricated himself from Danny’s arms and stood, pulling the car keys from his pocket.
“Where are you going?” Danny frowned, standing and following Steve as he moved slowly down the pathway.
“Back to Grace. This might be the last night we have with her.” Steve answered stumbling slightly as he moved more quickly than his exhausted body was ready for.
It was a testimony to the level of Steve’s pain and exhaustion that Danny was able to easily snag the car keys from his fingers. “And you are dead on your feet. You’re not going anywhere. And thanks for the confidence, I am not going to lose her.”
Steve turned to Danny, his arms held out in supplication. “You know I didn’t mean that.”
“I know.” Danny responded as he walked into Steve’s arms and slipped his arms around waist. “We’ll get through this.”