Sentry (1/3) - H50_Holidayswap gift
For h50_holidayswap, still_glorious asked for Steve/Danny Steve/Catherine Steve/Antagonist, angst, au, drama, military. I hope this filled at least some of those things!
I am sorry this is so very late. My little snippet of AU Steve, private security grew legs and ran away from me. Then I grew legs and ran away to Hawaii for real and I don't know how they get any work done around here, it is very distracting!!
Mele Kalikimaka!
"Well, Steven, everything seems to be in order." Rachel Edwards shuffles and straightens the contract papers before placing them carefully on the coffee table. "You are certainly impressively qualified and come recommended by my husband's colleague."
"Thank you, Maa'm" Steve replies.
"Please, Mrs Edwards is more than appropriate. You aren't in the military any longer." She doesn't miss the tiny facial twitch the man has at her comment. "Which, if you don't mind me saying, is the one thing that bothers me."
"I understand, Mrs Edwards." Steve stands and offers his hand to his prospective employer. "I will inform my partner that you won't be requiring our services after all."
Rachel doesn't take his hand. "Well aren't we one to jump to conclusions," she shakes her head in amusement. "I take no issue with you having been in the military," she says calmly. "It is more the fact that you no longer are and clearly haven't been discharged for physical medical reasons. Which to my mind leaves psychological or insubordinate causation. Both of which would be of concern to me should I hire you to protect my eight year old daughter."
Steve sits again, wondering how a well mannered Englishwoman can make him feel the same sense of shame as his former CO. The one who chewed him out so thoroughly after his last mission and told him he didn't think he could save Steve's ass this time.
"Oh. I'm sorry," he says sheepishly. "I overreacted."
Rachel nods carefully. "You did. But, I would like an answer."
"You haven't asked a question."
"It is implied. And sassing the woman who you want to write your pay checks is not usually a wise idea."
"Demonstrating attention to detail is."
Rachel raises an eyebrow.
"I can't really say very much, Mrs Edwards. My time in the Navy was mostly classified. What I can say is that I was not discharged for psychological reasons. I disobeyed several direct orders to help a friend and I paid for my insubordination with my career."
"I see. And this penchant for disobedience…"
"Isn't a problem when I work for myself," Steve defends.
"Well, technically you would be working for me," Rachel reminds him.
"With due respect, ma'am, you don't know the first thing about providing personal security. I do. It is what the government trained me for, along with extensive weapons training and a large list of other skills which I seriously doubt will be needed."
"I understand." Rachel picks up her pen and reaches for the contracts. "Your answer has satisfied my only concern with our arrangement. How soon can you start?"
* * *
"Rachel, I can not believe you and Stanley hired private security without consulting me first. I mean, seriously? You always gave me the impression that my job was too dangerous and who is it that has brought this on my family? That's right. Stanley the property developer. Not me, the cop." Danny shouts through the car's speakerphone system. "I am a cop, Rachel! A highly trained officer of the law, sworn to uphold the law and… something else, what was that again? Oh right to protect citizens. It's my job. I can not believe you hired someone else to protect my own daughter."
"Are you done?"
"Am I done? Am I…" Danny takes a deep breath. "Okay, explain."
"Believe it or not, Daniel, I did this for you, not to spite you. If you must know…"
"When Grace's safety is involved, yes, I must know!"
"Danny!" Rachel snaps crossly.
"Sorry."
"When you are with Grace, you will only have one of the two personal security officers with you. I didn't think you needed both of them."
"Oh."
"And I also wanted you to be able to have your usual time with Grace with some backup. The threats made against Stanley scare me, Danny. I trust you with Grace but like it or not, you are part of Stan's family and you need someone to watch your back at the moment."
"I, um… Thanks, Rach."
"You're welcome."
"I'm sorry I yelled."
"I'm sorry you thought I didn't think you could handle this. Of all the things that led to our divorce, my belief in your competence as a police officer was never one of them."
"It means a lot to have you say that. So I can still pick Grace up from school this afternoon?"
"Yes. And when the nice man introduces himself as Steve McGarrett and shows you his ID, please believe him. He used to be a Navy SEAL. He could totally take you." She chuckles to herself.
"Goodbye, Rachel," Danny disconnects the call as he pulls into the HPD parking area.
* * *
Danny waits in his car, despite his instincts making him want to meet Grace at her classroom door. She hates when he does that though so he settles for glaring at the school steps, mentally cataloguing every adult who enters and exits. When he sees Grace emerge from the building, his heart does its customary leap in his chest, the way it always does when he hasn't seen her for a few days. But then he sees the man behind her, following closely on her right flank with his hand rested securely on her shoulder, and remembers that this isn't like the other times he's picked her up.
He watches as Grace stops on the sidewalk, checks it is safe to cross, and runs over to the Camaro. "Danno!"
Danny finally lets himself leave the car and crouches to meet her, catching Grace as she launches herself into his arms. "Hey, Monkey. How was school?"
"It was great!" she exclaims. "Tommy brought in a dead starfish and Mr Steve taught everyone how to get away from someone who is trying to grab us from behind. I accidentally kicked Tommy in the nuts though and he had to go to the nurse." Grace continues talking but Danny is focusing on the man standing beside the car, scanning the area in much the same way Danny had been earlier.
Only much more scarily.
"Mr Steve?" Danny hugs Grace tightly before releasing her and standing. "I'm Detective Danny Williams. And Grace's father."
Steve nods, not taking his eyes off the crowd. "Just plain Steve is fine. I've been briefed. I'm sure we will work together great, Detective."
"Well, if you would be so kind as to get in the car, we can begin our Wednesday afternoon ritual of shave ice and a swim before I let my daughter talk me into braving Safeway and making ridiculously healthy salad wraps with pineapple in them."
Steve holds out his hand. "Keys?"
"What?"
"I'm driving."
"The hell you are," Danny blusters. "I am more than capable of evasive driving."
"I am sure you are," Steve gives the area one last look before turning to Danny. For the first time, He sees the man close up and realises that Mrs Edwards and been modest in her assessment of her ex-husband's fitness. Steve had been expecting a stereotypical, slightly pudgy, donut-loving detective to be picking Grace up from school.
He couldn't have been more wrong.
The neatly styled hair, the alert blue eyes and broad frame reassure Steve that he had made the right decision when he allowed Mrs Edwards to insist Chin wouldn't be needed when Detective Williams was with Grace.
Steve takes a step closer and leans forward, beckoning Danny to step away from Grace for a moment but keeping his eyes trained on her. He leans down and speaks quietly in Danny's ear. "I'm driving, you're riding shotgun. If anything happens, you cover Grace and I get us out of target range. Okay?"
Danny nods. "See, if you'd have said that in the first place, I wouldn't have argued. But, I appreciate you being discreet in front of Grace. We can talk properly once she has gone to bed."
"Agreed," Steve nods. "Now, I heard something about shave ice?" he grins at Grace who is watching the two men with wide eyes.
She smiles back and nods. "Yeah, I want cherry."
Steve starts the car and Danny pushes his seat back into place after Grace climbs through to the back. "You always want cherry," he pulls a mock disgusted face as he teases his daughter.
"That's because it is the best, Danno," Steve defends seriously.
"It's Detective Williams or Danny to you," he points at Steve, "And if Cherry is your favourite too, I am seriously going to have to reevaluate your qualifications to protect my family." He usually resents anyone infringing the sanctity of father-daughter time but he supposes for hired muscle, this guy seems okay.
"Whatever you say, Danny."
* * *
(Part Two)