H50 fic: Nothing But the Earth and Sky 5/9
Title: Nothing But the Earth & Sky, Chapter 5 of 9 (Part Three of All That the Universe Allows)
Pairing/Characters: Steve, Danny, Racel, Grace
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 1353 for this chapter
Rating: R
Warnings/Spoilers: None for the show; beware of angst!
Disclaimer: I have not suddenly been gifted with rights; I make up these stories for free
Beta: siluria once again helped me more than she realizes.
Summary: In the last part, Steve crashed his truck and ended up badly concussed, which affected his memories of the last few months. In this part we start off where Danny, having re-confessed his own feelings for Steve, has just found out how Steve really feels about him
Author’s Notes: This is the third and final part to my series, All That the Universe Allows, in which Steve has been involved with Pete, a guy 15 years younger than him, to Danny's initial disapproval. This part alternates between Danny and Steve's POVs, and is nine completed chapters long.
NB: this chapter can also be read here at AO3
It was killing Danny not to say more; not to let on how much he'd wanted to stay and comfort Steve. But he had to stay strong and away, and even a little bit aloof for his own sanity. It was way too soon for him to believe that the path was wide open for him to have what he'd wanted for too long now.
And Steve's words about not loving Pete? They couldn't be true; not after the way they'd been together, Steve's words and actions since his accident notwithstanding. There had to be some kind of love there or Steve wouldn't have wound up such a mess after Pete left.
Danny let out a deep breath as he drove away, trying to shake the idea that there was something about Steve's manner that said a lot more than he'd told Danny. Heading homeward, he stopped to pick up some of Grace's favourite food in preparation for her weekend with him, and tried not to puzzle over the situation any further as he reached home and unlocked the door. His cell buzzed as he dumped the bags in the kitchen, and he frowned as Rachel's face appeared on the screen.
"Rachel?"
"Danny, I know it's supposed to be your weekend with Grace but something's come up and I wondered-"
"Please, Rachel, don't do this to me. Come on? You know how much I've been looking forward to having her after how the last few weeks have been going, and I only got to spend a day with her last time it was my turn."
"I know, Danny, and I'm sorry. It's just… I would have tried to reschedule, but how do you suggest I tell my mother to re-book tickets from the UK to Hawaii when she clearly wanted to surprise us?"
Danny closed his eyes and brought the finger and thumb of his free hand to the bridge of his nose. He needed Grace this weekend; she was the only thing keeping him sane at the moment. "Okay, I get it. But… could I at least have her tonight? Please don't make me beg, Rachel."
There was a pause, and then, "Mum's flying in tomorrow; I'll need to collect Grace by nine."
Danny swallowed gratefully, nodding though Rachel couldn't know that. "Thank you. When can I pick her up?"
"I'll have her ready by five."
"Thank you." He'd never meant the words more.
~//~
"Why are you so sad, Danno?"
"What sad?" Danny pasted on a smile, looking up at Grace from the sweet kebabs they were making. "We're having fun, aren't we?"
Grace's expression was at odds with her nod. She skewered another marshmallow. "I haven't seen Nana in a long time, Danno. She'll only be here a week."
Danny huffed lightly. "I know that, baby, and I'll live, I promise. I just…" He trailed off, picking a piece of pineapple and sliding it onto his own skewer. Pineapple reminded him of Steve.
He was aware of Grace standing very still, and managed to look up from where he was staring right through the fruit. "What?"
"It's not just Nana, is it?" Grace asked, her brow dipping in that way she had when she sensed something behind his words.
"How do you do that?" Danny was amazed at how much Grace could read in people's faces already, and she wasn't even twelve.
"Do what, Danno?" She still looked worried, but it was tinged with confusion now.
"Never mind, Monkey. You're right; it's not just Nana." He took a breath, trying to decide how much to say. There was no point hiding too much; he'd only end up having to explain it some day.
Grace put down the kebab she'd been holding; Danny put his own down too, wiping his hands on a cloth and handing it to her.
"C'mon," he said, taking her hand and leading her to sit on the couch. He turned sideways to face her, the strength of his love for her filling his heart as she gazed trustingly at him.
"What is it, Danno? Is it something to do with Uncle Steve and his accident?"
Danny huffed slightly in surprise. She was incredible, and he silently thanked whatever deity it was smiling down on them that he had such a beautiful and intuitive daughter. "It is. Uncle Steve… well, you know Uncle Steve's friend? The one who-"
"You mean his boyfriend? Pete?"
Danny narrowed his eyes, surprised. "You knew about that?"
"I'm not a baby, Danno. Uncle Steve explained it to me one time."
He hadn't known that, and while it surprised him, he supposed it made sense. And Grace was an accepting, well-rounded kid; why would it have bothered her? He was only surprised that she hadn't mentioned knowing it to him before now. "When did he do that?" he found himself asking.
Grace shrugged. "Ages ago. But we haven't seen much of him since he and Pete have been together and I know…." She hesitated, biting her lip and looking at him with brows furrowed.
"What do you know?" Danny asked gently, taking Grace's hand once more. "It's okay; I'm not gonna get mad."
"You don't like Pete, do you?"
Danny snorted softly, wiping a hand over his mouth. They hadn't discussed Pete at all; how much had Steve said to her and how much had she worked out herself? "Pete's a good guy… or at least he was. He and Uncle Steve broke up."
"They did? Is that why you're sad? For Uncle Steve?"
"Kind of." Danny rocked his head from side to side. "It's a little more complicated than that. It's kinda to do with him not remembering things from before the accident, and kinda because of some things we said to each other."
"Did he… oh Danno, Uncle Steve loves you." Grace shifted forward as she spoke, throwing her arms around Danny and holding on tight.
Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her and stroked at her hair for a few minutes, unable to speak. Closing his eyes, he breathed in her familiar reassuring smell, and then eased back out of her arms a little so he could look at her face.
"I kinda…" His heart thumped hard as he paused; should he tell her?
"You love him too, don't you, Danno?" This time she had a wistful, almost hopeful look in her eyes, like she was only waiting for him to confirm something she already knew.
"Yeah, baby, I do."
He hadn't been sure she'd understand this; the whole 'Steve has a boyfriend' situation had been too hard for him to broach with her, but somehow Steve had done it, and Grace obviously grasped enough to know how Steve and Danny both felt about each other. But would she get what that actually meant in terms of how much he was hurting right now; how fragile Steve obviously was and how little Danny wanted to be his rebound, despite how little feeling Steve claimed to have had for Pete after the accident?
"You should go to him, Danno."
"I can't, Grace; not right now." She pulled out of his arms fully, giving him a look that clearly said he was crazy. "It's complicated," he explained.
He stood from the couch and went back to the kebabs, studying the one he'd abandoned for a second before picking it up to add another marshmallow to it.
Following him, Grace sighed, grabbing the bottle of chocolate sauce. "Why is everything so complicated with grown-ups?" she asked, uncapping the bottle and dribbling some of the contents over the completed kebabs on the dish between them. "He loves you; you love him. He just broke up with his boyfriend and you're lonely. You belong together; why can't you just be together?" She lifted her eyes to meet Danny's as she replaced the sauce bottle on the counter and reached for a kebab.
Danny huffed quietly, allowing her a sad smile as he watched the chocolate sauce smear over her face as she began to eat.
It did sound simple; could it really be that easy?
~//~//~
Chapter 6
Pairing/Characters: Steve, Danny, Racel, Grace
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 1353 for this chapter
Rating: R
Warnings/Spoilers: None for the show; beware of angst!
Disclaimer: I have not suddenly been gifted with rights; I make up these stories for free
Beta: siluria once again helped me more than she realizes.
Summary: In the last part, Steve crashed his truck and ended up badly concussed, which affected his memories of the last few months. In this part we start off where Danny, having re-confessed his own feelings for Steve, has just found out how Steve really feels about him
Author’s Notes: This is the third and final part to my series, All That the Universe Allows, in which Steve has been involved with Pete, a guy 15 years younger than him, to Danny's initial disapproval. This part alternates between Danny and Steve's POVs, and is nine completed chapters long.
NB: this chapter can also be read here at AO3
It was killing Danny not to say more; not to let on how much he'd wanted to stay and comfort Steve. But he had to stay strong and away, and even a little bit aloof for his own sanity. It was way too soon for him to believe that the path was wide open for him to have what he'd wanted for too long now.
And Steve's words about not loving Pete? They couldn't be true; not after the way they'd been together, Steve's words and actions since his accident notwithstanding. There had to be some kind of love there or Steve wouldn't have wound up such a mess after Pete left.
Danny let out a deep breath as he drove away, trying to shake the idea that there was something about Steve's manner that said a lot more than he'd told Danny. Heading homeward, he stopped to pick up some of Grace's favourite food in preparation for her weekend with him, and tried not to puzzle over the situation any further as he reached home and unlocked the door. His cell buzzed as he dumped the bags in the kitchen, and he frowned as Rachel's face appeared on the screen.
"Rachel?"
"Danny, I know it's supposed to be your weekend with Grace but something's come up and I wondered-"
"Please, Rachel, don't do this to me. Come on? You know how much I've been looking forward to having her after how the last few weeks have been going, and I only got to spend a day with her last time it was my turn."
"I know, Danny, and I'm sorry. It's just… I would have tried to reschedule, but how do you suggest I tell my mother to re-book tickets from the UK to Hawaii when she clearly wanted to surprise us?"
Danny closed his eyes and brought the finger and thumb of his free hand to the bridge of his nose. He needed Grace this weekend; she was the only thing keeping him sane at the moment. "Okay, I get it. But… could I at least have her tonight? Please don't make me beg, Rachel."
There was a pause, and then, "Mum's flying in tomorrow; I'll need to collect Grace by nine."
Danny swallowed gratefully, nodding though Rachel couldn't know that. "Thank you. When can I pick her up?"
"I'll have her ready by five."
"Thank you." He'd never meant the words more.
~//~
"Why are you so sad, Danno?"
"What sad?" Danny pasted on a smile, looking up at Grace from the sweet kebabs they were making. "We're having fun, aren't we?"
Grace's expression was at odds with her nod. She skewered another marshmallow. "I haven't seen Nana in a long time, Danno. She'll only be here a week."
Danny huffed lightly. "I know that, baby, and I'll live, I promise. I just…" He trailed off, picking a piece of pineapple and sliding it onto his own skewer. Pineapple reminded him of Steve.
He was aware of Grace standing very still, and managed to look up from where he was staring right through the fruit. "What?"
"It's not just Nana, is it?" Grace asked, her brow dipping in that way she had when she sensed something behind his words.
"How do you do that?" Danny was amazed at how much Grace could read in people's faces already, and she wasn't even twelve.
"Do what, Danno?" She still looked worried, but it was tinged with confusion now.
"Never mind, Monkey. You're right; it's not just Nana." He took a breath, trying to decide how much to say. There was no point hiding too much; he'd only end up having to explain it some day.
Grace put down the kebab she'd been holding; Danny put his own down too, wiping his hands on a cloth and handing it to her.
"C'mon," he said, taking her hand and leading her to sit on the couch. He turned sideways to face her, the strength of his love for her filling his heart as she gazed trustingly at him.
"What is it, Danno? Is it something to do with Uncle Steve and his accident?"
Danny huffed slightly in surprise. She was incredible, and he silently thanked whatever deity it was smiling down on them that he had such a beautiful and intuitive daughter. "It is. Uncle Steve… well, you know Uncle Steve's friend? The one who-"
"You mean his boyfriend? Pete?"
Danny narrowed his eyes, surprised. "You knew about that?"
"I'm not a baby, Danno. Uncle Steve explained it to me one time."
He hadn't known that, and while it surprised him, he supposed it made sense. And Grace was an accepting, well-rounded kid; why would it have bothered her? He was only surprised that she hadn't mentioned knowing it to him before now. "When did he do that?" he found himself asking.
Grace shrugged. "Ages ago. But we haven't seen much of him since he and Pete have been together and I know…." She hesitated, biting her lip and looking at him with brows furrowed.
"What do you know?" Danny asked gently, taking Grace's hand once more. "It's okay; I'm not gonna get mad."
"You don't like Pete, do you?"
Danny snorted softly, wiping a hand over his mouth. They hadn't discussed Pete at all; how much had Steve said to her and how much had she worked out herself? "Pete's a good guy… or at least he was. He and Uncle Steve broke up."
"They did? Is that why you're sad? For Uncle Steve?"
"Kind of." Danny rocked his head from side to side. "It's a little more complicated than that. It's kinda to do with him not remembering things from before the accident, and kinda because of some things we said to each other."
"Did he… oh Danno, Uncle Steve loves you." Grace shifted forward as she spoke, throwing her arms around Danny and holding on tight.
Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her and stroked at her hair for a few minutes, unable to speak. Closing his eyes, he breathed in her familiar reassuring smell, and then eased back out of her arms a little so he could look at her face.
"I kinda…" His heart thumped hard as he paused; should he tell her?
"You love him too, don't you, Danno?" This time she had a wistful, almost hopeful look in her eyes, like she was only waiting for him to confirm something she already knew.
"Yeah, baby, I do."
He hadn't been sure she'd understand this; the whole 'Steve has a boyfriend' situation had been too hard for him to broach with her, but somehow Steve had done it, and Grace obviously grasped enough to know how Steve and Danny both felt about each other. But would she get what that actually meant in terms of how much he was hurting right now; how fragile Steve obviously was and how little Danny wanted to be his rebound, despite how little feeling Steve claimed to have had for Pete after the accident?
"You should go to him, Danno."
"I can't, Grace; not right now." She pulled out of his arms fully, giving him a look that clearly said he was crazy. "It's complicated," he explained.
He stood from the couch and went back to the kebabs, studying the one he'd abandoned for a second before picking it up to add another marshmallow to it.
Following him, Grace sighed, grabbing the bottle of chocolate sauce. "Why is everything so complicated with grown-ups?" she asked, uncapping the bottle and dribbling some of the contents over the completed kebabs on the dish between them. "He loves you; you love him. He just broke up with his boyfriend and you're lonely. You belong together; why can't you just be together?" She lifted her eyes to meet Danny's as she replaced the sauce bottle on the counter and reached for a kebab.
Danny huffed quietly, allowing her a sad smile as he watched the chocolate sauce smear over her face as she began to eat.
It did sound simple; could it really be that easy?
~//~//~
Chapter 6