{FIC} Twenty Tiny Fingers, Twenty Tiny Toes - 4/4 (Steve/Danny; PG-13)
Title: Twenty Tiny Fingers, Twenty Tiny Toes (4/4)
Author: simplyn2deep
Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny, Chin, Kono, Lori, OCs
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Spoilers: off screen character death (not anyone from the show)
Prompt: Somehow Steve winds up the guardian of twin baby girls (anonymous)
Summary: Steve waited a beat and watched as Danny grasped what he was saying. “They want YOU to take the baby?”
Author's Notes:
1. written for the Spring Fling.
2. This is set during season 2, there was no affair between Danny & Rachel, Rachel & Stan's son is 5 months old
3. Thanks to huntress69 for being my beta and bluedelft for my story cover/icons.
4. I tried to stick to the prompt as much as possible, but things might have gotten away from me (hence the length of the fic), also, timestamps are in the works! so far I have 3 in mind.
PART FOUR
San Diego, CA
Steve and Danny wandered around the house that Curtis and Melanie once lived in. The place was already boxed up except for the nursery. Marcus figured that Steve would want to go through that and decide what he wanted and what could be donated. Steve had already spent quite a bit shipping stuff back when he was in San Diego for the funeral, but insisted it was worth it as a lot of the stuff in the nursery was still new.
“So,” Danny began, “what’s it like seeing them again?”
Steve looked at Danny with a brilliant smile. “It's so great!” Danny laughed. “Did you see how their faces lit up with they saw me and heard my voice?”
“If I didn’t already know they were yours, seeing their smiles leaves no doubt,” Danny said. “Those are McGarrett smiles all the way.”
Steve laughed and bumped shoulders with Danny. “Well, they like you.”
“Was there any doubt they wouldn’t?” Danny asked. “Again, they are McGarretts. Of course they like me.”
Steve shook his head and chuckled. “Right, Danno.” He pushed the door open to the nursery and walked to the crib to check on his sleeping daughters.
Danny joined him a few seconds later. “They still asleep?” he whispered. Steve nodded his head. “Well then, come on. I heard Betty has some pumpkin pie and I’d like to get a slice before it’s all gone.” Danny pulled Steve from the room and pulled the door together, leaving it open a crack so they could hear if the girls cried.
------
“I can’t believe you’re actually taking all the baby furniture,” Betty said. “I mean, for the cost of shipping it all, you could buy all new stuff.”
Steve nodded his head. “Yeah, I could. But Curt and Mel picked all of this for the girls and I intend on getting the most use out of it.” Betty shook her head and continued to help Steve take the oak crib apart.
“No use trying to talk sense into him, Betty,” Danny said. He was taking some framed pictures of flowers, kittens and puppies that Melanie photographed, printed and hung up, off the wall and wrapping them in newspaper to be packed. “I’ve been trying to do that since I met him last year.”
Steve rolled his eyes. “When you embrace the Aloha, I’ll start thinking about your version of common sense.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” Danny mumbled. Steve laughed as he put the last screw from the crib in a plastic container and taped the lid down.
Marcus walked into the nursery holding Stephanie and Josie and looked around the room. “Still at it, I see.”
Steve put the screw container down and walked to Marcus to get one of his daughters from him. “Hmm, which one of you do I want...?” he asked the girls. They greeted him with toothless smiles and bright hazel eyes. Steve looked from Stephanie, who was wearing a dark blue romper dress with white ‘US Navy Baby’ lettering, to Josie who was wearing a white romper dress with dark blue ‘US Navy Baby’ lettering.
“Well, Pops, you’re going to have to take both,” Marcus said as he handed both girls to Steve, “because I have a meeting with a client in 30 minutes and I can’t meet with them with baby drool on my shirt collar.”
Steve easily took both girls in his arms and walked back to the play swings to secure them in while he finished taking apart the nursery.
Danny put down the frame he was wrapping to help Steve. “Where exactly are we going to put all of this stuff, Steve?” He asked as he buckled Josie into the swing and turned the handle to start the swinging motion. “The nursery back home is about three feet smaller than this one.”
Steve smiled when Danny referred to his house, and really Hawaii, as home. He looked at Danny and gave a shrug. “We can figure something out when we get back.”
------
“So…are you ready to try and feed them their first ‘solid’ food?” Danny asked. Steve was seated in front of Stephanie and Josie, who were in their high chairs at Marcus and Betty’s house. Danny was recording Steve’s first foray into feeding his daughters solid food.
Steve turned and glanced at Danny and made a face. “I thought you were going to help me with this?”
“I will. But Daddy gets to do the honors first,” Danny said. “So, what’s on the menu?”
Steve held up the bowl to Danny (and the camera) so the contents could be seen. “We have here some of the most excellent rice cereal San Diego has to offer,” Steve said. “But in my humble opinion, nothing beats the rice cereal from Hawaii.” That caused Danny to snort.
Danny moved to the side and sat in the chair next to Steve while still making sure he was recording and that it wasn’t too bouncy or out of focus.
“Now, you don’t need to put a lot on the spoon, not that it can hold a lot to begin with, but just enough for them to get a taste in their mouth.”
Steve did as Danny instructed. First with Stephanie; she seemed to not have a problem with the rice cereal. Then with Josie; she scrunched up her nose and tried to spit the food out. Danny and Steve laughed at the face Josie made. Steve went back for a second round with Stephanie, who again seemed to like the cereal. Steve wiped at the little bit that didn’t make it into her mouth and gave it to her again.
From the back, Marcus volunteered to get some recording of Steve and Danny feeding the girls, and also pointed out it might speed things up. Danny looked at Steve, who nodded his head, so Danny handed the camera to Marcus, picked up a second spoon and began to try to get Josie interested in the rice cereal. After a few minutes, it was obvious that Josie wanted nothing to do it with, so Danny got up and made a fresh bottle for her, which she happily took.
------
“How’s it going with the girls?” Kono asked Danny over the phone in the afternoon, well, morning in Hawaii, on their fifth day in San Diego.
“We have the nursery pretty much all packed up. Yesterday we sent a couple of boxes,” Danny replied. “We didn’t know if anyone was going to be at the house so they’ll be delivered to HQ by the end of the week.”
“Chin has Steve’s truck keys, so if it comes before you get back, he’ll take it to the house and set it up in the nursery.”
“Thanks, Kono,” Danny said. “Managing to keep down the criminal element while we’re gone?”
“Pfft! Are you kidding?!” Kono asked. “It’s like all the criminals know you guys are out of town!”
Danny laughed. “What’s been going on?” he asks.
“We’ve busted up two small drug rings, Chin nabbed a purse snatcher, and I’ve been helping out the Vice unit with some small raids. It's been pretty active.” Kono said. “But enough about what’s going on here! Tell me more about the babies! We can’t wait to meet them!”
“Check your email in a bit,” Danny says, “I’ll be sending you a couple of videos. Steve fed the girls, there’s one of him talking to them about the finer points of interrogation,” Kono laughed at that, “and there’s one of him reading to them from last night.”
“It sounds like Steve is really getting into being a daddy,” Kono said.
“It shouldn’t surprise me how fast a learner he is. He’s picked up so quickly on feeding, changing, bathing…just everything to do with them, he’s hands on.” Danny gave a soft sigh. “And….” he began again, “Oh, never mind.”
“What were you going to say?” Kono asks.
“Spending all this time with Steve and his daughters is like being our own little family. I kind of don’t want that to change when we get back home.”
“Who says it has to?” She asked. “You know Steve wants you around. That’s not going to change when you come back. If anything, I think it’ll make you stronger as partners.”
If Danny was honest with himself, that’s what he was a little bit scared of. Only being Steve’s partner when he wanted it to be so much more. He also knew that Kono was right. He and Steve would be stronger thanks to all the time they had spent together and maybe, just maybe, having Stephanie and Josie would allow for them to get even closer. And before they left, Steve did say what they had would last a very long time. In what form, Danny didn’t know, but he could hope it would stop them from dancing around each other and finally make the move to being in a relationship. Danny hoped it would, anyways.
------
Marcus and Steve sat on the back porch at Marcus and Betty’s house. It was Steve’s last night in San Diego and he, Danny, Stephanie and Josie would be going back to Hawaii in the morning. They’d completely taken apart the nursery in Curtis and Melanie’s house and everything was boxed and ready to be shipped to Hawaii.
Even though it was only eight in the evening, Danny turned in early, saying that he was going to check on the girls and get a full night’s sleep. “After all, there needs to be at least one coherent adult for when we get to the airport,” Danny had said.
“You think you’re going to be able to do this alone?” Marcus asked after he took a gulp of his beer.
“What will I be doing alone?” Steve asked
“Won’t you be raising Step and Jo alone?”
“I’ve got Danny,” Steve said. “And the rest of my family; Mary’s already said she’ll be back for Christmas, you heard how much Danny and I talk with Chin and Kono. I won’t be doing this alone.”
“Speaking of Danny….” Marcus said, “You and him?”
Steve nodded his head and smiled around the lip of his beer bottle. “Yup, it’s still rather new.”
“I gotta say, I didn’t see that coming,” Marcus said. “I always thought you and Catherine would end up together.”
Steve chuckled. “Really; I do love her, but not like I love Danny.”
“That’s great, McGarrett,” Marcus said patting him on his arm. “I’m glad you’ve got a support system to lean on. Curt and Mel would be real happy.”
Steve smiled and nodded his head again. “I think so too. That’s part of why I wanted everything from the nursery. I want Steph and Jo to be surrounded by as much of Curt and Mel as possible. When they’re older, I want to be able to give them something from them.”
Marcus was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “I didn’t want to tell you this before, because I didn’t want it to sway your decision in adopting your girls, but Amanda, Curt’s half-sister, has been making a lot of noise about getting custody of them.”
Steve scrunched his face in confusion. “Why would she do that? She was never around; Curt didn’t have any contact with her. She didn’t even bother to come to the funeral!”
“I know, man,” Marcus said in agreement. “Curt and Mel didn’t make any mention of her anywhere in their will. I only found out a few days ago she had a problem with it…that was purely by accident.”
Steve looked at Marcus. “How’d you find out?”
“Found out through the process of selling the house,” Marcus says. “She came by saying she wanted something of her brother’s…a keepsake to remember him by, and she saw the packing boxes in the nursery. She mentioned off hand that she was going to talk with a lawyer to get custody so the girls wouldn’t be put in the system. I didn’t tell her that you and Danny were taking them to Hawaii or anything. Y’know it’s not my place, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she figures something out.”
Steve sighed some. “I’m not going to worry about it too much. The court has to go with what’s in the best interest of Stephanie and Josie and take into account what Curt and Mel wanted.” Steve drained the last of his beer and stood up. “Plus I’m their father and I’ve probably been around them more in the last few weeks than she has since they were born.” Steve turns to head in the house. “See you in the morning.”
------
Honolulu, HI
Danny, Steve, Stephanie and Josie were greeted at the airport in true Hawaiian fashion: flower leis, hugs and kisses. Chin and Danny loaded the additional luggage in the back of Steve’s truck, while Steve secured his daughters in the back of Kono’s car. He was he was going to ride back with her, and Danny would be in the truck with Chin.
Steve knew they were going to have a long day ahead of them with people dropping by the house to meet the girls and welcome Steve and Danny back home, so he wanted to get back as soon as possible.
“Kame’s at your house setting up the grill,” Kono said. “He wanted to throw an impromptu welcome home barbeque later today. I said to give you and Danny time to unwind with the girls before firing up the grill.”
“Oh great,” Steve laughed. “He just wants to use my new grill.”
Kono laughed. “There is that. It’s a sweet looking grill. He said he won’t start for a few hours.”
Kono pulled up the driveway to Steve’s house and on to the front lawn to get close to the house. Chin parked in Steve’s usual spot next to Danny’s Camaro.
“The crib arrived two days ago. We didn’t get a chance to put it together,” Chin said to Danny as they got out of the truck. “A big case came up and we finished it about six hours ago, got a few hours sleep and went to pick you guys up.”
“Thanks Chin,” Danny said. “We really appreciate it.”
“Malia and Lori set up a portable crib in Steve’s room, but it can be moved to the nursery if you want.” Chin smirked at Danny.
Danny glared at Chin. “Really, you too?” he shook his head, but had a smile on his face.
Hours later, the house was swamped with people. Kamekona fired up the grill for steaks, shrimp and fish. Various aunts and uncles of Chin and Kono stopped by with food and to lend a hand in unpacking. The crib was put together and other boxes unpacked and the nursery was properly set up.
------
They’d been home a few days and had settled into a nice routine. The case load was light enough that Steve was able to go in to the office in the morning and Danny stayed with the girls, then around 1 pm, Steve would come home for lunch and Danny would go to the office and work the rest of the day.
Steve knew that eventually he’d need to find someone to babysit so he and Danny could go back to working like they did before, but for now, their little arrangement seemed to be going okay.
------
Danny just arrived back to the house after dropping Grace off with her mother and stopping by his current apartment for more clothes. He and Steve had talked about him moving back in since Danny was now spending the majority of the time at Steve’s, but they hadn’t finalized anything, so he kept his place.
“Steve, where are you?” he called out.
“Upstairs with the girls,” Steve replied.
Danny made his way up the stairs and found Steve sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery with both girls on his lap and a book in between them. He smiled at the sight: Steve wearing his US Navy sweats and a thin cotton shirt and each girl in a pink US Navy onesie.
“Did I miss story time?” he quietly asked as he walked towards them. He dropped a kiss on Steve’s lips before picking up Josie as she was slouched rather uncomfortably looking in Steve’s right arm. He cuddled and rocked her to get her back to sleep before placing a soft kiss on her head and putting her in the crib.
“Yeah, they just dropped off not too long ago.” Steve put the book on the shelf, stood and walked to the crib to lay Stephanie down. He placed soft kisses on both their heads before turning on the baby monitor and ushering Danny out of the room.
“You’re turning out to be a really great daddy,” Danny said with a smile.
Steve blushed some and wrapped his arms around Danny. “I think I had a pretty good teacher.” He gave him a kiss as he pulled him closer.
Danny reluctantly pulled away and licked his lips. “Yeah, I’d say you did.” Steve laughed softly and pulled Danny across the hall to his room.
FIN
Author: simplyn2deep
Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny, Chin, Kono, Lori, OCs
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Spoilers: off screen character death (not anyone from the show)
Prompt: Somehow Steve winds up the guardian of twin baby girls (anonymous)
Summary: Steve waited a beat and watched as Danny grasped what he was saying. “They want YOU to take the baby?”
Author's Notes:
1. written for the Spring Fling.
2. This is set during season 2, there was no affair between Danny & Rachel, Rachel & Stan's son is 5 months old
3. Thanks to huntress69 for being my beta and bluedelft for my story cover/icons.
4. I tried to stick to the prompt as much as possible, but things might have gotten away from me (hence the length of the fic), also, timestamps are in the works! so far I have 3 in mind.
PART FOUR
San Diego, CA
Steve and Danny wandered around the house that Curtis and Melanie once lived in. The place was already boxed up except for the nursery. Marcus figured that Steve would want to go through that and decide what he wanted and what could be donated. Steve had already spent quite a bit shipping stuff back when he was in San Diego for the funeral, but insisted it was worth it as a lot of the stuff in the nursery was still new.
“So,” Danny began, “what’s it like seeing them again?”
Steve looked at Danny with a brilliant smile. “It's so great!” Danny laughed. “Did you see how their faces lit up with they saw me and heard my voice?”
“If I didn’t already know they were yours, seeing their smiles leaves no doubt,” Danny said. “Those are McGarrett smiles all the way.”
Steve laughed and bumped shoulders with Danny. “Well, they like you.”
“Was there any doubt they wouldn’t?” Danny asked. “Again, they are McGarretts. Of course they like me.”
Steve shook his head and chuckled. “Right, Danno.” He pushed the door open to the nursery and walked to the crib to check on his sleeping daughters.
Danny joined him a few seconds later. “They still asleep?” he whispered. Steve nodded his head. “Well then, come on. I heard Betty has some pumpkin pie and I’d like to get a slice before it’s all gone.” Danny pulled Steve from the room and pulled the door together, leaving it open a crack so they could hear if the girls cried.
------
“I can’t believe you’re actually taking all the baby furniture,” Betty said. “I mean, for the cost of shipping it all, you could buy all new stuff.”
Steve nodded his head. “Yeah, I could. But Curt and Mel picked all of this for the girls and I intend on getting the most use out of it.” Betty shook her head and continued to help Steve take the oak crib apart.
“No use trying to talk sense into him, Betty,” Danny said. He was taking some framed pictures of flowers, kittens and puppies that Melanie photographed, printed and hung up, off the wall and wrapping them in newspaper to be packed. “I’ve been trying to do that since I met him last year.”
Steve rolled his eyes. “When you embrace the Aloha, I’ll start thinking about your version of common sense.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” Danny mumbled. Steve laughed as he put the last screw from the crib in a plastic container and taped the lid down.
Marcus walked into the nursery holding Stephanie and Josie and looked around the room. “Still at it, I see.”
Steve put the screw container down and walked to Marcus to get one of his daughters from him. “Hmm, which one of you do I want...?” he asked the girls. They greeted him with toothless smiles and bright hazel eyes. Steve looked from Stephanie, who was wearing a dark blue romper dress with white ‘US Navy Baby’ lettering, to Josie who was wearing a white romper dress with dark blue ‘US Navy Baby’ lettering.
“Well, Pops, you’re going to have to take both,” Marcus said as he handed both girls to Steve, “because I have a meeting with a client in 30 minutes and I can’t meet with them with baby drool on my shirt collar.”
Steve easily took both girls in his arms and walked back to the play swings to secure them in while he finished taking apart the nursery.
Danny put down the frame he was wrapping to help Steve. “Where exactly are we going to put all of this stuff, Steve?” He asked as he buckled Josie into the swing and turned the handle to start the swinging motion. “The nursery back home is about three feet smaller than this one.”
Steve smiled when Danny referred to his house, and really Hawaii, as home. He looked at Danny and gave a shrug. “We can figure something out when we get back.”
------
“So…are you ready to try and feed them their first ‘solid’ food?” Danny asked. Steve was seated in front of Stephanie and Josie, who were in their high chairs at Marcus and Betty’s house. Danny was recording Steve’s first foray into feeding his daughters solid food.
Steve turned and glanced at Danny and made a face. “I thought you were going to help me with this?”
“I will. But Daddy gets to do the honors first,” Danny said. “So, what’s on the menu?”
Steve held up the bowl to Danny (and the camera) so the contents could be seen. “We have here some of the most excellent rice cereal San Diego has to offer,” Steve said. “But in my humble opinion, nothing beats the rice cereal from Hawaii.” That caused Danny to snort.
Danny moved to the side and sat in the chair next to Steve while still making sure he was recording and that it wasn’t too bouncy or out of focus.
“Now, you don’t need to put a lot on the spoon, not that it can hold a lot to begin with, but just enough for them to get a taste in their mouth.”
Steve did as Danny instructed. First with Stephanie; she seemed to not have a problem with the rice cereal. Then with Josie; she scrunched up her nose and tried to spit the food out. Danny and Steve laughed at the face Josie made. Steve went back for a second round with Stephanie, who again seemed to like the cereal. Steve wiped at the little bit that didn’t make it into her mouth and gave it to her again.
From the back, Marcus volunteered to get some recording of Steve and Danny feeding the girls, and also pointed out it might speed things up. Danny looked at Steve, who nodded his head, so Danny handed the camera to Marcus, picked up a second spoon and began to try to get Josie interested in the rice cereal. After a few minutes, it was obvious that Josie wanted nothing to do it with, so Danny got up and made a fresh bottle for her, which she happily took.
------
“How’s it going with the girls?” Kono asked Danny over the phone in the afternoon, well, morning in Hawaii, on their fifth day in San Diego.
“We have the nursery pretty much all packed up. Yesterday we sent a couple of boxes,” Danny replied. “We didn’t know if anyone was going to be at the house so they’ll be delivered to HQ by the end of the week.”
“Chin has Steve’s truck keys, so if it comes before you get back, he’ll take it to the house and set it up in the nursery.”
“Thanks, Kono,” Danny said. “Managing to keep down the criminal element while we’re gone?”
“Pfft! Are you kidding?!” Kono asked. “It’s like all the criminals know you guys are out of town!”
Danny laughed. “What’s been going on?” he asks.
“We’ve busted up two small drug rings, Chin nabbed a purse snatcher, and I’ve been helping out the Vice unit with some small raids. It's been pretty active.” Kono said. “But enough about what’s going on here! Tell me more about the babies! We can’t wait to meet them!”
“Check your email in a bit,” Danny says, “I’ll be sending you a couple of videos. Steve fed the girls, there’s one of him talking to them about the finer points of interrogation,” Kono laughed at that, “and there’s one of him reading to them from last night.”
“It sounds like Steve is really getting into being a daddy,” Kono said.
“It shouldn’t surprise me how fast a learner he is. He’s picked up so quickly on feeding, changing, bathing…just everything to do with them, he’s hands on.” Danny gave a soft sigh. “And….” he began again, “Oh, never mind.”
“What were you going to say?” Kono asks.
“Spending all this time with Steve and his daughters is like being our own little family. I kind of don’t want that to change when we get back home.”
“Who says it has to?” She asked. “You know Steve wants you around. That’s not going to change when you come back. If anything, I think it’ll make you stronger as partners.”
If Danny was honest with himself, that’s what he was a little bit scared of. Only being Steve’s partner when he wanted it to be so much more. He also knew that Kono was right. He and Steve would be stronger thanks to all the time they had spent together and maybe, just maybe, having Stephanie and Josie would allow for them to get even closer. And before they left, Steve did say what they had would last a very long time. In what form, Danny didn’t know, but he could hope it would stop them from dancing around each other and finally make the move to being in a relationship. Danny hoped it would, anyways.
------
Marcus and Steve sat on the back porch at Marcus and Betty’s house. It was Steve’s last night in San Diego and he, Danny, Stephanie and Josie would be going back to Hawaii in the morning. They’d completely taken apart the nursery in Curtis and Melanie’s house and everything was boxed and ready to be shipped to Hawaii.
Even though it was only eight in the evening, Danny turned in early, saying that he was going to check on the girls and get a full night’s sleep. “After all, there needs to be at least one coherent adult for when we get to the airport,” Danny had said.
“You think you’re going to be able to do this alone?” Marcus asked after he took a gulp of his beer.
“What will I be doing alone?” Steve asked
“Won’t you be raising Step and Jo alone?”
“I’ve got Danny,” Steve said. “And the rest of my family; Mary’s already said she’ll be back for Christmas, you heard how much Danny and I talk with Chin and Kono. I won’t be doing this alone.”
“Speaking of Danny….” Marcus said, “You and him?”
Steve nodded his head and smiled around the lip of his beer bottle. “Yup, it’s still rather new.”
“I gotta say, I didn’t see that coming,” Marcus said. “I always thought you and Catherine would end up together.”
Steve chuckled. “Really; I do love her, but not like I love Danny.”
“That’s great, McGarrett,” Marcus said patting him on his arm. “I’m glad you’ve got a support system to lean on. Curt and Mel would be real happy.”
Steve smiled and nodded his head again. “I think so too. That’s part of why I wanted everything from the nursery. I want Steph and Jo to be surrounded by as much of Curt and Mel as possible. When they’re older, I want to be able to give them something from them.”
Marcus was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “I didn’t want to tell you this before, because I didn’t want it to sway your decision in adopting your girls, but Amanda, Curt’s half-sister, has been making a lot of noise about getting custody of them.”
Steve scrunched his face in confusion. “Why would she do that? She was never around; Curt didn’t have any contact with her. She didn’t even bother to come to the funeral!”
“I know, man,” Marcus said in agreement. “Curt and Mel didn’t make any mention of her anywhere in their will. I only found out a few days ago she had a problem with it…that was purely by accident.”
Steve looked at Marcus. “How’d you find out?”
“Found out through the process of selling the house,” Marcus says. “She came by saying she wanted something of her brother’s…a keepsake to remember him by, and she saw the packing boxes in the nursery. She mentioned off hand that she was going to talk with a lawyer to get custody so the girls wouldn’t be put in the system. I didn’t tell her that you and Danny were taking them to Hawaii or anything. Y’know it’s not my place, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she figures something out.”
Steve sighed some. “I’m not going to worry about it too much. The court has to go with what’s in the best interest of Stephanie and Josie and take into account what Curt and Mel wanted.” Steve drained the last of his beer and stood up. “Plus I’m their father and I’ve probably been around them more in the last few weeks than she has since they were born.” Steve turns to head in the house. “See you in the morning.”
------
Honolulu, HI
Danny, Steve, Stephanie and Josie were greeted at the airport in true Hawaiian fashion: flower leis, hugs and kisses. Chin and Danny loaded the additional luggage in the back of Steve’s truck, while Steve secured his daughters in the back of Kono’s car. He was he was going to ride back with her, and Danny would be in the truck with Chin.
Steve knew they were going to have a long day ahead of them with people dropping by the house to meet the girls and welcome Steve and Danny back home, so he wanted to get back as soon as possible.
“Kame’s at your house setting up the grill,” Kono said. “He wanted to throw an impromptu welcome home barbeque later today. I said to give you and Danny time to unwind with the girls before firing up the grill.”
“Oh great,” Steve laughed. “He just wants to use my new grill.”
Kono laughed. “There is that. It’s a sweet looking grill. He said he won’t start for a few hours.”
Kono pulled up the driveway to Steve’s house and on to the front lawn to get close to the house. Chin parked in Steve’s usual spot next to Danny’s Camaro.
“The crib arrived two days ago. We didn’t get a chance to put it together,” Chin said to Danny as they got out of the truck. “A big case came up and we finished it about six hours ago, got a few hours sleep and went to pick you guys up.”
“Thanks Chin,” Danny said. “We really appreciate it.”
“Malia and Lori set up a portable crib in Steve’s room, but it can be moved to the nursery if you want.” Chin smirked at Danny.
Danny glared at Chin. “Really, you too?” he shook his head, but had a smile on his face.
Hours later, the house was swamped with people. Kamekona fired up the grill for steaks, shrimp and fish. Various aunts and uncles of Chin and Kono stopped by with food and to lend a hand in unpacking. The crib was put together and other boxes unpacked and the nursery was properly set up.
------
They’d been home a few days and had settled into a nice routine. The case load was light enough that Steve was able to go in to the office in the morning and Danny stayed with the girls, then around 1 pm, Steve would come home for lunch and Danny would go to the office and work the rest of the day.
Steve knew that eventually he’d need to find someone to babysit so he and Danny could go back to working like they did before, but for now, their little arrangement seemed to be going okay.
------
Danny just arrived back to the house after dropping Grace off with her mother and stopping by his current apartment for more clothes. He and Steve had talked about him moving back in since Danny was now spending the majority of the time at Steve’s, but they hadn’t finalized anything, so he kept his place.
“Steve, where are you?” he called out.
“Upstairs with the girls,” Steve replied.
Danny made his way up the stairs and found Steve sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery with both girls on his lap and a book in between them. He smiled at the sight: Steve wearing his US Navy sweats and a thin cotton shirt and each girl in a pink US Navy onesie.
“Did I miss story time?” he quietly asked as he walked towards them. He dropped a kiss on Steve’s lips before picking up Josie as she was slouched rather uncomfortably looking in Steve’s right arm. He cuddled and rocked her to get her back to sleep before placing a soft kiss on her head and putting her in the crib.
“Yeah, they just dropped off not too long ago.” Steve put the book on the shelf, stood and walked to the crib to lay Stephanie down. He placed soft kisses on both their heads before turning on the baby monitor and ushering Danny out of the room.
“You’re turning out to be a really great daddy,” Danny said with a smile.
Steve blushed some and wrapped his arms around Danny. “I think I had a pretty good teacher.” He gave him a kiss as he pulled him closer.
Danny reluctantly pulled away and licked his lips. “Yeah, I’d say you did.” Steve laughed softly and pulled Danny across the hall to his room.
FIN