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2020-11-05
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2013-04-15
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Somewhere I Have Never Traveled

Summary:

Danny’s secret plans for Christmas go awry.

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Notes:

Disclaimers:  If I owned any of this show, I’d be splitting my time between houses in Hawaii, Anchorage, and the Delmarva Peninsula, and every Monday our televisions would be filled with Steve/Danny slashy goodness – on cable, because there would be all kinds of harsh language and sexiness.

Summary: Danny’s secret plans for Christmas go awry.

Rating: M, I suppose, for harsh language and slash themes, although there isn’t anything explicit.

Notes: This is my Christmas story, although I started writing it in February, 2012.  So much for being timely.  But then again, look how long it’s taken me to post it!  It is indeed complete and will only be three chapters; however, I’m planning on posting one chapter a day after one final look-through and polish.

I had no alpha or beta, but I did my best – so much so that my research was starting to make my eyes cross.  I apologize in advance if I’ve mixed up the show’s timeline, but just roll with it, okay?  To help you with your footing, I can say it’s set loosely between Chin and Malia’s marriage (s2e14) and Rachel’s giving birth to Charlie (s2e16).  Lori isn’t even mentioned in here; I must confess that she didn’t even entre my mind when I wrote it.

I’m also winging it when it comes to the medical stuff, but I don’t think I did anything unbelievable.

Chapter Text

 “…and see this? This is what I’m talking about,” Danny complained, waving towards the sun as he and Steve walked out of the warehouse, dodging firemen running into the smoldering building.

“I know; you hate beautiful days,” Steve said, not bothering to hide a smirk.

“No, Steven, that is not what I’m saying. I don’t mind a nice warm day now and again. What I do mind is the lack of bad days. Bad guys think twice about doing bad things when it’s cold and snowing outside. You know what they do? They look out the window and say to their fellow henchmen – ”

“Henchmen? What is this? The eighteenth century?”

“…I’m sorry, Noah Webster, how about gang members? Does that work for you?”

Steve smiled and nodded. It had become a game for him after a big takedown; let Danny rant and then see how much further Steve could tweak him.

“As I was saying,” Danny continued, glaring at Steve, “they look at their fellow gang members and say, ‘you know what? It’s pretty nasty out there. Why don’t we stay inside tonight and do something illegal another day, perhaps when the weather’s better?’ But here in the land of perpetual sunshine?”

“It rains sometimes,” Steve cut in, leading Danny toward Chin and Kono, who were leaning against Kono’s car.

“A thirty second downpour doesn’t count,” Danny grumbled before returning to his main topic. “What I’m saying is that we wouldn’t have to work so hard around Christmas if the weather weren’t so freakishly perfect.”

“How about a tsunami?” Kono asked. “That’ll keep the bad guys at bay.”

“But it doesn’t, Kalakaua,” Danny said, turning his attention to the youngest teammate. “You know firsthand that it just seems to egg people on.”

“But that wasn’t a real tsunami,” Chin pointed out.

“Exactly!” Danny pounced, his attention shifting to Chin as his hands continued to punctuate his point. “Look how hard we worked during a fake one. You know it’s going to be even worse during a real one. And besides, it means that not only are we going to have to worry about the bad guys, but you just know the governor’s going to need our help during the disaster. So even when this place does have inclement weather, it’ll just make our job that much harder.”

“You’re telling me you prefer snowstorms?”

“I’m telling you that bad guys think twice about committing a crime when it’s cold out.”

“It’s not like they have no crime during the holidays in Jersey,” Steve pointed out.

“Unlike here in paradise,” Danny used his fingers to bracket the word, “the crime rate drops. We have time to spend the holidays with our families, to make freaking snow angels in the backyard.”

“You’re still going to have your time with Grace,” Steve said, trying to keep his voice even.

Danny smiled, lines crinkling around his eyes. Steve never got tired of seeing Danny radiating happiness and love every time he thought of his daughter. “Yes, that I am. But it’s only because we’re leaving this island. But we’re going to be working right up until you drop us off at the airport, just you wait and see.”

Steve’s smile faltered a bit, but he caught it before anyone else noticed. After his father had sent him and Mary away, holidays had pretty much become just like any other day. And then, once he was in the Navy, he’d made sure to work as many holidays as he could so that those who had families could spend some quality time with them. Now he had his ohana, complete with Grace, and he was starting to remember things, like how spending time with the people you cared about on certain days made that day special, so much brighter. And while he didn’t expect everyone to drop their plans, he’d hoped that they’d find some time to get together, maybe grill over at his house. But thanks to a miracle and Chin and Kono’s millions of cousins spread throughout the islands, Danny had not only managed to convince Rachel to let him have Grace over Christmas, but he’d also gotten a great deal for the Waikoloa Beach Resort over on the Big Island. So now Steve wouldn’t be able to see Gracie during Christmas, and on top of it, he’d have to deal without Danny. But it was only for three days – Steve would drop them off at the airport early Friday morning and pick them back up mid afternoon on Monday. He’d gone longer than that without sleep. He’d be fine.

He was brought out of his musings when Danny greeted a couple of HPD officers who looked vaguely familiar. One was a large Hawaiian man, the other a thin African American. They were an odd looking pair, but then, Steve figured, that’s probably what some people thought when they first met him and Danny.

“Aalona! How’s little Lokelani?”

The large Hawaiian man broke into a brilliant smile as he shook Danny’s hand. “She’s been in remission for about three months now. Her hair’s growing back; she’s gaining weight. She’s already asking if she can start surfing again.”

“That’s great, man!” Danny said, clapping the man on the back. “Aalona and Marcus, this is Kono, Chin, and Steve.”

“Yeah,” the Hawaiian rubbed at his cheek. “We might’ve heard a thing or two about 5-0.”

Danny grinned. “I didn’t mean to keep you. Give Danita my love.”

“The last time I did that, she was ready to pack her bags and move in with you.”

“Obviously, she’s never seen the places where Danny lives,” Kono said, smiling.

“Hey –” Danny turned to her. “I’ll have you know that the hotel I was staying in was pretty awesome.” He turned back to Aalona, whispering loudly, “of course one of her cousins hooked me up, so I gotta show my appreciation.”

Aalona chuckled. “We’d better –” he gestured toward the warehouse. “Your handiwork, I’m guessing?”

“Me? Not me,” Danny protested, hand splayed on his chest. “I just came along for the ride. If you’re looking to blame someone, turn your eyes over to tall, dark, and psychotic over there.”

Steve blinked innocently at the group. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” His phone rang, saving him from having to defend himself yet again. “Excuse me, I have to take this.” He turned away. “Yes, Governor.”

 

Danny smiled at Aalona and Marcus, shaking their hands before they walked away.

“I thought you didn’t have any HPD friends,” Kono said.

Danny watched the men walk over to some other officers. “I met Aalona when I’d just gotten here, and the lawyers were still hammering out custody with Gracie, so I had a lot of free time on my hands.” He shrugged, trying not to relive those dark, dark days. “Aalona’s daughter, Lokelani, had just been diagnosed with leukemia, so I took a lot of his shifts.” He saw Kono’s eyes soften as she looked at him and uncomfortable, he changed the subject. “So, did you notice Steve’s face when I talked about Christmas?”

Properly distracted, Kono shook her head, smiling. “Brah, you are so mean.”

“What? Steve will be fortunate enough to spend Christmas with the smartest, most beautiful girl in the world at – ” he pulled the worn brochure out of his back pocket and waved it at the cousins. “ – the gathering place of the Kohala coast,” he quoted without even looking at it. He’d had it memorized an hour after Chin and Kono had presented it to him.

“Yeah, but he doesn’t know that.” Chin pointed out.

“He looked like a little puppy you’d kicked,” Kono said. “Why don’t you just tell him that he’s coming with you?”

“Because it’s going to make it that much sweeter when we get to the airport and Grace gives him his ticket.” Danny had already pictured the scenario a few different ways, but it always ended with his handing over the bag he’d secretly packed during one of his trips over to Steve’s house and had hid in his apartment for the past few days and Gracie presenting the ticket to Steve, surprising him with the fact that he was going to be joining them on their excursion. He saw the shy, pleased smile that always came over Steve’s face when he realized that he wasn’t alone anymore, that he was a part of Danny and Grace’s family. There was no way Danny was going to leave Steve alone over Christmas. “Besides, I have a week to enjoy myself, to talk about how the Waikoloa Beach Resort nourishes body and soul –”

“ – with culinary explorations of Hawaii’s diversity.” Chin and Kono said with Danny.

Waving the flyer at them, Danny said, smiling, “So you’ve read the brochure too?”

Chin rolled his eyes, pushing off the car. “Thanks to you, we know it by heart. We’ll head in and get started with the paperwork."

“We’ll get going as soon as Steve hangs up with the Governor. Knowing Evel Knievel over there, we’ll probably still beat you back.”

“I doubt that,” Kono smiled, flashing her dimples as she shook the keys in her hand.

“Was it really necessary to challenge her?” Chin muttered, climbing into the passenger seat.

“Hey, misery loves company,” Danny shot back, grinning. His gaze turned to his partner as Kono peeled away with a squeal of tires. Steve paced, waving his hand, frown on his face as he spoke to the governor. Sighing, Danny could imagine the fancy phrases he was going to have to create on the paperwork to explain how a simple interview had resulted in a few explosions and a warehouse that had pretty much been reduced to ashes. He leaned against the Camaro, arms folded, ankles crossed, enjoying the annoyance and frustration running over Steve’s face as he tried to speak, only to be cut off by, Danny assumed, the governor in full rant. Steve turned a pleading gaze over to Danny who smiled and shrugged, his arms out in a what-can-I-do?-he’s-the-governor pose. Steve rolled his eyes and continued to pace.

Danny relaxed, content to just stand quietly and watch his partner. He knew he had a stupid little smile on his face, one that could quickly turn into a smirk if Steve turned and caught him.

It hadn’t even occurred to him to go to the Waikoloa Beach Resort without Steve when Kono and Chin had presented him with the opportunity. He’d just managed to pull off an unheard-of miracle and convince Rachel to let him have Grace for the entire Christmas weekend – not that he wasn’t sure that some business event of Stan’s had something to do with it, but Danny was getting what he wanted, so he wasn’t going to belabor the point – and was desperately trying to find something special, yet affordable, at the last minute when the cousins walked in and saved Gracie’s Christmas. Through their unlimited resources of cousins, they’d managed to get him a reservation at the resort at a fraction of the price, thanks to a late cancellation. The three airline tickets on top of it hurt, and he’d be resorted to eating ramen noodles for a few months when he wasn’t sponging out of Steve’s fridge in order to remain at his new place, but hell, it was Christmas. And Grace was going to sit on Santa’s lap and have her picture taken in front of an honest-to-goodness Christmas tree, not some sort of coconut monstrosity with lights and leis – how was that even remotely Christmas?

“Three plane tickets?” Kono had asked him while they were running a trace on some license plate numbers, and Danny was complaining about the price – after all, he always could multitask like a champ.

“Well, I’m not about to try to row over there, Kalakaua, and don’t even mention that when Steve’s around. I’m sure Super SEAL would jump at the chance to get there in a raft, but my daughter’s not going to end up shark food on Christmas.”

“So the third ticket’s for the boss?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Who else would I be taking?” And that’s when it occurred to him that Steve’s coming hadn’t even been a question in his mind.

Kono just smiled at him, her head tilted, and waited.

“Shut up,” he muttered, turning his attention back to the computer table.

“But you make such a happy family,” she teased.

“Who makes a happy family?” Chin asked, walking in the room with bags of takeout.

“No one,” Danny said, a furtive glance at Steve’s closed door.

“Danny bought three airline tickets for Christmas,” Kono informed Chin.

“I guess Steve could hijack a helicopter and fly himself, but he’d probably want to go with Danny and Grace rather than meet them there.”

“You’re not surprised?” Kono asked.

Shrugging, Chin deposited the bags on the counter along the side of the room and started pulling out containers. “Wherever one goes, the other isn’t far behind.”

“See?” Danny said to Kono, then stopped and turned back to Chin. “Wait – what?”

“How many times do you see one without the other?”

“You’re right,” Kono mused. “They’re like Hawaii’s own super couple. They’re… Stanny.”

“Stanny?” Danny asked.

“I prefer McWilliams,” Chin said.

“No, that sounds like some sort of fast food burger,” Kono complained. “Deve?”

“Stop – just stop,” Danny said, running a hand over his face. “We’re partners who happen to be friends. What about you two? You’re always together too."

Chin stopped and turned to face Danny. “Dude, we’re cousins.”

“Yeah, that’s just – ” Kono shuddered.

“Now you know how I feel!” Danny said, realizing as soon as he spoke the words that they were a baldfaced lie.

“Sure, brah,” Chin said, unimpressed, as he handed Danny his food.

Kono just rolled her eyes. “Does Steve know he’s coming with you?”

Danny opened his mouth but then shut it quickly.

“You haven’t talked to him about it?” Kono laughed. “What are you going to do, ask him to go after he’s driven you to the airport?"

“Kono,” Danny said, smiling, “in addition to being a true warrior, you are a genius. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“Seriously?” Chin asked, handing Kono her food.

“I have to have something to entertain me while I bide my time,” Danny said gleefully, rocking on his heels. “This is going to make the next two weeks fly by!”

Steve opened his door, rubbing his hands together. “Chin, my friend, thank you for getting the food. I’m starving.” He turned to Danny. “We’re still on for Christmas shopping with Grace on Saturday, right?”

Danny ignored Kono’s see-what-I’m-saying stare and nodded, shoving food into his mouth.

Since then, he’d deliberately concentrated on other things, like arresting bad guys and trying not to catch fire, so he wouldn’t have to think about how Steve had managed to somehow sneak into Danny’s life, entrenching himself so fully that Danny couldn’t imagine spending a holiday without him. “Stupid ninja,” Danny muttered as Steve hung up with the governor and walked over to the car.

“Were you talking to me?”

“Nope,” Danny lied. “Let’s go; we smell like we’re still on fire, and while I might be able to rock that, you, my friend, cannot.”

“I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t rocking it as much as you think you are.”

“Stupid ninja,” Danny growled, looking at Steve. “That time I was talking to you.”

Steve just smiled and slid behind the wheel.

Despite all of the active cases that kept coming their way – thereby confirming Danny’s paradise is actually hell with a sunny smile theory, as he liked to remind his team - time seemed to drag until Saturday the seventeenth, when Danny got Grace for the day. It wasn’t long enough, but Danny couldn’t complain after the whole Christmas thing. And the only reason he’d been granted the day was that Grace had begged Rachel to let him take her shopping for presents for her and Step-Stan so they’d be surprised. Because of his recent airline spree, Danny’s bank account was hurting, but Steve took them to a local craft fair where they managed to find reasonably priced gifts not only for Rachel and Stan but also for Kono, Chin, Kamekona, and what seemed like a multitude of people Rachel and Stan employed in and around the house. Danny sent Steve off on a coffee and juice run, and he and Gracie returned to the tent where Steve had been ogling a painting of what Danny now thought of as Steve’s petroglyphs. After negotiating a less painful price, Danny arranged with the artist to pick up the painting at some point when they returned from the resort.

They got to Steve’s house a little after noon;; Danny and Grace immediately headed to the guest bedroom, that was quickly becoming Grace’s room, so Danny could help her wrap her presents. They’d finished and come downstairs to find Kono and Chin relaxing on the lanai while Steve stood at the grill.

Grace ran over to the cousins, presents in her hands. “Mele Kalikimaka!”

“Thank you, Grace,” Chin said, taking his present.

“Very good,” Kono praised.

“We’ve been practicing it in school,” Grace said proudly.

Steve glanced over at Danny. “Where’s the tie?”

“He’s been with me all day but now he complains about the tie,” Danny sighed, half to the cousins and half to the sky. He turned his attention back to Steve. “I’m off duty, just hanging out with my daughter, but I have one out in the car.” He gestured toward the front door. “You need me to go get it?”

“No.” Steve poked at a steak. “It’s just weird, you know, seeing you dressed like a regular person.”

“Regular people – people who know how to dress like professionals – wear ties. We understand that it reflects how seriously we take the job.”

Steve frowned. “I take the job seriously.”

“There’s I-am-a-professional-seriously,” Danny used his hand to gesture toward himself, “and there’s I-hope-to-blow-crap-up-and-maybe-get-my-partner-shot seriously.” He pointed at Steve with both his hands. “That’s all I’m saying.

Steve smiled, shaking his head, and Danny knew he probably had that same stupid smile on his own face. He loved seeing Steve happy, relaxing his guard. And he might rant against Steve’s work clothing choice – not choices, because frankly, black shirts and black cargo pants didn’t require enough brain matter to be counted as more than one thought – but he couldn’t deny that those shirts stretched over his expansive chest and framed his arms nicely, revealing just enough of Steve’s tattoos to make Danny want to slide his hand inside, feel the skin there.

Steve was currently wearing what Danny thought of as his post-surf lanai clothes, faded jeans that molded so very nicely to his ass and another one of those teasing black t-shirts. The fact that Danny even found Steve’s feet attractive – the bastard couldn’t even be helpful enough to wear shoes around his own home – proved how far gone Danny was.

Sighing inwardly, Danny grabbed two Longboards from the cooler, opened both and handed one to Steve, who grinned his thanks before taking a long draw. As he surreptitiously watched Steve’s adams apple bob, Danny reminded himself that this was all there was ever going to be – eyes only. Sure, he’d still nudge Steve every so often, maybe punch him when things got out of control. If he were lucky, he might get a hug or a handshake, but that’s all he’d ever have. Super SEAL Steve was grade A, 100% heterosexual.

Danny wasn’t sure when he’d started to feel more than friendship for his partner, but now that he looked back, he realized that maybe it had always been there, just simmering under the surface. Danny always put his emotions out there; that’s just a part of who he was. But he could usually keep it under control, remain professional. Then he met a certain annoying Navy Commander who immediately rubbed him the wrong way, making Danny say and do things that normally he’d have been able to hold inside. And maybe it wouldn’t have gone much further if Steve didn’t turn around and do things like give Danny passes to a hotel so Grace could swim with the dolphins or turn one of his bedrooms into Grace’s whenever Danny had her overnight. Steve had already been on his way into Danny’s heart, but his love for Grace had sealed the deal.

But Danny knew he’d have to be content with what they had – and having Steve as a best friend was probably more than he deserved, really. He’d made the monumental mistake of going to Rachel when he was at his lowest and had bedded her while she was married to another man. He’d known it was wrong, but he’d been trying to stay away from Steve, from blurting out his feelings in a weak moment. The last thing he’d needed was to lose his brother and his best friend in the same night.

The next few hours passed in a blur of contentment and happiness. After Steve finally finished grilling, Grace ate quickly and then waited impatiently until she and Steve could go into the water. Danny sat beside Chin and Kono, watching the two most important people in his life frolicking in the water. He made sure he shouted out something relatively scathing every once in a while, threatening Steve’s life in all sorts of creative manners if the man even let one hair of Grace’s hair get hurt. He was getting pretty good at hiding his attraction.

Dropping off Grace that evening pulled at Danny’s heart as it always did, but he kept reminding himself that he was going to have her at Christmas. Steve and Grace, all to himself.

They got called in on Sunday for what looked like a huge gun deal gone wrong – and once again Danny felt the need to point out that this was confirmation about the weather thing – the team spending almost all of their time at the office, trying to close the case before Friday. Steve was proud of his team, the seamless way they worked together, although he was worried about them. No one complained, but they were all starting to wear thin, the dark circles under their eyes and the amount of coffee they’d been going through on an hourly basis the most obvious proof. But he also knew that they all refused to put Danny through the position of having to take Grace out of town and leave his team behind mid-case. Danny’d never forgive himself if something happened to any of them while he was away.

Early Wednesday, one of Chin’s informants called him with a tip that ended up breaking the case, and if he’d had the money, Danny would have bought the informant a case of the alcoholic beverage of his choice. They now had their suspects in their sights, the proof rolling in on the smart board almost faster than Kono and Chin could collect it.

“This is what I’m talking about.” Danny slapped the Camaro’s armrest gently, fifteen minutes later, after making sure their approved warrant had properly downloaded to his phone. They were already en route to their main bad guy’s home, but for once, they had their warrant, and Kono and Chin – as well as HPD – were on their way as backup. It was all falling together so nicely that he didn’t even let Steve’s suicidal driving mar his happiness.

The gun runners had just pulled up to the house when Steve and Danny arrived, and they took off immediately. Steve only managed to destroy one car – not Danny’s this time – and a tow truck before they got the drop on the two men. Of course, they didn’t go down without a fight, hopping out of their totaled car and running in opposite directions. Without hesitation, Steve took out after the driver, and after sighing, Danny ran after the passenger. Evidently, the extra physical therapy and morning runs had paid off, and Danny tackled the man on, surprise, yet another beach. The man didn’t give up easily, but Danny eventually managed to work in a good right hook, quickly whipping the man around and jerking his arms behind him.

Danny could already feel sand in places it had no right being, and the man underneath him kept squirming, making it tough to apply the cuffs. “Seriously? I’m sitting here, right on your ass, and you think you can get away?” Holding on to the man’s wrists with one hand, he knocked the handcuffs against the man’s head with the other. “You do realize it’s almost Christmas, right? I almost missed serious family time because you couldn’t just wait until after the new year. What was the rush? We could’ve done this in a few weeks. Now I’m hot, I’m sweating, and I’m going to have to get this tie cleaned.

“Are you anywhere close to being finished?”

Danny looked up to find Steve leaning against a tree, arms folded, legs crossed. “Where’s your guy?”

“HPD has him back there.” Steve jerked a thumb toward the vehicles. Sighing dramatically, he looked at his watch. “It’s only a few days until Christmas, so you might want to speed it up."

Cuffing the man, Danny glared at Steve and hauled the guy to his feet. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

Steve opened his eyes wide, palm to his chest. “Me? You’re the one giving the perp some sort of soliloquy – ”

“Soliloquy?” Danny grunted, shoving the man in front of him. “How do you even know that word?”

“I am a man of many talents, Danno,” Steve said, following him.

Danny wasn’t even about to touch that comment.

Of course they had to go out and celebrate with a few beers like they did after every case, and this time it felt a little more special, because it was probably going to be the last time they were all together outside of the office until after Christmas. Their time off was only for a few days, but they were all used to seeing each other every day. Danny hadn’t realized how much he’d come to rely on his team outside of work until he sat there at the booth, watching Kono laugh at something Chin said, Steve’s head tilted as he smiled. They truly were his ohana, his family. He found that he didn’t want their office Christmas party to be held at a local bar.

Instead of going home like he’d led the others to believe, Danny decided to head back to the office. The least he could do was take care of the paperwork, his little present to the group. He figured if he could knock out most of it before morning, it would leave Steve enough time to sign everything and get it all to the governor by midday – if he could keep Steve on it long enough. Then maybe they could leave early. Danny already had everything ready for the trip – his, Steve’s, and Grace’s bags were already at the door – but he thought maybe he could invite everyone over to Steve’s for an unofficial Christmas get together. Hell, he thought with a smile, might as well make it an official team building exercise and expense everything. He liked the idea of taking over Steve’s house, and it would mean that Steve wouldn’t be sitting there, alone and sad, thinking that he’d be spending the holidays alone again this year. Danny knew it would be hard not to just up and tell him about the trip, but Grace would never forgive him if he did it without her being there.

Just after midnight, his phone shrieked at him, and his heart stopped. Rachel never called him this late unless it was an emergency. “Rachel. What’s wrong?”

He heard her take a breath. “Danny, it’s my mother.”

Worried but sighing inwardly in relief that it wasn’t about Grace, Danny sat back in his chair. “What happened?”

“She just collapsed. They’re saying that it looks like a stroke, or maybe a heart attack, I don’t know.”

Knowing how close Rachel was to her mother, he rubbed his hand through his hair. “Shit, Rachel. I’m sorry. I know you’re going to want to take the earliest flight out. How about I come get Grace now, and then we can take you to the airport?”

“Danny.” Rachel paused. “Grace is coming with me."

“Like hell she is!” Danny stood, his chair shooting back and hitting the wall.

“Right now, I don’t know what’s going on with mother –”

“So go over there and focus on her. I’ll take care of Grace.”

“But I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone, and what happens if you get involved in a case when you return from the resort? Who’s going to look after her while you’re spending fourteen hour days in the office?”

“I’ll work it out,” Danny said, his heart thundering in his chest. “Rachel, I promise.   She’ll be safe here.”

“And what if you get hurt? Who’s going to take care of her then?”

“Rachel – ”

“I’m not doing this to hurt you,” Rachel said, “but I’m just trying to –” she stopped and took a shuddering breath, making Danny feel like all kinds of shit. “I’m just trying to hold it together.”

“Okay,” Danny sighed, pressing the palms of his hands over his eyes. He had a pregnant ex-wife whose husband was out of town, whose mother could be dying, and who was just trying to do her best for everyone. “Okay,” he repeated, trying not to sound like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. “Let me at least see you off at the airport.”

On his way out to the car, he almost ran straight into Aalona at the door. “You’re out late.”

“I could say the same for you.”  Shrugging, Danny said, “You can’t imagine the paperwork after you create a traffic jam.” Aalona laughed. “At least you won’t be spending Christmas on a stakeout.”

“That sucks.”

“It’s all about perspective. Last year, I was just hoping for more time with my daughter. Sure, I won’t have Christmas Eve with her, but she’s alive. Given the choice, I’ll happily sit in a car with some nasty coffee.”

Danny clapped the man on the shoulder, realizing that he still had a lot to appreciate.

“Hey,” Aalona called after him. “Remember to stop by sometime. We just got new pictures. You won’t believe how big she’s gotten.”

“I’ll do that,” Danny said, waving as he jogged to his car.


Notes on Chapter 1:
The Waikoloa Beach Resort is real (http://www.waikoloabeachresort.com).  In fact, the quotes that I use are actually from the brochure from their site for 2012.  It sounds like an AMAZING place.  If I could, I’d stay here.  Frequently.