Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

Steve knocked quietly on the bedroom door and waited for the invitation to enter before he opened it and went inside.

Charlie’s room at his house had once been Steve’s childhood bedroom. They’d redecorated lots over the year; the walls had originally been a space mural, and the bedlinen had once sported the faded motif of Charlie’s favourite Marvel superhero. The rich jewel tones of the current décor spoke to Charlie’s young adult sense of style and the shelves were still filled with childhood books, trophies and the paraphernalia of youth.

Charlie stood in front of the full-length mirror, checking his appearance. He looked smart in a bright blue blazer, sharp white shirt left open at the neck and crisp linen trousers.

“Looking sharp there, Detective Williams,” Steve said teasingly as he closed the door.

Charlie glanced over his shoulder at Steve and grinned at him. The expression was all Danny and Steve felt his heart do its funny little jump that it always did when he saw that expression.

“You look pretty sharp yourself, Commander McGarrett,” teased Charlie back.

Steve grinned. He grasped the lapels of his dark blue blazer and rocked back on his heels. “You think it’s OK?”

“I do,” Charlie said, “it says beach wedding which is exactly what Robby and I wanted.”

Robby being Lieutenant Commander Robert Hart who was Charlie’s fiancé and the man waiting downstairs in full Naval dress to marry him. They’d met when they’d both been assigned as partners in Five-0; sparks had flown and a year later Robby had proposed. As the leader of Five-0, Tani took full credit for getting them together.

“Thanks again for letting us do this here, Uncle Steve,” Charlie said, brushing imaginary lint off his jacket.

“As if I’d let you do this anywhere else,” Steve commented dryly.

He moved and reeled the younger man in for a hug. He could hardly believe Charlie was getting married. He remembered the day he’d met Danny’s son as Danny’s son and his heart clenched again as he remembered thinking why they hadn’t automatically realised the blond bundle of mischief was Danny’s. Years on, and he still couldn’t reconcile what Rachel had done in keeping Charlie’s parentage a secret for so many years. He shook the thought away, not wanting to spoil the day with thoughts of the past which would only stir up old anger.

He eased back and took hold of Charlie’s shoulders.

“Ready?” asked Steve.

“Yeah,” Charlie said, “I’m ready.” His blue eyes were calm and lit up with an inner happiness.

“Tough because we still have twenty minutes before the ceremony starts,” Steve noted with a smile. He glanced around and his eyes caught on an old picture of Danny and his son. “Where’s your Dad? I thought he’d be up here giving you last minute advice?”

“He was here earlier,” Charlie adjusted his cuffs, “he said I’d chosen to get involved with a Navy SEAL so he wished me luck with the crazy.”

Steve laughed.

Charlie sobered and caught Steve’s gaze. “He also said there was nothing like having a SEAL for a partner, on the job, off the job; that they always had your back; that they would fight like hell to protect the people they loved so you had to fight like hell too, to keep them alive and out of trouble.”

“I love him too,” Steve said simply, emotion swamping him at Danny’s words. “And,” he wagged a finger, “I’m pretty sure half that trouble was down to your old man.”

Charlie smiled at him.

There was a knock on the door and Grace charged in. She looked fantastic; her hair was caught up in some complicated female bun, and she wore a floaty blue sundress which barely covered her baby bump. Steve grinned as she came over and hugged him fiercely.

“Uncle Steve,” Grace murmured.

“Shouldn’t you be resting downstairs?” asked Steve as he hugged her back.

“Don’t you start, Uncle Steve,” Grace said with a laugh, “I get enough of that from Mom and Dad. I’m the best woman, I’m supposed to be keeping Charlie company and giving him sage advice about married life.”

Charlie snorted but he wrapped an arm around his big sister.

“Where’s that husband of yours?” asked Steve.

“Keeping an eye on DJ,” Grace sighed dramatically.

Steve winced because Grace’s toddler son was a terror. An adorable cherubic terror but a terror. “Maybe I should go help him.”

“Nope, I need you on Dad duty,” Grace said firmly, “he was bothering the caterer again.”

Steve’s eyes widened. “That’s not good.”

“Exactly,” Grace said, “can you also give him these to hold on to for the ceremony?” She handed him a small blue bag.

Steve peeked inside and saw the matching silver rings. He grinned and waved the small bag. “Got ya.”

He headed out with one final look at the kids; his mind’s eye blinked and for a second he saw them as children again; a teenage Grace ruffling a young Charlie’s hair. The image faded out leaving the reality of an adult Grace trying to straighten her young brother’s hair who was batting her off with a laughing grin.

Steve made his way downstairs and into the kitchen where the caterer stood arguing with Kamekona. He darted outside and past the waiting guests of old friends and family; of the ohana he and Danny had built over the years.

He spotted Danny down by the shoreline, the two old battered chairs which had been with them for years sitting perched on the grassy knoll just behind him. He walked over briskly until he was stood beside his partner.

The bright blue blazer suited Danny; it made his blue eyes bluer, highlighted the tanned freckles which covered Danny’s skin; made the blond highlights of his hair stand out among the creeping grey. He stood in a familiar stance, hands in his pants’ pockets looking out to sea.

“Hey,” Steve greeted him.

“Hey,” Danny said back.

Steve looked over at Danny fondly. “Grace is trying to sort Charlie’s hair.”

Danny snorted.

“She gave me these to give you,” Steve dangled the bag of rings in front of Danny.

Danny knew him too well though and didn’t try to take the bag, preventing Steve from snatching them out of Danny’s reach.

Steve looked out to the sea, to the tranquil horizon and the blue sky with only a smattering of cloud. “You OK?”

“Yeah,” Danny said, “just thinking.”

“About?” prompted Steve.

Danny glanced over at him before turning back to the ocean. “Mostly, how did we get here, now, to this moment where we’re seeing Charlie get married?” He shook his head. “You know it feels like yesterday we were building his bed.”

“We?”

“First Gracie, now Charlie…” Danny sighed. “The kids are all grown-up, Steve.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” asked Steve.

“It’s a great thing,” Danny stated firmly. “Just…where did all that time go?”

Steve gave a short laugh. “Yeah, I guess.” He considered the years in between and shook his head. “It’s been a crazy ride.”

“You’ve been crazy,” Danny retorted.

Steve grinned back at him unrepentant. “Apparently if you choose a SEAL you knowingly agree to the crazy.”

Danny’s lips twitched into his soft smile. “I might have said something like that.”

“They’re good together,” Steve commented, not sure if he was defending the couple because Danny was a big supporter of them but feeling the need to say it anyway.

“Yeah,” Danny said, “they’re good.”

“Kind of remind me of us,” Steve admitted.

Danny cocked his head. “Maybe if you’d manned up earlier and admitted you loved me…”

“I told you I loved you all the time!”

“…it wouldn’t have taken me so long to catch a clue and give you an opening.”

“I kissed you!” pointed out Steve.

Danny motioned at him with his hand. “After I asked you to pick a base.”

Which was true. Steve smiled at the memory of it, of the adrenaline and relief coursing through him finding Danny and Grace alive and fine in the school ballroom after a hostage situation; of seeing Danny and asking for a hug, and Danny’s quick retort to pick a base and…Steve hadn’t even let him finish before he’d kissed him.

Danny smiled back at him, the memory almost tangible in the air between them.

They stood together, content in their companionship, the waves lapping at the beach, a distant sound of birdcall and the faint murmur of the wedding in its final preparations at their back.

Steve looked over towards the garden where the chairs were set out waiting; the milling guests. He fingered the bag of rings and looked at Danny speculatively.

“You ever think we should have…”

“We should have what, Steven?” asked Danny wryly, turning his head to look at him with amused blue eyes.

“Gotten married,” stated Steve. He motioned back toward the house. “They’ve been together for just over a year. We’ve been together for a lot longer than that.”

Danny stared at him. “Is this a proposal?”

“No…”

“Because,” Danny’s hands flew out and started gesticulating at Steve, “one, this is not a day to propose; this is Charlie’s day…”

“I’m not proposing!”

“…and two, it’s a crappy way to propose!” Danny carried on.

“Not proposing!” Steve held up both hands in surrender.

“A proposal should be intimate and romantic and…”

“Still not proposing!”

“…not involve my son’s own wedding rings!” Danny finished, glaring at Steve.

Steve mimed zipping his lips shut and offered the rings.

Danny grabbed the bag of rings and took a step back towards the garden.

Steve fell into step with him. “Hey, Danno…”

“Steven,” Danny said evenly in reply.

“If I did propose, you’d say yes, right?”

Danny halted bringing them both to an abrupt stop. Steven held his gaze against Danny’s exasperated look which was still tinged with evident fondness.

Danny stabbed a finger at Steve. “Did I just not say…”

“Not proposing,” Steve reiterated again, “just if I did, you’d say yes, right?”

Danny huffed out a breath. “You’re a maniac!” He started back toward the house again.

Steve let him take a few steps before he called out. “That’s a yes, right, Danno?”

Danny looked back over his shoulder. “Ask me properly and find out, you crazy animal!” He carried on walking away.

Steve grinned and let him take another step or two before he set off to catch up with his partner. He had a wedding to attend and then…and then he had a proposal to plan.

fin.