"Aunt Debs? Danny asked the red haired woman walking out of the police station.

"You must be Danny," Debs smiled.

"Yes, you know about me?" Danny blinked.

"Of course, Steve talks about you all the time. And I asked him to send someone good looking to pick me up. That boy always had good taste," Debs laughed. "He told you huh," she narrowed her eyes at Danny.

"Yes he told me," Danny smiled sadly. "I am sorry,"

"I am not shocked he told you, from what I have heard about you two I guessed he would come to you for comfort and to talk things through," Debs smiled.

"Come on, I will take you home," Danny offered his arm.

"No, I don't want to go home just yet. Why don't you take me to the most beautiful place on the island," Debs smiled sliding her arm through his.

"The most beautiful place on the island huh?"

"And not the airport out of here!" Debs laughed.

"He really did tell you all about me," Danny grinned before leading her to his car.

- DW SM -

"This is the most beautiful spot on the island?" Debs smiled.

"Yup, I come here when I need to think," Danny sighed looking out over the sea.

"Its beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here,"

"So, what was it you wanted to say to me?" Danny asked the older woman. She gave him a very McGarrett look, one that he was very very used to. He just looked back until she let out a little huff of amusement.

"He's going to need you. You know what he is like, he puts on a strong face, and he acts as though he is not hurting, and he will be strong for Mary. But he is hurting, and he is going to need someone there for him through this,"

"I don't think you should be talking to me about this, Cather..."

"That woman left him months ago with a promise that she would come back, you and I both know that that is not what he needs right now. He needs someone who is always by his side, he needs someone that is going to support him through this," Danny turned to meet her eyes and she gave him a warm smile. "He needs someone that loves him, he needs you,"

"Oh I...I mean I...I lov...I feel..."

"Danny calm down honestly. I have little time left on this planet, and I want to see those kids happy. And that boy, the way you two feel about each other, that isn't something to waste time dancing around because you are scared," Debs touched his arm. "Trust me honey life is much too short,"

"Steve isn't..."

"Oh trust me he is. I have heard his voice when he talks about you and your little girl, I have seen his face when he looks at you. Honey you feel the same way about each other. Don't waste time. Please. He comes across as big and tough, but you and I know that he is vulnerable when it comes to the people that he cares about, he won't make the first move. You two can be happy together, and he is going to need you more than ever,"

"I will think about it,"

"That's all I can ask," Debs patted his cheek before turning to look back out over the sea.

- DW SM -

Danny stepped out of Steve's bedroom having settled Grace down, she had fallen fast asleep on the way back from the restaurant and had barely even stirred when Danny had lifted her from the car. He turned around and met Debs' eyes where she was about to go into the room she was staying in. She smiled and gave him a knowing look and a slight nod before closing the door behind herself.

Blushing and grumbling to himself about McGarrett's he made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab two beers. He made his way out to the back yard and down to the beach where Steve was sitting staring out over the sea.

He sat down next to Steve and held out the fresh beer before resting their shoulders together. Steve sniffed slightly as he looked down at his feet, leaning a little further into Danny for comfort.

"She is in pieces," Steve choked. Danny reached out and took the dark haired man's hand, holding it tightly.

"Just her?"

"She needs me to be strong,"

"But you don't need to be with me,"

Steve turned to look at Danny before something relaxed in him and he dropped his head onto Danny's shoulder, tightening his hand as though worried the smaller man would pull away. Instead Danny put the beer bottle in his hands down and wrapped the free arm around Steve.

"Babe you know I am here for you," Danny sighed.

"I know. Thank you," Steve relaxed against Danny and they just stared out over the sea quietly for a little bit. Danny held tightly onto Steve and just let him soak up whatever support he could give him right now.

Steve had closed his eyes a long time ago, and instead was soaking up the scent and feel of Danny pressed against him, the comforting presence of his partner easing some of the jaggedness that had formed in his stomach over today.

"Thank you,"

"For what?" Danny asked.

"Being here with me," Steve said softly.

"I am always here for you. Always," Danny pressed his lips to Steve's temple.

"Danno," Steve lifted his head and looked at Danny, his eyes confused as he looked over his partner's features.

"Always," Danny nodded before balling up all the courage that Debs had given him. He pressed his lips to Steve's nervously, a gentle touching waiting for Steve's reaction.

Steve blinked at the sudden move before he smiled and pressed back, cupping Danny's face.

The blonde hummed into the kiss as it heated up, finally letting go of years of suppressing these feelings finally breaking between them at the contact.

Before he knew it the two of them were lying on the sand, hands touching and stroking as they made out with each other like a pair of teenagers. Their bodies were moving as in sync as they did when they were on a case, their hips rocking and their mouths dancing as they soaked up the feeling of the other finally pressed against them.

"As much as I would like to continue this, and really would, unless we stop now this is going to progress a lot further," Danny panted against Steve's lips.

"And that is a bad thing?" Steve asked between kisses.

"It is when my daughter, your aunt, sister and niece are in the house," Danny snorted.

"That...is a good point," Steve groaned dropping his head onto Danny's shoulder.

"Sorry babe, we can pick this up in a couple of days and finish what we started," Danny combed his fingers through Steve's hair pressing kisses over his face.

"Would it just be finishing something, or would it be the start of it?" Steve asked, nerves in his voice in a way that the detective very rarely heard.

"I would like to think of it as taking the next step and continuing something that we have been building for a long time now," Danny said, suddenly feeling as nervous as Steve sounded.

"That...I like the sound of," Steve nodded dropping on the sand next to Danny, keeping a leg over him and an arm.

"Good, because you seem to have managed to convince me that I can't get rid of you, so now you are not getting rid of me,"

"That sounds even better," Steve grinned leaning forward to kiss Danny again.

- DW SM -

"Danno! Uncle Steve," Both men startled when the little body collided with theirs where they had apparently fallen asleep on the beach. "That's not fair! You camped out without me!"

"It looks like you two boys had a good night," Debs smirked at them from the doorway.

"Yes thank you," Steve blushed.

"I did not! I have sand in places that sand should not be! And my back is killing me," Danny groused. Grace and Steve exchanged a look before they burst out laughing. "Oh wonderful! Wonderful! I am glad that you find my pain so funny!"

He grabbed hold of Grace and pulled his down against him tickling her sides. She wriggled against him squealing for Steve to help her. A small war cry and Steve threw himself on top of the both of them, tickling them. Grace laughed happily as Steve gently threw her away from them and onto the sand. He pounced on Danny and carried on tickling, until with her own mini McGarrett war cry Grace pounced on top of him.

Debs stood watching the three of them with a small smile, laughing as the battle carried on with Grace and Danny working together to get Steve onto his back and tickle him mercilessly.

Steve would be ok. He would hurt, and he would miss her, he would look after Mary and Joan, and he would be strong for them. And Danny and Grace would be there for Steve, they would hold him together, and they would be there for him when he needed them the most.

He would be fine. He had a man to love and a little girl to adore, and they felt the exact same way for him.