Sammy and Ilna, love you both for everything.

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It Takes a Village

When Steve and Catherine entered Dr. Hiroya's office, DJ was holding onto his Daddy's hand, while Angie burst into the exam room and said, "Hi!" to the doctor, then with a head tilt asked, "Wally-pop?"

"Well hello to you, Miss Angie," Violet Hiroya finger waved at the toddler, then greeted Steve and Catherine. "And you have to be DJ," she said as she knelt to his level. "I'm happy to meet you." Holding one hand in the air, she said, "No shots today, promise."

"Hi," DJ offered, never letting go of the grip he had on Steve.

"Dat DJ," Angie said before she attempted to hoist herself into the exam-table step stool, only to be plucked off her feet by Catherine.

"We're just here for what we call a wellness visit," the doctor explained. It was her experience that when her patients knew what was happening, they were far less anxious. Catherine had called to fill the pediatrician in on DJ's history and had his medical records as provided by Estella forwarded. "I'm going to check your sister first so you can see what I'll be doing," she said with a smile. "And Angie's an old hand at our visits." She stood and addressed the two year old, who Catherine had assisted in her climb onto the exam table, "Aren't you, Angie?"

Starting by listening to Angie's heart and lungs, then letting the little girl use the stethoscope to hear her mommy's heartbeat, she checked her eyes, ears, nose and throat before moving on to gently touch her face. "The mark is completely gone," she told Steve, who smiled. "She's not going to remember the fall and it definitely won't scar."

"Wish I didn't remember it," he noted with a little headshake. The sound of his daughter falling onto the night table wouldn't be forgotten, ever, but he was thankful her beautiful face wouldn't retain a mark just under her eye.

Violet helped Angie off the table. "Angie, can you stand on your toes, like this?" She demonstrated and nodded when the little girl followed suit. "And I know you can climb on furniture." She indicated the step stool with a wave. "How is she with stairs, Catherine?"

"Fast," Catherine said with a head shake. "Some days, a little too fast." She chuckled and ran a hand over Angie's head and followed it with a kiss. "She's very coordinated."

"I wonder where she gets that from." The doctor looked between her patient's parents and chuckled as Steve shrugged his acquiescence to the fact. "She's a little ahead of target, as usual," she reported before addressing the little one. "Okay, let's see how big and tall you've grown, hop up on the scale."

"Angie big!" she said and stood still as the doctor lowered the measuring bar to touch her head. "Thirty six inches and …" She adjusted the scale. "Twenty eight and a half pounds." She faced Steve. "And she can kick a ball, run, carry a few items while she's walking?"

"Absolutely. She throws overhand now and she's really quick. Her godmother thinks she's going to break Catherine's obstacle course record." His eyes glinted with pride.

"My, my, no more baby. Angie's a big girl, Mommy and Daddy."

"Yay!" Angie clapped as Steve and Catherine exchanged a happy glance. Hopping off the scale with her mommy's help, she said, "DJ do!"

"What do you say, DJ? Can we start with a weight and height check?" Dr. Violet was prepared to let the little boy set the pace. She didn't know what his past experience with doctors was, but she assumed from the files, he'd seen one once a year unless he'd gotten quite sick.

"A shade under forty pounds and …" She adjusted the bar as DJ stood very tall and still. "Forty six inches. Good boy. I'd like to listen to your heart and lungs. Can you get up on the table?

DJ nodded and climbed up to sit. As Dr. Violet listened to his chest and back, he took deep breaths like she said and was happy his mommy and daddy both stepped a bit closer because it made him feel safe. He only remembered going to a doctor a few times before, and they weren't nice like Dr. Violet. She smiled a lot and had pretty hair like his mommy. The other doctor gave him a shot once and another time his aunt took him for some medicine when the school nurse said he had a fever. It tasted bad, and he had to remember all by himself to drink a spoon every day, but after he took it his throat didn't hurt any more.

Dr. Violet had him lie back and she asked if anything hurt when she touched his tummy, then she used a funny little hammer to hit his knees and his feet popped forward all by themselves.

"Okay, DJ, you're all good." The doctor smiled. "You can get down and…" she pointed to a plastic jar on the shelf, "get a lollipop for yourself and your sister."

"Yay! Wally pop!" Angie bounced. "Wan' wed, DJ!"

He took the jar and unwrapped a red pop for her and took one for himself. "Thank you."

"Tank ooh," Angie echoed around the sucker that was already making her lips red.

"You did great," Violet told DJ. "You, too, Angie."

"Good job." Steve hugged both kids and DJ beamed. "We're proud of you guys."

"I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes," Violet said with a smile. "Just to go over a few details. How about if Angie shows DJ the treasure chest with Ms. Penny and they can pick out a prize for being so good?"

"Pwize, DJ!" Angie took his hand, and headed into the receptionist's area immediately.

"We get a prize?" He looked at Catherine.

"You do. Miss Penny, who we saw at the desk will help you pick one out and you can sit in the play area with her while Daddy and I talk to Dr. Violet for a minute, okay?"

"I'll watch Angie, too," he said before letting her tug him towards the outer office as she chanted, "Pwize, pwize."

Steve and Catherine turned to face the doctor. "They're both fine," she began and saw the couple share a relieved smile. "Angie's right on target and having her get a little exam to make DJ feel comfortable was an excellent idea."

"Thanks," Steve said. "My sister's in-laws are psychologists and even though we're seeing a counselor, they've been great offering ideas and advice. They adopted our brother in law into a similar family dynamic."

"That's wonderful. It takes a village as I always say."

"So DJ's okay?" Steve cut right to the point. The family services doctor had examined DJ and he had a hospital visit the day he'd been found to be alone, but both were happy and relieved for the confirmation he was okay from their own pediatrician.

"He's on the low end of normal weight for his height, which is actually perfectly on target. You said he's gaining weight since he's been with you?" She made a note on her tablet.

"He's gained four pounds," Catherine told her.

"He wasn't fed nutritiously or properly, according to his record." Violet Hiroya almost managed to keep a note of sadness from her voice. She adored children and loved her job - it saddened and angered her that some people didn't appreciate the gift a child was.

Steve's jaw clenched as he nodded. "He fended for himself a lot."

"I'm so sorry for what he's been through, but he's with the very best parents he could have now." Dr. Violet gave the task force commander a look of compassion. "DJ's naturally thin but he's not underweight, his height is actually in the seventy fifth percentile, and his blood work from the ER visit is completely normal. I'm happy to hear he likes the counselor." She placed a hand on Catherine's arm. "You two have wonderful parenting instincts, I'm confident he's thriving because he feels safe in your family. He's certainly bonded beautifully with Angie."

Catherine smiled and reached to squeeze Steve's hand. "Thank you. All we want is for DJ to be healthy and happy. And Angie took to him immediately. They absolutely love each other."

"Another wonderful factor; a little sister who loves him. And one like Angie, who's so confident and outgoing will probably boost DJ's confidence." The doctor made a few last notes and placed her tablet on the counter. "If you have questions about anything, call me, but I think we're good until their next physicals."

"Thank you," Catherine said as Steve echoed her words. Stepping out into the play area of the pediatrician's office, they gathered the kids and thanked Penny as both children showed their prizes.

Hearing the couple suggest a stop for lunch and ice cream with Catherine's parents and grandmother, Violet Hiroya smiled to herself as she thought the same thing she'd always said of Angie. Now two kids are not only lucky to have Catherine Rollins and Steve McGarrett and their wonderful extended family, but they also have each other.

# End. Thanks for reading!

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