Bonding

Catherine and Grace one-shot

Rating K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Cath was finishing logging off her station when the phone rang. "Hey Sailor, I didn't expect to hear from you today. I thought that you were on a case that required you to be on the Big Island today to do some interviews."

"Yeah Danny and I are on the Big Island, but I have a favor to ask. You just got off work today, right?"

"Yeah, I'm just logging off now and making my way off base."

"Could you take care of Grace today? She got sick at school today and needs someone to pick her up. Her mother is on a spa weekend and her step-dad is on a business trip. The nurse doesn't think that she will be sick anymore, but she can't stay at school."

"Of course I can go pick her up, but Danny just needs to call the school to make sure that I have permission. Does she have a key to get into her house or should I bring her to your house?"

She heard Steve ask Danny and then return to the phone. "He is calling now. She does have a key, so just bring her back to Danny's house."

"Okay, I will leave now to go pick her up now. I will text you when we get to her house."

She grabbed her bag and put it in her car. She stopped at a grocery store on the way to the school to pick up bread and pasta so that she could make Grace some plain toast and plain noodles in case she is hungry at all, and also some Pedialyte to her rehydrated. Then she made her way to the school where she showed them her military ID and they directed her to the nurse's office. Inside she was guided to the little curtained off area. When she drew the curtains back, she saw a heart breaking sight. Little Grace was pale, had dried tears on her cheeks, and was huddled under a little blanket shivering. "Hey Gracie girl. I'm here to bring you home while we wait for your Dad and Uncle Steve to come home."

Grace looked up at her "Thank you Cath. Can we go now?"

Catherine nodded and signed Grace out with the nurse and picked up Grace's backpack from next to the bed. "Okay, Gracie let's go grab the bucket and we will walk to my car. I am parked right outside the office., do you think that you can walk that far?" Grace nodded and they slowly made their way outside to the Mustang.

Catherine wrapped her in a blanket that she kept in the backseat of the car. When they made it to Danny's house Grace was asleep in the passenger seat. She decided to give her another moment to sleep and brought all the stuff inside. She then came back outside and opened the passenger side door and woke Grace up. "Hey Gracie it's time to get inside."

Grace tried to get up but she was weak standing up, so Catherine bent down and picked her up. Gracie tried to protest, but just laid her head against Catherine's shoulder. Just before they got to the door Grace started to shake and the Catherine felt something on the back of her shirt. Grace started to cry. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get your Cammo Uniform dirty. I didn't want to get sick, I tried to hold it in. I really did."

Catherine just rubbed her back. "Oh Gracie don't worry about it. Everyone gets sick, I've had grown men throw up on me when I was on the ship. You can't help it. You don't have anything to cry about or be sorry about. Let's just get you into the shower and then to lay down in bed."

"But what about your uniform?"

"I brought some extra clothes and we will just put them in the laundry with your clothes."

Catherine set her down in the bathroom. "Now you get in the shower and I will get you some new clothes and put both our clothes in laundry."

Catherine started up the water and then got Grace some clothes while she was in the shower. When Grace got out Catherine set her up with a bucket and a blanket on the couch and then quick jumped in the shower to quickly to get any vomit off that may have gotten on her. She came out less than five minutes later and threw both her and Grace's clothes in the laundry. She found Grace laying on the couch watching Harry Potter marathon on TV.

She settled down on the couch next to her, but Grace crawled into her lap. "Auntie Cath will you hold me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, that was the first time that Grace had ever referred to her as Auntie. "Of course Gracie, we can cuddle while we watch tv and wait for your Dad and Uncle Steve to get home." Grace quickly fell asleep, but woke up an hour later thirsty and a little hungry. Catherine made her some dry toast and got her some Pedialyte and a straw. She was happy when Grace kept it down and then went back to sleep cuddling with her on the couch.

It was several hours later that Danny and Steve arrived, they opened the door and found Catherine and Grace cuddled up together on the couch. Steve went over and woke up Catherine "Cath wake up." Catherine in her half asleep state was confused and slid Grace over and put herself between Grace and whoever was standing beside her, she reached out to defend them. But then relaxed when she heard Steve whispering in her ear. He kissed her cheek. Danny picked up Grace and brought her to bed before returning to the living room.

"Cath, how was she?"

"She was only got sick once more when I was carrying her inside the house. But once she showered and napped then she was feeling better. She even ate some toast and I gave her some Pedialyte to rehydrate her."

"When you say that she got sick when you were carrying her inside, do you mean that she threw up on you?"

"Danny don't worry about it. I washed our clothes and just have to grab them out of the drier. And we both took showers so we are all good."

All of a sudden they heard Grace from her room "Auntie Cath, where are you?"

Cath got up and went to Grace's room followed by Steve and Danny. "Grace your Dad brought you in here when he came home."

"Danno's home?"

"Yes, he and uncle Steve are here."

Danny came forward and kissed Grace's head. "Hey Monkey, I'm here now. How are you feeling?"

"Much better now. Auntie Cath spent the whole day with me on the couch and she didn't even get made when I threw up on her uniform."

Catherine and Steve both kissed Grace's forehead then made their way out to Cath's car. She got in the passenger seat "Let's just go back to your house; I'm exhausted."

He rested his hand on her thigh "Auntie Cath, how does that feel? You are officially part of Gracie's family now."

Catherine smiled "I was so surprised when she said that. It warmed my heart."