kitmerlot_1213 | H50 fic: Hey Man, Nice Shot

Title: Hey Man, Nice Shot
Author: kitmerlot1213
Recipient:

lou_c
Word Count: 2477
Rating: R (for some violence)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just having fun.
Warnings: Spoilers for episode 3x10 Huaka'l Kula and some swearing
Summary: Just like in episode 3.10, Steve and Danny are at Grace's camping trip, and just like on the show, things don't go so well :)
Author's note: Written for the

h50_holidayswapand as a present for

lou_c --who wanted "Steve and Danny, lots of Grace. Fluffy is good but angst is also awesome. Mix of both?" I was inspired by the awesomeness of the Episode 3.10 but I had to do my own take on things and I hope you enjoy it. Also, I decided to have Grace be a part of the Camp Fire Girls because I was a member when I attended Catholic grade school back in the old days and I think Grace would be a member too :) Much thanks to my expert beta-reader

newbatgirl

Because life never went the way Danny wanted, Steve was an instant hit at Grace’s Camp Fire Girls council meeting and he was promptly asked to help chaperone their upcoming camping trip.

Grace had asked if Steve could come to her next meeting as a guest speaker and show her group “cool Navy SEAL stuff” and Steve was more than happy to oblige.

He had demonstrated all sorts of basic survival skills, like how to build a fire and set traps, and he’d even taught them how to fashion a sling-shot. “But don’t aim it at each other,” he’d warned.

When Steve’s demonstration was over, Grace led the standing ovation and she could be heard proudly explaining to all her friends that he was “her uncle Steve” and Danny couldn’t help but grin at Steve’s beaming, proud smile.

But then Danny had to cover his ears from all of the squealing when the girls were told by their council leader Mrs. Quinn that “Commander Steve” would be joining them on their outing.

Right before the announcement, Steve had grabbed Danny and pulled him aside. “Danny, the other parents want me to come along on the camping trip. Are you okay with that?”

Danny could see that Steve was anxious for his answer and if Danny had said he didn’t want him coming along, Steve would have backed off.

But God damn him for a sap because he couldn’t say “no” to Steve when he pulled out the puppy dog eyes and now he had Grace’s hopeful look to add to Steve’s and how could he say no?

“Why would I mind?” Danny asked breezily. “I’m looking forward to showing you up, Jersey style.”

But Steve just smiled fondly and clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks Danno.”

Along with the group leader and girls, he also noticed that more than one mother—and even a couple of the fathers—smiled happily at hearing the news that Steve was now an honorary Camp Fire Girl.

Danny had turned away from the excited group of girls who were swarming around Steve to try and collect his thoughts. And he was ashamed to say that he was less than thrilled at his partner’s coming along to what was supposed to be a Parent/Child camping trip.

It wasn’t that Danny didn’t enjoy spending time with the man outside of work or that he wasn’t comfortable with Grace’s hanging out with her beloved uncle.

No, what he was having the most trouble with was dealing with Grace’s obvious adoration for her uncle who could do no wrong in her eyes.

And it was a very bitter pill to swallow to admit to himself that he was going to disappoint his daughter because he knew next to nothing about camping and he was going to pale in comparison to the awesomeness that was Steve McGarrett.

~~~

It had been Matty who’d joined Scouts and who loved camping and hanging out in the woods and while he tried to get his family interested, no one else shared his enjoyment.

Danny had been all about sports and when he was a teenager, he’d been convinced that anyone would have to be off their rocker to want to commune with wild life.

And his opinion didn’t change as an adult, especially after meeting Steve.

Yet here he was, standing in the parking lot of Sacred Hearts Academy at 6am on a Saturday morning in a truck filled with supplies and two extremely excited campers by his side, practically jumping up and down in their haste to get going.

“Guys, chill out. The other girls will be here soon.”

Grace and Steve were pacing back and forth, dressed in identical camouflage vests and cargo pants, with identical impatient looks on their faces.

They even turned at the same time to give him a disbelieving look at how calm he was.

Steve sighed in relief when he saw the other vehicles start to pull in and he tapped Grace on the arm to get her attention.

“Alright, the rest of the campers have arrived. Now we can get this show on the road.”

He and Grace exchanged delighted smiles and then they both turned to look at Danny. Danny plastered on a fake grin and gave them a thumbs up, hoping he was convincing them of his own excitement.

And when Grace and Steve’s smiles grew into out and out grins, he knew he fooled them.

“Great, let the humiliation begin” Danny thought dourly to himself.

~~~

“The jungle is certainly very…junglely.”

“Oh Danno,” Grace laughed, shaking her head at him.

Steve just looked over and grinned at him. “Let’s give your poor dad a break, Grace. It’s very difficult for him to be some place so junglely.”

“Next time I’ll go with”greenery” or “lushly verdant trees” even “vast shrubbery,” Danny grumbled loudly for the two crazy people he was traveling with to hear. And when Steve and Grace just laughed at his words, he knew he was just going to have to come to grips with the fact that his partner and daughter were going to be ganging up on him this weekend and kicking his butt all over the camp site.

But that was before Brad, self-proclaimed survivalist showed up.

“Remember, Camp Fire Girls, this is how NOT to pitch a tent.” Danny could hear the laughter in Steve’s voice and he was glad that the SEAL’s mirth wasn’t directed at him.

After only fifteen minutes into their hike, it became more then apparent that Danny wasn’t the worst camper in the group.

That honor belonged to 6 foot, 220 pound Tyler Bradford who insisted on being called Brad and who spoke loudly about his days in the Marines where “he’d learned how to be a man.”

He was also the man who'd somehow wandered down the wrong dirt path and promptly fell into a ditch even though the path to the campground was clearly marked. His daughter Carly had tried to convince him that he was going the wrong way, but he'd refused to listen.

He’d also refused to listen to Carly on how to put their tent together and it had become a confused mass of pegs and nylon material. Steve, with Carly and Grace’s help, quickly set it to right, and Danny didn’t miss the angry look Brad sent Steve’s way.

And from his clumsy movements and slurred speech, it was evident that Brad had been enjoying an alcoholic beverage or three before the camping trip had even begun, even though it was barely 10am.

Steve and Danny exchanged a quick look, instinctively knowing that Brad would need to be watched.

~~~

Through bleak experience, Danny was able to spot a bully a mile away.

He couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t been the shortest kid on the playground and he learned quickly how to talk his way out of a fight, but he also learned that there were times when a physical confrontation couldn’t be avoided.

It was his uncle who had first encouraged him to learn about Krav Maga. Danny was twelve years old and the shortest kid in his 6^th grade class and he was getting hassled by the neighborhood bully, Bennie DeMarco.

Danny was usually able to talk his way out of trouble and if he could make the person who was giving him a hard time laugh, well that was even better, but Bennie wasn’t having any of it, and the third time Danny came home with a black eye, he knew he needed more help than the boxing lessons his dad had taught him.

He called his Uncle Pat, who at 5’7 was the shortest in his family, but who was also one of the most decorated cops at the Newark PD.

That next night, his Uncle Pat took him to his precincts local chapter of the Krav Maga Academy and signed Danny up for lessons.

And just like that, a whole new world opened up for him. He was a fast study and he liked that Krav Maga’s credo was that speed beat out strength, every time and if you had strength and speed, then you could be virtually untouchable. Because at its heart, Krav Maga’s main principal was about breaking bigger people into smaller pieces. Smaller pieces that could then be dismantled into being completely nonthreatening.

Danny also learned about the tactics to fighting smart, learning to feint and to not be afraid to take a punch, especially if it gives you an opening to launch a counter attack. But mostly what he learned was that Krav Maga was a down and dirty street fight and that there weren’t any codes of points being awarded, especially if you were down on the ground. If you didn’t learn how to grapple to get the upper hand, then you were basically done for.

~~~

And Brad, Brad had the word “bully” practically branded on his forehead.

“Hey Commander Steve, when are you going to teach us to eat bark to survive?” Brad’s belligerent voice carried loudly over to where Steve stood in the middle of the group, painstakingly showing each girl and her parents how to whittle sticks into stakes or at least pointy enough objects to stab at things.

Danny heard Carly try and shush her dad, but he ignored her.

After making sure that all of the tents were secure, Steve had sent the girls and their parents on a foraging exploration, looking for specific roots and berries.

Steve was careful to explain that the berries were not to be eaten and with a quick look at Brad, he stressed that if anyone did eat them, it would result in a trip to the hospital.

The girls looked properly impressed and their parents suitably horrified and Danny could see Steve trying to hide a smile, obviously enjoying himself more then he should.

When the “scavengers” returned, Steve showed the girls how to crush the roots and berries to make a medical salve to help sooth a burn.

And all through each and every demonstration, Brad could be heard muttering that the Marines knew more than the Navy and that he could show Steve a thing or to.

He also kept drinking from a flask that he kept in his back pocket.

Steve was trying his best to ignore Brad’s taunts but his own anger was starting to get the best of him. This Brad person was ruining one of the few days he got to spend with Danny and Grace and he was damned if he was going to let it continue.

Danny could see Steve’s fingers tighten around his stake in his anger, and he caught Steve’s eye, quickly shaking his head. Brad was volatile and who knew what he’d do if Steve confronted him directly.

Steve nodded back, content with Danny doing his “talking the bad guy down thing” he was so good at but he was ready to act if things went sideways.

Danny started to walk slowly towards Brad, his hands up in a placating gesture. “Hey Brad, why don’t you take it easy okay? “ He nodded to where Carly stood with the other girls, misery written all over her face. “I think your daughter could use your help. What do you think?”

Brad sneered back at Danny, his stance aggressive in a way that was so reminiscent of Bennie that Danny blinked momentarily in surprise.

“I think you should mind your own business, munchkin. I was talking to the great commander!” And before Danny could even respond, Brad had pulled out his pocket knife, one of the blades out and pointed towards Steve.

The sharp blade gleamed in the sunlight, and the girls’ gasped in fear.

But that was as far as Brad got because Danny grabbed his arm and twisted it back, causing Brad to cry out in surprise and drop the knife. Brad tried to hit at Danny with his other fist, but Danny blocked his punch with his forearm while simultaneously kicking Brad in the side of his knee. He cried out yet again and Danny twisted his arm higher up his back and forced Brad to his knees.

“Alright, alright LET GO!” Brad screamed out, his face agonized.

Danny let go of Brad’s arm and the bigger man fell face first into the dirt floor and immediately burst into tears.

Danny kicked the weapon away from Brad’s reach and he knelt down beside him, to cuff him and read him his rights. “Marines my ass!”

~~~

After HPD was called and hauled Brad away, Danny took Carly, Brad’s daughter, aside and quietly told the weeping little girl that her mother would be waiting for her when they got back to Sacred Hearts. He apologized that she had to see her dad get hurt, but Carly said she was used to it. She told Danny that the cops had arrested her dad before because of his drinking.

Danny nodded in understanding, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach over what the girl and her mother had to endure. He gave Carly a hug and Mrs. Quinn moved to take Danny’s place at Carly’s side, placing a comforting arm around the child.

When Danny turned to find Steve and Grace, he found himself surrounded by the girls and their parents, all seemingly in awe of his take down of a man five inches taller and at least fifty pounds heavier.

And all Steve and Grace could do was smile proudly.

Some of the mothers started requesting that the girls be taught self-defense and before he knew it, Danny and Steve were put in charge of coming up with a Mother/Daughter self-defense course.

He had looked helplessly at Steve and Steve, maniac that he was, grinned happily. “Sorry partner, but this is what happens when you’re a grade A badass.” He pulled pen and paper out of one of the many pockets of his cargo pants to start planning what techniques to go over. “Everyone wants a piece of you.”

Danny shook his head and out of the corner of his eye he could see the other girls gather around his daughter. Grace was emphatically nodding her head and then he could hear the other girls talking about how lucky she was to have a cool dad, too and it was Grace’s extremely calm reply of “My Danno’s the best dad in the world” that brought tears to his eyes.

Danny didn’t notice Steve’s moving next to him until he could feel Steve’s hand on his shoulder. He looked at his friend and Steve was smiling softly at him. “Grace is right, you are the best.”

But before he could reply, Steve was grinning again. “Wait until I tell Kono that you made a Marine cry!”

Current Mood: nervous

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

springwoof.livejournal.com

Very cool!
That final line was awesome! I like how Steve took pride in Danny's abilities, and earlier, how Grace and Steve teamed up and wore similar clothes. Too cute!

From:

"Don't quote me to me!"

H50 fic: Hey Man, Nice Shot

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