The sky over Hawaii was a deep, vivid blue. So was the ocean. The girls on the beach all had great figures, and delicious food was everywhere. The "enthusiastic" greetings from aunts and distant relatives were so overwhelming that Jack had no choice but to take shelter in the Hilton hotel.
Fortunately, he had been farsighted enough to bring reinforcements. For this Christmas vacation, he'd brought not only little Alexis and his two sisters, but also the entire Fugitive Task Force team and their families.
It was thanks to this sizable group of friends that Jack didn't feel completely awkward during this "family reunion."
Only after arriving in Hawaii did Jack learn a few truths—like the fact that Danny, the man who had always claimed to be his biological uncle, actually shared no blood relation with him.
Danny was Jack's grandfather's godson. He had grown up alongside Jack's father. That's why Jack's last name was Tavoller, while Danny's full name was Danny Williams.
After eloping to Los Angeles, Jack's birth parents had essentially cut ties with both sides of their families—not due to some Romeo-and-Juliet-style blood feud, but simply because their families had irreconcilable differences in values, and yes, skin color.
In short, neither side of the family had been easy to get along with, which had driven the lovers to escape to L.A. Not so much a romantic elopement as a desperate bid for peace and quiet.
On some things, Eastern and Western cultures were surprisingly similar. Some people would sacrifice everything "for the family," while others could go their whole lives never speaking again.
Now, both of Jack's parents had been gone for years, and his grandparents were old and living in a care facility, enjoying their days like children. Even if Jack stood right in front of them, they wouldn't recognize their only biological grandson.
As for the aunts and distant cousins, once they confirmed Jack hadn't come to Hawaii to fight over inheritance, they suddenly regained that over-the-top "familial enthusiasm."
This kind of phony affection was awkward, sure, but Jack felt oddly relieved. Not having to inherit the emotional baggage of his body's original owner was a huge weight off his shoulders.
"So you're really sure everything's OK?" Danny asked as he walked alongside Jack on the deck of the USS Missouri. Not far ahead was a large white structure shaped like a coffin—the Arizona Memorial, marking the resting place of the battleship sunk during the Pearl Harbor attack.
Beneath that white memorial lay the wreckage of the USS Arizona.
"In hindsight, maybe pushing you to come to Hawaii was a mistake."
Danny's expression showed a tinge of guilt. Standing next to Jack, he was clearly a head shorter and didn't exude any real "elderly authority."
"This has nothing to do with you," Jack replied sincerely. "When my parents passed, you were the first one at my side, Uncle Danny. You're also the one who introduced me to… um… Ms. Anderson.
Thanks to you, I made it into the LAPD and later the FBI. Without your help, I'd probably still be scraping by at that tiny grocery store—or worse, forced into becoming a street dealer."
He meant every word. Life was strange that way. Sometimes, effort alone wasn't enough to change your fate. Sometimes you needed a little luck—or someone to pull you up.
That wasn't to downplay the value of hard work, of course. People born with wealth and privilege could still ruin their lives with stupid choices. "You can't polish a turd," as the saying goes.
"Just call me Danny," the man chuckled. "You calling me 'uncle' makes me feel like I need a cane."
Danny looked up at his tall "nephew" and shook his head. "I knew you'd do well, but I didn't expect this well. Supervisory Special Agent Tavoller? Wow. If your dad could see you now, he'd be over the moon. God knows how badly he wanted to be a cop when he was young.
After I left the military, it was him who came with me to police academy orientation. What did he say back then? 'God, Danny, you're gonna be New Jersey's finest.' I can still see the look in his eyes."
Tears welled up as Danny spoke. He quickly wiped at his eyes, muttering, "Damn ocean breeze. Still haven't gotten used to it."
"Doesn't seem like you're much of a beach guy either?" Jack took the chance to steer the conversation away. This body came with zero memories of its original owner. Jack's only understanding of the past came from a few vague journals left behind.
Danny's heartfelt moment hadn't quite reached "crawl-into-a-hole-and-die" levels of awkwardness—unlike the fake warmth from those distant relatives—but as a half-trained psychology grad student, Jack knew better than to fake emotional responses he couldn't feel. Best to redirect the conversation entirely.
Fortunately, thanks to having watched two seasons of Hawaii Five-0 in his past life, he had some sense of who "Uncle Danny" was.
"Actually, I am getting used to it," Danny said. "The surprise downpours, the awful Spam, and oh—let's not forget my partner who's never heard of the word 'rules.'"
Despite his grumbling, Danny ended with a smile. "But it's worth it. I get to be near my daughter and still work as a cop.
This is Grace's home now. So keeping this place safe is my job too."
Grace was Danny's daughter. A few years back, after Danny and his ex-wife Rachel divorced, she'd remarried a wealthy businessman and moved to Hawaii.
To be with Grace—and just to get two days a week of visitation—this proud girl-dad uprooted himself from New Jersey and transferred to the Hawaii State Police.
Just before Jack's family tragedy, Danny had been recruited into a special task force formed by the Governor of Hawaii to handle major crimes across the islands. The team was called "Five-0."
In Jack's original world, Hawaii Five-0 had been a long-running TV show, itself a reboot of an even longer-running series, Hawaii Five-O (aka Hawaii Five-O 1968), which aired from 1968 to 1980.
The original show was such a cultural hit in the U.S. that "Five-O" became slang for "cop." But in this world, Hawaii Five-O still existed as a series—just not the slang.
Danny's job in the "Five-0" task force was busy enough already, and with parenting duties on top, getting a whole day to spend with Jack had been no small feat.
Word was, his partner Steve McGarrett was currently away dealing with something off-island, leaving Danny in charge of the team.
Fortunately, Jack hadn't come alone. After spending the day reconnecting with Danny, the main goal of his trip had been fulfilled.
Now, it was time to enjoy a proper Christmas holiday on this tropical island.
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