Summary: Six months ago, Special Agent Danny Taylor met the girl of his dreams. Now he's living his worst nightmare. Is her disappearance linked to the cases he's been working the last six months? Or has the most precious person in the world to him fallen prey to the hands of a crazed madman? And will he find her in time?
Author's Notes: First three chapters tell how they met, blah blah blah. A little slow at first, but gets better. This is my first Without a Trace fic, so please keep in mind that it is fiction! Thanks for reading!
Just To See You Smile
Prologue
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The War's End Kiss Bar and Grill was slow and quiet when Special Agent Danny Taylor took a seat at the bar, undoing his tie. It was just after 11 p.m. and the restaurant's patrons were beginning to file out.
Danny nodded at the owner, Ed Shepard, as he pulled the tie from his neck, and smile when the old man approached. "Danny boy, how've you been?," he exclaimed loudly, clasping Danny's shoulder. "You haven't been in here in over two months! I thought you'd finally found someone else's pie that you preferred."
Danny smile and shook his head. Despite the poor mood he was in, the old man could always make him smile. Ed Shepard was a World War Two veteran who named his restaurant after the famous photograph that was taken in New York City in 1945. "Reminds people of the best time after years of the worst," he always replied when asked about the name.
Ed was actually one of the main reasons Danny stopped here. "Find better pie than yours, Ed? Not possible," he said. "Work has been hectic. Sorry it took so long to show my face again."
Ed nodded and patted his shoulder, as if forgiving him for a great grievance, and said, "I accept your apology." Danny laughed, and watched as Ed's face burst into a smile as the swinging doors leading to the kitchen swung open. "Deirdra, my dear girl!," he exclaimed, waving his hand. Danny looked over at the young girl who had emerged from the kitchen, and watched as she approached. "You take good care of Danny here. Whatever he wants is on the house!" He winked as he walked off, leaving Danny and the girl—Deirdra.
He had to admit, he was a bit taken aback. She couldn't be more than 25, with dark chestnut curls that flowed over her shoulders and the most piercing green eyes he'd ever seen. She smiled as she approached the bar, and Danny could see that her nose was sprinkled with very faint freckles. "The infamous Danny Taylor," she said, smiling. "You're all Ed talks about when some guy doesn't tip."
Danny cocked his eyebrow at her. "Really?"
Deirdra nodded. "Mm-hmm. 'If Danny boy were here, there'd be a twenty dollar bill laying on the counter," she said in a mock-deep voice, laughing. "You're tough for the customers to live up to." Danny laughed as well, finally stuffing his dark blue tie into his coat pocket. "What can I get you?"
"Just a club soda for right now," he said. He sat back on his stool and tilted his head as he watched her prepare his drink. She certainly was beautiful. Her slim figure could easily be seen beneath the brown khakis and tank top she wore, and as she slid the drink in front of him, he caught the scent of lavender. I just might have found a new reason to eat here, he thought.
"Anything else," she asked, smiling.
Sure is a nice smile. "This is it for now. I can guarantee I'll be having some pie in a minute though." Deirdra laughed again, and Danny stuck out his hand. "Danny Taylor, properly."
She smiled and shook it, her small hand melding easily into his. "Deirdra Reagan, properly," she replied. "It's nice to finally put a face to the name."
"How long have you been here?," Danny asked, taking a sip of his club soda. "I don't remember seeing you here."
"Oh, I've only been here about two months," she said, pushing her hair behind her ear. She smiled. "Ed took pity on a broke grad student and hired me."
Danny grinned. "Grad school, huh?"
Deirdra nodded. "Yeah. I'm just doing thing until I get my Masters in Journalism."
Danny nodded, not being able to tear his eyes away from her lips as she spoke. "Good field to go into," he said quickly when he realized she had stopped talking.
Deirdra smiled. "What do you do?" He looked at her. "Ed leaves those kind of details out."
He grinned. "I'm with the FBI. Missing Persons Unit."
"Really?" He nodded. "Impressive. Keeping the streets safe, huh?"
He nodded, smugly. "All in a day's work, ma'am. All in a day's work." She laughed out loud and Danny decided right there that it was a sound he could get used to. "Ya know, I think I'll have that pie now."
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Danny said goodbye to Ed as he left the restaurant and headed to his car, keys in hand. It surprised him how quickly his bad mood had evaporated as he talked with Deirdra. When he had first come in, he had felt horrible. Discovering that Adrienne Fischer, the 10-year old girl who had gone missing three days before, hadn't been found alive had taken a toll on him. He had entered the restaurant with the cries of her parents still echoing in his ears.
Then after talking to the dark-haired bartender…
He could kick himself for not asking to take her out. But as he approached his car and his steps slowed, he saw that he might have a second chance.
Deirdra stood with her back to him, rummaging through the bag at her side. He watched as she slowly looked up and into the car window next to her before slamming her palm against the glass. "Shit, are you kidding me?," she said loudly under her breath, running a hand through her hair.
Danny smiled and walked up to her. "Deirdra?" She spun around in surprise, a blush coming over her face when she realized that someone had heard her outburst. He smiled. "You need a hand?"
She sighed, her breath coming out in a puff of fog in the cold weather. "I locked my keys in the car," she grumbled, and Danny couldn't help but laugh.
"Okay, wait right there for a second," he said before rushing to his car. He unlocked the passenger side door and opened it, disappearing inside it for a moment before emerging.
Deirdra's eyes widened as he walked up to her, a metal wire hanger in his hands. "You aren't seriously going to jimmy my car door open, are you?" He just grinned, untwirling the hanger and stretching it out as far as it would go, leaving the end curved. "I thought you were a federal agent."
"Oh, I am," he replied, slipping the hanger between the door and window. "But I was also a teenager once, too." He jerked the hanger up and the sound of the lock unlocking brought a smile to his face. "Abra Cadabra," he said, opening the door.
Deirdra smiled. "Okay, that was so illegal, but thank you so much." He laughed and held his arm out for her to enter. She ducked under it, tossing her bag onto the passenger seat before turning back to him, smiling. "Thanks again, Danny."
He smiled. "De nada." He watched as she got into the car and started the engine, but before she could shut the door, he grabbed onto it. "Can I take you out to dinner?" The words escaped before he could think, and he found himself holding his breath as he waited for her response. He bowed his head to look at her, and saw her eyes widen in surprise, then flash with—what? Hesitation?
"Why?," she asked, surprising him.
He grinned. "Why not?"
She chewed her bottom lip for a moment, looking into his face. A moment later, she smiled softly. "Okay…dinner sounds good. But no funny stuff, got me?" She pointed a gloved finger at him in mock-sternness.
He held out his hands. "The thought never crossed my mind. Tomorrow then?" She nodded, and after giving him her address, he shut the door to her car, waving at her as she drove away. He stood there another minute before walking to his car, a smile on his face.
Yep…definitely found a new reason to eat here.
