Disclaimer: I own Nothing

My Father's Secrets

Chapter Two: A Secret She Can't Remeber

Danny followed behind Seajae as they walked to the elevator. Ten years and twenty pounds had made Seajae Riely into a beautiful woman. He remembered the shy aqwerd seventeen year old ving for her fathers appoval. They day she told him she was making a career out of the Corp was the only time he'd seen Alan Riely loose his temper. He had been twenty one and full of himself. He followed the sobbing girl behind the barracks and held her till she stopped crying. A lot of things had happened in the ten years since they last saw each other. They had both seen too much and forgot to little.

"Ed is happy your here.."

"I would of been here sooner if someone had called me." Seajae turned around. Her brown eyes chunks of ice.

"No one knew where you were." Danny knew that was an excuse. Between Ed's contacts and his they could of found her. But they didn't want her coming back to the caos.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Danny stood a foot infront of her. If she was challanging him he was up for a fight.

"Why didn't Ed want me here till now?"

"We care about you Seajae......"

"We? You knew me for about two minutes ten years ago and you say you care?"

"Allan Riely pulled my ass out of the line of fire more then once in the five years he was my CO. I didn't like it much the way he treated you that day but I respected him. I never told Ed about that day. Maybe if I had he would of found a way to keep you away from this mess a little longer." Danny punched the down botton.

"He was angry."

"He hit you." Seajae looked at him. "He hit his seventeen year old daughter because she was following in his footsteps....following her dream."

"He always loved me......."

"I know. I know he never ment to hurt you either but it happened." And Danny had never forgiven the man. He despertly wanted a transfer after that day. But he knew better. Three months later Riely was permoted and he was shipped out to parts unknow. Danny never saw him again until he and Ed found on the floor of his bathroom. They elevator came and they both stepped in. Danny pressed the floor number and stood as far away from her as he could in the small space. Ed knew him. Knew it didn't take him long to fall for any one woman. After a fling with his daughter he would rather the older man know nothing of his personal life.

"I never did thank you for that ice pack." Her voice was a wisper.

"Did your step mother ask about the black eye?"

"I never went back home. I called her and said I needed to clear my head. I didn't go back till after basic."

"He never said he was sorry?"

"No. And by then he had a son." The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Danny stepped out and Seajae followed. A woman was coming down the hall. Her red curls bounceing with every step.

"Hey Danny."

"Hey Mary....Mary Connell, Seajae Riely....a friend of mine from the Corp." The woman held out her hand.

"Hey, friend from high school here. Well I need to get to work. Are you in town long?"

"I live here.....Ed and Danny are helping me with some things....." The woman had a warm smile. Seajae liked Mary Connell right away.

"Well then we all need to get together....see ya later." She disappeared into the elevator as Danny opened the door across the hall.

"Mary is the hotel's Special event coordinator."

"So you all live out of the hotel?"

"Just a few of us that are on call twenty four seven."

"I guess with a carpet joint like this you need to keep on your toes."

"I forgot your a native." They went into the dark room. Danny turned on a light. "Do you want to go downstairs to eat or you want something brought up?" He noticed Seajae had become tence. "Seajae?" He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry. Just...remembering. My mom was a gambling addict. A crossroader most of the time. She cheated most of the sawdust joints on the strip."

"You grew up in casino's."

"And hotels. I never had a house until Daddy. Even when my mom had a man we stayed in small apartments off the strip. Ed found her too. I came home from school one day and she was gone. I had Ed's number tucked away in a book he gave me when I was five. I called it and Alice.....she found him and he came and got me. I don't know where he had come from but he was dressed like he just came from a war. He took me to my dad. They had been working on something important for the CIA and he came and got me."

"You said Ed found her too?"

"I was fifteen and one day dad got a call. Ed came and picked him up and they were gone about three hours. They came back and daddy locked himself in his study and Ed told me my mom was dead. I found out later she had been raped and left for dead. But she wasn't dead. Her rapist broke her neck. She layed there for days....." Tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn't cried for her mom in years. Danny took her in his arms. "I'm stronger then this." She wispered.

"I know. And you can be strong tomorrow." He held her close. Remebering a time ten years ago when he did the same thing. They'd both been though a lot back then. But she was a child and he.....well he needed the Corp. So had she. But unlike before Seajae clung to him. She burried her head in his sholder and sobbed. A lifetime of pain had hit her hard and now she was at a breaking point. They stood there for a long time. The sun had gone down and the lights of the strip illuminated the room. After a little while more Danny pushed Seajae away. "Let's get you some dinner."

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Seajae pushed around her salad. Danny looked at his watch. Ed hadn't paged him in the hour and a half that he'd been with her. That was strange for him not to get at least one call if not a dozen in that time. He knew Ed was watching. Maybe he knew the young woman shouldn't be alone.

"You haven't eaten very much."

"I'm not that hungry." Seajae put her fork down and looked at Danny. "Do you know what he was into?"

"Your father? No. All I know is for the last ten years he's been stateside and that his wife had two kids." Danny took a drink of his water. "Ed didn't even know I knew him till we found him that day."

"Ed and my father have been friends for years. Enemy's too. If it wasn't for my mom my name might of been Edwina." Seajae smiled. It was the first time Danny had ever seen her smile. It was a beautiful sight.

"Thank goodness your mother nipped that in the butt huh?"

"Yeah. It was the only smart thing she did." The smile left and Danny missed it. A woman came to the table.

"Who's your date Danny?" Seajae looked up. Delinda Deline had always been pretty. But now at twenty -two she was stunning. And jelous.

"Hi Delinda." The blond looked at Seajae. "It's been a long time."

"Seajae...Seajae Riely?" The woman sqeeled. "Oh my god....." She hugged Seajae. "Look at you. Your all grown up."

"I can say the same for you. You were what thirteen the last time I saw you?"

"Yeah. You were always so cool for being older. You never treated me like a child." She looked at Danny. "You two know each other?" She went from happy to see Seajae to unhappy she was sitting with her father's second in command.

"My father was Danny's first CO. We met on base."

"Have you seen mom and dad?"

"Your dad yes. I haven't seen your mom." Seajae stood. "I'm going upstairs." Danny stood up. Seajae held out her hand. "I can find my way. It was nice seeing you Delinda." He didn't want her do go but the look on Delinda's face told him he better stay and not follow Seajae. Looking at the younger woman he sighed. He was never going to live down sleeping with the boss's daughter and even after she told him it was over she had him on a tight leash. "Seajae..."He handed her a card. "If you need anything." She took and looked at him. He was a far cry from the scared kid under her father's command. But the 'don't touch' look she got from Delinda was making her even more sorry that he wasn't the man she needed him to be. Seajae headed to the elevator and Danny gave Delinda an icy stare.

"What?" She asked. She was spoiled rotten. Danny knew from experence. But she was good person deep down inside. He knew that too.

"Stop being a snot Delinda." He stood up and headed back to his office.

"What are you talking about?" She followed him.

"Green isn't your color." He headed though the casino. His phone rang. He grabbed it and answered. "McCoy."

"How is she?"

"Delinda?" Danny knew what Ed ment but just felt like pushing some bottons.

"No smart ass.....you know who I mean."

"Tence.....very tence."

"Delinda didn't piss her off did she?" Danny stopped. He'd never seen Ed take anyone else's side but Delinda's when it came down to her agaist anyone.

"No. She was tiered." Delinda looked at him with that same snotty look. She was jelous. Not only of Danny's intrest but of Ed's.

"Go be with her please. Send your blond tail up to me." Danny raised his eye brows.

"You got it. Are you sure this isn't something your should be doing?"

"I think your better equipped to handle her right now."

"Better equipped?"

"Your service record and her's could be copies. She's fresh out of the line of fire. Plus the thing with her dad." Ed took a deep breath. "Just keep her safe."

"Do you think the guys that planted the suff at the house might...."

"No. They're are long gone. I think she's acting tougher then she feels."

"Your not telling me everything Ed."

"Do I ever?"

"Well when you put it that way." Danny hung up and looked at Delinda and her pouty girl lips. "Your dad wants to see you." He put his phone in his pocket and headed to the elevator.

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The knock was quiet. Seajae sat in the chair by the window, her legs curled beneither her. She looked out at the lights of the strip. She hated Las Vegas at night. Too many memories flooded back. Earlier at dinner she stopped herself from cringing everytime the lights and wistles sounded on a slot machine. Not wanting to get up she just egnored the knock. She heard the card sliding in the lock.

"I didn't say come in." Danny McCoy came in and stopped in front of her.

"I thought you did." He looked at her damp hair and fought the urge to brush it away from her face. She looked like she did at seventeen. Young, vaulnable. "You ok?" He knew she wasn't. Her hands were shaking. He took one in his hand and they were cold. He knelt down in front of her. "I'm here if you want to talk. I've been where you are. Fresh from having someone tell you when you can piss. And who you have to hate that day."

"Did you see a lot of action?"

"More then I ever wanted to." He looked into her hard brown eyes. "When I came home no one understood what I'd been though....except Ed. He knew what to do. How to keep my mind on the here and now and not the past."

"How?"

"He gave me a job and a ton of work." He smiled. His smile was so warm Seajae wanted to reach out and touch him. His phone rang just as she reached for him. He stood. "McCoy"

"I'm sending my wife up. You can get back to work."

"Ed I'm fine here."

"Did you forget who's in charge." He put his hand on the reciever.

"Alice is on the way up." Seajae shook her head. "Ed Seajae wants to be alone."

"No."

"I can stay with her."

"You have a job to do."

"I thought I was doing the job you sent me to do."

"Get your ass back down here." There was a knock on the door. Danny hung up and turned to Seajae.

"I can tell her that your sleeping." Seajae nodded her head and curled up tighter on the chair. "If you need me you know where to find me." He touched her cheek and went to head off Alice Deline before she broke down the door.

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It had taken Danny ten minutes to talk Alice into putting off thier reunion till morning. He went straight to the controle room and right to his desk. He wasn't sure on how to take Ed with all this. He was all over the place. If he wanted anything more from him he would have to ask. He consentrated on the video screen in front of him.

"Your playing a game you know nothing about." Ed was behind him.

"I know what you tell me and you told me to watch out for Seajae."

"I said watch out for her not sleep with her." Danny turned to look at the man who had given him a job when no one else would. He helped him though a lot.

"I was talking to her. Sleeping with her was the farthest thing from my mind." It was only a white lie. He wanted to hold her and make the demons that made her brown eyes cold and distant go away. If only for a night.

"Delinda seemed to think otherwise."

"No disrespect but Delinda needs to grow up." Danny stood up. "Something other then her fathers death is bothering Seajae. Ed there's a look in her eye that comes from knowing and seeing to much. You said her service record and mine could be copies. There's more then just the combat isn't there?" Ed looked away telling Danny he was right. "What's in there Ed?" The older man turned back and looked at Danny.

"I can't tell you because I don't know. Not even me and my connections can find out what happened to her the last eighteen months of her inlistment." Ed looked at the screens in front of him. "No ones talking. No one's telling."

"Then it was something bad?"

"I would like to think differntly but yeah. It had to be bad if the CIA can't hack the informantion. That's why we couldn't find her after Alan died."

"Ed Seajae needs someone....someone she can trust."

"And you think your the person?"

"She trusted me with things ten years ago."

"I swear to God if you touch her......"

"Ed......I'm really sorry about sleeping with Delinda....don't hold that agaist me...ok."

"She's like another daughter to me Danny." Something flickered in Ed's eyes and was gone again. "You hurt this one and it will be the last time you use it." Danny knew he was serious. His little fling with Delinda cost him some of the man's well earned trust.

"I want to make sure she get's though this.......that's all." Danny stood up. "You can trust me to do this." Ed looked at him. He knew the younger man had seen alot in his stint in the Corp.

"Like I said you hurt her you answer to me." Danny smiled.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Danny went to the elevators. If he was lucky Seajae was asleep. Free of what ever was worring her for just a little while. His phone rang. "McCoy."

"Danny, its Sam. Can you come down to the lounge for a minute."

"Trouble?"

"Maybe...maybe not. I don't want to go to Ed if......"

"Ok." He pressed the down botton instead of up. Sam delt with the high rollers. She never paniced. Always cool. He got out of the elevator and headed to the lounge. "Hey." He said as he approched Samantha Jane and an older well dressed man. "Mr. Guthrie....good to see you again." Danny knew the man from previous visits. Sam pulled Danny aside.

"Mrs. Guthrie died last month. Mr. Guthrie would like to talk to someone about.....spreading her ash's."

"Wouldn't that be a job for...say a funeral home...or something."

"He wants them spread on the casino floor." Danny looked at Sam. She wasn't kidding.

"Oh. Well...I'm pretty sure we can't do that. I mean....there's got to be a health code or something." Danny looked at the older man. "Sam....is he...is she..." He pointed at the box in the man's hands.

"Yes. Danny the Guthries drop a million dollars a year here. Can you think of something?" Sam was serious. She wanted him to figure out what to do with the ash's of one of thier best customers.

"If we let him do it on the casino floor the maids will vacume her up in the morning. She's be in the vacume bag and then in the dumpster." Danny looked at the old man holder the gold canister. "Call Mike and tell him to get the hotel helecopter rounded up." Danny went to the older man standing holding the ash's of his beloved wife. "Mr. Guthrie, the hotel helecopter can fly you over the strip and you could deposite her......remains where she loved to spend her time.....here on the strip." Danny hopped the man would find this idea suitable. His phone rang. "Would she like that?"

"Yes Danny she would love it. She never flew in a helecopter before." The old man smiled. Danny's phone kept ringing. "You get that. And thank you." Danny took his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open.

"McCoy."

"I hate Vegas at night." Her voice was just a wisper but Danny knew the instint she spoke who it was.

"So what are you doing?"

"Just watching the lights." She leaned her head agaist the glass. Danny started to the elevators.

"The night time is the best time around here."

"Not for me. My mom would leave me at night while she went out. I was always alone."

"Maybe you need to see that Las Vegas at night isn't all that bad when you have someone to share it with." He pressed the up botton. Seajae sat in the chair and curled up.

"Maybe." She sighed.

"Seajae....."

"I can't sleep."

"I can bring up some warm milk."

"I haven't slept much in the last month."

"Why did you come home?" He wanted to know what all the seacrets were about. Getting into the elevator he pressed the botton for the emplyee floor.

"They said I had enough." Looking out at the strip she tried to forget.

"Did you?" The door opened and Danny got out of the elevator.

"I had to much." He slid his card key down the lock and opened the door. He hung up his phone and shut it off. She was curled up on the chair he had left her in. Her hair dry and pulled back from her face. Danny knew from that momment he and Ed needed to find out what had happened to Seajae in the months before her discharge. And he needed to know why Ed cared so much.

"You need to sleep." Danny knelt in front of her for the second time in an hour.

"I remember things in my sleep that I don't when I'm awake." She looked at Danny and remembered how he had been nice to her the days that followed her father's fit of anger. How he'd kept her away from him until her flight left. She had slept then.. In the small hotel room he had found for her. He hadn't changed much since then. He was still being nice to her.

"Would it help if I stay? Maybe talking about it....when you wake up will help?" She smiled.

"I think I'm a big girl and need to face these things on my own."

"You don't have to. I want to help."

"I don't recall asking for help."

"You didn't ask me ten years ago eaither and I did it anyway."

"I lost at least a year. My mind is foggy and grey for the last year. I...I was on a rutine shuttle mission. Take some prisioners and villagers from one city to another. We we're ambushed somewhere along the way.....and I woke up elven months later at Bethesda Navel Hospital."

"What did they tell you?"

"Head trama. No one told me where I'd been or how long I'd been back." She looked at the lights of the city. "They told me they found me in a hotel in Bagdad. My uniform as clean as the day I put it on. My dog tags on."

"And that's all they said?"

"And that it was December not January." She stood up and Danny stood with her. Her long t-shirt not hiding her curves. "The wispered a lot. Like they were wating for me to tell them what happened." Pouring a glass of tequila that Danny didn't know she had, she drank it down. "I couldn't. The brass asked me what I wanted to do when I got out and here I am. They failed to tell me my father was dead and my step mom gone off the face of the earth. Lucky thing they didn't know about Ed or he'd of been gone too."

"What are you saying?" Seajae slammed down her glass.

"I'm saying someone is trying to keep me away from my memories and making sure I have no one to tell them to."