Danny trying to make his round as quickly as possible, but not be in too much of a hurry that he'd missed anything. Big Ed had left him in charge of the late night shift so he had planned his sleep schedule accordingly, but the casino seemed a bit on the slow side and he had plenty of energy so walked at a brisk pace. He extended his route a bit in the slot area double checking each bank of slots trying to use up some time before going to meet Sam at the bar. As he was coming out of the last bank of slots he bumped into Mary as she looked like she was headed home for the evening.
"Big plans, tonight" Danny said brightly to her "Something like that. I have a dinner date with Luis later this evening." Mary stated "Really? Funny he didn't say anything to me earlier." Danny smiled at her. Mary knew what he was doing, what he always did. Danny was like a big brother to her, well not a brother cause they sure weren't down in Tennessee. More like a best friend one she could share anything with... Well that wasn't true either, everything but boys. No matter who she dated Danny would have an opinion on it and as always he could not be good enough. Mary smiled and took it in stride.
"Well what's this I hear about you and Sam?" Mary offered, figuring a best defense was a good offense. She knew it had worked when Danny shifted his eyes away from hers and darted them around the room, almost like his was looking for an escape hatch. "Well She hasn't eaten an a while cause she's with the Reisneck brothers playing craps. Also I feel kind of bad for running her over chasing a suspect down." Danny said somewhat shyly "What! You ran her down. Danny, having to deal with the Reisneck brothers is bad enough, but then you run her over?" Mary said surprised "Well I Didn't run her over, the suspect did, I merely jump on her afterwards." Danny said defensively "So you jump on her huh? Right here on the casino floor." Mary said smugly. Knowing she was having fun at his expense. Danny replied "I mean over her, I jumped over her, at the craps table." Danny was getting flustered and Mary decided to keep pressing his buttons cause she was having too much fun. "Well you said on her first and a shrink would say that, that's what you wanted to do in your mind." Mary teased.
She could of swore she saw Danny turning a bit pink on that subject so she decided to let him off easy. "Well I should get going. Don't want to keep Luis waiting." Mary said with a wink. "Yeah, catch you later Mary." Danny said as he gave her a hug good bye. They parted ways and Danny glance at his watch. Heck, I've spent enough time walking around Sam should be about ready to eat. With that, Danny paged the guys up stairs saying he was going on dinner break and to page if anything came up.
If she had to sit here any longer she was going to scream! Thought Sam as she waited for the doctor to return. It wasn't that she didn't like the doctor or his exam room, it was just the total lack of being able to do anything. I mean, just sitting here with her top off she felt so weird. The room was a typical doctors exam room with the only noticeable fact was the framed poster of the casino on the wall. Otherwise she would have swore she was at any doctors room in the world. Finally the doctor came in just as she was about to give up hope of actually seeing this person. "Miss Jane. And what seems to be the problem today?" The doctor asked, not even looking up from the chart in front of his face. "I got the wind knocked out of me earlier today when I was thrown on to a craps table." Sam said as coldly as she could. "hmm.. good... Alright why don't you take off your shirt so I can examine your lungs and ribs." Answered the doctor as he turned around. Sam just rolled her eyes and waited for the doctor to look at her.
"Oh! you're already a step ahead of me I see." When the doctor finally took notice that she was actually even in the same room as him. Sam felt a shiver as the cold metal of his stethoscope touched her bare back. "Ok breathe in, good, again" the doctor continued as he moved the stethoscope around her back. Then he pressed on her ribcage "Any pain or tenderness when I press here?" The doctor asked. "Yeah a little, but then again your pushing right on my bruise so of course it'll hurt." Sam told off the doctor. "Well other than a little bruising and having tender spots, you look to be in fine health shape." The doctor said as he noted some things down on his note sheet. Sam buttoned up her shirt and was also getting a little ticked at the doctor by the time he was finally done, but asked him sweetly "Could I get some caffeine pills or something to that effect? I'm just having a hard time staying awake ever since this happened." She batted her eyes at him. "Well... Normally I'd just say get some rest, but since what you've been through, here. One will last you up to 5 hours." The doctor said giving Sam a small sample package of pills. "Thanks doc! I got to go." Sam said and grabbed the pills as she made a beeline for the door.
Danny just got a table when Sam came walking up next to him. "So? What did the doctor say?" Danny asked right away. "He said that I have a friend that should just listen to me instead of forcing me to waste my precious time waiting in a doctor's office." Sam replied to him. "So you're fine? Doctor gave you a clean bill of health?" Danny continued. "Yes Danny! I'm fine, just like a told you." Sam stated coldly "Sheesh, excuse me for caring." Danny said. At that Sam's tone soften and said "Danny I love it that you care. Don't stop on my account. It's just that I've always done everything by myself and have learned to depend on nobody but myself." Danny smiled at her and she knew he understood what she was saying.
"Well Miss Jane here you are." Danny said with a flourish as he pulled Sam's chair out for her to sit in. Sam gave him an odd look, but decided to play along. "Why thank you sir." She said as she sat down. Danny smiled as he sat across from her. The waiter came and got their drink orders. Danny got water with lemon since he was on the clock and Sam requested a jolt cola. Danny gave a startled look at her "Doesn't that stuff have twice the amount of caffeine regular cola does?" Danny asked "What judging my drink preference now too." Sam shot back. "Hey... Don't shoot, it's just a question." Danny said as he put his hands up in mock surrender. Sam mentally kicked herself, there she went snapping at Danny again. What was it about him right now that put her so on edge? "Sorry, I just have to be able to keep my energy level up for the return of the Reisneck brothers." Sam apologized "I seem to be making you do that a lot recently." Danny smiled back at her "What? Keeping my energy up?" Sam was confused, "No, I mean apologize." Danny looked at her seriously.
At his look, Sam's heart melted. Nessa might be known as the ice queen on the casino floor, but truth be told she really had nothing on herself. Maybe it was how she grew up, or the lack of self worth as a child that cause her to only delve to the surface of any relationship she had with a man. Here she was with a nice, good looking man that genuinely seemed concerned about her well fare and she wouldn't allow him to break down her emotions and only allowed him to see the surface of what she thought. The moment of reflection was broken when the waiter set down their drinks and asked if they were ready to place their food order.
At the same time across town Mary was sitting down to dinner with Luis, who looked exhausted. "What's the matter?" Mary asked concerned. "Oh, I just had to fill out a bunch of paperwork because I let two rookies escort some prisoners from the Montecito to the station." Luis replied without much energy. "OK, So why the paperwork?" Mary looked at him curiously. "Well... The rookies were reading them their Miranda rights. When one of them shoved one rookie down against the patrol car and the other head butted the other. Long story short, they got away and that put me in hot water cause I let them handle it by themselves." Luis finished.
"Sheesh! To do think they're going to stick around?" Mary inquired "I really don't know. I mean they went from a larceny charge to assaulting a police officer. That makes them really dumb criminals, and those types of people are a danger." Luis said seriously. Then almost as an afterthought Luis continued "Maybe I should call Danny and let him know what is happening with this whole situation." Mary watched him pulled out his cell to give Danny a heads up on the info, but stopped when Mary reached out and lightly touched his arm.
"You know what. Danny is probably in the middle of something right now. Why don't you call him after we're done eating? I'm sure he'll be fine till then." Mary stated. "Why? I figured you of all people would want to keep Danny in the loop." Luis looked at her confused. "Normally I am exactly that way, but I happen to know Danny is a bit occupied at the moment and would appreciate it if we didn't bother him right now. Later will work I'm sure of it." Mary said with a smile. "Well then later it is." Luis smiled back at her.
As Danny and Sam's food was set down in front of them the mood lighten considerable. "Well, You know Danny you seem to be the hero of the Reisneck brothers. After your little flying table tackle." Sam stated with a smirk. Danny leaned back and stretched out his arms and locked his fingers together cracking his knuckles before replying "You think I should just paint a red S on my chest for them?" Sam rolled her eyes and took at bite out her pasta. "Do you want me to leave? So you can be alone, mister big head?" Sam teased him back. Danny just chuckled and said "Well, you know what they say about a man with a large head." Sam looked at him "Yeah, he's compensating for something." She smirked. Danny clutched his chest "Oh, Samantha you wound me. What I was going to say is he must be very smart." Replied with a wink. "Right... smart-allick maybe." Sam shot back with laughter.
Danny laughed with her. It was good to see her loosen up a bit with him, she always seemed to be so guarded otherwise. Sam was genuinely having a good time with Danny. She hadn't smiled this much in quite a while. She was about to make another teasing remark when her cell phone rang. "Hello. Oh, right, OK I'll be there soon. Yes, yes, I'm heading over there right now." Sam closed her cell and looked at Danny disappointed. "Well, the Reisneck brothers are back at it again and have requested their good luck charm to accompany them at the craps table." Sam told Danny. She waved her hand at the waitress to get her bill but Danny stopped her. "Go. I'll settle up, you don't want to keep the brothers waiting." Danny softly. Sam looked at him smiled and then with a wink said "Well, just remember to swing by the table so your fans can say hi to you." And with that she was off.
Danny slightly shook his head smiled and waited for the server to return with the bill. As he was waiting his cell rang and quickly snapped it open "You got Danny McCoy talk." Danny spoke into the phone "What kind of greeting is that?" Big Ed's replied came through. "Ed, what's up?" Danny replied a little startled "You're supposed to be professional when you answer. Never mind. Jillian wants me to go to L.A. with her tomorrow to visit some sister's cousin twice removed aunt or something. Anyway sense I haven't spent time with her that much recently I agreed to go. So I need you to cover the day shift also." Ed said "Unless you don't think you can handle it. I mean if you can't, I'll figure a way to stay." Ed added quickly. Danny just smiled to himself "Ed, it's fine I can handle it. It's no problem, have fun with Jillian and her cousin's Aunt." Danny said confidently. "Fine, I'll have my cell and you WILL check in with me during the day shift." Ed said just before Danny heard the click of Ed's phone hanging up.
The waitress brought the bill and Danny signed his name and got up to go back to the watchtower has he called it. As he was about to enter the employee entrance door to the labyrinth of hallways beyond the casino floor Danny swore he saw one of the guys he tackled earlier in the evening. He shook his head and looked out at the crowd again. "Hmm... funny I could have swore I saw something." Danny said to himself. Oh well, this is turning out to be a long shift. At least Sam'll be stuck here too. Danny smiled as he pushed open the doors and continued his journey to the watchtower. As the doors swung shut the man hiding by one of the massive floor columns looked at Danny's retreating form as he formulated a plan. To get back at him for the trouble his cause him early that night.