One Last Wish in Las VegasTotal Vaughn Lover

A/N: I just want to say that it's been a long time, and a long heartbreaking bout of writer's block but I've gotten through it. Thanks for the reviews and for supporting me.

I am happy to present to you...

Part IV

Danny bust out of the Montecito Casino's front doors as though he were an officer, ready to come down hard on his suspect, gun and all.

A few shocked expressions on the customer's faces and he realized that the gun was unnecessary. In face he looked more like the terrorist than the security guard.

"Danny!" Mike shouted, over the hushed crowd that he was trying to push into the Casino and away from wanna-be LAPD, Danny McCoy. He pushed through the crowd and squeezed his buddy's shoulder. "Wass up, Danny?"

"Nothing, obviously," Danny grimaced, putting his gun away.

"Aw man, I heard about Delinda, and more importantly, the monster of a hangover you had, man."

"Can we talk about that later? Every female in that casino won't stop about that subject except in my face. Then they do the "are you okay, Danny?" bit and claim they don't have a reason to ask me."

"All right man, lunch then."

"Nah, I've promised that precious hour to Mary," Danny regretfully lamented when he saw the smile fall of the valet's face. "I screwed up this morning with her, man and I, I've been busy and I haven't had a lot of time to spend with her."

"Okay Danny, as long as you're not ditching me for another guy."

Danny and Mike engaged in their "secret handshake," before Danny added, "but if I don't get to the bottom of this, I won't be able to take lunch. So what's the deal? Where is the family you had the dilemma with?"

"Oh, dilemma's gone."

"So you got them to do the thing where they take turns to watch their baby?" Danny grinned, thinking this could be the first thing today that went right.

"No, the family just left."

"What do you mean, "just left?"

"They said "thank you," then did an about face and left the premises," Mike clarified for him then shot his security friend a glance. "What's up, Danny?"

"The family you met was creating a diversion," Danny explained and pulled out his trusty cell phone once more.

"What? Man, are you kidding?"

"No, and that would explain why an underage girl slipped into the casino," the blond continued then hit his boss' number.

"Ed Deline."

"Ed, this is Danny. I think you may be right about the diversion. The family causing the problems left right after the exchange. I'm thinking the crying was it and the girl got in."

"Well, good work, Danny."

"I'm going into the casino now."

"All right, get her Danny. Just uh....leave the bad cop routine out of it. Only I can pull that off."

"Right."

"What's going on" Mike inquired when he saw how exhausted Danny looked.

"I have about an hour to nab this girl if I don't want Mary thinking that I don't like her," he exhaled. "I'll catch you later, man."

"Later," Mike hollered back as he watched Danny rush back to work.11111111111

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"...and that dinner is the best Chinese I know of in Las Vegas, and after that you should go to the backroom and get the stress relieved by a beautiful masseuse."

"Man, that does sound good," one of the guys cheered, taking the card from the hostess.

"Not that I think I have any stress to have relieved, but if she's beautiful, I'm not complaining."

"Yyou two just enjoy yourselves," Sam urged them, squeezing their hands.

"Oh we will, thanks Sam."

Sam flashed them a cheesy smile and then turned around and shook it off. Those two guys were too drunk to notice it anyway.

"Hey Sam," greeted a beautiful woman with dark curls and a thick british accent.

"Nessa, hi, did you see those two?"

"Yes," Nessa said with a grin. "I also couldn't help but notice the on-crack smile you gave them as well."

"That smile does not make me look like I'm on crack!!"

"Are you sure?" she teased, giving her "Nessa's version," of the "on-crack smile." "It was quite ridiculous."

"Aw, they were too drunk to notice it anyway," Sam shrugged, rolling her big brown eyes, then she got back to business. Yes Nessa and Sam were starting to like each other but while on duty, they barely spoke to each other, mainly because Nessa was always at the tables and Sam was running errands all around the casino, hotel and pool. "What's up, Nessa?"

Nessa's brown eyes narrowed as she gestured to a young girl that was walking about the slot machines. "I saw her come in and I thought she was a little young.'

"Could be, but then twenty one is considered a young age," Sam reminded her. "Did you I.D her?"

Nessa shook her head. "I thought I should since she came in the route I always see Danny take, but I haven't been able to get a hold of him."

"Has she been playing?" Sam asked, with more interest.

"I think so, I saw her sitting at the machine but she doesn't seem to interested in playing, more like she's in awe of this place."

"Tthank you, I think I'll go talk to her."

"Wait, what about Danny?"

"Don't call him, that's the last option. Let me see what I can do first. I think she'd be more likely to talk to me than Danny who's first name is intimidation," Sam offered, biting her lip as she planned out how to approach her. Nessa didn't argue and just went back to her blackjack table.

Samantha approached the young woman nonchalantly. She was probably eighteen. She was very pretty with a golden tone to her skin, large hazel eyes and light brown tresses that draped her shoulders. There was an angel like quality to her and a peace she didn't think she could experience.

"Hi," Sam chirruped and held out her hand to the young woman who hesitated then turned away. "I'm the casino host for Montecito and I saw you looked a little lost. I would love to do what I can to make your stay more enjoyable."

"Thanks, but I'm okay."

"Really, I insist. Can I go ahead and get your name, please?" she inquired then added, "So I know what to call you," when she saw how frightened she looked.

"Oh um...Belle, Belle Sears," the brunette stammered, looking ready to jump the coop. "But really, I'm fine."

"Are...are you here by yourself?"

Belle nodded.

"Oh...well, you look a bit young to be here by yourself. I don't mean to make you feel low or criminal but...can I see some I.D?"

Belle bit her lip and pulled it out of her purse and was handing it to the casino host when she heard a man's voice call out, "Good, Sam, you've got her!"

Belle looked from the nice casino host to the man with deep harsh voice who was actually in fact pretty young and extremely handsome in his fancy suit.

"You're with him? What are you, security?"

"No, I'm not," she said uneasily.

"But, he is," Belle finished for her with fear in her eyes. "I'm outta here."

"Yeah he is...but he's nice."

Belle gave her a dubious look or as much as she could muster, looking as frightened as she was. Then she didn't even smile and ran away,, as though she really were a criminal.

Danny reached Sam and shot her an irritated expression. "Uh Sam, would you like to tell me why you just let her go?"

"I didn't."

"Then why did she go?"

"Because you decided to show up at the most inconvenient time," Sam shot back, standing on her tippy toes, trying to locate the girl over the sea of people that swarmed the tables and machines, making access to other parts of the casino tiring and time consuming. "You scared her away."

"How long have you been standing with her?" he demanded, ready to give a call to a very unhappy Ed but that was the fastest way to pinpoint where she was, through camera feed.

"A minute or two."

"Well did you think to call me up in that minute or two?"

"No."

Danny was sure he'd heard her wrong. "No? What do you mean, no?"

"I knew you were going to hound her like a criminal, that's why I wanted to deal with her, talk her into getting parental supervision or go down town where the underage can go."

"So she's underage? You went ahead and did my job and I.D'd her?"

"No, I didn't get a chance. You showed up right before I could," Sam chided him and poked him in the chest. "Why couldn't you be a bit more discreet about addressing me? I mean do I just bust in with a big, "HI!" when you're in the middle of something?"

"No, the only time I talk to you is when I have to," Danny retorted angrily.

Sam looked a bit hurt but shrugged it off and added instead, "yeah, and if you keep doing that with Mary and be naïve to her feelings, you're not going to have a best friend."

Danny flipped around, looking as though someone had just pulled the chair out from underneath him. "What? What are you talking about? What's that supposed to mean?"

"If you haven't paid enough attention to your best friend to know that, then you don't deserve to know."

"Sam," Danny barked in a pretty mean tone. "Tell me what you're talking about."

To this, Sam shook her head, obviously in disbelief that Danny was really clueless. "You just go do your job."

"Then you'll tell me?"

"If you manage not to make Belle feel like she's being a criminal. Be nice McCoy if you want a word out of me."

Danny nodded, trying to look sincere and watched Sam walk away.

(An hour later)

"Ed, I know you're probably going to kick my butt and threaten to castrate me but, are you sure you've checked all the cameras?"

"Danny, I know you didn't just ask me I checked all the cameras."

"I did...because you had to have missed something."

"DANNY MCCOY!"

"Fine, I get it," he harrumphed and shoved the cellphone back into his pocket. Well, Ed wasn't going to listen to anything he had to say, he was just going to have to find the girl on his terms.

So was that long enough for you? I'm working on the next chapter, if I know people are reading, I'll post! Oh, heck, I'll post it anyway! Thanks for taking the time to get this far. You rock!

Till next time.

Kristy (Total Vaughn Lover)