Mary was busy the next day making sure the brides and groom s all made it to the wedding site. She had just spotted a wayward bride at the craps table when she literally ran into Danny.

"Oh sorry." He said before recognizing her and grasping her arms. "Mary, can we talk?"

"Not right now." She pulled away. "I'm working."

"So am I. What about later, say five, at Bellasera?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you then." Mary rushed off as Danny raised his fist in triumph.

The rest of the day Danny was in a fog and Mary was the most anxious she'd been in years. Danny arrived at Bellasera ten minutes early and staked out a table in the corner. Just after five he saw Mary wander in and called her over, pulling out her chair.

"Do you want a drink?"

"Just a Coke, thanks."

Danny ordered the drinks and turned to see Mary looking at him expectantly.

"So?" She asked.

"What?"

"You're the one who wanted to talk."

"Well, I thought we might have some simple conversation before we go into the 'why you left me' issue."

"Why I left you! You left first!" Mary stood up. "This was a bad idea."

Danny stood so quickly, he knocked over his chair. "No Mary, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Sit back down, at least drink your Coke, I'll be good, I promise."

She gave him a searching look and sat back down. "Okay."

"Okay, okay." He picked up his chair and sat down. "So, you were in Washington?"

Mary smiled. "Yeah, I went to school there."

"Why Washington?"

"Cheapest airline ticket," she laughed.

"Ed said you studied hotel management?"

"It made sense. I mean, I'm from Vegas and I worked my way through school at a check-in desk. After all, you're in surveillance because of what you did in the Marines, right?"

"It was amazing. I didn't think going in that I'd be doing Special Ops but they tested everyone and found that I had, like, natural talents."

"I always knew you had special gifts." They laughed together.

"Have you seen Luis yet?"

"No, I need to call him though."

"What about…" He was interrupted by a waiter.

"I'm sorry Mr. McCoy, Ms. Connell. Ms. Connell, there's a phone call for you. I think it's your babysitter."

Mary stood quickly. "I'll be right there." She started to hurry away but Danny grabbed her arm.

"Your what?"

"Danny, please." She pulled away and took off for her suite.

LAS VEGAS

Around 8:30 that evening, Mary sat on her couch with Joshy on her lap watching cartoons.

"So Joshy, how do you like Vegas?"

"It's really pretty." He pointed out the window to the lights of the strip.

"It is, isn't it?" She hugged him closer. "Did Sarah take you swimming today?"

He nodded his head, playing with the teddy bear on his lap.

"Did you like it?"

"Uh-huh. Does the water fall here?" He asked absently.

"What?"

He turned his head. "From the sky. Does it fall?"

"Oh, the rain." She chuckled. "It does. But not as much."

"Are we staying here?"

"In the hotel?" He nodded. "Just for a little while. Until I can find us a house."

"Can we have a pool?"

"Maybe." She tightened her grip.

"Are you mad that I was sick?"

"No sweetie. I was just surprised when Sarah called me. Are you feeling better now?"

He nodded, and then was distracted by a character on the TV. Mary ruffled his hair, marveling as usual at how much he resembled his father.

There was a knock on the door and when Mary opened it, she wondered if she had conjured Danny up by thinking about him. Danny pushed open the door and walked into the suite.

"I owe you a drink." He pointed at her.

"Danny, not now."

"Mary, I heard something that I need explained."

"Mommy?" Joshy was standing on the couch, looking over the back.

"Mommy!" Danny shouted.

"Danny, be quiet. You'll get us both in trouble." Mary covered his mouth. "I promise I'll explain, but first I suggest you sit down so I can put him to bed. Okay?"

He nodded, so she removed her hand and pointed him to a chair. He sat down petulantly.

"Mommy?" Joshy now sounded a little frightened.

"It's okay sweetie. This is Danny. He's a friend of mommy's. Danny, this is my son, Joshua."

Danny waved but Joshy hid his face in the couch.

"C'mon Joshy, its time for bed."

"Can I have a story?" He let himself be lifted into her arms.

"One story. Okay? Then you have to go to sleep so mommy can talk to Danny." He nodded, laying his head on her shoulder.

Danny watched as she carried Joshy into the bedroom. He rested his head against the chair, trying to work timelines in his head, desperate to explain the child. As time passed, he moved over to the couch and began flipping channels until he found 'Pillow Talk' playing on an old movie station. He smiled, remembering the many times he and Mary had watched it late at night.

Mary walked into the room to see Rock Hudson carrying Doris Day down the street.

"'Mommy, where is that man taking that lady?'" She quoted with the child on the television.

"'I'll tell you when you're older.'" Danny completed the exchange without even looking at her. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes, just. So please don't yell." She sat down on the other end of the couch.

"I won't yell."

"Well, don't be eerily stoic either."

"I was doing some thinking." He commented. "Why'd you name him Joshua?"

"My granddad."

"Oh yes. The great Joshua MacIntosh."

Mary grinned, "Yes, he was pretty great."

Danny smiled, but became serious again. "He's four and a half, isn't he?"

Mary nodded slowly, knowing he had figured it out.

"We messed up that night didn't we?"

"I don't consider him a mistake."

"But you did. He's why you left."

She shook her head. "No. I left because here he'd only be the child of Danny McCoy's whore."

"What!" Danny yelled.

"Shhh." Mary silenced him. "You know what people said about us and about me in particular. You heard the rumors around school."

"I never listened. Why did you?" He stood up and began pacing. "You knew the truth! That's why you left? Because of people were saying!"

"I was eighteen! And you were gone." Tears began streaming down her cheeks. Danny stopped his pacing and responded viscerally to her emotion. He stood her up and gathered her tightly in his arms. She pounded her fists against his chest. "You left me! You left me with a baby!"

"Mary. Mary, shush." He held her tighter. "Mary, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He bent his head down to calm her, remembering that if he looked her straight in the eye, he could get her to stop crying. But he had never seen her so beautiful before, and his lips were almost magnetically drawn to hers. Before they both knew it, they were kissing for the first time in over five years.