Wow! I am a bit shocked at the interest in this story. I'm glad you all are enjoying it so far and are anxiously waiting for me! Well here ya go! This is that dosey chapter I was talking about. You guys aren't going to like me much for what I do in it but trust me… just trust me.. lol

Well I'll shut up and let you read on!

Steph


Danny rushed his way through the casino with a menacing look upon his face. He told that bastard to stay away from Mary. He couldn't believe he just showed up here… especially with him knowing he'd be there to kick his ass.

He wasn't sure where to find him but had a hunch that the Bar was a good place to start.

Finally his large strides brought him to the entrance to the Montecito bar and it didn't take him long to recognize the asshole sitting on a stool at the far end of the bar.

Danny scanned the area quickly. He saw two security guards standing near the cashiers not too far from him. A quick shout would get their attention. There were only two other people in the bar. It was usually slow during the day, which right now made Danny happy. It would be less people to witness what he was about to do to that rotten excuse of a man.

The man didn't look up from his drink when Danny walked up and planted himself next to him. He did however knock back the rest of the drink with shaking hands.

"Well that was quick." He slurred. Clearly the man had been drinking for a while and was pretty plastered.

"When I hear you are in my casino nothing is more important. What the hell are you doing here? She said she didn't want you anywhere near her."

Danny tried to keep as calm as he could and not try to make the situation worse. But he made no promises. He was prepared to toss this bastard out on his ass at a seconds notice and hope that someone was there to stop him from pummeling him into next Tuesday. He knew that once he started he wouldn't stop.

"I didn't come here to see my daughter McCoy." Finally the drunken man turned his head to look at the Marine up and down. "And obviously I'm no match for a hot shot like you."

"Then enlighten me. What the hell are you here for?"

The man ignored is question again and swiveled unsteadily in his chair.

"Ya know what boy? I've done a lot of stupid things in my life."

"No Shit… What you did and are continuing to do to Mary better be on that list."

"Oh shut up Daniel. I don't need you putting words in my damn mouth. I don't have time to rehash this with you. I have something I gotta do."

"Frank I'm going to escort you out of this building right now. And if you put up a fight me and my friends over there…" Danny pointed a shoulder at the Security guards near the Cashier. "Will have to use force. To save everyone some trouble I suggest just coming with me."

"You don't understand Danny. You don't understand! I CANT LEAVE! I HAVE SOMETHING TO DO DAMN IT!"

The screaming man jumped off the bar stool and pulled something out of his jacket pocket. Before Danny knew what was happening he saw himself staring down a barrel of a gun. A woman let out a shriek in the casino making sure that if someone missed the screaming that they wouldn't miss what was going on now.

"Frank… Put the gun down before someone gets hurts."

"SHUT UP! You always have to be the Hero don't you? You can't help yourself! Cant you figure out that some people can't be saved? That we have to do what we have to do to survive?"

"What do you have to do Frank?" Danny questioned as he went over things in his head. He had to think of a way to get the gun out of his possession safely.

"I can't tell you!"

Movement started to occur around the bar area as Mike and Ed arrived. What they saw caught them a bit off guard. Danny saw Ed out of the corner of his eye and knew that he wanted to do something to help him. Right now though wouldn't be such a good idea with the cold weapon pointed directly at his head.

"No Ed… stay back." Danny shouted as he saw Ed start to creep over.

The mention of Ed's name made Frank take his eyes off of the marine in front of him.

"Ed? Ed! Yea stay back Ed! You wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious boy here would you?"

"DADDY! STOP!"

Danny's heart jumped into his throat at the sound of Mary's voice behind him. He told her to stay in the car. He didn't want her involved in anything that was going to happen and least of all this!

"Mary! Stay out of this! I have something I have to do! It will help us!"

"What do you have to do Frank…" Danny asked him as calmly as he could. He was getting sick of asking him this but maybe eventually he'd have a breakthrough. "Maybe we can help you somehow and then this will all go away."

Frank threw his other hand out and grabbed Danny around the neck, spinning him around. Danny brought his hands up to grab the man's arm and tried to pry it away from throat. His eyes connect with Mary's and she let out a sob at what was unfolding in front of her.

"You can't help me Danny. I've been trying to tell you that since you came in this damn bar." Frank whispered loudly in his ear. The smell of Alcohol was strong on his breath and it made Danny's stomach turn. "It would help me if you were gone though…" The man's voice trailed off after that sentence and pressed the gun into Danny's temple hard causing the younger man to wince.

"Daddy please let him go! Please don't hurt him! We can talk about this!" Mary pleaded to her father desperately as she watched Danny wince in his grasp.

Danny had just about enough. He didn't like being held at gunpoint and he certainly didn't like to see such sadness on his Mary's face. While Frank was distracted with his daughter Danny took his only opportunity and put all the power he had behind a swift back kick.

Danny felt himself released and stepped forward toward Mary, grabbing her and moving her further out into the casino away from the madman who was now clutching his knee with one hand and trying to steady the gun in the other.

"NOOO!" Frank screamed in rage as he lifted his gun in the direction of Mary and Danny. Danny stepped in front of her just as he saw Ed leap into action and speared the man to the ground. The two wrestled fiercely until Ed got the upper hand with a quick elbow to the drunk mans face.

"Bastard." Ed said while getting to his feet and kicking the gun across the floor. "How dare you think you could get away with this in my casino!" The man below him started to sob uncontrollably. Ed shook his head at the horrible display and looked up to see his daughter, Nessa and Sam coming toward them.

"Daddy are you alright? As soon as I heard the commotion I came running over!"

"We're fine now sweetie. We just had a little issue. It's over now." Ed glanced over at Danny and Mary. He was holding her while she sobbed into his chest. Danny nodded at Ed's direction to let him know things were ok and turned his attention back to Mary trying to calm her down as much as he could.

"Well when I said it was a boring day this wasn't what I had in mind to spice it up." Mike said walking over to the group.

"I hear ya." Ed replied. He looked back down to the sobbing man and sighed. He had to get him out of his casino and couldn't wait to put him behind bars.

"No…" Frank sobbed through tears. "No… I can't fail…" he cried out in almost a whisper.

"Sure you can." Ed said before motioning to the security guards that still stood across the room. "Get this piece of shit out of my sight," he commented before starting to walk away.

This distraction was all Frank needed. It was too late before anyone noticed the man reach down his leg and pull out a smaller metal object from his sock.

Everything happened so fast. The sound of a gun emptying its chamber rang out freezing everyone. Mary felt herself being pushed down hard to the carpeted floor. Her head hit pretty hard letting tiny stars shoot around in her vision. Seconds later she felt something heavy landed on her making it hard to breath.

Ed's instincts kicked in as he shoved his daughter to the ground and rushed the gun-wielding maniac taking him down with a loud thump. The gun silenced as it clattered away from the men now struggling on the ground for the second time today.

Mike, who had pulled down Sam and Nessa under a Craps table, peeked his head out witnessing the struggle. He scrambled out and ran over. Kicking the gun aside he proceeded to help Ed secure Mary's father.

Mary blinked her eyes trying to rid herself of the daze from smacking her head on the Not So Soft carpet. Little stars shot in every direction and she still couldn't breathe right. As her vision cleared she saw the reason for her breathing problem. Her eyes widened and tears sprung to her eyes as she struggled to wiggle out from under the weight.

"Settle down you son of a bitch!" Ed warned after finally getting the upper hand on the man. He began using his belt as makeshift cuffs.

"I'm sure Mitch alerted the police. They should be here any minute." Mike said out loud for more his comfort then anyone else's. His hands were noticeably shaking from adrenaline.

Delinda, Sam and Nessa pulled them selves off the floor never taking their eyes off of the man. They didn't have anything to say and kept uncharacteristically quiet. Weird and dangerous things have happened in the Montecito in the past but this time it seemed a lot worse. Especially because of who it was.

"You alright honey? Girls?" Ed asked a bit out of breath. He glanced around the area seeing guests standing out of the way yet trying to see what happened. He could faintly hear sirens in the background. He took a deep sigh and relaxed a little bit. Soon this son of a bitch would be behind bars and business could go on as usual. But poor Mary… She'll be having trouble handling this mentally and like always she'll blame herself… Mary… wait!

Suddenly Ed's senses realized something was missing just as a screaming voice pulled everyone's attention away.

"Danny!" Mary squealed as she finally squeezed out from under his dead weight. Red liquid covered the middle of her white dress and the light blue button-down shirt of the man lying in front of her. Everyone but Ed scrambled to Mary's voice, finding her behind a Blackjack table. Ed didn't need to see what was going on… he somehow knew. And his small view of a familiar pair of shoes followed up his suspicion.

"Danny…" He whispered as his hand tightened around the makeshift cuffs. He didn't notice the man in the cuffs lying on the floor in more tears.

"Oh my god…" Mary mouthed kneeling over him not knowing what to do. His glazed eyes stared at her as his crimson covered chest heaved and gasped for air and life.

"Danny… no…" she whispered while putting her hand on his assaulted chest. He winced between gasps at her touch as she tried to press down on the hole in his body.

"Ed!" Mary screamed. "Ed do something!"

Ed Deline was shaken out of his shock. He eyed Mike and motioned to handle the sobbing man on the floor. Mike's jaw hung loosely after seeing the horror of his friend covered in blood. He was somewhat happy to leave the sight and went over and took Ed's place as the older man rushed over taking off his jacket and replacing Mary's hands with it trying to keep as much liquid in as possible.

"Danny don't leave me! Ok? You going to be fine! Please don't go." Mary pleaded while placing his head on her lap. Red started to seep out from under his maimed body onto the casino carpet. It was coming out so fast. She knew that wasn't good and her mouth let a sob escape her throat.

He looked up never taking his eyes off her. Even when a coughing fit hit him he always kept looking at her. Mary reached down and wiped a drop of blood forming on his mouth. Tears streamed down her face and into his hair.

"You cant leave me… you hear me? I have to explain to you… I have to tell you… I love you Danny. More then anything in the world. I'm a fool! A complete and utter fool!"

The sirens rang louder outside and within seconds a slew of law enforcement covered the grounds. Two of them dragged up Mary's father releasing Mike to step over to the girls who were in a fair amount of tears. Mike couldn't help but notice wetness on his cheeks as well. He couldn't believe it. Not Danny. Not the man who lived through so much, even a war. This wasn't a fitting fate for such a hero.

"Help is coming son… hang on" Ed said while still attempting to cover the wound. It was useless though and he knew it. The bullet went straight through hence the puddle forming underneath the Marine.

Danny didn't acknowledge Ed. He didn't even hear him. All sound stopped in his mind as he felt his body go numb. He knew he should have been in pain but suddenly it had disappeared leaving his eyes the only working part of him. He could see his Mary's face above him. Tears streamed down harder and harder toward him and he couldn't do anything to help them stop. He wanted to tell her he still loved her. He wanted to tell his Mary that the pain was gone and not to be upset. The pain was gone…

Just then his eyelids defied him. He didn't realize how tired he was. He had no strength to keep them open anymore. He'd tell Mary later how much he loved her but now he needed to sleep. Everything would be ok now… The pain was gone.

Mary watched Danny's eyes start to close. Her heart went in her throat. "NO Danny! Stay awake! Stay awake! PLEASE!" She was sobbing and shaking hard but didn't leave her post. She felt hands on her shoulders trying to gently pry her away just as strange people started encircling her Danny.

"Let me go!" She wailed as she leaned down and held Danny's face in her hands. His fluttering eyelids opened up again, staring straight into her. Through sniffles she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Her tears mixed with the blood that seemed to be everywhere as she held the contact with him for as long as possible. If she weren't so close to his head she would have never heard the faint whisper that escaped the man's lips as he finally let his eyes shut completely.

"I love you too…" she mouthed before finally being pulled away from him and up into someone's arms. She knew it. She could fell it. She felt him slip away in her arms. She felt cold and alone. Even the screams from her father didn't faze her as she was dragged away from the love of her life.

Ed had watched what unfolded between Mary and the man he considered his own son. He was trained not to show emotion in any situation but his soul fought the skill and allowed a few tears to filter out. He was on his feet now watching the paramedics checking the still form for any signs of life. Everything was a blur to him as his mind flashed back in time. It was shocking how fast all the memories flooded him. Danny joking, laughing, dancing like an idiot with the rest of the gang during concerts at Mystique. The day he came home from the war and couldn't keep his lips off of Mary. All those times he risked his life for him. The Loyalty he showed him relentlessly.

He just couldn't fathom working in this casino without Danny McCoy. He may have just been Surveillance to some but he was family and a good friend to Ed.

"Damn it…" he muttered after realizing he was thinking about him already in the past tense. He couldn't give up on him that easily.

Just as Ed shook out of his thoughts he realized the Paramedics had Danny's lifeless form on a stretch and were still trying to bring life back to him with no avail while rushing him out of the casino.

Ed dropped the bloody coat he was still holding and rushed to ride in the back of the ambulance.