Disclaimer: Of course I don't own anything or anyone etc.

That's my first fic so it probably sucks but whatever. I hope you like it and I would like to know what you think of it :-)

Also in this story there is no blowing up of the Montecito but the owner did change. Nobody left (it's impossible to follow four different storylines) and no one is sure about their jobs.

Chapter 1

Danny stood in the middle of the casino floor at a loss, trying to absorb on what have happened in the last 24 hours, but not succeeding. He lost his job, his best friend and love of his life, and now his father, all in one single night.

Yes he knew that he could always go back to the family business, and yes he tried to think that Mary would be better off without him, but losing his dad? That he couldn't handle.

'This can't be happening' he tried to convince himself.

Mike, seeing the desperate and painful expression on his friend's face, approached him to see what was wrong.

"Hey man, is everything ok?" Mike asked.

"No…"

"What happened?" Mike asked again, concern in his voice.

"My…Uh…my dad…died… I've… I've got to go" Danny said running away from the shocked African-American man.

"Danny! Where are you going? Did you call Mary?" he yelled, but got no response as the tall man disappeared through the crowd. "Damn"

The ex-Marine climbed into his yellow Camaro and drove away leaving behind the place he considered being his home for the past few years. He made a few circles around the strip, trying to clear his mind and sink everything that happened in, until he finally parked his car outside a very familiar place. A place he hadn't visit for quite a while now, and which held way too many memories for him. The house he spent his childhood and had his best and worst moments. From when he lost his mother when he was a kid to the night he had with Mary before he left for the marines. He stepped out of his car and walked through the yard until he reached the front door. With hesitation he pulled out his keys and used them to let himself into the house. He closed the door behind him and took a glance around him. Everything now seemed so dark, empty and cold. What an antithesis. This place was once full of life, voices and laughter.

He was now in the living room where he and Mary used to chase each other in and out of the house not letting his poor father rest after a long day at work. He remembered scolding them and telling them that they will get grounded if they kept fussing. But he never did punish them. He loved them both too much. They were his reason to leave after his wife left him. A small smile came to his face as these memories ran through his mind, but quickly faded as something dawned on him.

"Mary" he whispered. 'She doesn't know. She's probably all happy and excited about her little trip with Jake'. Just the thought of the beautiful redhead being with him made his heart break into millions of pieces.

Nessa's words tortured him all day. "You're gonna marry him" she said referring to Mary and Jake, and he felt like someone gave him a hard punch in the stomach.

'It's not fair to ruin it for her but she should know' '…and I need her here with me…' He admitted bitterly.

He didn't want to be selfish. If anything, he wanted her to be happy more than anything in the world. She deserved the best after everything she went through. That's why he let her be after all. That's why he didn't go after her. Even if that meant that he had to lose his soul. Because she is his soul.

However his father was Mary's father too and she had every right to know and be here to say a last good bye. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and stared at it for a while before he dialed Mary's number.

'Relax… everything is going to be fine… Just let yourself have a good time… It's vacation for God's sake' she tried to reinsure herself.

From the moment she got into the limo she was all restless and couldn't stop trembling. She had never left Vegas before, and especially with a man.

Not that there have been a lot of men in her life. Every time she tried to date and get more intimate with someone, either she couldn't do it or there was a certain someone meddling with her relations. That someone just happened to be the most important thing in her life, as well as the reason stopping her for taking chances or risk things with someone else and move on with her life. Even though she should be pissed at him for interfering in her personal life – since as it seemed he didn't want her in his life the way she did – she never was. She actually liked seeing him acting like this, being jealous.

This time though, was different. He envied Jake but didn't do anything about it. He stood out of her way and let her make her own decisions. He thought that he didn't deserve her and that Jake could give her everything he couldn't.

The thing is, she didn't know that. What she thought was that he didn't really want to be with her and the only thing hurt when she gave him back the ring was his pride.

"Mary?" she heard a voice calling her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Jake has just came out of the flight deck and sat opposite to her. "Are you ok sweetie?"

"Huh? Yeah, yeah I'm fine" she lied as a fake smile appeared in her face.

"Are you sure? Cause you don't seem so good"

"I'm ok. I'm just, u know, a little nervous"

"It's ok. But don't worry everything will be great. I promise you". He smiled at her and she returned. "Listen there were some reports for a bad weather so we'll have to wait for a while until everything is checked out ok? I'm certain it's nothing serious"

"Ok"

"So… I'm pretty sure you're going to love Hawaii. It's amazing. White sandy beaches, crystal clear waters. You won't want to leave" assurance in his voice.

"I can't w– "she didn't complete her sentence as she heard her mobile phone ringing.

Checking the caller's ID her heart started pounding so fast she thought it was going to break. 'Danny?'

"Aren't you going to answer that?" the public defender asked as he watched Mary being in a complete standstill.

"Yeah, um… excuse me for a second" she answered back as she stood up and went to other side of the jet.

She took a deep breath and then answered her phone. "Danny?"

"Hey Mare…"his voice was barely heard.

"Danny? What's wrong?" Sensing the tone on his voice she started to worry very badly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I know that you're with Jake but something happened and I don't know how to tell you this but -"

"What is it? Are you ok?" she asked her concern rising by the second.

"I… My dad had an accident. And he…" he took a long breath before he continued "he didn't make it Mary"

"What? Oh my God…" she felt the ground disappearing under her feet as she put one hand on the chair standing next to her to support her weight because she thought she was going to pass out. "Where are you Danny?"

"I'm in my father's house"

"I'll be there as soon as I can"

"I thought you already left. Mary you don't have to -"

"No. I'm coming home Danny"

"Ok"

Jake seeing Mary's reaction to the call could sense that something was really wrong as she started looking pale and couldn't stand on her feet.

"What's going on?"

"Jake I'm sorry but I can't leave with you. Danny's dad died and I have to go back"

"Mary don't you think he can take care of himself?" he said while trying to hide his jealousy.

"Are you telling me that I shouldn't go? You have no idea what he has been through Jake! Besides his father was my family too and I need to go home" she said almost yelling at him.

Jake never knew how many people Danny lost in his life. His mother, his buddies from the war, Greg, Luis and now his dad. He couldn't understand how vulnerable he was now, but she did. Because she was there when everything happened and she intended to be there now, too.

"Ok I'm sorry. I'll have the driver take you wherever you want. I'll call you later"

"Thank you" she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and left.