Disclaimers – Although I wish I owned Without a trace and its characters unfortunately I don't – so don't sue me because I own nothing.
Cheers to anmodo for having a quick read through this. Now for a couple of authors notes
For the purpose of this fic Hannah and Kate are older than they are in the show – but all the other characters ages remain the same.
This is a short silly fic I wrote while I was bored at work, hope you enjoy.
Knight in shining armour
There was a loud bang and the car slowly ground to a halt causing Hannah Malone to swear loudly. She knew it had been a bad idea to just grab her stuff and drive form Chicago to New York, to spend Christmas with her father. Hannah 'rephrased' her thoughts. It had been a bad idea to get into her car on the spur of the moment and drive, but it hadn't been a bad idea to spend Christmas with her father.
"Hannah you shouldn't swear," Kate Malone piped up.
"Why not? The car is broken, it pissing down with rain out and with the dropping temperatures it is soon going to turn into sleet. We are in the middle of nowhere – so please explain to me why I shouldn't swear," Hannah replied slightly sharply. She didn't mean to but she was scared. They were two girls alone, with a broken car in the middle of nowhere with a storm howling around them. It was the kind of scene that horror movies where made out of – the kind were both girls usually ended up dead.
"Ok," Kate replied slightly subdued. "It's probably nothing, it's probably just a flat and anyway if it is anymore we can just call for a tow."
"Sorry you're right. Why are we doing this again?"
"Because Christmas with Dad was always great fun, Dad needs us and Mum is driving us mental," Kate said. "Oh and Dad's co-workers are so much cooler had Mum's."
Hannah smiled despite her fear. "Can you remember when Mum and Dad forgot about our parent evening so didn't book a sitter and Dad asked Danny."
Kate chuckled, "Do I remember? I didn't think it was possible to feel so ill from eating and laughing. He was undoubtedly the coolest babysitter we ever had."
Hannah looked out into the rain as she remembered how she felt when she had turned on the news months ago and had seen reports on an ambush on FBI agents in New York. At first she had nearly collapsed as she had thought about her father. Then he had phoned her, she was just about to skip around the room in joy when he had told her who was involved. She didn't really know Martin - only having met him a handful of times – but she felt for him all the same. Then her father had told that Danny had been in the car, at that point she had dropped the phone. Out of all of her Dad's co-workers she was closest to Danny.
"Do think he's ok," Hannah suddenly asked.
Kate looked up at her older sister in confusion. "Why wouldn't he be?"
"The ambush," Hannah replied.
"What ambush?"
"You didn't know? A few months ago Danny and Martin were transporting a suspected terrorist across town when they were caught in an ambush. Danny basically walked out without a scratch, but Martin was hurt bad," Hannah told her sister. "They are fine now – physically anyway."
"Shit, and you didn't tell me, Mum didn't tell me," Kate swore.
"And you told me not to swear," Hannah said with vague amusement.
"Fine," Kate replied with tension laced into her voice. "Shall we see if can fix this car and get to Dad's."
"I hope so," Hannah said fear evident in her tone. Hannah pulled on her coat and hugged close to her body as she tried to ward off the freezing temperatures. She may admit to her sister that she was terrified, but she would never admit it to her father. Her father would have a heart attack at the thought of his two girls alone with a broken down car on empty road.
They walked around the car checking the tyres, finding none of them to be flat. Kate pulled out her cell phone to call for a tow, but found there was no signal. "I've no signal what about you?"
Hannah looked to see a car approaching. She fumbled for her cell phone; glancing at the display she found it was blank. She furiously stabbed the buttons hoping at it would produce a response. She looked around for a weapon, silently thanking her Dad for forcing her take all those self defence classes.
"Kate get in the car and pass me the steering wheel lock," Hannah said quickly the authority evident in her voice. She tried her cell phone again but it was still dead. Glancing across she checked the doors where locked before she stood and tried to prepare herself for whatever was in that car on this cold, dark, empty road. She nervously watched as a tall, dark figure emerge from the car and walked towards her, she felt her blood pressure and heart rate increase. She tightened her grip around the steering wheel lock as the man approached.
"Ma-am can I help at all," said the owner of the voice.
Hannah frowned slightly as she was sure that she recognised the voice, but she did not drop her guard.
"It's ok I'm with the FBI," the voice said as he continued to approach her. "My name is Special Agent Danny Taylor"
Before Danny could finish his sentence, he found the figure that had been standing in the dark throw itself at him. As he tried to work out what was happening, he looked down at the figure and felt his heart rate increase. What the hell was she doing out here at this time of night – alone. If Jack knew he would completely freak out at the very thought of his baby girl out here.
"Hannah what are you doing out here, you know your Dad will completely freak out," Danny asked gently.
"Kate and I were going to spend Christmas with Dad – it was on the spur of the moment thing. So we got in the car and drove, but the car broke down and both our cell phones are dead," Hannah replied suddenly feeling at ease now that Danny was here.
"Kate's with you?" Danny asked in concern wondering if his day could get any worse.
"Yes," Hannah replied as she walked around to the car. She knocked on the window. "Hey Kate I've found our knight in shining armour."
Kate looked out the window to recognise the tall man who was standing next to her sister. She quickly opened the door and jumped out throwing her arms around their 'knight in shining armour.'
"Danny," Kate yelled. "I'm so glad to see you."
Danny looked between Hannah and Kate and rapidly tried to think of how he was going to tell Jack – his boss – who was already grouchy, this his two girls had broken down on an empty, dangerous road.
"So what are you two doing alone on this road?" Danny asked. "And have you told your Dad?"
"We are going to sped Christmas with Dad and u-mm we haven't told him yet."
Danny looked around, "no of course you haven't because if you had – choppers would've been scrambled and your Dad would've phoned me about thousand times for updates," Danny paused briefly. "So what's wrong with your car?"
"There was aloud bang and it stopped. We know it's not the tyres," Hannah said with her hands on her hips.
"I'll have a look at it – my brother is a mechanic," Danny said as he started to check out the car.
"And my uncle is a brain surgeon – it doesn't mean I can perform brain surgery," Hannah joked.
Danny smirked, "very funny. It's a man thing, you stand under the hood and prod things," Danny said as he continued to banter with his boss's eldest daughter. "Hey why don't you kids sit in my car and get out of the rain."
A few minutes later a cold Danny Taylor hurried towards his car.
"So what's the diagnosis, Dr. Taylor?"
"Your prop shaft has gone," Danny replied as he took a long thankful swig of his hot coffee.
"And that is bad?" Kate asked.
"Yep, it means that you wouldn't be driving that car tonight," Danny said as he turned around to face them. "Hey are you still going to New York, cos if you are I can give you a lift to your Dad's place or the office."
"You would?"
"Sure it's no problem. I will be sending your Dad my therapist's bill for putting up with you two," Danny joked.
"Not funny Taylor," Hannah said slapping Danny's arm. "Hey we are just going to get our stuff."
"You need a hand?" Danny asked
"Nah we'll be fine," Hannah said as they got out the car and grabbed their stuff.
"Have you rang your Dad yet?" Danny asked slightly apprehensively.
"No, our cell phones have no signal," Hannah explained.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jack Malone sat at his desk rubbing his face, one hand was holding the phone with a death grip. "I don't care about the blame game right now. I just want to know if my girls are safe." He leant back on his chair and forced himself to remain calm as his ex-wife continued to yell and blame him.
"How the hell is my fault?" Jack yelled. "No they haven't phoned me – have you rang their friends?" He held the phone at arm's length at his ex-wife's latest on sought of words. "Oh forgodsake Maria our girls are missing and all you care about is who's fault it is – let I remind you are the one reasonable for them and I am hundreds of miles away," Jack yelled as he slammed down the phone.
Jack closed his eyes for a moment was it possible for his year to get any worse? First it was the divorce, then she took his girls away from him, then it was Viv, then it was the boys, then it was Max, then it was his father and now it was his girls. His ringing cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts glanced at the caller ID, he hoped the Danny wasn't ringing to add to his list of woes.
"Danny are you alright?" Jack said as he answered the call, trying to sound as calm as possible.
"Dad its me – Hannah," Hannah said frowning at the panicked tones that belonged to her father.
"H-Hannah," Jack swallowed as he continued to try and calm his already frayed nerves. "Are you alright? Where are you? Where is your sister? Why are you using Danny's phone?" Jack said as he rapidly fired off questions.
"Dad chill ok! We're both fine. Kate is with me, we were going to travel down and spend Christmas with you as part of a surprise – but the car broke down," Hannah explained. "Anyway Danny has rescued us."
"But you are both alright? You are really ok?" Jack demanded.
"Dad we are both fine," Hannah reassured now feeling very relived that they had made the decision to spend Christmas with their father.
"Can I speak to Danny?" Jack asked.
"Sure," Hannah replied as she handed the phone over to Danny.
"Jack"
"Danny, what the hell are you doing talking on the phone while you are driving my girls," Jack yelled.
"Jack relax ok, I'm not driving – I pulled over," Danny said trying to reassure the terrified father.
"Sorry, I'm sorry Danny," Jack apologised for his shortness.
"Jack don't worry about it ok," Danny replied.
"Are they really alight?" Jack demanded.
"Jack they're fine, I promise," Danny said as he cast a worried glance over his passengers.
"Danny, the whole way back I what to think that you are driving the most expensive, the most precious china and crystal glass. If you drive too fast, if you take a corner too fast that cargo will break," Jack said.
"What's your point," Danny asked knowing full well what Jack was telling him.
"The crystal glass and china are my daughters, if any thing happens to them Danny," Jack started.
"Jack, I won't let anything happen to them. It will be about the most terrifying drive of my life," Danny paused. "Jack I promise you I will keep them safe. Hey shall I bring to the office or to your place."
"You will a couple of hours right?" Jack asked. "So drop at my place. Oh Danny thank you really thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't turned up and my girls had been left alone on that dark, empty road."
"Jack don't worry about it, hey I better go and start driving. I'll see you in a couple of hours," Danny said ending the call.
"How was my Dad," Hannah asked as she looked at Danny tense expression.
"Your father - when he gets overprotective is one scary man," Danny replied.
"Did he give you the whole precious object, if you speed will know about it, I know every cop in town buddy boy," Hannah sang.
"Basically yes, why have you had experience of this before," Danny asked.
"Boyfriends and my father are not a good mix. My father scares my boyfriends," Hannah replied sighing.
"Good, because if he didn't I would remind him that I was a FBI agent and if anything happened to you, I would just say that he was suspected terrorist and had posed immediate threat to national security," Danny said smiling with a raised eyebrow.
"If you and my Dad had any say in it you are basically saying I would never get married," Hannah said trying not to laugh. "What happens it I rebel?"
"You see that's why the English had dungeons," Danny laughed.
"Funny Taylor that's real funny," Hannah replied. "How's my dad?"
"He's, he's ok. I mean a lot of shit has happened to him this year-"
"Like with what happened to you and Martin, that no one told me about," Kate said speaking up for the first time.
Danny briefly closed his eyes, but they snapped open again as he remembered he was driving. "That along with everything else that has happened this year to your father has made him kind of protective of his team, I don't even want to image how protective he has become or is going to become over you two."
Hannah leant back in the chair her mind full worry about her father. But at least now Danny had rescued them so she didn't have to worry about her sister as well.
"Danny what are you doing for Christmas?" Kate asked
"Spending it with my girlfriend," Danny replied lying not wanting them to know the truth of the matter. The truth that he would spend yet another Christmas alone. He hated Christmas, he hated as it showed up his lack of family. Jack was going to spend time with his family, Viv was spending time with her family, Martin was spending time with his family, and even Sam was spending time with her family. But what was Danny Taylor doing? The same he did every Christmas – sit alone watching TV and trying not to drink.
After a couple of hours driving they finally arrived in New York. It had been a fun drive; Danny didn't think it was possible to laugh so much during a two hour car journey. He pulled up outside Jack's house, noticing the Christmas lights inside the window. He doubted his boss had Christmas decorations up before he knew his kids were going to be around for Christmas. He silently laughed of the image of his boss running around putting Christmas decorations – having never seen him put decorations up in the office.
"Hey we are here," Danny said slightly sadly as he knew as soon as they left he would be alone again.
"Thanks Danny," Kate said looking up. She smiled as she watched her father opened the door, and smiled when he was the car and ran down towards the car. "Dad"
"Kate," Jack said as he hugged her trying to hide the tears of joy. He gathered both of his daughters into his arms – his year couldn't of ended better. After thinking he was going he have to spend Christmas alone his daughters had driven down he spend Christmas with him. He looked up to see Danny trying to busy himself with something. "Hey Danny do you want to come in?"
Danny looked up; he didn't feel that he could intrude on this moment. "If you don't mind I've gotta get home, my girlfriend is waiting for me," Danny lied.
Jack smiled. "Sure go home and enjoy yourself," Jack replied. "Thank you so much for what you have done, I don't know how I can repay you."
"You don't have to," Danny said looking around feeling uncomfortable with this private moment.
"What are you doing for Christmas?" Jack asked.
"Spending it with my girlfriend," Danny said trying not to visibly wince at his lies.
After the continuous thanking from the Malone family, Danny was finally on his way home to his empty apartment. He everywhere he looked it looked as though everyone was out with there family enjoying themselves. No one was alone apart from him. He continued to drive to his apartment and felt alone tear streak down his face, as he thought of his Christmas. Maybe this was how he suppose to spend his Christmas – alone.
Danny pulled up outside his apartment and frowned when he saw his girlfriend loading a couple of bags into her car. Just when he thought his day couldn't get any worse.
"Megs I'm so sorry," Danny said as he climbed out of the car. "I'm sorry if I haven't spent enough time with you. If I ever hurt you I never meant to and I am so sorry-"
"You didn't think," Megan said looking between Danny and the bags. "No way Danny, I love you. I just came around to give you these," Megan finished as she handed him two items.
"I-I thought you were finishing up that op and then heading home for Christmas," Danny said unable to look at what was in his hand.
"I was," Megan said as she leant in and lightly kissed his cheek. "But when I was at the airport I saw a flight going to New York and charmed the check in guy into changing my flight. So here I am."
"B-but your family," Danny stammered not knowing what to do. No one had ever done something like this for him before.
"Danny just look at what's in your hand," Megan said with a smile.
With trembling fingers, Danny inspected the two items. As he looked at the two items he found himself speechless. In his hand was his passport and a plane ticket.
"I don't know what to say, u-mm t-thank you," Danny managed to say.
"Look I would love to stand out her all night but we have a flight to catch," Megan said as she shut the car's truck.
"My suit… my gun," Danny blurted out as he tried to get over the shock.
"Get changed in the car," Megan said as she threw a set of clothes at him. "And I have phoned ahead about the guns, so that's sorted. Let's go Danny the plane won't wait for us."
Danny smiled as he locked his car and climbed into Megan's car. "S-so are we going to your parent's place?"
"Yeah," Megan said as she glanced across at the nervous Danny. "Danny my family loves you. My dad might not 100 percent approve of my sibling's partners but he thinks you are great."
"Really!" Danny said slightly shocked. "W-what about work?"
"You see the UK has this wonderful stuff called technology. We have mobile phone networks, land lines, internet connections and several flights to and from the US everyday," Megan joked. "God Danny with the year you have had you deserve a break. When was the last time you had a vacation?"
"U-mm I don't know."
"So you are overdue a vacation," Megan said as she handed Danny her cell phone. "Ring Jack and tell him you are taking a break."
Danny stared at the cell phone for a moment before dialling Jack's number with trembling fingers.
"Malone"
"Hey Jack, its Danny."
"Danny is everything alright?" Jack asked in concern.
"I'm fine," Danny paused. "My girlfriend, u-mm well she surprised me with a plane ticket, we are going to her parent's place for Christmas."
"That's great Danny – where does she live?" Jack asked feeling genuinely for his agent.
"England," Danny replied. "S-so I was wondering of could have sometime off."
"Sure, you are owned vacation time. So how about I see you again in the second week of January."
"But Jack," Danny started.
"Danny since you have been on my team you have about a month's vacation on eight years and brass is beginning to get on my back," Jack explained. "You didn't take anytime off after the shooting – which you should've."
"What about those three weeks I had off in 1999," Danny said cutting in.
Jack shook his head as he remembered. During an arrest Danny had been stabbed and had tried to persuade him that he was fine – that all he needed was iodine and a needle and thread. If they pushed for time a roll of gaffer tape would do. This was after he had collapsed through blood loss.
"Danny that is called sick leave, there is difference. So I will see you in the second week of January," Jack said
"Thanks Jack," Danny said as he thanked Jack again and ended the call. He shook his head where he thought of his almost selfish thoughts. He wasn't alone. He did have people in his life that cared about him and for the first time in years he wasn't going to have to spend Christmas alone.