Author's Note: I should have probably mentioned that, from the latter part of chapter 10 on, takes place during the latter part of season 5. Just throw it in there somewhere before that horrible thing we're forced to call a series finale and you should be good. I should also note for anyone that's interested that the next two chapters or so are going to be pretty heavy with Danny/Delinda-ness, so if you're not a fan of that, I apologize. And if you are a fan of that, then you're welcome. LOL
Chapter 13
The rage-filled explosion that Ed expected never happened. When the older man opened his blue eyes, he could see Danny still sitting in the exact same spot he had been. The younger, brown-haired man was silent, except for the occasional deep breath, and his eyes were focused on something on the floor that only he could see. He was noticeably tense and clenched his jaw tightly. From experience, Deline knew this look as one McCoy only assumed when he was thinking about something with all of his being. He doubted that the Marine could even feel Mike put a hand on his shoulder.
"I have to find Delinda." Danny said, suddenly getting to his feet. His thoughts turning to the safety of his girlfriend and unborn child.
"She's headed to the parking garage, trying to find you." Mike said, holding up his phone. "Mitch just texted me."
"Why don't you and, uh, Frank head down there, Mike?" Ed said, getting to his own feet. "Go ahead and bring her back up here, would you?"
"I…" Danny started to say as Mike stood up.
"You're not done here." Ed interrupted with a tone in his voice Danny had heard many times in the past; one that told him not to question Deline. "Mike?"
"Right." Mike said, reading Ed's tone the same way Danny had.
As the door shut behind Mike and Frank, Danny could feel a stifling silence fill the room around him and all three pairs of eyes: Ed's, Jack's and Cooper's watch his every movement. He shifted uncomfortably where he stood and looked back at the floor. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit, as he realized that the men around him were waiting for him to explode. He certainly felt like he could! However, there was a little voice in the back of his mind (it sounded an awful lot like Mary) telling him that he was going to be a father soon, so he couldn't afford to be reckless.
"How long have you known?" he asked quietly, looking back up at Ed.
"It's only been about a month since we lost track of him." Keller replied for his former partner. "Eddie and I believe that some of Henderson's men were involved."
"One of the people we spoke to in Henderson thinks they saw him talking to Broder." Ed added, putting a hand on Danny's shoulder. Kid's really grown up, Ed thought to himself.
"You said you had a history with him?" Danny said in his normal voice, turning towards Cooper, who had been silent the entire time. The dark haired man was still sitting on one of the armchairs, his right leg resting on his left knee.
"I did." Cooper nodded, "And I think it may just explain why he's been so focused on you, Danny." He paused, trying to think of how to word what he needed to say. "There's something the three of us: you, me and him all have in common."
"Bastard is a Marine." Ed replied before Danny could get the words out.
"Former Marine." Cooper corrected, keeping his eyes on Danny. "He was dishonorably discharged a long time ago. We served in the same unit." He finally stood up. "Like I said, I think that's why he's singled you out from everyone else, Danny. He thinks that you're more of a challenge."
Saying nothing, Danny realized that what Cooper said had to be true. The Professor had been much more focused on getting to him than anyone else connected to Ed, even Nessa, who had also screwed him over in the past. He had even commented on Danny's service when the two first met.
"Did you…" he started to say, turning towards Ed.
"No." Ed shook his head, knowing what Danny was about to ask. "I didn't know anything about that bastard's past."
"Damn." Jack commented, shaking his own head. "We already knew the man was smart, but to add Black Ops training into that?"
"Doesn't change a damn thing." Ed replied as the door flew open.
"There you are!" a relieved Delinda shouted, rushing into Danny's open arms with a steady stream of tears. "I was so scared when no one could get a hold of you! I thought you had been kidnapped again."
"Hey." Danny said, gently stroking her blonde hair as he hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry, baby! I didn't mean to scare you like that." Another sob escaped the woman in his arms and McCoy could feel her tears start to soak through his shirt. "Come on, Dee! I'm all right. I promise!"
"I had to hear it all the way up here." Mike said sympathetically.
"You just wait until I tell Pi…" Delinda started to say as she lifted her head. However, it wasn't Mike who caught her eye. "Oh, my God. Daddy?"
"Hey beautiful!" Ed greeted, staggering back as Delinda launched herself into him. He hugged her tightly to him; he had really missed her those six months. "It's so good to see you again, sweetheart! You look great."
"What are you doing here?" Delinda cried, burying her head in her father's chest. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" She looked up at Danny, who was standing there with a smile. "Why didn't you tell me he was coming?"
"I just found out about an hour ago." Danny said sheepishly.
Her eyes open wide, Delinda suddenly and silently backed away from her father. A horrified expression appeared immediately on her face as the realization of why Ed could have suddenly come back hit her.
"Dee?" Danny said, taking a concerned step towards her.
"Delinda?" a puzzled Ed said at almost the same time.
"No." she said quietly, shaking her head and taking another step back. "You found those creeps…" Her anger bubbling to the surface, her voice rose back to its usual tone. "Don't you even think about taking off on some wild revenge mission, Danny McCoy! Not now!"
"Delinda." Danny start to plead.
"Danny isn't going anywhere, honey." Ed said, putting his hands on his daughter's arms. "I'm, uh, I'm afraid that the trouble is coming to us this time."
"They're coming to Vegas?" Delinda repeated, her eyes widening again. "When? Where?"
"I wish we knew." Ed replied as Delinda leaned into him again.
"What are we going to do?" she sighed sadly.
"Well, first things first," Danny said, folding his arms across his chest. "We need to get you and the baby to safety."
"You're going to send me away?" a surprised Delinda said.
"As well as Sam and Piper." Danny nodded as he looked past the blonde haired woman to Ed. "I was thinking we could use that place we've used before."
"We'd need a private jet." Ed pointed out.
"Consider it done." Cooper replied.
"Your guys up for this, Frank?" Ed said, turning towards the muscular man.
"Absolutely." Frank replied, "Place will be harder to get into than the Pentagon."
"You are NOT going to send me away." Delinda protested.
"Damn it, Delinda!" Danny heard himself shout back, all of the rage and frustration inside of him coming to the surface. Why couldn't she just listen for once? "Don't fight us on this!"
"I…" a stunned Delinda started to say as tears flooded her eyes all over again. She had never heard Danny raise his voice like that to anyone! As she looked into the brown eyes that had sucked her in so many times before, she could see something that didn't even seem to be human. She turned away from him, burying her face again in her father's chest.
"Dee…" Danny said, realizing what he had just done. His eyes softened with shame and he suddenly found himself unable to look at anyone else in the room in the eye. He turned and headed towards the nearby balcony. "I need some air."
"That wasn't the man I love." Delinda said quietly as the door slammed shut behind Danny. Mike had made a move to go after him, but Cooper had grabbed his arm to stop him.
"You'll have to forgive him, honey." Ed sighed, still looking in the direction Danny had gone. "Danny's had one hell of an evening."
A deep sigh escaped Danny as he rested his arms and head against the balcony's guardrail. He would definitely have to apologize to Delinda later for his behavior. It was an old PTSD symptom that still raised its ugly head from time to time; sudden, angry outbursts if he became too overwhelmed. Therapy had almost eliminated the problem, so it wasn't a hindrance in everyday life, but this wasn't the normal every day.
Gazing down at the Las Vegas strip below, Danny realized that the thing that was bothering him most right now, besides exploding at Delinda, was coming to the realization that he was afraid. He hated feeling this way! After all, he was the one that everyone depended on, wasn't he? The one who was supposed to protect everyone else? What if he couldn't do it this time, and he lost them? He had already lost so much in his life: his parents, his unit, friends, etc. Being completely honest with himself, he didn't know what he would do if anything happened to Delinda and the baby. He had seen firsthand what losing his mother had done to his father, and Danny sincerely doubted that he had the strength to endure something like that.
Hearing the glass door slide open again and close, he turned his head slightly.
"Dee?" he said, standing up and turning towards her.
She watched him for a moment silently, staring into his eyes once more. Again, there was something in there that was unrecognizable. No, Delinda thought, not unrecognizable. Just something she had never seen in him before.
"You're scared." She heard herself say sadly.
"I'm terrified, baby." Danny admitted as Delinda put her arms around him. She knew in her heart that she needed to be the strong one now. "I can't guarantee anyone's safety, Dee. There's no telling what these creeps are planning."
"You know, you don't have to protect everyone all of the time, Danny." Delinda said, running her hand through his hair. She loved that her boyfriend was so noble, but sometimes, the depths he was willing to go through to protect someone scared her. Sighing, she rested her head against him. "But that's why you want to send me away, isn't it? You want to make sure that, at the very least, me and our baby are safe?"
"Yeah." Danny nodded, resting one of his hands on her stomach. "I don't know what I would do if I lost either one of you."
"What about you?" Delinda pleaded, looking up at him. "We can't lose you either, Danny!" An idea suddenly came to her; an idea she knew was impossible but decided to ask anyway. "Come with us? Let Daddy handle…"
"We both know I can't do that, Dee." Danny shook his head, "Ed needs me." An image of the Professor entered into his mind. "Besides, those bastards wouldn't stop looking until they found me."
"Ugh." Delinda sighed, closing her eyes. "Why is this happening?"
"I have terrible luck?" Danny teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"Not that terrible." Delinda smiled, enjoying the warmth and security of his embrace.
"You're right." Danny laughed, kissing the top of her head. "I DID somehow manage to land the most beautiful woman in the world." He smiled down at her. "God, I love you so much, Delinda."
"I love you too, Danny." Delinda replied as Danny leaned over to kiss her. He never noticed the single tear running down her cheek as she kissed him back. She could only pray that this wouldn't be one of the last times she kissed him.
Neither Danny nor Delinda knew exactly how long they had been kissing or how long Ed had been standing there watching them. The couple hadn't even known that the older man had joined them until he cleared his throat, startling them.
"I'd, uh, I'd better go downstairs and talk to Sam and Piper." Danny said nervously, unable to read the look in Ed's eyes. Memories of the not too distant past where Ed had wanted to kill him for hooking up with Delinda fresh in his mind.
"Maybe Mike should talk to Piper?" Delinda suggested after Danny's retreating form. When they were alone on the balcony, she turned to her father. "Daddy…"
"Don't worry." Ed reassured, hugging his daughter to him. "I won't let anything happen to him."
"We're going to die." Mike said as he and Danny stepped off of the service elevator and onto the main casino floor. Taking his girlfriend's advice, McCoy had asked Cannon to accompany him when he spoke to Sam and Piper. "You know this is a suicide mission, right? I mean you said it yourself on the paintball retreat: Sam CAN kill if cornered."
"Would you relax?" Danny said, shaking his head. "All we got to do is find Sam and Piper, and tell them that they're leaving Vegas for a few days."
"Yeah," Sam said, suddenly appearing at their side. The dark-haired woman didn't even look up from the PDA in her hands. "No."
"How in the hell does she do that?" Danny exclaimed, looking at Mike.
"I've got whales coming in." Sam said, looking up at Danny. "You're not sending me anywhere."
"Who's sending Sam where?" Piper asked, appearing behind the group seemingly from out of thin air.
"It has got to be a woman thing." Mike shook his head as Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. "There's no other explanation."
"Ok, look, "Danny sighed, feeling a migraine coming on. He dropped his arms to his sides. "I know this really isn't going to mean a whole hell of a lot to you, Piper, and I promise Mike and I will explain everything later." He focused his eyes on Sam, who raised an eyebrow at him. "Henderson and the Professor have been spotted in the area."
"Really dangerous guys who kind have a score to settle with the Montecito as a whole." Mike added for Piper's benefit.
"Wow, I can't believe you're still here." Sam commented, looking pointedly at Danny. "Thought you'd be tearing up the town by now."
"If these guys are that dangerous…" Piper said as Danny glared at Sam. "Has anyone called the authorities yet?"
"Authorities?" Sam snickered, "That's cute."
"Not yet." Mike shook his head, "Mr. D. is back in town, and…"
"Well, definitely no authorities then." Sam interrupted with another chuckle.
"Glad you find this so funny." Danny said, rolling his eyes.
"Delinda's dad is here?" Piper said, looking at Mike. "Just what…"
"You're sending her away, right?" Sam interrupted, looking at Danny. She knew that the tall man had a big target on his back and she would be damned if he was going to let that put her friend in danger. "Delinda?"
"Yeah." Danny nodded, "Ed and I know of a safe house. Delinda, Piper and you should…"
"Apparently, you didn't hear me." Sam said before clearing her throat. "I'm not going anywhere!"
"Sam, your whales…" Mike started to say.
"Screw my whales!" Sam cut him off, her voice slightly raised. "If you two macho men think that I'm some sort of damsel in distress that needs your protection, you are sadly mistaken!" There was a fiery anger in her dark eyes that both Danny and Mike found both attractive and relatively scary at the same time. "Those sons of bitches have messed with my friends for too long; I want to help make them pay."
"I don't think we're going to win this argument, Mikey." Danny smiled, rather impressed with what Sam had just said. He always knew that, as distant as she seemed to be, she DID care about those closest to her. "Ok, Sam, you're in."
"Ed's never going to go for that." Mike pointed out.
"I'll take the heat for it." Danny waved off to Mike's dismay as Cooper approached the group.
"Everything going all right here?" the older man asked, looking around at his four employees.
"Sam's not going." Mike said, hoping that Cooper, unlike Danny, could see logic. Sam may be tough, he thought, but these guys were on a completely different level. Hell, if he was honest with himself, Cannon didn't even think he was cut out to deal with them.
"Is that right?" Cooper said, turning his gaze to Danny.
"She wants to stay and help." Danny explained, "I think she can handle it."
"She's right here." Sam reminded, pointing at herself.
"Fair enough." Cooper replied, trusting Danny's judgment. He turned his gaze towards Piper, who was like a daughter to him. "Piper, do you think I could speak to you for a moment?"
"Ok." Piper nodded nervously.
"I'm going to take off." Danny said, catching Cooper before him and Piper could walk away. "I promised Delinda that I would meet her and Ed back at our place."
"Normally, I'd say no." Cooper replied, putting a hand on Danny's shoulder. He knew that Delinda and Danny probably wanted the extra time to say their goodbyes. "But I think I can allow it under the circumstances. I'll meet up with you and Ed later."
"Ok." Danny replied, walking away.
Sam had also wandered off, presumably to take care of some client. Mike, on the other hand, followed closely behind Cooper and Piper. He had a suspicion that Cooper was going to fill Piper in on what exactly was going on, and he wanted to be there in case she needed him. She was his wife after all.
"Ok." Cooper said as they came to a stop by the stairwell leading to the surveillance room. He rested what he hoped were comforting hands on Piper's shoulders. "I'm not sure how much Danny and Mike told you."
"Some dangerous men are on the loose." Piper repeated, "They have some sort of grudge against the Montecito."
"Baby," Mike said, getting her attention. "The Henderson guy Danny mentioned has a personal grudge against Ed, Delinda's dad. He kidnapped Mrs. Deline and Delinda almost a year and half ago. When we all went to rescue them, he blew up a building with Danny and Ed still inside it."
"Oh my God." Piper gasped, putting a hand to her mouth.
"Earlier this year, he kidnapped Danny and held him hostage." Mike continued, "And the other guy? The Professor? He's got some weird fascination with D-Man; keeps trying to get him to join his organization."
"And Danny would rather die than do that." Piper nodded, knowing McCoy all too well.
"Sweetheart, I want you to listen." Cooper said with a voice that showed a rare soft side of him. "You know that I promised your father that I would do everything in my power to keep you safe. That's why I want you to go with Delinda until the smoke clears."
"Ok." Piper agree before hugging Cooper tightly. "But you guys be careful!"
To be continued...