Author's Note: I think I need to watch Season 5 again to get a grasp on how to write Cooper. Hopefully, I did all right. Sorry, that it's a little bit short...really couldn't find another good place to cut it off at.
Chapter 14
"And you promise that you WILL call me the minute it is safe to come back?" Delinda repeated for what seemed to Ed to be at least the fiftieth time as the blonde woman closed her third suitcase full of clothes and accessories.
"Again, of course I will." Ed sighed wearily from where he was leaning against a nearby window of Danny and Delinda's condo. He nodded his head towards the bags on the floor. "Don't you, uh, don't you think you're packing a little too much there?"
"You said to pack the essentials." Delinda pointed out.
"I guess we disagree on what constitutes as essential." Ed sighed as Delinda walked into a hug. "I meant what I said earlier, sweetheart. I'll keep my eye on Danny for you; make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid."
"Thank you." Delinda smiled, "He's scared, you know."
"Who? Danny?" a surprised Ed replied before shaking his head. "Kid's not afraid of anything."
"He's afraid of losing the people that he cares about." Delinda smiled fondly, "I think that's why he feels that he needs to protect everyone all of the time." She took a moment to sigh deeply. "I love that and hate that about him all at the same time. You know, I even asked him to go into hiding with me and he wouldn't do it."
"Would have shocked me if he had said yes." Ed said, running a gentle hand through his daughter's hair. "Danny's not the kind that runs away from a fight, honey; especially not something as big as this." An appreciative smile found its way to Ed's face as he thought about the man who had become like a son to him. "No, he wants to everything in his power to protect you and that little baby growing inside of you. You two are his first priority."
"Damn right." Danny said solemnly from where he stood just inside the front door; neither Ed nor Delinda had heard him come in. McCoy really didn't want to break up the scene in front of him, but time was not their friend. He nodded to the door behind him. "Frank's downstairs, Dee. Mike and Piper will meet you there."
"No Sam?" Ed raised an eyebrow as Delinda looked ready to ask the same question.
"Sam is determined to stay and help us out." Danny replied, crossing his arms across his chest. "You know how she gets when she makes up her mind."
"So, drug her and throw her aboard." Ed pointed out, prompting Danny and Delinda to glance at each other. Obviously, there was something the older man didn't know. "What?"
"Sam was kidnapped and locked in a trunk right about the time you disappeared." Delinda explained, "When she escaped, she was on an airplane. The guy almost…"
"Damn." Ed interrupted, not needing Delinda to tell him anymore.
"The bastard that did it took a little skydiving trip without a parachute." Danny continued with a smile. "Compliments of Ms. Marquez herself."
"Good." Ed nodded, making a mental note to tell Sam how proud he was of her later. He turned back towards Delinda with a frown. "We'd better get a move on, honey. We don't want to keep Frank waiting…he gets kind of temperamental."
"I still don't see why you two can't at least come to the airstrip with me." Delinda sighed, walking into Danny's open arms. She looked up into his eyes. "Mike's going with Piper."
"Your dad and I need to get a start on finding these guys, Dee." Danny apologized, holding her tightly to his body. "Sooner we take care of them, the sooner you guys can come home and we can put this mess behind us."
"Liar." Delinda teased, smiling at the warmth and security she felt in his embrace. "You just don't want Mike to see you cry when you say goodbye." She paused momentarily. "Promise me that you'll be careful?"
"I will." Danny reassured with a nod. He glanced up and smiled at Ed. "I have a feeling that I'll have a certain, former CIA nutjob on my hands if I'm not."
"Careful, kid." Ed smiled back at him, thinking to himself that these two did not deserve any of this to be happening to them. "I'd hate to ruin this lovely moment by beating you down."
"Daddy!" Delinda admonished as the three laughed.
"You try not to give your mom too much trouble, ok?" Danny said, getting down to a knee and resting a hand on Delinda's stomach. A big smile crossed his face as he thought of his unborn child. "I love you so much, kiddo, and I promise that you and your mom can come home the minute I get done chasing these monsters away."
"Danny…" a tearful Delinda started to say, but found words failing her.
As Delinda turned and walked over to Ed, Danny got back to his feet just as Cooper walked in through the front door. The two exchanged nods of acknowledgement as Delinda hugged her father tightly.
"I love you, Daddy." Delinda said, "Promise me that you'll be careful?"
"As careful as I can be." Ed promised, rubbing her back. "I love you too, honey. This will all be over before you know it."
"Just stay safe." Delinda repeated as she turned towards Cooper. "All of you."
"We will be." Cooper nodded, putting a loving hand to her cheek. Checking to make sure that Danny was busy gathering Delinda's bags, the dark haired man dropped his voice so that only Delinda and Ed could hear him. "And I'll make sure that nothing happens to him."
"This sucks!" Piper whined, leaning against one of the Montecito's private jets, which Mike was currently loading her luggage into. Pushing a strand of hair out of her face, she looked at her husband. "Are you sure that I can't stay and help?"
"Piper," Mike sighed, sympathetically. "You heard what Cooper said? These guys are on a whole nother level! It's better if you aren't here when things go down."
"You, Cooper and Danny are in so much danger!" Piper sighed, walking over and draping her arms over his shoulder. Smiling, the bald man turned around and put his hands gently on her waist.
"Hey." He reassured, hopefully hiding his own fears about the situation. "Don't worry! Cooper and Danny are trained to handle this kind of thing. And we got Mr. D.?" He shook his head. "Those guys are going to regret coming after us."
"Promise me that you'll be careful?" Piper said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I'll be fine, baby." Mike smiled.
In retrospect, neither Piper nor Mike would be able to tell who had made the first move, but it wasn't long before the two found themselves making out in the shadow of the jet's wing.
Across town, Danny and Delinda found themselves in a similar situation; only in the elevator of their apartment building. The ringing of the bell and the door opening to the first floor startled the pair.
"I guess this is it." Danny sighed, straightening his tie and picking up Delinda's bags, which he had dropped during the ride down. While McCoy knew that the blonde woman needed to leave for her own safety, a little voice inside of him told him not to let her go.
"I guess so." Delinda nodded sadly, not moving an inch. The realization that this may very well be the last time she would see McCoy alive keeping her frozen in her tracks.
"Dee." Danny assured, walking over and brushing a strand of her hair out of her face. "I'll be here when you guys get back." He moved his hand down her body and took her hand in his. "I promise."
Saying nothing, Delinda just nodded her head again as Danny led her forward. She noticed that McCoy was walking much slower than usual.
He doesn't want me to leave, Delinda thought to herself. He doesn't want me to leave any more than I want to go.
This is for the best, Danny thought at that same moment.
"Hey, lovebirds." Frank greeted, waiting by the car. He smiled at Danny as he took one of Delinda's bags from him. "You guys get lost on the way down?"
"Something like that." Danny laughed as he helped load one of Delinda's bags into the trunk. Feeling his cell phone vibrate in his pocket, he pulled it out and put it to his ear, not even bothering to glance at the number. "Danny McCoy."
"It's been too long, Danny." A very familiar voice greeted, causing Danny to nearly drop the phone. However, he had been waiting for this ever since Ed and Keller had broken the news.
To be continued...