A/N: I'm so incredibly sorry for the incredibly long delay. I've been super, super busy. See the first chapter for the disclaimer. I also can't guarantee I'm going to be back to updating regularly. I just at least have something to post. As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please review. :)

Chapter Ten

June 5, 1993

Her tiny hand gripped his as they walked through the zoo, eyes wide with wonder and excitement. He smiled down at his two and a half year old daughter as she took in all the animals.

"Daddy, look!" she said, pointing at a giraffe. "Tall!"

"Yes," Tony replied. "Do you know what that is?"

"Tall!"

"Do you know what kind of animal it is?"

She furrowed her brow. "Tall."

He chuckled softly. "Okay, I guess I deserved that one."

She giggled slightly.

"That's a giraffe, honey."

"Giraffe," she repeated. "He tall."

"Yes, he is," Tony said. "But I think he's a she."

"How can you tell, Daddy?"

Tony paused, unsure of how to answer. Finally, he said, "because boys and girls look different."

"Why?"

Again, Tony paused. After a moment, he grinned. "Ask Mommy when she gets home from work."

"Okay, Daddy."

Tony kept grinning.

Still January 27, 2010

The night watch was standing guard, and fortunately for Tony, it wasn't an agent who would feel comfortable asking him too many questions. Instead, the two exchanged nods, and Tony ducked inside the mostly empty room.

Just him and his daughter.

He sat beside her bed, picking up her hand gently. He squeezed her hand, curling her fingers around his. He shook his head slowly.

"I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, holding my hand," he said softly. "I guess it just makes me feel a little better or something. Make me forget that someone's trying to kill you."

She didn't respond.

He brought his free hand up to his face, scrubbing it slowly. "I wish the circumstances were different. But I know you have a good life, and great parents. And if there's anything you might need from me, please, let me know."

"You're not leaving, are you?" she croaked softly, keeping her eyes closed.

He smiled slightly. "No, not unless you want me to," Tony replied.

"I don't."

He nodded as she opened her eyes, squeezing his hand softly.

"I'm sorry, Agent," she said softly.

"You don't need to apologize," Tony replied, shaking his head.

"I, uh, I don't know what to call you."

"That's okay too."

"I don't know why I called you."

"Hannah, it's okay."

She sighed softly. "I would ask why you're being so nice to me, but considering everything…"

He smiled.

"Are my parents here?" she asked.

"Pretty sure they just went to the hotel for the night," he replied. "I could call them…"

"No, it's okay," she interrupted.

He nodded.

"I, uh, I don't know if I should feel weird about us talking with them here but not here, you know?"

He snorted slightly. "Yeah."

She sighed, shifting somewhat in the bed.

"Can I ask you a few questions?" Tony asked.

"I don't know what happened," Hannah replied. "I didn't see his face. The only thing he said was, 'you're gonna pay for what he did.'"

He furrowed his brow. "He who? Midshipman Johnson?"

She half-shrugged, half-shook her head. "I don't know. He never said who 'he' was." She closed her eyes. "And it's… it's not like he was in an explaining mood." She struggled to keep her voice steady, and he could feel her hand shaking in his.

"It's okay," he said gently. "You're safe now."

She shook her head again. "Not if he knows I'm still alive," she whispered, tears starting to fall down her face. "He's gonna kill me. He wants to make 'him' suffer."

"Hannah, look at me."

She opened her watery eyes, staring into her father's face.

He gripped her hand tighter, but not squeezing it too hard. "No one. Is going. To hurt you. I promise. I won't let them."

She gave him a half-smile. "You sound so sincere when you say that."

"That's because I mean it."

She reached out, hugging him gently. He held her close, rubbing her back.

"There's an agent outside your door," Tony told her quietly. "If you have any concerns, I can have him sit in with you."

"You're leaving?" Hannah asked, turning her head to look at him.

"No, not yet. But when I do, I want you to know there's someone out there looking over you. And if they screw up, they're gonna hear it from me."

She smiled. "And I'm sure you'd give them hell."

He returned her grin.

Click.

He readjusted the zoom lens before taking another photo of Hannah and Tony. Once finished, he plugged his camera into his laptop, downloading the photos in his car as he took a bite of the day-old pizza. He turned up his nose, spit the bite out, and threw it into the relatively empty box. He hit a few keys on the keyboard, zooming in on the face in the picture. He cleaned up the photo, taking out as much of the blurriness as he could.

He smirked. "I got you now, you son-of-a-bitch."