Thomas Stops Daddy

Danny had worked hard in the New York office all day. He had spent countless of hours the night before trying to work out the logistics of how to make Rachel and Bruce pay for their crimes as well as save himself from being prosecuted . He never went to bed. He never held his fiance as he had every night since their engagement.

Lacey came walking up with a glass of tea into Danny's small office. "Here. Now tell me what is happening to you. You've been acting strange for a few weeks. It is about the embezzlement of the Marna Inc. located in China, isn't it? "

"Hiring Trevor was a great idea." Danny ignored Lacey's question entirely. "I've spent a lot more time with you and Thomas."

"Danny Desai, I can always tell when you're being less than honest. Don't do me this way." Lacey sat down on the oak desk, which Danny had placed in a small office in Lacey's house.

"Bruce and Rachel screwed me over good, Lace. I'm scared." Danny admitted as he leaned against the desk. "I may have to go to China. It won't be a short stay, Lacey. I have to move there for a while."

"NO!" Lacey grabbed Danny collapsing in his arms. "Don't leave me. I need you. I won't let you go this time. I don't care how selfish I am. YOU'RE MY LOVE! YOU BELONG TO ME AND THOMAS. WE BELONG TO YOU!"

"Shhhh. I won't go. I won't. I can't leave again. It hurts too bad to even think about." Danny pulled Lacey into a kiss. "I'll never leave you again if I can help it."

"What do you mean 'if'?" Lacey began to cry.

"If I don't go, I could go to prison. My business partners are threatening to prosecute if I don't come there to fix this mess. They want the records gone through with them. Not only here. They don't trust me now." Danny admitted.

Lacey took a deep breath. "I can't ask you to stay. I can't go with Thomas. He has made so much progress. I can't jeopardize that. I'm sorry.

Danny pushed back the hair from Lacey's face. "I would never ask that of you. You know I'm coming back. I'll keep in contact every single day. We can skype on the computer. I can fly in once a month. I told Thomas that you and him would fly down with me for a week next month. I'm not sure he understood." Danny leaned and kissed Lacey's forehead. "This time , I'm not going anywhere. I'll always come back home to you."

"I'll always be here waiting on you, too." Lacey pulled Danny into a passionate kiss. After the kiss broke, Lacey smiled at Danny. She realized this wasn't the end for them. It was only a small break in the relationship by distance. "I'll help you get organized and packed."

One week later, Danny was placing his luggage in his car. He had spent as much time as he could with Lacey and Thomas due to knowing he wouldn't see them for at least a month the first time around.

"Don't go before you tell me goodbye." Lacey wrapped her arms around Danny's neck. She giggled when he kissed her nose.

"I hate this." Danny squeezed Lacey tighter to him. "You are my life. You and Thomas. I deserve to be happy. Don't I?"

"Yes." Lacey let her arms fall from around Danny's neck."It won't be that terrible as long as we have each other. Like I said,Danny, I'll always be waiting for you."

Danny shook his head agreeing. "I hate that Thomas and I are getting so close and now I have to leave. I told him goodbye this morning and explained." Danny exhaled sharply. "Make sure that he does facetime or skype everyday with me. I don't want him to forget me."

Lacey kissed Danny's one last time. "He won't forget his daddy. I'm sure. But I will. Call no matter what time as soon as you land safely."

Danny agreed before one last kiss goodbye to Lacey. They would leave Thomas out of the conversation so he wouldn't be upset due to feeling the tension between Danny and Lacey. This time Lacey was strong telling Danny goodbye. She had asked him to stay this time. That she could live with. But living without Danny didn't seem like an option any more.

Thomas stood on the porch being held by Phoebe as he watched the interaction between his mom and dad. His daddy had promised him he could go flying to a special place. He didn't get to go yet. His daddy would never lie to him. What was happening? Thomas could see that his parents weren't happy as they had been lately.

"Daddy?" Thomas questioned.

Lacey didn't have the heart to answer. She ran past her son into her room. She grabbed Danny's nearest shirt sniffing it. "I hate goodbyes. I will miss him but this time, I know it is different."

Phoebe glanced at Samuel as she placed Thomas down. Danny was standing by the car making a last minute phone call to make sure that all arrangements were made for his stay in China.

Thomas frowned as he watched his dad's sad face. "Daddy? Mommy?"

"Go to your room, Thomas." Samuel whispered as he pushed Thomas towards the front door. "We love you."

Thomas closed his eyes waiting for his grandpa and Phoebe to leave the porch. Thomas focused on his mother. Her muffled crying echoed in his ears from her room. "Daddy?"

Danny stood with Trevor, Charlie and Cole at the airport. He rubbed his neck as he took the briefcase from Trevor. "Thanks for coming along. I hope the salary I'm giving you will make things worth leaving the country."

"It's more than generous, Danny." Trevor glanced at Danny. "I'm sorry you have to leave Lacey and Thomas. I knew from one blind date how special she is."

"We'll make it." Danny swallowed.

"You always do." Charlie patted Danny's back. "You and Lacey are meant to be. There is no doubt in that."

"Daddy?" Thomas's voice broke the sound of the men's conversation.

Danny ran to Thomas. "Son, how did you get here?"

Danny embraced Thomas. He felt Thomas's hand on both sides of his cheeks. Thomas was desperate. He had heard his mommy crying. He saw his daddy's sad face. He knew what the words meant when someone said goodbye. Somehow he had to stop Daddy from leaving. Therefore, while his mother, Phoebe, and Samuel were in the house and Danny was on the phone, Thomas snuck into the back seat of Danny's car. He pretended to be like an ant just as his mother had taught him. He hunkered down in the floorboard as he hid from Danny. When Danny got out of the car at the airport, little Thomas followed him as quickly as his little legs could carry him. He was relieved when Danny stopped to talk to the men. He could now stop his daddy from leaving.

To Thomas it was the greatest will of strength he could muster. It would have been easier to to do a calculus exam for him. But the action Thomas did was more than that of a million men's strength.

Thomas cupped Danny's face. He looked directly into his daddy's eyes. "Daddy, I love you. Please don't go."