For notes and disclaimer, please see part one.

Here's a couple things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Ellie, desperate for answers, goes to Casey at the Buy More and gets an answer she wasn't looking for at all: the fact that Casey is a father.

Emptiness

He sat in the laundry room.

Alone.

The only company he had was the squeaking belt of the washing machine as it tried desperately to manage the spin cycle.

Downy had been there when he'd arrived, but when he opened the door, she sprinted out. It was a pleasant summer afternoon, so why not? She spent all her time cooped up and, if she got into trouble, or if she didn't come home in an hour or two, he'd activate her GPS beacon and go get her.

He tried not to look at the other two washing machines, just waiting for Ellie to arrive and fill them. He tried not to look at the seat beside him, just waiting for her to sit and join him. If he did either of those things, he'd be reminded of how he'd managed, single-handed, to ruin more than just his life.

He hadn't known that Kathleen was pregnant. Would his answer have been different? Would he have done something else with his life?

He couldn't say for sure. He'd been a pretty stupid kid.

He'd ventured to the coffee shop about twice a week where Alex worked. She was definitely his child. He could see the Coburn family facial features. He'd learned a little about her, about her school, about her life. He didn't ask for too many details. For starters, he didn't want to seem like a creepy old man, but he also felt he didn't have a right to know too much. He'd forfeited that when he'd become John Casey instead of remaining Alex Coburn.

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the cool cinder block wall behind him.

When she opened the door to the laundromat across town, no one stood. No one moved to help her as she struggled to juggle two hampers and herself just to enter. No one looked at her, no one greeted her. No one was happy to see her.

And there was no cat underfoot.

She set her jaw tightly as she found some empty washing machines along the center aisle. She could get more accomplished quicker this way, she knew. She could do all four loads at once instead of two at a time. She could be home in no time, searching her cookbooks for something new to try for Sunday family dinner.

She loaded the machines as fast as she could, adding soap to each and enough quarters for them all to start. She wasn't sure why it felt like she was missing out. This laundromat had large televisions, tuned into various sporting events, various news channels. This laundromat had air conditioning and a wide selection of treats and drinks in vending machines. This laundromat didn't have squeaky belts or dented, scratched machines.

This laundromat didn't have John Casey.

Ellie quietly found a seat near her machines, setting the hampers on the ground beside her.

She tried to watch the news, tried to keep up with the happenings going on in the world around her. She found that the talking head just wasn't keeping her attention. She found that laundry just wasn't the same without the potential for a round of twenty questions, without company.

But, what kind of company was he anyway? He had a daughter. He had a daughter he didn't know existed. It seemed like a convenient excuse. But the way his heart had broken when he'd talked about regrets made her wonder otherwise.

The frustrated, angry, annoyed part of her brain said that didn't matter.

The tender side said it did.

The abandoned, hurt part of her heart said that didn't matter.

The kind side said it did.

The irrational side of her soul said that didn't matter.

The loving side said it did.

She sighed heavily, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the cool metal of the machine behind her.

She wasn't sure how long her eyes were closed, probably just a matter of minutes, as she tried, desperately, to think of anything but Casey. Startled, she had to open them when she felt something fall into her lap.

Her eyes widened at first in amazement, then narrowed slightly in concern. "Downy?"

The cat meowed, sitting patiently in her owner's lap, looking up at her.

"What are you doing here? Where's John?"

Downy just blinked.

The attendant at the laundromat approached. "Ma'am."

Ellie glanced up at the put-upon middle-aged woman.

"You can't have pets in here," she said, pointing to the nearest sign with the rules of the establishment.

He wanted to tell her he was still on active-duty. He wanted to tell her he worked for the NSA. He wanted to tell her he had an important job to do, that he was more than just a guy that hawked grills and vacuums.

He wasn't sure why he wanted to tell her, but he did. He knew he shouldn't want to, but he did.

He knew exactly what would happen with Beckman. He'd be unemployed. Again. At the Buy More only. Again. He didn't want that. He wanted to serve his country honorably. He didn't want to disobey orders.

But it still bothered him, that the order was to keep Ellie in the dark. Ellie, who already had suspicions. Ellie, who already had questions. Ellie, who he'd already lied to.

He wasn't sure how long his eyes were closed, probably just a matter of minutes, as he tried, desperately, to figure out what to do about Ellie. Startled, he opened them when he heard the door swing on its rusty hinges.

Ellie stood in the doorway, her hampers full of dripping wet clothes, balanced precariously against her left hip. Downy was under her right arm.

Casey jumped to his feet immediately and took the baskets from her. He didn't say anything as he set about filling the two empty washing machines and starting them for her. While he couldn't load everything, he put the remaining hamper beneath the folding table.

Ellie continued to stand in the doorway, watching him.

He finally chanced a glance at her.

"I was wrong," she said, "to expect you to tell me everything."

"I was wrong," he said, "to lie to you."

Ellie bit her lower lip for a second. She entered the room fully, taking her customary seat, watching as Casey hesitantly sat down beside her. "Laundry isn't the same without you," she said quietly.

Stay tuned...