Disclaimer: Thanks to Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide, CBS, TNN and Hallmark Channel for bringing this wonderful to us. And thanks to those seven wonderful actors for bringing their characters to life.
Thanks Rowan for the beta and all the assistance you gave us in completing this story. Your help was immeasurable, sister.
She sat at a table near the window of the diner, sipping a glass of iced tea and watching the building across the street. That's where he worked, she'd discovered just yesterday. After several months of searching, she'd finally found him. Her hand shook slightly as she lowered the glass back to the table. Taking a deep breath, she patted her lips with a paper napkin.
"Have you decided what you want, hon?" The voice startled her since her focus had been outside the window. She looked up at the waitress.
"Um, yeah, a grilled cheese on wheat and the salad with ranch dressing please," she replied softly.
"Do you want fries or rice with the sandwich?"
"Rice, please."
"Okay, hon. Should just be a couple of minutes. I'll bring you a refill on the tea."
The girl nodded and turned her attention back to the building across the street. She driven almost two thousand miles to meet the man and now wasn't sure how to approach him. As she waited for her meal, she opened up the large envelope she'd carried in with her. Pulling out the papers, she spread them out across the table.
Her dark hair fell into her face as she leaned over to read the papers for what seemed like the hundredth time since she arrived in town. After lunch, she'd return to her motel room and call her father, let him know she'd arrived safely. It was because of him that she'd been able to locate the man she'd been searching for.
She didn't know too much about him. She knew his name of course and had been able to track down a date of birth. And she had some information about his time in the military. And she knew he was some kind of cop. But most of what she knew of him she'd read in her mother's journals. Thinking of her mom brought fresh tears to her eyes.
Only dead for a little over six months, her mom's passing still brought grief that was overwhelming at times. Especially now, so far from home. It had been her father's idea to try and find the man. Over the years, she had expressed an occasional interest in meeting him, a curiosity that usually passed quickly in the day-to-day happenings in her life. On holidays and birthdays, she felt it most noticeably. But her life had been a happy one, so the desire wasn't oppressive.
But now she was here, in the town where he lived and worked, and she wondered what he was like. She wondered if he'd changed from the man she'd read about in her mother's journals. She wondered if he'd welcome her into his life after so many years.
She looked down at the papers and briefly closed her eyes, praying that this wasn't the biggest mistake of her young life. She looked out the window again, at the mountains and the trees. It was so different here from what she was used to. She'd been raised in the suburbs. The closest she'd ever gotten to a mountain was when she went skiing on a high school trip. It was beautiful here and she thought it would be a nice place to be for a while. But it was far from the familiar. No shopping malls, no fast food on every corner.
Her friends were back home. Her father was back home. She smiled when she thought of him. He was the most wonderful man she knew. He'd been her father since she was seven, the year he'd married her mom.
The waitress returned with her food, giving her a small smile as she set the plate down. The girl gathered up her papers and began stuffing them back into the envelope, dropping some onto the floor in her rush.
The waitress stooped down to pick them up, glancing at them as she handed them back. The name on the pages was familiar. She looked up at the girl, who grabbed the pages back from her and stuffed them into the envelope.
They didn't say anything to each other for several long seconds. "Is that why you're here, hon? Looking for him?"
Staring out the window again to the building across the street, she bit her bottom lip. "Yes," she replied softly.
"Well, then, you've come to the right place," the waitress said with a smile. "He drives that shiny truck parked across the street. And he and his friends come in here a lot to eat." She patted the girl on the shoulder and walked away.
The girl's quiet "thank you" followed her back to the counter. The girl picked up her sandwich and took a bite, her thoughts once again drifting back to her mom and the things she'd read in her journals.
"Hey, Vin, when is Chris coming back?" Buck Wilmington yelled across the room.
"Saturday, Buck, like I told you the last two dozen times ya asked me." Vin Tanner rolled his eyes, causing Casey Wells to laugh. Chris Larabee, the leader of their team, was in Washington, D.C., giving the powers-that-be a run down on how the team was progressing. Since this team was a brand new concept, they were watching it closely and funding for the next fiscal year depended on the report Chris gave them and the documentation he provided them about their cases.
Larabee hated dealing with bureaucrats and he'd been at it for over a week. He called every day to the office to check on current cases, and each time Vin spoke with him he could feel the tension had gotten worse. Their leader was due to return in two days and Vin knew he'd be in an awful mood.
He'd convinced the others not to bother Larabee over the weekend, knowing his friend would want some peace and quiet. He planned to give the man some space himself, which wouldn't be easy, seeing as how they shared a house. He thought about just bunking in with Buck and JD Dunne for a couple of days, but since the weather was supposed to be nice, he'd decided to just camp out overnight in the forest surrounding Chris' ranch.
Chris had invited Vin to move into his house when Vin's cabin in the mountains had been burned to the ground by an escaped con with a grudge against the ex-bounty hunter. Tanner was grateful for his new home and gave his roommate the solitude he needed, whenever he needed it. And Chris returned the favor when necessary. The two men had become close friends soon after meeting each other.
Chris appreciated Tanner's quiet and unobtrusive support. And Vin relished the friendship and strength he received from the older man. They had become the family each had lost.
At the end of the day, Vin followed his friends and co-workers out of the office. They called out 'goodbyes' and 'see you tomorrows' and climbed into their vehicles, driving away in different directions.
Tanner pulled into the long drive in front of the log house. When he'd first come to live here, he'd felt at home almost immediately. He didn't know if it was because of Chris or just because the house was set in the woods away from traffic and a crowd of people. He was used to living a solitary life miles from the nearest neighbor and he welcomed the tranquillity here.
As he exited the truck he breathed in deeply. The pine scent surrounded him and relaxed him. The next day was Friday. He'd be picking Chris up at the Sacramento airport early on Saturday morning and then he'd pack up his horse and hit the hills. He found that he was looking forward to getting out into the woods again.
His hearing picked up the sound of a car start up the long drive, then stop. He caught a glimpse of blue metal through the trees, but the car never came all the way up to the house. He figured it was just someone who got lost and was able to turn around at the only wide spot in the road. Shrugging his shoulders, he walked into the house.
She couldn't do it. She'd gotten almost all the way to his house and then found she couldn't drive the rest of the way. She'd quickly turned around and drove back to her hotel and called her father, sobbing, telling him that she couldn't go through with it. He calmed her down and let her explain what had happened.
"Now, honey, you knew it would be tough. But you have the strength to go through with this. Just like your mom. Remember everything she went through in her life."
"I know, Daddy. But I'm scared. What if he slams the door in my face?"
"If he is anything like the man your mother knew and loved, he won't do that. He may not welcome you with open arms, not right away, but once he gets to know you he won't be able to keep from loving you."
"Thanks, Daddy."
"You're welcome, baby. Now you get a good night's sleep and try again tomorrow. I wish I could be there with you, honey."
"I have to do this alone."
"I understand. You call me, anytime, if you need to talk. And tell him to call me, too, if he has any questions that you can't answer."
"I will. Talk to you tomorrow, Daddy. I love you."
"I love you too, baby. Goodnight."
She hung up the phone and lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Tomorrow," she whispered. "I'll talk to him tomorrow."
Vin was up early to feed the horses, beating the rising sun. He wanted to get an early start on the paperwork to assure that everything was done before the boss came back. The less hassles Larabee had when he got to work Monday morning, the happier everyone would be.
He heard a car drive up as he left the barn. Rubbing his hands together to rid them of any dirt, he walked around to the front of the house. Stepping onto the porch, he saw a girl about 16 or 17 years old, standing in front of the door, her hand poised and ready to knock. As he watched, she put her hand back to her side and started to turn away. She stopped, shook her head and turned back to the door, once again ready to knock. Once again she didn't.
"If you don't knock, I won't know you're here," he said quietly. A startled gasp proceeded her fast turn to face him, a look of fright in her eyes. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya." He smiled and walked closer to her.
"Uh, I, uh... "
"Good morning. I know you can't be the Avon lady, cuz nobody here buys the stuff and we're a bit off the normal path for them. And you're too old to be selling Girl Scout cookies."
He looked over and noticed the car she'd driven up in, the same metallic blue that he'd spotted through the trees the night before.
"What brings you all the way out here?"
"I was... ah... I was looking for you." Her voice was quiet and nervous. She was a beautiful girl, with long auburn hair and light green eyes.
"Well, you found me. What can I do for ya?"
"I wanted to meet you. My mom told me so much about you and I read her journals, and dad, my stepdad, told me it would be okay to find you, and he helped me look and then we found you and I drove out here and I've been trying to get the nerve to walk up to you for two days and finally I just had to come out and do it! And, oh damn it, this isn't the way I wanted it to be!"
He was amazed. She'd said all of that in one breath. He started to chuckle and she looked up at him, angry at first that he would laugh at her. Then she saw the humor of it too and started to laugh with him. It eased a little of the tension, although she still felt nervous and awkward.
"Well, since you've driven all the way out here... twice... you may as well come in and tell me what you came to see me for." She looked up at him, only then realizing that he must know that she'd driven out the night before. She blushed and looked at her feet, nervously tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear.
He opened the front door and guided her in. "Oh, wait! I forgot the papers!" she cried and ran back to her car. She opened the door and grabbed her purse and the large envelope from the front seat. Straightening back up she closed the door. Taking a deep breath, she turned back and followed him into the house.
Vin got them each something to drink and then settled into the sofa. She sat down in a chair across from him, a large coffee table between them. She set the envelope and her purse down on the table.
"My name is Danielle McCarter. I drove all the way out here from Ohio to find you."
"Okay. So why would Danielle McCarter from Ohio be looking for me?"
"Do you remember a woman named Amy Flannery?"
Vin thought for a moment then shook his head. "Can't say that I do? Who is she?"
Danielle was surprised. He didn't remember her mother?! How could he have forgotten her? Her mom's journals had made it sound like the love-affair to end all love-affairs!!
"I can't believe you don't remember her!"
"Where was I supposed to have met this Amy person?"
"You only dated her for two years in high school!" She was angry now. How does someone forget a person they spent so much time with for two years? Mom had said they almost got married! She got up and started pacing back and forth.
"So, I knew her in Texas then?"
"Texas? No, not Texas! My mom was never in Texas! You went to high school together in Indiana!"
"No, darlin', I didn't. I've never been east of the Mississippi, except when I was working." Then it hit him. Oh, lord. "Danielle, you said you came looking for me. Specifically?"
"Well of course."
"I think maybe you got the wrong man, here. What's the name of the person you're looking for?"
Danielle stopped. Could she have gotten it wrong? Had all her research been wrong?
"Danielle, are you still with me here?"
She snapped her head up. "Uh, yeah, I'm sorry. I thought... "
"Danielle, who is it that you're looking for?" he asked softly.
She dropped into the chair and reached for the envelope. She clutched it and looked up at him. "What's your name?"
"Vin Tanner."
"Oh, god! I'm so sorry! I thought you were... " She jumped up and ran toward the door, but was stopped when he grabbed her arm. "Let go of me!" she yelled.
He let go. "Calm down, Danielle. I think I understand what happened here. If you just sit back down, I think maybe I can help you."
She was scared now. She was in a stranger's house, in the middle of nowhere. Her eyes darted around, looking for a phone, just in case she needed to call for help. She edged toward the door, nervously. But then she noticed the look of concern in his eyes and she relaxed just a bit.
"Come sit back down and tell me your story," he offered. He moved away from her, giving her the opportunity to leave if she wanted. That helped her relax a bit more.
She hesitated, but then nodded and walked back to the chair, handing him the envelope as she passed him. He opened it up and pulled out the sheets as he took his place back on the sofa. Reading through the material, he nodded his head.
"I think I see where the misunderstanding happened," he said. "Danielle, the man you're looking for does live here, but he's not in town right now."
"The lady at the diner pointed out his truck to me and I saw you leave... "
"And you just assumed I was Chris," he nodded. "I take it you don't have any pictures of him."
"No. Mom said that her father destroyed all the pictures she had of Chris after he left for college. When granddad found out mom was pregnant, he sent her away. He wanted her to give me up for adoption, but she refused and grandma made him see the light."
Vin laughed at that then got serious. "That would have been about what, 18 years ago. I was about 11 years old then."
She blushed again. Now that she took a good look at him, she could see that this man was much too young to be the man she was looking for. Her hopes had blinded her to that fact. But he knew Chris Larabee. Maybe he could tell her about him. Maybe she could get some idea about how he'd feel about her.
"Why are you looking for Chris, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I... I... he's my father," she said quietly.
He nodded and wondered why the idea didn't surprise him. But before he could say more the phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. Vin got up and walked over to the kitchen.
"Hello."
"Hey, Tanner. Glad I caught you before you left."
"Hey, Chris," he said, glancing at Danielle.
"Look, I need a favor. I need the Dempsey file faxed here in the next hour. So when you get into the office, can you do that first thing?"
"Sure. I'll have Casey do it," he said with a smile.
"Ah, delegating authority. I see I've trained you right."
"Yep. I'll give Casey a call. I'm gonna be a little delayed getting in this morning."
"Something wrong? You're not sick are ya? Problem with one of the horses?"
"No, none of the above. I just got an early morning visitor... " his voice trailed off as he saw Danielle vigorously shaking her head.
"Are you watching the deer again, Vin? I told you, you can't use that as an excuse to be late to work."
Vin chuckled. "No, a lady friend came to visit." He winked at Danielle, who sighed in relief and shook her head at his remark. She was beginning to like this man.
"The deer excuse is better, Tanner. I think you've been spending too much time around Buck. He doesn't even use that excuse anymore."
"Don't worry, pard, I won't be that late. Just some things I need to discuss with her."
"Someone I know?"
"Not yet, but I imagine you'll meet her eventually. I think you'll like her."
"Look, Vin, I gotta go. Make sure Casey gets that file sent. Use the same fax number I gave you earlier. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay, Cowboy, tomorrow. And don't worry, you'll get the file." After hanging up with Chris, Vin called Casey at home and asked if she would mind going in early to fax the file to Larabee and told her to let the others know he'd be a little late. He hung up then walked over to the fridge.
"Hey, Danielle, are you hungry?" he called out to the girl in the other room. "I haven't had breakfast yet. I could rustle up some eggs and bacon."
"That would be great!" she said as she joined him in the kitchen. "I was too nervous to eat this morning before I came out here. And you can call me Dani."
"Okay, Dani, have a seat then and I'll get something started. Then I need to shower and get into work."
"Why don't I start the food while you shower. I really don't want to make you late for work."
"Well, okay, if you're sure you don't mind. I won't be long." He showed her where the skillet was and headed down the hall to his room.
Over their meal, Vin told her how he'd come to live with Chris and about the job they did. He talked a little about the men they worked with. She asked a lot of questions about Chris, but Vin told her that any personal questions would have to be answered by Chris himself.
She told him about her mom and stepdad, showing him pictures of her growing up. It seemed like a happy family. She noticed a sad look on his face when he flipped through the pictures.
"What's the matter, Vin?"
"Hmmmm?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. It looks like you've had a great life."
"Yeah, I did. I still do, even though Mom's gone now." She was staring at a picture of her mom taking about a year before she died. She felt the tears well up in her eyes again. A hand on her arm brought her back to the present.
"You okay, kiddo?"
"Yeah. It's still hard sometimes."
Vin nodded. "How long has she been gone?"
"Six months. She was killed in a car accident. I miss her so much."
"I don't remember much about my Ma. I was only five when she died. She'd been sick for a while. A lot of the memories I have of her are from when she was sick in bed and couldn't do things with me."
"What about your dad?" she asked, wiping the tears from her face.
He hesitated a moment. "I never knew him."
"I'm so sorry. I'm glad I have my dad now, my stepdad," she corrected.
"He's your dad, darlin', he's the one that raised ya."
"Yeah," she said with a smile. "He's pretty cool. Vin... how do you think my father... Chris... will react?"
"I don't know. I think I know Chris well enough to know he won't just kick ya out. Can I ask a personal question, Danielle?"
"Sure, I guess."
"Does Chris know about you? I mean, did your Ma ever tell him she was pregnant?"
She shook her head. "No. She told me that her father... well... granddad lied to her, told her Chris had been killed then sent her away. By the time she found out he was still alive, he was in the Navy and she didn't want to burden him with a child. Then later, she found out he was married and had a son. She didn't want to mess things up for him. I think she always loved him, wanted him to be happy. And then she met Michael, my Dad. They really loved each other and she told me she was glad that things had worked out like they did. She regretted that I never got the chance to meet my biological father, but she never kept it from me, never lied to me about him. And Daddy, well, he always told me that if I ever wanted to find him, he'd help me."
"Sounds like a good man."
"He's the best." She smiled wistfully and pulled out her favorite picture of her and her stepfather together and handed it to Vin.
He looked at it for several moments then handed it back. "Danielle... why are you looking for Chris now? I'm curious, you don't have to answer if it's too personal. But it's something he'll want to know."
Vin usually wasn't so personal and nosy about other people's business, but he didn't want to see his friend hurt. He knew Chris was still not completely over the death of his wife and son—probably never truly would be. And he wanted to be sure this young woman wasn't trying to find him only to hurt him.
"I... Daddy... He's sick. Oh, he hasn't told me himself, but he's been going to see the doctor a lot and he's lost a lot of weight since my mom died. At first I thought it was just because he missed her, ya know. But then I started noticing him taking more and more pills. And I checked them out on the internet, to see what they were for. All of them are used during cancer treatments or for pain."
"I'm sorry." He squeezed her arm again.
She smiled at him. "I think that's why he was so encouraging when I started talking again about finding Chris Larabee. He doesn't want to leave me alone. He wants me to have family to be with." Her smile faded.
"I'd like to meet him someday. He sounds like a wonderful man, to be able to put his own feelings aside like that and help you search for your father. You're a very lucky girl." Vin stood and walked over to the sink, setting their dirty dishes in it and running some water in it. He quickly washed, while Dani dried, stacking the now clean dishes back in the cupboards where they belonged.
"Well, I need to get to work. Do you have some place to stay?"
"Yeah. I have a room in town."
"I'd offer to let you stay here, but... "
"No, that's okay. I don't want to push Chris into anything. I'd rather meet him and be able to leave easily if things ... don't work out."
Vin agreed with a nod. "Alright. Why don't you leave me a phone number. I'll be picking Chris up at the airport in the morning. He's been in D.C. talking to politicians, so he won't be in the best mood when he gets back. He gets cranky dealing with the paperwork involved in our job. After he gets a chance to relax and unwind a bit, I'll give him your number, but it'll be up to him if he calls you or not. I'll let you tell him who you are."
"Okay," she said, writing down a number. "I'm in room 312. I'll stay close to the phone tomorrow."
He put the number in his wallet and they walked outside. Vin climbed into Chris' truck, which he'd been driving while his friend was out of town, and drove down the long drive, followed by Danielle. His thoughts strayed to his friend. He didn't know how Chris would react to finding out he had a teenage daughter. He only hoped that the girl didn't get hurt. He also hoped Chris didn't get hurt.
"Damn, it's good to be home!" Larabee said as he wearily dropped onto the sofa and gazed out at the mountains. Vin picked up the suitcases that Chris had dropped just inside the door and carried them upstairs to deposit them on Chris' bed before heading back downstairs. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed two beers before joining his friend in the living room, handing one of the bottles to Larabee.
"Thanks, Vin," Chris said, downing half the bottle in one swallow. He pressed the cold bottle against his forehead hoping to dispel the last of the headache he'd had for most of the week. It had slowly diminished the closer he got to home. Vin opened up the sliding glass door that led out to the deck, allowing the breeze to flow into the room. Chris sighed as the contentment settled in around him. The last of his headache disappeared on the breeze.
"Tough week, Cowboy?" Vin asked with a smile.
"God, I hate politicians. I don't know why Travis couldn't have handled all that by himself."
"That's why you get paid the big bucks, pardner."
"Hmph. Next time I'll let Ezra do it. He's used to bullshittin' with the best of them."
"Naw. He'd probably confuse them."
Larabee laughed at the thought of Ezra Standish, with his fancy words and fancier attire, sitting in front of a budget committee, trying to explain to the higher-ups why they should up their funding for the next year. The more he thought about it, the better he liked the idea. Yep, next year, Standish gets to go. Chris would rather stay here and face the entire population of Folsom Prison on the loose.
Chris watched as his friend finished his beer and walked outside. Vin settled on the flat top rail of the porch, leaning back against one of the vertical logs that held up the roof of the overhang. He closed his eyes and let the wind brush his face and sweep through his long hair.
He belongs here, Larabee thought, in these mountains, surrounded by the trees and the wildlife. Whenever Chris thought about the circumstances that brought the younger man to be living with him, he was grateful that it was only the cabin that burned. They'd come close to losing Vin in that fire too. He stood up and took his and Vin's empty bottles into the kitchen, dropping it into the recycle bin. Grabbing two more, he followed his friend outside.
"You gonna tell me what's wrong, Cowboy?" he asked, handing over one of the beers.
Vin smiled his thanks, glancing at his friend. "What makes you think anything's wrong?" A raised eyebrow was his only answer. "Nothing's wrong, Chris. Just got some things on my mind."
"I don't mind listening, if you'd like to share."
"You just got home. No need to go into it now. I'm gonna head up into the hills tonight, give ya some time to yourself to enjoy the peace and quiet."
"I appreciate the thought, but it's not necessary. I'd rather you talk to me."
"Later."
"Will anything change if you wait until later to tell me?"
Vin looked at his friend, twisting the lid off his bottle, He glanced back at the mountains and took a sip, more to gather his thoughts than out of any real thirst.
Chris didn't push. He knew Vin would tell him if it was something he felt Chris needed to know or could help him with. Larabee settled onto the rail next to his friend, who had once again closed his eyes to better enjoy the breeze. Neither man said a word for several minutes. There was no need. Both knew that eventually Vin would tell Chris everything the man wanted to know.
When Vin finally spoke several minutes later, his voice was soft. "Do you remember a girl named Amy Flannery?"
"Amy Flannery?" Chris smiled wistfully. "I haven't heard that name in years. How the hell do you know about her?"
"I met a relative of hers yesterday." Vin looked up from the bottle in his hands, where his fingers worried at the paper label.
"Yesterday? You mean the visitor you said you had?"
"Yeah. And actually she came looking for you."
Chris shook his head. "I lost track of Amy after I left for college. Why would anybody in her family be looking for me now?"
"I think it would be best if she explained that to you."
"But you know, don't ya, Vin?" Chris stared hard at his friend. "Vin?"
A few moments of silence followed before looked away. He sighed. "Yeah." He took a sip of beer but didn't elaborate.
"So, tell me."
Vin took another drink from his bottle of beer. "I'm sorry, Chris. I can't. It's not my place."
"Is this woman still in town? Do you have her number?"
"Yeah."
"Call her."
"It can wait 'til tomorrow. You just got home."
"I don't want to wait. Call her."
"Chris... "
"Call her, Vin. Please."
Vin sighed. "Alright. I'll tell her to come in the morning. That way you can get a good night's sleep."
"Today, Vin. Ask her to come out today."
Tanner looked up. Chris words sounded almost like a plea. His eyes bored into Vin's. His friend just nodded and headed for the phone.
She walked into the room behind Tanner, nervously biting her lower lip, her eyes locked on Chris Larabee.
"Chris, this is Danielle McCarter. Dani this is ... this is Chris Larabee." After introducing the two, Vin turned to leave the room. He was stopped by both Danielle's hand on his arm and her soft 'don't go'.
He glanced at Chris, who nodded, then followed them into the living room area. Dani clutched the envelope full of documents to her chest as she sat down in the chair.
Neither she nor Chris said anything, just continued to stare at each other. Vin shook his head. She certainly is her father's daughter, he thought.
"Dani, I mentioned to Chris that you were related to Amy Flannery, but I think it's up to you to tell him the particulars."
She was staring at Chris like he was going to disappear before her eyes. Dazed, never taking her eyes from Chris' face, she reached out with both hands holding the envelope, but didn't say anything. Confused, Larabee reached for the envelope, but her fingers were holding on so tight that he couldn't get her to release it. She continued to stare at him.
"Dani. Danielle, you can let go," Vin said. When she didn't, Tanner moved over next to her and crouched down beside her. He shook his head at Chris, causing the older man to let go of the envelope. Vin reached up and pulled Danielle's hands back down, laying the envelope into her lap.
"Dani, would you like me to explain this to Chris or do you just want a few minutes to pull yourself together?" When she didn't reply, he gently placed his hand on her cheek and forced her to look at him. She blinked several times as if wakening from a trance. She stared at Vin for a couple seconds, than frantically looked around the room, relaxing when she realized Chris was still in the room.
"What?" she asked, facing Vin again.
"I think you're in shock here, darlin'," he told her with a small smile. "Do you think you're ready for this? I can explain it if you want."
"No, please, I'm okay. I just... it is a shock, after all this time."
"I understand. But he won't bite, I promise. Will ya, Chris?"
Larabee was confused. He had been expecting a young woman, but this was just a girl, probably not even old enough to vote, much less drink. How had she known Amy? He had no doubt that they were related. The girl had Amy's coloring and hair. And she had Amy's shy smile, which she had just turned on him.
"Mr. Larabee... "
"Call me Chris."
"Okay." She took a deep breath and stole another glance toward Vin. At his encouraging nod and wink, she plunged ahead. "I know we've never met, but I think you knew my mother, Amy Flannery."
"Yes, I knew her. I dated her in high school. She was my first love." He smiled in remembered affection.
Chris was surprised at the bright smile that flew across Danielle's face. So this was Amy's daughter. Yes, he could see it. She had her mother's nervous habit of sweeping her hair behind her ear. Vin had moved away, settling into a chair that he'd pulled up next to Dani's.
"Mr. Larabee... Chris... my mom told me a lot about you. She kept journals... "
"I remember. She was always writing in those books. I always figured she'd end up being an author."
"She was, actually. She wrote children's stories."
He laughed softly. "I'm not surprised. She combined her two favorite things... kids and writing."
Dani nodded, smiling as she remembered her mom reading some of the stories she'd penned. She reached into the envelope and pulled out a photo of her mom from high school and handed it to Chris.
He looked at the photo and couldn't stop the smile that spread. He remembered the first day he met her. He'd been walking out of class and looking behind him as he talked to a friend. The next thing he knew he was flat on his back on the floor with the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen lying across his chest. She looked down at him, her long dark hair falling into her face. She smiled at him and said, "I've always wanted to meet a man who would fall head over heels for me". He'd laughed while they awkwardly got up off the floor. And the rest was history.
"Chris? Chris, man, you're a million miles away. C'mon, pard." Larabee heard Vin's voice and saw a hand waving in front of his face.
"Sorry," he said apologetically. "It's just, when I saw this photo, it took me back to the first day I met Amy."
"You mean when you swept her off her feet?" Danielle asked with a giggle.
He smiled. "More like 'knocked' her off her feet. I was amazed she agreed to date me after she found out what a klutz I was."
"She wrote in her journal that it was part of your charm."
A snort caused both to glare at Tanner, who raised his hands in surrender. "Dani, would you like something to drink?"
"Sure, soda or iced tea if you have it."
"Iced tea it is. Chris?"
"Sounds good. Iced tea for me too."
"Be right back." Tanner walked out of the room. Now that the initial shock had worn off, he hoped Danielle would be able to talk with Chris and tell him why she was in town looking for him. He took his time in the kitchen, giving the two a chance to get acquainted. Finally, he carried three glasses and a pitcher full of tea back into the room.
"... and she died the next morning."
"Oh, Danielle, I am so sorry," Chris said as he stared again at the picture of the girl he had once hoped to marry. "It's tough to lose someone so quickly like that. I'm glad you got the chance to say goodbye."
Smiling sadly, she cleared her throat. Vin handed her a glass and she sipped at the sweetened tea. Wetting her lips, she looked up again. Inhaling a deep breath, she briefly closed her eyes to steel herself as she got to the point of her visit.
"Chris... there was a reason mom told me about you, you know. Aside from the fact that she never forgot you." Chris looked up as Dani pulled a piece of paper from the envelope. She bit her bottom lip and stared at it, then looked back at him and handed it over.
He looked at her, then over at Vin, before glancing at the paper. Setting down his tea, he unfolded the page. He read it... twice. Confused, he read it a third time before looking back at her. He started to speak and found he couldn't. He grabbed the glass of tea again and gulped it down, trying to alleviate the dryness that was suddenly in his throat.
"Danielle... " He cleared his throat. "This... this is your birth certificate?" She nodded, her eyes wide and unblinking. "It says that your father... that I... that you... " He gasped, having trouble drawing enough air into his lungs.
"Chris, are you okay?" Vin asked quietly. He'd never seen his friend so frazzled.
Larabee's startled gaze moved toward Tanner as his friend moved to sit beside him on the sofa. Vin put a hand on his shoulder and gave a small squeeze. "Hey, Cowboy, talk to me here."
"Vin, she's my daughter," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper, the disbelief obvious.
"Yeah. How do you feel about that?" Vin asked, matching the soft voice. Dani watched the two men, holding her breath and close to tears. She was afraid of rejection from this man who had been so long out of her mother's life.
"My daughter. I never knew... I didn't know... " His eyes were full of pain as he turned to face Dani again. "I didn't know," he said pleadingly, needing to explain. Looking back at Vin, his eyes pleading with his friend to believe him. "Vin, she never told me." He looked at the paper again, his fingers running over the line that held the box for 'father's name'.
"I know, Chris. But you know now." Tanner's small smile didn't hide his concerned for both his friend and this young girl he'd only known a day. "Congratulations. You're a father." Chris' head snapped up, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Father." he whispered. He felt like he been punched, the shock was so great. He glanced back down at the document, then looked into Vin's face again, not sure what he expected to see, but finding support and understanding.
Slowly, he turned his gaze back to Danielle. His daughter. His teenage daughter. His and Amy's daughter. Amy, who was dead now. And his daughter had come looking for him. "She never told me. Why didn't she tell me?" he asked of no one in particular.
"Her father sent her away, refused to let her contact you," Danielle explained.
"I came back. He said she'd decided to break it off with me. He said she'd met someone else. I tried to find her. None of her friends knew where she'd gone." Danielle smiled, glad to hear that he'd come looking for her mother.
"It never happened. In her journal, she wrote that her father sent her away when he found out she was pregnant with me... with your child. Later, he told her that you had died in an accident. She only found out years later that he'd lied to her."
Chris shook his head. "I loved her so much," he said. "It took me a long time to get over her leaving. It's why I joined the Navy. I couldn't bear to be without her." Chris stood up and walked over to the window, looking out at the mountains in the distance. "I got very angry with her, at times I almost hated her." He closed his eyes, remembering how he'd felt that day when her father had answered the door and told Chris that his love had moved on without him. He remembered the denial, then the anger and despair, as Amy's father convinced him that she had left him willingly.
"I knew something was wrong. None of her friends had talked to her in weeks. Her father said she'd found someone else and she didn't want to see me anymore. And her mom... everytime I tried to talk to her mom, she would just start crying and tell me it was for the best and to let it be." He was silent for a long time, neither Vin nor Danielle willing to interrupt his memories just yet.
"They knew. They knew all along that she was pregnant with my child. And they didn't tell me! Damn it!" He flexed his fingers, curling and uncurling them, the urge to punch something strong in him. "I know her father didn't like me, thought his daughter could do better. But, to keep me from my daughter! How dare he! How could he do that? He had no right to do that!" Larabee slammed his hand against the wall.
Vin looked at Danielle for her reaction to Chris' outburst. She was nodding her head, like she agreed with him. He saw the tears in her eyes.
"Chris, calm down," Vin said, moving to stand behind him.
Larabee spun around, glaring at him, as if he was the cause of this new pain. "I don't want to calm down, Tanner! My God! I had another child, Vin. A child I never knew about. A daughter I never got the chance to hold as a baby! A daughter that Adam never got to know... " He turned away again, his eyes closed tight against the old, but still strong pain, of losing his only son.
"Chris, I can't say I understand what you're going through. I never had kids, you know that. But no matter what happened in the past, you got a chance now to get to know your daughter. And pardner, I think you're scarin' her here."
Startled, having forgot that Dani was in the room, he looked her way. She had tears running down her face and she was biting her lips. Her fingers nervously pushed stray hairs behind her ears.
Larabee took a deep breath and briefly closed his eyes. When he opened them back up, he threw his friend a half smile. He walked back over and sat down on the sofa. "I'm sorry, Dani. This just took me by surprise... "
"My grandfather was a mean, bitter man," Danielle said. "He always treated me badly because of the circumstances of my birth. And he always told me he didn't want me to 'end up like my mother'."
The angry retort never left Chris' mouth. Instead, he took a breath and reached out his hand, laying it over Danielle's arm.
"Honey, your mother, the woman I remember was a strong, individualistic, wonderful woman. If you 'end up' like her, I'd say that's a good thing." Chris smiled at her and she beamed right back at him. He moved his hand down to encircle her own and gently urged her to his side.
She stood and moved to sit next to Chris on the sofa. Her father wrapped an arm around her as she leaned in closer. Chris began talking quietly to her, telling her some of his favorite memories of her mother. As it became clear that Chris and Danielle would be okay, Vin left the room, heading out to the barn to bed down the horses for the night.
An hour later, he walked back into the house through the back door, hearing laughter from the living room. He nodded his head as he headed for the kitchen to start dinner.
"First thing in the morning then. We can saddle up the horses and go for a ride if you like."
"I haven't done any riding since I was little," Danielle replied.
"It's just like riding a bike. You don't forget." Chris was walking Danielle to her car. She wanted to get back to town while it was still light out, not wanting to drive the curving roads in the dark. "You can still spend the night, you know. We can go back down and get your things and bring them back here."
"I know. But I think I need some time to myself to think about everything that's happened. And we have all next week together."
"Alright," he said, slightly disappointed.
"I'll be here early. Oh, I need the phone number so I can give it to my Dad. He'll want to know how to reach me."
"Right here," Vin said, passing Chris a piece of paper. His friend looked up, a grateful look in his eyes. "See you tomorrow, darlin'. I'm gonna go finish the dishes."
"Vin, wait." She walked over to him and gave him a hug. "Thank you."
"For what? You did all the hard stuff," he said, returning the embrace.
"Just for being here. It was a lot easier with you here. I think getting the chance to talk to you first, well, it helped. Kinda like practice for the big game. And you were right, he doesn't bite."
"Well, I did fib there a bit. You should see him at work when he's got a burr under his saddle." She laughed at the glare Chris sent his way. She kissed Vin on the cheek and he blushed. Turning back to the houses, he left the two alone.
"I can't wait to get to know you better," Chris told her.
"Me too," she replied. "You know, I was so afraid you would slam the door in my face."
"Never. I am disappointed not to have met you sooner, though. I wish your mom had told me about you. I would have wanted to be in your life all along."
"That's why I left you those journals. They're the ones that deal mostly with that time in her life and later when she found out that you were alive. I hope it helps you understand why she did what she did."
He nodded. "You be sure to tell your dad that he's more than welcome to call anytime he wants to talk to you. Or to me. I'd really like to meet him, to thank him for taking such good care of you and your mom."
"Maybe we can arrange that." She took a deep breath and tried to stop the tears that started to fall.
"Hey, hey, hey. None of that now." Chris stepped toward her and wrapped her in a hug. "No more tears. It seems to me that it should be smiles all around."
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight," she said, her voice muffled against his chest.
"I might find it hard myself." He pulled back a bit, so he could look into her face. "I'll keep the phone right next to my bed. So if you feel like talking you just call me up, no matter what time it is. And if you decide you want to stay here tonight after all, you call. I'll come get you. Okay, sweetheart?"
She nodded and wiped the moisture from her eyes. "I'll remember. Thank you."
"You best be going if you want to get back into town before it gets full dark. I'll see ya in the morning." He opened the door for her and she settled behind the wheel. As she started the car, he leaned into the open window and caressed her cheek. "Drive careful. Goodnight, angel."
"Night."
She put the car in gear and drove off down the drive. He stood outside watching until he could no longer see or hear the car, then walked back inside. Heading into the great room, he picked up the small box that Danielle had asked Vin to bring in from her car earlier. It contained half a dozen handwritten journals, each with a set a dates on the front indicating the time it covered.
He heard Vin still puttering around in the kitchen as he picked up the earliest one. He opened the cover and recognized the flowing penmanship. He'd seen that handwriting on hundreds of notes and letters she given him during their relatively short time together. It brought a smile to his face now. His reverie was interrupted by a quiet voice.
"Chris? I'm heading for bed. You need anything before I go?"
Larabee looked up at his closest friend, the smile still on his face. "No, I'm fine." His smile grew and he shook his head in disbelief. "I have a daughter, Vin."
Vin returned his smile. "Yeah. Helluva of kid too, from what I've seen."
"If so, then she takes after her mother. Amy Flannery was one of the strongest people I've ever met. These are Amy's journals," he said, lifting up the book he held in his hand. "I'm not sure it's right that I read them. These were her private thoughts."
Vin sat down in the chair across from his friend. "Chris, I think she would want you to read them, if it'll help you understand why she never told you about Dani. She had her reasons. And I imagine that it was because she didn't want to hurt ya or burden ya. These books are her thoughts and feelings. People don't lie when they're writin' down their private thoughts. This is what she truly felt. She's dead now, so she can't speak to you face to face. Let this be her way of explainin' to ya."
Still uncertain, Chris slowly flipped through the pages. "Maybe you're right. I'll think about it." He placed the book back into the box with the others, then picked up the box and headed for the stairs.
"Good night, Vin."
"See ya in the morning. I'll lock up."
Chris nodded and walked up the stairs. He turned when he reached the top and watched his friend and roommate check the doors. As Tanner turned off the lights and headed down the hallway, Chris spoke.
"Vin?"
"Yeah?" Vin answered, looking up.
"Thanks." It was the nature of their friendship that Vin didn't have to ask 'for what."
"Anytime, pardner. Anytime."
Chris and Danielle spent the next day on horseback, returning just at sunset. They rode into the yard and were met by Tanner, who took the horses' reins. The pair went inside to shower and change, while Vin took care of their mounts. Later, over dinner Dani regaled the laconic sharpshooter with details of their day.
Chris sat back and watched her, one thing repeating over and over in his head. This is my daughter, my daughter. My God, I have a daughter. As if he could read Chris' mind, Vin looked over and nodded, smiling at the pensive expression on Larabee's face. Chris returned the smile, the disbelief still evident. He'd periodically shake his head as if trying to bring himself from a daydream. But everytime he did, she was still there.
Later that evening, the trio sat in the living room, a fire in the fireplace to ward off the chill of the summer evening in the mountains. Danielle had pulled out some family albums, so that Chris would be able to see her as she was growing up. After viewing the last of the photos, Chris stood and walked over to the fireplace. He picked up a framed picture and returned to the sofa, handing the photo to Dani. Vin discreetly left the room, knowing this was something Chris needed to share only with his daughter.
"Who are they?" Dani asked.
"My wife and your half-brother. Sarah and Adam."
"Are you divorced?"
"No. They died about four years ago."
"Oh! Chris, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. It's just that seeing all your pictures, well it brought back some memories." He took the framed photo back and lightly brushed his fingers over the faces of his wife and son. His eyes filled with unshed tears. "I still miss them," he whispered.
Dani didn't say anything. Just leaned her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and tucked her head up under his chin. "We've both lost people we love, Dani. I'm glad you decided to look for me. I wish I could have known you before now, but there's nothing we can do about that. I promise you, I will be in your life from now on."
She closed her eyes and let the tears fall. She grieved for her own mother and for the wife and son that Chris had lost. She'd never had the chance to known her brother and she was surprised at the loss she felt for two people she'd never met.
An hour later, Vin quietly crept down the hall. He grabbed the afghan from the shelf under the table behind the sofa. Walking back around, he draped it over the sleeping pair. Chris stirred slightly and opened his eyes. Seeing it was only Vin, he let them slide shut again, unconsciously tightening his hold slightly on the girl in his arms. Vin banked the fire and turned out the lights, then went back to his room, happy for his friend.
"Vin, where the hell is Chris?" Buck yelled, as soon as Tanner walked in the door. Tanner just shook his head.
"He's right behind me, Buck. He wants y'all in the conference room when he gets here. Can you round everybody up?" As Wilmington went to spread the word, Vin turned to Casey. "He'd like you there too, Casey. So can you put the calls into the answering machine for now?"
"Sure, Vin. I'll get a second pot of coffee made too."
"Thanks." Vin smiled at her and headed toward his own office. Two minutes later, coffee cup in hand, he headed for the conference room. Everyone was there except Chris, who came in right behind him carrying a box of Danish. He was followed by Dani, who carried a sack from a local bagel shop and a large cup of hot chocolate.
As the other men saw the girl walking behind Chris, they exchanged curious looks. Buck nudged JD. The girl was beautiful, but way too young for Buck. He liked the ladies, but he didn't rob cradles. He teased his friend, who was more the age of the young woman.
"Morning, boys," Chris said. "Casey."
"Morning, Chris. How was Washington?" Josiah asked, glancing at Danielle, thinking that maybe she had returned with him from the nation's capitol.
"Don't ask. Next year, Ezra's going."
Standish raised an eyebrow at the remark. "I dare say, Mr. Larabee, I would relish the opportunity to discuss our financial budget with those pompous bureaucrats. Maybe then they would begin to comprehend the necessity for an expanded account for my expenses." Ezra brushed his sleeve and straightened his collar.
"Not likely, Ezra," Nathan stated. "They're more likely to cut the budget than add to it."
The others all grabbed coffee and their favorite bakery sweet from the box Chris had brought then settled into their normal chairs around the table. Vin grabbed one of the chairs that usually lined the wall and set it down close to Chris' at the head of the table. He winked at Dani and gestured for her to sit. She smiled at him and sat down then he settled into the chair on her other side.
"So, Chris is this out newest team member?" Buck asked. "Decided to start them out a little younger. I thought you stopped recruiting from high schools after you brought JD on board."
The other chuckled when JD smacked Buck on the back of the head as he sat down next to Wilmington. Buck reached up and rubbed his head, sending a mock snarl JD's way.
"Okay, before you all get carried away, and in order to give Buck a chance to pull his foot out of his mouth, I think introductions are in order," Chris looked around the table, his gaze settling at each person in turn. "Gentlemen, and Casey, I'd like you to meet Danielle McCarter, better known as Dani. My daughter."
Liquid spewed across the table, courtesy of Buck Wilmington, who started coughing. JD started pounding on his back, in a misguided effort to help. The others showed differing expressions of shock, disbelief, amusement and happiness.
"You done, Buck?" Chris asked, amused, after the ladies' man calmed somewhat. He'd purposely waited until Buck had raised his cup to his mouth, just for laughs.
"Chris, did you say... daughter?!" The mustachioed man was still gasping for breath.
"That's what I said, Buck." Chris raised a hand to silence his team. "I know you all have a lot of questions. Let me just give you the short version. I met Dani Saturday night, for the first time. Her mother and I were high school sweethearts. I won't go into what happened to split us up; it's not relevant. And frankly, it's no one's business but Dani's and mine. Suffice it say, that I didn't know about Dani until two days ago. But get to know her boys, because she'll be in my life from now on." It was obvious to everyone, from the smile on Chris' face, that this was a wonderful surprise.
"Well, Danielle, welcome to the family," Josiah's voice boomed into the room. "It's a motley crew, but a family none the less."
"Will you be living in Tahoe, Dani?" Nathan asked.
"No, not full time. My father... my other father, who raised me, lives in Ohio. I'll still be living with him while I finish high school. But I hope to come out a lot to visit." She turned and looked at Chris, who smiled and nodded in agreement.
The questions came rapid-fire after that, the others all wanting to get to know this young woman. "Where are you from in Ohio?" "Where do you go to school?" "How did you find Chris?" And questions about her trip out, concerns that she'd driven all that way alone.
When it looked like she was getting overwhelmed, Chris called a halt. She would be in town another week and Chris invited them all to the ranch the following weekend for a barbeque to get to know her better.
"I'll be taking most of the week off, to spend some time with my daughter," Chris explained to them. "I realize I haven't been here lately because of the meetings in D.C., so I'll catch up on paperwork today and tomorrow, but the rest of the week I'll be spending with Dani. Orin Travis has been told and approved some vacation time for me. I'll keep in touch to be sure everything is running smoothly. Casey, what does your workload look like?" Chris asked.
"All caught up, Chris. Just waiting on those files from the FBI."
"Good. Dani would like to do a little shopping. She didn't realize how cold it could get here at night. She needs some warmer clothing." He reached for a bank envelope that Vin had given him earlier and handed it to Dani. "This should be enough to cover what you need to buy plus some extras," he said with a wink. "You two enjoy yourselves. But, Casey, be sure and be back by close of business, okay. My daughter and I have plans for dinner tonight." He smiled at Danielle. "And she'll need to get a good nights sleep since she and Vin have plans tomorrow."
"Sure, Chris. That okay with you, Dani?"
"I'd love it. I haven't really had the time to see much of the area. I only got here a few days ago."
"Maybe I can call Rain. She loves to shop and knows all the best places."
A groan from Nathan turned all eyes to him. His girlfriend was a notorious compulsive shopper. "Oh, God, please, Rain on a shopping trip?"
"It's not that bad, Nathan," Casey insisted with a laugh.
"Just don't let her go into a shoe store, please. I beg you, no more shoes!" The others laughed. "Casey, I will get down on my knees and beg if I have to. Just don't let her near any place that sells shoes." The medic clasped his hands together as if in prayer, pleading with the receptionist to agree.
"I'll do my best, Nathan, but you know she can sniff out those stores, especially if there's a sale going on." Everyone laughed, as that statement made Nathan groan again.
The laughter followed the two women out the door.
"So, Chris, old buddy, ol' pal," Buck said, as he moved to take the seat that Dani had vacated. He leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest. "Seems to me that there is a story here that needs tellin'."
Larabee resigned himself to having to explain. He'd known that Buck, of all the others, wouldn't let him get away with the short explanation he'd given earlier. They others settled back into their seats around the table. Chris glanced over at Vin, who just shrugged in response.
The next morning, Vin and Dani had done the tourist bit. When they'd all talked during dinner on Sunday night, Dani had mentioned how pretty the area was and how the surrounding forests and mountains reminded her of some of the old movies her father, Michael, watched all the time. Vin mentioned that the old television show Bonanza had been filmed in the area. Since the show was a favorite of Michael's, she was interested in seeing the Ponderosa Ranch.
The Ranch was an old-west-style tourist attraction, which included the actual ranch house that had been used for filming. Employees did mock gunfights in the street and you could get old time photos done, wearing period style costumes. She vowed to come back and have one taken with Chris. She even persuaded a reluctant Vin to help her in getting Chris to join her.
They spent the morning exploring the 'town' and buying souvenirs for all her friends. While they had hotdogs and sodas in the saloon, Vin told her about another 'saloon', the one he and the others frequented in Tahoe. He spoke so glowingly about his friend, Inez, that Dani couldn't wait to meet her. Vin agreed to invite her to the Sunday barbeque.
Wednesday morning, Chris was just dishing scrambled eggs onto a plate as Dani came in the room. "Morning, Angel. Hungry?"
"Famished. That smells great."
"Well, eat up. We have a busy day ahead of us today." He put the skillet in the sink and went to get the bacon from the counter. "Can you get the butter and jam from the fridge?" Dani nodded.
Vin walked in just then, having been taking care of the horses, part of his normal morning routine. "Morning, Dani."
"Morning, Vin. Want some coffee?" she asked.
"Yeah, thanks. Chris, I think that scratch that Menace got is okay. But you may wanna have the vet take a final look at it."
"Good. I'll let Ben know. I want to keep that horse healthy and around for a long time."
"How did you come up with a name like Menace for your horse, Chris?" Dani asked. Vin tried to contain his smirk, having already heard this story.
"Well," Chris said, "actually it was Buck's idea. I got the horse as a colt, and for some reason, he took an instant dislike to Buck."
"Maybe he thought Buck was out to steal his girlfriends with his 'animal magnetism'," Vin joked.
"Maybe," Chris laughed. "Anyway, he made the mistake of turning his back on the horse, who decided to take a bite out of Buck's rump. Buck comes storming into the house cursing, saying that the horse was nothing but a black menace and wasn't good for nothing except the glue factory. I was laughing so hard that I almost passed out. And I decided 'Black Menace' was a pretty good name. Over the years, it's just been shortened to 'Menace.'"
"And that horse still don't like Buck," Vin said. "Everytime Buck goes into the barn, Menace gets agitated. Drives Buck crazy that the horse likes everyone else, but Buck can't get near him." Dani giggled at the story, not noticing Chris' delight in hearing her laughter.
"So, where are you two off to today?" Vin asked his boss, breaking his train of thought.
"I thought, if it's okay with you, Dani, that we'd take a cruise around Lake Tahoe. They have a luncheon cruise that gives a great background on the Lake and takes a run into Emerald Bay and past Vikingsholm Castle."
Vin turned to the young woman. "You'll like that, Dani. The color changes in the bay are incredible. And Vikingsholm has a great story behind it."
"Sounds like fun. I've heard some stuff about Vikingsholm from Casey and Rain. I'd like to get a chance to see it for myself."
"Did you want to go into the castle, Dani?" Chris asked his daughter. "The cruise we're taking doesn't stop. But we can always take a private boat or we can drive around either before or after the cruise and walk down. Those are the only ways to get to the castle. The walk back up afterward is kind of steep. But we can take it slow."
"Yeah, that sounds like fun."
"Best do it before," Vin warned. "That way, the climb back up can be done before the sun gets full overhead."
"So, Vikingsholm first, then the cruise?" Dani said to Chris.
"Sounds like a plan."
They finished breakfast and the three of them quickly handled the dishes. Chris and Dani headed to Chris' truck. Opening the door of his jeep, Vin paused. "You two have a good time today, while I'm slaving away at work," he teased.
Chris gave him a grin. "We will. Have fun."
"Yeah, right."
Thursday, the pair decided to have a lazy day just driving around. They went up to Virginia City, where Chris took her to see the famous Bucket of Blood Saloon. Then they spent the remainder of the day just driving around the lake. The scenic drive took them past many little shops where they stopped and prowled the stores. During one curvy part of the drive, where the road fell off steeply on both sides, Chris found out that his daughter was afraid of heights.
"Dani, do you want me to turn around and go back the other way?"
"No! No, I'll be okay if I just keep my eyes closed. Just... just tell me when we get to the end of this, okay?" she said breathlessly.
"Okay. It'll take maybe ten or fifteen minutes. These curves have to be taken at ten miles an hour or slower." She nodded and Chris turned his full attention back to his driving. Dani kept her eyes tightly shut. She didn't open them again until Chris told her they were safely back on level ground. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around. Then she glanced at Chris sheepishly.
"I'm sorry. You must think I'm a total wimp."
Chris reached for her hand. "I don't think any such thing. People can't help having phobias." She still looked embarrassed, so Chris continued. "Did you know that your mom had a fear of heights, too?"
"She... she did? She never told me that."
"Yeah. I remember one year a whole group of us went to one of those amusement parks. I could not get her anywhere near the roller coasters. She couldn't stand them. Some of our classmates used to tease her about it. I know it hurt her, but she said she'd rather have her feelings hurt than be so scared she couldn't enjoy herself. She said that amusement parks were for fun, and being scared to death wasn't fun for her."
"Yeah, I know how she feels. Some of my friends have done the same to me." Dani looked down, her hands clasped in her lap.
Chris pulled over into a lot and stopped the car. He turned in his seat and looked Dani right in the eye. "Angel, kids can be cruel and unfeeling sometimes. But don't let anyone ever talk you into doing something if you're scared. Your mom was right, it's not fun if you're too scared."
"Yeah. Thanks, Chris."
"Not a problem, Angel. Not a problem." As he pulled back out of the lot, he saw a sign taped up to a pole. "Hey, Dani, did your mom ever take you to any of the Renaissance Festivals in your area?"
"Oh, yeah, all the time. I love them. I even have my own costume back home."
Chris pointed out the sign. It read 'Valhalla Festival, Friday-Sunday. Eat, drink and be merry.' "Want to go? I haven't been to one since high school, when I went with your mom, but I hear this one is pretty good."
"I'd love to go."
"We could either go tomorrow, just us, or we could go on Saturday and see if the others would like to join us."
"Saturday," she said with a smle.
"We'll ask the others later then," Chris said as he pulled back out onto the street to continue their drive.
"So you went with Mom?"
"Yeah, twice. The second time, she actually managed to talk me into going in costume."
"Really. She never could convince Dad... Michael... to dress up. He'd go, but only Mom and I would be in costume." Dani smiled sadly.
"Yeah, well, I probably wouldn't do it now, either. But they are alot of fun. Especially if we get there in time to see the jousting tournaments."
Dani grinned mischievously. "You think any of the others might dress up?"
Chris glanced at Dani with an evil smile. "If you bat your eyelashes at Buck, he just might. And Casey could probably talk JD into it. But I doubt you'd get the others to dress up."
"I think it would be fun to see Buck and JD dressed up. It's too bad I don't have my own costume with me."
"Well, we could probably find a costume shop around that might have something for you to rent for the day."
"You think? That would be great."
"Well, then, what do you say we grab some lunch, and we can check the yellow pages and try and find a costume shop?"
"Yeah. I'm getting hungry."
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