Assassin, Father, Lover...

[JawnKarTurr]

Hawkeye Alaska was cosmopolitan by the standards of the area after all it had a truck stop, Walmart, and a few chain restaurants and a motel. Still though most residents lived a fairly rugged rural existence, and the place kept the small town feel to it. Everyone looked out for each other, and knew each other’s business. So when there were new arrivals in town no matter how discrete they might try to be they’d be the talk of the town. That was the case with Kayla and her loving but quite father Danny Leiter who moved in to the community a year back.

While there was a lot of wild speculation of where the father daughter came from, but nobody had any idea about the real truth. The fact was Danny knew he couldn't talk about his life or what he did for a living. Most wouldn't believe it, but he didn't want to call attention to himself. He was a test tube baby, a clone of five ruthless killers, and up until now he’d spent his whole life as an assassin. He'd grown up on the grounds of a cold war military base that was occupied by some shadowy forces in Romania. They trained killers in the beginning, but once the science was complete they began breeding them.

He was left with horrible nightmares of a childhood filled with medical experiments and brutal training. The world was a beautiful place, but he didn’t get to see it that way. He just travelled to places, killed people, and headed to another location and wait for his masters to call. Now things were going to be different. He had money and time, and he wasn't taking the agency's calls any longer. Most importantly he had his daughter Kayla. She was the only thing that mattered to him now, and he’d do anything to protect her from the horrors of the real world. He’d been born in darkness and it was his mission in life was to make sure her she saw only the beauty and the light.

He owed her mother that, after all Diana risked all she had in life to love him and give him a daughter. She saw all the good and bad in him, and loved him anyway. She applauded him when he showed emotions, and they shared love. Clones were supposed to be emotionless, soulless, sterile, killing machines. Danny had to smile when he remembered how Diana told him the only thing they got right was that he was a good warrior. She felt his love, she knew he was a good man, and she knew he’d be a good father. They didn’t let that happen though, and while a man doesn’t always get to live out his dreams having them taken away is a completely different matter.

Dr. Otto Wolfgang Ort-Meyer the head of the project tried to limit the staff’s contact with “his children,” but Diana made a point to not limit her contact. While they were only able to make love once Danny remembered all the little things they shared. Holding hands, reading poetry, and so many special conversations were among the memories he savored. That was the woman he told Kayla of, and how he only wished they’d have had more time. Diana’s pregnancy would have been terminated, but the good doctor saw an opportunity. His most gifted assassin fathering a child with a brilliant scientist could yield great benefits. So Kayla was born and like her father officially was only given a number for a name, but Diana made sure she knew her love.

For the next few years while Danny was out working as a killer for higher Diana raised their daughter in an old hospital on the military base. They were constantly monitored, and as the years went by it soon became clear that she and her child would never leave the doctor’s secretive world. For her continued cooperation Diana was allowed contact with Danny, but fearing what could happen to Kayla she made a plea to Danny. Take their daughter away from all of this and give her a good life. She sacrificed herself so her daughter and the man she loved could live a happy life. For Danny doing anything less would be a betrayal of her love. It wasn’t easy and he had to play their game some, but eventually they were able to get away.

For a year they made a home in America’s frontier state far away from the pain and death. Of course nobody knew any of this about Danny and Kayla, but while Danny kept to himself as much as possible Kayla was more than happy to talk to people. She was a happy healthy little girl much like her peers, but she was so much more. Danny enrolled her at age nine, too old for first grade, and many thought she’d be left back. She surprised everyone and while they hadn't tested her it soon became clear that she was gifted. She spoke several languages, she was incredibly athletic, and was also very well read. She also had a disturbing knowledge of weapons, and a great love for animals. The school had to insist that her husky mix Ash couldn't come into the classroom, but her devoted protector simply waited outside every day.

For the parents who met Danny they could only say he was polite, but very quiet when he interacted with anyone. Kayla talked up a storm about him though. He’d built up their old farm house by hand, built their trucks from wrecks, and knew how to fly all kinds of aircraft He’d traveled around the world and worked all kinds of construction jobs.. While she dressed like a tomboy her hair was always done beautifully, and when one her friends asked who did her French braid she said her daddy. It seemed he could do anything he wanted, but was content to work odd jobs around town. He wasn't your typical parent, but nobody doubted his love for his little girl.

When asked about school and life before Alaska Kayla told several interesting stories. She said there was a school where all they did was learn on computers and work out. It was run by bad people and she didn’t like it, but her daddy took her away from the bad place. They next lived in Italy for a time where all her teachers were nuns, and her father worked at the church. She liked the gardens, but they had to move because of work, and for a while they lived in Australia on a sheep ranch. It was pretty, but she didn’t like because her father was gone for work a lot. Eventually they came to the United States and travelled before coming to Alaska which she loved.

Since he was a new arrival to town Kayla was asked about her father’s marital status by more than a few women. She spoke plainly that daddy loved mommy very much, but she was gone now and they’d never been married. He kept pictures of her, but his favorite was a drawing of he’d done of her in a garden. Her daddy didn't have a girlfriend now, but in Australia Lei Ling lived with them for a while. Her daddy had met her in Hong Kong and she was very pretty, but wore too much makeup and had fake boobs. Still though she said she was very nice and loved daddy. She made good Chinese food, and loved dogs too, but didn't like living in the middle of nowhere. They parted ways on good terms though, and she didn't know if daddy wanted a girlfriend.


Today though none of this was on anyone’s mind, because of what happened earlier at gym class. The boys and girls were playing basketball separately, and as usual Kayla was playing well. When she went to the side lines to wait her turn the class’s resident bully Tyler Crayton walked up and grabbed her butt and pinched it. He said that because she was wearing yoga pants she wanted him to touch her. Her reaction was primal though. She turned around hit him so hard she knocked him back and bruised his eye. His friends laughed, so he went after her again got hit hard and got a bloody nose. The gym teacher was out of the gym helping another student, and let the fight only get worse.
By the time Emily Carter Kayla’s favorite teacher found out what was going on the situation was a mess. She’d fought with and actually hurt several of the boys Tyler getting the worst of it though. Kayla was in her office balling out her eyes about how the mean boys touched her, and of course she wanted her daddy. The Crayon family who were pure white trash and had four boys in the family, and all of them had been a problem in school and several had run ins with the law. Their father was in and out of prison, but today was in the main office threatening to press charges, and was describing Kayla in terms that shouldn't be repeated. Everyone felt sorry for his wife who was trying to calm things down with little success.

Emily Carter was tasked with contacting the father, and she got him on his cell phone. He didn't say much other then he was 45 minutes away working, but would be at the school as soon as he could. He was at the school doors 30 minutes later though, and wanted to see his daughter. Several at the school were curious about him and came out to see the man impatiently waiting in the front hall. His hair was blond cut in a short buzz cut, he had piercing blue eyes and was a very fit 6ft tall white male. His steely gaze was one of a man who meant business.

 

[heartofcourage]

Hawkeye had always been home. Even though she had tried to run far, far away from Alaska, Emily had found herself drawn back in. Her home life growing up wasn't the greatest. Her father was a fisherman who spent weeks at a time out to sea on his boat. Her mother had been the one that slept around in town, always up for a good lay. Their divorce had been the stuff of town legend and it left her one very broken and angry little girl.

She had gone first to the University of Miami to study and then later on to Paris to fulfill her dream of seeing Europe. It had been the most exciting time in her life as she got out of that small little town and lived the way that she wanted to. After graduation, her father had begged her to come back, telling her that they had a position open at the elementary school. It would be perfect for her to start out, get her feet wet as a teacher. He had even fixed up the old house for her to live in. He stayed most of the time at his boat and her mother hadn't been seen for years.

Her first day in her classroom, she had met Kayla. Kayla was one of the brightest little girls that she had ever met in her life. As a joke, Emily would greet her students each morning with a phrase of French, usually Bonjour. On that fateful morning, Kayla had responded in kind. It had stunned Emily, but it certainly wouldn't be one of the last times something like that had happened.

She discovered Kayla knew geography well. She loved animals. It was a treat to teach her about plants and science. She was stunned to learn that the little girl loved poetry as well. Emily had shared many of the great poets with her star pupil, taking the time to talk to the little girl to make sure that she understood what she was reading. Of course, Kayla was also exposed to authors more appropriate to her own age. Harry Potter books, Roald Dahl, and Shel Silverstein seemed to be some of her absolute favorites.

That afternoon, however, Emily was extremely disappointed in Kayla. She knew that the little girl had been bullied, but to resort to violence was something that she never expected. While they waited for her father to arrive, Emily tried her best to soothe the sobbing girl. She explained to her that she couldn't react like that towards her classmates. It was always best to tell a teacher. When her father finally arrived, Kayla clung to him, sobbing against his shirt as Emily sat across from them.

"Mr. Leiter. Thank you for coming." Emily said, trying to act as professional as she could. "Let me start off by assuring you that the boys that did this to Kayla have been suspended from the school for the time being. However, we have to discuss what happened. Kayla was defending herself, yes, but she also hurt one of the boys very badly."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

As usual Danny was wearing his old beat-up leather jacket that had from his first trip to America years ago. He'd learned to ride a Harley then among other skills while he was carrying out a contract. Now though he was here in the role of concerned parent as he sat on the small couch in Ms. Carter's office. Kayla began to stop crying though and sat down next to her father. He put an arm around her and looked over at the teacher with a cold stare.

He turned to Kayla and asked softly, "tell me everything that happened honey."

Kayla nodded and began talking in a language Emily had never heard before. It was doubtful that anyone outside of Columbia even knew the language. It was the tribal language of the U'wa a tribe of indigenous people living in the cloud forests of northeastern Colombia. He'd spent months in the jungle with them learning their customs, and dealing with the drug dealers in the region. They saw Danny as a great warrior, and made him part of the tribe.

Glancing over at the teacher again he shock his head no. "Kayla we can speak in front of your teacher if you're telling me the truth about everything."

Kayla nodded and went back to English and recounted all that had happened. The touching, the awful things the boys said, and detailed how the fight went. Danny became angry, but didn't say a word. He just listened and reminded himself they were only boys. If they'd been men they would have been dead. He turned back to he teacher when Kayla promised him she was telling the truth.

"I trained my daughter to protect herself and from what I'm hearing she did nothing wrong. I've told my daughter to stand up to bullies because if you don't they only get worse, " listening along Kayla nodded. It seemed she'd heard this before.

"Now if the school has issues with my daughter needing to defend herself well you all need to look at why she had too. Where was her teacher? Where were you? If this becomes an issue I will just take my daughter out of school and do distance learning."

Hearing that Kayla yanked on her father's sleeve and said, "no daddy please can I stay? I like school and my friends, and Ms. Carter is really nice to me. She's my best teacher since Sister Dominic. Please I'm sorry."

There is something about having a little girl that makes even the toughest of men a little softer. Danny looked down sighed and then looked over at the concerned teacher across from him. He shock his head and looked at Ms Carter who was actually very lovely he thought when he looked at her.

"Okay let's start again. I don't think a punishment is in order, but what do you need from us to make this situation better. I'm in no mood to deal with the boy's father or you'll have another one sided fight on your hands. She wants to be here, and I want her to be safe."

Kayla smiled and hugged her dad and looked over at her teacher hopefully. Her lovely blond hair and blue eyes clearly came from her father. It was something to watch though. He could come off as so cold blooded in one instance, but so loving in the next.

"Is Ash okay daddy? He was barking before."

"He's fine sweetie he's sleeping in the truck. I know he can't wait to see you."

http://hitman.wikia.com/wiki/U'wa_tribe

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mr. Leiter, the teacher was dealing with another student outside of the classroom. While they are in gym class, it isn't my responsibility to watch them." Emily said as she watched the two of them interact with one another.

Mr. Leiter was a man that was extremely protective of his daughter and it was clear that Kayla was over the moon when she was in his presence. She was absolutely stunned when Kayla started to speak in a language that she had never heard before, but there was little about the girl that surprised her any longer. She was too smart for her own good and certainly too smart for the grade school. Emily wondered what would happen as she got older and smarter than the teachers that she would have in other grades

"You won't have to see the boy's father, I promise you that. He will be dealt with and his son will remain suspended at least through the end of the week. If you feel the need to pull Kayla out of school for a while, I would be more than happy to deliver her assignments to your house." Emily offered, knowing just how much the little girl loved her classmates and how well she thrived in the classroom.

"I can assure you that Kayla is very safe here. This was an isolated incident and I would hope that everyone involved would have learned a valuable lesson." Emily said finally, her dark brown eyes taking in the sight of father and daughter sitting so close together, sharing the same features and each looking at her with a clear gaze.

Emily Carter: http://cdn.wall-pix.net/albums/people-models/00027779.jpg

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Danny reached out and caressed the back of Kayla's head lovingly and nodded as Emily concluded her words. He thought to himself the boy's father should worry about encountering me. There were dozens of ways he could kill or disable the man. That would cause problems, and Kayla would never forgive him for having to leave "home." He'd control himself for now, but he wouldn't let any real threat happen.

He cleared his throat and smiled slightly and turned to Kayla and said, "I think we can continue school for awhile. You have good teachers, yes it's not like this has happened before. Sound good honey?"

Kayla nodded eagerly and hugged her daddy. "Thank you daddy I'll behave I promise."

Surprisingly Danny cracked a smile and then looked back at Emily Carter. He paused for a moment and looked at the utterly lovely dark haired woman in front of him. She was different then Diana to be sure, but so pretty. He wanted to express how beautiful he thought she was, but this wasn't the time or place.

"Well we'll talk more when we get home. Come on the animals need to be fed before it get's to late."

With that the father and daughter got up and walked to the door. Kayla stopped and pulled on her father's sleeve and looked up and asked, " daddy remember when you said I could have friends over for dinner."

"Yes we've done that before honey who do you want to invite?"

Kayla just turned around and smiled. "Ms. Carter would you like to have dinner with us this week? Daddy is a really good cook, and I can show you my room and stuff."

A little taken aback Danny looked at his daughter and then over at the teach said to neither one in particular, "well I'm sure she's busy. Besides the farm isn't in town."

"Well is it okay to ask daddy? She doesn't have kids or husband or anything. And she likes dogs too."

Danny stopped himself from laughing at what Kayla said. She was so blunt sometimes, but then again so was he, so he could be to mad. "Alright you can ask her, but I'm sure she's got a lot going on. We can have her over tomorrow night if she's free."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily was happy that Kayla would be staying in school. The little girl was an absolute joy to teach. She'd never had a student that was so responsive to learning as Kayla Leiter. She soaked up knowledge like a thirsty plant and she was thriving well in her new home.

As the meeting ended, she set about organizing her desk to try and get it ready for the weekend ahead. She had no plans except for sleeping late and maybe enjoying a hike in the mountains. It was always nice to get out of the house while the weather in Hawkeye cooperated. She would spend her free time hiking and fishing with her father out on his boat. As much as she had tried to get away from the town, she was drawn back in time and time again.

She was startled as Kayla asked if she wanted to come to dinner. Going to dinner at a student's house was something that she had never done before and she wasn't really sure that it was entirely appropriate. She glanced towards Mr. Leiter and then back at Kayla, giving the little girl a slight smile.

"Kayla, sweetheart, that's a very nice offer, but I'm not so sure about that." Emily said gently, knowing that she very well might be breaking the little girl's heart. "But I tell you what I can do. I can bring you by some books from the library to read. Remember how you said you haven't gotten a library card yet? I can drop them by on my to go hiking tomorrow."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Kayla looked a little disappointed but nodded and said, "that would be nice. I like books. Daddy says the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be continually stoked."

Danny looked down and gently caressed her hair and smiled. "Someone said that long before Daddy honey, but I'm glad you remember it."

He looked at Ms. Carter again and cracked a smile something few besides Kayla saw and then said, "feel free to drop by any time I don't go back to work until Tuesday and we'll be around the house working. You have the farm address in your school file. You're welcome to share a meal with us also."

They parted company with the teacher headed out into the hall and walked towards the entrance. Danny was very observant and took note of everything in the hall and all around. Seems Crayon's weren't around which was a good thing. Otherwise would have been tempted to kill the bastard father of those boys. If did he'd have to take Kayla and make a run for it, and he didn't want to do that. That was the only thing that bothered him about it. Very few men had it in them to kill, and most were bothered by it even if they were justified. Danny just saw it as a means to an end, something he didn't want to pass on to Kayla.

Ash Kayla's favorite dog jumped out of the pickup truck when they walked out in front of the school and ran up to her happily jumping up and licking her. Kayla giggled and several of her friends came over to pet Ash who seemed to like children very much. Danny politely nodded to some of the parents before heading over to the pickup truck with Kayla and Ash following closely.

They headed out of town and when they hit the empty stretch of road where houses were every couple miles Kayla said, " she's nice Daddy you'd like her a lot. She's smart and she likes to read and she lives in town and...."

Danny interrupted her, "and I'm sure she's a very good teacher honey. Are you going somewhere with this?"

"Well my friend Isabella's dad died and her mom met someone nice I though maybe now that we're home you might..."

Danny shook his head and reached over and squeezed her small hand. "Thanks honey I miss your mom, but I'm not lonely. It's okay I have you to take care of."

It wasn't the answer Kayla wanted and for her things were simple. Her dad was wonderful and she found him someone nice. What was the big problem. All her dad did was work and take are of her, and look out for the bad people. He'd talk to him about it again.

Soon they arrived a the farm which was built decades back when the state had tried to jump start farming. It wasn't the best of partnerships's and it left plenty of abandon farms. For Danny it was perfect though. Plenty of empty space around the main house which made it easier to spot people. It's long driveway was off the main road, and there was everything the needed.

http://www.woodhouseloghomes.com/wp-content/uploads/two-story1.jpg

It had a large four bedroom two story main house, a large workshop, and a barn. It was idle rural living and once Danny finished working on the place it was simply perfect. On the second level he and Kayla had their own bathrooms next to their bedrooms, and he'd converted the other bedroom into his library where he kept his desk and computer. The other bedroom was left as a guest room though any of Kayla's friends who came over to spend the night slept in her room. The first floor had three rooms which included the kitchen, dinning room, and large living room.

The workshop was attached to the house, and they kept the trucks in the nearby barn. The grounds looked normal, but Danny had all kinds of security measures in place including cameras. Anyone who entered would see weapons all around, and while this wasn't uncommon for the region there were more then a few hidden from view. Nobody could get to them accept for him though. Some might consider it tough living, but for them it was paradise.

 

[heartofcourage]

The next morning, Emily woke and started to gather the things she would need for her hike. She was going to tackle a harder trail today and she set about putting together a bag with all of the things that she might need. It had enough food and water for at least two days, as well as her first aid kit and other essentials. Then she dressed in her favorite jeans, a plaid long sleeved shirt, and her hiking boots. Her hair she pulled back in a simple tail and she was ready to go.

After a quick bite to eat at the local diner, she stopped by the library and picked out a few books for Kayla. The little girl was quickly moving on to older books, but she still made sure to add in things that were appropriate for her age. This time she was bringing her Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and White Fang. They were some of her favorites when she was that age and she hoped that Kayla enjoyed them as much as she had.

Once she was ready, she started out into the country to find the farmhouse where Kayla and her dad lived. She knew the gossip around town about how he had poured a lot of money into the plot of land, but she wasn't prepared for the new house that she saw when she pulled into the long and winding drive. It was a stunning backdrop with the farm land surrounding it and the mountains off in the background. She had no idea what Danny did for a living, but it was obvious that he made good money.

As soon as she opened the door to the car, she saw Kayla bounding down the front steps of the house to greet her. "Bonjour!" Emily greeted her star pupil, handing her the stack of books that she had picked out for her to read. "I hope you like these. White Fang especially since you live in Alaska now."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Even "safe" in what many would consider the middle of nowhere Danny seldom slept. He only took breaks to nap and never more then for an hour or two. He really didn't need all that much sleep thanks to his genetics and training. For Kayla's sake he made an effort to be like a "normal" father. he did think spending time with her was the best though.

So each morning school or not they woke up early and trained. Some days just workouts, others self defense, and there was always meditation. She'd get ready while he made them both breakfast, and once she was off to school he took care of all the chores or went to work. He made sure she saw friends, worked hard in school, and was happy. He always hoped Diane would be proud of the man he had become.

Still though he had a past he couldn't escape, and old habits that weren't going to go away. After Saturday chores with Kayla she went to her room to clean up and do some reading. He trained on his own in the old barn. Mostly knives and pistols before heading out on a run with a full pack. He stopped at one of his weapon's caches and found that everything was in good order. From his position he had no problem watching the school teacher come down the road. He decided he should head back to meet her to let the woman know Kayla wasn't alone.

Kayla was thrilled to see Ms. Carter heading up the road, but like her father said with any visitor she waited. Once she was sure it was safe she ran out to meet her with three dogs following her. Ash her protector came over and was the first to sniff the truck. The other Huskies Princess and Cody stayed close to Kayla who giggled as they pushed around her.

She looked at the books and smiled. "Thank you we have books, but Daddy says it's always good to keep reading."

Princess sniffed the copy of White Fang which made Kayla giggle and say, "she knows it's about her kind. Daddy read me James and the Giant Peach, but now I can read it. Thank you so much. Do you want any lemonade? I made it fresh."

Cody came up and sniffed Emily and then offered his paw to her to shake. Kayla smiled and said, "men were mean to Cody, but Daddy stopped them and he likes girls more. Well he likes Daddy though."

Danny stored the workout pack back in the barn and stripped his dirty sweat shirt and headed back into the house. He cleaned off his boots like Kayla insisted and tossed the shirt into the hamper and walked to the front of the house in only a sleeveless black shirt, boots, and jeans. Both arms were heavily tattooed, one of the few freedoms he was granted, so he'd fit in better.

"Hello Ms. Carter glad you could join us out there. I see you met my other children. Don't worry they only bite if they feel threatened or you threaten Kayla."

He smiled and walked down to her and offered her his hand. "I might have been a little rude last time. Kayla says you're a good teacher and a nice person. I didn't grow up with many nice people so it's a little hard. Can we offer you anything?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily smiled when Kayla came to her car with three very enthusiastic dogs. It was a beautiful place to be a little girl and she knew that her father took excellent care of her. Once the three books were passed, Emily smiled when Kayla exclaimed her thanks.

"It doesn't matter if you've read it before. You'll always learn new things when you read it again." Emily insisted, laughing as the dogs crowded around, sniffing and yipping at her in greeting. "No thank you, sweetheart. I'm about to be on my way so I can start my hike."

Emily was shaking the paw of the dog that offered it, glancing up when she saw Danny stepping out onto the front porch and greeting her as well. He was a handsome man with a little bit of danger surrounding him. In another world, she might have pursued him but since she was Kayla's teacher she felt hesitant about starting anything.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm alright. I'm about to head off for my hike. I'm going to tackle one of the harder trails today." She said, giving Danny a smile as Kayla let out a disappointed sound. "Sorry, sweetheart. I've had this planned for a really long time. Maybe next time I bring you some books we can have dinner or something."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Danny smiled back at the woman and had to admit he was a little disappointed. He'd been with women since Diana's death, but he'd yet to have what one might call a real relationship. Ms. Carter who his daughter was so fond of seemed like someone he'd like to get to know though. She was smart, pretty, and most importantly she didn't ask to many questions. Still though he couldn't force things and he certainly didn't want to ruin things for his daughter.

He walked over and put a hand on his daughter's shoulder and the dogs came back over. "If that's your plan we understand. Thank you for the books, and I know we'd both like to have you come over for dinner sometime. Tonight we're having stew if you're not to tired after your hike."

Kayla nodded happily and looked over at her teacher again. "It's really good and we make our own bread and the dogs get some too if they're good."

She paused and look back he father and nodded. She smiled and continued, " if you're not tired but you don't have to cook if you don't want too is all."

Danny laughed and excused himself for a moment and walked back into the house letting the pair chat some more. He returned shortly with what appeared like a walkie-talkie in his hand. He smiled and reached out to her with it, but before he could say a word Kayla piped in.

"Oh those are great daddy built ones for us. It's like a GPS and a satellite phone and you can find your way home even the mountains and stuff."

Danny shook his head and smiled. "We want you to be safe and have an excuse to come back. It's a good for tracking where you are and the battery will last over twenty four hours before it needs a charge. Also you can call us on channel four and we'll come find you if you need help. We've got survival packs and you can even take one of the dogs if you like. I've used them when I've been out in the wilderness and they work very well."

He took a long look at her one more time. He wanted her to come back, and he wanted to get to know this woman. He'd pushed the thought of being happy with a woman out of his head and used caring for Kayla as an excuse. Now looking at her passing through for a minute he was opened to the idea again. A major life change in little more then a glance.

"Well you better get going. Feel free to give us a call when you finish."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily could see just how badly Kayla wanted her to stay. If she wasn't mistaken, it looked like Danny wanted her to stay as well. Danny was a handsome man and she knew very little about him. He didn't hang out with anyone from town or else she would have known. It simply seemed to be just his daughter and himself in his life. It seemed like an incredibly lonely life.

She watched as he walked back towards the house, excusing himself as Kayla chattered about everything under the sun. She had a soft spot in her heart for Kayla. She was a bright little girl, a tad bit odd, but definitely one of her favorite people. She smiled as Kayla continued talking until Danny appeared again and handed her a GPS unit. It was also a phone and she was stunned to find out that Danny had been the one to make it. What kind of man was Danny that he could build a phone like this in the middle of nowhere?

"Well, what if you two came with me?" She asked, glancing at Kayla and then focusing on Danny. "I mean, it's not too hard of a trail. Then I could come back here for dinner. It shouldn't take us very long, especially with three of us tackling the trail. I always carry supplies in case it takes longer than I thought."

Kayla looked so hopefully all of the sudden, her eyes bright as she looked up at her father. A small piece of Emily hoped that perhaps Danny would say yes and the two would join her. She didn't have many people that would drop everything to go hiking with her. It was one of her greatest passions since she had moved back to Hawkeye.

 

[JawnKarTurr]

"Please Daddy? Please all the chores are done and we can get back in time to feed the dogs if we give them a snack, and and the bags are already to go like normal."

Danny laughed and smiled at Ms. Carter. "I think we'll be going then. All these trails are so beautiful. A man could get lost in country like this."

That was his plan anyway he thought to himself before saying to Kayla, "get your pack on honey and make sure we have water and put it in the Jeep."

He gestured to the fortified Land rover off-road vehicle over by the barn in a row with other trucks. It looked like something one would use in an action movie. He smiled with a bit of pride, " I was one of the first in North America to get one of those. The guy I got it from owed me a favor and knew I like different kinds of vehicles. It's very comfortable though, so why don't you ride with us?"

http://gentlemansgarage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Land-Rover-Defender-Icarus-by-Alu-Cab-1.jpg

Kayla soon came out with her pack and Danny left the pair to chat before going inside and getting ready. It didn't take him long to get dressed, after all everything was organized into plastic crates and labelled. There was one difference though. He actually paused and took a moment in the mirror debating what flannel shirt to wear. Not for practical reasons, but he wondered which one the school teacher would like. This would be an interesting day.

He walked out and brought the truck around to the front of the house. Kayla had already given the dogs their treats and turned on the security system. Unlike normal though after placing the packs in the back of the truck Kayla got in the back seat and just smiled at him. She wanted her teacher up front. What a little sneak. He laughed to himself and looked at her as she sat down next to him.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily smiled as Danny agreed that they would go with her on her hike. Kayla was over the moon as she ran to get everything ready to go. Glancing towards the car that Danny pointed towards, Emily wondered what he needed a car like that for in the first place. It was like a mobile tank, but as he explained that it was a favor from a friend of his, she just chalked it up to him being a little eccentric.

"I'll get my things put in your car then." Emily said with a smile as she moved towards her vehicle and pulled out her pack and water.

Soon enough, she had it packed away next to Kayla's things and they were all in the rover. The smile on Kayla's face told her just how happy the little girl was. She had never seen her smile so wide about anything in school, but it was also clear just how much she loved her father. Danny was a nice guy who loved his daughter, but surely he wasn't looking for anything more in life. He seemed to treasure his solitude.

Then again, she was sitting in the front seat of his car as he drove them towards the trail head. "Do you guys go on many hikes? There are lots of trails out in this area. I think I've been on all of them once or twice."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Kayla nodded from the backseat and leaned forward and said, "yes we do the woods a lot. Daddy says so many people don't get to be in such an amazing place it would be wrong not to enjoy it. Sometimes he runs it as a workout, but we go lot's together. Sometimes the doggies come too."

She hugged her father around the neck and sat back down. She wasn't done talking though and for the rest of the ride talked about their like in Alaska. It seemed she went to bed early every day and woke up early and did martial arts with her father and he made breakfast while she got ready for school. They did a lot of things together including pray, chores, and share meals. Kayla saw her friends, but she was a daddy's girl.

Danny kept smiling something he didn't normally do. Kayla really seemed happy about the life they were living. He'd always felt bad about leaving her with others when he had to work. Sure he needed the money, and while the killing didn't bother him it was missing time with here that was painful. Here he was doing everything he could to makeup for the past. Every day though he dreaded it would follow them to their piece of wilderness paradise.


Then there was a matter of this woman Emily Carter. Kayla really seemed to be pushing for him to get to know this woman. He knew she wanted him to be happy, and in her mind Diana would want him to be happy. His worry was bringing her into his world even if they seemed safe for the moment. There would be questions about the scares, the tattoos, and the weapons. For Kayla it was all normal, but this meant bring in an outsider. For his sake and her's he'd give it a try.

They drove up to the gravel parking lot at the start of the trail and parked the vehicle which got noticed by a few people. A few tourists wondered over asking about it and Kayla looked at her father. She'd made it clear being nice was better then being silent all the time, so he explained about the vehicle and how hard they were to find. With that they headed down the trail.

It was a pretty day and while he probably could have run down the trail with his pack and all he kept pace with Emily and smiled over at her a few times as Kayla ran around noting trees and animals. He and Kayla were used to hiking with packs and were very fit, but it didn't seem Emily was up to it. She was in shape, but Danny realized how fast he was moving.

He stopped and dropped his pack on a small hill and looked out at the beautiful view. He smiled at Emily and called out to Kayla and said, "hey pumpkin we're going to stop here for a minute. This is supposed to be fun and where we take our time."

"Yes Daddy, " Kayla said as she took off her pack and sat down on a rock nearby and took out her snack.

"Ms. Carter is my favorite teacher since Sister Catherine in Italy. She was French Canadian and had three degrees and played the guitar. She was a great teacher and she rescued animals. Oh and she ran a kitchen for the poor."

Danny smiled remembering the first place they'd ended up with he left his handlers. Well they didn't know where he was, but he kept working for them. In the meantime he lived at the church and did work and thankfully the sisters took care of little Kayla. She had probably the best religious educations ever. Pray, study, and play every day along with visits to see the local children. She helped feed the poor, and took care of animals in need.

"She said God still loves Daddy even though he's different."

Danny interrupted, "Kayla that's enough honey she doesn't need to hear about everything we did. Lot's of people live overseas for awhile."

He turned and explained by saying, "I wasn't born Catholic but they were very good people to us before heading to the United States. I just did the best I could after Diana died. We moved a lot, but I like it here and hope to stay awhile. Why did you decide to stay here? I know it's pretty, but I'm curious."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily was impressed with how quick Danny and Kayla could move on the trail. She was a seasoned hiker, but the both of them practically left her in the dust. Danny had noticed her struggling and told Kayla that they should slow down to accommodate her. Emily smiled softly at that suggestion, a little embarrassed but knowing that he was simply trying to be nice to her.

As they came to one of the stunning views on the trail, Emily took off her pack and took a seat in the grass to enjoy the view. She smiled Kayla told her about her past a little bit, trying to make her father seem like a really nice man. Emily had been alone for so long that she thought she was better off that way. Looking for someone to love was not in the cards for her at the moment, but she did love the little girl and her father was a very nice man.

"I grew up here." Emily explained as Danny asked her about how she had come to this part of Alaska. "I thought when I was little that all I wanted to do was to get away, so I went to France for a while and off to college. However, it seems that things pulled me back in when I least expected it."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Danny nodded and tossed Kayla a bag of homemade trail mix and took out another and put it on the rock next to Emily as he listened. Kayla bounced about before finally finding a rock where she could sit and look out into to the distance. It could have been a family outing if he didn't know better, but it was a nice feeling.

"Well it's good that you have a place to come home to even if it isn't perfect, but what really is. I bounced around for years and I've always been grateful that Kayla and her mother came into my life. After all the insecurity I wanted to give her a home and a place to live and well...."

He paused and drifted off. What was he going to tell this woman? That he lived in burned out rat holes waiting for the opportunity to kill criminals. Once he'd laid in the desert for 13 hours to get a shot a terrorist sheikh. He was wanted by a dozen police agencies, but they had no idea who he was though. Like so many times before though he would make the best of things with the people who mattered.

He smiled and turned to Emily. "I never thought I'd fall in love, but then there was Diana. I never thought I'd be a parent then there was Kayla and I found out about unconditional love. I've been around a lot of bad people in my life, and you're a good one. Perhaps you'd be open to getting to know me as more then Kayla's dad. Think about it. We're not going anywhere."

They continued the hike for the rest of the day and saw some beautiful views before heading back down the trail. They drove back to the farm and soon Kayla was out playing with the dogs again as Danny stood with Emily on the driveway. He made sure that Kayla was out of earshot he turned to look at Emily.

"I'd like to see you again without my daughter though. I hope you'd like to do that."

If Kayla didn't know something was up though she did now. She saw her father do something he rarely did. He smiled at Ms. Carter and she knew that meant a lot. She smiled and went back to playing with her dogs. She wondered though and liked the thought of Ms. Carter as her stepmom, but she couldn't get her hopes up. Her father said this would be the last move, and she hoped he was telling the truth this time.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily listened as Danny told her about meeting his girlfriend and having Kayla. It seemed that he had been in a rough spot in his life and the two had saved him from a horrible experience. She didn't press at all as she picked up the bag of trail mix and ate a handful, stunned when he told her that he wanted to get to know her a little bit better. She coughed slightly, looking at Danny as he told her to think about the idea.

She had never had a guy like Danny hit on her before. Sure there had been lovers and boyfriends, but Danny seemed like a nice and sincere kind of guy. He had a little girl. He had an interesting past and seemed to like being alone. Even the loneliest of people needed someone in their lives, she thought to herself as she nodded and didn't say anything as they packed up and started their hike again.

They saw some beautiful scenery, enjoyed each other and the company that they all provided, and soon enough they were heading back to the farm. Kayla was instantly out of the car, playing with her beloved dogs as Danny helped her get things back into her car. She paused again when he asked if he could see her again without Kayla around.

"Well...we could go and get dinner some time." Emily suggested, giving him a shy smile in return as she turned to look at him one more time. "There's a good seafood place about ten miles from here."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Glancing back to see what Kayla was up to he saw she was happily rolling around with one of the dogs before pausing to rub his belly. He laughed and looked back at Emily and nodded. "That sounds good. Why don't we meet there and we can talk over some food. We can do some home cooking another time. Kayla has girl scouts that night and Mrs. Walker, you know Pamela's mom is hosting that night. She said she'd take Kayla to school the next day just to make things easier since they're a little out of my way. I hope they have fun and get some sleep."

He gave her the number of the cell he was using and wished her well. Kayla came running over for one more hug and promised to ready all the books and have them back soon. Then they waved as they watched her drive down the road.

After that the rest of the evening was filled with familiar routines. He secured all their gear and soon had dinner going in the, and Kayla fed the dogs and cleaned up. She came downstairs in fresh clothes and walked up to her father who was warming up the dinner on the stove and hugged him around the waist and smiled.

"Daddy what's for dinner?"

He smiled and shook his head and replied, "Beouf Bourginon with small onions and mushrooms we made the other week and froze. We also have apple pie for after. What was the hug for?"

"Can't I just hug you?"

"Yes you can, but I think you had a reason," reached down and tickled her and picked her up.

"Hey no fair! It was a nice day and I'm glad you like Ms. Carter."


He placed her down at the kitchen table and nodded. "She seems nice honey. I like good people and I think she's one of them. "

She seemed like a good woman and certainly couldn't be related to anything from his past. That was the easy part though. He had to get to know this woman and he wondered if he'd ever have to tell her his secrets. He had to try to make it work though. Not just for Kayla, but for himself. Love didn't' need to be a once in a lifetime thing.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily laughed as Kayla came to give her one last hug, telling her that she would get to reading. She knew very well that Kayla would have them finished in a few days. That was why she was one of Emily's favorite students. She worked hard and tried her best, never settling for a moment in the belief that she was done in her studies.

Emily waved goodbye to Danny and Kayla, giving Danny a small smile as she got her gear back into her car and pulled out of the drive. She couldn't really believe that she was going on a date with Kayla's father. Part of her wanted to think that they had something between them. The other part of her was concerned about getting involved with a student's father. Danny had talked like he hadn't been in a relationship for a very long time. Maybe he was just lonely and looking for someone who was equally as lonely. It was worth it to go out with him on one date, though. She never knew what awaited her out there unless she tried.

 

[JawnKarTurr]

In the local social calendar everyone int town knew Girl scouts met on Wednesday night, and for parents it was just one of the many things that filled up the week. Kayla seemed even more excited then Danny did about the whole prospect of the date, but she knew her father. While most people would have said his routine and attitude hasn't changed since that Saturday she knew better.


There was discrete form of happiness she normally didn't see with here dad. The way he treated people at the hardware store, how he played with the dogs, and how he waited when he came to pick her up at the school to wave are her favorite teacher. Ms. Carter was always happy person and always kind to her in fact she had another bag of books waiting when she brought the other ones back. She also came out to pet Ash when she was done with school.

All week Danny was cordial with Ms. Carter and avoided calling her Emily, but he did walk by her on Wednesday to say he'd see her at 6pm. He smiled and with that walked with Kayla over to Mrs. Walker who was waiting by her truck. He spoke offered money for refreshments and after some insistence she took it before kneeling down and kissing and hugging Kayla goodbye. The Walkers were closer friends then most and were perfectly happy to take Ash along as well who hopped in the back of the truck.

Even after all this Danny looked at Emily and smiled. For a man who kept a lid on his emotions he was having a hard time keeping it a secret that he liked this lady. Perhaps he'd tell her that when he saw her later at Rob’s Seafood Grill he'd tell her so. He just couldn't tell her everything all at once.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emily had seen Danny as he picked Kayla up from school each day. The little girl was excited about the prospect that her father was looking for a relationship in someway. Kayla hadn't asked her about the date, specifically and she knew that she couldn't really talk to the little girl about it. It was something too personal to talk about someone so young.

That Wednesday as Danny picked Kayla up to drop her off with her girl scout troop, Emily actually blushed as he looked her way. There was something about Danny that she found incredibly attractive. He was a handsome man, one who was strong and silent. The way that he looked at her told her that he saw something more than just a brief fling. He was a man looking for a future.

After school, she went home and showered. Her hair was styled loose around her shoulders, her makeup perfect, and her favorite black dress pulled on. It was a little overdressed for the restaurant, but she wanted to make a good impression on her first date. She added a pair of red heels to her ensemble and a sensible silver necklace around her throat. She debated multiple times whether she needed to add earrings or a bracelet, but she decided against it. She wanted to be casual but sexy.

She drove towards the seafood restaurant and arrived early. Sitting in her car for a long moment, she gathered her thoughts before she exited the car and entered the building.

 

[JawnKarTurr]

As usual Danny prepared for his date like he'd done everything else. He knew every way in and out of the place, and how to get there the fastest. He'd done a search on Emily Carter and found what she'd told him to be consistent with any records. From her school page it was clear she loved all her students and had a variety of pictures. There were several of Kayla which made him smile.

His daughter insisting on giving her input even if she was a pest all morning. He couldn't just dress like he normally did, and his choice of weapon wasn't the post important thing. He had to bring her flowers, he needed to clean up the truck even if she wouldn't be riding it it, and when he got a call about possible work Kayla just shook her head no until he hung up the phone. By the time he handed her off for girl scouts it was was pretty clear she wanted him to make the best presentation possible.

He was armed like always, but this time he'd put real effort into getting dressed. A light sweater, khakis, and new boots seemed to fit the bill. He'd worn all kinds of looks, but this seemed like the best for casual dinning. He took care of the animals and setup the security system and headed out to dinner.

As he drove up to the seafood place he wasn't worried. It wasn't in his nature, but like so many tense situations before he felt the gravity of it all. He wanted to get to know this woman and not scare her or put her off in anyway. When he saw her sitting alone he decided to walk over and escort her into the restaurant. They should go in together.

He walked up and gave a wave to her and reached out with the flowers. "Hi glad you could make it. Kayla says hi. I hope you like these. Just something for sharing a nice day with us, and well I'm glad you wanted to see me again. Why don't we go in and talk over dinner."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Danny, you didn't have to bring me flowers." Emily said as he handed her the bouquet and told her that Kayla said hello. "But thank you. They're lovely."

Emily enjoyed simple things in life. She wasn't the kind of girl to go weak at the knees for flashy jewelry or fast cars. It meant a lot to her that he had brought her flowers on their first date. She gave him a smile as he escorted them inside and soon they were seated at a table for two with their menus in place. She looked over the selection, already knowing by heart what all was offered there. It was all good and she had her eye on the crab cakes that were already making her mouth water.

"I'm a little surprised that Kayla didn't convince you to let her come along too. She can be very persuasive when she wants to be." Emily said with a fond smile on her lips. "I love that little girl very much. It's nice to have a student that loves learning the way that she does."

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Danny sat down and with menu in hand smiled and looked across. "Well not for lack of trying on her part. That's why I picked her girl scout night. She likes it here though, so I think I'll be bring back come garlic shrimp for her to enjoy tomorrow. We cook a lot, but I think it's nice to go out. Especially with such lovely company. The fact that you care for my daughter so much makes it even easier to like you."

A waitress with long curly dark hair walked up to the table to take the couple's order, but after giving the standard welcome she smiled at Danny. The two began talking in Portuguese for a a few minutes before he realized Emily had no idea who this was. He paused and turned back to Emily and said, "this is Diana she was one of the first people we met when we moved to the area she babysat for Kayla."

Diana smiled and actually hugged Emily. "Oh finally this good man has a girlfriend. When my husband and I were out of work he gave us all kinds of jobs to do. He could have done it all by himself, but he gave us money and food. And little Kayla she was so wonderful. She spoke Portuguese and loved cooking with me. She even helped me with my English. When Jessie get's back from the fishing fleet we have to have you over for dinner."

After they were caught up Diana took their drink orders and gave them a minute to figure out what they wanted to eat. As she walked off Danny explained. "They were good people having a bad time. I know what it's like trying to figure out what to do next, and well I needed a babysitter and a helper for the work I was doing. She was a big help with Diana and taught me how to do her hair."

As he spoke though Danny was taking in the room. It was a habit that he couldn't shut off. He scanned for potentially a problems, and possible allies. What he saw tonight though was a guy pushing and yelling at a woman. Could have been his wife or girlfriend, but she clearly didn't want to go with him. They were well dressed, but it seems the evening had taken a bad turn. He finally just reached out and slapped her across the face before dragging her by the arm towards the door.

"Excuse me for a minute," was all Danny said as he stood up and put his napkin down on the table. He rocketed across the room and slammed the man into the bar hard. Hurt but enraged the man tried to throw a blow at Danny, but he didn't get far. Danny blocked it and hit the man hard again and with rage in his eyes he grabbed the man by the throat and actually lifted him off the floor.

Staff and customers had been watching though and several stepped into help, but the owner Robert was the one who tried to talk to Danny, "come on Danny he's not worth it the police are on the way and I'm sure she has someone to stay with."

Danny didn't let go but looked back at the woman who looked terrified, but nodded. With that he slowly let the man down but stared into his eyes. "How dare you treat a the woman you love like that. You're throwing away something wonderful!"

With that Danny dragged the man in much the same fashion as the man dragged the woman and tossed him out the front door. The police were just pulling up when Danny was walking back inside. Many patted him on the back and the owner promised to handle things. Danny sat down and looked at Emily and just nodded. "Sorry about that where were we?"