Danny opened his eyes to the early morning light that filtered it's way through the sheer fabric that hung over the sliding glass door in the living room. It took a second for his eyes to adjust and his memory to register to his surroundings. There was Melanie nestled deep along side him still sound asleep. It all came rushing back. The date from hell that ended up to be rather promising. The fact that Melanie had finally confided in him was a sure sign of things to come. He only wished that he had been able to do the same. The opportunity to open up never presented itself or if it had Danny conveniently overlooked it.

How was he to explain something to this angelic creature that more times then not he himself didn't understand? Unfortunately Danny knew that thought was a complete lie. He understood his life very well and what that life was forcing him to become. That's why he had been looking for an escape for awhile now. Any way to be able to look in the mirror again without cringing at the reflection that looked back.

When he had told his uncle that he had never ordered a hit that hadn't been the complete truth. He may not have given the order but he had been part of one, once. He cringed at the memory that invaded his thoughts.

The time after his father's death was such a blur. Even to this day many things that had taken place in the ensuing months were still a bit hazy. It wasn't until then that Danny learned exactly what his father was and what happened when the men came to gather at his house.

"Your mother would like you to join her in the study," Dietz said upon entering the kitchen where Danny sat quietly starring off into the distance as he had been doing for months now.

"What?"

"Mrs. Santos expects you in her study."

"What for?" Danny asked.

"Business," was all Dietz said.

"What is he doing here?" Mick spouted as he saw Danny entering the room, "Papa would be alive today if it wasn't for him!"

"Mick, that's enough! Come Daniel sit," she guided him to a chair at the head of the table to her right.

Danny couldn't get Mick's words out of mind. What could have meant that it was his fault that his father was killed. That didn't make sense.

Danny watched as the men he knew only as his father's associates filed into the room taking their respective seats. Some had been there on the day that Miguel had died.

"Thank you for coming gentleman," Carmen arose.

"What's this all about Carmen?" Tony Sanchez asked edge to his voice. The men at the table weren't used to taking orders from a woman.

"I am aware of the fact that you feel that I am not the rightful heir to my late husband's place at this table. I also am well aware that the individual that you would like to be sitting here has refused."

The men eyed one another knowing that Albert Santos was the rightful man to take the head of the table. They also knew it was a long shot in their asking him to do so. It was out of their great respect and loyalty to Miguel that they had not forced the issue and left Albert to have the new life that he had asked for upon his son's death.

"Your point.....Carmen?" Manuel Santiago questioned.

"I'm sure that all of you sitting here know what Miguel wanted and intended to happen with this family."

"So......what if we do? It's a completely different now. There is no way for what Miguel wanted to happen. Daniel......"

"DANNY?!?!?!?!?!" Mick's angry voice boomed throughout the room.

The men in the room went about talking as if Mick hadn't even spoken which only served to feed his rage. "Daniel is by no means ready for what is expected of him. Miguel barely had the time to bring him into the business and there is still such a thing about him making his bones." Manuel looked at the child before him. He could see the greatness that Miguel saw but at the tender age of fourteen he couldn't see his way clear to agreeing to this.

"I understand that," Carmen agreed.

"THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT!?!?!" Mick's voice rang out again, "You mean to tell me that Danny is the chosen one? That after what he has cost this family he still gets to sit at the head of the table?!?!?!" Mick questioned flabbergasted at the thought.

"Mick!" Carmen said in a controlled violent whisper, "If you can not contain yourself I will have Dietz escort you out!" She wasn't about to let her eldest son, the hot head that he was, jeopardize the intended goal.

"DON'T BOTHER.....I'M OUTTA HERE!!!!" Mick threw his chair to the ground in frustration as he stormed from the room.

"Where were we?" Carmen asked as if the outburst with Mick hadn't even happened.

"You were about to agree that Daniel isn't ready to take the reins," Tony replied.

"Take the reins???" Danny thought to himself, "Making his bones???? What was going on here? These were things that Danny had never talked with his father about."

"Yes and no," Carmen returned, "I have a solution to this problem."

"And what might that be?"

"I will sit in Miguel's place until such time that Daniel is ready to assume his rightful place."

"Excuse me? I don't think I heard you?" Manuel said bringing his hand to his ear.

"I will head the Santos family with Daniel by my side until such time that he is ready to take over."

"Now it's my turn to ask........Is this some kind of joke Carmen?!?!?!"

"Not hardly!" she countered.

"This is by no way acceptable," Manuel stressed.

"And my son losing what's rightfully his is?"

"We would not let that happen," Bernardo said finally speaking. He and Miguel had been friends and associates for longer then he could remember. He had been there when Miguel was shot. The image of Danny holding on to his father would be one that he carried with him always. "Daniel will have a place in this organization. That was never in question."

"Yes, but not the one that truly belongs to him. The place at the head of this table. The place where his word is law."

"Carmen, he's fourteen years old for god sakes!" Manuel stressed.

"Carmen, you have my word that Daniel will have all that Miguel wanted for him. I will see to that personally," Bernardo said.

"What I am to trust my family's existence to you?" Carmen gestured towards the men that surrounded her, "While I know in my heart that one of you at this table is responsible for the death of my husband?!?! "

"You were given a courtesy today Carmen. Let's remember that shall we?" Bernardo stressed as he watched the others at the table ire grow at her accusation.

"As well as I am asking for another. I want Miguel's place at this table until such time as Daniel is able to move into it."

Danny eased himself off the sofa as not to wake Melanie. The memories of what had happened after that were hard ones to swallow. Carmen had gotten her place at the table and Danny sat there along side of her as nothing more then a figure head until the day he turned seventeen and had been forced "to make his bones". Bernardo had been the one to set up the hit. It was something more for his family then the Santos but he felt that it was the right time to bring Danny completely into the fold enabling The Commission to be finally rid of Carmen.

An associate of Bernardo's had come to him for help. His daughter had been raped and rather then bring shame on her and the family he asked for the young man to be disposed of quickly and quietly. Bernado had no reason not to comply. The associate standing before him was a good man and had brought much business for the families as a whole. And it was a simple job one that Daniel could handle. The elaborate plan was set in motion.

In the seven years since Danny had taken that man's life, he could still feel the cold steel of the gun in his hand. Even though the gun had been silenced, Danny thought he could hear the shots he fired ringing in his ears.

Danny moved away from Melanie. The things in his past making him feel dirty again. He headed again for the kitchen to put on another pot of coffee. He needed something to occupy his thoughts, something to rid him of the images of the young man not much older then himself at the time laying dead in the darkness. The room was bathed in the warmth of the Texas morning sun. It's light drew him to the window. It was his attempt at using the burning rays to cleanse himself of all he felt was contemptible about him.

What right did he have to waltz into Melanie's world and turn it upside down? From the sounds of what he heard last night, she had had more then her fair share of rough goes in life. And he had far too much baggage of his own to work through.

Danny walked back to the doorway that adjoined the kitchen with the living room. She looked so peaceful lying there. Images of the past night flew through his head as his hands rubbed against her soft skin as he pulled the cotton throw over her to cover her in his absence. His breaths caught in his throat as he thought about her half naked body before him, how she gasped when his tongue teased at the peaks of her breasts. It had been magic in the making. Danny could only dream what heights they would experience together. If what they had begun to share the night before was any indication of the titillation that they would partake together......Danny stopped himself from going any further. It didn't really matter that he had dreams of grandeur. He was what his was. His outburst last night at The Yellow Rose of Texas proved to him in spades that Danny Santos, the Mafia Prince, would live deep within him no matter what he did or what name he hid behind.

What kind of life was that for Melanie? From where he sat it wasn't. But he couldn't bring himself to imagine himself without her. How strange that in the matter of one unconsummated evening together that Danny felt the need to never let her go. As the war waged on in his head, Danny picked up his mug from the table and went for some coffee.

He took his place again at the window watching as the heat of the sun's light began burning off the morning dew that hung in the air. If life were only that simple. If he could have just been born a normal child to a normal family.

"Good morning," he heard a soft voice whisper in his ear as a pair of arms encircled his waist.

Danny was instantly aroused by the touch of her body to his. The battle of his conscious would have to wait, "Good morning to you too," he pivoted in her arms placing a sweet kiss on her lips, "I made some coffee if you want some," he said gesturing to the counter.

"I think maybe after another one of these," she stood on her tip toes and gently kissed him again. Easily Danny lifted her from her feet deepening the kiss. He wasn't able to stop himself. When he was in her presence it was like the world stopped spinning. That in those times he could forget about everything but them. He wanted to enjoy the euphoria while it lasted.

The shrill ringing of the phone broke their embrace, "Ahhh," she groaned, "Excuse me while I pull the plug on that thing," she laughed heading for the phone that hung on the wall, "Hello," she sang expecting it to be Sarah wanting an early morning update on her date.

"You sound pretty chipper this morning," Jeremy Lucas's voice escaped through the wire, "Just calling to check on you."

"I thought we decided that wouldn't be necessary anymore," Michelle said turning her back to Danny who was still admiring the morning view from her window.

"I just thought......."

"Thought what?"

"It is my job you know to ensure your safety," he spouted.

"I'm fine really. I thought I made myself clear that I would call you if I needed you," she whispered hoping not to draw attention to her conversation.

"I'll be the judge of when you don't need me anymore," he countered imagining his features were now green filled with envy of the man who had been her date night before.

"Fine whatever, I have to go. I have to get ready for work. I am allowed to go to work right?" she quipped. Michelle had long since tired of him. She absently wondered if it would have been better if Ben had been right when he told her she would be left to her own devices.

"I'll be in touch."

"I'm sure you will!" she say placing the phone in it's cradle.

"Something the matter?" Danny asked sensing that she was now on edge.

"Nothing that you can do anything about," she said before thinking.

"What?" he pulled back trying to read her expression.

"Nothing unless you can't get Sarah ready for her big date with Matt," Michelle smile as she moved away from him. Lying had never been her strong suit and she was more then certain that Danny could already read her like a book.

"Big date huh?" he laughed. "I didn't think Sarah needed help in that department."

"We all have our trade secrets and apparently she is in need of mine."

"You two are pretty close huh?"

"Close enough." Michelle wasn't really sure how to answer that. Yes, they were close but how could she explain their meeting. Sure she had all the information on her new life but it seemed so unreal when she said it to him. Something about Danny Sampson made her want to tell him everything about her. Who she really was. Why she was really there. Every minute detail of her life. The mere thought of that was frightening. She didn't want there to be any secrets, nothing to stand in the way of whatever was growing between them, "I think I better get ready for work," she said steering the conversation away from things she wasn't quite sure just how to address yet.

"Yeah, look at the time. I should be heading out too. I have some orders that really need to be taken care of," Danny replied.

"Isn't that what Carl's for?" she asked.

"Let's just say I'm a hands on kinda guy," Danny stated without divulging his distaste for her friend's father.

"That's a good way to be. That way nothing gets by you."

"You really do have a good head for the club scene. You know we never really did get to talk shop at all. I still would like to hear your ideas."

"I don't know. I don't think I handled myself all that well last night," Michelle said knowing that she had lost her cool a bit too quickly.

"Forget about last night," Danny said as he tucked his shirt into his jeans, "That's been forgotten and so has Alexa if you know what I mean," he winked.

"Danny wait," she said pulling him back to look at her, "I don't want you not to hire the band. They were awesome. I just......."

"You just what?" Danny questioned.

"I couldn't stand to see her hanging all over you." She held her breath waiting for what he would say in return.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he said sheepishly.

"What?"

"The other night....the one when you had too much to drink."

"Oh god, don't remind me," she groaned.

Danny couldn't help but laugh at the expression of horror on her face, "I had a little touch of the green eyed monster myself. I didn't like the idea of you cozying up to that goon at the bar."

"Oh really?"

"Yep, so I would say that we are even in the jealousy department." Danny didn't know why he had confessed his feelings to her, but it had been easy, as easy as breathing.

"Seems that way." Michelle wondered if her face now showed her delight in knowing a bit more into how Danny truly felt about her. She didn't want to believe that she could be happy again but maybe there was hope for her yet.

"Can I call you later?" he asked as they walked to the door.

"I'd like that."

"Well then I'll talk to you later." Danny leaned in a softly kissed her good-bye.

"Bye," she returned breathless as she watched him climb into his car and zoom off.

Michelle leaned against the door and couldn't help but sigh. This all seemed like too good to be true. Nothing had been this easy in her life, ever! From the time that Maureen had died, her life had been nothing but up hill battle after up hill battle. Culminating in what had led her to Texas.

Mick's death found it's way to the forefront of her mind. The vivid pictures of events sprung forth again. She had been in Texas for months now but there was still no escaping the past. She changed her name, started a new life, actually was beginning to find happiness again and there was the memory of that horrible night coming to smack her in the face again.

As much as she wanted to tell Danny everything, how could she? What words would she be able to find to explain away that she had murdered a vibrant young man. Yes she could say self defense. Yes she could say he was attacking her, that he had no regard for her life at all but none of that erased the fact that she had taken another human beings life. That was something that she would have to live with for the rest of her life no matter if she was Michelle Bauer or Melanie Branson. That was a cross hers and hers alone to bare.

Michelle walked over to the sofa and picked up the throw. Danny's scent lingered there. She brought it to her nostrils and was immediately transported back in time. She could see the events of last night playing out in her head. Things between them had fallen so easily into place without much thought on either of their parts. In closing her eyes, Michelle could again feel the hardness of Danny's chest against her fingers. The way his body's reaction to her soft touch came forth in a way he couldn't deny. The thoughts of it again had her growing hot with desire. The way that she had responded to him then and the way she was now was so foreign to her. She couldn't help but think about Jesse again. Putting Jesse and Danny in the same thought seemed a bit bizarre. Jesse had fallen in love with someone else but she hadn't expected to be doing the same.

"Falling in love?!?!?!" she said to the empty room. The thought was dizzying. Was that what was really going on here? How could she be falling in love with someone when she could never really be honest with them?

There was no way for her to bring together the fact that she still felt utterly tied to her old life. That she felt the need to cleanse herself of the demons that had brought her here in the first place. By all rights she was free. There was no explanations necessary but she couldn't see her way clear to believing that. Melanie Branson had nothing to hide from except for the fact that she would forever be Michelle Bauer and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about that.

The sound of the doorbell forced her back to the here and now, "Did you forget something?" she asked before seeing the person standing at the door.

"Forget something....huh?" Sarah laughed all knowing as she walked inside, "And just who might I ask did you think you were talking to cause it certainly wasn't me."

"Never mind," Michelle said closing the door and joining her friend on the sofa.

"No....no never mind.....so I guess I can take it from you question at the door it obviously went well last night?"

"Yeah if you call strained silences and almost enticing a fight well," Michelle wasn't about to let how well things actually turned out just yet. She was enjoying stringing her friend along far too much.

"You're kidding? Please tell me you are kidding. I know you were nervous but it looked to be going pretty good from where I was sitting in the club."

"You want some coffee?" Michelle asked ignoring Sarah's questions.

"Forget the coffee! I want to know what happened with you guys last night. Don't leave me hanging....I don't think I can take much more," Sarah said padding after her friend into the kitchen.

"Nothing really worth talking about actually."

"Yeah, like I believe that," Sarah quipped as she picked up the coffee mug that Danny had left sitting on the table, "Unless you have stared drinking for two," she countered with a grin, "He spent the night here didn't he?"

"Yes, but not in the way that you think," Michelle said trying to put a stop to Sarah's already racing mind.

"What other away is there to think about it?" Sarah joked.

"Mind out of the gutter please."

"Okay...okay," she relented, "Please go on. Tell me what happened.

Michelle set off to tell the tale of how things started off bad at the door and smoothed out in the middle yet ended up with a bang.

"Jealous huh? Well I can't really blame you. I wouldn't want to be watching some girl hanging all over my man. Business or no business."

"Danny's not my man!" Michelle countered still reserving judgment. One date did not a relationship make. She had learned that from experience.

"Oh please tell me another one. Danny Sampson has it so bad for you that even a blind man can see it," Sarah chuckled.

"STOP!!!" Michelle slapped at her friend's arm.

"So you are trying to tell me that you can't see what's right in front of you?"

"I see it....I see it. I'm just not putting any stock in it just quite yet."

"Why?!?!?!" Sarah was completely confused.

"I've been down this road before. Love isn't always what it seems to be."

"See you even you think it's love," Sarah countered using Michelle's own words against her.

"Sarah come on it was just one date."

"One date that turned into a over nighter."

"Nothing happened!"

"Nothing????"

"Well maybe something," Michelle finally gave in to Sarah's chiding.

"See...I knew it. I knew it!" Sarah said overjoyed by the fact that she hadn't totally lost her mind, "So are you going to tell me or what?"

"There's really not much to tell. We fooled around a little then I got cold feet." That was about as detailed as Michelle was going to get. She didn't think it was right to divulge the intimacies of the previous night. It just didn't feel right to her. Then again she had never really had a true girlfriend up until now. Her only real friend had been Bill Lewis and when it came to her and guys that was the last subject he wanted to chat about. So Michelle was treading on some pretty new territory when it came to the ins and outs of friendship with another girl.

"Cold feet?" Sarah echoed.

"Yeah. I just felt weird all of the sudden. It was like this alarm was sounding in my head. I couldn't keep going."

"Why?" Sarah pushed.

"Too much baggage I guess."

"Baggage?"

Michelle had to admit that she was getting ticked at Sarah's persistence. There was too much running wild in her head right at the moment. She was afraid that given her current state of mind that she could slip up at any time.

"I had a boyfriend back home that was less then faithful. I'm just scared of making the same mistakes this go round." Michelle kept it as simple as she could.

"I get it now. Being burned really sucks. I've been there a few times myself. But you can't let that sour you to a really great guy. From where I was sitting last night Danny Sampson is quite smitten with you," Sarah said recalling her mother say that time and time again to her as she was growing.

"You really think?" Michelle asked interested in the outside observation.

"Most definitely! Watching you was like watching to pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly. I can't explain what it was but whatever it is going on between you two it's electric." Sarah fell back onto the sofa wishing that she had something like that she just described in her life.

Michelle wasn't about to argue with that. She had first hand experience at just how electric it was.

"You think maybe you and Danny would want to double with me and Matt?" she asked, "Maybe some of your electricity will rub off on us."

"What? I thought things were good with you two." Michelle questioned.

"They are. I mean as good as they are supposed to be. It's just after watching you and Danny I wonder if I will ever have anything like that."

"Get out of here! I really think you are seeing things that aren't there. We have only been on one date. Or have you forgotten that?"

"Well if one date caused that much electricity I would have to say look out to the city of Galveston when date number two rolls around. We are likely to have a black out," Sarah playfully tossed a pillow in the direction of her friend. She didn't want to talk about her lack of chemistry with Matt. He was sexy but for her that spark just wasn't there.

"Who says there is going to be a date number two?" Michelle countered.

"Oh you know it and I know it. There will be a date number two."

"Can't be all that sure."

"So what are you saying that you are ready to lose another twenty bucks to your dear old friend?"

"I don't think so."

"See that's cause you know I'm right."

"Get out of here," Michelle said motioning towards the door, "I'm already late for work as it is."

"Fine.....fine I'm going but mark my words you have not seen the last of Danny Sampson!"

"I hope not," Michelle replied as she shut the door.

Albert set his cup of coffee on the table as the sun made it's way into the morning sky. He had spent the greater portion of the past night watching his wife sleeping. Trying to come up with a way for this arrangement to work out for all of them.

He wasn't about to send his nephew packing but if he didn't do that, was he ready for the alternative, sending his wife.

At the moment that Jenny had spilled the names Carmen Santos and Danny Santos in the club, he had wanted to take her by the throat and close off the breath that was forming the words. It was an instinct that rushed back without him realizing that it still lived deep within him.

He had been taught many years ago that you have to take care of the weakest link in the chain no matter who or what that was. It frightened him that he saw his wife as such. Without realizing it, Jenny was causing them more danger then Danny ever could. Danny had slipped into his new role quietly without drawing much attention to himself. Unfortunately Jenny couldn't let sleeping dogs lie. She had so much pent up rage that she let that cloud her better judgment. Let that anger feed into Albert's worst nightmare. That nightmare being that the life they had formed for themselves in Texas would now be up for scrutiny. They would become the weak link that needed to be taken care of.

Albert had vowed a code of honor and silence when he left the family business and even when Miguel died the others had honored that. Though Albert wasn't sure of anything anymore. He didn't know what his wife would do next. And if he expressed his fears to her that would only serve to heighten the feelings already so apparent in her. He felt as if he was stuck between a hard place and a rock.

"Good morning," Danny said as if he had just stepped off of cloud nine.

He wasn't about to let his fears consume him. On the drive from Melanie's to home, he had decided that no matter what he had to do, what game he had to play he wasn't about to let Melanie go. The demons were his and his alone so he intended on dealing with them alone. It wasn't until he got a good look at his uncle that he knew it was anything but a good morning.

"Daniel," Albert returned never looking up.

Danny took the seat across from the man who had granted him this wonderful opportunity, "Albert, what is it?" he asked even though he was already sure of the answer.

"Ah.............where do I start?" he threw his hands up in utter frustration.

"Did something happen with the club last night after I left?" Danny was hoping it was just that simple.

"Well in a way yes and no."

"Albert?"

"I don't think all that much damage was done......."

"Damage?" Danny cut him off, "What kind of damage............."

"Not that kind of damage son."

"Oh......then what exactly are we talking about?" Danny's chipper mood was fading fast

Albert was at a loss for words. There was no explanation for what had happened last night. At least not one that he could come up with at the moment.

"What's going on Uncle Albert?"

Danny's use of the word uncle wasn't helping Albert to come up with the words any faster. "Your Aunt Jenny and I had a little bit of a disagreement last night."

"So what's new about that?" Danny countered. Their disagreements were somewhat common place these days. He had grown far too used to them that he barely was aware of them for the most part now. Yet the expression on Albert's face told him this one was different.

"Danny, I had no idea just how much my wife despises your mother......."

"I'd tell her to get in line," Danny joked.

"This is serious! She has such a deep seeded resentment, much deeper then even I imagined. She feels like you are here to take Richard's place. She's mad as hell that her son is dead and Carmen's is not."

"Understandable. But how am I supposed to fix that?" Danny asked all kidding aside.

"You can't."

"Then as I see it we are back to ground zero. Jenny is never going to see me for anything other then a mobster, gangster hell whatever label she chooses for the day," Danny was so exhausted from fighting this battle that he ultimately was always going to end up on the losing end of, "She has doomed me to be that man. A man that I don't want to be!!" Danny shouted.

"You are who you are!" a voice came from the doorway. Both men turned to she Jenny standing there, "You can run but you can't hide from the shadows that creep up inside you....either of you," she pointed to both men.

"Aunt Jenny, you know what I am not going to defend myself to you anymore. I can't. I have done nothing but......"

"Take what little I had left away from me," she interjected.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?!?!?!" Danny yelled.

"My husband. You took him back in time."

"Jenny," Albert tried to speak but Jenny run over his words.

"It's like listening to him all those years ago. The hush words and knowing silences between you two. It was that way with Richard."

"I'm not trying to be Richard!!!!" Danny shouted. "I'm just me, whoever the hell that is!"

"You're Danny Santos and hiding behind our name won't change that fact!!"

"Hiding behind your name?!?!" Danny parroted her words with far more rage, "You are a Santos too or have you conveniently forgotten that to suit your own needs at the moment?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!! Both of you it's enough already," Albert said stepping between the pair.

"Not hardly!" Danny bellowed.

"Daniel please," Albert asked.

"What?"

There's something you need to know about last night. I don't think that anything will come of it but you should know."

"What?"

"Jenny had a bit too much to drink and in our arguing she let your name as well as Carmen's slip......................."

"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Danny's voice was loud enough to rock the chandelier overhead.

"Like I said I don't think anyone was even paying attention to us," Albert hoped that the words sounded more believable to Danny then they did to his own ears.

"I can't believe this. After all the work I have put into this and she blows it because of something she doesn't know a damn thing about!!"

"I know enough to know that you are trouble from the word go. I know that your coming here was a mistake the minute I heard your voice on the other end of the phone!" Jenny's voice was cracking as she tried to hold the tears at bay.

"Danny, please hear me out," Albert said desperately looking for some neutral ground between this two wagging forces. He had loyalty to his wife and loyalty to his nephew at this point though he didn't know who he had more for.

"What can you say that already hasn't been said. She hates me. She despises everything she thinks that I represent and she too damn stubborn to think that I deserve the same chance that my father," Danny stressed that word, "Gave to the two of you!"

"Miguel was a powerful man. Just as you too are. He was also generous and kind hearted when the time warranted. But there was a side to your father that you never saw. A side that was ruthless. He took charge of everything that he had to. Made orders that were necessary. And yes I am thankful every day that he afforded me the option of walking away. And that's why I accepted you into my home. However that acceptance doesn't give you the right to disrespect my wife. As she should not you," Albert said turning to look into his wife's eyes.

"Albert.....tell me you are not choosing him over me," she cried.

"I'm not choosing either of you. I love you both. In ways that neither of you can comprehend. Both of you are so stubborn that you can't see your way clear to looking at the other's point of view. Danny needs me and as sorry as you are going to be to hear this Jenny, I need him. You have to stop seeing Danny as the old life. That's not what I mean when I say I need him. What I want or need is family. Yes. Danny and I share the same experiences. Things that I don't or can't share with you but that by no way minimizes what I do share with you. And until you can understand that we are going to be at this bump in the road."

"What are we going to do about my name being bantered about the state of Texas," Danny said not caring about anything other then the fact that as hard as he tried there was no escaping The Santos Legacy.

"Daniel, there is no need to worry. As I said before I am more then certain that no one even was paying attention to us. Please for the sake of all our sanity can we try to coexist under one roof without another meltdown?"

"I wish I was as sure about that as you Uncle," Danny said walking away without giving answer to the obvious question.

Carl Beck watched his daughter as she exited the house. His first instinct was to use her to help him gather information on Danny Sampson......Santos whoever the hell he was. Carl knew that Danny had it pretty bad for Sarah's friend Melanie. He could use that to his advantage if he could just figure out a way to do it without being too obvious.

Sarah was less then thrilled about the man she called dad. So Carl knew that gaining her trust enough to have her open up about her friend and boyfriend would be a daunting task. A task however that just might reap him heavy rewards.

The was no mistaking the fact that Albert had been extremely agitated with his wife at her use of the name Danny Santos. It was as if it was a dirty work or something. The name really didn't mean that much to him. Nothing glaringly stood out in his mind. It was frustrating because he knew very well that there was something to all of this. But what? It was time for Carl to use his eyes and ears wisely from this point forward. He had to treat everyday as though it was a fact finding mission. Sooner or later he was bound to turn up something. Seemed to him that Albert's nephew just might have a few skeletons in the closet and he was just the man to dig them up.

Danny sent his leather jacket sailing across the bedroom. The news that Albert had just delivered was swimming in his brain. This couldn't really be happening. It was though he was sitting on aircraft that was about to crash and there wasn't anything that he could do about it.

What had he been thinking trying to escape his life? Why had he deluded himself into believing that it could be done? There wasn't any hope for him here. His Aunt had seen to that fact.

The rage that consumed him didn't leave any room for logic or sympathy that he should have been feeling for Jenny's point of view. All he could feel coursing through him was anger and fury.

In the swiftness of one moment the resolve that he had in his mind about this budding relationship with Melanie was shattered into thousands of pieces. Now that the emanate threat of The Santos name hung over his head once more he couldn't in good conscious lure Melanie into a potential lions den. It wasn't fair to her and he wasn't about to do it.

That thought caused his heart to ache. The feeling was indescribable. It was one of utter devastation. This didn't make any sense to him in the least bit. He barely knew this girl and yet she had come to mean so much to him that he couldn't conceive of walking away.

Why was it that everything his life was some test of wills or a war that needed to be fought? That was a question that Danny knew the answer to all too well. All he had to do was look in the mirror. The evidence was crystal clear. He was his father's son. He was a Santos and the one person who could have exercised that fact was dead. Danny had fooled himself into thinking that since his Uncle had broken free that he could do the same. The fact of the matter was Albert broke free because of Miguel's strength and nothing more then that.

Danny knew in his heart that the men who had left Albert alone weren't about to do the same for him. He was certain that they expected things to play out the way Carmen had illustrated them so many years ago.

Danny found himself laughing at the thought that those men on The Commission liked his mother about as much as he did. They had been looking for a way to rid themselves of her since the day she had wormed her way into his father's seat at the table. He was supposed to have been that answer and he was sure by now they had a pretty good idea he wasn't about to live up to his end of Carmen's bargain.

That fact mixed with the one Albert had just informed him of sent the wild thoughts racing through his mind. Danny could only imagine the hell that would be descending on him now. He had assured his Aunt that that wouldn't be happening but she had been the reason for it, not him.

"DAMN YOU JENNY!!!!!" Danny shouted pounding his hands on the dresser.

"Daniel," Albert's voice made it's way though the thickness of the door.

Danny looked at the door in disbelief. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to his Uncle defend his wife. He didn't think he could stomach it. Unfortunately Albert deserved his respect if nothing else.

"Yes?"

"I'd like to speak with you."

Danny's feet felt like lead weights as he made the short trip from where he stood to the door. He rested his hand on the knob yet hesitated in turning it. He steeled himself for the inevitable.

"Come in," he said through a strained voice.

"I.....what can I say?"

"I wish I knew," Danny returned dryly.

"I know that I'm sorry isn't by far enough but I am," Albert looked uneasy standing before his nephew.

"There isn't much we can do about it now. Except maybe some damage control," Danny said old habits reclaiming him.

"I really don't think that will be necessary......."

"Have you been gone from that life so long you have forgotten what it is we are dealing with???" Danny asked starring at him with disbelief.

"No.....I mean that no one was paying attention to our fighting. Jenny and I were practically sandwiched in a corner," Albert embellished the statement a little. He could already see the walls closing in around Danny. He didn't want him to feel as though he was out of options.

"I'm not as naive as that. Nothing in this life is that simple!"

"You needn't be so jaded either," Albert countered, "You said that you had Carmen under control. Was that not the entire truth?"

"Carmen, yes but the picture is much bigger then that or have you forgotten?"

"No Daniel, I certainly haven't forgotten," Albert sighed.

"Do you even have a clue what happened after you decided to not assume my father's place?"

"As a matter of fact I do."

"Then how can you sit there and say that your wife yelling the Santos name about a crowded club isn't a problem?" Danny's voice conveyed his disbelief at his Uncle's trusting things would go on unchanged.

"I think that because it's true. Even if someone did happen to over hear our conversation. Texas is a far cry from Springfield and the name Santos doesn't mean a damn thing in this town."

"You really have been gone too long," Danny quipped, "Men like Manuel, Tony and even Bernardo don't like being crossed. It's for certain that they have been looking for me by now."

"Why....if Carmen isn't looking for you then what makes you think they would be. Especially Bernardo he was as much of a brother to Miguel as I."

"Carmen isn't looking for me cause she has what she wants. She isn't about to give that up, but the others they expect me to fill my father's shoes. They want Carmen out of the picture already."

"Daniel, you are a far cry from filling Miguel's shoes. You know very well that you would not be accepted by the others without being made."

"I have done that already." Danny watched as his Uncle's eyes darted to meet his.

"What?!?!"

"You heard me. I have done that already. Seven or so years ago."

"You told me you never so much as ordered a hit," Albert's voice was a hoarse whisper.

"I may not have ordered one but I did perform one once. It was years ago. Bernardo set it up. It was something for his family. They had been itching to get Carmen out of the way. And now I have been fighting that memory ever since." Danny dropped his body on the bed in exhaustion, "So you see now why I can't be too careful? I am the rightful man to head The Commission and none of them care that I don't want the position," Danny cried running his hands along his face in frustration.

"Maybe if I spoke with Bernardo........"

"NO!!! That would only tick you wife off all the more. I think it's better for all concerned if I were to just pack my things and be moving on."

"You will do no such thing. I meant it when I said you were welcome here for as long as you liked."

"Too bad Jenny doesn't feel the same way."

"I will take care of that."

"So you keep saying," Danny replied. "Besides who was I kidding thinking that I could be Danny Sampson? It's just a figment of my imagination anyway."

"Daniel, you can be whoever you want to be."

"Oh if that were only true," he countered.

"It is! I did it. You can too."

"Albert you are forgetting that you were given the opportunity to walk away I was not. There is a big difference there."

"Maybe so, but I'm not about to let you give up on yourself. And besides what about Melanie. I have seen the way you look at her. You can't tell me that you are ready to give her up."

"On yeah, like I can't just walk up to her and say my family kills people for a living," Danny laughed even though there was no humor to his words.

"Daniel, that far too simplified and you know it."

"Simple maybe, but not that far off the mark. Besides I have seen what this life has done to Jenny, hell even to my own mother I couldn't do that to Melanie. She has had too much heartache already."

"So what you're telling me is that you are willing to walk away from her without an explanation?"

"If need be, yes. I can't have the fear of retaliation from those people in my past dogging us wherever we are. And I certainly can't tell her why I'm afraid. I couldn't bare to see the look on her face. It will be better for all concerned if I just fade into the distance."

"Why is love wasted on the young?" Albert asked to the air around him.

"Love?" Danny echoed.

"Yes love. And if you walk away from this girl you will regret it for the rest of your life." With that said Albert left Danny alone with his thoughts.

Carl took a detour on the way to the club that morning. He couldn't get the names Carmen Santos and Danny Santos out of his head.

Why was it that Jenny was so upset that this Carmen had a son and she didn't? Hell he didn't even know up until that night that Albert and Jenny had had a child in the first place.

When he was first hired on at The Two Step it was just a budding restaurant. There hadn't been much time for chitchat or small talk in the beginning. Everyone's energy had been focused on getting the place up and running and as time went on he had fallen into place with the two of them but it was never anything more then a working relationship. Come to think of it up until the time that Albert's nephew arrived the pair kept mostly to themselves.

Carl swung his car into the library parking lot. He knew this was probably a long shot but his gut was telling him that he might find what he was looking for there.

"May I help you?" the librarian asked.

"Yes I was wondering where you keep the periodicals," Carl responded.

"They are in the far right corner. Is there something I can help you locate?"

"I'm not really sure. I am checking for any information on Carmen Santos."

"Something local here to Galveston?"

"I don't believe so."

"Let me check the database to see what I can come up with."

"Thanks," Carl looked around the library. It was very quiet this time of the morning. He hoped that he wasn't on a wild goose chase here.

"Sir, I came up with a few things," she handed Carl a sheet of paper with dates and issue numbers of various national newspapers, "I didn't find anything directly related to a Carmen Santos, but if you want to check out these periodicals you might find something about her. Especially in the Chicago Times. The name Santos appeared a great deal."

"Thank you." Carl walked to where the young woman had directed. "Chicago huh?" he said to himself. "What on earth would Jenny Sampson know about Chicago? Carl was certain that Jenny and Albert had been in Galveston the better part of their lives. At least that was the impression that they gave. Carl was starting to think that nothing was what it appeared to be.

He had stacks of papers in front of him dating back to the year 1983. He leafed through them not having a clue as to what he was actually looking for. It didn't take long for something to find it's way to him. It was a much younger Albert, but it was Albert just the same. However it was Santos not Sampson that read in the headline. Carl went on to read an article on how a mob hit had gone wrong leaving Richard Santos, son to Under Boss Albert Santos, dead.

In the years between 1983 and 1990 there were article upon article about the Santos Crime Family. Carl couldn't believe that for all these years he had worked for the Mob without even knowing it. It had him totally taken aback.

When he got to the year 1990, the headline that caught his attention was "CRIME BOSS DIES IN SON'S ARMS". The picture that accompanied it was too out of focus for him to clearly make out the faces there. It was a gut wrenching photo though. Even in black and white, it was hard to miss the blood spilling onto the ground and over this man's young son.

Carl flipped to the obituaries for the next several days until he finally came across the name Miguel Louis Santos, "BINGO!!!!" Carl said far louder then the whisper it should have been given where he was at the moment.

The list of survivors gave him the information that he had been searching for......wife, Carmen, sons, Mick and Daniel, daughter Pilar. Carl found it odd that there was no mention of Albert. Putting two and two together he had been able to surmise that Albert and Miguel had been brothers. And that Danny was the Danny Santos that Jenny had spoken about.

Carl continued about his quest. The articles got more and more interesting. He skimmed them all until he came to one that caught his attention readily. It was a picture of the man he knew as Danny Sampson at a charity function. He was shaking hands with a man. Carl read the caption to the photo.................Danny Santos, CEO of Sancorp, major contributor to homeless shelter to be constructed on Fifth Street in the heart of Springfield.

Well there was no denying that Danny Santos and Danny Sampson were one in the same man. The wheels in Carl's head were turning. Was Danny here to help Albert expand into more then just the club scene? The possibilities were endless. It was the last article that Carl came to that it all started to make sense. It was a smaller piece but it said so much. It was a short but to the point. It talked about Mick Santos being found dead on the beach and it was suspected not to be mob related. There was also speculation as to when and if the youngest son would take the reins of the family from his mother.

"Mother?" Carl said aloud. This was getting interesting by the minute. Even though he was a bit confused by all of it. There surely had to be more missing pieces to this puzzle. At least now he had some information to go on. And some questions of his own to get answered. If that would be possible. It wasn't like he could walk up to either Danny or Albert and just hey so about this Mob connection. However Jenny might be another story. The things that he did know all pointed blaringly to the fact that she wanted nothing to do with her nephew. That would have to be his hook. The only problem was how to get at Jenny without arousing too much suspicion from either Albert or Danny. The plan at this moment was in the birthing stages but with any luck he would have all he needed to put this puzzle together sooner then he could imagine.