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[littletonoidea]

"This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel of the-- previously of the U.S.S Hephaestus, leave a message and I'll see if I can bear to drag myself away from whatever utterly engaging task I must be doing to not notice my comms--"

BZZZZZZZ

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[conning]

"I think my aunt witnessed things already, but she's not my aunt and I don't remember if she ever tells me if she saw things. I know my dad... My dad was a dirty cop, and he's not with us, so that's probably why. He did something."

An idea which is extremely troubling.

[littletonoidea]

Witness protection.

Eiffel can't school his expression for the life of him, but somehow all his reaction is, is a widening of his eyes as he goes a shade paler.

Jesus Christ. Poor Neal.

"Well. Uh." God, this was so much to try and manage. "I know for a fact that your dad's not here, so... you don't have to be scared of him finding you here. Alright?" He smiles, a little nervous but very genuine. "I'm gonna take care of you. Both of you," he adds with a quick grin back at Sammy. "I guess this week we're gonna be playing One Big Family with your new uncle Doug." He flicks his gaze between both of them. "Sound good to you guys?"

[liliputana]

"Okay," Sameen says, followed immediately by, "What's a dirty cop?"

She may grow up to be an elite spec-ops government assassin, but right now? Normal military brat childhood, folks. Teach her things.

[conning]

Danny gives Eiffel a bleak look. "I'm not worried about now. I meet him later."

At Sameen's question, Danny looks down.

[littletonoidea]

Somehow he feels like he owes Neal after this.

"A dirty cop means they do... you know, naughty things. Like take bribes and- I dunno, help people draw graffiti, smash windows, give people really stupid tickets 'cos they're in a bad mood and wanna take it out on the little guy."

He's not going to straight-up just say 'Oh yeah, and he almost definitely killed someone' to a couple of preschoolers even if it's probably true.

"So Danny's not-really-his-aunt saw him do something naughty, so the government decided 'hey, this guy's a real jerk, we're gonna make sure he doesn't bother you anymore' and gave them somewhere nice and safe to live."

[liliputana]

Okay, she's pretty sure she can put two and two together: the government took Danny away and put him with another family because his dad hurt him, or wanted to hurt him. Sameen flicks her gaze between the two of them, mulling this over.

"Can we keep him safe here?"

[conning]

Eiffel doesn't have to say it--Danny already knows. He knows his father killed his commanding officer. He knows he turned state's evidence against the Irish mob, though he's only got the vaguest conception of what that means. He knows his dad fled custody and disappeared and will find him and lie to him when he's much, much older than he is now, three times as old at least.

The only safe secrets are the ones you don't share. He knows that, too.

"I'll be okay," he says. "I catch him, sort of."