A moment of happiness

Ted Halas sat in a tilted back chair with his feet up on a table, not caring what his boots were likely doing to the finish, watching over the little girl sleeping in a bed that was far too big for her. Asleep she looked like an angel, her normally carefully neutral expression relaxed into a sweet smile, one small arm flung around an absolutely huge stuffed cat. He shook his head with amusement, when his brother Sledge did something, he did it all the way.

Hearing movement in the other room, Ted carefully got to his feet and quietly left the room so as to not disturb Marlana. Though considering the excitement of the day, she was probably too to be wakened, still he didn't want to bother her. It looked like for once she was having sweet dreams and he wanted her to be happy. Leaving the door open slightly so that he could hear her if she called, he went to see what his brother was up to.

William "Sledge" Halas was in the process of popping open a fresh bottle of beer when his older brother came out into the living room of the hotel suite they were in. Despite the fact he had shaved shortly before dinner only a few hours before, he was already sporting a five o'clock shadow. "How's the kid doing, Ted?", he asked quietly.

The older of the two brothers smiled as he sat down and accepted a bottle of beer. "Fine, out cold and still hasn't let go of the damn toy you gave her."

Despite his words, Ted grinned and Sledge grinned back, both remembering her expression when Uncle Sledge gave his niece a stuffed toy tiger that was almost bigger than she was.

"She's only nine, every little girl should have a few stuffed toys, figured I'd make up for some lost time in one fell swoop."

Both fell silent for a time, lost in their own thoughts as they drank their beer and Sledge surfed through the channels of the holovid. Ted sighed a little to himself, more from being tired than anything else. He'd forgotten the boundless amounts of energy an excited nine-year-old could possess, especially one that was normally not allowed to give into exuberance. Yet despite her enthusiasm, she remained a polite and sweet little girl, pretty much charming every adult that she encountered. Cute, courteous, charming...only at nine, he wondered what kind of adult she'd turn into, and if he'd be allowed any further contact with his only child. He knew he kept embarrassing her every time he told her how much he loved her and how proud he was, but he figured that was a father's right and everything he told her was true.

"You know, Ted... we both know all the right people in the wrong places. It wouldn't be that hard for us to leave with her and you could keep her. She'd be alot happier."

The tired father closed his eyes and sighed again, "We've been over this Sledge, what kind of life can a merc offer her? As much as I hate that bitch of an ex, she can offer our daughter far more opportunities than I ever could."

Sledge scowled, "And what about her emotional well being, bro? She doesn't act like a nine year old most of the time, it took both of us a few hours to get her to relax enough to try to act like a kid. We both know that ex of yours is trying to turn Lani into a copy of herself and it's killing her."

Wearily Ted opened his eyes, "And her mother is now a dutchess with a great deal of wealth and power. As much as we're valued by the Rangers and they would what they could to protect us all, it wouldn't be fair to bring that kind of trouble on us all."

The younger brother shook his head angrily, but before he could Ted raised his hand.

"I just want to give my daughter a brief moment of happiness with this visit. I'm not going to risk turning her life upside down on the vague chance I might be able to take her and keep her and that she might be happy. I don't want her following my footsteps."

Sledge sagged a bit, "Yeah, I know, bro, but... Damn. I hate seeing a sweet kid like that suffering the way she is."

"Well, the other reason why I'm willing to hold out is that she's been accepted into the Tharkad School of Military Science. She'll start in a few months and her mother won't have the kind of strangle hold that she does now."

"So she got in? That's great! There'll be better chances for us to visit, and she might actually be able to make some friends."

Ted smiled, "Exactly. That school isn't just for pampered rich kids, they make 'em work. Her mother is just humoring her, but I know Lani is tough enough to do well."

Stretching out, the older man put his feet up on the coffee table, and just grinned at his brother mocking tsks before taking another drink of beer. At least Catharina's people had made sure the rooms were stocked with the best. "So, now that's out of the way, what trouble do you think we can get into tomorrow?"

Chuckling softly, Sledge shook his head, "As if your kid would let us, I swear she's more responsible than both of us put together. Anyway, what she wanted from me is just to go see a movie and not just any movie but one of those idiotic battlemech jobs."

"That should be amusing if nothing else."

A snort was the only answer he got to that. "I was thinking, maybe we'll take her horse back riding. After seeing Lani going nuts over that Clydesdale, she'd probably enjoy that."

Ted nodded his agreement, the two spent a little time going over other ideas for the next two weeks and it wasn't long before they were reminiscing over past vacations. Neither said anything, but it was amusing to both that they were probably having more fun with a little girl along than they had on some of their previous trips.

It wasn't going to be as long as the two men hoped for, but if they could make the next two weeks more than a brief moment of happiness for a special little girl, they would.