Shelter

Witness Protection

Grace Mancini hugged her rounded belly as she sat in the district attorney's office. He walked in with a large smile as he said," I don't usually get visits from New York city's biggest mobster's daughter but this is a pleasure. What can Danny Evans do for you?" Grace awkwardly stood up to look the man in the eyes. She fidgeted with her fingers as tears sprung from her eyes. Danny handed her a nearby tissue box and handed her one of soft tissues inside. She nodded in thanks before wiping the tears from her cheeks. She sniffled slightly and said," My father is going to assassinate the mayor during a secret meeting he has set up for tomorrow noon. He plans to shoot the mayor them himself, my brother will take his place as head of the family." Danny sat down in shock as he processed her news. He gestured for her to sit down and she gladly complied. She wiped at a few tears falling down her cheeks. He picked his phone dialing a number as he said," I'm calling the Marshalls putting you in imediate protective custody. Give me your phone and anything your family could track you with. We're going have to catch him in the act." Grace wiped at her wet cheeks at as she handed him her phone. Never in a million years had she thought she'd rat on her own father, but the thought of him killing himself was the only reason she was standing in the district attorney's office. She rested her hand on top of her baby bump and said," My father believes that I'm going to spa in Italy for the weekend, I have my bags packed already. I want witness protection. When my brother finds out it was me he will personally put a bullet between my eyes, with no mercy for the child I'm carrying." Danny quickly nodded as he continued talking to someone one the phone. He hung up and began dialing another number. He looked up Grace and said," I'm calling my sister, she's a beautician, the marhall's want your appearance changed. A cut and a color will work." He put the phone back to his ear as his sister came over the line.

It wasn't till two marshalls sat on either side of her in a small conference room in the DA's office. Danny walked in and took the notebook with her statement and signiture. A woman in her late twenties walked in with a rolling briefcase. She immediately went to work cutting her hair. Grace watched as her once long hair was cut into an angled pixie and her dirty blonde hair dyed to a sleek black. Danny's sister was quite happy with her work, stating that Grace should've been born with black hair. Grace looked into a mirror not believing how much she had changed. She was quickly ushered in front of a blue banner where they took her passport and driver's license photo. Those were quickly being processed and made as one of marshall's asked," How far along are you?" Grace's hand quickly went to her rounded stomach as he asked that question. She didn't know if it was her motherly instincts or her mafia taught instincts that she began to feel overly protective of the child. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and said," 26 weeks. Six months." He nodded before pulling out his phone. He dialed a number before holding the phone up to his ear. He cleared his throat and said," This is Agent Joshua Remerez I need to be connected with location 510583 for witness transfer."

Wes and his brother, Dean, stood over a map of their ranch as they discussed where the new ranchhand house was going placed. Wes rolled his eyes as his phone began to ring. He grumbled curse words under his breath as he pulled it from his back pocket. He frowned at the unknown number and answered. Agent Remerez cleared his throat again and said," This is Agent Remerez, US Marshalls? Is this Weston Johns?" He waved his brother out the room, mouthing 'marshalls'. Weston cleared his throat and said," Yes sir. What can I do for ya'?" Wes pulled a notebook from the nearby desk as he heard the Agent whisper someone else. Remerez cleared his throat again before he said," I have a witness here for relocation. She's Female, age 34, currently six months pregnant. You're aware I can't give you anymore information. Can you take the witness?" Wes was still in shock from being told she was six months pregnant. That one would be hard to explain to the ranch hands and some of his younger family. He wiped his hand down his face and said," Yes sir. I can take her. When can I meet you at the airport?" He heard a rifling of papers and the sound of a shredder in the background. Wes could tell Remerez was in a hurry, whoever she was they wanted her gone and soon. Remerez groaned slightly and said," We'll be riding in a small private plane in Hunt Field around 1400 tomorrow." Wes quickly wrote down the time as he sat down in a nearby desk. Wes rubbed a hand through his beard and said," I'd buy her a warm jacket. Winter is coming up quicker than we thought." He heard Remerez grunt a quick 'okay' before he hung up. Wes groaned and leaned back in his seat. Dean smirked and said," What drug dealer or money laundering idiot are we babysitting now?" Wes just shrugged as he threw his phone on the desk. Wes was not ready to deal with a hormonal, pregnant woman. Wes stressfuly ran a hand through his beard again as he said," Well all I know is that we a 34 year old female who is 6 months pregnant. Well I leave you to figure out the ranchhand house as I ready my guest room." Dean just nodded as Wes trudged himself up from the chair. Wes quickly left his brother's house and hopped up in his jeep, heading home to find a way to deal with his new roomate.

Grace held a manilla envelope that held the contents to her new life. Birth certificate to a new social security number. Agent Remerez moved his eyes from outside the airplane window to Grace as he watched her stare at the envelope in her hands. He noticed she hadn't opened it yet. He smirked slightly and whispered," They kept you Italian if it make you feel any better." She looked up to the older agent and gave a nervous nod before she looked down at her baby bump. She nervously rubbed the top of her belly as Remerez said," My wife, the entire time she was pregnant if she nervous she just gently rubbed her belly till our sons kicked her hand. She would instantly become calm." Grace smiled slightly as she looked down at her belly. She giggled slightly as if on cue her baby kicked her hand. Grace looked up at Remerez and said," They started kicking about two weeks ago. I've never cried so hard in my entire life." Remerez smiled as he thought of feeling his sons kicks for the first time. He looked at Grace and said," You're nothing like them. What you did today will not only save your father but you and your baby. You should be proud of yourself." Grace frowned slightly as she looked down at her belly. She wasn't proud of herself. She was a traiter. She turned against her own blood. She gave him an evil look before she said,"I might saved my father from killing himself but I did not save myself or my child. I have turned my back on my family and I'll pay for it by running the rest of my life." Remerez lifted his arms in mock surrender as he moved back to lookingout the plane window. Grace wiped at tears that covered her cheeks as she sniffled. Remerez pulled out a hankerchief from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. He smiled and said," What you did does not matter. What matters is that baby growing inside you. You'll realize you did the right thing as you hold the precious bundle of joy in your arms for the first time." Grace gently wiped her eyes with his hankerchief before nodding. Remerez patted her shoulder slightly and looked back out the small airplane window. Grace wiped her eyes with one hand while the other sat on top growing bump.

○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○

Gennifer Goodwin as
Grace Mancini

Jeffery Dean Morgan as
Weston Johns