Author's Note - Okay, so I'll be honest, I'm not completely sold on this one. I wrote the first part and the second to last part, then left it alone for several weeks before coming back to finish. I feel like it wanders a little bit in the middle, but the OCD in me wouldn't let me leave it undone. All kinds of Mike Cutter paternal sappiness ahead. If you like this one, please let me know!

Special thanks to my baby sister - bobby2jacob - whose reminiscences of a long ago daddy-daughter date with our dear Pops, who we lost about four years ago, inspired this story. As such, she was given naming rights to the newest member of the Cutter family….

I do not own Law and Order or Star Wars or M&Ms or The Little Mermaid or Stevie Wonder or Paul Simon or the Temptations. (And now I've got you hooked because you're wondering how on Earth all of those things can possibly go together in one story?!) Pretty much, if there is something here that you recognize from "real life" I am just borrowing it with the utmost respect.

MY GIRL

The two men of the Cutter household sat side by side on the couch in their family room, one dressed to the nines in a black three piece suit usually reserved for the biggest days in court, the other dressed in Star Wars footie pajamas. Both contemplated the evening ahead as they waited on their respective dates.

Mike leaned over and whispered to his four year old son, "Don't forget what I told you to ask Mom about for dinner." Jake looked up with twinkling blue eyes and a mischievous grin that matched his father's.

At that moment, Connie came down the stairs. Dressed in leggings and a New York Yankees t-shirt, it was not hard to guess who she would be spending the evening with.

"Mommy," her son smiled, "Can we have popcorn and M&Ms and soda for dinner?"

"For dinner?" Connie asked incredulously. "Jacob Andrew Cutter, you know better than that."

"But Daddy said…" Jake pouted.

Connie arched her brow at her husband. "Michael Anthony Cutter, I know you know better than that."

"Sorry buddy," Mike laughed as he ruffled Jake's hair, "It was worth a shot, but since she used middle names on both of us, I think it's a no-go on M&Ms for dinner."

Mike stood up and walked over to his wife waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Is she about ready?" he asked.

She smiled, straightening his tie and running her hands down the lapels of his suit. "She was just putting on her shoes. Mike, she's so excited."

"I am, too," he said with a smile.

"You look very handsome," Connie said, leaning towards him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. " 'Hot Dad' is a really good look for you."

"Just keep that in mind for later tonight," he whispered, pulling her close for a long kiss. Their lips parted, and Connie leaned in to kiss him quickly once more.

"Let me see what's keeping her," she said. She turned to go, Mike holding on to her hand until the last possible second, his eyes following her up the stairs. It was Jake's voice that interrupted his thoughts.

"Daddy, what's Sofia's party for?"

He looked down at his son. "It's not really a party, Jake. It's a Daddy-Daughter dance." Every year on the last Saturday in April, the local school sponsored the event as a fundraiser for pediatric cancer research. Mike had always thought it sounded like a great idea - a chance to support a good cause and spend some time with one of his two best girls. Finally a kindergartner, Sofia was thrilled at the chance to dress up like a princess and spend a special night out with her Daddy. What six year old wouldn't want that? As an added treat, they were heading out early to dinner together, just the two of them. Mike was determined to make this a night to remember for his little girl.

"So you might do the YMCA dance, like at Yankee Stadium?" Jake asked.

Mike laughed, "Oh, I sincerely hope so!"

A movement caught Mike's eye, and he turned to see his wife and daughter coming down the stairs, Sofia holding her mother's hand. Sofia's dark brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail hanging over her left shoulder. She wore a blue lace dress with a glittering rhinestone belt at her waist, along with white tights and shoes. She smiled at her father as she jumped down the last two steps and into Mike's arms. "Ready Daddy?" she asked

"You bet kiddo," he said as he placed her back on her feet. Connie directed them to stand together while she snapped several pictures. Sofia asked her brother, "What are you and Mommy going to do tonight?"

Jake put both fists in the air and simply said, "Star Wars!"

Sofia at last insisted that it was time for them to go. Connie helped her into her jacket, and Sofia gave her a hug and a kiss as Mike hugged his son. Mike then leaned in to kiss Connie and whispered, "You're not watching the prequels, are you?"

Connie looked aghast as she shook her head. "We're starting with 'A New Hope' all the way, babe," she assured her husband.

He smiled as he kissed her one more time, "I love you." He turned and offered Sofia his arm. She took it, and they made their way out the door.

Mike and Sofia walked through the hallways of Katonah Elementary School, heading toward the cafeteria, where the dance was being held. All around them, Mike saw excited little girls with the men in their lives, from Sofia's age to the fifth graders who were the oldest students in the school. Mike looked at these preteen young ladies then at his own daughter, trying not to think too far into the future. Sofia starting school this year was a big deal for all of them. She was so excited, and couldn't wait for the chance to finally go to the neighborhood school that they had driven by for years. For Jake it meant being at the daycare without his big sister, which was quite an adjustment for him.

For Mike and Connie, it meant letting go, even if just the tiniest bit, of their little girl. Sofia had been going to the Country Children's Center daycare since they had moved here four years earlier, so it wasn't like this was a completely new experience for any of them. They had met the superintendent, the principal, and Sofia's teacher. Neither Mike nor Connie were what could be considered alarmists - they both knew Sofia's school was safe, that she was going to be spending each day in good hands in a nurturing environment.

And yet, that first morning of kindergarten, when they had both taken the morning off of work to drop their daughter off for her first official day of school, it wasn't Sofia who was experiencing first day jitters. Mike marveled at his brave little girl. She practically skipped to the front entrance of her school, her parents on each side of her holding her hands. They walked her to her classroom and said good morning to her teacher, snapping a few obligatory first day of school pictures. They helped her find her cubby labeled "Sofia Cutter," and Connie helped her hang up her backpack on her hook. They both hugged her tightly, then watched as she waved goodbye to them and ran off to join a group of kids playing with a tub of Legos on one of the tables. They lingered for a few minutes, along with several other parents, before Mike gently placed a hand on Connie's shoulder. She turned to look at him, biting her bottom lip. Mike could see tears in her eyes. This had long been a dream of hers - having kids, watching them grow, seeing them off to school in the morning. Mike gave her a reassuring smile as he inclined his head towards the doorway of the classroom. Connie nodded and they moved toward the exit together. She looked back one last time to see her little girl with a smile on her face. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she allowed her husband to lead her out of the classroom. She made it back to the car before the first tear finally fell.

Mike had been back to Katonah Elementary School many times since that first day. He could count on one hand the number of times his father showed up for any kind of school function when Mike was a child. He vowed to do better for his children. Parent teacher conferences, fall carnival, field trips, holiday music programs, art fairs, STEM open house - if it was something important to Sofia, Mike and Connie both moved Heaven and Earth to be there.

"Daddy, look!" Sofia said, pulling him by the hand into the brightly decorated cafeteria. The theme of the dance was "Under the Sea," with the Little Mermaid figuring prominently into the decor. The Disney movie just happened to be Sofia's favorite.

"I see!" Mike answered. They took a few minutes to look around at the different displays. Mike was able to convince Sofia to get in the picture line before it got too long and before they hit the refreshment table. When it was finally their turn for a picture, Mike sat down in the chair in front of the underwater backdrop. Sofia climbed into his lap, leaning her head against her father's. They turned toward the camera, smiles with matching dimples crossing both of their faces,

"Aww that will be a great photo!" the photographer, who Mike recognized as the mother of one of Sofia's classmates, told them, "The girls will bring them home from school by the end of next week."

"Daddy will you put that picture in your office?" Sofia asked as they made their way to the refreshment table.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," he told her. Sofia took a plate and added two cookies to it while Mike carried two glasses of lemonade towards a group of tables in the corner. Sofia had spotted her friend Kelsey, who was enthusiastically waving her over.

Mike sat their glasses down, then leaned over to shake hands with Kelsey's father, happy to see a familiar face. Kyle Watson was an investment banker whose family didn't live too far from the Cutters. Though they were not in the same kindergarten classroom, the girls became fast friends while sharing a seat on the school bus. They had a son who played on Sofia's soccer team, and an older daughter from Kyle's first marriage who was the Cutter's go-to babysitter when needed, so the two families had also become friendly. "Good to see you, Mike," Kyle said as Mike took the seat next to him.

"You, too, Kyle ," Mike replied as they watched the girls join a small group of kids who were twirling around in a large circle. The two men traded small talk about their families and work. The girls came over to check in periodically, and every chance they had would drag their fathers out onto the dance floor with them. The playlist, compiled by the school's music teacher, included several of the popular "tween" hits of the day that the girls seemed to love to dance to all on their own, interspersed with some slower songs designed to give the more reluctant dads a chance to sit out on the faster paced songs but still have a chance to dance with their little girls on the slower ones.

Mike took every opportunity to join Sofia on the dance floor. And while it was clear that most of these slower songs had been chosen more with the fathers in mind - Sofia and most of the other girls at the dance didn't know a lot about the music of Stevie Wonder when "Isn't She Lovely?" played or Paul Simon when "Fathers and Daughters" played, it did nothing to diminish the joy Sofia got from being with her dad. They had practiced at home several nights. Sofia watched with delight as her father took her mother in his arms and danced her around the family room. They got that look they sometimes did, when it seemed like they forgot anyone else was even in the room with them. Sofia then laughed with glee when it was her turn. She stood on top of her father's feet while her mother picked up her little brother and danced around with him in her arms.

Finally, after an evening filled with fun, the last song of the night was announced. A bass guitar began to play three repeating notes and Mike smiled over at his little girl. "May I have the last dance?" he asked, holding out his hand. Sofia giggled and took his hand. Foregoing the dancing on his feet, Mike simply picked her up in his arms, Sofia wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight as "My Girl" played through the room.

"I love you Daddy," Sofia whispered in his ear as the song ended.

Mike hugged her closer and whispered back, "I love you, too, Sof."

Mike carried his sleeping daughter in from the car. Connie was waiting for them, having heard the garage door when they arrived and guessing that the excitement of the day would finally catch up with Sofia on the short drive home. Mike moved through the kitchen to take her upstairs as Connie locked up and followed them. Mike laid Sofia gently on her bed and slipped off her shoes, then helped Connie put her into her pajamas. Connie walked her into the bathroom across the hall to at least go through the motions of brushing her teeth and washing her face.

"Daddy?" Sofia asked sleepily when they returned.

"Right here kiddo," he answered.

"Thank you for taking me to the dance."

Mike looked at his daughter, this little girl who had stolen his heart from the moment he first held her. Yes, he was her dad, so maybe he was a little biased, but he really did love everything about her. The way she would laugh out loud, her head thrown back and her nose wrinkled up - just like her mother. The way she could go with ease from being dressed in cleats and running around a baseball field or soccer field, to being dressed in a fancy dress and white patent leather shoes to go to a dance. She was smart and funny and messy and full of questions. She had her mother's eyes. She loved singing and reading and drawing and playing outside and family game night was one of her favorite things in the world. She loved to be with her parents, and was quick to defend her little brother when he needed it.

She, along with her brother and mother, represented everything that was right and everything that mattered most in in the world to Mike Cutter. He had never put much stock in luck, but he knew, he was a lucky man to have this life to live. He had worked hard and achieved much in his professional life. He knew that he had an important job, and he knew that it was a job that he did well. There was a time in his life when that job, pursuing justice, winning the case, was the only thing that mattered. His work would always be important to him, and he would always strive to do it to the very best of his ability. But, as often happens in life, priorities change. He knew now, nothing would ever be more important than being Connie's husband and Sofia and Jake's dad.

"Thanks for asking me," Mike said as he pulled her in for a hug. He tucked her in and kissed her goodnight, then waited as her mother did the same. Mike wrapped his arm around Connie's waist as they made their way down the hall to check on Jake. He was sprawled across the bed with the blankets kicked away, his sandy hair askew in wild whorls. TIme for another haircut, Mike thought to himself as he covered him back up, kissed his head, then took Connie's hand and led her back downstairs to the master bedroom.

"How'd the Star Wars marathon go?" he asked her as he toed off his shoes and removed his suit jacket and vest.

Connie chuckled softly. "He didn't make it through the first movie. I told him if it's still raining tomorrow like it's supposed to we can all try again." She walked over to him and began to loosen his tie. Mike wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "So you had fun tonight?" she asked.

Mike leaned in to kiss her lips. "I had a great time. Who knew the kindergarten scene was the place to be?" He kissed her again, then leaned his forehead against hers. "They're growing up so fast," he whispered.

"Oh, I know," Connie agreed. Seeing her daughter all dressed up tonight, she had the exact same thought - her baby girl was turning into a young lady. "Sof told me when she was getting ready that she picked that dress because she wanted to look 'just like Mommy.' Remember the blue dress I wore to Jack's fundraiser last year?"

"Hmmm, I remember," Mike smiled. He sank back to sit on their bed, pulling Connie with him into his lap. "She has good taste. You looked amazing that night," he said, leaning up to capture her lips with his own.

"Sweet talker," she said as he pulled her into another kiss while she began to open the buttons of his shirt.

Mike moved his lips to Connie's neck. "What was it that you called me earlier?" he asked as he kissed and nipped his way down to her collarbone.

Connie's head fell back with a moan, granting him further access to her neck. "Hot Dad," she whispered breathlessly.

"Yeah, that's it," Mike said. He took possession of her lips once again as his hands slid up under her shirt.

"Yeah," Connie agreed between kisses, pushing his shirt off his shoulders and going to work on his belt buckle, "that's it."

The slight mist of rain that had fallen off and on all day Saturday finally evolved into a full-fledged spring thunderstorm overnight that looked to hang around throughout the following day. After a late night for everyone in the Cutter family, no one was disappointed by the thought of a rainy day spent inside together. Sofia gave her mother a play by play review of the dance from the night before over a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. "Mommy, did you know Daddy is a really good dancer?" Sofia asked.

Connie smiled across the table at Mike. "I taught him everything he knows," she said.

"That's true," Mike confirmed, grabbing the last piece of bacon from the plate in the center of the table and splitting it with Jake.

They all pitched in together to clean up the table and the kitchen after breakfast, and then Mike declared that it was time for the Star Wars marathon to commence. Jake and Sofia were successful in their negotiations with their parents to spend at least the first movie in their pajamas. It didn't take much convincing really. Mike refilled his and Connie's coffee mugs and then herded Jake and Sofia into the family room.

"I remember where I fell asleep," Jake said. "Can we just start there?"

"No way!" his sister protested. "Daddy and I want to watch from the beginning," she said as she climbed up next to her mother on the couch. Connie took a sip from her mug before sitting it on the table next to her and wrapping an arm around Sofia to cuddle her close.

"You can't start a classic like Star Wars in the middle," Mike said as he sat at the opposite end of the couch. "Gotta watch from the beginning."

"Okay," Jake said resignedly, and proceeded to climb into his father's lap. Mike hugged him, relishing the feel of his son's head resting on his shoulder.

Connie pointed the remote at the television. "Everybody ready?" she asked.

A chorus of yeses filled the room. "Jake, don't talk and ask questions through the whole movie this time," Sofia reminded her brother.

"I won't," he said, sounding as offended as a four year old possibly could. MIke and Connie just smiled at their slight bickering.

The familiar fanfare of music played, followed by the crawl of words. Sofia tried valiantly to read them aloud, but she just couldn't keep up so Connie took over. They all settled in and quickly became engrossed in the movie.

Mike looked down at his son, then over at his wife and daughter snuggled together at the other end of the couch. He couldn't imagine a much better way to spend a late morning than this. Connie looked over and caught his eye and they shared a smile. At that moment, Jake leaned up and whispered to his father, "Daddy, I think this is my favorite part."

"Me, too, buddy," Mike answered, his eyes never leaving Connie's as he smiled back at her over the heads of their children. She knew he wasn't really talking just about the movie. "This is my favorite part, too."