Part 9 of the 'Puppy Dog Eyes' series.

This is set post episode S04E12 ... And The Echoes Of Time.

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Jenkins had told his darling Cassandra that he'd always be there, always be there for Adrianna, to protect her, but now? Now she had to get used to the knowledge that one day he'd die. Earlier that day she'd watched him give up his immortality to save Nicole Noone, he was Sir Galahad so of course he had, he'd been the selfless hero and saved a woman that until ten minutes before he had been dead sure she wanted to kill him. He'd been the hero and now he was mortal.

The redhead had just sat there among the stacks of The Library for what felt like hours just trying to calm herself down, he was an older man... she'd lose him. What if Adrianna never got to know him properly? Jenkins had always been her constant, her fixed point, and as selfish as it sounded she couldn't take the thought of losing him.

When the panic had finally subsided Cassandra rose to her feet and wiped away the tears and headed to her and Jenkins' bedroom, he wasn't there.

"Jenkins?" She called out wondering if he was in the bathroom but all that responded was silence.

He couldn't have been too far away, if he'd been in The Library he'd have found her and sat with his redhead until her tears stopped. Knowing there was only one other place he'd be at this time of night Cassandra continued down the long hallway to Adrianna's bedroom. Sure enough there he was sat in the rocking chair with Adrianna in his arms, he had his back to the door and everything was in darkness. She'd found him holding Adrianna at all hours of the night, as an immortal... former immortal, he didn't sleep much so he'd always get up when Adrianna cried despite Cassandra's protests that he didn't have to 'always go'.

The chair rocked back and forth as he held their daughter lovingly, every now an again a slight squeak would escape the wood. Cassandra clung to the shadows. When he spoke it didn't sound like him, it sounded subdued and lacked his usual strong baritone. The redhead just listened.

"... I don't remember how to be mortal, Princess. I haven't been in over fifteen-hundred years." There was a momentary pause where Adrianna made a little gurgling noise. "I'm... scared."

Tears started to well up in Cassandra cerulean orbs, she'd been hiding for hours thinking about what Jenkins' mortality meant for her when she should have been thinking about what it meant for him. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out and then the white-haired man continued.

"Immortality was forced upon me but I really don't know how to be without it. I didn't want it but it's part of me... was part of me. I'm actually glad I was made immortal because if I hadn't I wouldn't have you." He stroked a hand over her smooth head, Adrianna was a cute little newborn all wrapped up in her yellow onsie. "Then there's your mother, I promised her I'd always be there for you, always keep you safe, but I can't keep that promise. Adrianna, I denied my feelings for your mother for so long because I didn't want to lose her, watch her grow old and die but now... she's going to be the one to watch all that, she's the one that will feel that pain." He pulled Adrianna close. "I know I did the right thing by saving Miss Noone but I've done wrong by your mother and by you. I'm so sorry, Princess."

Silence rained for a time, tears ran down Cassandra's porcelain cheeks. When he finally spoke again it was almost like a shout compared to the dead quiet that had dominated only a few seconds before.

"Neither of us know how to survive in this world now do we? We'll have to teach each other, Princess. I don't know how long I'll be here anymore but you're my little girl, my Princess, I'll figure this out for both of us, Adrianna." He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Daddy loves you."

Cassandra must have sniffled or made some sort of noise because Jenkins suddenly snapped his head towards the door where he saw his beautiful Cassandra sobbing. Jenkins rose to his feet and walked over to her crossing the room with large strides, the suit clad man wrapped one arm around Cassandra while the other kept Adrianna safely tucked against his chest.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart, I didn't mean to upset you." Jenkins kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I-I love you too, Jenkins." Her fingers clung to his shirt as though he'd vanish into nothingness and just cried into his chest. "I'm sorry, I've been so selfish."

"What? No, darling, no, this affects all three of us. Of course you're upset, you have every right to be. None of this is your fault and you've never been selfish. Here, hold Adrianna."

The knight gently passed the baby into his darling redhead's arms and she pulled the child close as Jenkins continued to hug her, Cassandra loved it when Jenkins wrapped them both up in his strong arms. It instantly made her feel safe. A large hand came up to wipe away Cassie's tears and kissed her cheek.

"We'll be alright, my love, I promise. Have I ever let anything bad happen to you?"

Cassandra chuckled half-heartedly at that and flashed him a smile which instantly flooded him with relief.

"No, never, you're too much of a brave knight. Adrianna is lucky to have you." She said as she finally got control of her tears.

"She's lucky to have both of us, Cassandra." He responded quickly. "Now, why don't we settle our daughter down for the night and go to bed? I'm sure we'll both feel better in the morning after some sleep."

They did just that, set Adrianna down in her crib with her little rabbit toy and went back to their own room. Cassandra changed into her short silk nightdress – the emerald-green one that Jenkins favoured – and went to brush her teeth when the white-haired man had finished in the bathroom. Once they were in bed Jenkins lay on his side and pulled Cassandra into his arms so as her back was to his chest, he always wrapped his beloved up in his arms, it had gotten to the point where Cassandra couldn't really sleep without Jenkins' arms around her.

Tears had tired Cassandra out so she fell asleep rather quickly but it was a whole other story for Jenkins, he just lay there staring at his darling girl in the dark. He hated the thought of leaving her and his baby girl alone in the world, yes they'd have Eve, Flynn and the others but that wasn't the point. Jenkins was Adrianna's father, he wanted to be there for her always. That wouldn't happen any longer though. Jenkins didn't know how long he had left in the world now he was mortal but he was damn sure going to make the most of what he had left. He'd be the best father he could be to Adrianna, the best partner he could be to Cassandra and the best Caretaker he could be to his friends.

How ironic it was that only once Jenkins had a family and friends was his immortality taken. No, not taken, Jenkins did this to himself to save another, a noble act

The older man just lay there watching his darling Cassandra sleep, she was so beautiful and sometimes Jenkins really didn't think he deserved her, what had he done to make such a caring, stunning and intelligent woman love him. Everything was silent in their room save for the redhead's soft breaths.

Jenkins pushed thoughts of his sudden mortality from his mind, it wasn't good for him to focus on it all night, he needed to sleep as well. No matter how long he lay there though he couldn't sleep, just watched Cassandra with a soft smile. The sight of her soothed his soul.

Jenkins lay there until the early hours of the morning, every now and again he'd stumbled into slumber but he'd wake again an hour or so later with Cassandra still cuddled up to his chest. Day one of mortality had come quickly.

Only when Adrianna started to cry in the next room did Jenkins snap out of his own mind. He blinked rapidly casting away what little sleep had formed and carefully slipped out of bed. The white-haired man shuffled down the hall and into his daughter's room who's cries hadn't turned into full-blown demands just yet and lifted her into his arms, a twinge sparked in his back.

"Ouch!" Jenkins exclaimed quietly. He took a deep breath and carefully started to rock the baby in his strong arms. "Daddy's getting old, Princess. How long before Mister Jones starts his old man jokes?" He flashed the child a smile who quieted down quickly; always did for her Daddy. "I love you, Princess. What do you say we make Mommy breakfast, hmm? I'm sure the Clippings Book will no doubt be sending her off somewhere to be the hero she is so we'll make her breakfast and then do something fun. I'm sure you'd like the park."

The child gurgled which had Jenkins smiling. A lack of immortality didn't mean Jenkins was any less of a father.