Disclaimer: I do not own Nightmare on Elm Street or any of the characters involved.

Title: Father.

Summary: One shot – It's Father's Day. Freddy and Katherine spend the day together,

Genre: Family/Drama/Angst.

Rating: T

Freddy stared at the boiler room that was steadily becoming submerged in flames. Hot, fierce yellow and red flamers licking at the metal furnace. Thick smoke filled his vision as the boiler room disappeared from view, the fire encircling him, pinning him into the corner. He panicked as the flames danced closer to him, singeing his clothes and soon his body was set alight. Screaming in pain he thrashed and flung himself onto the floor, his skin sizzled and bubbled from the scorching flames. He howled in pain and weakly looked up, sensing the presence of three beings from straight ahead. Their eyes glowed red glaring at him and before he could make out their forms he disappeared.

Jumping awake from his nightmare he wildly looked about his bedroom, gasping for breath. He wearily looked down toward his body, seeing his skin smooth and unblemished. But in his dream it felt all so real, the smoke, the flames. The searing pain engulfing his body, the feel of his skin being cooked, his flesh charring away. It was the same nightmare he had been having for the last several months. However, he had been plagued by his victims before hand. His foster father Underwood and the children. Their mutilated faces goading at him, haunting his dreams. Just why was he having this recurring nightmare? There had to be a fucking reason.

Rubbing his throbbing temple he leaned back against the headboard, groaning slightly and then soon the door to the room crept opened. He looked over as his wife, Loretta, pushed the door opened, her gaze set towards the landing as a pair of small footsteps walked forward. "Come on Katherine"

Fred titled his head to the side, a surprised smile growing across his face as Katherine came into view, holding in her small hands a tray with a small plate of toast and scrambled eggs and a mug of coffee Also, on it was a small white envelope. "Morning daddy!" she chirped and bounded towards him, a warm grin gracing her face.

He watched as she placed the tray on the chest of drawers beside the bed and then offered the envelope to him, "Happy father's day"

Fred sighed, he had forgotten it was that day. Gently he took if off of her and withdrew the card. A card she had crafted herself in school during the week. On the front was a large red heart with the words 'Happy Father's Day' scrawled in black crayon just inside. Red and green glitter shimmered over the edges of the card. He smiled softly and flipped it open reading the message.

To Daddy

Love Kat xx

Freddy smirked and placed it on the chest of drawers, before locking his ice blue eyes on his daughter's little frame. For once she wasn't in her Sunday best, but a pair of blue denim jeans and lemon t-shirt. Loretta walked towards the bed and cleared her throat, "Come on Katherine. We have to go and see your Grandpa Henry for a little while"

"But I don't want to go" she whined and pouted.

Loretta crossed her arms, "And why not?"

"I want to stay with daddy" Katherine admitted, "Please?"

She looked over to her husband who opened his arms to Katherine, "It's okay. I've been neglecting her for the last week or so. It's about time I made it up to her"

Begrudgingly Loretta agreed, "Alright. But be good for your daddy, okay?" then slowly she left the room.

Katherine nodded excitedly and instantly climbed onto the bed, snuggling beside her father who wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. Before pulling her small little figure onto his lap, placing her two legs on either side of his waist. She grinned brightly and asked, "Did you like my card daddy? I made it in school. I used the red and green glitter as I know you like them colours because of your sweater!"

Fred grinned and gave a small chuckle, "I loved it sweetheart. Thank you" he kissed her forehead lightly.

She giggled and blushed, her cheeks going a bright red. "What do you want to do today then?"

"Well, what do you want to do, princess?"

She shook her head slowly, "But daddy it's your special day. I want to do something that you do"

He stared musingly at her, lost in his dark thoughts. One day he would share in his 'activities' with her, his special work. When she was older, more aware of who she really was. She was a Krueger and soon he would learn and fully accept her role, her purpose in life. He gripped her small waist and tugged her closer to him. He noticed her eyes widening as a thought crossed her mind.

"I know, what about we got and see your daddy!"

Freddy's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of his own father. He had never once said anything to his daughter of his own father, his foster father Underwood. Even his biological mother Amanda was never mentioned to her, not even to his wife Loretta. It was his own personal past, no one else's.

Both Amanda and Underwood meant nothing to him. He had abandoned all contact with his whore of a mother since an early age and as for Underwood, well he got what he fucking deserved. All those beatings he had been submitted to still plagued him, tortured him. He gritted his teeth and slowly his fingers curled around her little hips a little more tightly. However, this was unnoticed by her.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly Freddy knew that he couldn't be angry at her, she weren't to know. "I don't think so sweetheart. I don't see him anymore"

But he did, in his nightmares. The flashbacks of his torture at Underwood's hands and the evening he finally put the bastard out of his misery. His slashed face would stare up at him and then his body would spontaneously burst into flames. But then it wasn't Underwood burning, it was him. He snapped out of his meanderings and focused his gaze back on Katherine's brown eyes, that were glazed with concern.

"Why daddy?" she asked.

He chewed his lips ponderously and then muttered. "My father is dead"

Her little pink lips went agape with shock, her brown eyes starting to well with tears at her father's declaration. He had no daddy to love him, to share this special day? Like she was doing with him now? He must be very sad, lonely to have no daddy. She sniffled and flung her small arms around his neck, kissing his cheek gently and snuggled her face against his. "I'm sorry daddy" a few stray tears began to trickle down her face, falling onto his chin.

He tensed at the sudden comfort he was receiving from her. Usually he would be giving comfort to her. This was unexpected. Raising his arms he ran his hands through her brown locks, "It's okay baby"

Lifting her head back slightly, Katherine questioned. "What happened to your daddy?"

"Just say it was time for him to go" he responded bluntly.

"To go?" she cocked her head to the side.

"You see...he was sick" he lied.

"Sick? He had the cold?" she frowned.

A playful grin crossed his face and he laughed softly, "Oh, no honey. He had a disease. A very bad one" But he cured the fucker, he gave him his medicine for the first and last time, sending him to hell.

"Oh, right"

Leisurely he lifted her off his lap and placed her on the floor. He adored how innocent she was, the questions she asked showed how naive she was. But he had to admit on several times he had found himself laughing. A little trait he loved of hers. The ability to make him laugh. Not many people could do that, not even Loretta. "I'm going to get ready here. I'll meet you in the kitchen in ten minutes. Then we can do something together, okay?"

She nodded obediently and scurried away.

Waiting patiently on her chair, Katherine swung her little legs back and forth. Her eyes lit up as her father entered the room, dressed in dark jeans and blue shirt. He grinned at her and beckoned her to follow him downstairs into the basement. "Now, honey, wait outside my room. I've just to get some tools"

"Tools?" she stood at the bottom step, watching as he disappeared into this room, "Is that what you do daddy? You make things?"

There was a few seconds of silence and soon he reappeared, holding a small tool box and five to six small wooden planks, a small saw, plus a small hammer tucked under his arm. "Yes. I do" he gave her a little knowing wink.

"Yes, I hear you sometimes when you're down here. What do you make?"

He crouched before her and smiled cunningly, "Well, that's a secret" he reached out to gently stroke her cheek, "But one day I'll tell you"

Her face beamed with excitement at this. "Maybe I could help you build something"

"Well, that is what we're going to do now. How about we make a little bird house? I know how much you like to feed the birds" he suggested, seeing her eyes twinkle with glee and slowly she nodded with agreement.

"Good. Now come on, out the back" he stood and pointed towards the basement doors. She smiled and spun on her heel, running up the stairs and out into the bright sunny morning. Turning around to face her father he pointed towards the large oak tree and she scuttled over to it and knelt on the grass. He placed the wood beside her, then popped open his tool box. Inside were screws, nails, pilers, a variety of screwdrivers and a few small chisels.

He shifted on his knees so he could sit directly beside her and then began to construct the box, placing the end of one plank of wood to another one. Next he lifted a long silver nail and placed the tip of it on the wood, "Give me the hammer Katherine"

She complied and handed it over, however he placed his hand over hers and gently began to aid her in tapping the nail into the two planks of wood. He gave a curious glance at her face, that was full of concentration and intrigue.

He smirked and continued to assist her in building the rest of the bird house, which was more or less completed. It was twelve inches by twelve inches. Freddy smiled proudly at her and leaned back. "I'll have to do the next part. We need to cut a hole for the birds to get into"

She nodded and watched intently as he used a small saw to cut a circle into the wood, then yanked the circular piece of wood out and used the chisel to smooth the wood. It was barely big enough for a small bird to fit through. Placing it down he wiped his hands on his jeans. "Now, we need somewhere to put it"

"What about in the tree?" she pointed up to a large branch, "Can I paint it first?"

"Okay. Go and get your paints"

She smiled broadly and ran back into the house. He rolled his eyes. Since the moment she was able to hold a paintbrush she loved to paint. Art and crafts were one of her favourite past times.

But would she have the same creative instinct as him when she grew up? To create the same destructive gloves as he did? If he had this way, then fucking yes. But away from the prying eyes of Loretta. He didn't want Katherine to grow up to be as weak minded as Loretta.

No.

A Krueger was meant to be strong, powerful and in control. That was the way Katherine was going to be and she would surely become like that as long a she stayed with him.

He looked up as she climbed out of the basement her small box of paints and paintbrushes in her right hand while she carried a small glass of water in her left. "Can I colour it pink?"

"You can colour it any way you like princess"

Grinning from ear to ear she plopped down beside him, beginning to open her paint box and started to use a small paintbrush to dip into the water. Then mixed the red and white paint. Slowly, she began to paint the wood, her eyes darting up to her father's face. His admission from earlier still playing on her mind about his father. "Can I ask you a question daddy?"

Nodding once he leaned his back against the tree, "Go ahead" gently he pulled her closer and she dropped her paintbrush, snuggling against his chest.

"Is your daddy in heave with baby Jesus?" she looked up to him, "That's what I'm told in Sunday school, that when we die we go and live with baby Jesus in heaven"

His blues eyes narrowed with disdain. Sunday school. What the fuck? He clenched his fists slowly and exhaled deeply, "I'm not sure. Katherine, I thought you went to mass with your mother"

"No, she goes to mass while I go to Sunday school" she shook her head. "We learn about Jesus, God and heaven. We're told how to be good Christians"

He turned away for a few seconds, his nostrils flaring with rage. There was no way that he was allowing his daughter to be brainwashed anymore by that religious shit. He turned around to face her and asked. "Do yo like Sunday school?"

"No, I don't like it. It's boring. But mom says I have to go"

"Well, how about I have a little talk with your mother. You don't have to go if you don't want to" he gave a cunning grin.

"Yes, please. That means I can spend every Sunday with you!" she squealed and gave him a tight hug.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "How about we head to the park after we get something to eat, huh?"

"Yeah" she agreed. "You know you're the best daddy ever. I hope I grow up to be just like you!"

Freddy smiled wickedly at her. He had hoped so too. He wanted her to carry on with his 'special work', to carry on the Krueger tradition.

Like father, like daughter.