A/N: SO basically... Emily is 21, that's all you need to know
He watched as Sam nervously sat down. He folded his arms over his chest, watching as Sam played with his fingers.
"Well...?" He asked.
Sam cleared his throat and stared at him, "Um, sir I would-"
"Nope." He said.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't call me sir."
Sam nodded and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Mister-"
"Wrong."
Sam took a deep breath and stared at him, "Doctor, can I-"
"What's my last name son?"
"Sorry... Dr. Lightman..."
"Much better." Cal smiled and leaned back in the couch, very amused by Sam's nervousness. Well he bloody hell should be!
"Dr. Lightman. I would like to take Emily's hand in marriage." Sam whispered, breaking eyecontact with Cal.
Cal stared at him and bit his lip, "No."
.:.
"What the hell is wrong with you Cal? You don't say no!" Gillian scolded him, "Why did you say no?"
"Bloody hell woman! Calm down!" Cal yelled nervously. He paced in his office, running his hand through his hair.
"Why did you say no?" Gillian said madly.
"I'm not ready to let Emily go..." He whispered, sitting down on the edge of his desk.
Gillian immediately stopped being mad, she walked over and placed a hand on his chest, "That's what this is all about?" He nodded, "You have to let her go some time... she is 21 Cal..."
"I know, but... how the bloody hell did she grow up so damn fast?" He yelled madly, "It just isn't fair... I'm not ready for Sam to take her."
"Sam is a wonderful man and will be a great husband and you KNOW that Cal... if he was a bad person or did drugs... then this would make sense, but Cal! You have no reason to say no other than for your own personal gain. You need to go back and tell Sam yes." She said firmly.
"I can't... just give me a little time love... I need to do those things... that I never got to do!" He said with a small gasp, trying to hold in any stray tears that were fighting to get out.
"One week Cal... and then I am telling Emily."
"You can't do that!" He yelled madly.
"I can and I will if you haven't told Sam yes."
"This is my life and MY daughter! NOT yours!" He yelled, walking over to her and getting in her face, "And you stay out of both of them." He seethed through his teeth.
She let her head hang and sighed. "Cal you-"
"Just get out Gillian." He pointed to the door and watched as she walked out.
.:.
"What do you want?" Cal asked Zoe.
"I want a little girl." She smiled and looked up at him, "This is so exciting... you want a boy?"
"Well of course I do... I want to grow the little bugger up right so he can be some famous... football player er something." He laughed and took her hand, "The doctor's coming."
"This is so exciting!" She said.
The first thing Cal saw was the little soft pink blanket wrapped around the baby's body. "It's a girl." The doctor announced with a big smile. He handed the baby to Zoe and then stepped back.
Cal looked down at the little baby girl and felt a tear roll down his face, "She's so... beautiful." He whispered.
Zoe looked at him and smiled, feeling her own tears fall, "Yes she is. What should we name her?"
"Emily." He said immediately. He had fallen to his knees to get a better look at her. He held her tiny hand in his and lightly made circles on hers with his thumb. "I'm a dad." He whispered.
"I like that name." Zoe smiled and took his other hand, "Yes you are... and you will be a wonderful one." She kissed the back of his hand and then handed Emily over.
He held the small body in his arms and sat down on a chair beside the bed. "She is so small." He pulled her body towards his head and kissed hers. He then looked at Zoe and smiled, "We are officially parents."
She smiled back and closed her eyes, "Yes we are..."
.:.
"Dr. Lightman." Loker said, walking into the office. "I need you to look over a couple videos-"
"I can't do that right now Loker."
"But we need the..." He looked at Gillian who was shaking her head. He set the video in front of Cal and then walked over to Foster, "What's going on?"
"He is just... he needs some time to think." She whispered.
"Why was he yelling at you yesterday?" Loker asked, leaning against the counter in the cafe area.
"He was just frustrated... don't worry about it. Oh hey Emily." Gillian said with a big smile, "You are so... tall." She laughed and hugged her.
Emily smiled and looked at Loker, "Hey Eli."
"When was the last time I saw you?" Loker asked with a friendly smile.
"Like... three years ago?" She laughed and hugged him, "Um, where's dad?" She asked, pretending that she wasn't anxious to see him.
"He is in his office." Loker announced, with a big smile.
"Thanks." Emily walked in and attacked Cal with a hug, "Daddy..." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He laughed and gave her such a big hug that her feet came off of the ground. "I've missed you love." He kissed her head and she stared at him with a big smile.
"I'm taller than you." She whispered, resting her head on his chest, "I have all weekend dad."
"That's great... we have alot of catching up to do... how's college been treatin' ya?" He asked, sitting back down.
"Good... alot of fun... and Sam and I went to this party on Thursday and it was so fun! I will tell you about it later." She smiled and took his hand as they walked out into the hallway.
"We are going out to lunch... care to join us?" Cal asked Gillian with a smile.
"Sounds like fun." Gillian smiled and looked at Loker.
"Yeah yeah yeah... I can hold up the fort while you're gone." He smiled and watched as Torres walked into the hallway.
"Emily!" She exclaimed, hugging Emily.
"Hey Ria." Emily smiled and looked at Cal, "Well I have to go... we can talk later."
"She is so much older." Ria whispered to Loker once they were gone.
"I know right... I barely recognized her."
.:.
They both laid in bed, listening to Emily cry in the other room, "I'll get her love." Cal whispered, giving Zoe a quick kiss. He got out of bed and made his way to Emily's room. "Shhh..." He whispered, picking Emily up. He smiled at her and she stopped crying. She laid her head on his chest and he lightly bounced her as he walked around her room. Taking a seat on the rocking chair, he slowly rubbed his hand on her back. "Go back to sleep darling."
She sniffled and moved around under his arm. Her eyes eventually fell again and she was fast asleep on his chest.
"I love you." He whispered, lightly rocking back and forth.
He laid her back in bed and kiss her forehead. Getting back into his own bed and wrapped and arm around Zoe and pulled her close, "She's asleep."
"Thank you." Zoe smiled and kissed him.
.:.
"You have four days Cal." Gillian reminded him.
"Emily just left... give me a little time alright?" He said impatiently.
"Four days." She then turned around and walked away.
Cal pulled out his phone and called Zoe, "Sam wants to marry her." He whispered.
"You said yes right?" Zoe asked.
"Um..."
"Cal! Sam is a wonderful boy... go tell him yes... you didn't say no right? You just left it...?"
"Um..."
"Cal!" She yelled again with a small laugh, "He is probably devastated and is about to break up with Emily... if he can't marry her than what's the point of being with her?"
"There are too many to say."
"Cal I am totally serious... go tell him yes."
.:.
"Daddy, will you lay down with me?" Emily asked, her body almost completely buried underneath the covers.
He smiled and said, "Of course." He laid down next to her and rolled onto his side to look at her, "Are you excited?"
"Yes! I can't wait to see what Santa got me." She smiled and took his hand, "What do you think Santa got you?" She asked with a big smile.
"Oh I dunno love... probably coal." He chuckled and she shook her head, "Why not?"
"Because you are perfect... you never do anything wrong. You will probably get something really big and cool!" She exclaimed, opening her hands and showing how big it will be.
"I'm perfect?"
"Yes... you never do anything wrong daddy." She said with a big smile.
"Have I ever told you how cute you are? With those huge eyes?" He laughed and kissed her forehead, "The sooner you fall asleep the sooner Christman will come."
She smiled and closed her eyes, soon falling asleep in his arms.
.:.
Sam stared at Cal with a hopeful and nervous smile, "Now you listen and you listen good." Cal said firmly.
"Of course." Sam said with a small nod.
"I have known her for 21 years... and she has been a perfect angel for every second of those 21 years... she is fragile and beautiful and if you do ANYTHING to mess that up... if you make her cry... if you hit her... if you yell at her.. if you do ANYTHING like that... I will personally break your skull."
.:.
"Daddy watch!" Emily yelled as she bounced on the trampoline, "I'm gonna do a flip!" She laughed and jumped several more times, "Ouch." She mumbled once she fell on her back, but bounced a couple more times.
Cal ran over and brushed her hair from her eyes, "Are you alright love?"
"That was fun! I wanna do it again!" She exclaimed, jumping up.
He held her face in his hands and laughed, "You are seven years old. How about we wait for you to get a little older, yeah?"
"But daddy... I want to be perfect!" She whined.
"Doing a flip on the trampoline makes you perfect?" He asked with a weird look. She laughed and nodded.
"Yep, it does." She readjusted herself on the trampoline and sat criss-crossed in front of him.
He laid a hand on each of her knees and leaned in, "You are already perfect darling." He kissed her forehead and she giggled.
"Daddy...?" She asked, noticing his mesmerized look.
He stared at her and the blinked several times, "Huh... what?" Cal asked, "Sorry... I was just thinking about how beautiful you are." She blushed and giggled, "I love you."
"I love you more." She had a big smile that just reminded him of how lucky he was to have her.
"I don't think that that's possible." He whispered.
She leaned in, making their noses touch and smiled, "Why is my nose so small and yours so big?"
He chuckled and held her small head in his hands, "Because I am and adult and you are a child... and I just generally have a big nose." He laughed and kissed her nose.
"I want a big nose like you." She smiled.
"I like your small nose..." He said jutting out his lower lip.
"But it's so tiny."
"And adorable." He laughed at her scrunched up face.
"How can a nose be adorable?" She asked with a small giggle, "You're weird daddy. Can we go have lunch?"
"Oh of course." He picked her up and walked into the house.
.:.
"Sir, I love her."
"Yeah, so do I." Cal mumbled, "Listen... I'm not ready to let her go, but you are a good kid and I want to believe that you will be a good husband... but if anything ever happens to her... you will be the one who has hell to pay." He stood up and grabbed Sam by the collar of his shirt, "She is very... very... very important to me..."
.:.
"I hate you! Just leave! Get out of our lives!" Zoe screamed at Cal with tears streaming down her face.
"Oh and you think that I love you?" He yelled back, "Why the hell won't you just understand?' He asked, slamming his fist down on the counter.
"Understand WHAT exactly?"
"That-"
"NO! Never mind... just leave ME and my daughter alone!"
"She is my daughter too!" He yelled.
"I'm done with you." She whispered.
"Good, because I am leaving." Cal picked up a suitcase that he had and walked to the door.
"Daddy! Don't go please..." Emily begged, grabbing his leg.
He pushed her away and whispered, "I have to go love... I will see you later."
"But daddy..." She cried, "I... I'll clean my room! I'll be good daddy! I won't yell... I won't get into your things and I won't ask for anymore toys... please don't leave daddy." She said through the tears that were running down her face.
He crounched down and held her face, "I have to go. I love you and I will-"
"You don't have to leave daddy!" She yelled, hugging him, "Please don't go..." She whispered into his ear.
"I'm sorry darling." He kissed her head and stood back up.
"Daddy no..." She said, her eyes filling with tears again, "I love you!" She yelled, "I can love you like mommy too..." She whispered.
"What?" He asked, crouching down again.
"I can love you for mommy... since she doesn't love you... I can just love you two times..." She said, staring up at him with her big eyes.
He made a weak smile and brushed her hair from her face, "Goodbye darling." He kissed her head again and walked out.
"Daddy don't leave!" She cried as he got into his car.
.:.
"Do you know how hard it is for me to just... let her go? She has been my whole life since she was born... just... take care of her. Go ask her." That was the last thing Cal whispered before he let Sam go and ask Emily. Cal stared at the wall for about an hour before he heard Gillian walk in. "Ever heard of knocking?" He called to her.
"I had been knocking for the last ten minutes." She sat down on the couch with Cal and smiled, "Well...?"
"I am sure she will be calling soon."
"So you told him yes."
"Well I didn't have much of a choice did I?" He asked with a weak smile.
"No you didn't." She smiled and put a hand on his arm, "She will always be your little girl."
He nodded and jutted out his lower lip.
.:.
"Daddy!" Emily yelled, running into his arms.
He dropped his bags and lifted her off of the ground in a big hug, "Hello darling." He kissed her forehead and laughed.
"What was machashutests like?" She asked.
"Well... it's Massachusetts and it was interesting... I caught some very bad people and now they can't hurt anyone." He kissed her head and sat down on the porch with her in his lap.
"You are my super hero." She whispered, laying her head on his chest.
"What?"
"You stop bad people... and save good people. You are a super hero daddy." She said with a big smile.
"I guess you could look at it like that." He smiled and lightly stroked her hair.
"Guess what tomorrow is..."
"What?"
"It's bring your daddy day." She laughed and said, "You can come in... right?"
"Of course I can." He smiled and asked, "What exactly happens on bring your daddy day?"
"You come in and talk to all my friends and tell them what your job is and you can tell them that you are a super hero who stops bad guys."
"Sounds like fun... I will definitely be there."
"Thank you." She kissed his nose and jumped from his lap, "Mommy misses you." She said before she walked back into the house.
"Me and mommy just don't get along together very well..." he reminded her.
"I miss you daddy." She whispered.
He stared at her and glanced inside the house, seeing Zoe making dinner, "I'm sorry love... I know it's hard."
"But daddy... you can just come back and everything will be okay."
"It isn't that easy love."
"Yes it is... just walk inside and kiss mommy and everything will be okay again."
He chuckled and whispered, "I wish it would work like that."
.:.
Emily smiled at Cal and pulled his arm over her shoulder, "You will always be my daddy." She whispered to him.
"You will always be my baby girl." He whispered back, kissing her head.
"Dad... you will never loose me... no matter who I marry... I will always love you more... you are the strongest man in my life and you always will be."
.:.
"This is my daddy and he is the best daddy is the whole wide world!" Emily exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.
All the kids gasped and Cal, the teacher, and the other fathers just chuckled. "No really... he is." Emily said, turning to the parents, "He saves people's lives and he stops bad guys with his mind!" She turned back to the class and smiled, "He doesn't even need a weapon! He uses his brain to catch them and since he is so strong he can catch them with his bare hands!"
"Now now Em." Cal said, walking over to her, "I can tell when people lie." He said to the class with a smile.
"How?" A little asked like he doubted him.
"Well... when you look at me and I see the edge of your lip..." He touch the edge of the boys lip, "right there... flip up... just for a second... then I know that you think I'm an idiot." He stood up and walked over to the dry erase board, "You see..." He drew a simple face and the a circle around the nose, eyes, forehead, and chin. "These are places that I study the most... I can see the lies in your eyes."
The little boy blushed and watched Cal intently. "How did you learn that?'
"I studied it."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to know."
"Why?"
"Because my mother died... and I wanted to know why."
"Why?"
"Because I care about her."
"Why?"
"She is my mum... don't you care about yours?"
"Yes." The boy whispered.
"Well he's annoying." Cal whispered to Emily once he sat down.
She giggled and held his hand, "Thank you daddy..."
.:.
"I'm just not sure if I'm ready to let you go love."
"You have to sometime dad." She whispered.
"Yes but... I hate Sam."
"Well I don't so be nice."
"He is stealing Cinderella." He whispered to her.
"You mean me?"
.:.
"Daddy... I am Cinderella... not just some old princess."
"I didn't say you were old."
"Daddy..." She whined.
"What?" He asked defensively.
"You know what I meant..." She smiled and gave him a hug, "Will you be Prince Charming?"
"Oh..." He said, itching the back of his neck, "Um..." She jutted out her lower lip and made her eyes really big, "Fine." She squealed happily and took his hand.
"You need to find a really nice suit and then we can have a tea party." She shut the door and he walked to his closet.
"I never agreed to a tea party Em." He called through the closed door.
"That's part of Prince Charming."
"I don't think so." He walked out in a tux and smiled, "Shall we?"
"We shall." She smiled and hooked her arm into his.
.:.
"Yes you... you used to lay Cinderella all the time and got mad at me if I called you any of the other princess'... oh and I played Prince Charming and we had tea parties..." He smiled and felt that stray tear roll down his face.
"Really? I don't remember that..."
"Well of course you don't... you were young, but I remember it very well." He kissed her forehead and sighed, "This is a big step love."
"It's time to let go." She whispered.
.:.
"I won't let go! Just keep pedaling." Cal held onto her waist and ran with her and the bike rolled down the sidewalk quickly, "There you go."
She closed her eyed out of fear and he laughed.
"You can't ride if your eyes are closed!" He said.
"Alright..." She slowly opened her eyes and stared down the sidewalk, "You can let go now daddy."
He stepped back and smiled as she rushed down the sidewalk.
.:.
"Yeah I suppose it is..." He took her hand and examined the ring on it.
"Isn't it beautiful?"She asked with a big smile.
"Yes it is." He lightly rubbed his thumb over it and looked at Emily, "It's almost half as beautiful as you.."
She laughed and hugged him, "I need to go make some wedding arrangements."
.:.
"So she said yes... right?" Gillian asked.
"I think we both knew she would." He said with a small sigh, "I'm gonna miss being the only man in her life."
"Cal... I am sure she has told you this herself... but you will always be the main man in her life... she loves you."
He nodded and sighed.
:::
Cal stared at her in the long and beautiful white dress, "You look absolutely amazing darling."
"Thank you daddy." She kissed his cheek and looked around, "I'm so nervous."
He nodded and smiled, "I am sure that Sam is as well. I think it's time to start."
They both stood at the back of the church, her arm hooked into his, "Shall we?" She asked.
"We shall." He kissed her head one last time and they slowly processed in. "There are alot of people here."
"Yeah alot of people that I care about." She smiled and pulled her arm tighter to hers.
They stood at the front of the altar and Emily whispered, "You can let go now."
"I love you darling."
"And I love you daddy."
They exchanged smiled and Cal walked away, joining Gillian.
A/N: Thankyou so much for reading...
Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wicks
I Loved Her First by Heartland
It Won't Be Like This For Long by Darius Rucker
Daddy's Little Girl by Frankie J
You Can Let Go Now Daddy by Crystal Shawanda
My Little Girl by Tim Mcgraw
All of those songs inspired this... so THANK YOU to the song writers and thank you to you people for reading... and WHO can't wait till Lie to Me tomorrow? A drunk Foster! woohoo... I am TOTALLY excited!