Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Sequel to Before He Cheats. Number two in my small song fic series. Gil is Lindsey's hero.
A/N: I decided to make this a song fic series, so this would be like chapter two of Before He Cheats, but it's a different song, so another fic.
Gil stood in the doorway of his bedroom watching the young Lindsey Willows. She sat with her legs crisscrossed and her Dora, The Explorer board game in front of her.
I would ride on your shoulders And look out on the world Pretending I was big and tall like you When you were there to hold me I never was afraid You made me feel there's nothing I can't do
"Da, da Dora. Da, da Dora," she sang to herself.
"You set it up already?" Gil asked.
"Uh huh. I'm fast aren't I?"
"Yup." Gil sat across from her.
"You can be Boots, the monkey, Uncle Gil. I'm Dora." Lindsey handed him his necessary game pieces.
"How do you play?" Gil asked.
"I role the dice and I move. Then it'll be your turn." Lindsey did what she said and rolled the dice. Gil repeated her actions and began moving his piece.
"No!" Lindsey put her hand on her forehead and sighed, shaking her head. "That's not how you do it. You only get one move Uncle Gil."
"What?" Gil asked, "How come you get two."
"It's my game. See the rules." She looked in the box and opened the instructions paper, reading it upside down. "See. Since it's my game, I get more then one."
"You can't even read." Gil grabbed the paper.
"I can too." Lindsey said creasing her eyebrows and putting her hands on her hips.
"Then what does… this say?" he showed her a part of the paper.
"That Lindsey won," she replied. Gil laughed.
"Since you won already, it's time for bed missy."
"Aww. I'm not tired." She yawned.
"You have school tomorrow and I don't think your mother would be happy with me keeping you up all night playing a game. Then you'll start snoring in class and drooling on your desk."
"Eww. Mommy drools sometimes." Gil laughed.
If I'd spread my wings to fly When I was very small
I knew that you'd be standing by
To catch me if I fall
They both put the game back in the box and under the bed. Lindsey jumped in the bed lying against the pillows and the blankets up to her chin.
"Is Mommy coming to bed?" she asked.
"Yup soon. I think she might be watching some TV."
"I don't hear anything."
"Maybe it's really, really low," Gil whispered making her giggle.
"Are you going to bed Uncle Gil?"
"When you and your mommy are sound asleep, I will. Good night butterfly." Gil kissed her on the forehead and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Good night Uncle Gil," she replied quietly after she kissed him on the cheek. Gil gave her a small smiled and turned off the bedside lamp.
You're my hero
Chasing the monsters from my room
Going on trips around the moon
"Uncle Gil," she called out. He turned around.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Make sure that Mommy doesn't cry anymore. I fell sad when she cries." Lindsey yawned.
Gil felt a blanket of sadness wrap around him. Lindsey was so young and knew that her mother cried and that her father caused her the pain. If only they knew that they were causing their daughter pain.
"Why do you think she cries?" Gil sat beside her on the bed.
"Because Daddy makes her cry. He says mean things to her and she doesn't like it."
"Does your dad make you cry?" he asked.
Lindsey gently shook her head, "No."
"Good. Your Mommy and your Daddy have to talk, like your teacher does when you get in fights with kids at school," he replied.
"Good 'cause I hate when they fight."
The one who's always been there faithfully
You're my hero
And 'cause you're my Dad…
I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me
Gil imagined the small child sitting in her room with her hands over her ears and her teddy bear in her lap. He was happy that Eddie never made Lindsey cry, keeping his and Catherine's 'differences' to themselves. Anyone could see that Eddie loved his daughter, more than anything.
"Your dad loves you a lot and I don't think that he ever wants you to cry Lindsey," he said softly.
"Do you love me Uncle Gil?" she asked tilting her head.
"Of course I do munchkin. You're the most precious, most beautifulest, most cutest little six year old I've ever seen."
"Smartest too?"
"Mmm Hmm."
"Do you love Mommy?" she asked
As I kept on growing
We often disagreed
But you let me find myself in my own way
And it's funny, how just lately
I've come to recognize
How wise you are becoming every day
Gil smiled sadly. He loved Catherine more than anything, except Lindsey of course, and she didn't know that. Almost anyone could see that he loved her, everyone except Catherine maybe.
"Yes, I do. I love her very much," he replied.
There's so much you've given me
I hope I've made you proud
You're everything a Dad should be
And it's time to tell you now
"I think Mommy loves you too Uncle Gil. She love me lots too." Lindsey yawned again.
"It's time for you to go to sleep honey."
"Okay. Take care of Mommy and tell her I love her."
"I will. Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," he said softly before the door slightly open.
Gil rested on the wall beside the door. Now one more person knew for a fact that he loved Catherine Willows. He opened the door to the room and stared at the little angel sleeping. He hadn't had children and of course he was always affect when there were cases involving children.
But no one saw him as a person with his own children or a family. He loved Lindsey, like his own though. She was smart and beautiful like her mother. He'd have to watch out for those boys when she got older. He smiled a little at the thought.
He remembered the day she was born. Gil was visiting Catherine while she was on maternity leave. After a gallon on milk, Catherine's water broke. They called Eddie a million times trying to reach him, but failed. Finally, Gil drove Catherine to he hospital and forty-five minutes and fifty calls to Eddie, Catherine delivered a healthy baby girl.
He remembered Lindsey lying snugly in Catherine's arms as she fed. Catherine had named her moths before, with Gil's help: Lindsey Nicole Willows.
Gil laughed to himself at the memory when the nurse had mistaken him for Lindsey's father and asked if wanted to hold her. Neither he nor Catherine corrected her.
You're my hero
You didn't have to say a word
Your love was the message that I heard
Inspiring me to be all I can be
You're my hero
And 'cause you're my Dad…
I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me
The hero shook the memories. He only wished they really were a family.
A/N: Picking a song for this was really hard. I really didn't know what to use, but I found something. I used You're My Hero by Teresa James. I was going to use am Eminem song, but I didn't find one I really liked for this. I do love Eminem though. Enjoy! Please R&R!
