Don Cragen sighed as he sat down in the living room. His daughter, Anna-lee, had told him to go wait in the living room. He knew his daughter well enough to know that he was in for it. Ever since his wife, Marge, had died fifteen years earlier when Anna-lee was three, he had buried himself a bottom a bottle and barely looked out. Today was the day he screwed up the most, Anna-lee graduated high school and he promised to be there. Little did he know that he would find himself passed out on the couch and only woken up when Anna-lee slammed the door so hard that the windows rattled. Her tear-stained cheeks told him he had missed it. So, here he found himself waiting for whatever punishment his daughter had planned, knowing that he deserved it and then some. Anna-lee walked out of her room with her laptop. She silently put it on the table and pressed play. A song he never heard came through the speakers of the surround sound he had installed years ago. Anna-lee took a deep breath and started to sing to him.

I remember looking up to him

And I remember most the time

He wasn't there

I'd be waiting at the door when he got home at night

He'd pass me by to go pass out in his chair

And I'd say, walk a little straighter daddy

You're swaying side to side

You're footsteps make me dizzy

And no matter how I try

I keep tripping and stumbling

If you'd look down here you'd see

Walk a little straighter daddy

You're leading me

He stumbled in the gym on graduation day

And I couldn't help but feel so ashamed

And I wasn't surprised a bit

When he didn't stay

He stumbled out before they called my name

And I thought, walk a little straighter daddy

You're swaying side to side

It's not just me who's watching

You've caught everybody's eye

And you're tripping and stumbling

And even though I've turned 18

Walk a little straighter daddy

You're still leading me

The old ma's still like he always was

But I love him anyway

If I've learned one thing from him

It's my kids will never have to say

Walk a little straighter daddy

You're swaying side to side

You're footsteps make me dizzy

And no matter how I try

I keep tripping and stumbling

If you'd look down here you'd see

Walk a little straighter daddy

You're leading me

Yeah walk a little straighter daddy

You're leading me

By the time the song was over, Anna-lee was sobbing hard. Don stared at her feeling like shit. He got up and slowly walked over to her. He engulfed her into a hug. She sobbed openly into his chest. Don held him to his chest and as he stared blankly at the wall. He had nothing to say.

"Anna-lee, I know there is nothing I can say to make this better. I'm going to try to get clean sweetie. I know I can never apologize enough for disappointing you." Anna-lee turned her head so her cheek as resting against his chest. She could hear the beat of his heart.

"I'm not disappointed Daddy. I'm scared. If you keep doing this, we won't be like this ever again. I won't hear your heartbeat anymore."

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise you, I know I've promised a lot but I'm keeping this one. I'm getting sober and I'm not letting you down again."

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart."