Playing Pretend
AN: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed or alerted these stories so far. I love reading all the comments, and I try my best to respond to each reviewer. I'm leaving tomorrow for a camping trip so I will have limited internet access until I return home on Sunday. I won't be able to post the next story until I am home, but I should have plenty of time to write.
Disclaimer: Only Shannon and Julia are mine, Criminal Minds belongs to CBS.
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"Dad?" Shannon called as she let herself and her four year old daughter Julia, into her father's home.
"Grandpa!" Julia shrieked, running to Dave when he appeared in the foyer.
"Hi angel," he greeted his granddaughter as he picked her up and kissed her cheeks. "Hi Shannon."
Hi daddy," Shannon gave her father a hug. "Thanks for watching her tonight."
"You're welcome Shannon Besides I love spending time with my favorite granddaughter," Dave said.
"She's your only granddaughter," Shannon reminded him. "And she's going to remain your only grandchild for the foreseeable future." Being a single mom was both challenging and rewarding, but it wasn't an experience that the young mom wanted to repeat.
"She's an adorable little girl and she has an amazing mom," Dave praised his daughter.
"Thanks dad," Shannon replied.
"Grandpa can we go play now?" Julia asked.
"You can go play. I'm still talking to your mama," Dave said as he set the young girl down. After she was down, Julia ran to her playroom in search of toys.
"Julia has already had dinner, although she will probably want a snack before bed," Shannon informed her dad. "Also, she's going through a phase where she wakes up at 6am. I normally let her crawl in bed with me and she goes back to sleep for a few more hours."
Dave laughed, "You did the same thing at about her age. It drove your mother crazy."
"I can believe that. Once she wakes up again, she'll probably want breakfast. I will be back by noon to pick her up," Shannon told him. "Julia baby, mama is getting ready to leave."
"Mama Mama," Julia came running. "Hugs and kisses before you leave."
"Always," Shannon picked up her daughter and gave her a big hug. "Behave for your grandpa. Mama will be back around lunchtime tomorrow to get you."
"Okay, bye Mama. I love you!"
"I love you too baby," Shannon said as she put her wiggling daughter back on the floor.
"Bye Dad. Have fun," Shannon grabbed her purse and headed toward the front door.
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"Hey princess what are you playing?" Dave asked Julia as he walked into her playroom after Shannon had left.
"I'm having a tea party," Julia pointed to the child sized Tinkerbell table where her tea set was sitting. Stuffed animals sat at three of the four chairs. "Wanna play too?"
"I'd love to play," Dave replied.
"You sit here," Julia told him as she moved a stuffed animal from one of the chairs. Dave awkwardly sat at one of the small chairs.
"Miss Marley, Lady Elisabeth," Julia addressed the stuffed animals. "Sir Grandpa has joined our tea party. Would anyone care for more tea?"
"I would like some tea please," Dave requested.
"Sugar or milk with your tea?" Julia asked as she poured water into one of her Princess tea cups.
"Sugar please," Dave asked.
Dave and Julia continued playing tea party. The young girl entertained her grandfather by making up stories for each of the stuffed animals.
"Grandpa, I hungry," Julia told him.
"Let's go downstairs and find a snack," Dave suggested.
"Okay Grandpa," Julia raced out of the playroom and down the stairs. Dave slowly stood up and stretched, his body aching after sitting in the child sized chair.
Julia was already in the kitchen by the time Dave made it downstairs. "What snack we have Grandpa?" she asked.
Let's see what we have," Dave said as he looked through the pantry. Not finding anything, he closed the pantry and opened the freezer. Rummaging through the freezer, Dave found the perfect treat. "Julia, would you like some ice cream?"
"Yes please. Ice cream, ice cream," the little girl cheered.
"Ice cream it is then princess. Do you want to sit up her and help me?" Dave asked Julia as he set the ice cream on the island that was located in the middle of his kitchen.
"Yes please," Julia reached up for her grandfather. Dave picked up the young girl and set her on the island.
Dave scooped vanilla ice cream into each of the bowls. "What do you think sweet girl, should we add strawberries and chocolate to our ice cream?"
"Please Grandpa?" Julia asked as she bounced excitedly in place.
"Okay, chocolate and strawberries it is. Please don't bounce on the island," Dave said. He grabbed the strawberries, cut them up and placed them on the ice cream before adding the Hershey's Magic Shell.
Dave pulled Julia off the island and directed her to go sit at the kitchen table. He grabbed the ice cream and followed Julia to the table.
"This ice cream is yummy. Thank you Grandpa."
"You're welcome sweetheart. It looks like you need a bath," Dave looked at his granddaughter. She had ice cream on her face, hands and clothes.
"Finish ice cream first?" she asked.
"Yes you can finish your ice cream first," he agreed.
Fifteen minutes later, Julia had finished her ice cream. "I'm all done Grandpa," she showed Dave her nearly empty bowl. "Let's go take bath now."
"Okay, let's go," Dave said. Julia and Dave went upstairs. After a quick bath, Julia dressed in her favorite Tinkerbell pajama outfit.
"Grandpa, can we watch a movie?" the little girl asked.
"What movie would you like to watch?" Dave's movie collection included a large selection of child friendly movies for Julia.
"Nemo fish please," she requested.
"Finding Nemo it is," Dave said. "Take your blanket downstairs. You can lie down while we watch the movie." It was already past 9pm and Dave was almost positive that Julia would fall asleep before the movie ended.
Julia settled on the couch while Dave found and started the requested movie. Dave was about to sit at the far end of the couch when Julia whispered, "come sit by me."
"Okay sweetheart," he responded, happy to comply with his granddaughter's request.
Not even twenty minutes into the movie, Julia had fallen asleep. Dave picked up the sleeping child and carried her up to her bedroom. After tucking her in, Dave kissed her forehead and turned on her nightlight before leaving the room. Dave walked down the hall to his own room, deciding to read for a bit before going to bed.
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The next morning, Dave was woken up by Julia before the sun had risen.
"Grandpa," Julia whispered as she leaned up against her grandfather's bed. "Grandpa."
"What is it baby girl?" Dave asked as he rolled over. Looking at the clock he was dismayed to see that it was on that it was only 5:45am.
"I woked up," she said, pushing her messy brown curls out of her face.
"I see that," Dave responded. "It's still too early to wake up. Do you want to lay up here with me for a while?"
"Yes," she whispered sleepily.
"Okay, c'mere cutie," Dave lifted Julia on to the bed. He placed the small child in the middle of the bed, not wanting her to fall off.
Julia requested a story so Dave started telling her a story about her mom as a child. Stories of Shannon as a child were some of Julia's favorite and Dave had told her many of these stories. Dave finished the story and realized that Julia had fallen back to sleep. It was still early, so Dave decided to sleep for another few hours before Julia woke up again.
Dave woke up the second time to see sunshine shining in his bedroom window. A glance at the clock told him that it was now 9:15am. Julia was still sleeping. She looked so peaceful that Dave had no desire to wake her up.
As he watched her sleep, Dave realized that he was a very lucky man. He had a daughter and granddaughter, both of whom he loved dearly. Raising Shannon had definitely been an adventure, and he was so proud of the young woman she had become. Now Dave was watching as Shannon adventured through raising her own daughter.
"Grandpa," Julia said, pulling the older profiler from his thoughts.
"Good morning Princess," Dave greeted her.
"I hungry," she stated.
"Hungry?" Dave teased the young girl.
"Uh huh, my belly wants p'cakes," Julia told him. "With chocolate chippies please."
"I think I can whip up some chocolate chip pancakes. Let's go downstairs and I'll make our breakfast."
"Otay," Julia agreed. "I color picture for Mama."
Julia sat at the kitchen table with a coloring book and a pack of Crayola crayons while Dave made their breakfast. In addition to the pancakes, Dave mixed together an assortment of fresh fruit. Before long, breakfast was ready and on the table. Dave and Julia had a peaceful breakfast. Dave read the newspaper while Julia entertained her grandpa with the stories she made up.
"I all done Grandpa," Julia announced, pushing her empty plate away.
Dave looked at his granddaughter. Her plate was empty, but Dave wasn't sure if she had more food in her stomach or on her face. "Looks like we need to wash your face sweet girl."
Dave followed Julia upstairs and in to the guest bathroom. He handed her a wet wash cloth and instructed her to wash her face. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Julia chose an outfit and dressed herself. She requested Dave's help with brushing her hair but cried when the brush became tangled in her curly hair. After Julia was dressed, she went into the play room to play while Dave went to his room. He quickly dressed and brushed his teeth before returning to Julia's playroom.
"Okay Princess, what should we do until your mama gets here?" he asked.
"Puzzles," she replied, looking up from the puzzle she was piecing together. Dave joined Julia on the playroom floor and the two of them worked as a team to put the puzzles together. Half an hour later, that is exactly where Shannon found her father and daughter; lying on the playroom floor putting together one of Julia's many puzzles.