Hi there! Some of you may recognise me from Twisting and Turning. Most of you might have come here from there!

This is My Daddy the Lion, part of mega-upload day. It's an idea I had that wouldn't go away and I just had to write it! Don't expect regular updates but I'll try my best!

Feel free to check the other fic I uploaded today, Kingdom Hearts IV!

Chapter one - Lola

Twenty-five year old Squall 'Leon' Leonhart was having a rough day. The number of Heartless trying to invade Traverse Town had drastically increased. Sure he wasn't the only one with a weapon or combat experience, but he was the best fighter in the group of refugees, which meant patrolling was often his job. It annoyed him.

Leon walked through the alleyways of the large town with his friend Yuffie babbling on about something. Luckily for him, her chatter was one of the things he could easily block from his mind. As much as he tried, he still couldn't forget how he came here. He was only sixteen when Hollow Bastion was destroyed. Sixteen when he failed to save his parents and sister.

If only he could turn back time.

"Hey Leon! I'm going to head back to Cid's. Catch you there, right?" the hyperactive Yuffie asked.

"Sure," Leon shrugged.

He watched the teenager retreat through the alley. She was only six when she lost her family.

Sighing, Leon shouldered his gunblade and went in search of any more Heartless that saw fit to cause trouble. There weren't too many people who lived down here to begin with. All the bigger, better houses got filled in the massive surge of refugees from the past few months. Now there weren't as many trickling in. The gunblader didn't know what to make of it. Were fewer worlds falling into darkness or were there fewer people who managed to escape?

Maybe it was time he got back. There was no easy way to tell day or night in this world as the sky stayed dark, so the inhabitants had to rely on their internal body clocks to know when to eat or sleep. That and there were a bunch of clocks scattered around.

Turning to follow the path Yuffie had used barely five minutes ago, Leon heard a strange noise. A clatter and a scream. There was only one reason why anyone would scream.

"Heartless," he spat and ran to follow the noise.

Making sure his gunblade was ready, Leon emerged into yet another alleyway. But this one was a dead end. And where the Heartless were. Quickly taking in his surroundings, Leon saw a group of five Heartless attacking a young girl who was trying to fend them off with a stick.

"Tani!" a young voice called out.

Leon looked up and saw an even younger girl perched on some scaffolding. She was holding on for her life and watching as the Heartless attacked her companion.

She looked like she was only six.

Not wanting to waste another second, Leon ran into the fray. The Heartless didn't expect him and he made quick work of destroying the dark creatures. A scream from the scaffolding caught his attention. He'd missed two and they were slowly walking towards the younger girl. Swearing under his breath, Leon ran up the scaffolding towards the girl. He leapt over the Heartless and placed himself between them and the girl. He shot a couple of bullets through the one Heartless and decapitated the other. As they faded away, he turned to the girl behind him.

"They're gone now," he said, crouching down to meet her eyes. "Let's go check your friend is okay."

He was able to get a good look at her. She had auburn hair and hazel eyes that were lit up in fear. Her blue dress was slightly charred and torn. Her black shoes were all scuffed up as well. Leon wanted to curse Maleficent and her girl was too young. Too young to see the destruction the Heartless caused. Too young to lose her family and her home.

He offered her his hand. Still looking afraid, she took it. Leon stood up and sheathed his gunblade. Trying to be as gentle as he could, he lifted the little girl into his arms and carried her down the scaffolding. When safely on the ground, he placed her down. The first thing she did was run to the other girl, Tani.

Tani wasn't okay. The Heartless may not have stolen her heart, but they had injured her badly and she was now lying on the ground. There was a nasty gash on her stomach region and judging by the state of her clothes, she had lost a lot of blood. Leon gritted his teeth. He doubted that even Aerith could save this girl. And that was if he got her to his friend in time.

"Tani? Tani are you okay?" the little girl asked as Leon crouched down next to her and Tani.

"Kid, can you hear me?" he asked.

Her eyes were open but that didn't mean that she may be conscious. She only looked thirteen. Still too young to die.

"Yeah," Tani whispered weakly.

"Listen to me. Don't try and sleep. I'm going to try and get you to my friend. She can heal you up," Leon said.

"Don't… you won't save me," Tani said.

"Sis? Tani? Why are you crying?" the little girl asked.

"I'm not crying Lola," Tani smiled weakly. She directed her line of vision towards Leon. "Our world was destroyed… we're the last ones left… please… look after Lola."

"Sis? Why can't you look after me?" Lola cried.

Leon felt numb. She knew. She knew she was dying. Oh gods… she was what? Twelve? Thirteen? That was Aerith's age when their home was destroyed. That was his friend Cloud's age before he died. All too young… And now this dying girl… wanted him to look after her sister? He couldn't look after anyone… could he?

But her eyes… he stared her right in the eyes. He saw sadness, anger, fear, pleading.

The eyes he had when he lost his family.

"Okay," he whispered hoarsely.

"Thank you," Tani whispered back.

She gave one last look at Lola before taking one final breath. Then she went still. Dead. Her eyes were vacant and Leon didn't think he needed to check her heartbeat to tell that she was dead.

"Tani? Tani?" Lola asked. "TANI! SAY SOMETHING! GRAMMA SAID YOU NEED TO LOOK AFTER ME!"

The little girl screamed as she held on to her dead sister's hand. Leon quickly checked Tani's pulse. Gone. Lola kept on crying and begging for Tani to say something. The gunblader was unsure what to do. Back home, he had never really interacted with the younger children, with the exception of maybe once helping Kairi prank Even. There weren't many children in Traverse Town. Sure Yuffie had been about Lola's age when they came here, but she had to grow up fast (not that it showed sometimes when she was playing pranks and causing mischief). Leon put a hand gently on the child's shoulder.

"Tani can't say anything anymore. She's gone," he said quietly.

"G...gone?" Lola hiccupped.

"Yes. She's gone to sleep but she can't wake up anymore," Leon said.

"Like how G..Gramma said Mama and Papa went to sleep when I was a baby?" Lola asked.

Leon felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. She already didn't have parents. Her home had now been destroyed and her sister had died right in front of her.

"Yeah. Like that," Leon nodded.

Lola howled. She wanted Tani. She wanted Gramma. She wanted home.

"B..b...but Tani has to look after me!" she wailed.

"She can't. Not anymore," Leon explained.

Lola's sobs died down a little. In her young mind, she couldn't yet fully grab the concept of going to sleep and not waking up. It hadn't really happened to anyone she knew until now. As she cried, she thought about Tani and what she had said to the man beside her.

Leon watched the girl cry. Oh gods she was too young. Young enough that she could have even been his daughter. He gently moved his hand onto hers, making her turn her head towards him.

"My name is Leon. Your name is Lola right?" a nod in response. "How old are you?"

"Six," Lola hiccupped.

"I'm sorry that Tani's gone, Lola," Leon said sympathetically.

Lola stared at him with wide teary eyes. Leon seemed nice. He had brown hair, blue eyes and a weird line across his nose. He'd gotten rid of those bad things that had taken Gramma away and destroyed her home and then made Tani go to sleep and not wake up.

"Are you going to look after me now?" she asked him. Leon was taken aback. Lola continued. "Tani can't now and you said to her you would!"

Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was about to say that he could find someone better to look after her when a thought crossed his mind. Tani had asked him. And he knew that deep down, he could protect her. He could fight. And if anything happened, he was sure Cid, Aerith, Yuffie and Merlin could look after her as well.

And he had already said he would.

"Sure. I will," he said.

He lifted Lola's other hand away from Tani's still one. Once again he cursed Maleficent. She was behind the Heartless. She was responsible for Lola losing her family.

"Right now, I need to take you somewhere safer. Will you come with me?" he asked.

"Okay," Lola nodded.

Leon stood up but still held on to Lola's hand.

"I'm going to carry you. Is that okay?" he asked.

Lola simply nodded. Leon carefully put his arms around her and lifted her up. He instructed her to put his arms around his neck and to hook her legs around his chest, to which she complied. Leon then carefully twisted her so that she was on his back. He hooked his arms under her legs to make carrying her easier. Making sure she was comfortable, Leon set off through the alleyways, leaving Tani's body behind.

This was going to be fun to explain.

He walked through First District, ignoring the stares he was given. Right now, it was important to get Lola to Cid's store, where he said that he'd meet the others when done patrolling. He wanted Aerith to check Lola over, in case she'd sustained any injuries from when the Heartless had attacked her and Tani. He reached Cid's place without anyone coming up to him and asking questions. Carefully, he lowered Lola down to the ground.

"You're going to meet some of my friends in here. I'm going to get one of them to check if you aren't hurt. Is that okay?" Leon asked.

Lola nodded shyly. Sensing that she was still very upset and now nervous, Leon reached for her hand and placed it in his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze, hoping to calm the child's nerves. It worked and Lola flashed him a small smile. Leon pushed open the door to Cid's shop. They walked in.

"SHUT YER GODDAMN MOUTH!" was how they were greeted.

Cid berating Yuffie for talking too much, like normal.

Frightened by the shouting, Lola hid behind Leon, grabbing onto his leg. She looked up at her surroundings. They were in a shop. There was a scary blonde man who had just shouted. A girl a little bigger then Tani was looking angry at the man. A woman who was watching and laughing quietly. An old man with a pointy hat holding a book. Scared by all the unknown people, Lola clutched Leon's leg tighter. She might not have known him that long, but at least she knew him a little. The three turned and looked in their direction. Lola panicked and buried her face into Leon's leg.

Leon sighed. He'd wanted to introduce Lola to them without freaking her out. Cid had just killed all chance of that happening.

"Leon! You're back! Certainly took your time!" Yuffie exclaimed, her face jumping into a look of joy.

"What took ya so long?" Cid asked.

"Got sidetracked," Leon shrugged, a little unsure of how to introduce Lola.

"Who's that holding on to your leg?" Aerith asked, sharp as ever and noticing little Lola.

Cid and Yuffie looked downwards to see the small body glued to Leon's leg.

"AWW!" Yuffie squealed as she ran over. "Oh you're so cute! I'm Yuffie! What's your name?"

Scared by the teenage ninja's loudness and the sudden questions, Lola whimpered and burst into tears. Yuffie took a step back and looked around. This wasn't what she'd expected. Leon shot her a glare.

"Thanks Yuffie. She was already scared by Cid shouting as soon as we got here. Now you've made her cry," Leon snarled.

"I'm sorry!" Yuffie yelled over Lola's sobs.

Leon crouched down in order to be eye level with Lola. The sobbing girl looked at him through teary eyes.

"Lola? Don't cry. It's people are my friends. They won't hurt you. They can just be a bit stupid at times," he explained, holding his hand out. Lola slowly took it and Leon stood up. "Guys, this is Lola."

Cid, Yuffie, Aerith and Merlin all took a good look at the six year old, who tried to hide her face with Leon's hand. She didn't like them staring at her. Leon sighed.

"Lola, that blonde man over there is Cid-" "Hey there kid." "- you've just met Yuffie-" "Hi! Sorry about scaring you!" "-the old wizard is Merlin-" "Why hello there dear!" "-and finally the lady in the pink dress is Aerith." "Hello."

Lola looked around at the new people. They didn't look so scary now and they were all smiling nicely at her the same way Gramma and Tani used to. Feeling a lot more comfortable now, she gave them a small smile and a wave, but still wouldn't let go of Leon's hand. The gunblader smiled a little.

"Aerith? Could you check if Lola's hurt?" he asked.

"Of course," Aerith smiled, taking a step forwards, making Lola shrink back.

"Lola, don't worry," Leon sighed. "Aerith's just going to make sure you're okay and heal you up if you're not. I explained this earlier, remember?"

Lola looked up at him and then at Aerith. Still refusing to let go of Leon's hand, she took a tentative step towards the healer. Still a little afraid, she took a few more until she was standing right in front of Aerith. Not once did she let go of Leon's hand. Aerith smiled warmly before casting a few spells.

"Just a couple of small cuts and minor burns. Nothing I can't fix," she said, casting a Cura.

Lola felt warmth travel through her body and the hurting that she was feeling just vanished when the Aerith lady said that funny word. It felt nice. She decided that she like Aerith. Leon had saved her from the bad things and Aerith had taken away the hurt. The little girl yawned.

"Sleepy," she said, tired by the day's events.

"Do you want to go to sleep?" Leon asked.

"Yeah," Lola replied, yawning a little more and rubbing her eyes with her free hand.

"C'mon. Let's get you to the hotel," Leon smiled, lifting her on to his back again.

The small group left the shop and made their way to the hotel that they lived in. On the way there, Lola fell asleep, lying on Leon's back. Yuffie 'awwed' at the sight. The gunblader took no notice of her. He was just glad that Lola was able to rest. They walked through the streets and into the hotel.

"Where should she sleep?" Yuffie asked. "I can totally give up my room for her!"

"We've got plenty of spare rooms here. She can have the one next to mine," Leon said as they climbed a flight of stairs.

"Is that so you can go check up on yer little daughter in the night, make sure she ain't having nightmares?" Cid teased.

Leon chose to ignore him as Merlin kindly opened the door to the room next to Leon's. The gunblader muttered a thanks and walked in. Carefully, he placed Lola down onto the bed and pulled the covers over her.

"Good night," he whispered to her sleeping form.

It was strange how he hadn't even known her for a day and yet he surprisingly cared for her.

Leon left the room and closed the door behind him. Hopefully she'd stay asleep until morning. The first thing they'd do the next day would be getting her some clothes to wear.

"You still haven't told us how you met her," Aerith said quietly.

"It was when I was on my way back from patrol. I heard a scream," Leon began. "I followed it and I found the Heartless attacking two girls."

"Two girls?" Yuffie asked.

"Right. Lola, and her sister Tani. Lola was up on some scaffolding and Tani was trying to fend them off with a stick. I jumped in, taking out the Heartless. I got Lola down from the scaffolding and we went to check on Tani. Her heart was safe but…. the Heartless injured her, badly. She was lying on the ground, bleeding," Leon took in a deep breath as he explained the next part. "She only looked thirteen and she knew she was dying. Tani asked me… to look after Lola."

"And then she died?" Cid asked.

"Yeah. She died. Right in front of us," Leon said, sitting down on a nearby chair. "Lola is six. Six. Her parents died when she was a baby. Her home was destroyed and her grandmother's heart stolen. Now she's seen her sister die in front of her."

Aerith put a hand on his shoulder. No wonder Leon already seemed so protective of Lola. The loss of their home had weighed heavily on all of them, especially Leon, who after many years of living with the fact that he hadn't been able to save it, eventually changed his name, hoping he could become a different person. Now there was someone else to protect, and now he had the power to do it.

"Well let me know when you adopt her," Merlin said, before teleporting off to his own room.

Leon stared at the spot where the wizard had just been standing. Adopt… Lola?

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Review/follow/fave and I'll give you virtual cookies!