Hello all! This is just a little gift for all those people who want Red and Lizzie to be father and daughter. You all deserve some fics too! Much love!
The first time he visited she was six. Two years seemed like forever, and Red gawked at how much she had grown and changed. Her hair had grown darker, her legs had grown longer, and she talked like a small adult. She was beautiful.
Sam was immediately on the defensive. Red was no longer the innocent man who had given his daughter away for her own protection. Red was the man who could take Sam's little girl away on a whim. Red was a threat… the enemy.
The park was the perfect place to watch her without her knowing she was being watched, to speak with Sam and confirm that she was okay. She was better than okay. She was thriving. She was running and playing and nothing about her betrayed the hurt that Red was sure she had at one time felt. For that, he would always be sorry. She didn't deserve him for a father. She deserved someone like Sam, who knew her value and treated her like gold. After assuring Sam that he would not be coming back for her, Red walked away a second time, this time sure that he was doing the right thing.
The second time that he visited (with Sam's knowledge), she was sixteen. Sam was more forthcoming with information than he had been the last time, perhaps taking comfort in the fact that she was staying after school for some extra-curricular activity and there was no chance of her meeting her father face-to-face.
He poured through albums and picture boxes, coming up with a stack of photos that he felt appropriate to give Red. Red thought it best not to mention the collection of photos he already had. He really did not know what good Sam thought he was doing, moving her around like an army brat. Of course he found her. He would always find her.
Red was about to leave when a car pulled into the drive. He watched reverently out the window as a young woman with shoulder-length dark hair and a backpack slung over her shoulder hurried up the walk-way and into the house. Slinking into the shadows, he watched as she slung her backpack onto the kitchen counter and called out to Sam.
"Daddy I am so late! I forgot that stupid speech… Mr. Harvison is going to kill me if I blow this practice. Did I leave it in the kitchen?"
She sounded like her mother. That stung.
"Kitchen table, Butterball!"
Red could hear the waver in Sam's voice, could hear him willing her to get back in her car as soon as possible. Red couldn't blame him. He would keep her all to himself if he could. He regretted that it was too late for that.
Hearing her car start, Sam once again started sharing information. Like if he told Red enough he would be satisfied and just go away.
"She is really a smart girl, great with words, great with people, but bless her heart, can't put two and two together and get four to save her life. Numbers elude her. Mr. Harvison teaches Algebra and also coaches the debate team. His wife tutors her, she joined the team. It's worked out pretty well. Debate keeps her busy and keeps her from repeating Algebra."
Red couldn't imagine his girl being bad at anything.
Over the next month he attended two of her debates. He decided that she didn't have to be perfect at math. She was perfect at everything else.
When she brought that boy home Red was less than impressed. Tom Keen was nice, polite, attentive, and there was something about him that made Red's skin crawl. If he had known how far the relationship would go, he would have taken care of the problem before it was a problem.
Sam's phone call announcing her engagement was not a surprise. Of course she would choose the man she hated. Of course he would turn out to be scum of the worst kind. And of course he was in no position to warn her.
And so… he simply crashed the wedding. To make sure things went well for her. She deserved her special day. And she was devastatingly beautiful. She was everything a blushing bride should be. He watched intently as she said her vows, as she threw the bouquet, as she cut the cake. But, when the band leader announced the father-daughter dance, he decided he had outstayed his welcome.
The day had finally come. The day when he would meet his little girl face-to-face, when he would actually get to talk to her. He had planned this day for so long, and when he walked into the FBI headquarters, he walked with the confidence that he would get his way. Red had worked for twenty years to get into this position, and he would relish it. This was the moment he had waited for for over twenty years.
"Hello, Lizzie."