Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 32nd cycle. Now cycle 33!

Hear that little bird twitter! Been thinking about doing this for a couple days, then this morning decided to just go for it. If you go there, find 'gleekathon' and there I'll be. There's also a video explaining everything... Yep... ;) Check it out!

"One Step At A Time"
Shelby & Beth, Emmett & Joanie, Shelby/Emmett
[Sequel to 'One or the Other']

Joanie had been in the nursery, playing with Beth while Shelby got ready. On the one hand, it was very helpful: Shelby couldn't even remember how long it had been since she'd gone on a date, especially one who actually mattered to her the way this first date with Emmett mattered. She had ended up shopping for an outfit that morning, unsatisfied with everything she had at her disposal. She'd gone with a violet dress that had a bit of what Joanie called 'musical flare.' Shelby hoped her reaction was indicative of what Emmett's would be.

If that wasn't enough, she had to deal with the thought that she was lying to the girl. When Shelby had asked her if she would babysit Beth that night, Joanie had asked where she was going. Shelby and Emmett had both agreed it would be best not to let Joanie know just yet, waiting until they knew more, knew how this would go. They knew how excited the girl would be at the prospect, knew how much she already saw Shelby as a mother, and if for some reason this should ever not work out… So Shelby had told her she was going to a dinner with friends from her old job.

But Shelby wanted to believe it really would work out. After fighting her own feelings for Emmett for a while, she had let herself trust her heart… hers and Emmett's. It had been Joanie who'd clinched it somehow, when the possibility came that she might be forced to go and live with her mother out of state. It had hit right at Shelby, like she'd be losing a part of herself… That was what that girl and her father had become to her in less than a year.

And still on this night both she and Emmett had covered up their reason for being away… They chose to believe that would work, so Shelby said goodbye to her girls, not seeing the look Joanie gave Beth after she'd gone.

"Lesson of the day, Beth: Parents are dorks, too," she gave the baby a goofy face and got a laugh out of her. She'd play the game, too.

Shelby had seen Emmett drive off to his 'poker game with the guys' about forty minutes before she got in her car and drove off. When she got to the restaurant, she spotted him there, sitting in his car. He looked up at one point and startled when he saw her, putting something down before getting out to meet her…

Emmett, of the perpetual stubble, was clean shaven, hair was noticeably more 'proper.' Jacket, no tie… That scent of his was all the same, judging by her jellified knees. He looked wobbly himself, as he took in Shelby and her violet dress, dark hair cascading over her shoulders…

"Were you reading in there?" she had to tease as he came and they greeted, a kiss on each cheek.

"Forty minutes," he pointed out.

"Right," she nodded with a smirk.

"How are the girls?" was his question.

"All good," she promised. "Joanie says she'll have that history paper smacked in the butt by the time I'm back… Her words," she chuckled, and so did he.

"I expect no less." There was a pause. "Shall we?" he held out his arm and she took it. She had the strongest desire to burst out laughing somehow, realizing that after all this time, Emmett 'Super Neighbor' Tepley had gone and conquered Shelby Corcoran… He had her swooning, and she didn't often swoon… Maybe she'd just been waiting for him.

They were seated, handed menus, and then… They had probably both thought that at least for that night they shouldn't talk about their daughters, but then it was the first topic they got on. They discussed Joanie's still recent birthday.

"Thirteen…" Emmett was shaking his head in amazement, and Shelby nodded along. They talked about Beth, now crawling like a champ, even pulling herself up to stand.

"I hold on to her hands," Shelby mimed and it's like she's almost got it figured out." With the smile Emmett gave her, she could already imagine calling him over the first time she'd take steps… In her mind he belonged in that scenario.

When the young waiter placed their plates before them, it felt like the conversation begged a shift. "You know, you've told me so much about yourself over these past months, I feel like I should be telling you some things about me to balance it out…"

"You don't have to…" she insisted.

"No, but I want to," he insisted back, and she smiled. "You know, when you first moved in, I… I think I might have come off a bit… over helpful…" She bit back a smirk. "I guess I saw something of myself in you… alone, with a child depending on you 100%..." Shelby recalled something Joanie had told her, back when they'd met… Emmett's need to help.

"And I appreciated it," she promised.

"It wasn't… easy… at first, after the divorce from Nicole, even… before. After, I let Joanie see her mother, I encouraged it because no matter what Nicole is part of her, and because the courts had no reason to revoke the privilege, but…" he paused, and seeing the struggle in his eyes she knew he had never sought out the words to say what he would say next before. She reached out and placed her hand over his. She watched him breathe in the strength she gave. "But I knew that it had to end, when I almost ran." He paused, letting the words exist for a moment. "When we would fight, me and Nicole, I… I would get in my truck, and I'd go for a drive… blow steam off, keep it from escalating when Joanie was there. Except one day, I drove… and I drove… and I thought 'keep going, don't look back, don't you see what she's doing to you?'" Again, he paused, swallowed deep. "But then I realized if I did that…"

"Joanie…" she filled in.

"The thought that I could ever have done that to her…" he looked so shamed.

"Hey, hey…" she hushed. "But you didn't," she spoke, reminding.

"I didn't," he confirmed. "I turned around, drove home, and I told Nicole I was filing for divorce, and that I would get custody of Joanie. She didn't think I'd win… The judge never hesitated." Looking into the man's eyes, she had to wonder how she'd gone and held back for so long… He was so much more than she'd ever realized.

It took a time for them to recover after this subject had hung its cloud over them. Shelby wanted to see him smiling again, see him be that shining human being she knew him to be. She couldn't just force it on him, but they had to start somewhere. And for Shelby there was one sure fire way to get him there, his hope's pilot light… his baby girl.

They talked of things so day-to-day to them… How Joanie and her boyfriend Alex – yes, boyfriend – were doing so well, the boy just as charming as always. Then there were the lessons… Joanie had hesitated between art classes and diving and, just to complicate things, cello… And being her ambitious self, she presently pursued all three, not ready to 'make a decision.' The schedule was hectic, calling for Shelby and Emmett to share drop off and pick up duties… It had become all of their routine, very unbeknownst to them.

It was working… the smile appeared like a phoenix from ashes. Finally their conversation veered into talk of work, anecdotes of… life… Part of it could well have been what they did, every so often, at his home or hers. But it was different; it felt it. She hadn't been on a date like this, a proper date, in so long that she kind of forgot what it was like… Her heart was content. She knew she'd hold on to the memory… When dessert came and she realized their evening was drawing to an end before long, she actually felt sad. But then he'd throw her that smile of his, and she'd remember this was only the beginning…

When they left the restaurant, the 'secret arrangement' came back to them. "Are you going back to your book now?" she asked, and he smirked. "The girls will probably be asleep when I get home. I'd hate to wake Joanie up…"

"I'll pick her up in the morning," he agreed, then they paused… Time for goodbyes… She placed a hand at his heart, looked up at him… How was she so lucky?

They'd kissed before, the night of Joanie's dance, but this was so different. This time they knew they wanted it. Last time it had just kind of happened… Tonight, not unlike that other night, she'd dream of him, and so many more kisses…

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!