Starts after Series 6 Episode 12 when Billie Taylor holds baby Brooke over the stairs. Enjoy...
Chris' eyelids drooped as he gently pushed open the door to the small bedroom.
The shine from the row of pink heart-shaped fairy lights reflected on the wall which the deputy head leaned on as he stared down at the small shape sleeping peacefully in the bed opposite him.
He sighed as he watched her chest rise and fall beneath her white cotton pyjama top, and as she breathed out, her lips would flutter and her hair would sway slightly. He took in every single detail of her face; her small ears, rounded at the tip, her beautiful curved nose, her large round eyes, when open they were the same shade of bluish-grey as Chris', and her lips.
Moving quietly away from the wall, Chris crept as softly as his shoes would allow him over to the side of the bed and knelt down, being careful not to knock the porcelain Cinderella money box on the white washed end table. Chris looked down at her and smiled, his chest swelling with pride as he ran his left index finger down the left side of her face, he watched as the tiny blonde hairs on the soft skin of her cheek stood on end as his finger ran over them.
He stared down at her and his smile was nearly as wide as his face, he bent his head low to his daughter's and whispered into her ear "Sweet dreams, angel."
As he pulled his head back, he saw her face move slightly and her lips twitch into a smile, she murmured something indistinctly, but Chris caught the word "Daddy," as she muttered in her sleep.
"Shush, shush, shush," Chris smoothed her golden hair out on the pillow and brushed his finger over her cheek again "Go back to sleep." He stood, and as he did so, flicked the switch of the fairy lights off and watched as the light from the hallway filtered through the half open door.
He backed away slowly, watching as her small hand gripped and released around the neck of her pink cat teddy; the only thing her mum had ever bought her.
Chris sighed as he reached the door, and after a couple of moments, he blew a kiss into the air.
"Love you, baby," he whispered into the quiet room.
He pulled to door to, and as he made his way down the hall to his room, he smiled to himself as he heard a small voice whisper back "Love you too, Daddy."
"Daddy..." Chris couldn't distinguish between reality and his dream as he heard his daughter's voice.
"Daddy!" the call was louder and suddenly, Chris' eyes opened and he was staring out at the view of the city at night-time outside his window.
"Amy?" he called out gently as he turned over in bed.
Standing in the doorway, her pyjama bottoms dragging on the floor, and her pink cat hanging by her side as she held his paw, was Amy Mead.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Chris leant up on one elbow and rubbed his bleary eyes.
"I had a bad dream," Amy glanced up at Chris.
"Come here, angel, come here," Chris threw the duvet aside and patted the empty space beside him "Come and tell Daddy all about it."
Amy moved quickly from the doorway to the bed and threw herself at her father, burying her head into his chest.
"Hey, hey," Chris pulled Amy closer with his left arm and brought his right hand round to clasp his left so he was cradling her "What was your bad dream about?"
"Nothing," Amy murmured.
"Well it can't be nothing can it?" Chris smiled as Amy looked up at him, her eyes shining in the moonlight "Silly," he tapped her nose "Come on, tell Daddy, is it something at school?"
"Mmm," Amy's reply was hazy as she clutched at Chris' black t-shirt with her left hand and cuddled her pink cat tightly with her right arm.
"Amy," Chris kissed the top of her head "Come on, is it school?"
"Chloe Walters asked me why Nana always picks me up," Amy mumbled, looking up at Chris again "Why does Nana always pick me up?"
"Because Daddy's at work," Chris smiled down at her, dreading what might come next.
"But what about my Mummy?" Amy asked "Why does Mummy never pick me up?"
"Amy, you know we don't have Mummy here, it's just me and you," Chris rested his chin on Amy's head, pulling her face into the nape of his neck "It's just Daddy and Amy."
"Mmm," Amy agreed "Daddy and Amy."
"Yeah," Chris smiled "Team Mead," he pulled away and held his right hand up "Give me five!"
Amy high-fived Chris and snuggled down into the bed.
"Hey, hey," Chris watched "You staying with Daddy tonight?"
"Mmmm," Amy nodded as she wrapped her arms around her pink cat tightly, her eyes closing as quickly as they had opened.
Chris smiled and kissed her forehead, tugging the duvet round them both, and as he settled down again, he took his little girl into his arms.
And he was the happiest he had been that day.
There we go :) What did you think? Would you like me to expand or keep it as a oneshot? Either way I'm not fussed!
