Author Notes: Loosely based on the song "Already There" by Lonestar.
Becker awoke to the sound of his watch's alarm going off. He was tired and it was far too early for even him, but it was necessary to get up this early. If he didn't, he would never be able to find the time to call home. The time difference was killer and his schedule with the newest Tank military recruits was even worse. Who else could train them though? Who else had both military training and dinosaur hunting under their belt? It was only a matter of time before an alliance was formed between the ARC and the Tank, and even though they were well along by this point, they were obviously still in need of help. Becker sat up and groaned, trying to forget that it was only 5 am, and reached for his mobile. He grabbed a coat and walked out onto the balcony of his temporary home.
"Jess?" His groggy voice asked as the line connected.
"Of course, who else, darling?" Her cheery voice greeted him.
"Mmm, well I know a certain someone there who loves picking up phones that don't belong to her." Right on cue the sound of a young girl's laugh met his ears from somewhere in the background. "How is she?" he asked, feeling tears welling in his eyes.
"You can ask her yourself."
Becker counted the seconds that passed between those words and the next words he heard.
"Daddy?" The little voice asked, full of excitement. As it should be, this would be their first conversation in the last couple days.
"The one and only." He chuckled, ignoring the tear that slid down his cheek. Daddy - the only word that could knock down his hardest walls and get him to fall to his knees in a second. How he loved hearing that word and yearned to hold that little girl in his arms again.
"When are you coming home?"
He felt his heart fall; her first question every time, every single time. He never could find the answer to give her either. During the last few days of being unable to talk to her though, he may have pulled together the perfect answer, and he felt a smile tug at his lips.
"Listen to me a moment, alright, Riley? This is important."
Though he didn't receive an audible reply, he could see her in his mind giving her little nod. Often she'd include a little salute, if only because she knew the adorableness of it melted his heart and brought the hugest smile to his face.
"Alright my little soldier," he smiled, "Daddy wants you to know that he's already there with you. I promise you I am. Just close your eyes." He swallowed past his feelings, "You got them closed?" He was met with a little 'mhmm' of agreement and he continued on. "You can see me there, can't you?" When he heard her whisper a 'Yeah', he smiled. "You can always see me in your dreams. I will always be there. I'll make sure I stop by every night."
He took a deep breath, trying to even his breathing out. "And I know I'm in your heart, all the time…right?"
"I love you more than anything, daddy."
He didn't need to imagine the smile on her face, he could see it clearly. Her crooked smile was unforgettable. "I love you more."
"No way! I love you most!" She defended, letting out a giggle as she did.
"Alright, alright, if you say so."
After a shared moment of silence he was blown away by her next question. "Where else are you daddy?"
He choked on his words and then let out a soft sigh in an attempt to release the feelings that hit him before answering. "I'm wherever you want me to be, baby girl. The warmth of the sunshine in your hair when you're outside playing, that tall shadow next to yours, if you listen closely to the wind maybe you'll hear my voice - all the way from Canada - telling you how much I love you. Perhaps I can even be your imaginary friend, until I'm home again for good."
"But daddy, you're not imaginary!"
He tried to laugh through the tears that were falling again, "Of course not. But your imaginary friend can look like anybody or anything you want."
"Yeah…he won't love me as much as my real daddy though."
Becker had to pull the mobile away from his ear at that moment. His hands were shaking too much and the tears were pouring. She was 5 years old and yet the words she wove were the most beautiful he'd ever heard. Wiping at the tears, he pulled the mobile to him again, hearing the end of her next question "— you okay?"
"I'm fine. You know me, big and tough and strong and brave!" Though he doubted even she would believe it, his words were wavering too much.
"I know where else you'll be!" Yet again, he could practically hear the smile in her voice. This one would obviously include her big old blue eyes looking up at him like he really was the toughest man in the world.
"Oh yeah, and where's that?"
"You'll be in my prayers. I'll make sure you're okay, daddy."
He could never think of a response to that, he could only smile into the phone and think about how blessed he was to have a daughter like her.
"Mummy says she wants to talk now…"
"Alright, Riley, you go ahead and play then, okay?"
"Okay. Bye daddy, I love you."
"I love you too. I'll see you soon."
"In my dreams, right?"
"Every last one."
He heard the sound of her passing the phone to Jess and he almost felt relieved. He wasn't sure how much longer he would have been able to handle talking to his daughter; her questions and her words weighed so heavily in his heart.
"Hey, hon…don't worry about her. She's doing alright." Jess tried to reassure him, knowing he was an absolute wreck on the other side. "She misses her daddy, but she's a strong little girl, you know that."
"And a very brilliant little girl as well. Of course she'd inherit that from her mother. I don't stand a chance with you two around."
"I really miss you too…" Jess admitted, unable to hold it back and remain strong. "I really wish you were here and I was in your arms again."
"I know, beautiful…I know."
"When will you be home?"
"I don't know…" He trailed off, wondering exactly the same thing. "I can tell you what I told Riley though."
"And what's that?" Curiosity filled her voice, already knowing that whatever he'd said to their daughter had put a huge grin on her face.
"I'm already there," he smiled, "Everywhere you look, everything you touch…you know I'm there. We built that home together."
He was met with silence and he could just tell that Jess was looking around the room in which she stood.
"And I know very well that I am the beat in your heart. If you want, I can be the moonlight that pours through our bedroom window late at night too, and I can crawl into the bed beside you. My words can fill the wind, blowing past your ear and reminding you how much I love you. And I will sure as hell be in your dreams, and I will hold you and I will kiss you…I am there, Jess…I promise I am, just - just close your eyes…and don't think about the thousands of miles that temporarily separate us…I am there, I am with you and I am with Riley. I know I am."
It was Jess' turn to cry now. He'd always had a way with words, at least with her. It had taken awhile for that side of him to shine through, for him to stop being so shy around her, let all his defenses fall, and give in fully to her. But once he had…it was amazing the things he could say.
"Of course you'll be in my dreams, you always are." It was the only thing she could even think to say in return.
"I love you, Jessica. And I'll be home soon. As soon as possible. I miss my girls too much to stay here much longer."
He looked down at his watch and his face fell, he only had a little while left with her before he had to get ready and trudge out to training again.
"I have to go soon. I'll try to call again tomorrow, if I can."
"I love you, Hilary."
He felt his tears welling again as he heard the way her voice cracked; he knew she was holding back her own, trying to be strong.
"I love you too."
Jess pulled his flannel shirt tightly around herself as she hung up, and as she did every day, she begged anybody who would listen to please keep him safe from any and all anomaly alerts they dragged him into.