A/N: Guys! I can't really believe it we made it to Chapter 10 within the holiday! You guys are so amazing! Your reviews make my day. Keep them coming! Good or bad, I can take it! :) Have a nice day!

It was deep night when they finally arrived at Parker's place. They'd changed their seats about

20 miles ago and Parker had been asleep ever since. They didn't talk very much.

Eliot wasn't sure what to feel for her. All those years she'd betrayed him. She'd kept his own

daughter from him. All those years she could've come up to him and tell him the truth. She never

did. Never before their child fell fatally sick.

He was wondering whether he would've ever seen Parker again If it wasn't for Alaska's

sickness. It broke his heart as he found himself doubting that. For the first seconds of her

arrival he'd actually thought she was back for him. Back to be with him. He thought he was the

reason. Apparently, he was far too egocentric.

Parker developed from the love of his life to a mystery in a mere of minutes. Once he thought he

knew here. Now he wasn't so sure anymore. Her pokerface didn't let anything slip. He couldn't

reach her or even try to understand her. Why would she do this to him? He just didn't know.

Her reasons were... well, they couldn't be denied. Yet Eliot couldn't really follow her lead.

Probably those reasons only made sense to her.

He'd also been trying to figure out who their daughter stayed with while Parker was away.

She'd mentioned a Todd, but Eliot clearly couldn't remember a Todd. Was she with him

nowadays?

He felt jelaous of Todd, though he couldn't really recall him. But Parker seemed to deem him

capable of babysitting her daughter. Now Parker didn't deem him capable of that. At least, five

years ago she didn't. Eliot didn't even really know anymore why he'd accepted on this. Parker

wanted to keep Alaska a secret? Fine, she can go hang. But Eliot wouldn't be there to cut the

rope.

No, clearly, he wouldn't.

But his daughter wasn't responsible. And he wouldn't let her suffer, because Parker thought

she could get away with everything. As far back as he can remember, Eliot's father always

looked out for him. No matter what he'd done. Because that's what parents should do. They

should be with their children. They shouldn't leave them alone. And now that Eliot knew about

Alaska he would make sure to never leave her alone again. Even If it wasn't on purpose in the

first place, since he simply didn't know of her existence at all.

Eliot parked the car and attempted to get out as he noticed Parker was still asleep.

He couldn't help himself, but think how cute she was. Her hair was fuzzy and her cheeks

were chubby and red as If she was cold. Her mouth was slightly opened. She'd cuddled

herself in the car seat. Eliot wondered whether it had felt the same as she cuddled into his

chest back...

Damn, how dare he! Angrily he reached over and shook her by the shoulder. Parker blinked a

couple of times shifting in her seat. Then she stiffened and woke up. "Are we there already",

she asked. Not bothering for him to answer she jerked up and spied over his shoulder. "Oh,

indeed", she then stated. She detached her belt quickly and opened the door.

As Eliot followed around the car she threw him his duffel bag. She then shut the trunk and

started walking towards a tiny white house. High ceilings, though.

"Don't you want to get your stuff", Eliot questioned as he tried to keep abreast.

"I always keep it there", Parker told him, "In case of an emergency."

As they arrived at the door Eliot realized: "I forgot the plushie."

Parker shrugged. "That's not a problem. She's asleep either way, I bet. You can get it

tomorrow."

Eliot decided not to fight over a plushie yet he would've liked to get it. He felt his heart beat

against his chest. He wouldn't meet her now, but he was very nervous. What If she didn't like

him? What If she wondered why he hadn't been there all her life? What If...

The door flipped open and Eliot heard steps on the stairs. Todd...

"Remember I'm Ava Hagen", Parker whispered before she threw herself in the arms of that

man.

That very shy, very lame FBI-man they'd met more than once. He was also pretty unlucky in his

job. Eliot knew him.

Parker ended their hug and turned around to introduce them. "Todd, this is Eliot. Eliot, Todd."

"We already met", Eliot growled. Parker blinked her eyes begging. Eliot didn't know why he

should do her a favor in the first place. For the kid. It's all for the kid, he told himself as he pulled

all his strength together and shook Todd's hand.

"Yeah, hi", Todd said his voice not any better than Eliot's. Yet Parker didn't judge Todd with her

eyes or words.

"How were things going today?"

Todd nodded lightly. "Alright. But I think we should move this to the living room", he suggested.

Parker nodded and followed Todd towards the living room. As she noticed Eliot still standin in

the stairway she turned back around. "C'mon! What are you waiting for? Christmas?"

Eliot just stared blankly. What he was waiting for... He didn't exactly know that. One floor away

his daughter was asleep. He just noticed. Nothing else really mattered.

His daughter... upstairs. She was just one floor away. She'd always been a hundered of miles

away. Now she was one floor upstairs and he didn't get the opportunity to see her?

"I just..." He pointed to the stairs, self explaining.

Parker stirred, then she nodded once more. "I understand. I do want to, too. She has a light sleep."

"Then... why don't we? It would only be a little peek", Eliot said. He watched still in his place as

Parker bit her lower lip.

"It really is a light sleep", she told him.

"Just..."

"Eliot."

He then realized it wasn't all about Alaska's sleep. She didn't want him to see her. Eliot doubted it was about him seeing her in the first place. She didn't want him to see her being sick and all. Silly her, did she really think she could keep him from her forever? Sooner or later Eliot would see Alaska. Screw her sickness.

Ignoring the urge to go upstairs and check on his daughter Eliot nodded in response. "Alright, we'll wait until tomorrow then."

Yet he couldn't help but turn around at the doorframe. His eyes were drawn to the six blue letters glued to the white wooden door. ALASKA.