Disclaimer: why can't it be mine :( I've been really good!

Okay so I know I said I would update in a couple of days and its been longer but I have a good excuse, kids demanding my attention then when they went home it was time for the campout party followed the next day by a bbq party. See told you I had an excuse! Anyway lets get this bad boy updated!

Later that morning Lou woke up again this time flat on his back, looking to the side he saw Catherine still curled protectively around her daughter. Lou sighed happily as he watched his angel sleep.

'I wonder what she dreams about'

Shuffling on the bed to stop himself getting a bad neck he accidentally nudged Catherine with his elbow.

'shit stay asleep, please I'm begging you. I like having just the one asshole I really don't want another for waking her up'

Lou held his breath hoping and praying that he hadn't awoken the beast that was Catherine Willows in the morning, he cringed slightly when she started to move on the bed rolling over now pinning Lou beneath her arms. Lou carried on his silent prayers but suddenly felt all the air leave him as she mumbled sleepily

'love you Lou'

Lou couldn't believe his ears.

'did she just say she loves me. OH MY GOD!'

'Cath hunny what did you just say?' Lou whispered.

Catherine lifted her head sleepily off of Lou's chest.

'mmm what?'

'you just said something baby, what was it?'

Catherine sat for a moment trying to remember what she had said in her sleepy state, Lou waited patiently and watched as her features changed from confusion to shock.

Once she had remembered what she had said Catherine found herself suddenly very awake but still unable to say anything.

'shit, shit and again shit. Why did I have to say that then, damn me and my stupid mouth. Crap look at his face, he thinks I don't love him say something Willows. Anything, just say something you idiot.'

Before she had a chance to gather her jumbled thoughts together Lou spoke up.

'Cath its okay if you didn't mean it, I…..well we can just pretend it never happened and just wait until you are ready' Lou somehow managed to get it all out in one breath, he didn't trust himself enough to do it any other way afraid that she would hear the disappointment in his voice.

'Lou, hunny I didn't mean to say it' she stopped when he turned his head away from her trying to hide the sadness in his eyes.

'I really need him to look at me for this'

She gently placed her fingers on his cheek turning his face so he had to look directly in her eyes, when she had his attention she continued.

'I didn't mean to say it then but I do mean what I said'

Lou felt as if his heart exploded at her words.

'you do?'

'of course I do, I have felt this way for a while now Lou I just wanted to say it in a way that was as special as how you told me not some half assed attempt while I was half asleep'

'it was perfect. It would have been perfect any which way you decided to tell me just as long as you said the words'

Catherine was about to reply but Lou cut her off with a sweet kiss, pulling apart she sighed softly resting her head on his chest once again. They lay in silence for a while, Catherine fiddling with the bottom of his t shirt and Lou gently caressing her back through the fabric of her sleep shirt. Lou eventually broke the silence.

'I love you Catherine Willows'

'I love you Lou Vartann' she placed a soft kiss to his collarbone.

The moment was broken when a soft sniffling sound came from behind startling both of them, having forgotten Lindsey was in bed with them. Catherine rolled over to face her daughter.

'Lindsey sweetie' she gently touched her daughters back.

Without warning Lindsey flipped over and gripped the front of her mothers top burying her face into the fabric. Taken by surprise Catherine stared at the blonde head of the child before she found her voice.

'sweetie what's wrong?' she asked before remembering the reason her daughter had climbed into her bed the previous night 'is it the nightmare?'

Lindsey nodded into her mothers chest gripping harder.

'do you want to tell me about it?, it might help' Catherine asked stroking her hands softly through her daughters hair trying to calm her down.

Again Lindsey just nodded, it took a almost a minute before Lindsey spoke, even when she did it was so quiet Catherine almost missed what she said.

'Lou left us mommy, he said he didn't love us anymore and he just walked out' Lindsey sobbed out. Catherine stared at her daughter in shock eventually turning her head to stare at Lou who was also sporting a shocked expression.

Lindsey's little voice brought her back to face her daughter.

'I don't want him to leave mommy, don't make him leave' Lindsey was sobbing harder than before, it broke Catherine's heart to see her daughter so upset she didn't know that it also affected Lou just as much.

She was just about to say something when she felt an arm reach over her to gently touch Lindsey's hair.

'I'm not going anywhere'

Lindsey's head snapped up at the voice to look at Lou with tear filled eyes.

'promise?' Lou reached his other arm over and pulled the little girl to settle in-between him and Catherine on the bed.

'I promise sweetie, I love you and your mom too much and anyway if I left who would help you pull pranks on your mom'

Lindsey giggled at this.

'yeah that time when we swapped the sugar for salt was so funny, 'specially when mommy put two spoons in her coffee and spat it all over the place when she drank it'

Lou and Lindsey laughed furiously at the memory.

'that was not funny, I really needed coffee. If you haven't forgotten I had worked a double so a caffeine fix was in order but you two little monsters had other ideas didn't you'

'us?' Lou laughed.

After several jokes and comments on the way Catherine had apparently stuck her tongue out like a dog while grabbing for a glass of water to take away the taste Catherine suggested Lindsey go play in her room for five minutes while she got up. Once Lindsey had left the room she practically threw herself onto Lou capturing his lips with hers in a soft but demanding kiss.

'you are so good with her' she mumbled against his lips.

Lou smiled pulling away a little 'well I did raise my own child ya know, plus I get to watch you with her so I'm learning from the best. Not that I'm not enjoying having you all over me but we should really get up'

'five more minutes'

'okay' Lou wrapped his arms around Catherine hugging her close to his body.

Finally they dragged themselves away from each other when Lindsey shouted saying she was hungry. Breakfast passed in comfortable silence, Lindsey was too busy wolfing down her pancakes while Lou and Cath couldn't take their eyes off each other.

'oh yea mm hmm victory dance. She loves me, she loves me'

I thought it was about time she said it.

Just so you know there is no ending in sight for this story its just kinda flowing as the ideas come.