The woman observes the man as he works away at preparing dinner. She never thought of him this way, so domestic. She had always thought that he would stay the same playboy that he was when she first met him. There is the sound of heavy footsteps coming from behind her.
"Daddy! Daddy!" She runs from the living room into the kitchen, holding up her book to her father. He looks up from the cutting board in front of him, his eyes brightening at the sight of his little girl. "Look!" She places the book on the island and uses all her strength to pull herself up onto the stool.
"Yes bambina?" He asks, placing down his chopping knife, resting his chin on his hand, a soft smile on his lips. The five year old opens her book to the page of a family of mice, he looks over, trying to figure out what was happening in the French story, only knowing the end of the story. "What's going on here?"
Tali straightens herself. "See here, Mère Mouse has come home to Père Mouse and BèbèMouse." The little girl says hopefully, her eyes large and round. Tony walks around the countertop, pulling his daughter into a tight hug, and placing a kiss on her head. "Daddy, did Ima say how long 'til she's coming home?" She asks, raising her chin to meet his eyes, a pout on her lips and a tear in her eye.
Tony lifts her into his arms, walks past the woman and into the living room. She follows behind them, leaning against the doorway, watching as the father sits on the couch.
"Oh mio bambina, my Tali, I know you miss your Ima," He says quietly as he rocks his daughter back and forth, whispering softly as a soft hiccough escapes her lips. "I miss Ima too, but she told us that she just needed to do a few more things before it's safe to come home." He murmurs to her, the woman in the room frowns at the memory of the two being separated all those years ago.
Tali buries her face into her Daddy's chest, her tears flowing down her cheeks. The woman can't stand to see her little girl in pain, and wishes that she could do something for it. She can't even hold the young one.
She watches for who knows how long, listening as Tali's cries turn into whimpers. Tony pulls his own legs up onto the couch and rests his back against the pillow and adjusts his daughter to rest on his chest. Dinner can wait.
Kate looks over the scene in front of her, taking the steps towards her assignment and her aged coworker. She didn't know if it pained her heart or made it swell knowing that the man she treated as another brother and constantly teased, would be such a great father to a beautiful little girl.
She crouches down to eye level with the little girl, reaching out to push away her curls and wipe away the tears on her cheek. "I'm doing my best to bring your Ima, my child. It's what I was sent here for." And with that, she kisses her ward on the head and vanishes.