'Do you have your PE kit?' She asks the child as she runs to the front door, 'where did you put it?' The child just shrugs, completely oblivious to her mum. 'Delilah, where have you put it? I have to wash it and I have a meeting in' she looks down at her phone, sighing, 'forty minutes. Where is your kit.'

'Back of the car.' She mumbles as her mum gets out the bag, going to unlock the door, with the child running upstairs.

'Dee, where are you going? Are you hiding something?'

'No, mummy.' She calls out, as her face reappears at the top of the stairs, suddenly looking guilty. 'I wanted teddy.' Carla hums in response, emptying the PE kit and sorting it out, not having time to deal with childish issues.

'Do you want a snack?'

'Crisps?' She asks, hopefully.

'A banana. Come down, I've got this meeting, so you need to take this upstairs, you got that?' The seven-year-old nods, grabbing the plate and glass from the woman. 'Give me a quick kiss.'

'Love you mummy.' She whispers, kissing her cheek.

'I love you too, baby girl, I love you so much. I'll call you when I'm done.' She nods, her mother watching her disappear up the staircase, hearing the door shut.

-CS-

'What is that?' A voice startles her, looking up from the desk.

'Sorry' she whispers, 'I didn't mean to make a mess.'

'No, its fine, princess. We'll clean it up before mummy comes upstairs, how'd that sound?' She nods in response as her dad edges closer to her, 'what is it?' Her face turns a shade of red, looking down at the floor.

'We made 'em at school.' She whispers, 'for the valentine day dance.'

'Valentine day dance?' She nods slowly, as Peter shakes his head. He'd never heard of such a thing, but he's suddenly slightly interested.

'The juniors have a valentines day dance, next week.'

'Oh? When is it?'

'Friday.' She mutters, a week away. 'We made invitations in class.'

'Does Bertie have an invitation?' She nods, almost covering up the piece of glittery paper, not quite knowing how to explain it to her dad.

'There's too different ones. Ones for boys and one for girls.'

'Oh?' She just shrugs, going to sit on the bed the other side of the room, like she's hiding something. 'What's wrong? Is that an invite?' She nods, 'who invited you?'

'We have to make invitations, to give them to someone.' He raises an eyebrow, as she looks at him shiftily. 'Someone at home, an adult.' She looks down at the invitation, 'I was gonna invite you.' She mutters, as he looked at her perplexed. 'Wasn't sure you wanted to go.'

'What? Why'd you think that?' He asks, joining her on the bed, 'what made you think that?'

'Mummy always say's you're too tired, didn't think you'd want to work and then come to the dance. Grace and Jas are bringing their dads.' She shrugs, 'but I didn't finish my invitation till today.' She, meekly, hands him the glittered piece of paper, only noticing that it was a glitter heart she'd been making, with the glitter pens Carla had brought her in the January sales. He opens it, examining the scrawled writing, taking up most of the page:

To daddy

I am invitieng you to my valentine day danse

Next Friday

Love from

Delilah Ava Hayley Barlow xxx

'Oh, course I'd love to go.' He grins, her head snapping up, as a RSVP slip falls out. He thinks it's adorable, her messy writing and poor spelling, but there was something heart-warming about it. 'I couldn't think of anything better? I'd be honoured.'

'Really?'

'Really. Have you told mummy?' She shakes her head, biting her lip.

'Will she be sad?'

'What?'

'Will she be sad?'

'For not going?' She nods, as he pulls her into a hug, inhaling the strawberry scented shampoo Carla had brought for their daughter, kissing her dark hair. 'No, mummy can have the night off, some time for mummy to relax.'

'Won't she be lonely?'

'I'm sure she'll go down to the pub, with grandad Johnny.'

'Whose going down the pub?'

'You.' Peter grins, 'next week. I've been invited to a dance.' He playfully sneers, making her laugh, 'Delilah's invited me to her Valentines day, daddy and daughter dance.' He tells her, as he picks up the permission sleep, entitled daddy and daughter dance. He questions the sexism of this, but either way he's thrilled to get an invite. He knew that in the coming years, she'd be embarrassed to be seen with him, he wouldn't want to-do this sort of thing, so he was going to lap up every moment.

'Oh, very fancy' she grins, leaning against the door, 'so that's what you were hiding?' She questions, as Peter hands her the invite, smiling as she reads it, ignoring the mess on the table.

'How was your meeting?'

'Same old. Boring, as usual. Anyway, what did you want for dinner?'

'Pizza.' She grins.

-CS-

'So, where is she?' A voice questions, coming up behind Peter, 'it's Sunday dinner and Carla and Dee aren't here.' He taps his nose, hinting he has a secret, as Bertie enters the room. 'Go on, I'm hungry. Are they coming?'

'No, they aren't.'

'Whose not coming?' Tracy asks, coming into the room, the room suddenly feeling smaller.

'Carla and Delilah.'

'What? Why? That's really rude.' Peter just shakes his head, grinning. 'Why are you grinning like that? Stop, it's scary. Does dad know?'

'Know what?'

'That Carla and Delilah aren't coming.'

'Yes' he confirms, looking at his son, 'why is that?'

'Have you fallen out with them? Tracy teases, as he rolls his eyes.

'No, quite the opposite. If you must know, she invited me to the daddy daughter dance at school.' He brags, not caring what his family thought. He was thrilled to be invited, he was going to make it a night she'd never forget, for all the right reasons.

'And your going?' Tracy laughs, suddenly finding it hilarious, 'please tell me you aren't.'

'Tracy.' Ken scolds, looking at his daughter, 'that's a lovely idea.'

'Yes, Tracy, yes, I am going. She wanted me to go, made me a card and everything.' He brags, smiling. 'So, Carla's taken her dress shopping.'

'Why?'

'Because she is, she doesn't have one. Apparently, she's me a tie.'

'Why are you wearing a tie?' Tracy scoffs, 'it's a stupid dance.'

'Because she's my daughter and I love her and want to make it special. Carla found out it's a formal dress code and she's making a big fuss. Dee seems to be really excited, so I'm going to make the effort. Just because you don't care about Amy, I happen to care about my little girl.' He knows she's jealous, jealous that his daughter adores him, when she's had such a turbulent experience with her own daughter. No one could accuse him of not being a good parent, as Carla told him, he was the best.

'She's seven. And you can't say the same about your son.' That shuts him up, 'anyway, it's a stupid idea.'

'If its something she wants to-do, then we shall be doing it, let her make some memories. We're going to this party because she wants to go, and if she wants me to go, brilliant. Let's face it, she won't want to in a few years' time.'

'Well, Peter, I think it's a lovely gesture.'

'Thanks dad.'

-CS-

'Daddy, you have to close your eyes?' The child giggles, as her dad stands at the bottom of the stairs, awaiting the fashion show, courtesy of his daughter, ready for them to go to this dance. She'd had an inset day, so her and Carla had spent the day getting her ready, both parents determined to give her an unforgettable experience.

'Yes, princess.' He grins.

'Don't worry, I'm covering his eyes anyway.' Her mother responds, as he hears his daughter come down the stairs. 'Can he look now.' He can just picture her standing there, debating if he can or can't. He suddenly feels her remove her hands, as he opens his eyes, taking in the sight before him. She's in a baby pink dress, satin at the top, with a net skirt, roses sown onto the netting, with tights, pink pumps and a bow. He can't help it, but he suddenly feels choked up, smiling at how pretty she looks.

'Do I look nice?' She questions, looking at him for reassurance.

'You, my love, you look stunning.' He manages to hold back the sob that was threatening to erupt. 'You look absolutely beautiful.' He can suddenly see her, in twenty something years, of her in a wedding dress, something similar to this and getting ready to walk her down the aisle, going to marry someone who loved her, nearly as much as he did. That was the reason he didn't drink, he did it for her, for Simon, Carla. But mostly her, she needed him. Not that the others didn't, he loved his son the same, but there was something about his little princess that made him avoid the vice.

'Really?'

'Absolutely.'

'Let me take a few pictures.' Carla interjects quietly, not wanting to spoil the moment from her partner and her daughter, as if it was demonstrating their bond, pure love radiating from both of them. She gently moves them, so that she can get some pictures. Pictures she's going to send the whole family because it's just too much. She wished she'd had this, when she was a kid, but in this moment it didn't matter. Her desire for parental love, had been bubbling since she found out she was pregnant. She'd wished Johnny had been like Peter, protecting Delilah at all costs. Except he hadn't, but that wasn't important.

'You look like a, real life, princess.' He tells her solemnly, as Carla moves them about a bit.

-CS-

There are people in the hall already, all little girls dressed up to the nines, with dads all looking uncomfortable. If he was honest, he was too. But he wasn't doing it for himself, he was doing it for the little girl, it was important to her, so it was important to him.

She leads him over to a group of girls, and their dads, there are a few mums, but it's mostly dads. He recognises a few of them, from the few functions he'd been too. He manages to make small talk with the other dads, getting onto the subject of football, as he observed his daughter with her friends.

All he could think of was the way she was like her mum, talking and laughing like her. It made his heart burst, he was so proud as she, appeared, to be having a great time, as they go and join some other kids on the dance floor, as one of her favourite songs come on. He didn't know the name of it, but she had it on repeat enough. He smiles as he listens to the DJ announcements, watching a couple of girls bring their dads onto the dancefloor, his own little girl far too engrossed in a conversation, until a familiar tune comes flooding through the speakers, and his daughter darting towards him, dragging him onto the floor.

'Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York city, I'm a thousand miles away, but tonight you look so pretty, yes you do. Times square can't shine as bright as you.' He smiles down at her, as they become of the of dancing duos, watching her beam as the song goes on.

'Daddy?' She calls, getting his attention.

'yes, princess.'

'I requested this.' She tells him, proudly. 'It's my song.'

'I know it is.' He grins, yet another wave of emotion hitting him. Since she was born, he's found that he's more emotional. He read somewhere that when dads are more attentive to daughters than sons. He'd tried to make sure that wasn't the case with his children, but both him and Carla knew that he was. It wasn't that he didn't love Simon the same, he did, it was more of the way he interacted with his daughter. It was so different. He was a big softie when it came to Delilah, in his eyes she could do no wrong. Carla was convinced that she could murder someone, and he'd still think it was someone else's fault. 'I love this song.' He tells her gently, 'not 'alf as much as I love you, though.'

'Love you too daddy.' She whispers, as the song comes to an end, as the DJ calls all dads onto the dancefloor, he's surprised at how many actually come up, as the beat of a song comes on.

'It's like Candy.' The speaker blares, 'I can feel it when you walk.'

After that finishes, his daughter leaves him again, as he responds to Carla, telling her everything is going okay, she's having a great time. His presence is requested on the floor, again, when the DJ announces they're dedicating the next two songs to for the dads. The first one, Mr Blue Sky, makes him laugh, as he sings it to the girl, as she gazes up at him, clearly not wanting this dance to end.

'Hey, you with the pretty face, welcome to the human race.' He sings to her, pulling her close, as the second song comes on. He glances around the room, almost everyone is here at this point.

'My life is brilliant; my love is pure.' The room echoes, as he smiles, the tone of the dances, winding down, knowing it's ending soon.

-CS-

'How was it?' Carla asks the child, tucking her into bed, kissing her forehead. 'did you have a nice time?'

'The best' she whispers, turning onto her side, clutching her bear, as Peter appears at the door, his grin so big, it makes Carla smile. 'Love you, daddy.'

'I love you too, princess. More than you'll ever know.'

A/N Thoughts? All the other chapters tend to be Carla/Delilah focused, so I thought I'd write one for Peter/Delilah because I think he'd have made a brilliant dad….