"So where should we start?" Adrien asked Emma as soon as they stepped outside. "Le Jardin des Tuileries or a candy shop?
"Rides! Rides!" the girl squealed as her eyes filled with sparkles and a wide grin illuminated her face. "I want to ride a rollercoaster!"
"Guess what?" he smiled in return. "That's precisely what I want to do too. And I bet we can find a candy shop there as well."
"Yes!" Emma couldn't contain her excitement. "I remember there were lots of stores with treats. Mama even bought me a huge lollipop!"
"Perfect," Adrien agreed. "Then Le Jardin des Tuileries first and after we'll have lunch with Uncle Nino and Aunt Alya. Does that sound good?"
"Yes!" Emma squealed again. "I already went to ride rides with Mama before! It was so much fun! But," she pouted all of a sudden. "They didn't let me go on everything I wanted. They said I was too small."
"Awww," Adrien sighed playfully and crouched beside her. "Maybe we can ride some of those today. I am sure you grew up a little from your last visit."
"Yes," Emma's lips stretched in the widest grin he'd ever seen. "This time I'm going to ride on every single ride and then—" her eyes filled rapidly with an equal amount of hope and begging, "—can you win a black cat plushy for me at the arcades?" There was a giant one last time, but Uncle Nino couldn't do it."
"I'll try my best." Adrien gently poked her nose and stood up. "Let's go now, Mlle. Emma."
"I like you, M. Borrower," she chirped. "You are the best babysitter ever."
"And you are the best girl I have ever watched over up to this very day," Adrien's smiled back. She was the only one he ever watched over, but Emma didn't need to know that. She'd still be the best even if he'd babysat thousands of kids.
Holding her tiny hand gently yet firmly, Adrien led his little companion to his car only to realize that it wasn't even remotely equipped for a small child and in a rush and under stress, neither Marinette nor he remembered a car seat. One look back at the offices plus a memory of the madness that was there and the idea of going back to get that car seat and in the process to waste some more of Marinette's precious time refused to settle in. Instead, Adrien pulled out his cell and did a simple Google search. A large department store where all the necessary accessories could be found wasn't that far away and just a little bit over thirty minutes later the blond duo returned with a brand-new car seat, a car toy organizer, a few toys and books to go into said organizer, a cute ladybug neck pillow, a car window shade for sun protection and a pair of fashionable kid's sunglasses along with a sun hat to match her dress. Another thirty minutes later the father and his daughter walked into the park. The next few hours changed Adrien's life forever.
When Adrien was small, he had everything that a child could possibly want. Within the confines of his room, that is. Arcade games of his choice, a skateboarding rink, a basketball hoop, all the video games he could wish for, a rock-climbing wall and even a zip line - all was readily available within the relative safety of his bedroom. As a result, the boy was rarely allowed to leave the mansion for such places as this one, but when he did go there on special occasions, those were the very best times of his life. A magical kingdom of rides and sweets, laughter and excited squeals, colourful balloons and live cartoon characters - these all remained one of his fondest childhood memories.
Today, however, Adrien discovered a new kind of joy, a much more fulfilling one. He didn't do anything special. He only rode merry-go-rounds, tiny bumper cars, a petite Ferris wheel and other toddler's attractions with Emma but somehow this brought him a lot more happiness than all of the special days he remembered combined. At first, Adrien couldn't figure out why he was having so much fun until he caught himself enjoying simply watching his little lady having a blast on a ride, he was, unfortunately, too big to fit into, just as much as he did riding the previous one with her. Emma's shining eyes and her broad smile, the excitement on her face and the happiness that radiated with her every move – that was all he needed to have a blast himself. His decision to stay in Paris was now cemented in place. He was finally getting a second chance in life, if not to be with the woman he loved, then to be a father and love someone who might return his affection one day. Who was already, it seemed, more than a little fond of him, he thought smiling as Emma ran up to him and jumped into his open arms, shouting "That was so much fun! Can I go one more time?"
A few hours, later after they rode almost every single ride that Emma was allowed to go on, the pair finally wandered into an arcade and spent another half an hour playing games, trying to earn enough tickets to get the biggest, cutest, blackest cat plushie he had ever seen. Or was it Emma who said it? Who knows? It didn't matter anymore anyway. Her joy became his; her excitement made him excited; her sadness made him want to cry. And for the first time in his life, Adrien silently thanked his parents for putting all those arcade games into his room and keeping him locked inside so he could practice for hours at a time. Today his skills had finally come in handy because the moment he handed that massive toy to his little daughter, she kissed him softly on the cheek, melting his heart into a puddle and bonding his heart to hers forever.
"So, Emma," Adrien said, trying to balance both the girl and her new kitty at the same time on his shoulders as they exited the arcades. "Should we go get lunch now? Uncle Nino already called me a few times."
"Okay," Emma replied. "I am hungry, and I want to tell Aunt Alya all about my day."
"Sounds great. Now—" Adrien tightened his grip on her, "—hold on tight. We are going to fly to the car."
The girl squealed and threw her arms around his head, gripping tightly onto his locks and squishing the huge toy between them. "All ready, M. Babysitter! Let's fly!"
At that same time, Marinette could hardly control her anxiety. Letting Emma go with someone she hadn't seen in such a long time, no matter how nice she remembered him to be and no matter how strongly she felt about him all those years, was a terrifying experience, to say the least. For about an hour she did her best, trying to keep herself in check and get some actual work done, but then gave up and dialled Adrien's number. She called about every twenty minutes or so after that, unsuccessfully trying hard not to sound too nervous, and every time Adrien went above and beyond in his efforts to make her feel just a little bit calmer. At her fifteenth call, he was finally able to convince her that Emma was fine and enjoying herself and that he was having just as much fun as she was and it wasn't a burden for him at all. Still a bit uneasy but more or less relieved, Marinette finally focused on her project. After all, it was hard not to believe all those happy pictures Adrien sent and not to be convinced by Emma's excited voice on the line, gushing about how she just rode that new ride that wasn't there the previous year and how cool that was. Marinette's mind calmed down a bit. Her heart clenched with a worry of a different kind.
"Marinette can't make it today," Alya disappointedly sighed, putting her cell phone away and picking up her freshly brewed cup of the finest Arabica coffee. "I was hoping she could spend some time with Adrien. You know, high-school crushes that haven't vanished, us getting married and the romantic atmosphere that comes with that…" She glanced over to the street, her sight lingering a little on a nearby couple strolling by hand in hand. "I feel kind of bad for her. A single mother and not getting any younger..."
"I'm sure that everything will work out as it should," Nino responded calmly, not taking his eyes from his fiancée. He did worry about Marinette as well, but she was a beautiful and fantastic woman so, for some inexplicable reason, Nino was quite sure that she wouldn't be alone for much longer, especially now that Emma wasn't a baby anymore because so far that had been her main excuse for not dating.
"Do you think I am crazy for actually thinking that it could happen?" Alya asked after a waiter took their orders. "I know wishing that Adrien and Marinette might have a future together is kind of unrealistic right now."
"What makes you say that?" Nino raised an eyebrow. "Nothing in this life is impossible."
"Well," Alya put her cup down. "Adrien was away for six years. Who knows what happened during that time? He didn't tell you much about his life there, did he?"
"Nah," Nino shrugged. "He did at the start, but it was all the same – home, university, work, home, university, work. So, I just stopped asking after a while."
"Exactly my point," Alya reasoned. "We know almost nothing about this new Adrien, the Adrien of six years later. He might have a girlfriend in the USA. He might be married-"
"Married?" Nino almost choked on his drink. "I am sure he'd at least mentioned that to me."
"And Marinette…" Alya continued, seeming to be in her own little world. "She never talks about Adrien anymore, I mean, nothing at all, not even a mention of his name in the last few years. And when I try to ask her," she frowned. "She shuts down completely, like a super-secret, undercover agent. Though, I suspect that she still has a soft spot for him."
"Definitely," Nino nodded. "You should've seen her at that playground…" Nino's voice trailed away as he looked over Alya's shoulder and suddenly sat up straight, an amused smirk spreading on his face at the same time his eyebrows slowly crept up.
"I think," he whispered. "Your wish is much closer to becoming a reality than you realize."
"What do you mean?" Alya asked, but Nino only nodded his head in the opposite direction. The girl frowned and turned around. The moment she did though, her mind blanked out because just a few meters away from the café, crossing the road with a golden paper crown on his head, a couple of frilly, pink packages in his arms and a huge grin on his face was Adrien Agreste. Skipping beside him and holding his hand, Emma Dupain-Cheng was looking happier than ever and wearing a similar pink crown on her golden locks, cradling a huge black cat plushie in her other arm. Alya blinked a couple of times. Nino decided to rub his eyes just in case.
"Please, tell me I am not seeing things," she whispered.
"Unless we both have gone insane at the same time, then no, you are not," Nino replied.
The pair continued to stare at the blond duo as they were getting closer until Emma spotted the stunned couple a few moments later and began to drag Adrien over.
"Auntie Alya! Uncle Nino! Look at my new babysitter!" the girl could hardly restrain herself from bouncing in place once they reached their table. "Mama got him for me this morning. Do you like him? He's so cool and even better than Mme Bella! We had so much fun today! Look! He won this kitty for me-"
Emma's happy chatter continued to amuse everyone present while a blush slowly spread over Adrien's face under Nino and Alya's stares.
"So you really like him, I see?" Alya finally interrupted Emma's bubbly speech.
"Yes, I do!" the girl squeaked.
"More than you like me?" Alya pouted playfully but laughed not even a minute later at Emma's serious attempt to decide who did she like more after all. "Come here, pumpkin!" She pulled the girl closer. "You can like both of us. I can share my precious princess." Alya tightly hugged the girl. "Give auntie a kiss, kiddo, and tell me all about your day!"
That was all the invitation Emma needed to quickly smooch Alya's cheek and, settling in her lap, to continue her story. Meanwhile, Adrien removed his crown and sat by Nino's side.
"Dude…" Nino mumbled in awe, still staring at his friend in utter shock.
"What?" Adrien frowned. "Is something wrong?"
"No, not really," Nino said, his thoughts still distant, before adding: "What are you doing with Emma?"
"Helping Marinette out?" Adrien shrugged his shoulders and leaned back a little in his chair a bit confused as to why his appearance with little Mlle. Dupain-Cheng evoked such a strange reaction. Was it so surprising to them if he looked after Marinette's daughter? They all used to be close friends before his departure. Helping each other out was what friends did.
"She had some kind of important project due today and Emma had already helped her out with her extremely professional cutting skills. What?" he asked a bit annoyed when Nino's shocked stare didn't cease. "Listen, I just happened to be in the same area, visiting my father, and had nothing else to do. Are you suggesting I should've just left her there to struggle alone? You know how my father gets when he's disappointed. And wasn't it you—" Adrien pointed out, "—who babysat Emma for Marinette yesterday? So stop looking at me like I murdered someone and either explain what I did wrong or- just stop, Nino. I am trying to be a good friend here and help."
Nino blinked, raising his hands up in a defeat. "Hey, bro, chill out. I wasn't saying you did anything wrong, man. That's fine. Helping Marinette is cool. We all help Marinette from time to time. That's totally neat. It's just…"
"What?" Adrien was trying to calm down. What was the big deal?
"Umm," Nino nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "How many times have you met Emma before today?"
"Just that one time yesterday at the park," Adrien responded. "Why?"
From a corner of his eye, he saw Alya's eyebrows shoot up as she stared at Adrien with her eyes wide. Nino's reaction wasn't any better.
"Can someone, please, explain what is going on?" Adrien murmured. He glanced at Emma, who was now examining the menu under Alya's guidance. Good, she looked happy, meaning he didn't mess up anything too bad. "I'm starting to feel like a one-man freak show, and no one but you can see it."
Nino chuckled. "Nah, bro. You're fine. It's just as you might have already heard—" Nino finally relaxed back in his chair and started to explain. "—Marinette's been having a bit of a babysitter crisis lately. Well, not lately but practically ever since she started needing one."
"Babysitter crisis?" Adrien frowned. What did that mean? No one wanted to babysit his baby?
"Yeah," Nino sighed. "She has a bit of a problem finding one because Emma will stay with no one except for yours truly, Alya, her grandparents, and Mme. Bella, their long-time neighbour. And even in her case, I think Emma only likes her because she's known her ever since she can remember."
"Picky little lady," Adrien smirked and glanced at Emma who at the moment was arguing with Alya about which flavour of ice cream was the best at this particular café.
"You wouldn't even believe—" Nino smiled fondly to himself, looking at the girl whom he considered almost as his own by now, "—the things Marinette has tried to get Emma to spend even five minutes with someone without supervision and any problems. Until now it seemed possible only if the little rascal spends at least a couple of weeks with that particular person and with one of us present. Apparently, you are an exception."
That made Adrien even more proud. First, his daughter wasn't a pushover and liked to surround herself only with the best people around. He wasn't sure about this Mme. Bella but if Emma liked her, he would assume she was a decent person. Second, she loved him immediately. That had to mean something!
"Well, I guess I am just naturally good with kids?" Adrien grinned.
"Aha." Nino cocked his head to the side, teasing and singsonged, "or you are not telling us something."
The couple laughed, and before Nino could ask any more Emma-Adrien related questions, Adrien turned his attention to the menu, changing the topic to the day's special.
"Ah, I've missed Parisian cuisine," Adrien whined. "I mean, New York's restaurants were fine but look at that!" he pointed at something but received no response from his friend, whose attention was already claimed by Emma. Adrien's eyes lingered for a moment on the pair, and he couldn't help but smile, seeing the warmth in Nino's eyes and hearing the softness of his voice toward the little girl, giving her an obligatory cheek kiss from her Uncle Nino. Adrien's gut tightened. He hadn't been here to love and protect his child but, thankfully, his friends were, and their love toward his little girl showed. One day he'd need to repay this enormous debt. Somehow, he'd think of something worthy.
Most of their lunchtime was almost solely dedicated to discussing last minute details of Nino and Alya's upcoming wedding. There were laughter and teasing along the way, serious tones and sly remarks made an appearance as well. Tiny details were scrutinized as Emma made sure to insert a few of her silly comments as well and as their meeting progressed Adrien couldn't remember the time when he'd had so much fun having lunch with anyone. It had been years, for sure. New York was a lonely place for him.
However, there was one thought that wouldn't leave him all throughout their meal - the fact that Emma was loved and adored by his friends very much, and that she loved them back with all of her heart. No wonder she wouldn't accept any other babysitters – few people could rival those two in entertainment. All through the meal, Alya wouldn't let Emma off her lap for long. She teased and tickled her, played and laughed with her. She always asked for Emma's opinion and had a million pet names for her. Nino's shameless flirting and compliments seemed to give Emma life as she skillfully swooned over him in return.
Adrien loved Nino and Alya. He truly did. They shared a lot of fun times together, and he treasured them enormously. Yet, despite everything, a hint of jealousy stung somewhere deep inside Adrien's chest as he watched their casual banter.
He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled.
No one to blame but himself.
If only he had stayed…
If only he hadn't reacted the way he did…
If only he'd delayed his departure by a few weeks or even days…
Quite a few what ifs swirled around in his head but even Adrien realized that there was no use in brooding over them now. He forced the negativity away and smiled when his daughter looked at him and asked what ice cream flavour was his favourite. "Strawberry," he answered and when she left satisfied that their tastes matched, got to finishing his meal. The rest of the company was already choosing the desert.
"Do you want to help Uncle Nino buy us some ice cream?" Adrien heard Alya whisper into Emma's ear in a short while. "Drag him over there—" she pointed somewhere in the café to Emma. "—and help him choose some for all of us, okay, pumpkin?"
"Sure," Emma squeaked and she proceeded to pull Nino out of his chair by his hand. Awkwardly getting up in a hurry, the man almost tripped a few times being dragged away by the little girl. Adrien couldn't help but let a chuckle escape from his lips as his eyes trailed after the pair. She really was something else. His Emma.
"So, Adrien," Alya called him as soon as they were left alone. "What were you up to all these years overseas?"
"Nothing special," Adrien shrugged his shoulders. "Mostly studies and work."
"Any friends? Girlfriends?" Alya leaned closer.
"Um," Adrien's eyebrows knitted in confusion but, honestly, he should've known better than to be surprised. Alya was always the one with an itch to find out information, to get the scoop, to uncover the truth, whatever that truth might be. "Not much there either. I had a few friends and maybe one or two acquaintances I could get lunch from time to time but no girlfriends. Is there a particular reason you are asking?"
"No, no reason," Alya backed away a little. So far so good. Hope still lives. "And when are you planning to go back?"
Adrien paused. To confess that he wasn't planning on going back to the USA anymore, at least not permanently, would raise a few questions he'd rather avoid for now. Not before he talked to Marinette about that. But to lie? He didn't feel like that either. So the man settled for: "I have a ticket booked a few days after the wedding," which was the truth apart from the fact that Adrien didn't intend on using it. Surprisingly, Alya's friendly demeanour deflated right away as she seemed to freeze in place for a few moments, then hummed something under her breath and looked at Emma in the distance.
"Then," she continued a moment later. "Can I ask you for a favour?"
"Sure," Adrien nodded, but Alya remained silent for a short while yet. Then she bit her lip, looked him straight into the eyes and said: "Unless you are planning to marry Marinette in the near future, do not let Emma like you more than a regular babysitter."
Speechless at that bold statement, Adrien froze dumbfounded. Never in his life had he observed anyone so serious, still friendly yet somehow deadly threatening, as the woman in front of him right now. Not even his father could master that expression. Not once had he affected him as Alya had just done.
"Why?" His lips opened before Adrien could stop himself but once it slipped out, he couldn't find it in himself to regret the question. Why wasn't Emma allowed to love him more than a mere acquaintance? He wasn't a bad influence, was he? The last time he checked, he was deemed to be quite decent from a common public's point of view. Nino's warnings that Alya was a bit overprotective when it came to her loved ones came to his mind, but even they didn't make sense right now. Was she protecting Emma from him? Why?
"Let me explain it to you, Adrien," Alya finally responded, her voice much calmer, yet just a bit sadder. "More than anything in the world, that little girl over there wants a father. Emma literally puts 'a daddy' on her Christmas and birthday wish lists," Alya paused. Her eyes full of love yet mixed with pain were still fixated on Emma at the ice cream stand as she continued barely audibly. "Imagine what would happen if she starts to really like someone suited for that role, someone who makes her feel special and loved, who gives her the time of her life, someone like you, Adrien? Do you honestly think she won't be hoping for that person to become her daddy? She's a small kid, Adrien," Alya shifted her now begging eyes to the man across the table. "She doesn't understand a lot of things. She wouldn't understand why the man who became so much to her in so little time would have to leave in a few days. So, please," Alya pleaded. "Marinette already had her heart broken. Don't break Emma's, too."
"Adrien?" Alya asked a few minutes later when no response followed her appeal. "Adrien?" She placed her hand on his shoulder bringing him out of his thoughts. "You are still one of our best friends, and we still love you, but this is something important to me, to all of us. Please, understand that Emma is a small, naïve child and she searches for her father in every man that comes her way. All I am asking of you is not to raise her hopes up because you'll be away in less than a week, living your own life, but her heart will be broken. She is too small for that. Plus, she is nothing but another random child to you—" Adrien flinched and closed his eyes, struggling to keep himself from commenting, "—for Marinette she is everything. You'll break both of their hearts."
"Is that the reason Marinette is still single?" Adrien's realization slipped out of his mouth, a thought he wasn't planning on voicing out loud. "Not to give Emma ideas in case it wouldn't work out?"
"I don't think that's any of your concern," Alya responded surprisingly harsher this time but stopped, gathered herself back into a much calmer person and continued: "You are just visiting for a few days, Adrien. Please, don't unintentionally mess things up for us to deal with for who knows how long after you leave to live your happy, perfect life overseas."
"You know so little about my life, Alya," Adrien whispered back. "It isn't even remotely perfect-"
"Awww," the woman interrupted him, suddenly sporting a wide grin on her lips again and looking somewhere past his back. "I knew, you'd remember my favourite flavour, Emma. You're the best, kiddo! Thank you."
"I bought you the best strawberry ice cream they had, M. Borrower." Emma appeared suddenly by his side with a wide smile on her lips. "Do you like it?"
"It is my favourite flavour, Emma," Adrien winked and accepted a little vial of the desert from the girl who looked at him and saw the world already. He took a spoon and tried some immediately. "I love it. Thank you very much."
Emma's face lit up with joy. Alya gave him a judging stare. Adrien's heart sunk. He had some serious thinking ahead of him. At the very least he needed to talk to Marinette and come clean no matter how hard it might be. He had to make a plan. A strategy. He had to do something because Emma shouldn't search for him in some other random men. Her father was right here in front of her, and he loved her more than anything. He just couldn't say it to her yet. Not until he talked to her mother first. Adrien took another spoonful of ice cream, watching his little girl gush about some random yet exciting thing to Alya. Soon, he thought with a small smile, soon you'll have your daddy, Emma, and he would bring the moon and the stars, along with the sun, down to your feet.
The rest of the lunch went pretty smoothly, and soon they all were already heading their separate ways. Parting, Alya gave Emma yet another kiss. To Adrien, she said: "I'm watching you, Agreste." The man nervously chuckled in response and took Emma's hand in his own. "Of course," he answered and waved goodbye. "I understood everything."
When they were finally left alone, Adrien turned to Emma with a question on what she wanted to do next. Excited that their time together wasn't over yet, the girl asked if they could visit a trampoline park. The day was still young, Marinette was still busy, and Adrien was willing. Plus, the only minor inconvenience, the fact that Emma wore a dress, was easily solved by a shopping spree.
Being a model for most of his life Adrien wasn't a stranger to clothes, but never in his career had he had this much fun around them! Frilly dresses, little skirts, bows and ribbons, pink, purple and white, jumpsuits and tiny, elegant gowns - Emma looked adorable in everything. Adrien didn't even have to decide because Emma pointed out the things she liked the minute they stepped into a store, and then playfully modelled the outfits for him in a changing room. And, boy, she had great taste in clothes. By the end of their visit Adrien ended up buying her not just one outfit for a trampoline park but an average size wardrobe of pinks, ruffles, bows and twirling, girly accessories. The pair left the store hand in hand, grinning widely and beaming with joy. They seemed the epitome of happiness for most, and only a few were able to distinguish the growing sadness in the man's eyes as his heart was breaking more and more, his hatred for himself intensifying.
I am even worse than my father, Adrien's thoughts carried on as he led Emma to his car. He wasn't an involved parent, but at least I knew where to find him. He wasn't ideal, but I had a father in my life and knew who he was. What kind of a monster would cause a five-year-old to wish for a daddy for Christmas or her birthday? What kind of a father am I if I wasn't even here for the first five years of her life? True, I didn't know she existed, but somehow that doesn't feel like a good excuse right now.
"You have a wonderful daughter, monsieur," an employee at the trampoline park brought him out of his thoughts as he was paying for their tickets.
"Thank you," he smiled sadly. "She is amazing."
Amazing enough to make him happy again and push all of his depressing thoughts away by doing something so simple as tugging him onto a trampoline and making him jump with her. Unexpectedly, it brought him some much-needed relief. Bouncing and flipping, falling and laughing until they couldn't anymore, watching Emma's cheeks turn red from running around and her eyes spark with enjoyment – that was all Adrien needed to feel happy right now.
"This is so much fun, M. Borrower!" Emma shouted. "You know, if you want, you can borrow me anytime. I won't complain. Just make sure to bring me pink candies next time!"
"Be careful what you wish for, little Lady," Adrien playfully warned and ran after her, attacking the girl with a storm of tickles, much to her enjoyment. "Or I just might do that."
Emma laughed and squealed. Adrien wished once more that he could time travel so he could go back and kick his own ass off that plane.
When they were finally done with the trampoline, it was getting dark already. A series of texts and calls to Marinette confirmed that she needed another two hours or so. Thus, seeing as Emma was pointing out a poster on a stand, Adrien suggested they go to watch a movie. That should fill up the remaining time easily. Marinette agreed almost immediately, and soon the father and his daughter stepped into the theatre, Emma's little palm in his, a feeling he couldn't get enough of and loved so much already.
They chose the movie, paid for admissions and soon settled into their seats snacking on popcorn. Ten minutes into the movie Emma climbed onto his lap, saying that her seat was too hard and uncomfortable. Five minutes later she was sound asleep. Adrien gently cuddled her in his arms as his thoughts wandered, realizing just how much he needed this little girl in his life from now on. The day they met, she sneaked into his heart. The very next one, Emma managed to not only snatch him out from the dark abyss he existed in for years but also to fill his life with meaning and purpose. She made him happy, made him feel, made him come alive. He needed to be close to this precious miracle, no matter how small and hard to get his chance was.
The events in the film were rapidly developing on the screen, engulfing the audience, except for a certain blond model in the middle row, who couldn't take his eyes off a little girl snoozing peacefully in his arms, making all sort of expressions in her sleep. Ten minutes until the end of the movie he lovingly brushed a few stray hairs from her forehead, smiling at the serene expression on her adorable, little face. In her sleep Emma frowned and scrunched her tiny nose at his touch but then turned around and cradled herself into his chest, murmuring under her breath something only he could hear:
"I love you, daddy."