AN: This chapter is a little more focused on Michelle, as was asked. Hope you enjoy!

SAVE THE LAST DANCE

Chapter 6

Sara took Ian's hand in hers as they walked to the kitchen in silence. At the sound of their footsteps, Michelle looked up from her homework, and her mouth formed an O. She stared at the dark-haired man standing beside her mother.

Sara let go of Ian's hand and knelt beside her—their—daughter. "Honey, there's someone I'd like you to meet." She looked up at her new-found, long-time beloved Ian. "This is Ian Nottingham." She took a deep breath. "He's your father."

The girl stared at Ian for a full five seconds before standing and moving closer to him. When she was just a foot away, Ian knelt down to her level. She examined him from head to toe with those eyes—damn if they weren't her mother's own eyes, straight from her head—with a look he'd seen Sara use many times when sizing a person up to see if they could be trusted. Her green eyes then focused on his own hazel ones, and she moved a little closer as she searched them. He suddenly found her arms around his neck as she embraced him tightly, squealing with happiness. She let him go after a moment, her eyes bright.

"Can—can I call you Daddy?" she asked, sobering slightly.

Despite himself, tears sprang to his eyes. "Yes, Michelle, you may."

The youngster's eyes filled with wonder as she turned to her mother. "Mama, I have a Daddy!"

"Yes, you do," Sara said quietly as she moved once again to Ian's side, embracing him tightly. A moment later, another pair of arms circled them both—or tried to, at least.

Ian pulled his beloved and his daughter close. My family. Our family.

********

Sara had had to pry Michelle away from Ian so that he could leave, and the girl had bid him farewell only after he'd promised four times that he would be back very soon. Michelle was bubbling with excitement even now, three hours later. Sara was relieved that Michelle had accepted her father so readily. She'd hoped that this father-daughter meeting would go well, but this was ridiculus. It was ten o'clock at night, for heaven's sake! And Michelle was still bouncing off the walls! Sara sighed.

"Ooookay, sweetie, time for bed!"

"Oooooohhh, do I have to?"

"Yes."

"How come?"

" 'Cause I'm the Mom and I say so." She paused, thinking. "Your Daddy would want you to be good, wouldn't he?"

Michelle's eyes widened. She hadn't considered this.

Within five minutes, she was in her pajamas and in bed, waiting to be tucked in. Sara came into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the mattress, stroking her daughter's silky hair. " 'Night, baby."

" 'Night, Mama."

********

The next morning found Michelle standing by the fire escape window in her pajamas, peering out into the hustling, bustling city of New York. She saw something dark moving out of the corner of her left eye, and craned her neck to see. Her eyes widened. She turned and flew to the nearby bed, leaping onto the mattress and tackling the lump beneath the covers.

"Oooof!" Sara's breath left her in a rush as the small body of her daughter landed with a thump on her back. "Go back to sleep, runt. It's early and I don't have to work today."

"Get up, Mama!!" Michelle squealed. "He's here!!"

"Who?" she mumbled into the pillow her face was currently buried in.

"Daddy!!! So get up!!" Michelle yanked the covers off of her mother as the woman sat straight up, the young girl's words finally registering in her head. Michelle scooted off of the bed and ran to the window. Unlocking it, she let the waiting man open it, then tugged him eagerly into the room.

"Come on!" she cried, dragging him to the bed. "Mama wants to see you, too!"

Sara gazed up at Ian as he neared the bed, then moved to embrace him fiercely.

"I…I missed you. We both did," she said as she pulled back a little. She searched his eyes for a moment, then, forgetting their audience, she leaned in and captured his mouth with hers. Their bodies fused together as they put all of the passion that had built up over the years into this single touch. They were pressed together tightly, her arms around his neck and his about her slim waist.

"Ewww! That's gross!"

The disgusted voice pulled them both out of their private world, and they looked down at the little girl. She had her arms crossed and she was glaring up at them both with a vengeance.

"Damn. She spends far too much time with you. Now I'll have two of you on my hands."

One eyebrow rising, Sara leaned back in his arms. "Will that be a problem?"

He stole a quick kiss from her, then said, "I hope not." His eyes betrayed the laughter he held inside.

"Stop that right now!" Michelle now stood with her fists on her hips, imitating her mother's most intimidating stance perfectly.

The two parents exchanged glances.

"I really need to get her away from you."

Sara's arms were quite suddenly left empty as Ian was ripped from her grasp and propelled across the room by their very annoyed daughter. She sat him down in one of the kitchen chairs, tore up to her room, and raced back down with a handful of papers clutched in her fist. She scooted up onto his lap, then began to take him on a tour of her artistic creations. He "oohed" and "aahed" at the proper times, admiring her lovely drawings as Sara began to prepare breakfast for the three of them.

A short while later, after they'd eaten, Ian sat on the sofa reading to Michelle. Sara finished with the dishes, wiped her hands on the towel beside the sink, and moved to sit in the chair adjacent to the sofa.

Ian looked up at her and she smiled softly. "You're a natural."

He grinned back. "Thank you."

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