A/N: Wow, I can't believe there are only 11 "episodes" left (counting this one). We're already half way through the "season". :) Awesomeness! kursk: Hmm....Maybe, maybe not. ;) Nice guess though. But I guess you'll have to wait and find out. A: Well that's your opinion, so I'm not going to argue with you. But this is fanfiction, so of course this will never happen in the show, thus the reason for my writing it. Anonymous: lol I'm glad you like the story. lol You reviewing as "Anonymous" brings back so many memories. Before I had my own account and wrote my own fanfiction, I would always review as "Anonymous" too. ::rolls eyes:: You all probably didn't want to hear that, but I figured that I'd share it anyway. Okay, okay, I'll stop talking. On with the "show"! (P.S. Thanks to all who reviewed!)

[3.12] Daddy's Girl

----September 14, 2004----

"But Mother, she is only sixteen!" Harold raved, as he threw up his hands from instinct. "A child!"

"A teenager, Harold, and teenagers make mistakes!" Harold's Mother, Edna, countered.

"But she's too young! She won't listen and I don't think..no, I know she is not ready to take care of a child! How can you even support such a thing?" Harold asked, as she slid into a chair, as his Mother's kitchen table.

"Because, Harold, Amy needs someone who cares about her. She needs guidance, not criticism. This is a critical time for her and Ephram too."

"Ephram! He's the one who got her into this!" Harold snapped back.

"Harold, he obviously cares a lot for Amy! Unlike many teenage boys who get girls pregnant, he is taking pull responsibility. Plus, it takes two to tango; it wasn't just Ephram's fault." Edna countered, as she put a bowl of oatmeal into the microwave.

"But she's too young!"

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean you should isolate yourself from her. She needs family support. Sure she has Rose, myself, and Ephram but she needs her Father too. Unfortunately, you must be too young to see that."

"Wha..Too young? I'm an adult with a degree in medicine! Mother, how can you be so insulting?" Harold snapped, as he stood up.

Edna opened the microwave and pulled out her now hot bowl of oatmeal. "Just as easily as you can punish your daughter for being pregnant." She replied, as she sprinkled brown sugar onto the oatmeal. She then walked to the fridge.

"But she'll never be able to raise a child! Her nor Ephram!"

"Not if you ground it into her head that she can't." Edna said, as she poured cold milk into the steaming hot bowl. "I've given her my full support. I think you should look at the entire picture, Harold. Not just your own selfish needs. Heck, even Bright has gotten past that. Did you see the bassinet that he sent for his new niece or nephew." Edna asked, as she grabbed a clean spoon from the drainer.

"Yes, I saw it." Harold replied, in a low voice.

"Isn't it wonderful? And did you hear about Ephram's new job? Down at Loretta's?" Edna asked.

"Who's Loretta?"

"Not 'who', but 'what'. It's a hotel up in Denver! He's getting fifteen dollars an hour to play the piano for some type of entertainment room, plus perks, and he can put it on his college application."

"College!" Harold exploded. "Amy just started to get her life and grades back in Summer School, after the disaster with that Tommy kid! Now she can't go to college, because she'll have to take care of a baby!"

"I'm sure that Amy and Ephram, if they work hard enough, will find a way to go to college." Edna said, calmly. "Amy's a smart kid and Ephram is almost sure to get a full scholarship to Julliard."

"They're ruining their lives."

"Maybe so. But if you can't get past this, then you're not going to be able to be in any of the life that they have left." Edna replied. She saw the look in Harold's face and decided it was time to leave him to think; she walked out of the room.

Harold stared at the floor for a minute, while his Mother's words played over and over in his head. Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, opened it, and pulled out a picture of him and Amy that was taken when Amy was 2-years-old. He slowly nodded his head, knowing his Mother was right. Without a word, he put the picture back and fled his Mother's house.

----

Edna took another bite of her oatmeal and smiled to herself, as she heard Harold leave the house. Finally. She thought, as she took another bite of oatmeal.

----

Amy quickly wrote her name down on her finished Math paper and set it aside. "One down, one-million to go." Amy sighed. She hated school work, but without Ephram around to do her work with, it was about 10 times worse. There was a knock at her door. "Who is it?"

----

"It's me." Rose said, from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

----

"Sure." Amy said. She was glad for the interruption.

----

Rose turned the door knob and walked in. "It's a bit stuffy in here, don't you think? Do you mind if I open the window?"

Amy shook her head. "Sure, go ahead." She shoved her homework out of the way and leaned against her pillow, against the wall, as her Mother leaned over and opened the window.

Rose sat down on the bed, next to Amy. "How are you?"

"Besides tired, grumpy, pregnant, and sore?" Amy asked.

"Point taken." Rose replied. She patted Amy's leg. "But don't worry. In a few months, this will seem like nothing."

"Thanks." Amy replied, sarcastically. Then she let out a small laugh.

Rose laughed too. "But seriously, you won't regret this. That baby, be it a she or he, will be beautiful and you'll love him or her so much!"

Amy placed her hand over her round belly. "I just hope Ephram will be happy too."

"Oh, I know he will. Trust me, everything will be okay."

"Thanks, Mom. And..thanks for being so supportive of all of this." Amy replied, with a little crack in her voice.

Rose leaned over and hugged her daughter, as Amy burst into tears. Mood swings. She thought. "It'll all be okay."

"But it just seems so impossible! Hard and..and...Oh Mom!" Amy sobbed, into her Mother's shoulder.

"I know..I know." Rose soothed, as she rubbed Amy's back. "Shh..It'll be fine..Shhh."

Amy's sobbing, over the course of 20 minutes, turned to a small whimper. She slowly swayed back and forth, as she clung to her Mother. The cool breeze from the window, it had been cooler today than most of the days, hit her face and slowly dried her tears. She pulled back. "I'm sorry." She said, as she wiped her face with the sleeve of her P.J.'s.

"It's okay, sweetheart." Rose said. She pulled a strand of hair away from Amy's face. "It's perfectly fine to cry."

Amy sniffed. "Thanks, Mommy." She said, her voice reverting to that of her 4-year-old self.

There was another knock at Amy's door.

Rose glanced at the clock. 'It's too early for Ephram, who could it be?' She thought. "Who is it?"

----

"Harold." Harold replied, from behind the door.

----

'Dad?' Amy mouthed, as her eyes got a little wider.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "It sounds like it." She whispered.

----

"May I come in?" Harold asked, from the other side of the door.

----

Rose gave her daughter a questioning look.

Amy nodded.

"Harold, come in." Rose called back. She waited a moment and then saw the door open, followed by Harold. "Did you need something?"

"I..uhh..I wanted to talk with Amy." Harold replied.

Rose and Amy exchanged looks.

"Alone, if nobody minds." Harold said.

Rose looked at Amy.

Amy shook her head.

"Just yell if you need me." Rose said, as she placed a reassuring hand on Amy's shoulder for a brief moment, then walked out of the room, but not before giving Harold a warning look. She shut the door behind her.

Harold walked over to Amy's bed. "Do you mind if I take a seat?"

Amy shook her head.

Harold sat down. "Look...I..I don't know how to tell you this..But.."

Amy just stared at her Father. What could he possibly want? To yell at me some more? She mentally asked herself.

"I've acted like a jerk. Amy, I'm sorry." Harold finally spit out.

Amy was caught off guard by that one. "Wh..what?" She stuttered.

"I was talking to your Grandmother, today. She made me realize what an ass I've been. Instead of telling you what you've been doing wrong, I should be telling you what you're doing right. I should be there for you. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry and I'm here if you need me." Harold apologized.

Amy's mouth slightly hung open. She was too stunned to speak.

"Well..I understand if you don't want to talk to me..So I'll just go." Harold said, as he got up and headed for the door.

"Daddy, wait!" Amy cried out, still with the 4-year-old voice, before she could think about what she really wanted to say.

Harold stopped dead in his tracks. "Daddy". She hasn't called me that in years! He thought, as a few tears came to his eyes and images of 4-year-old Amy filled his mind. He slowly turned around. "Amy?"

"Don't go." Amy choked. She began to cry again.

Harold impulsively ran to her and wrapped his arms tightly around his 'Little Princess'; his 'Baby'. "I'm so sorry, Amy! I really am!"

Amy rocked back and forth in her Father's arms. "I am too, Daddy! I really am! I didn't mean to get pregnant, we were caught in the moment!" She sobbed.

"Shh. Sweetheart, I know. And it's okay. I'm here for you whenever you need me." Harold replied, in a soft tone that he hadn't used with Amy in years.

"I love you, Daddy!" Amy whispered.

"I love you too, Amy." Harold whispered. He hugged his daughter. My baby is having a baby. He thought, as a few tears trickled down his face.