Fathers and Daughters
Part 4
Author: MacGateFan
Disclaimers in Part 1
"Dad?"
He sighed. I have never seen him so defeated. What could Mom possibly want? "The fact that your Mother wants to file for divorce doesn't surprise me, but she'll be here tomorrow to take you with her. She wants full custody."
I blinked. Full custody meant you never saw the other parent again. This is so not right! I mean, Mom was mad at Dad to begin with because, according to her, he was never there for me.
Although I had said as much to him when we first arrived in Eureka, I didn't really mean it. I knew Dad had a job to do, locking up the bad guys. In fact, I have always felt comforted just knowing he was out there, keeping us safe.
He just looked so lost sitting there and getting sick did not help the color in neither his face nor his bullet wound. "Maybe you could get the doctor, Allison?" I suggested.
She nodded in understanding. "I'll be right back."
As soon as Allison left the room, I took the opportunity to really look at Dad. He seemed a little out of it. The head injury combined with everything else seems to be taking its toll on him.
I didn't want to leave him. God, how can she do this? I mean, don't have a right to choose who I want to live with?
"I'm sorry about this, Zoë."
I gave him a hug, careful not to pull anything he was connected to. "You don't have to apologize for anything."
He sighed. "I feel like this is my fault. If I had just lived with that desk job…"
"Dad, stop it!" I exclaimed. "I loved my life and I always loved you. Still do, by the way. I knew you were out there keeping us safe. When I got older and started disappearing it wasn't because I wanted to be a rebel."
I laughed when his eyebrow rose. "Okay, I did, but it was mostly because I wanted to be with you. Notice how you always seem to find me? I let you."
"Zoë," he said after a few minutes. "You're my world. You've always been and you always will be. I don't know how things are going to turn out, but I wanted you to know that and know that I will fight for you!"
"I know, Dad."
"You'll have to do me a favor, though."
"What's that?"
"I know you want to stay with me," he said, "but if we want any judge to know how much we need each other and that you belong here; we're going to need to cooperate."
"This means, I need you to go with your Mother tomorrow without complaint."
I nodded slowly, not sure what to say. He was right, though. If we wanted to be together, we needed to prove to them we can both behave. Okay, me more so than Dad.
"Okay. And you have to promise me you'll rest! Let Jo take care of Mr. Teleporter."
"That's good advice, Sheriff," Doctor Swenson said. "Let's check you over."
I gave Dad a peck on the cheek and followed Allison into the hall.
"I don't mean to pry, Zoë, but..."
I nodded. "Yes, I have to leave Eureka because my Mom has issues with me staying with Dad. She thinks I'll get into more trouble out here than in LA."
Allison shook her head. "I'm sorry to hear that. This is going to be hard for your Dad to deal with."
"I know. I just hope that as soon as the divorce thing is over, I'll be able to choose where I want to live." I sighed. "It's not that I don't love my Mom, it's just we've never seen eye to eye and I'm more like my Dad."
Damn it! Tears started pouring down my cheeks and I couldn't control them. Suddenly, Allison had me wrapped in her arms, whispering words of encouragement to me. I really wished she was my Mom at that moment.