Matt McNamara walked hand in hand with Courtney up the front walkway towards the South Beach home. The home he shared with his parents, Sean and Julia. He and Courtney had decided to catch a movie and grab a bite to eat at the nearest chinese food place. As much as he loved her, he couldn't help but feel that there was something missing from their relationship. Sure, the physical intimacy was there, but from the way things had been lately, he couldn't help but feel that he was right back at square one. Courtney Price seemed much like another Vanessa. She wouldn't make love to him unless he was up to par. He loved her and he did not want to let her go, but he couldn't help second guessing himself as they arrived back at his house. Would anything happen tonight? Would she ever be comfortable with anything more?

"Tonight was great," Courtney leaned in and nibbled at his ear, much to his delight. "We have to do this again. Hey, maybe next time, we could find seats in the back of the theater and make-out."

Matt chuckled. "What's the point in paying for the movie then?"

She shrugged her shoulders with a light laugh. "It was just an idea. To be honest, I was watching you tonight more than I was watching Tom Cruise."

His cheeks flushed bashfully. "Oh please. I can't compete with him. All the chicks are head over heels for the guy already."

She planted a kiss on his cheek. "Mmm, not this one."

He didn't know if she was just saying that so she wouldn't bruise his ego or if she actually meant it. Either way, it still made him feel good. Turning the knob on the front glass door of his house, he stepped inside. She kept her hand in his as she followed him inside. His father Sean was entering the kitchen when the two came in.

Sean paused at the refrigerator when he laid eyes on the two. "Matt. You're late for dinner. Where were you?"

Matt exchanged a look with Courtney before looking back at his father. "Just hanging out. We went to the movies then grabbed a bite to eat at the Chinese food place up the street." Sean nodded, his eyes shifting towards Courtney in bewilderment. Matt figured now was as good a time as any to introduce her to his father. After all, either he or his mom would find out eventually if they walked in on the two of them making-out or doing...something else. It surely wouldn't be the first time. "Dad? This is Courtney. Courtney? This is my dad."

Sean stepped forward and extended his hand to the young woman, a friendly smile crossing his face. "It's nice to meet you, Courtney."

She willingly shook his hand with a smirk. "You too, Mr. McNamara." Her brows furrowed inquisitively. "Wait. You wouldn't by any chance have a business with a guy named Christian, would you?"

The same bewildered and questioning looks passed between Matt and Sean. What she was getting at, he had no clue. She had mentioned before about a guy named, Christian, but the idea that she had been talking about his uncle never crossed his mind. Why was she posing this question to his father? What did she have to do with Christian? These questions and a million more filled Matt's head. He had no clue what was going on, but he wanted to know and soon. Did this have any connection to her not wanting to have sex with him? A migraine began taking form in his head.

"Yes, I do actually. Christian Troy. He's my partner. We have a business in cosmetic surgery, McNamara/Troy. I assume you've heard of us." Sean's brows arched expectantly.

Matt exchanged a look with Courtney, who was blushing at his father's words.

"Well, actually...yeah. I've seen your ads before and I had a friend who had some work done so...I guess you could say I've heard of you." She laughed nervously.

Sean nodded his head in understanding. "I see. Well our practice is one of the most successful in South Beach, Florida so I suppose it would be difficult not to. Word travels fast."

It sure does, Matt thought to himself, his eyes shifting to Courtney.

Sean's brows furrowed inquisitively, "it's funny. Matt's never mentioned you before. Do you go to school together? Share the same class?"

Matt sighed softly, wishing he could have made these introductions before. He already knew this was coming. "No, dad. She goes to the university. We met through Gretchen."

"Ah yes, Gretchen. Of course." Sean looked from his son to Courtney, a bewildered expression on his face now. "I'm sorry. I'm a little confused. I spoke with someone named, Amy, today in Christian's office. She said she met Matt through a girl named, Courtney. I'm assuming that's you."

Courtney's face brightened. "Yeah! Amy Gellar, we're best friends. We go to school together."

Sean nodded his head. "That would explain it." He cringed with a deep sigh. "Sorry. Long day at work."

Matt grasped Courtney's hand in his with a squeeze and started past his father. He had been waiting rather impatiently as it was to get her alone, and he did not want to waste anymore time. "We're going to head upstairs, dad. I'll see ya later."

"All right. It was nice meeting you, Courtney."

Courtney glanced over her shoulder at the man, "nice meeting you too, Mr. McNamara." Matt and her climbed the staircase to the second floor, disappearing into his room a moment later. A smirk crossed her face. "In a hurry, are we?" She stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and began to kiss it. "If you wanted to be alone that bad, you could have told me." She giggled.

As much as he was tempted to kiss and respond to her touch, he couldn't get his mind off of the questions that were plaguing his mind. He turned his head away from her, took her hand and sat himself down on the edge of his bed. "We have to talk."

Her brows furrowed in bafflement as she dropped down beside him. "About what? Did I...did I do something wrong?"

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. The palms of his hands rubbed against one another. He didn't even know where to begin. Then, before he could form a coherent thought, the words escaped him. "Are you seeing another guy?"

"What? No! Of course not. Why would you think that? No, better yet, what would make you think that?"

Matt sighed irritably. "The last time we saw each other, Amy called you. You told me she had a crush on some guy named, Christian. Now you come here tonight and ask my dad if he works with the guy."

"So?"

He turned his head to look over at her. The thought occured to him that she was involved with his uncle, but that was ridiculous, wasn't it? She was half his age. Why would she be cheating on him with Christian? It didn't make any sense. "So, if you're not cheating on me, what the hell is your obsession with this guy?"

For a long moment, Courtney didn't say anything, but Matt had a vile fieeling about what she would say next. She might as well drive the knife in his heart and get it over with.

"Ok, you want the honest to God truth? I'll tell you." An irritable sigh escaped her. Turning towards him, she gave him her undivided attention. "I don't have any type of obsession with this guy whatsoever. The only reason I asked about him tonight was because Amy knows him. Or at least, she knows of him now. The reason being...he's her birth father. A couple days ago, she told me she had found out who her birth parents were, and the moment she found out, she went in search of this Christian guy. You could imagine my surprise to hear that he worked with your dad. I had no idea. I'm not sleeping with him. I'm not even dating him. If anything, I was trying to be a good friend to Amy. That's all."

"Whoa! Hang on a minute." He sat up and turned towards her with a bewildered expression. "Are you telling me that my uncle is Amy's father?"

"Is his name Christian Troy?"

"Yeah."

"Then I guess the answer is 'yes.' Wait. If Christian is your uncle than that would make you...Amy's cousin, wouldn't it?"

He shook his head. "He's not my biological uncle, but he and my dad are so close that my sister, Annie and I have come to think of him as our uncle. Why didn't you tell me before?" There were so many more questions arising in Matt's mind. He understood why he had yet to hear about her from Christian, but why hadn't his father told him? Had he barely found out about Amy too? It was weird to say the least. If Amy was Christian's daughter, she could almost be his cousin...almost. Everything was still sinking in. He didn't know how to react in this situation. Mainly because it was all new to him.

"Well, for one thing, I didn't know how you'd react. Second of all, Amy is my best friend. I couldn't possibly tell you her business when she barely knows you. She would get pissed at me, which I'm sure she will when she finds out I've now told you about it." She sighed wearily. "Look, Matt...if you see Amy again, try not to give her a hard time about it. The last I heard, she was having a harder time with him."

"Why would I give her a hard time about it? I hardly know her. The least I can do is be her friend."

Courtney leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm just saying, if you were to run into her, you might not want to bring it up. I doubt you'll see her before I do, but in the off chance that you do, she might get mad at you and I would hate for that to happen. I don't want her to get mad at you for something that I did."

"In that case, I won't even mention it."

She wrapped her arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you about this. Amy didn't want anyone else to know. It was just suppose to be between us."

Matt sighed softly, stealing a glance down at her. "No. I'm glad you told me."

Courtney exhaled deeply. "I'm worried. I haven't heard from her all day. I sure hope this guy hasn't corrupted her so much that she'd do something to herself."

"He's not as bad as you might think he is, and he's not just a guy, he's my uncle. I've known him my whole life. Anyway, why would he corrupt Amy? He's her dad. He's always been like a second father to me. You gotta give him a chance. He can surprise you sometimes." Matt's words came straight from his heart. Having known Christian as long as he had, he never understood why so many people, including his parents, came down on him for the things he said and did. There were things in Christian that Matt and Annie saw that others could not. Amy had nothing to worry about in Matt's mind. He imagined that Christian would treat her with the same love and loyalty that he did him. Why wouldn't he?

Amy cracked open her second crab leg and gobbled up the meat inside with a plentiful moan. She jabbed her fork into the shell and scooped out another piece of meat, dipping it into her butter dish, shutting her eyes and savoring the taste. She had never tasted anything so delicious before. This was the reason she loved lobster and crab so much. The taste was amazing. She couldn't recall the last time she had tasted something so good. Upon opening her eyes, she immediately noticed the weird look Christian was giving her.

"When was the last time you had a decent meal, sweetheart?"

Her cheeks flushed in mortification. Had she made a fool of herself already? She felt like an idiot. A light laugh escaped her as she tossed the empty shell aside. "Sorry." She sighed wearily. "My mom never takes me out to eat anymore. At least not to these expensive restaurants. If anything, she goes more places with her boyfriend than she does me, and if we ever do go out to eat, it's usually some place cheap like Denny's."

"My God." He scoffed. "It's a good thing I brought you out when I did." He picked up one of his oysters and sucked on it insanitably.

This time, it was she who got the weird look on her face. She already knew that this man craved sex. It was a trait that was apparent to anyone who came within six feet of him, but did he have to perpetuate it in everything he did? For example, sucking on an oyster? The last thing she wanted to think about right now was her father doing the dirty. Perhaps she was being paranoid. Should the way he ate mean anything to her? She shrugged it off as nothing, figuring it was only the movies and television shows she watched that were corrupting her mind. "So..." She dropped her gaze to her plate, picking at the rice with her fork. "About that whole thing with you having another child..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes traveling back up to him.

Christian paused in taking a drink of his champagne. A deep sigh escaped him. Taking a quick gulp, he placed his glass back down and turned his attention to her. "I suppose now is as good a time as any." He extracted a piece of meat from his lobster tail, shoved it in his mouth and chewed it up. He reached for his napkin, swallowed, and wiped his mouth. "It's better we get everything out in the open now to prevent future arguements, don't you agree?"

She nodded gently, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. Her heart beat a little faster in her chest, not knowing exactly what was going to come from him. She was half dreading it and half praying her previous assumptions would be proved false. "Yeah." Inhaling deeply, she waited patiently for him to begin.

"About a year ago, I met a woman named, Gina." He stole a glance around the area, leaned in a little closer and lowered his tone of voice. "At a Sexaholics Anonymous seminar, and upon meeting her, we slept together. Little did I know that she was nothing but a bitter psychotic bitch, looking for someone to save her from the whore she's now become. About a week later, she came to me and told me she was pregnant with my baby." He sighed sadly. "Or at least I thought it was my baby at the time. So I did what any other suitable father would do. I took care of him up until the time he was born. Upon her conceiving, I realized...I wasn't the father. While any other person would have walked away, I wasn't about to abandon him. I protected him with my life. I loved him with every part of my soul, and I fought for the legal right to be his guardian. God knows he would have been better off with me than Gina, but ultimately...we both ended up losing him."

Her heart constricted in her chest listening to the whole story. Not so much the harshness of it, but from the emotion she saw present on his face as he spoke of it. The glossy appearance of his eyes and the way his voice seemed to tremble slightly. It was evident he was still overcoming the anguish of it all. No wonder he had such a hard time accepting her into his life. Suddenly, everything made sense. The spitefulness he exuded upon her at the beginning, the instinctive denial, followed by anger. They were all stages of the grieving process. She didn't blame him for treating her that way. It was a relief to hear his side of the story. If she had heard it from Kimber, who knows what she might have said to mislead the situation. She fought for a suitable way to respond to his story. Could she say something without hurting his feelings? She'd have to try.

Pushing the lump down in her throat, she spoke softly. "I'm sorry...that you had to go through that. I can see why you'd have a hard time with me showing up like this."

He shook his head. "No need for you to apologize, sweetheart. You didn't know." He sighed woefully, sat back in his seat and cleared his throat. "If anything, I should be apologizing to you. In the beginning, I was a major asshole to you, and for that I'm sorry."

Had this guy not been her father, she would have admitted it, but for now, she shrugged it off as if it had meant nothing, "it's ok. I understand why you acted the way you did. I probably would have been the same way." He sent her a small smile before taking up his glass and gulping down a bit of champagne. She bit down on her bottom lip, still inquisitive about some things. "What was his name?"

He paused in his meal to look up at her. She scowled, noticing him struggle to get a handle on his emotions which he did fairly well. "His name was Wilbur."

She nodded in understanding. "Do you still talk to that Gina person?"

He scoffed. "And waste my time getting hen-pecked? Shit no."

A smile tugged played at the corners of her mouth, "did she really become a prostitute?"

He was about to repond to her question when a Caucasian woman approached their table. She looked to be in her late twenties, petite, with wavy shoulder length blonde hair, large blue eyes, aquiline nose and honey colored complexion. The woman's gaze fixated immediately on Christian. Her hands were firmly planted on her curvy waistline. A waist that made the slinky black cocktail dress cling to her in all the right places.

"Hey asshole. If you wanted crabs, you could have gone to any cheap whore within a five mile radius."

A look of bewilderment crossed Amy's features. Who was this woman? What was she doing here? More importantly, why was she acting like a bitch to her father? Did she know him? She exchanged a look with Christian before he looked up at the woman. That familiar smug smile crossed his face.

"Well, speak of the devil."

Amy's eyes widened in astonishment. It couldn't be, could it? She looked from Christian to the the woman then back to Christian. "Is this..." Her voice trailed off, allowing him to figure out what she was thinking.

He stole a glance at her. "Gina?" He cleared his throat, leaned forward and threw his napkin down. "Unfortunetly."

Amy blinked back her surprise as Gina's eyes darted towards her. A look of vexation on her face.

"And who's this? Another one of your repetitive one night stands?" Gina tilted her head to one side. "Let me be the first to tell you that going to bed with Christian would be a colossal mistake. Save yourself the trouble." She looked back at a peevish Christian. "He's not worth it. In fact, he's not worth shit."

His eyes narrowed to an icy glare as did Amy's. "Apparently I was worth shit, seeing as how I slept with you. She's not my God damn one night stand, Gina. She's my daughter!"

Gina turned her head back to Amy, her face expressionless. For a moment, all she did was stare at her until finally she exuded a scoff and looked back at him. "Is that what you're calling them these days, Christian? You already blew it with Wilbur and now you're calling them your daughters? Honestly, how much lower can you stoop?"

His gaze remained hard. He almost looked like a bull ready to charge. Amy looked at her father. She looked at Gina. She looked at her father again. Finally, her eyes settled on Gina. She took in a breath to calm her temper. Then, before she could surpress it from happening, the words escaped her. "Listen bitch, I don't know what problem you have with my father, but I'm not going to sit here and let you talk shit to him. I know what happened between you two and frankly, I can see why he wouldn't waste anymore of his time. He's not worth it? Sorry, but I think you have it backwards. You're not worth it. Christian is my father, and whether you believe it or not, he's a great father. He accepts me for who I am, not what I look like. I didn't have to screw him to get respect. So if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us alone and let us eat in peace."

Christian's brows arched in astoundment. It was clear that her rebuttal had taken him completely by storm. She chewed on her bottom lip anxiously, hoping that he would not be upset with her for it. Suddenly, a cocky grin crept across his face. He looked at her and then at Gina, crossing his arms comfortably over his chest. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

The blank look that had been on Gina's face instantly disappeared. A scoff escaped her as she looked between the pair before her. "Well, I can see you've inherited his nature for being an arrogant prick. Like father like daughter."

"It could have been worse. She could have inherited your bitter self-loathing demeanor, which, given my experience, is a trait that most men do not find appealing. Luckily, she was born a Troy so she shouldn't have any problems attracting men."

Amy's cheeks flushed at his words. Mostly out of motification. Her love life was the last thing she wanted to think about right now. She had never been able to get a boyfriend, so why should she think being his daughter would change her? It was impossible. She simply did not exude as much confidence as he did. Perhaps he could help her out in that department. She shot Gina another glare, wondering how long she would remain standing there. Her patience was wearing thin. This was the last thing she needed right now.

"Screw you Christian!" Gina snapped before pivoting on her heels, and stalking off in the opposite direction.

Christian sat forward and scoffed. "Been there, done that."

Amy watched the woman depart, thanking God her father had been the one to shut her up once and for all. She shook her head in disbelief. "What a bitch!"

He sighed wearily, his eyes falling back on his daughter. "As I was saying." He reached for his glass of champagne, took a quick swig, and set it back down on the table. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Frankly, it would have been better left for a Jerry Springer segment."

Her shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. Although she was in no way delighted that that woman had interrupted and potentially ruined their dinner, it still felt good to bitch her out. Especially when she did not get lectured by her father, as most daughters probably would. He had actually supported her opinions and for that, she felt blessed. "It's ok. I can be pretty opinionated given the chance, and I can't stand for people to talk shit about my friends or anyone I love."

He seemed to freeze at her choice of words, staring at her as if he didn't know how to respond. He was speechless. She knew that "love" might have been a strong phrase to use so early in their relationship, but she did love him. She sure as hell didn't consider her adoptive father worthy of love, and she never would. He could pester her all he wanted to over the phone, but he would never add up to Christian. No one would. So what if he wasn't perfect. These days, no one was perfect. She was tempted to apologize for saying she loved him. Then, she realized that saying she didn't would probably be ten times worse than saying she did. So she decided she'd just change the subject.

"Florida is definitely a lot different than California. I mean, there's more beaches here. Of course it might be just me, but I've only been to one beach in particular when I lived in Los Angeles. At least they have a Universal Studios and Disneyworld here. I've always wanted to go to Disneyworld." She sighed woefully. "That is, if I had the money and my mom actually took time away from her boyfriend to take me."

"You've never been to Disneyworld? Not once?" His words were more in the form of a statement rather than a question. She shook her head. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I'd been there myself."

She didn't think a man of his kind would be caught dead there in the first place. Still, if she were to go to Disneyworld, or any amusement part for that matter, she would prefer it be with him than anyone else. She knew what would happen if she'd let her mother take her. They'd end up getting into a fight at some point and causing a scene. She'd spend the rest of the day miserable. If only Christian was as carefree as most fathers were. If he'd only let his barriers down long enough to have fun...outside the bedroom of course. Cracking open another one of her crab legs, she scooped out another piece of meat and shoved it in her mouth, running out of things to say. Ever since Gina showed up, things had become awkward. She was reaching for her glass when he finally broke the silence that had accumulated between them, with words she did not expect to hear.

"I'll take you."

She blinked back her astonishment. Was she actually hearing this? Her brows furrowed inquisitively. At first, her brain couldn't process what he was referring to. "Take me where?"

"To Disneyworld."

"You'd do that? For me? I mean, I know its not exactly a place you'd want to be seen in..."

He sighed softly. "I'll admit, it's not a place most men as refined as myself would frequent, but you're my daughter. If it means that much to you and it'll make you happy, we'll go." He smirked at her and reached for his champagne glass.

Now it was her who was speechless. She chewed on her bottom lip fretfully, tilting her head to one side to better scrutinize his features. "I couldn't ask you to do that. You've got this whole image thing going on. I wouldn't want to force you into taking me there. Someone you know could show up and then it would ruin you or something."

He shook his head. "You're not forcing me into anything, sweetheart. I'm offering. Believe me, there's not a chance in hell that anyone I know will be there. The only way you could ruin me is if you turn me down. I'm proposing a father and daughter outing. I'd expect you to be thrilled."

"I am. I guess I didn't think you were entirely serious."

He picked up another one of his oysters and sucked on it before tossing it aside. "If I wasn't serious, I wouldn't have offered."

She nodded in understanding. "So, when can we go?"

He cleared his throat. "I'll have to check my schedule, but as soon as I have a day off, you will be the first to know. Not to worry, I will make time for you." He smiled reassuringly before going back to his meal.

His last words warmed her heart. Finally, someone who actually cared enough to spend time with her. Someone who actually wanted to see her happy. This was the way it should always be. She felt as though she had lost touch with her mother ever since Chris came along. It seemed as if she didn't care anymore. Why was Chris so much more important to her? All these thoughts about her adoptive mother made her inquisitive about something else. "Can I ask you something?"

He swallowed the piece of food in his mouth and lifted his eyes to meet with hers. "Sure, ask away."

Her heart drummed in her chest madly, trying mercilessly to push the words out of her throat. "How come...you never mentioned my mother? My biological mother, Danielle."

Christian froze. He sighed deeply, dropping his gaze to his lap. Suddenly, she didn't feel so content with hearing what he had to say. She could tell by his lack of eye contact that there was something he was hiding, but what? Gradually, he brought his eyes back to her, gazing at her as if debating about how he should start. "I hate to break this to you, sweetheart, but your mother, as bitter and defensive as she's become, has made a selfish decision and abdicated her maternal role. Believe me, I tried to get her to come to senses, but no amount of groveling could take her away from her mediocre life."

She nodded her head gently, still a little bewildered as to what he was getting at. "So, are you saying she doesn't want to see me?"

He scowled. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

She should have known. When she'd first found out who her real parents were, the thought occured to her that they might not want to be found. Or even worse, that they'd want nothing to do with her. She was lucky enough that she had been wrong about Christian. At least he came around...in time. She had been slightly hopeful about her real mother. Slightly. Thinking that she would be any different than her foster mother was wishful thinking. At least she knew the truth now. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. Picking up her fork, she began picking at the crab legs on her plate. "It's ok. It's not like I got my hopes up or anything. It's fine, I really don't care. I mean..." She looked back up at him, forcing a small smile. "I still have you so it doesn't matter."

There was still a trace of sadness on his face, but the corners of his mouth managed to turn up into a smile. "That's right. It doesn't matter. Just as long as you know that it's not your fault. It's not your fault that your mother turned into a selfish bitch, and it's not your fault that you got stuck with the mother you have now. I'm your father, and you're my daughter. All we need is each other."

She pursed her lips to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. How could she have been so wrong about this man? How could she have found him to be an asshole? There was no trace of vexation between them. He honestly cared for her and wanted her with him. Try as she might to hold back her emotions, she suddenly felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. The tune of LeAnn Rimes', "I Need You" began playing lightly over the restaurant. Upon recognizing what song it was, it only caused her tears to grow.

Christian heard the song as well, and nothing could have prepared her for what would happen next. He turned his head to look over at the dance floor across the building where two couples were swaying gently to the tune. He turned back and looked over at her. She had a feeling what he was going to ask her, but she wasn't certain until he reached over, took her hand, and brought her up to her feet. "Come on." The two of them rid themselves of their jackets, and in the next second, Christian lead Amy down to the dance floor, the two of them walking hand in hand.

She brought her freehand up to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, but once they reached the floor, Christian did it for her. A soft smile crossed her face at his gesture. He gently smiled back and took her into his arms, his chin resting on top of her head. In seconds, they too began swaying to the heaven scent tune. The tears streamed down her cheeks as Amy clung to him, much in the same way a small child would to their father. She hadn't felt this safe in a long time, and as they danced, she knew that no one could hurt her. As long as she was in Christian's arms, not one person could lay a hand on her. Not even her foster father.

I don't need a lot of things

I can get by with nothin'

With all the blessings life can bring

I've always needed something

But I've got all I want when it comes to lovin' you

You're my only reason, you're my only truth

I need you, like water, like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy from Heaven's gate

There's a freedom in your arms, that carries me through

I need you

The words of the song were so beautiful and so perfect for this moment. She needed him, and she could feel that he needed her too. She knew that this moment in time had to be a big transition for him. A new beginning. Her arms grew more compact around his waist as he urged her closer. It felt as if he were holding on to her for fear she would slip away. Almost as if she were a mirage in the desert that he couldn't get close enough to. She sniffled softly and trembled lightly against his chest. There was no mistaking that he was on the verge of crying as well. She could feel him tremble just the same, and she could have sworn she felt his heart beating rhythmically against his chest.

Oh

You're the hope that moves me

To courage again, oh yeah

You're the love that rescues me

When the cold winds rage

And it's so amazin' cause that's just how you are

And I can't turn back now

Cause you've brought me too far

Her heart drummed madly inside her chest. Another tear slid down her cheek as she felt him plant a paternal kiss on top of her head. She couldn't believe that for the last few years, she thought she wouldn't feel complete until she had a boyfriend. What had she been thinking? She didn't need a boyfriend to feel special. All she needed right now was a father. A father that wanted to shelter her from the harsh memories of her past. A father that wanted to rebuild those memories into new ones. Pleasant ones. Gently, she pulled back but not entirely. Only to make it easier for them to dance, and for her to finally meet his gaze. She had been right. There were tears in his eyes.

I need you, like water, like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy from Heaven's gate

There's a freedom in your arms, that carries me through

I need you

Oh, yes I do, oh

"I didn't know you could dance," was all she could say.

He smirked. "You never asked."

She laughed lightly. "You know, if I were to ever get married, this could be our song for our father/daughter dance."

He leaned in, planting a kiss on top of her head and another on her forehead, bringing her closer as he did so. "You're right, but there's still plenty of time for that. You're only nineteen, sweetheart. Marriage is the last thing you want to rush into. Besides, you're going to need a boyfriend before you even get that far."

She nodded her head gently. "I know." A soft sigh escaped her as she urged herself closer, resting her head on his chest once again. He leaned his cheek on the top of her head. The two of them continued to sway to the soft melody that ended a moment later. When the song was over, she stepped back and looked up into his eyes. They exchanged a soft smile, neither one of them needing to speak another word. Taking her hand in his, Christian lead her back up to their table. "Thank you."

He turned his head and looked over at her, one of his brows furrowing slightly. "For what?"

Her shoulders rose and fell in a shrug, a smug smile crossing her face. Oddly enough, when she smiled that way, she truly resembled him. "For the dance. For everything...so far."

Reaching their table, he stopped and turned towards her. He leaned down and placed a kiss to her cheek. A tender smile crept across his lips. "It's been a pleasure."

Christian drove towards Amy's two-story, victorian and modern style home. He had to admit that this had been the best night he'd had in a long time. Well, ever since Wilbur had come along. Of course he didn't fancy Gina coming along and ruining their dinner, but no amount of bitterness or vexation on her part was going to spoil his chance at fatherhood. He'd struggled to move past the shit she'd put him through. Now he was all about new beginnings. He had learned a lot about his daughter tonight. In fact, while they'd finished their meals, she even filled him in on her many hidden talents. She was not only a pro at singing, but acting, writing, and dancing. The acting part she could have inherited from him. Sure, he could shell out more than his share of bullshit when need be, and from what he had noticed, so could she. He still had yet to hear this amazing singing voice of hers, but he decided he could wait for that.

As he drove on towards his destination, he couldn't fight the feeling that was still plaguing him. There was something inside him that told him she had not told him everything. Something was bugging her, but the question was...what? Stealing a glance over at her, he suspected an ounce of regret laid behind her weary expression. He was tempted to ask what was wrong when the sound of a celluar ringing broke the silence between them. At first he'd thought it was his, but when he heard the modern rock ringtone, he knew that it was hers. Who would have known she'd be into rock? He had her pegged as a soft rock type. The kind of girl who owned all of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion's albums.

Amy stole a glance at him before reaching into her purse. Fishing out the handheld device, she scanned over the caller ID. A woeful sigh escaped her. She cursed under her breath, pressed a button on the phone to silence it, and dropped it back into her purse. Brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face, she sat back in the seat and shut her eyes.

Having witnessed what had just happened, his inquisitive mind got the best of him. Why did she seem so upset over that call? "Either that was a wrong number, or you must really not want to talk to someone."

Her eyes came open and she exchanged a look with him. She scowled, giving him a shrug. "It's not a big deal. If you really want to know, it was someone I hate. Someone who doesn't deserve even a minute of my time." She sighed deeply.

He had a vague idea of who she could be referring to, but then again, he could be wrong. An irritable sigh escaped him. "Was it him?"

"Who?"

He didn't know if he could even utter the words, but after a moment, he was able to get them out. "Your foster father."

She sighed deeply, chewing on her bottom lip apprehensively. "Yeah, but I wasn't planning on talking to him or even answering. Frankly, I could care less."

Well, one good thing, he didn't have to worry about her talking to her foster father about him. She truly hated him. Regardless of that fact, there was still something plaguing him about the man. From the story she had relayed to him earlier, he didn't trust this guy any further than he could throw him. He might not be anywhere near his daughter at the moment, but if he ever thought to come back, Christian didn't know what he'd do. One thing was for sure, he wasn't about to let the man anywhere near her. "Does he call you often?"

She shrugged lightly. "Not that much. Just every now and then."

He didn't quite believe her, but he decided he'd let it slide for now. For the next few minutes, the two of them drove in quiet, not a word spoken between them. When Christian pulled up a couple houses down from her residence, he put the car in park, shut off the engine, and turned towards her. His eyes trailed over her figure, suddenly realizing he hadn't taken the time to notice her ensemble before. "I know I never got a chance to say it before, but you did look beautiful tonight, sweetheart." He smiled softly.

She flushed at his remark, a smirk crossing her face. "Thanks. I bought these clothes with the money you gave me today. I never realized how good it would feel to walk into a mall with money in your pocket." A light laugh escaped her.

He chuckled. "And that's only one of the perks that comes with being my daughter," he beamed. "Of course, you'll ultimately have to get a job yourself. You do realize that."

She nodded her head with a scowl. "I know. Believe me, I've been reminded more than enough times. Um...I hate to ask, but I thought about going back to the mall tomorrow to get something I wanted, do you think you could...?" She exhaled sharply. "Shit. What am I doing? I can't just bum money from you whenever I want to. You've done more than enough for me already."

He sighed softly, reaching under his suit jacket and pulling out his wallet. "Sweetheart, we went over this. I don't have a problem with it. That's what fathers are for, so..." He slipped some fifty dollar bills out of his wallet and thrust them her way. "I'm hoping that will last you at least a week."

Her eyes widened at the bills in her hand. "Five hundred dollars! You're giving me five hundred dollars!"

What did she want? More? He sighed in frustration. "How about a thousand? Is that enough for you?"

She was quick to reply. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no. I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I'm surprised. Earlier today, you only gave me two hundred, and now five hundred? You really don't have to give me this much."

"Consider it a token of my affection. I have to give you credit for that little scene you caused with Gina back there. I've never seen anyone succeed in putting that bitch in her place. I must say, I was impressed. Good job." The corners of his mouth twisted into a smile.

She laughed lightly, folded up the cash and shoved it into her coat pocket. "Thanks. Ugh, she just pissed me off. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to say something. Then again, I've always been outspoken."

"I can tell."

A weary sigh escaped her, stealing a glance at the passenger's side window before turning back to him. She looked as if she were contemplating what to do next, but nothing prepared him for what she was about to do. Leaning in, she placed a kiss to his cheek and smiled softly. "Thank you. Not just for the money, but for tonight. It was really sweet. I really needed this tonight. Thank you."

His heart warmed at both her gesture and her words. If he could make her happy, his job was done. He felt complete. Not only as a man but as a father. Bringing joy into your child's life was something he would not take for granted. If anything, he would make it his mission to do more things such as this for her. If neither one of her parents was going to make the effort, by damn, he would. Leaning in, he gave her cheek a kiss of his own. "It was my pleasure, sweetheart."

"So...I guess I better go. My mom kind of gave me a curfew."

He nodded his head. That didn't surprise him. If it were up to him, he'd let her stay out as late as she wanted. "I'll give you a call sometime tomorrow."

She nodded her head with a small smile, grabbed her purse, and opened the passengers' side door. "Okay. Good night."

"Take care of yourself, sweetheart." He watched her as she slipped out of the vehicle, shut the door, and started up towards her residence. A tender smile crept across his face. It had been a long and interesting night to say the least, but it had been one of the best nights he'd had in a long time. Sex and Gina's unexpected interruption aside. He hadn't felt this whole or this free ever since Wilbur. Amy had been right. Not only did she benefit from tonight's outing, but so did he. As much as he wanted these moments between them to continue, he couldn't stop the nagging feeling inside of him that told him things were about to change...in a big way.