"Dad, why don't you like Justin?" Michelle asked sitting on her bed as Roger stood in the doorway of her room.
"He's a musician. They're bad news." he told her folding his arms across his chest.
"Dad, you're a musician." she told him laughing.
"Like I said." he told her as Charlie laughed in the background.
"Roger, leave her alone. They're only going to the movies and they're not even going alone." she yelled from the kitchen.
"Charlie, do you realize she's only 15?" he asked turning around and yelling down the stairs.
"Do you realize how over protective you sound right now?" she asked as he came down the stairs.
"How is trying to protect my little girl being over protective?" he asked going into the kitchen.
"When you insist on going with her on her date?" Charlie said eating a piece of cheese.
"I just don't want him to try anything with her." he told her leaning on the counter.
"Dad, I am so not thinking about having sex right now, so don't worry about it." Michelle said coming down the stairs.
"Michelle Lee Davis, I hope you're not thinking about having sex right now. You're way too young." Roger said turning to face her.
"Dad, I know. I promised you and mom I would concentrate on school and my music." she said looking up at him.
"Babygirl, I just don't want my little girl getting hurt." he said leaning down to hug her.
"Dad, I think you taught me how to protect myself good enough." she said laughing.
"Well if any boy hurts you, I'll kill him." he said looking down at her.
"I know dad." she said laughing as she hugged him again.
"I don't think he's kidding sweetie." Charlie told her eating another piece of cheese.
"I'm not. I don't want my little girl hurt ever." he told her looking down at her.
"Dad, I'm a big girl." she said smiling up at him.
"I know, but you'll always be my little girl." he said smiling back to her.
"I know dad." she said smiling at Charlie.
"I guess you can go out with Justin. As long as it's a group date and you keep your cell phone on." he said looking down at her.
"Really? Thanks dad. You're the best." she said jumping up to hug him.
"Yeah, yeah." he said hugging her back.
"I'm gonna go call Justin and tell him I can go. Thanks again dad. I love you." she said running up the stairs.
"I love you too Babygirl." he told her as she went into her room. "When did she get old enough to date?" he asked turning to Charlie.
"I was just gonna ask you when you got old enough for her to date?" she said laughing.
"Very funny." he said leaning over the counter to kiss her.
"I'm serious Roger. I remember when you didn't even want to let her go to school because you were afraid the boys were gonna hurt her." she told him smiling at him.
"Well I remember what a jerk I was at 13. I didn't want her around boys like that." he told her hearing Michelle laughing in her room.
"Do you ever regret us not having a baby?" she asked looking up at him.
"Baby, where is this coming from?" Roger asked looking down at her.
"I don't know. I mean, when we got Michelle she was already a teenager and I always wanted to give you your own child." she said looking down.
"Charlie, you listen to me. That little girl is mine. I couldn't love her anymore than if she really was. She may not have my blood in her veins, but she's my daughter. We're raising her together and she has my name. Don't ever think otherwise." he said lifting her chin up to look at him.
"Baby, where did you learn how to be such a good father?" Charlie asked smiling up at him.
"I don't know. I mean, my dad was always working so I didn't get to spend much time learning from him. But I've had Collins around since I was 18 and Mark's been taking care of me for years." he told her smiling down at her.
"I love you Roger." she told him coming out from behind the counter to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him close.
"I love you too Charlie." he said leaning down to kiss her.
"Dad, can you walk me to the Life Cafe, please. That's where everyone's meeting." Michelle asked standing at the top of the stairs.
"Another generation at the Life Cafe." Charlie said smiling up at him.
"Of course Babygirl. Anything for you." he said smiling up at her.
"Thanks dad." she said rushing back into her room.
"And she has you wrapped around her little finger." Charlie said laughing at him.
"So what. She's not gonna need me much longer. I'm living for these moments right now." he said kissing her again.
"Oh she'll always need her daddy. She'll need money when she's in college and a girl never stops needing her father." she told him patting his chest.
"I hope not." he said as Michelle ran down the stairs.
"Michelle Lee, don't run down the stairs. You're gonna fall." Charlie yelled up as she stepped back from Roger.
"Ready dad?" she asked wearing her leather jacket and clear lipgloss with simple brown eyeliner.
"Yeah Babygirl. Let me just get my boots on." he told her smiling at Charlie.
"Call home for anything Michelle. I mean it. And be careful." she told her smiling.
"I will mom. I promise." Michelle said putting her cell phone in her pocket.
"Keep it on miss, you hear me?" Charlie said as Roger came running down the stair. "Roger Aaron, don't run down the stairs. You're gonna fall." she yelled as Michelle laughed.
"You got yelled at dad." she said smiling up at Roger.
"What else is new? I'll be right back Baby." he said leaning down to kiss Charlie.
"OK Baby. Have fun sweetie." she said kissing Michelle goodbye.
"I will mom." she said as she and Roger left the apartment. She couldn't believe how close they had become since Charlie got her back. 6 months after their wedding, Roger legally adopted Michelle. Not much changed except Michelle's last name. She had kept her adoptive parents name until Roger adopted her when she was 14. It was funny to Charlie to think about it. Roger and Michelle couldn't be more alike if they shared DNA.