Chapter five

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About two hours later, Steve and Charlie had dropped Kono off at her house and were about to head back to his...to theirs. He quickly dropped Catherine a text.

Hey babe, on my way home. See you in about twenty? Steve.

"So..." Charlie said as Steve drove. He turned to look at her quickly. "I'm going to be living here now?"

"Yes you are."

"And going to school here now?"

"Yes..."

"Hmm. And what do I call you? Dad? Daddy? Steve?"

Steve had to clear his throat when she said dad. It was ridiculous. It was something he thought would never happen. When he became a seal, he gave up on a normal family, a wife, kids...

"Let's stick with Steve for a bit." He said.

"Right. That's probably best because it is not like you have actually been my dad."

"Attitude Charlotte." Steve threatened. "I never knew. Now I do...so I will be your dad." He emphasised the dad.

"Sure you will..." Steve ignored that. "I like Kono. She's fun and cool."

Steve smiled. "Yeah she is. What did you think about Catherine?"

"She was OK, I guess. She was pretty mature."

"Yeah she is." Steve stopped the truck outside his house and turned to Charlie. "Look Charlie, Catherine sort of lives with me. I mean she has her own apartment but she stays here most of the time."

"And you guys are just friends?"

Steve raised his eyebrows at her. "Kind of- it's complicated."

"So you are sleeping with her but you don't want to be tied down. It's sort of like a friends with benefits relationship." Charlie said.

Steve just gaped. How did a fourteen year old work that out.

"All you need to know is that you have to treat her with respect and love."

"Sure..." Charlie said with a cheeky smile as she got out of the car. They walked to the front door with her bags and Steve unlocked and held it open for Charlie. Then he closed it.

"Steve? Where the hell have you been? I was freaking out!" Cath yelled from upstairs.

"Sorry...uhh could you come down please?"

She stormed down the stairs in pyjama shorts and a tank top. "Do you know what Steve? I don't c-" Cath stopped suddenly when she saw Charlie. "Hi Charlotte."

"Hey mommy..." Charlie grinned. Steve's head jerked to face her. Catherine raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms.

"Excuse me? Steve what is going on?"

"OK...uhh Catherine...do you remember Stacey Jones? Back in Coronado?" Steve asked quietly. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah vaguely but what does that have to do with-"

"Well she and I played about a little bit..." Steve said with a quick glance at Charlie who was looking at her nails. "Before us. Obviously because we've been us for about ten years and Charlotte is fourteen so-"

This time it was Steve who was cut off. "Oh my God." Catherine put her head in her hands and began to pace. "Oh my God. She is your daughter!?"

"Unfortunately I am..." Charlie said.

"Ok you know what Charlotte, you aren't helping."

"I'm sorry. I was giving her love and respect."

"You told your daughter to give me love and respect?" Catherine turned on him. "Steve what are you going to do? Her stepfather is still alive. Is she going to stay here?"

"That's usually what it means when someone has bags."

"Charlotte would you just shut up. Please. For just two minutes." Steve yelled. "Yes Catherine, she is going to stay here. She is my daughter. Granted that I didn't know about her for a long time but I do now. OK? And I love her."

"You don't know her Steve!" Catherine shouted.

"What do you expect me to do Catherine? Send her to her stepfather and carry on with my life as if she didn't exist?" Cath didn't say anything. "Because I can't do that. You know I can't do that. I need to do what I need to do and you need to do what you need to do but Cath please. Please give this a chance...give me a chance as a father." Steve pleaded. His shouting had subsided.

Cath sighed. "OK...alright I will give it a go. But no more of this mommy business." She walked over to Steve and put her arms around his neck. "And only because I love you." She whispered into his ear.

He felt no reaction. No tingles. Nothing. That wasn't right. He felt those when he was just talking to Kono. Cath cleared her throat. Steve still didn't respond the way she wanted him to, he just put his hands on her hips. "Right then...well goodnight Steve. Night Charlie." She said before making her way upstairs.

Steve walked over to Charlie's bags and picked them up.

"I'll show you your room." He said quietly.

"What did she whisper to you?" Charlie asked once Steve had her settled in Mary's old room.

"Who?" He played dumb.

"Catherine? When she put her arms around you and pressed her pelvis towards you know...your area."

Steve nearly choked. Then he cleared his throat. "You really don't need to know...get into bed."

Charlie climbed into the bed and lay down. Steve pulled the blanket over her and then knelt down beside her.

"Do you love her?" She asked.

"Love is a really big word Charlie. It can take years to love someone."

"So that's a no?"

"For now."

"But you've known her for ten years and you've only known me for a day...but you said you still loved me."

Steve took her hands in his and kissed them. "Charlotte you are my daughter. That's a different kind of love. It's unconditional." He smiled at her and for the first time since he'd met he, he genuinely smiled back at him. The he got up and made his way to the door. "Goodnight Charlotte." He turned the lights off and closed her door. Then he leant against it and shut his eyes. This was going to be difficult. He didn't know if he could do it. He didn't know if Catherine would stay. He didn't know if he had feelings for Kono. But he knew one thing; Charlotte had become his first priority.

Duh duh duh! What's going to happen next?! Hmm...leave a review and the next chapter will be up super fast! :)