Eric woke up to the dreaded sound of the alarm, but relaxed again and smiled as he remembered he had the day off. He opened his eyes to see Calleigh wake up and turn off their alarm.

"Oh, that's right, rub it in, buddy." Calleigh said as she walked past the bed to pick out what she was going to wear that day. She made sure to sway her hips a little just to mess with Eric.

"What? I didn't..." Eric responded.

"Oh, I'm just messing with you." Calleigh said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before closing the bathroom door and jumping in the shower. Eric knew Adriana would hear the shower on and realize her mommy and daddy were awake. Sure enough, he heard the pitter-patter of little feet coming down the hallway before their door opened and a curly brown haired little girl entered the room.

"Daddy!" Adriana exclaimed, jumping on Eric's legs.

"Hey, princess, did you sleep well?" Eric asked.

"Yes I did." Adriana answered.

"Did you know that mommy has to go to work today but daddy doesn't?" he asked.

Adriana's mouth made an "O" shape and she gave Eric a huge hug.

"Can I get in the covers with you?" Adriana asked.

"Yep, come on in." Eric said as he lifted their comforter and sheets to allow Adriana to get under the covers. Eric thoroughly enjoyed the mornings where he could just spend time with his daughter. With the high stress and demands of his and Calleigh's job, it was important for the both of them that Adriana know she was loved and that her parents would always be there for her. Eric and Calleigh both agreed it was nice to escape reality for a little while and hold their little girl in their arms or watch her play with her toys. For a few minutes, Eric and Adriana lay under the covers. He listened to her talk about her toys and about her new friend; a neighbor who had just moved in next door.

"Hey sweetie!" Calleigh said as she opened the bathroom door. "Good morning!" she kissed Adriana and gave her a hug.

"Mommy has to work today, but daddy is going to stay with you!" she said.

"Daddy and me will play all day." Adriana told Calleigh as she got dressed.

"Yep, you guys are gonna have so much fun! I wish I could stay with you two, but I have to go to work." Calleigh told her.

"At the police?" Adriana asked inquisitively.

"Yes. Can you say Miami Dade Police Department?" Calleigh asked.

"Minami...oo...Miami Dade Police Apartment." Adriana answered smiling.

"Haha, close enough. Good girl. That's where mommy and daddy work." Calleigh told her. "Well, I better get going. Want me to make enough coffee for you?" she asked Eric.

"Yeah, that would be great." he told her. "Thanks. We should be up soon, but first we have to check out the cartoon situation."

Calleigh rolled her eyes. "Oh you, you're just a big kid aren't you?" She walked up to Adriana, "Bye sweetie, have a good day with daddy, okay? Take care of him. I love you, Adri, I love you, Eric." She kissed Adriana and Eric and left the bedroom to grab a quick breakfast and some coffee.

The morning passed quickly. Eric and Adriana watched cartoons, ate breakfast and got dressed. They played with her kitchen set and with her baby dolls. Eric made her chicken noodle soup for lunch a little after 11:30.

"Daddy, can we go out-tide?" Adriana asked after the two of them had finished lunch.

"We can after you help me clean up your toys in here." Eric said.

"No, pease can we go?" she asked again.

"Adriana," Eric said with a slight tone, he did not like it when she told him no and he didn't like to even barely discipline her, but knew he didn't want an out of control 3-almost-4 year old in his house. He wondered what Calleigh had been like as a child and smiled at the thought. Probably sweet and sassy. Even just thinking about it made him chuckle. "We need to do it now. That way it will be done, then mommy won't be mad when your toys are everywhere. Do you understand?"

"Yes, daddy." Adriana answered.

"That's better. Thank you." Eric said, putting a smile back on his face.

Adriana and Eric picked up her toys and headed outside. Eric picked up a magazine on his way out to their backyard where Adriana's swing set was. He sat a chair right beside her swing so he could be right with her as she played. He watched her run around the yard and then try to climb a palm tree she had weeks earlier claimed was her "faborit" (favorite) tree because it looked pretty.

"Adriana, it's not a good idea to climb that tree, you'll fall." He said. "Why don't you come play over here near me?"

Adriana listened and came over to her swing set. Eric helped her go down the small slide and then helped her sit into a swing which wasn't very high off the ground. As an added safety measure, Eric laid mulch down under the entire swing set after he built it. After he helped Adriana into her swing, he sat down in his chair, not even six feet away from her. He gazed down at his magazine and began reading an article, looking up at Adriana every so often who was singing her own version of "Twinkle, twinkle little star".

A sudden thud caught his attention. He saw Adriana out of the swing on her hands and knees on the ground. She wasn't crying, but was drawing up a breath as if she was about to let loose a horrid scream. What came out was not more than a whimper. That surprised Eric a lot. This is one tough kid. He thought. He was over to her in less than a second. She stood up on her own power and reached for Eric, who was ready with his arms open.

"Daddy, I fell down." She said still whimpering, as Eric lifted her off the ground and into his arms.

"Okay, you look like you're okay. Let's get you up on the deck and check you out, just to be sure." Eric said, walking up to the house.

Still sniffling, Adriana whispered, "Daddy, my hands hurt." Eric put her down on the deck and looked her over, brushing off her hands and kissing them for good measure. That's when he saw it. Luckily Adriana hadn't noticed it yet. A sharp piece of mulch was barely sticking out of the side of her knee. Eric's heart sank to his feet. The mulch was embedded deep in her skin and he knew he couldn't handle it himself. He knew she was going to need stitches. How he was going to tell her, that was a different story altogether.

"Adriana..." he hesitated, "honey, your knee has a big boo-boo. I know it doesn't look like a big boo-boo, but I think we need to get your doctor to look it." He lied on the last part, he wasn't sure that her doctor would be able to stitch it up, but he didn't want to say hospital or emergency room, so he had to figure out something.

"Want momm....eeee...!" Adriana cried. "Get mommmeeee!!!"

"Adri, mommy is at work, but I am going to call her. It's gonna be okay, please, please don't touch your knee. Come here." Eric said calmly.

Eric picked up Adriana and took her to his and Calleigh's bathroom and sat her on the toilet. He put a piece of gauze and lightly taped it over her knee and instructed her the best way he knew how to not touch it. He didn't know if she'd listen or not but it was the best he could do. He picked her up and raced into the kitchen, found his keys and his wallet, buckled Adriana in the car seat and sped his way to the hospital. The same hospital where years earlier he lay with a bullet in his head. The same hospital where Calleigh gave birth to their little angel, who was now crying in the back seat of his car with a piece of mulch stuck in her knee.

"Peeze daddy, get mommy." she yelled, frustrated and hurt. " I get it out. I get the 'tick out."

"NO!" Eric remembered to stay calm again and lowered his voice, "No, no don't touch it, Adri! No, baby don't touch it. Listen to daddy, leave it alone." He looked back at her while trying to navigate through the Miami traffic. She hadn't been able to get through the gauze and tape yet which relieved Eric to no end.

Eric found a parking space up front near the emergency entrance. He carried Adriana, who was still crying, in his arms. His heart was racing as he went through the automatic doors and to the desk where he explained what happened. His baby, his pride and joy was hurt and needed help immediately. The ER attendant took one look and rushed Eric and Adriana back to a room where a doctor quickly came in to examine Adriana.

"Well, hello there." The doctor said, as he came in. "I'm Doctor Williams." he said, sticking out his hand for Eric to shake. Eric shook with his free hand as he was holding Adriana in his arms on the hospital bed. "And who is this pretty little girl?" The doctor asked Adriana, trying to keep her calm.

"This is Adriana," Eric started. "We had a little accident this afternoon on her swing."

"Oh I see." Dr. Williams said. "Where did you get hurt?" he asked her.

"My knee." Adriana replied softly before she began to cry again. Eric rubbed her arm to try and get her calm down. "Adriana, it's okay, he's gonna help you feel better, okay?" Eric whispered in her ear.

"Can I look at your knee, Adriana? You have such a pretty name. How old are you?" Dr. Williams asked as he peeled back the gauze and tape Eric had applied earlier. He took one look and talked to Eric quietly so Adriana would not hear him. He explained that he would take out the piece of mulch, irrigate the wound and stitch it up. Maybe no more than 4 or 5 stitches would do the trick.

"Okay, I will be right back," he told Adriana. "I m going to get what I need to fix you up and make you all better." With a smile, Dr. Williams left the room. Eric breathed in and let it out slow. He knew she wasn't going to like what was about to happen, but it would be over quickly and she probably wouldn't even have a scar later on.

Dr. Williams was back in less than 5 minutes pushing a small cart with his materials. He did his best so that Adriana wouldn't see the small syringe with the numbing medicine.

"Mr. Delko," he began. "What I want you to do is hold her just like you are doing now so I can take her bandage the rest of the way off and numb her knee. It won't take too long after that for me to stitch her up."

"Okay, I can do that." Eric answered, not really knowing if he liked the idea of holding his daughter down so someone could hurt her, but really, the doctor wasn't hurting her and it had to be done, so he did it. He curled his arms around Adriana and kissed her hair.

"Adriana, Dr. Williams is going to give you some medicine on your knee to make it not hurt, then he is going to fix it. I'm going to hold you the whole time." Eric said.

Dr. Williams picked up the syringe as Eric slightly tightened his grip around Adriana, just enough so she wouldn't squirm. Unfortunately, Adriana saw what was coming.

"NO DADDY, NO DADDY, NO DADDY!" She screamed. "Want mommm....eeee....eeee!!!"

Eric held onto Adriana and tried his best to keep her still.

"Want.....Mommeeeeeeee... mommmmmmmeee!" Adriana cried out. "Daddy... no! Oweee....oweeee... it hurts."

"Adri, Adri, princess, it's okay, shhhhh..." Eric soothed her. "Look, see it's all over. He showed her how Dr. Williams put the last of five stitches into the side of her knee. He placed a piece of gauze and tape over her knee as well.

"There ya, go Adriana. You did such a good job. I am all done." Dr. Williams said. He also wrote a prescription for an antibiotic just in case. He and Eric shook hands again as Eric told him thank you. Eric carried Adriana in his arms to the car and placed her in her car seat. Not even five minutes later, she was asleep. Eric decided this was a good time to call Calleigh and tell her what happened. He reached for his cell phone and dialed her number. Unfortunately, she didn't answer, so he had to leave a message.

"Hey Cal, it's me. Um, we sort of had a little accident this afternoon. Adriana fell out of her swing and I thought she was okay at first until I saw her knee. There was a piece of mulch stuck in her knee and I knew I couldn't get it out so I took her to the ER. She is OKAY. I just want you to know that. She's OKAY! She got 5 stitches, she did a really good job, really scared, but she did great. She's sleeping in her car seat. Whenever you get this please call me back....and... Cal... please don't be mad. I love you, bye."

When Eric pulled into their driveway, he got out of the car, thankful Adriana was still sleeping. Poor kid, I know she's hurting. He though as he carried her into the house and lay her on the couch. He brought her favorite blanket from her room and covered her with it. He sat on the floor in front of her and clicked the television on, lowering the volume so she would remain sleeping. She had a very eventful day.

Twenty minutes later, Eric heard the familiar hum of Calleigh's car in their driveway.

"Eric?!" Calleigh said, entering the house. Her face was red and her eyes moist. "Oh my god, is she okay?"

"Yes, she's still asleep. Why didn't you call? Have you been crying?" he asked.

" I just turned my phone on five minutes ago and got your message. I was almost home so I didn't bother calling you back. I was at the shooting range with Natalia this afternoon so I had my phone off. Where is she?" Calleigh asked.

"She's in the den on the couch. Seriously, Cal, have you been crying?" Eric asked again, wrapping his arms around her. "She's okay." he whispered softly into her hair. "Really, she did great. She's one tough little girl. Must take after her mommy."

"I was crying, just for a second though. I wish I could have been there for her, poor thing. I hate to think of our daughter hurt. And Eric, I'm not mad. I could never be mad at you. I trust you. You know that." Calleigh told him.

Eric loosened his hug and followed Calleigh into the den. She kneeled down to Adriana's level. "Adri," she whispered, "Mommy's home."

"Mommy?" Adriana said shakily, opening her eyes. "Mommy I got hurt. I fell down." She lifted her arms for Calleigh to pick her up. "Up, pease." Adriana said.

"Okay, hold on, let me see your knee." Calleigh said, lifting the blanket.

" I got 'titches." Adriana told her.

"Oh Adriana, I am so sorry that happened." She lifted Adriana up. "My precious little girl." she said, rocking her. "The doctor fixed you up didn't he?" she asked.

"Yes...Mommy? I hungry. I have peanut butter and jelly?"

"Is that what you want? Maybe if we ask daddy he'll go make us some. Peanut butter and jelly sounds great." Calleigh answered Adriana.

She sat with Adriana as they waited for Eric to make three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. One for each of them. They ate together on the couch, which worked well because Adriana was more comfortable there.

Over the next few days, Calleigh and Eric watched over Adriana like a hawk to make sure she didn't fall again, pull at the stitches or get an infection. After the first full day, Adriana could walk without any pain. They still watched her every move. When they both had to work, Eric's mother took very good care of Adriana. Spoiling her like any good grandma does.

Four weeks later, right before her fourth birthday, Adriana got her stitches out. Knowing her birthday was right around the corner, Eric and Calleigh decided it would be a good time to start talking about what Adriana might want to do for her birthday party.

So... onto the next chapter soon... "Adriana's Birthday" And... will the Delko family grow? You'll just have to wait and see. ~ EmilysMiamiSunrise.