Disclaimer: I do not own anything 'ice Age' related other than my OCs, and this story.

Note: No no folks, this isn't quite done yet. Haha, I should've said that in the note of the previous chapter. But anyway, this isn't the last chapter yet. There's one more, after this one.

Thank you for your reviews!

Father and Daughter, Chapter Seventeen

Leaning on the tree Buck sat on a branch with his arms crossed behind his head, enjoying the view of the scenery in front of him, wishing there had been an actual sunset to watch as evening slowly drew in. In the distance, everything was in a hue of yellow and he could see some fellow dinosaurs eating here and there; the herbivores of course.

Suddenly, the weasel's ears perked up; and his head snapped to the direction of a small crying sound. It was coming from the swamp. It was faint and barely audible, like a small child crying. Grabbing a vine, and swinging down to the ground, Buck struck his knife into the earth's ground, and continued to proceed towards the sound.

He reached the swamp, and saw a baby bat crying. Buck's ears fell at the sight. Who'd ever leave such a cute little thing in a dirty swamp? He looked around, searching for any sign of it's parents; but he hadn't seen any bats around, just pterodactyls and other flying creatures that were not bats. He couldn't just abandon the kid, especially since winter was drawing in and fall was almost over.

Stooping down to the baby bat, Buck picked the petite creature up. He figured it was a year old since it had fur, very soft fur. The child looked up at him, and he saw her beautiful pale blue eyes in tears. A baby girl bat, with eyes like the ice in December? He'd never seen bats who have eyes like this.

"Oouis!" the bat said, trying to speak to him. He gave her a confused look, ears still drawn back.

"Oouis?" he thought for a moment. She looked at him sadly, her crying slowing down, "N-nane..."

"Nane?" he looked at her, "Do you mean 'name'?"

She nodded happily, finally smiling, "Oouis!"

"Ahh..." Buck nodded, and patted her head, "Alright Lois, let's get you cleaned up."

Right now I feel - just like a leaf on a breeze,
Who knows where it's blowin'
Who knows where it's goin'

Lois watched quietly as Buck made her a small bed after she bad been cleaned, and she tilted her head at the object after she finished. She liked it, it looked comfy. When he gestured for her to come over, she didn't hesitate and tried to run as fast as her little feet would take her. She tripped and fell flat on her face. What a failure she was. But he was there, picking her up, and laying her on the bed he had made.

"There we are..." Buck tucked her in, "Like it?"

She shifted a bit, then nodded and smiled. "We'll look for your parents in the morning, get some rest."

And he left. She looked at him sadly, she didn't want to go back and if the weasel had witnessed what she had, he wouldn't want to take her back either. But she was tired, and she needed rest. Lois closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

I find myself somewhere I, I never thought I'd be
Going round in circles
Thinking about you and me

It had been a few months now, and Buck had allowed Lois to stay with him. Her parents was nowhere to be found, and she didn't want to go back. She said that they had left her, and she was forgotten; but the flying fox bat was adjusting quite well to his kind of living. She had also learned to fly now, and perched herself on the branch beside him, the leaf scarf he had given her rippling in the breeze that passed by.

"Papa, papa!" she called, "I lost mama in the bushes and I can't find her."

Mama? ... PINEAPPLE! Buck got to his feet, faster than a jack rabbit and threw himself into the bundle of bushes nearby, searching, searching... until finally he emerged with the pineapple. Lois stared at him strangely as he began to cradle the fruit, and tilted her head.

How do I explain it when,
I don't know what to say,
What do I do now - so much has changed...

Buck smirked as he peeked out of the bushes, he could see Doktor shuffling through his belongings on the ground, trying to arrange the leaves that had fallen when Lois had accidentally knocked it over. He was mumbling something, but Buck couldn't hear. He turned to Lois, who was now complete with her aviator hat and goggles, fully grown.

She smiled, "He's saying something about you being an idiot for parenting me poorly."

"What?! I'm the greatest parent," he said, "Don't parents let their kids jump off a waterfall and follow after?"

Lois gave him a look, "No, it's quite the opposite dad."

Buck pouted, "Well those parents have no imagination."

"AND YOU WON'T BE ALIVE AFTER I KICK YOU DOWNA WATERFALL!!" Unfortunately Doktor was there in front of them, raising his cane. The two yelped in surprise and scattered out of the bushes.

Now you're the one I'm looking for,
You're the one I need,
You're the one that gives me, a reason to believe...
Following a star, has lead to where you are,
It feels so strong now, this can't be wrong now.

In the lagoon, a tree stood out in the center of the water. It was tall, and it was home to many fireflies, some which had taken flight since a weasel and a bat had occupied the area.

Lois followed a cluster of fireflies fly by, and around the tree. She smiled and turned to Buck, "Hey dad,"

"Hmm?" Buck had been resting in a hammock-like swing he made, just above the water.

"Do fireflies live forever?"

He opened his eye and raised an eye brow, "What?"

"Do they?"

"Err... no. Like everyone, they die after a while."

Lois nodded, "Well, I just want you to know that you're a great dad. You know, just in case?" she shrugged.

Buck gave her a look of confusion, "In case what?"

She smiled sadly, "Everyone dies after a while dad."

Buckminster sighed. Here is Lois again, thinking ahead and never thinking in the present. He always thought that she's gone insane as well, but no, her eyes always told him that she spoke the truth. What confused him is that whenever she made a compliment about him being a great dad, she always said 'just in case'. He didn't get it.

"Goodnight," she said, and perched herself on her own hammock between Buck and her mother... err... the pineapple. Buck smiled, "Goodnight, Lois."

He never figured out why she had always said 'just in case', until now...

Memories. Buck now knew why Lois had said what she said. She had been planning it all along - that she'd die first before him. He wanted to feel so guilty, but instead, he felt happy. He was happy that he made others happy, made Lois happy.

Under the stars Buck rested, and ever so slowly, he drew his last breath and fell, into a peaceful, never ending sleep.

His knife, twinkled under the moonlight.