Hey all you wonderful reviewer, readers, people! So sorry about the weeks between updates. I had this one pieced together, but no time to post it. I had some project due, but my semester is over! Just one more than I have a Masters! This is very exciting. Anyway, I have two weeks where my girls are in school and I'm not before the holidays, so hopefully I'll get the next one up soon. I'm still working on Alec's reaction to who Annie is. This is more dialogue, because it was easier to write this way. Also, it's short because it's part 2 with Alec's last chapter if you didn't realize. The next one I'm thinking will be like a part three, so it won't be as long as my normal chapters either. :)B

MAGNUS

I didn't sleep well. Thoughts of Alec and the subject of conversation I was needing to have was just two of the reasons why. The third was the little girl sleeping next to me. She had a bad dream and so climbed into bed with me about three hours ago. Living with her mother was hard for her, and not just because she's a daddy's girl. Tessa's new guy wasn't very nice and it affected our daughter. Annie was a handful if you weren't used to her, or if you didn't want to really get used to her. Tessa was also moving to London with said guy and so my daughter is having a small case of abandonment issues. I haven't talked about Alec around her and so I have no clue how this is going to play out. I feel her little body start to wake and I smile as her beautiful dark eyes open and she looks at me. They were the eyes of my mother, of me, and I was happy she got them. Tessa's were also brown, but they were my shape.

"Morning, Daddy. What are we doing?"

I smile. "Well, Auntie Cat and Uncle Ragnor are meeting us at the park and then after lunch decorations for your room."

I watch the dimple in her little left cheek show up and she squeals. "Get up daddy, we gots to get ready."

I shake my head and grab her around her waist, tickling her side.

"Daddy needs a shower. Why don't you get dressed and play in your room? We'll have cereal when I'm finished."

She nods and I watch as she runs off.

I throw the blanket off and get up, heading to the shower, grabbing some jeans on the way. I turn on the water after shutting the door. I have a dark colored curtain so that if I'm needed Annie can come in and not see me. She's only five and I didn't like bathing while she was up. I was too wound up to do it last night though. I shake my head and get into the spray after dropping my pants. A sigh leaves my lips as the water wakes me up some more. We were meeting Cat and Ragnor at 9:30 to give me some time with Annie before Alec got there. I needed to tell her about my new friend because she'd ask when she saw him. Not that he's anything but that right now. I just hope he won't mind my daughter. I feel like he's just as attracted as I am and this is what has me worried more than anything else.

"Daddy, your phone was ringing."

I hear called through the door. I finish quickly and turn off the water. I pull on the pair of jeans I brought with me and open the door. I use the towel to dry off my upper body and hair on the way to my room. My phone was a text from Ragnor to let me know they were bringing me a latte. I reply and then pull down an orange thermal, pulling the sleeves up a bit since it's the end of August.

"Can I watch you?"

I smile as I see my baby and nod. "Of course."

She climbs on the bed and I sit at my chair. I add a small bit of shadow that matches my lid because I'm with my baby at the park and we'll get enough looks as it is. I do add my thick eye liner, pointing it out. I also add just a tad of mascara and some gloss. I then run some gel through my hair and then put on some lotion that has a shimmer.

"Me too."

I smile and turn around. "C'mere."

I put a small bit of lotion on Annie's tiny hand and then close the cap. She rubs her hands and moves them over her forearms, making sure to get it where she wants it. She's wearing a tinkerbell shirt and a pair of capris today. Catarina had gone shopping for me and shipped everything here while they were in Florida with Annie. We go into the kitchen and I pull down the box of Trix for her and some Cheerios for me. I make both bowls and then sit hers in front of her at the table. I sit next to her and we eat in silence.

"Can I bring my lion to the park, daddy?"

I shake my head. "Not today, baby. We have to take the underground train for two stops and I don't want lose him."

She nods in agreement and then goes to get her shoes. I pull on the boots I still had by the door from yesterday and then put my wallet and phone in my back pockets. Annie comes back into the main room and I grab my keys. She takes my hand and I lock the door before we head out. The ride to the park was fun. It was too noise though, so I couldn't talk to her about Alec yet. She runs a bit ahead of me as we see our friends and I smile in thanks when I take the latte from Ragnor.

"Annie, I wanna tell you something real quick then you and Auntie Cat can play."

She nods and sits with Ragnor on a bench. I kneel down and get to her level as I tell her about Alec. I let her know he's just a friend, but that he's coming here this morning so I can explain about her.

"Is he going to be like Will, daddy?" she whispered to me.

I glance at Cat, who nods for me to go on. I look back at my daughter.

"No, sweetie. He's a lot nicer than Will and he's more like me and you. He uses his hands to talk as well, like you and me sometimes."

"So he can't hear sometimes, like me?"

I see the hope in her eyes at finding someone like her and I smile.

"It's complicated. If he wants to talk to you, I'll tell him about you. It's not really my story, baby girl."

She nods and then Cat takes her on the dinosaurs. I sit next to Ragnor and watch, checking the time. He still had about ten minutes and I was slowly getting nervous. Ragnor knew to leave me alone as Cat already let him in on our conversation yesterday. This was not how I wanted to tell this man I had a daughter. I look at Ragnor as he elbows me and then look to where he's pointing. Alec is standing about ten feet in front of me and I see him looking at the man next to me. I take in and let out a breath and whisper to the man next to me about watching Annie. I then get up and walk over to the guy I was about to either make or break a relationship with.

"Morning." I sign as I get close enough.

"Who's Annie?" he signs back. Straight to the point.

I run a hand down my face and sigh. "Not my wife, if that's what you're worried about. Not a girlfriend either."

I see a lot of stress leave him and I'm hoping this is a good sign. He glances again to Ragnor, who isn't paying attention because he's watching his girl with my daughter. Alec looks back at me and I motion to a part of wall that we could sit on comfortably. He nods and we sit. I don't know how long we're there, but he moves my face to look at him. I see his need for an answer and I smile.

"I don't want to scare you. I'm attracted to Alec, and I'm nervous."

I let him process that and he moves to glance at the playground. He then looks back at me and I don't say anything because I don't know what he's thinking.

"Daughter." he signs.

I just nod.

"Explain." he signs again.

I let out a breath and nod. "Tessa, my ex-wife, and I got pregnant prom night. Typical first time, but ours turned into six years. We fought, a lot. It got worse when Annie got sick. I have her full time, Tessa's leaving."

He looks back at the play area, why...I don't really know. I just watch him though, mostly because I don't know what else to do. We're both twenty two and I have a five year old little girl. It's a lot for someone to take in and I wouldn't be surprised if he decided it was too much. He looks back at me and looks at my face. I keep my eyes on his because I want him to see the truth behind what I just told him.

"She's sick?"

I smile. "Not really, not as bad. When she was two, she was diagnosed with Leukemia. The type she had left her partly deaf. This is where I thank everything in me that I chose this as my language, not to mention my major. The chemo did it. She didn't lose her hair, just her hearing. We sign more than we talk in my home and you have to make sure you have her full attention or she won't hear you."

He looks back over again. I touch his arm lightly and he looks at me.

"I know this is a lot. I didn't even realize I talked about her yesterday and I wasn't keeping her from you on purpose. She's on the list to start school next year because she's not good at reading yet. My friend, Catarina, is helping with that."

He nods and a puff of air comes out of him. "Give me till Monday? I'm attracted to you as well, but…"

I nod. "I know." I sign.

I watch as he gets up and walks the way he came. I look down and run my fingers through my hair. Monday, two days, I had to wait two fucking days to see if I had even an inch of the opportunity with that man that I had twenty four hours ago. I hear my name and look up to see Ragnor looking at me. I nod that I'm alright and walk back over. I keep my eyes on my daughter, who's chasing after Catarina. I tell Ragnor that I told Alec all of it, I didn't keep anything about Annie a secret. He assures me that's a good thing. It showed the kind of person, father, I am. I just shrug. I hadn't planned on meeting Alec, just on Annie and me. When I tell my friend this, he tells me that's fate, or karma. Either way, it could be a good thing that I met him. Annie runs over when she notices I'm back, asking about lunch. I nod and we all start walking to grab some lunch on the way to the train to head to IKEA for some stuff.

I hope you guys liked it! Be sure to leave anything below to let me know thoughts questions, anything. The next one will be Alec thinking it over and hopefully it won't take as long as this one did to get to you guys! :)B

GUESTS: Thank you and I'm glad you guys are liking the story! :)B