All I want is nothing more

To hear you knocking at my door

Cause if I could see your face once more

I could die as a happy man I'm sure

Wednesday

Sara sighed as she pulled another report from the stacked pile on her desk. Stifling a yawn, Sara felt a headache coming on, she was supposed to be on holiday from work, but her director had delegated her some paperwork to oversee. After a moment, Sara decided she needed a break after spending a better part of an hour looking over the reports.

Sara closed her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She zoned in onto the music that lowly played in the background.

Cause you brought out the best of me

A part of me I'd never seen

You took my soul wiped it clean

Our love was made for movie screens

Her mind flashed her memories of herself and Michael. She smiled as she thought back to their most recent interaction. Michael had ended up staying for dinner at her parent's house. After a trip down memory lane, with Grace regaling the tales of Michael and Sara's childhood, they parted from her parents' house where he had followed Sara and Aurora to their humble abode. For security, Aurora teased. She pondered whether she should invite him up, but Aurora had been too sleepy. Next time, Michael announced as if he had read her mind. Sara smiled at him sheepishly, definitely she replied.

"Mom…"

Sara turned to the sound of her daughter's voice, silently grateful for the distraction. "Yes, sweetheart?"

Aurora paused, "It's just… Do you think Michael can join us for dinner tonight?"

Sara was shocked to say the least, three days had passed since they had seen him but ever since then Aurora had been inquisitive about Michael. Sara was a little unnerved, or annoyed, especially because Michael has not made an attempt to contact her since they said their goodbyes outside her parent's house. But maybe he's busy sorting out his move, the move he promised for their daughter. A flutter graced her stomach. Get a grip, Sara! a tiny voice shouted.

"Since it's his birthday tomorrow and I won't get to see him." Aurora frowned.

"I don't know if he can, I think he's quite busy."

"Well can you call him and ask if he can? Please?" Aurora pleaded with her big blue eyes silently pleading with her.

Sara rolled her lips together in surprise at her daughter's eagerness to spend time with Michael. To be fair, she had to admit that she too wanted to spend more time with Michael. God knows how long the last ten years has been without him in her life.

Aurora cleared her throat, interrupting her mother's thoughts as she pushed Sara's phone in her hand. "Can you call him now? Please?"

Sara's lips broke in a grin and giggled at her daughter's persistence. She took her phone and tapped into her phonebook scrolling down to Michael's name. "You seem quite keen to see him."

"I like Michael, he makes me laugh and when he gets here, I'm going to ask if he'll help me build a suspension bridge made out of popsicle sticks. Like the one I saw the other day on YouTube."

Sara smirked. "Oh, I'm sure he will. Why don't you wash up and get ready to go out? Maybe Michael can meet us at the pizzeria."

Before Sara could finish her sentence, Aurora had dashed off to her room.

Sara heard two rings and then a "Hello."

"Hey, it's Sara."

She couldn't see it, but she knew for sure he had a smile on his face. "I know." He said softly.

"I was... We were just wondering…"

Suddenly, the loud chime of the doorbell coursed through their apartment. "Sorry, give me two seconds Michael." Sara called out to her daughter, "Rory, can you get the door please?"

"Michael, sorry about that…" Sara heard a surprised cry from the direction of their front door and an echo on her phone.

She clicked her phone shut and walked towards the hallway of their apartment and there stood Michael with his phone in his hand waving it at her. Sara tried very hard to ignore the nervous excitement that say at the pit of her stomach. She was in awe at the sight of Michael and Aurora with her little girl telling him about the YouTube video she watched on how to build a bridge suspension and she herself wanted to do it with his help if he was free. Michael had immediately agreed. Sara watched how Michael's face wore a focused and gentle expression as he gave their daughter his full attention, marvelled at the fact that they shared an interest in building things.

Aurora had finally finished briefing Michael and turned around to her mother, watching them both. "Mom, Michael's here!" Aurora announced excitedly.

Sara smiled back at her, "I can see!"

She lifted her head back to Michael and smiled, "Michael."

"Sara." He smiled back.

"Can you ask him now, please mom?"

"Well I was going to missy. And then you opened the door!" Sara laughed, her eyes settling on Michael.

"Ask me what?" He asked.

"So, I have to congratulate you, as always you have an impeccable timing. Aurora was wondering if you wanted to join us for dinner tonight?"

"Since I won't see you on your birthday tomorrow."

Michael frowned; the last three days had been hectic for him trying to sort out his move he'd forgotten all about his birthday. Of course, he'd rather spend it with his daughter and Sara, if they'll have him.

Aurora noticed the frown on Michael's face, "You like pizza, don't you?"

Michael was lulled back to Aurora. Michael pressed his lips together and rolled them as he pretended to think about her question. "Hmm, that all depends. Is there pepperoni on this pizza?"

Aurora giggled at Michael's playfulness and nodded as she exhumed excitement. "Yes, loads of it and cheese."

"Hmm… Well in that case, I'm in."

With that, Aurora raced back to her room and retrieved her shoes and jacket.

Michael laughed, "Well someone's hungry."

"Yeah, she's been excited all day and she wanted to see you before your birthday." Sara confessed.

Michael smiled softly at Sara. "I hope you don't mind I just turned up like this. I know you weren't expecting me at all."

Sara shook her head and their daughter came back ready to go.

"Are we leaving now, mom?"

Sara looked at her daughter and nodded. "I'll just grab my bag." Sara headed back through the kitchen and retrieved her bag. She took a deep breath before she headed back to Michael and Aurora. Everything will be fine a little voice assured her. "Let's go!"

A few hours later, they were back at Sara's apartment and Sara's lips curved up gently as she walked into the living room. She lingered in the doorway and watched the two most important people in her world sitting together watching Finding Dory. Up until Saturday, never in her wildest dreams could she conjure this image perfect image of Michael and her daughter, their daughter sat together.

Sara felt her heart, her entire body filling with emotion at the sight of Michael sat on her sofa with the soft flow of the lamp emphasising his beautiful face. Seeing him sitting there like that felt like he already belonged here, with them. Woah Tancredi slow your horses. Sara was taken back, was she ready to have Michael here living with them? Yes. But at what cost? Sara bit the corner of her bottom lip as she pondered of what was to come. She closed her eyes as she thought about how she was going to tell her daughter that Michael, her best friend, was her father. A nervous energy fluttered in her stomach.

Michael could sense that Sara was right behind them, watching them. After a few minutes, he wondered whether she was okay. He turned his head and frowned at the sight of Sara with her eyes close and chewing her bottom lip. She always did this whenever she was nervous or anxious about something. "Sara?" he softly called out.

Michael's voice thankfully interrupted her train of thoughts, she needed to talk to Michael about this. After all, this is their responsibility to bear. Right now, she had to quash whatever anxiety she was feeling and cross that bridge when they come to it. She smiled at him and joined them on the couch, sitting next to her daughter.

"Good movie?" She whispered over her daughter to Michael. She felt her daughter move against her, leaning on her shoulder.

Michael chuckled, "Yeah I think so, a forgetful fish trying to find her parents." Michael's smiled faltered. It had just clicked now how this movie had related to their situation.

Sara noticed Michael's face fall. Then she realised how this movie related to them. A child trying to track down her parents after they'd been separated for god knows how long because she wanted to be reunited to them. Tears shone in her eyes as her heart broke for her daughter. All she wanted to do right now was tell her daughter. She bit her lip and pushed back the hard bile that was lodged in her throat. Whether it's now or days, weeks or months from now, will there be a right time. After a few seconds, she felt Michael's hand on the back of her neck. Something he used to do to calm her down and it worked, well used to work. Right now, she felt so much guilt crushing her down. She looked up to see his face, tears also in his eyes. She solemnly smiled at him and that's when hell broke loose. She took Michael's hand, intertwining it with hers.

With her free hand, she stroke the top of her daughter's head. "Aurora Rose, can we pause the film." Her daughter looked up to her mother, whenever Sara used her full name it was usually something serious.

Michael's mouth parted as he gaped at Sara. Rose. Sara had given his mother's middle name to their daughter. He was in awe of her. Even though she felt like he had abandoned her, she still had his child, raised his child and had given their beautiful child his mother's name. He knew how much his mother would have loved her granddaughter and how much she would have dotted and adored Aurora.

Aurora reached over the coffee table and grabbed the TV remote, pausing the movie. Aurora decided to sit on the edge of the coffee table and looked between her mother and Michael who both wore a serious and solemn expression. She watched as Sara pulled her jumper sleeves, engulfing her hands. Her mom had only done this when something serious was happening. Aurora began to feel butterflies in her stomach although not fully understanding the gravity of the situation.

Sara took a deep breath. "You know how Michael and I were… best friends." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt her daughter's tiny hand cover her clasped hands.

Sara opened her eyes, her mouth parted but she couldn't bear to.

Michael's mouth quickly dried up, is this actually happening now?

Michael cleared his throat, "Aurora, there is something you need to know." He couldn't bear to look at his daughter because of his own guilt but he couldn't let it all fall on Sara. "Eleven years ago, I lost my… mother." He took a deep breath, he prayed that he didn't lose his daughter after this. "It was hard, I was heartbroken, and it changed me… It's not an excuse for what happened after, but I couldn't bear to be here, in Chicago."

Aurora listened intently, curious as to what her mother and Michael were getting it. She heard her mother exhale sharply, interrupting Michael who was on the verge of crying.

"Michael is your father." She whispered as if she had confessed her deepest sin.

Aurora sat there stunned, at 9 going 10 she felt an enormous boulder lifted off her shoulders. Tears began to gather in her eyes, and they fell as she mulled over what her mother had dropped. Michael is her father.

Sara couldn't contain her tears any longer fearing her daughter hated her for keeping her away from the father she'd been yearning for. Her daughter may have been young, but Sara knew Aurora thought like Michael, too advanced for her own years.

Michael let out the tears as he watched his daughter ponder, standing up and slowly made her way in front of him, her lips quivering as she started to cry. Oh. "I'm so sorry Aurora… I understand if you don't…" Michael was interrupted as Aurora flung herself at him and he caught her as she crashed violently into his chest. Michael could feel her entire body shaking, maybe in stress or relief or both. He wrapped his arms tightly around her small body as he pulled her to sit on his knee.

After a moment, Aurora looked up to his face. "Is it true?"

Michael looked at Sara who was now a mess, a beautiful mess in his eyes. He went back to Aurora and nodded. Aurora hugged him tightly burying her face in his chest. Michael buried his nose in his daughter's hair, inhaling her scent. I'm sorry more than you'll ever know, but I'm here now he silently told her.

To the three of them, especially to Michael and Sara, time had stood still. "Will you be here in the morning?" Aurora shyly asked her father.

Michael smiled, the conversation he dreaded had now been had. "If that's what you and your mom wants then I'll be wherever you two are."

Aurora glanced at her mother who nodded at the both of them. Aurora reached for her mother and without hesitation, Sara embraced her daughter in the arms of her father. She felt peace that has haunted her in the last ten years transcend upon them.

"I'm sorry, my sweetheart."

Aurora decided not to say anything and continued to embrace her mother. Michael was in awe of how mature his nine-year-old is. He was a proud father in that moment and in any moment, she'll choose to give him.