A/N: Hello, you lovely people. Sorry I have taken so long to write anything, life is hectic y'know. Hope you enjoy this, and please review. They make the chapters come a lot faster. It's been scientifically proven XD

Evan

Anyone who had ever seen Evan White with his god daughter could tell he was besotted with her. She filled the gaps in his life with love, colourful crayoned pictures, and very energetic games of tag. He was often rather shocked with himself when he found that the highlight of his day wasn't seeing his girlfriend, Louise, or sitting in a wine bar with his colleagues, contentedly taking the piss out of the world and the lesser mortals that inhabited it, but visiting the toy shop a couple of streets away from Tim and Caroline's house, spending half an hour deliberating over what to get her, before turning up as a surprise on the Price's doorstep, presenting her with his gift.

The pure, unconditional joy on her face when she saw him filled him with warm love and protectiveness for her every time he saw it. Caroline often tried to warn him off this, saying she would beome spoilt, but he paid little attention to her. At times, he felt rather angry at both her and Tim for taking for granted the one thing he wanted most in the world. They acted like paperwork was more important than her.

More fool for them, he often thought, the more they neglected her, the more time he got to spend with the most important person in his life.

"Alright there, monkey?" He asked, ruffling her hair as he laid down his newspaper on the kitchen table, and sat down next to her.

Alex nodded vigorously, not lifting her head from her drawing. He chuckled fondly as her tongue poked slightly out of her mouth, through her determination and effort. In that respect, she was certainly her mother's daughter.

"Can I see?" He poked his head next to hers, masses of dark blonde hair obscuring his vision of her work of art.

Alex drew her head up and smiled a gap-toothed grin at him, offering him the piece of paper.

From what he could make out, she had drawn a red balloon, floating diagonally through a dark blue sky, with very large clouds and stars surrounding it.

"A balloon? Why did you draw that, sweethart?" A pang of uncertainty swept through him, as he took a closer look. Should this mean something to him?

"That's the balloon I lost when your car got broken." Alex replied, innocently "I was dreaming about it last night."

Evan placed the picture back on the table with shaking hands, and exhaled sharply. Get out, he thought, she doesn't need to see this.

He dashed up the stairs, closing the door firmly, before he slumped against the wall, body shaking with sobs.

Part of him was glad she didn't fully understand what had happened to her parents. Part of him wanted to tell her the truth, so that when he looked in the mirror, he would see himself instead of a liar.

When her parents died, he felt incredibly torn. And guilty. And rightly so, as he couldn't see any possible way that he hadn't been responsible for their deaths. If he hadn't been so stupid as to kiss Caroline back... If he hadn't let them borrow his car... If he'd thought with his brain instead of his balls... He had often wished he was Alex's father, instead of Tim, but he never would've done anything to separate them. Alex loved her parents more than anyone else, even if they weren't the best, or the most attentive.

Which is why he asked that police officer to break the tape. If Alex grew up knowing that her father had thought her old enough to die, he had no idea what it would do to her. If she would ever forgive him for the unintentional, but undeniable part he played in their deaths. And he loved her far, far too much to risk finding out.

After about half an hour of wallowing in his guilt, he heard a small knock at the door. "Evan?" Came a little, curious voice from through the keyhole.

Alex poked her head around the door, and gave a small gasp when she saw the state he was in. She came and sat next to him, wrapping her little arms around his waist, nestling her head into his shoulder.

"I'm sad about my balloon too, Evan," Alex told him in her little sing song voice, her big brown eyes filling with tears "It's my fault it got lost."

Evan cursed himself internally for being such a big girl's blouse, then pulled her closer to him, kissing her hair.

"Well, it's Saturday tomorrow, monkey. How about we go to the shops and get you another one?"

Alex sighed a little, "Does it have to be a red one? Mummy chose that one for me. I don't like red."

"No. You can choose whatever colour you like. And, if you're an especially good girl and get into your pyjamas now, I might just let you have two!"

Alex's face filled with delight, and she flung her arms round his neck, before speeding out of the room, towards her bedroom.

Evan chuckled, despite the fact his face was a tear stained mess, and followed her through. His new life was not one ideally suited to a single man in his late twenties, but it was the only life he wanted to live.

And if Alex Price was destined to grow up to be a strong, stubborn and brilliant woman like her mother, then by god, he was going to make sure that was what happened.

Sorry, I'm not one of those people who think Evan is the root of all evil. The next chapter is about Sam, and should be up ASAP. Review s'il vous plait!