Matt pushed open the doors to the ARC hub. The wide rotunda has two long tables running parallel to each other, leading the ADD controls. Several workers stood by the tables, working as usual. Jess was seated at her station, working diligently. He expected Lydia to be waiting for him by Jess at the ADD, but she wasn't there. Matt frowned and walked onto the station floor. Jess was sitting at the ADD, dressed in e bright pink dress, working when he came up behind her.

"Jess, you seen Lydia?" Matt asked.

"She's in the armory with Becker." Jess answered. She didn't even glance up from the console.

Matt's brows furrowed. "Why did you allow her in the armory?"

Jess shrugged. "Better chance that she'll shoot Becker for me."

"You're still angry with him?" Matt asked.

"Absolutely." Jess answered.

Matt shook his head and turned from the ADD. "You two need to work it out, now!"

"Be sure to share that with Becker." Jess called after him.

Matt walked through the halls toward the armory. He sighed heavily. Jess and Becker hadn't been on speaking terms with each other for nearly two weeks now. They'd have another argument, in front of everyone again, about their relationship. It wasn't affecting their job at the ARC, but it was definitely causing a lot of tension in the office. It was also getting extremely annoying. At least Connor and Abby had their own reasons to fight frequently, they were married. But Becker and Jess weren't…that was the problem in their relationship, as Jess had put it.

Matt shook his head, this wasn't his problem. Matt walked into the armory. Becker was securing the EMD's while Lydia stood near him and stacked the cases. Matt stopped at the door of the armory and watched. Lydia was a near duplicate of Emily. Her hair was dark brown and curled. Her body was small, even for her age. But she was brilliant, agile, and had her mother's spirit. Her smile could make even Lester's mood lighten. The only trait that Lydia had, that didn't belong to Emily, was her eyes. Her eyes were proof that Lydia was his child, his last link to Emily.

Lydia bit her lip as she lifted one of the larger EMD cases. She struggled to lift it onto the pile near her and nearly dropped the case. Becker quickly caught it and helped her set it on the stack. Lydia had become to ARC's unofficial recruit. With Matt on constant guard for anomalies, the only place for Lydia to be was at the ARC. In fact, everyone loved her.

"Becker, are you aware that your girlfriend sent a four year old assassin to shoot you?" Matt asked.

Lydia's head turned. She smiled brightly. She ran from the stack of weapons toward her father. "Daddy!"

Matt dropped to his knees as Lydia ran into his arms. Her small arms wrapped around his neck. Matt lifted her in his arms and stood up. "How's my girl?"

"Good, Aunt Jess let me watched your black box on the screen today." Lydia said. Her voice was high and excited, and even carried a slight Irish drawl to it.

"Did she now?" Matt asked.

Lydia nodded enthusiastically. "And Aunt Abby let me feed Rex and Rosie's babies too!"

Matt smiled. "Sounds like Abby's putting you to work."

"She's probably the youngest ARC team member." Becker said.

"Go say good-bye to Aunt Jess. And tell her I shot Becker for her." Matt said.

Lydia nodded. "Okay."

Matt kissed her cheek and set her down on the floor. Lydia quickly scurried out of the armory.

Becker frowned. "You shot me?"

Matt picked up one of the smaller EMD's. "I'm actually doing you a favor, mate."

"How so?" Becker asked.

Matt aimed the EMD and fired at the wall. He set the weapon back in its case and locked it. "Because Jess was absolutely fine with Lydia shooting you when I talked to her. Chances are Jess heard the shot. When she comes running through that door, you had better fix whatever happened between you two."

"Since when do you care about my personal life?" Becker asked.

Matt smirked lightly. "You know as good as everyone else here Becker, I let the best thing in my life walk away."

Becker nodded slowly. It was no secret now how much Matt loved Emily. Even four years after her departure. Everyone knew how much Matt regretted sending her away, never telling her how he felt.

"Time is limited, Becker. You can't afford to be cautious anymore. Trust me." Matt said. He turned from Becker and headed toward the door.

Just as he'd said, Jess came running into the armory looking panicked. Matt looked at Jess and then turned to Becker. "Talk. Or so help me, I'll shoot you both in the morning if this isn't resolved."

Becker rolled his eyes.

Matt turned and left his colleagues to talk in private. He walked out into the hall and headed for the Hub.

"Matt!"

Matt turned. Abby was walking toward him. Walking being a relative term. Being three months from her due date, moving had become a difficult task for her among other things. She carried a pale folder with her.

"Abby." Matt said.

"Look, I did some digging," Abby started. "about Emily."

"Abby-"

"I know you want to know what happened to her, Matt. I know you do. And I know Lydia deserved to know the truth about her moth when she'd older." Abby explained. She held out the envelope. "You need this Matt."

Matt took the envelope and looked up at Abby. She turned and headed toward the locker room. Matt looked down at the sealed envelope and sighed. He ripped open the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper. It was a newspaper article from the late eighteen hundred. He scanned over the paper until he spotted Emily's name.

Lady Emily Merchant Committed to Bedlam

Matt sighed deeply and slipped the paper back into the folder. He'd always been afraid of this. Afraid that she'd either been killed or punished in some way because of him. And he was right. Committed to an asylum for being to this time. He ripped the folder up and tossed it in the trash. How would he ever explain this to Lydia, no matter what age she was? He followed the hall back to the Hub, where Lydia was waiting. She was sitting on one of the table, swinging her legs in the air. She was playing with her stuffed Pterodactyl.

"You ready to go Lydi?" Matt called.

Lydia's head rose form the table. She hopped off the table and grabbed her bright blue backpack. "Ready."

Matt picked her up into his arms. "Let's go home."

Matt walked into the washroom. Lydia was standing on her small stool finishing brushing her teeth. She wore a bright yellow nightgown, curtsey of Jess, that touched the floor. Lydia slipped her toothbrush into the cup and hopped off the stool.

"Bedtime." Matt said.

Lydia ran around him toward her small bed. Matt turned and watched her jumped into bed and burry herself beneath her blankets. Years ago he'd renovated the apartment. He'd taken out the large bed and bassinet and traded them for Lydia's child size bed. He continued to sleep on the chairs in the front. After all, the flat was only their weekday home.

Matt pushed himself off the doorframe and walked to Lydia's bed. He sat down and started ticking Lydia from beneath her blankets. Lydia giggled loudly, squirming beneath the blankets. Her head popped out into the open.

"You got everything packed for tomorrow night?" Matt asked.

Lydia nodded. "Yes."

"Good." Matt said. He reached above Lydia and fixed her pillow. His hand ran across something hard. He frowned and reached beneath her pillow. He pulled out a large photo album. Matt looked from the photo album to Lydia. "So you took it."

Lydia lifted the blankets over her mouth. "I just wanted to look at it."

Matt sighed. "Scoot over."

Lydia squealed and pushed down her blankets. She moved to the side, giving Matt some room to move beside her. Lydia moved up against Matt's side. Matt laid the album on the bed in front of them and opened the book to the first page. The first page had Jess' neat, but bright writing on it. Lydia took the book and flipped it over, starting from the earlier photos and moving backwards.

They looked over the dozens of photos, most of which Matt couldn't recall ever knowing had been taken, even now. There were shots of Lydia at the ARC. She was sitting on Connor's work desk, handing him tools while Connor tried to fix another device of his. There was one of Lydia standing in front of Becker, holding an unpowered EMD pistol, mimicking Becker's stance. Another with Abby in the menagerie surrounded by a horde of flying lizards. Jess and Lydia sitting in the park eating ice cream, wearing matching shoes. Even one with Lydia sleeping on Matt's desk, across from a sleeping Matt.

Lydia kept turning the pages, going further and further back. She stopped when she found the picture she was looking for. The picture had been taken nearly four years ago. Lydia was still a baby. Matt remembered the picture, having taken it himself. He'd come home from the ARC to find Emily sitting in the chairs with Lydia crawling on her shoulder. Matt had taken the picture before Emily had even noticed him home. Emily was looking over her shoulder, laughing at Lydia. Across from the picture was another one taken by Matt. Emily stood out on the terrace with Lydia in her arms. The sun was setting, casting the last few rays of light over their faces. Besides that picture was one of just Emily. It was an older photo, taken before she'd been pregnant. It was a personal favorite of Matt's. She was leaning against the terrace railing. The wind was blowing, sending her curls behind her back. She had been unaware of Matt at the time.

Lydia laid her head against Matt. "Why did mommy leave?"

Matt looked down at Lydia. He sighed heavily. "Because there was somewhere else she needed to be."

"I miss her." Lydia mumbled.

Matt gently rubbed her back. "Me too Lydi. But if she could, she'd come back." He closed the book. "Alright, bedtime. Remember you've got that field trip to the museum tomorrow and then we're going right home."

Matt rose from the bed and picked up the album. Lydia sunk beneath the blankets. Matt drew them up to her shoulders. He kissed Lydia's forehead and turned off her table lamp. "Goodnight Lydi."

"Goodnight daddy." Lydia mumbled.

Matt gently stroked her hair and turned. He walked toward the doorway.

"I love you daddy." Lydia called.

Matt looked over his shoulder. He smiled in the dark. "I love you too, Lydi."

you didn't really think i'd leave it like that did you? come on. that was like 4x07 ll over again.

anybody else enjoying the fatherly Matt? also i kinda lked the idea of his daughter catching part of his accent. seems more adorable for Lydia.