Note #1: A reminder I opened a new board called 'Cowabunga Corner' (not affiliated with CC on Youtube…) where not only am I and other authors posting fic, but art and vids as well… come say hi, we'd be happy to have you and read/view your work! And also, it entice you some more, I and others will be posting work there that you will not see on this site ;p You don't absolutely have to post something to be a member, just join to chat with some great people and look at the pretties. The URL is on my Profile Page :)

Note #2: This is a companion piece to 'Daddy'.

Title: Daughter

Summary: He wakes up to see his family tucked safe and sound in bed beside him, and he cannot help but to think he'd almost lost them…

Rated: PG for lang
Genre: Family
Dis: I don't own TMNT

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His eyes snapped open and immediately he turned his head to the right to see them safe and sound, tucked in his bed and away from harm. He sighed in relief, hand coming up to trail down his face before he turned on his side to look the both of them over. The smile on his face could not be helped as he softy tucked a strawberry curl away from his adoptive daughter's face. She slept soundly, snuggled with her bear while the woman who was to be his wife had an arm wrapped protectively around Emily's waist.

Everything was almost lost the night before. When Bishop caught wind that one of the freak turtles had a mate, he'd taken the opportunity to kidnap his fiancée while she was picking Emily up at school. A note had been made with demands but luckily someone on the inside had decided keeping a young girl and her mother captive was overstepping a line and helped them escape while he and his brother's fought off Bishop's men.

He'd never been so angry in his life, so ferocious in battle to get to his mate: and it scared the shell out of him. Even now, he knew he'd been ready to kill to get to her, and the very idea had his stomach twisting uncomfortably. Slightly shaken, he rolled out of bed and hustled to the bathroom. After relieving himself he washed his hands and splashed his somewhat pale face with water before looking at himself in the mirror. He needed to get a grip. He had a family now and the last thing they needed was a turtle battling his demons. They needed a rock and he would be that rock. Nodding, he opened the door only to have a small bundle collide with his leg and wrap around it like a vine.

"Daddy!"

"Whoa," he said before lifting her up. She snuggled into him and he could feel a slight tremor go through her as she pressed her face into his neck. Many thoughts went through his head, the first being fear that she had an awful dream like he had. "What's wrong?"

"Bad dream. The man was back." Hell, he hated that he was right. "He wanted to hurt me and mommy."

"Emily, baby, the man is gone," he said, rocking her a little, assuring her. "He won't come back. Ever."

"Ever?" she asked, turning to stare into his eyes with widened blue. "Forever and ever?"

"Yes, Sweetheart," he said, smiling. "Forever and ever."

"Good."

"Let's go back to bed," he suggested.

"Cookie?" she asked making him sigh once again.

"Emily…"

"Pllleeeaaasseee?" she asked, pouting, because she knew he couldn't say no to her 'pout-face'. Damn Casey for telling her that and for his brothers for agreeing with him.

"Fine. ONE cookie," he said, holding up one finger, swearing he was going to have her brush her teeth when she was done because he didn't want ANOTHER lecture from his fiancée about giving into Emily once again, as well as eating sweets in the middle of the night. He was already hiding the fact from his fiancée that he'd started Emily's training against her wishes, the kidnapping from Bishop confirming that for his family to be safe, they needed to be prepared if he wasn't there to protect them. He'd… broach the topic again once he was married…

"Boo-Boo wants a cookie too," she said, waving her bear, the leg of it smacking the back of his head and a part of him was almost proud that she was weaseling another cookie for herself.

"Ok, he can have one too," he relented.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?" he asked, carrying her to the kitchen and setting her down in a chair. She watched him, a serious look on her face while he grabbed cookies, two glasses, and pulled the milk out of the fridge. He knew whatever it was that she had to say would be important so he let her have her time while he poured the milk.

"Does mommy love you?"

"Yes," he said with a smile. "And I love your mommy."

"And you are going to get married?"

"Yes," he answered, setting down the glasses then grabbing the cookies and offering her two.

"And I'm the flower girl," she said proudly, grabbing the cookies out of his green hand, biting one, and talking around it. "I like my dress. You will too. And Mommy's. She looks beauty-i-ful."

"I'm sure she does," he said, smiling into his glass of milk as she ate her last cookie, images of his bride in a white dress waiting for him at the end of the aisle making his heart flip flop in a not-so-bad kind of way.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I love you," she said, grinning with Oreo stuck all around her lips and staining her teeth, and he knew he was home. She and her mother was his home and he would protect them with his dying breath.

"Love you, too, Squirt."

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END