It was a cold night in November and the winds where howling against the closed window's in the Huang household. Everytime a strong gust would heave against the windows and small whistling and wailing sound could be heard… but the wailing wasn't from the wind.

Tao sat up in bed, sleepily rubbing his eyes and squinting to try to get his surroundings into focus. He yawned and his hand accidentally brushed the other body in the bed. Tao quickly snatched his hand away and smoothly removed himself from the warmth of the bed whispering, "Sorry Ari,"  when he finally got his last limb from the bed. Ari remained undisturbed and Tao tiptoed to the whining sound. 

Once Tao got into the hallway outside the room, he could step without fear of waking Ariana up. The wind howled outside every couple minutes or so but the whining remained constant. As Tao approached the door the whining got louder. Tao rubbed his eye and gently opened the door, tiptoeing toward the source. 

He peered into the small, frilly bassinet in the center of the room. A baby was wiggling around, a small whining it's mouth followed by a couple whimpers before the whine returned. Tao sleepily reached into the bassinet and pulled the baby up to his warm chest.

"Shh… it's okay, baby girl. It's just the wind, don't be scared." He pat her back soothingly as he cooed. She continued to whimper a little against Tao's chest. Nights like this typically seemed to disturb his daughter and when he saw the tears staining her plump little cheeks, he regretted leaving her alone in her nursery.

"Lily don't cry please. It's okay I'm here now." Tao said softly, kissing her tears away as they slid down her cheeks.

The girl looked up at her father and continue sobbing when another strong gust of wind smashed against the window. She let out a shrill cry when she heard the windows rattling. Tao shushed her and wrapped Lily tighter in her fleece blanket. He closed the door to her room and proceed downstairs.

"Lily~ don't cry. Daddy's got you now," Tao smiled when he teary eyes fluttered open. He took in all of her features. She had the over face shape of her mother but her eyes… her eyes were Tao's. Her dark hair was piled in little soft ringlets atop her head. She blinked a couple of times trying to get her father's face to register. He smiled encouragingly and nudged her with his nose. Her dark eyes shut and then cautiously opened again.

"You see, I'm right here darling. So don't worry. I'll protect you." 

Tao sat down on the couch in the living room in front of the fireplace. Lily liked the warmth that the fireplace was giving and leaned towards it. Tao laughed.

"You're so demanding. You get that from your mother. You know that?" 

Lily stared with her huge, dark, puffy eyes. She might have been telepathically trying to send him a signal but Tao just gave up on the staring contest.

"I know, I know Lily. You don't even have to tell me. I won't compare you to your mother again. Scout's honor."

Tao held up his hand. Lily looked from his hand back to his face a little confused. Well more than a little confused at what he was saying. He laughed.

"Right right, the fireplace I got it." Tao walked toward the fireplace and lightly bumped the coffee table. 

"Ouch!" 

Lily let out a gurgly giggle and Tao snapped his head back to her.

"How could you think that's funny," He cried in a mock sadness, "You're an evil little monster. You find joy in daddy's pain~" He pulled her stomach to his face and blew raspberries on it. Lily squirmed and squealed with delight when her father tickled her.

"I don't like monsters you little meanie~ "

He blew again, making her tiny little voice rise a couple more octaves when she squealed again.

"It's not funny. Why are you laughing, Lil?"

Tao stopped tickling his daughter and sat on the floor, careful to support her head. Lily was panting softly and trying to catch her breath from her father's tickle attack. Tao laughed at her efforts.

"Feeble monster. You are no match for me~" Tao leaned in again and Lily flinched away and grabbing his nose, laughing before he touched her. 

"I didn't even touch you yet, Lil," Tao laughed although it sounded nasally because Lily was holding his nose.

She looked at his face warily, trying to prepare herself for Tao's next attack but it never came. He just leaned in to kiss her cheek. 

"You're so cute. What would I do without you Lily?" 

Tao snuggled her against his chest, "I didn't really want to sleep anyway."

Tao cradled the tiny girl in his arms and laid on his belly, in front of the fireplace. He rested his chin on her legs that were swaddled beneath a pink felt blanket.  The flames from the fireplace made watery rays gloss over Lily's soft skin. She had put her arm up and was now watching it's shadow move on the wall.

Tao smiled. Lily was a little ball of curiosity. She was simple in her wants and didn't really cry much after whatever was bothering her, got handle. Tao adored her. She had only been in this world for 4 months but Tao felt that was way too short. He wanted to spend every moment with her but her mother said, that would spoil her. 

"I love you… so much." Tao said. Lily wasn't even paying attention. Her mind was still focused on the shadow that kept following her arm when she moved it. Tao didn't mind. He knew she was listening, even if she wasn't paying attention.

The wind storm outside couldn't really be heard in the living room and that put Lily at peace. That plus the warmth from the fireplace. Lily sneezed and startled herself. Tao watched all of this happen and then laughed way too loudly scaring the girl a second time. She scrunched up her face and was about to cry.

"Don't." Tao warned.

Lily's lip was quivering. Tao pointed at her lip. 

"Don't do it Lily, I'm sorry ok?"

He laid his head on her stomach and she didn't cry. She just grabbed his hair and began to tug it softly. Liking how it felt in between her fingers. Tao lifted his head when he was sure she wasn't going to cry.

"Lily, I told you, you don't have to ever cry because I'm right here."

Lily was preoccupied with her hands in her father's heavy dark bangs.

"I'm sorry I laughed so loud. You were just so cute, when you sneezed," Tao poked her nose and sighed, "You're gonna break a lot of hearts when you get older."

"I'm not ready for that. So don't grow up too quickly ok?" Tao laid his head back down on Lily's stomach and continued talking.

"You know Lil, you were right about this fireplace thing. It's really warm down here and I can't even hear the wind. How did you get so smart?

"Your mother must have been listening to Mozart. I heard that makes babies smart, Lil what do you think?"

Lily silently wove her fingers in and out of her father's hair.

"Maybe you were just born smart. I think that's it. Anyway, are you better now? I mean, I saved you from your scary room and brought you to your favorite place? No, no no no need to thank me Lily, that's my job. I am your father, of course. If you ever need me all you have to do is call, Lil. I'll always be there. Always.

"I wonder if you'll still call me when you learn how to walk and you can get downstairs for yourself… Would you still call me, Lil? Lil?" Tao looked up to meet his daughter's eyes, "You're just using me for my legs aren't you?" 

Lily blinked slowly and yawned. Tao laid back down, "I hope you still call me when you know how to walk. I don't want to feel… useless. I'll be your legs as long as you need me Lil. Just as long as you love me. You know Lil, I thought this 'dad' things was going to be a lot harder but it's just a lot of gross stuff and sleepless nights. I could live with that. I mean, I do live with that. And we've got a lot of help from family and friends. Trust Lily, you're in good hands and we're lucky to have you. I don't think you'll every know how much joy you brought me when I first saw your face. I almost cried. And umm, don't listen to your mother when she said I did cry, my eyes were just itching and that was completely and inaccurate report.

"Did you cry when you saw me Lil? Was I everything you imagined?" 

Tao lifted his head once again to find Lily sound asleep. Her tiny little pink lips with slightly ajar and her long dark eyelashes fluttered faintly. The shadows caused by the fireplace shrunk and grew each time she took a breath and Tao smiled for the millionth time that night. He leaned in and pressed his lips gently against the sleeping baby.

"Ok, Lily. I get it. You want me to stop talking…" Tao yawned, "That's cool I was sleepy anyway."

Tao laid on his back and moved the warm bundle that was Lily gently on his chest. He pat her head when she took a deep breath and got comfortable in her new position.  Tao kept his eyes on her, making sure she was breathing and sleeping comfortably before his eyelids felt heavy and he slipped into slumber beneath his daughter whispering a few words from behind closed eyes before the silence settled in.

"Wo ai ni."

Dee I hope you like this! 

I finished before 12 am.

♥

for everyone else who likes daddy fics

please comment.

with lovepeaches&donuts,

=*CheeDragon.