Song Title: Cinderella

Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman

Story Title: May I Have this Dance?

Genre: Fluff/Angst

 

---

 

Yifan glanced at the clock and groaned. He still had so much work left to do. He wanted to finish it up so he could spend time with the love of his life: his beautiful seven year old daughter.

It wasn't long before he heard the pitter patter of little feet and a sweet voice excitedly calling him.

"Daddy, Daddy! Come dance with me!" Lin begged, tugging at his shirt with her small hand.

As much as it pained Yifan, he had to finish working.

"Not now sweetie, Daddy's busy," he said gently, removing her hand from his shirt.

"But Daddy, the prince invited me to the ball, and I need to practice my dancing," she pleaded with wide, sad eyes.

It took Yifan a minute to realize she was pretending, and his heart warmed at how precious she was.

"Alright, I'll dance with you. But I can't stay very long, I have work to do," he agreed.

The purely joyous look on his daughter's face made him smile as well, and he realized work could wait.

"Come here Princess, he called, taking her little hand in his much larger one as she giggled. "May I have this dance?" He asked grandly, bowing and bringing her hand to his lips.

"Wait, Daddy!" She exclaimed, leaving Yifan more than slightly confused. "We need music to dance," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Of course we do! How could I forget?" Yifan said while laughing. He rummaged through his CD collection and placed a disc with slow songs in the player. He walked back to Lin.

"Now. May I have this dance?" He asked again.

She nodded and they swayed to the soft sounds of the music with Yifan twirling Lin around every so often. He found himself enjoying the dance every bit as much as Lin did.

"The prince will be very pleased with your dancing, My Lady," he commented when the both grew tired, earning a bright smile from his little girl.

 

That night, Yifan ended up staying awake later than he normally did to finish his work, but he couldn't wipe the grin off his face when he thought about the reason.

 

~*~

 

"Come along sweetheart, get in the car. I have to go pick up uncle Luhan," Yifan called, carrying a little pink backpack filled with princess coloring books and crayons over his broad shoulder. 

"Coming Daddy!" Lin sang, skipping out the door.

Yifan opened the car door for her and buckled her seatbelt, handing her the the pink bag.

"Now, don't you make a mess in Daddy's care, got it?" He warned.

Lin nodded enthusiastically, already ping the bag.

Yifan drove for a bit while Lin colored in the backseat.

"Look Daddy!" She said as she held up her picture. "Isn't she beautiful?" Lin asked.

Yifan looked in the rearview mirror and saw a neatly colored picture of Cinderella.

"Yeah," he answered mildly. "But not as beautiful as my little princess."

 

When they arrived at Luhan's house, Yifan sent him a text to say that they were there.

Lin opened the car door and stood on the grass, beginning to turn and sway to an imaginary rhythm.

"Daddy! Come dance with me!" She called, looking at him expectantly.

Yifan thought about how awkward it would be to dance in front of the road, where anyone could see.

"Not right here sweetheart," he told her.

She continued to dance, spreading her arms out wide as she spun. Her smile was as bright as the sun, and Yifan felt the corners of his lips turning up as he watched her, carelessly twirling.

 

It wasn't long until Luhan came out and Lin ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck as he scooped her up.

"Uncle Luhan!" She squealed happily and he smiled back.

 

When they all were in the car, and Lin was contently coloring, Luhan lowered his voice as he spoke to Yifan.

"You really should have danced with her. A day will come when you won't have that opportunity anymore, Yifan," he warned.

 

~*~

 

"Daddy, can I go over to Ai's house?" Lin asked one afternoon. "Her mom said she could pick me up." Lin looked up at her daddy hopefully.

Yifan gave his permission. "As long as you're back by 7:00, it's fine by me."

Yifan helped Lin pack some toys to bring to her friends house in her pink backpack. Soon a car engine was heard from the driveway.

"Goodbye Princess," Yifan said as he knelt to hug her. "I love you." He planted a farewell kiss on her head.

"Bye bye Daddy, I love you too!" She said over her shoulder as she headed out the door.

Yifan watched her get into the car, glad to know she was safe.

 

~*~

 

Yifan set his papers down, rubbing his temples as he checked the time. 6:40. 20 minutes until his little girl came home.

He sighed ant continued working until his phone went off. Curiously, he answered it, becoming frantic at what he was being told. He grabbed his keys and sprinted to his car, pulling out of the driveway messily. He sped to the hospital.

 

"I'm very sorry to inform you that your daughter has passed away. If it helps, the other car hit her head on. She died instantly. She wouldn't have felt any pain." The doctor stated.

Yifan felt like he was in a dream. A sick, twisted, messed up dream, right? That's all it could be. His daughter, his sunshine, his princess was still alive, right? He would wake up soon and she would be there, asking for him to dance with her, right?

Yifan drove home with tears in his eyes and falling down his face.

As he pulled into his driveway, his tear blurred eyed were drawn to the grass in front of the road. Yifan opened his car door and stood. He began to dance, spinning as he imagined his little princess in his arms. He turned and swayed to an imaginary rhythm, uncaring of the people who saw.

A car full of teenagers pulled beside him, rolling down their windows.

"What are you doing?" A boy called out scornfully.

"I'm dancing with my daughter," Yifan responded, not even bothering to look as they drove away.

 

 

~*~

So I will dance with Cinderella

As she is here in my arms

'Cause I know something the Prince never knew

Oh I will dance with Cinderella

I don't want to miss even one song

'Cause all too soon, the clock will strike midnight

And she'll be gone...

~*~