Broken Descent (Bruno Mars)

I Wished for You

Bruno watched Charlotte through the mirror as he took off his shirt to get ready for bed. He smiled at her as she sat on his bed. When he turned around, she was holding the book in her hands.

"Please Daddy?" She begged.

"Charlotte," he said quietly, sitting beside her.

Her eyes were filled with hope.

Bruno rubbed her cheek gently. "You have circles under your eyes. You really should go to sleep."

"Please," she pouted.

Bruno dropped his head and then smiled when he came back up. He could never resist her begging. "Okay."

Charlotte crawled into his chest and he looked over to the nightstand, looking at one of the other books that Bernie had given to him that one time. He'd read it many times himself, but had been waiting for the perfect time to read it to Charlotte. This was the time.

"How about I read a new book to you?"

"Yay!" Charlotte squealed.

First, Bruno showed her the cover. He pointed to the letters and she followed along with her fingers.

"It says 'I Wished for You,'..." Bruno stopped. "Do you know what that says?"

"Charlotte?" She replied.

"Yes peanut," Bruno said, kissing the top of her head. "Very good. Do you know why it says your name?"

Charlotte shook her head.

"Because this book is all about you..."

Her smile got wide; she let out a gasp.

"And how much I wanted to be your Daddy..."

Charlotte cuddled deep into his chest. Bruno began to read and only made it a few pages before he heard her little snores. She only really snored when she was really tired. Bruno finished the book, for himself, and turned off the light.

The next morning, Bruno woke up from the sun hitting his eyes. He looked down at Charlotte, fast asleep in his arms. He fell asleep watching her.

Charlotte woke up just before noon. Sitting on Bruno's chest, she started playing with his hair.

"Wake up Daddy," she said.

Bruno, in a deep sleep, didn't budge.

"Daddy," Charlotte whispered into his ear. Wake up.The tickle monster is here."

"Oh no," Bruno mumbled and grinned with his eyes still closed.

Charlotte began to tickle his sides, giggling uncontrollably.

Bruno slowly opened his eyes. Charlotte squealed a little and pulled her hands away. Very slowly, Bruno reached under her arms and started to tickle her. She laughed so hard that she lost her balence, falling down onto the bed.

Bruno leaned over her, tickling her for a while before stopping so she could breathe.

"I missed you Daddy..."

Bruno put his forehead on hers. The circles under her eyes had disappeared.

"I missed you too."

"Can we have breakfast now?" She asked.

Bruno looked at the clock. "Charlotte it's almost lunch time..."

Charlotte sprung to her feet.

"Lunch time?! Daddy the fishies are hungry!"

"It's okay," Bruno said, kissing her cheek. "Go feed them now. I'll be right there."

Bruno looked at himself in the mirror, swiping his his hands through his hair. Holding onto the edges of the dresser, he started to cry a little, unable to contain his happiness.

"Yes," he whispered to himself.

The stack of drawings that Charlotte had made sat on his dresser. He took them in his hands, flipping through him as he had constantly done in the days she disappeared. He then grabbed a picture of the two of them from the beach from the year before. Charlotte loved the beach as much as Bruno did. The picture absolutely warmed his heart every time he saw it. Her smile was unbreakable that day, as it usually was.

"I can't believe that asshole just...just..." Bruno said.

He took a breath and then sighed, remembering that all was well again. He looked at the picture again.

"I'm so lucky," he said to himself, "I need to stop getting angry and focus on what's important. I have such a sweetheart in my life."

"Daddy," Charlotte said assertively from the door, a little bit out of breath. Bruno hadn't realized how long he'd been standing there. "The fishies are O-kay. I fed them."

"Oh good," he smirked.

Charlotte took his hand and started pulling his hand.

"What's going on?" he asked, smiling.

"I'm VERY hungry," Charlotte said with a little bit of attitude.

"Alright," Bruno said, laughing and allowing her to pull him. "I think you're turning into me a little bit."

A couple of months later, it was Bruno's favorite time of the year, time to watch Charlotte open presents on Christmas morning.

"Alright peanut. Let's clean up all the wrapping paper. Some of it's still stuck on the princess castle."

"Wait!" She exclaimed, rushing to grab a little box out of the drawer of the desk.

"What's this?" Bruno asked quietly, taking it.

Bruno took the top off the box. It was a beaded necklace. Bruno brushed his fingers over the beads.

"You bought me a present?" he asked.

"Nooo Daddy...I maaaade you a present," she beamed with pride.

"You made this...for me?"

Charlotte nodded with the biggest smile on her face.

"Aww..." Bruno said.

Bruno put the necklace on and held his hands out so she could jump into them. He held her tight and rocked her back and forth.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love it. This is the best present ever."

A/N:  I have a new Bruno one-shot called The Game. Check it out if you can :)