Gray and I walked through the doors of my apartment. "Whoa" she says dropping her bag. "You like it then?" I ask, she turns to me. "Like it? This is....holy shit" she said, I only laughed. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her shoulders from behind, she tensed but then relaxed. "Welcome home" I whisper, she smiles. "This is my home" she repeats, I nod. She smirks at me then proceeds to belly flop onto the couch. "In all the vast things I have layed upon in New York this is my favorite" she says face into the cushion.
I carefully sneak up behind her and tickle her. "Lin! No!" She says but can't stop laughing. "Lin oh my god I can't breathe!" She nearly yells, I take my hands away as she rolls onto the floor panting. "Gray, well I hate to interrupt you becoming well aquainted with the hardwood I thought you might like to see your room" I say with a laugh, she stands up. As she's about to follow me she stops, kisses her hand and touches the floor. "Till next time my dearest" she says, that does me in. I start dying as my new daughter had proclaimed her love for the floor. Note to self; tweet that later.
"Follow me" I say and we head up the loft stairs. Let me explain something here. I live in a one floor apartment but there is a small loft that I've never had a use for as there is a bedroom on the ground floor.
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Like this type this.
So I figured Gray would like it. "So am I like taking a corner and the rest is-" she asks already trying to split the loft. "No no, the whole thing is yours" I say, she stares at me like I just told her I had two heads. "This whole? For me? One person?" She stutters, I nod. "No Lin. No I can't you've already done to much" she says, I sigh. I extend my hand. 'Follow me" I say, we walk out my apartment and I guide her to the stairs and out to the roof.
The sun is just setting and the air is still a little warm. We sit on a ledge watching the sky. "Gray I want you to just listen for a minute" I say, she puts her hands up to protect her face... and it breaks my heart. "I'm not going to hit you, not now, not ever" I say, she lowers her hands and I grab one protectively holding it in mine.
"I'm not doing what I'm doing because I feel like I have to, I'm doing it because I want to. If I didn't want to I would've left you on a park bench with ten dollars but just the thought of doing that breaks my heart, when you protect yourself it breaks my heart. It's been no more then a week and you have already brought so much into my life I never thought I would have. I never thought I would have another child after Vanessa passed away. I never thought Seb would have someone when I wasn't around and once you meet him you'll love him. You are my daughter now, I'm going to be a god damn awesome dad even if you don't see me as such because you deserve it and so much more and everyday I will try and give you whatever you deserve or want and if I miss one day, one day Gray you go ahead and slap me, even if all you wanted was a hug or a hello and I don't give it to you, slap me. We ate going to work through everything together from the fevers to everyday parenting because I don't know anything about parenting a teenager and I know it's going to be tough, I know we'll fight but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that after we fight, you come back to me. I'm your safe place and you can run into my arms and say that someone loves you, because I do"
I kiss her head as she sits silently. "I love you too" she says against my chest. I smile. "So when do I meet him?" She asks, I furrow my brows at her.
