Vanilla Twilight (An Owl City Fanfiction)

Chapter One

The loud and angry shouting downstairs kept five year old Aurora Raine Young awake up in her room. Her parents usually don't argue. Fear filled her as she wondered what her parents could be arguing about. Could she have done something wrong? If she did, why are they yelling? Whatever it was, Aurora wanted to figure it out.

She slowly removed the sheets from her and she got out of bed. Her bare feet hit the cold hardwood floor as she quietly crept towards her bedroom door. Little Aurora stood on her tippy-toes and she was able to turn the door knob. The door opened letting light from the hallway pour through the crack. Before she went out she grabbed her stuffed animal which was a red fox.

Then Aurora went into the hallway and she walked towards the stairs. When she reached the top of the stairs, the yelling was louder. Her feet led her downstairs and she saw her parents still arguing. Aurora noticed that they were using bad words. Aurora hugged her stuffed fox close to her and she asked,
"Mommy? Daddy? Why are you yelling at each other?"

Aurora must have asked it loud enough since they stopped yelling and they looked at her. Tears were streaming down both of their faces. Her mom had an angry expression on her face and she rushed out of the house slamming the door behind her. Aurora stared at her dad wide eyed trying to comprehend what just happened.
"D-daddy? Why'd mommy leave?" Aurora asked softly.

Adam looked at his daughter. She wore one of his tee shirts as pajamas and her brown hair outlined her fair face and her brown eyes showed fear and confusion. What could he tell her? The truth that AnnMarie left for California to be with someone else? If he told her that, Aurora wouldn't understand. She's just a child. An innocent child without a mother. He crouched down and he motioned her over. She came. Adam thought of what he was going to say. He found a way to avoid the question and he asked,
"Did you hear us fighting?"

Aurora nodded her head and she started crying. She wrapped her little arms around Adam's neck and she started apologizing. He knew why she was apologizing since she's gotten in trouble the past few weeks.
"Oh. Sweetie this wasn't your fault," he said as he hugged her.
"It's not?"
Adam forced a laugh.
"No. It was mommy and I's fault. I'm sorry that we woke you," Adam told her.
"You also used bad words," she pointed out with tiredness in her voice.
"I know," he replied as he hugged his daughter tighter, "I'm sorry."

Adam waited for her to respond but instead she rested her head against his shoulder. A few seconds later he felt her steady breathing. A smile spread across Adam's face. She fell asleep, he thought. Then he stood up and held her in his arms. He locked the front door and he went upstairs.

He went into Aurora's room and he turned the light on. Adam walked over to her bed and he gently set her down. When Adam removed her arms from his neck, she started whimpering.
"Can you sleep with me?" She asked
"Sure, baby," he answered, "I just need to turn the light off okay?"
Aurora nodded her head and she let him turn the light off.

After that, Adam crawled in bed with his daughter. He tucked her in and she cuddled close to him. Adam lightly placed his arm around her.
"Daddy loves you very much Aurora," he whispered.
"I love you too," she replied sleepily.
Then Adam kissed her forehead and he stayed up the rest of the night replaying the argument in his head.

What could he have done differently? What else could he have said to make AnnMarie change her mind? He realized he was still deeply in love with her. The more he thought about it, the more sad it made him. Right then and there he vowed that he would never fall in love again. But little did he know that would all change very soon.