As Marie lay sleeping, the door opened. He was careful not to shed light on her eyes, for fear he'd wake her. His little angel who now lay nestled in that familiar bed, face buried in the pillows and hugging her Wotcher, her stuffed bear. The sight was so familiar. He could remember her struggling to climb into it when she was scarcely four years old, remember tucking her in, calming her down after a bad nightmare, and taking her temperature. The room hadn't changed much to reflect her age. The paint was a duller pink now, the sheets and coverlet were worn and soft, and there were dog-eared paperbacks now among the works of Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuss. It, like him, had seen better days, full of tears and laughter but was it gone now, forever? She stirred beneath the blankets whimpering and covering her stomach as if to protect the baby growing within. His baby was having a baby.

How could this have happened?

Logically he knew, but it felt strange, irrational. This didn't happen to nice Catholic girls from good homes with bright futures. This happened to the broken, the reckless, and the lonely. She had all the love she would ever need so why would she run into a stranger's arms? In his mind's eye Jason saw her in her prim white dress, pretty as a princess, swearing her allegiance to God and drinking of His Son's Blood. The image merged into her running not into his arms, but that boy's embrace. Oh, it was a hateful image and Jason knew that wasn't precisely how the series of events occurred but oh, how he'd like to strangle that boy! He hated the thought of hands roaming her innocent body where they didn't belong. That boyfriend of hers should have known she wasn't just any woman. She was Jason's daughter, a precious bit of heaven bestowed on Earth. She always played Mary in the Nativity scene in the Christmas Pageant because she was lovely, soft-spoken, kind to everyone, and believed in God with all her heart. Didn't that boy know she was the brightest spot of sunshine in her daddy's life? Didn't he know she was the one who picked out her father's ties, who watched The Godfather and Goodfellas with him when she was old enough and didn't complain, even when she felt like watching The Notebook? Didn't he know she was the best thing that could ever happen to anyone?

That boy, Kevin What's-His-Name, did. He could tell. He hated to admit it but he did. From the way Kevin's eyes softened when he looked at her, to how he soothed her while burying his face in her hair to assure himself all was alright it was impossible to dispute that he cared for her. It made Jason jealous almost. Somehow, without her father noticing, he'd taken over as her protector, her confidante, her best friend. He could see it in her eyes when she touched his face wonderingly, when she looked up at him with such pure trusting faith. Her lover had replaced her father as her champion, her knight-in-shining armor. He was helpless, feeble, and usurped. And now, they were going to have a family, and he'd be a mere ghost in his baby's life.

From behind him, arms wrapped around his middle and a feminine form pressed herself against him. "She'll always be our little girl, you know." His wife said softly. He turned around. "She's not so little anymore, it seems." He stated sadly. Karen shook her head. "She'll be your little girl even when she has a little girl of her own."

"I don't know what to do, Karen. I don't know even what to tell her to do." He murmured. "You'll figure it out when you need to, darling." She whispered. "You always do."

Her eyes were soft with love and worry, and as he stared at his wife, he couldn't help but think she'd never looked so beautiful, even after twenty five years of marriage. The wisdom and patience acquired after twenty one years of motherhood carried beautifully on her face. Maybe there was hope. Maybe there was a chance that this was for the best. He would dare to hope.

There was a loud knocking at the door, interrupting his train of thought and he went downstairs to answer it, trying not to disturb his daughter's sleep. Kevin stood in the doorstep, dripping wet. "I didn't mean to wake you, sir." He said hurriedly. "But I came here for a good reason. I want your permission to marry your daughter."

Jason looked at the visitor sharply, and then nodded. "Come in."