Breathe (Cheryl Fanfic)

Chapter 27

Author's P.O.V.

Simon was all smiles since the show starts. He still can't get over with the fact that Athena called her 'Daddy' and he felt good when he heard that. His spirits went high upon hearing that word. The other judges seems to understand his mood and they kept looking over to him with smiles on their faces.They also were happy that finally after eleven years, Cheryl's long lost daughter has been found.

 Cheryl is in Simon's dressing room while the show was going on while her son is at the audience with Lily cause the little boy is very fond of watching his father and the talents, he was amazed by it. Athena sleeps on her mother's lap as Cheryl exchange messages with her husband.

Simon: She called me 'Daddy' earlier.

Cheryl smiles as she read the text and look down to her daughter in awe. She find it cute that Athena just called Simon her dad. And she remembered when she asked if she can call Simon her dad. It was adorable.

Cheryl:  Aww, Actually she asked us if she can call you that and I really find that cute though. She needs a dad and I think that can be you.

Simon glanced at his phone and what he read just made him smile. His heart burst with love for the little girl. Just the thought of her wanted to call him her dad or wants him to be her dad is overwhelming for him. He needs to have a chat with the little girl soon.

"Simon, care to share?" Simon looks up from his phone to see all attention was on him making him keep his phone in his pocket and sat up straight.

"Sorry, what?"

"Your comment?" 

"Oh right, sorry"Simon gave his comment about the performance he was half paying attention to and it made the other judges smirk at him. And when he finished his comment, Amanda tapped him on the back making him look at her.

"We know you're happy and all but please pay attention to the acts." Simon sighs and smiles before rolling his eyes and check on his phone again to type a message.

Simon: Babe I'm being scolded here, I need to work. But as much as possible, I need a chat with my little girl.

Cheryl let's out a smile as she read the message and him addressing her daughter 'my little girl' just make her heart skip a beat. Simon's really treating Athena like his real daughter and it's making Cheryl happy and satisfied.

Cheryl: I'll make sure you two have that chat you wanted. Now keep your phone and work.

Simon: Sure will. Thanks Babe.

Cheryl smiles at the text and decided not to reply thinking that Simon might have kept his phone already. So Cheryl just sighs and strokes her daughter's locks with a small smile on her face as she remembers her daughter's state.

Though she's happy that her daughter is with her right now, that she found her, she can't still forget the fact that her daughter is slowly dying. And she always remembers this every single day. Every time she wakes up in the morning, she would always hear her heart beating out of her chest as she makes her way to her daughter's room hoping that Athena will still wake up, and it's very hard for her to experience that every day.

She wanted time to be frozen so then her daughter doesn't have to go. She would just stay in her arms forever. She would never have to witness her daughter's suffering each day pass by. She just wants her by her side forever.

She stares at her daughter as she sleeps peacefully on her lap facing her with her hands curled into a fist tucked under her chin and she can't help it and just took a picture and post it on Instagram with a caption: Sweet dreams, beautiful <3 

This caused her Instagram to explode with notifications but then she ignored that and put her phone inside her bag. She doesn't want to respond to any of that. She just wants a moment with her daughter right now. 

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"You know this would be in the papers tomorrow right?" Simon says as he lays down beside her wife looking at the picture she posted on Instagram before taking his wife in his arms. Cheryl just smiled and scrunched her nose up making Simon smile.

"I know and i don't care. I wanted to post a picture of my adorable daughter." Simon stared at his wife feeling a bit satisfied with what he see. He knows she's happy, he can see that but he knows that behind those smiles and laughs, there's a part of her that's broken because of their daughter's condition.

"Oh right, tomorrow morning, the two of you should have your chat. She's always at the garden early in the morning so that would be nice." 

"I really am happy that she wants me to be her dad." This made Cheryl look up to Simon with a smile on her face just staring at her husband making Simon look at her confused.

"What?"

"You're amazing , you know that?" Simon lets out a smug look making Cheryl raised her brows but then lets out a giggle as she shakes her head turning back to her phone. Simon wrapped his arms around his wife and hugged her tight placing kisses on top of her head making Cheryl giggle because her husband is being clingy again.

"I love you very much, you know that?" Simon said looking straight into Cheryl's eyes letting her know that what he just said came from his heart.

"Yes, I'm very much aware of that." She giggles and sighs. " I love you too, so much" Simon smiles before taking his wife's lips with his sealing their love with a kiss.

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Athena sits on the grass beside the white roses just watching them as time pass by listening to the birds' song as she hums to the familiar tune her mother created for her. Simon smiles as she watch her little girl enjoys her atmosphere. Actually, he didn't expect that Athena  is a morning person cause Cheryl is not a morning person, maybe that's their difference.

Minutes pass by he decides to join the little girl. So with a cup of hot chocolate on his hand and a cup of tea on the other, he made his way to her. Athena smiles as soon as he saw Simon making her stand up and sat on the bench making Simon sit beside her.

"Here, made this for you" Simon carefully handed Athena her cup which the little girl gladly took and sipped on it. She smiled at the tasty flavor, she likes it.

"This is so good"

"Thanks princess" Athena looks up to Simon and smiled. She loves it when Simon calls her princess. It's making her feel special and she wants nothing more than to feel special cause that's what keeps her going on. 

"Had a good sleep?" 

"Yes, I haven't had good sleeps for a while but somehow, today's fine. My headache's gone." Simon look at the little girl and smiles. He was glad that she can now sleep well, cause she needs it. Suddenly, silence surrounds them and Simon was feeling uneasy so to solve that he took a deep breath before looking at the girl beside her.

"Athena..."

"Hmm" The girl looks up to her and smile.

"Uhm, last night, I heard you called us..Daddy" Athena's eyes widen a bit and immediately looked away feeling quite embarrassed and this made Simon smile finding how adorable Athena is when she's being put on the spot.

"Oh that... I'm sorry , it just slipped out. I' m really so-"

"Hey sweetie, stop. Look at me" Athena hesitated for a while still feeling embarrassed but then she turned and slowly looked up to Simon with a small smile as she lets out a loud sigh. Simon smile as he touched the girl's cheek making the little girl look up to him.

"From now on, I want you to call me that yea." It took a few seconds before what Simon said sink in to Athena's mind and when it did, Athena's lips breaks into a wide smile.

"Really?" Simon nods and takes his daughter in his arms placing never ending kisses on the little girl's head. He's happy and satisfied. She felt happiness all around her. She has now a dad and he;s the best Dad anyone could ever had. Cause he never hurts her. He never beats her up. He cares for her and most importantly, He loves her... So much.