Departure Lounge (Completed)

New Developements pt 1

"What's the matter?" Nate asked.

"The lights, it's my dad..."

"And...?" He flatly replied.

"What do you mean 'and', my dad has seen us, he knows..."

"Lexi, your dad always knew about us-he may not have known all the details but he knew there was something between us."

"I don't understand."

"There's nothing to understand Lexi, come you should probably get inside." As soon as he said that the lights began to flicker again. "I will call you tomorrow, okay?" I wasn't able to form words in that moment I was too busy coming to terms with the fact that my dad knows that Nate and I are involved before we were actually involved. The feel of Nate's lips on my forehead brought me back to the present.

"Don't you want to come in?" I asked secretly hoping he would say yes.

"Not tonight, there are some things I need to look after first."

"Okay." I replied trying not to sound too disappointed.

I watched Nate climb back into the car and drove off; I turned to open the front door already finding it open and my dad standing in the frame. I took one last glance at the disappearing car and then back at my dad who surprisingly had a smile on his face.

"Hi dad..." replying hesitantly as I wasn't quite sure what to make of his reaction.

"Come in sweetie, its cold outside." I stepped through the doorway and place my coat in the cloakroom, avoiding my dad's gaze the entire time. "It's okay to look at me Claire."

"I'm not avoiding you," I said finally turning to face him. "I just don't know what to say, Nate and I..."

"You don't have to say anything sweetie, I understand, I always thought this was going to happen-well until Marc proposed and I thought otherwise. But now it seems to be working out the way I predicted."

"So you're not disappointed or angry?"

"Angry? Why would I be either?" he looked genuinely confused.

"I assumed you were not pleased with him and me seeing that you were playing with the lights, deliberately interrupting us." Remembering how my dad interrupting the kiss I desperately wanted to happen I started to feel slightly annoyed.

"Well yes, before anything else happens between you two, he needs to present himself to us and ask permission to court you."

"Really, 'court me' this is the 21st century dad and even so you've known Nate practically all his life." My dad was being a little silly or in my opinion that just didn't make any sense.

"Tradition is still tradition, this is how we do things, if he intends to pursue you he requires my formal permission-I am still your father. It is my right." I nodded my head in understanding, "As for whether I'm disappointed," he pulled me into a very a tight embrace my face buried into his chest I could now smell the sweetness of the brandy he was drinking and the hint of cigar smoke. "I could never be disappointed in you; I'm just happy that you're making your own decisions, which make you happy."

"Thanks dad," I gave a light squeeze before releasing him, "Wait, does mom know too?"

"Who do you think I bet against, she was rooting for Marc but I knew you and Nate were a better match. She almost won for second but in the end looks like I'll be the winner."

"You were actually betting on my love life?"

"No, don't look at it like that." He grinned cheekily.

"Then how am I to?" I folded my arms and I tried to look annoyed but could not hide the smile in my voice.

"I do not know, just don't look at it like that. Now I will be heading to bed." He leaned in a place a kiss on my forehead.

"Hmm... because I love you I am going to give you a tip, change in the bathroom before mother smells the smoke." My dad looked sheepishly at me as he knows that mother hates when he smokes but he loves it, occasionally he would sneak onto the roof patio and indulge in one. "Goodnight dad."

After getting a glass of water I made my way upstairs to check on the girls before heading to bed. They were both sound asleep in one bed, Amy had one of her hands on Emmy's face, while Emmy's foot was hanging off the bed slightly, the sight was comical-they really can be terrible sleepers at times, usually a sign when they've had an extremely active day and are very tired.

After adjusting them properly I sat down next to the bed for a moment and thought about how my day started with news of their father returning. How was I going to fix this? I mean so far I was doing ok with the parenting life but an expert I was not. On top of that I share no biological relationship with the girls, who am I to deprive them of their father; I loved them like they're my own but the fact remains they are not. "I'm really in for a fight, aren't I?" I asked the question aloud. I sat there for another ten minutes watching before finally deciding to retire myself, feeling so overwhelmed with the day and all the new developments in my life sleep overcame me almost immediately the last thing I remembered hearing was the slight chime from our grandfather clock in the hallway.

AN

Part 2 is following righ behind this.