"Daddy's Girl"

Chapter 1, Part 1

The wind whipped around Grayson Daniels' head sending snowflakes down to cover him, although it wasn't enough in his mind. He'd rather an entire snow drift come and cover him, burying him, hopefully right along side his wife. Lizzy was the most precious woman he'd ever met in his life, as he recalled their first meeting he knew right then they were pre-destined to be together forever. Now, as images replayed in his mind of just last night, he couldn't believe it. She was gone. Tears he thought he'd cried out last night came again, freezing like tiny icicles to his eyelashes as he sought the comfort of the hospital where his infant daughter now lay. His in-laws had shooed him out of the nursery at three in the morning where he'd been sitting along side the tiny baby talking in hushed tones about her mommy. The mommy his little girl would never know.

The hospital's loud atmosphere was lost on Grayson, all of it background noise as he went through the motions of pressing the elevator button and getting aboard pressing the button for the third floor where maternity was located. Half expecting the rowdiness of Lizzy's room to be heard in the hall way, he exited the elevator and headed straight for the nursery avoiding room 337 as if his life depended on it. Maybe it did, he thought as he stood next to the glass. A groan rose from his throat at the sight of Lizzy's flighty sister, Raeanne holding his daughter. He was sure the thump of the nursery door against the wall was heard throughout the maternity ward, as he marched toward his sister-in-law and daughter. His anger dwindled however as he got closer and tears were pouring down Raeanne's cheeks.

She looked so much like Lizzy, with her auburn hair caressing a graceful neck, smooth peaches and cream complection. Her green eyes, even deeper with the sorrow they held, rosebud shaped red lips completed the look. He found himself battling tears as he simply looked at her holding his little girl.

Looking up at him, she extended his daughter toward him, "I'm so sorry, Grayson." she whispered, her voice soft like Lizzy's.

"I am too, Raeanne, more than you'd ever know." he pressed a gentle kiss to the baby's soft forehead wiping his own eyes.

"She wanted to call her Eva." the words seemed more like Raeanne's now, and Grayson felt his muscles tightening against the upcoming argument that was most likely right around the corner.

"I know." he conceded cuddling the baby's tiny body closer to him.

"You going to name her Eva Hope, just like Liz intended." pinning him with a glare she reached over for the baby.

"I was thinking about naming her after her mother." he murmered ignoring her extended hands.

"Elizabeth would've dreaded that." her green eyes were hard as stone, her sorrowful demeanor had already morphed into that of a hardened criminal. Which is what he'd viewed her as for as many years he'd known the woman.

"Fine, Eva it is." he muttered, without wanting to admit it he already had decided to name her that.

"Good, I'm just going to get some coffee." standing, Raeanne pushed her chair back against the wall and snapped him a salute. She stalked out of the newborn nursery, the door slamming behind her. Babies awakened around him, including his little bundle of joy in his arms.

"Thanks for offering, and for waking the children." he muttered at her retreating form. Snuggling the baby to him, he did his best to smile down at her. "Hi Eva, I know this is kind of not what either of us wanted but now it's just us. I love you more than I can express to you, I'm unsure you even understand me. Just you and I against the world, a true daddy's girl for all time." Bending over, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and began to rock back and forth humming a song Elizabeth had always hummed. Tears ran down his cheeks as he saw what his darling wife was missing. Eva cuddled her tiny body tighter to his, her pink lips widening in a yawn that seemed larger than her entire face. He found himself smiling and tickling her little chin, humming a bit louder until the noise around them died down and he heard Elizabeth's family clomping up the hall way toward them. All peace flitted away like a fly chased by a swatter, and he wished for the thousanth time since Elizabeth's death that he'd taken little Eva and flown off.