Ice cream. Real ice cream. That was what she used to (literally) sweeten the deal. It wasn’t the fake, no sugar, dairy, or preservative **** that she had convinced herself was good enough to pass as a treat for a six-year-old. No, it was fast and dirty hot-fudge-dripping-down-your-arm ice cream.

Natalie licked the end of her spoon, savouring the taste for a little while longer before starting in on the subject of conversation. She knew that it would be difficult, but mostly just for her. Norah didn’t even seem to notice that anything as amiss.

The woman turned in her chair, looking her daughter dead on as she composed herself. That part, she had to do alone. Nate was waiting outside the door, having been told to stay there until she let him in. Until that moment, she was without backup in all new territory.

”Why don’t you put the ice cream down for a second and look at me?”

Norah obliged, never having been one to put up a fight over small things, and looked at her. Her big, blue-grey eyes were staring directly back at Natalie.

The woman took a deep breath and then started in. ”Norah, sweetheart, what do you remember about what I told you about your father?” She started with a simple question, trying to get a baseline to start from. She rested her arm on the back of her chair, having become suddenly entirely more aware of her limbs.

”Uhm… he doesn’t live with us, but not because he doesn’t love me, but because he lives a different life?”

The words were regurgitated from the various conversations that the two of them had had on the subject, which made Natalie frown a little. She wasn’t sure how much the girl actually understood, or how many of her own words were just being said back at her.

However, it didn’t really matter at that point. Soon enough, Norah would have an entirely new answer to tell her.

”That’s not really true anymore, honey. Your father has decided that he wants to live the same life as us, so he’s going to be spending a lot of time with us. Would you like to have your dad come and be a part of your life?”

Norah cocked her head. She didn’t seem to be grasping the concept all that well. Natalie couldn’t blame her, though. It was a lot for a six-year-old with no concept of a second parent to grasp. ”I guess if he’s nice,” she shrugged and then picked up her ice cream spoon.

That made Natalie smile. ”Do you remember mister Nate, Norah?”

”Yeah.”

”Did you think that he was nice?”

”Yeah.”

”Well… mister Nate is your dad.”

”Oh. Uhm… well, then I want him to come spend time with us.”

Norah had already turned her attention back to her ice cream. For Natalie, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, but for the little girl, nothing seemed to have changed. She clearly didn’t realise the weight of what she’d just said.

”Okay, well he’s here now, so I’ll tell him to come inside,” Natalie said, her voice faltering slightly. She didn’t feel like the same confident person that she usually did. Things were messy and complicated, and she wished that she could just see them all from the perspective of a child like Norah did.

”Mommy?” Norah stopped her as she got up from her chair, ”are all dads like mister Nate?”

”No, sweetheart, they’re not.”

Was there a word beyond nervous? Anxious, panicked, and neurotic all came to mind, and they all aptly described Nate, standing outside of Natalie’s apartment, waiting for her to give him the go ahead to enter.

Nate and Norah had spent time together already, with the man arriving occasionally as “her mother’s guest” to spend time with the Ross women. By all accounts, those interactions all went wonderfully, making Nate and Natalie more optimistic about the belief that their daughter might be able to accept the life-changing news they were going to bring into her life.

The night was meticulously prepared for by Nat, who finally set aside her doubts and let Nate know she was ready to introduce him to Norah as the girl’s father. He was given a time to arrive at the apartment, and a warning that, if Norah chose not to accept her birthfather as a part of her life, he would be walking away. Nate accepted the terms, motivated by his desire to have Norah in his life, and the desire to do what was best for his daughter.

It was hard to remember what his optimism once felt like as Nate waited on the verdict of a six-year-old. Norah was going to know her father was around, hoping to meet her, so if there was a moment for a child to deal with repressed feelings over an absentee parent, this was it. All Nate hoped was he could have the chance to state his case. Norah needed to know he would have been there if he knew, and if he could go back and change how everything happened, he would. It was the one thing a young Stephen Graves would have wanted to hear, once upon a time.

Nate was stewing in his own thoughts and worries alone, wondering what he might say to Norah if he got the chance. The mental rambling ended when the door opened, and Nat was on the other side greeting him. He noticed immediately that he did not see Norah behind her mother, which was hard to process right away. ”So, you’ve told her. Okay, what did she say? I understand if she’s not ready. But I hope she’s ready.” Nate took a breath, slowing himself down. His racing thoughts had become racing words, and it was hard to speak selectively when he had no clue what to say.

”Just… am I going to talk to her now?” Or was this the time to walk away?

With a somewhat jumbled mind and shaky hands, Natalie approached the door. Norah had accepted the terms without so much as a second thought. It was strange; she'd been expecting some sort of confused statement or at least some fighting from the little girl, but instead, she was more focused on her ice cream. Perhaps when she grew up she would realise the weight of what was going on around her.

The woman pulled the door open ever so slightly so that she could slip through the crack and then shut it behind her. Her mind was still reeling from what had just happened, and she wanted to debrief Nate a bit without Norah being able to hear. She didn't feel particularly bad about leaving her alone in the apartment - it wasn't as if she would be getting up to much trouble when there was a bowl of sugar in front of her.

However, before Natalie could say anything about what happened, she was bombarded by a string of words that tumbled out of Nate's mouth. She closed her eyes and put her hand out in front of her, signalling to him to stop. There was so much information for her to process at one moment, and she needed a breather.

Norah was okay with things, there wouldn't be a period of awkwardness where she was unsure about it, and Nate was definitely in with both feet. So what was the problem? She was being inflexible. That was the problem. Usually, she was good on her feet; ready to react to any situation that came up. However, she'd been preparing for a very specific situation for a long time, and she needed to rework the plan in her head. It was difficult to do that when she was being talked at.

Thankfully, Nate slowed his speech. He seemed on edge, and with good reason. He was standing on the edge of fatherhood and disappointment, and she was the one who would push him to either side. It was a mighty responsibility to lay on one person.

She took a breath, closed her eyes, and stayed silent for just a minute, letting it all sink in. Then, she broke the news. 

"She wants to talk to you - to spend time with you. Are you ready?" Was he ready to have his world turned upside down?

Rambling was the easiest thing to do when Nate’s head and heart were filled with so many things. Always one to run through scenarios in his head, there were too many scenes where things went wrong, and a fair share of them started and ended with Natalie stepping out of the apartment to dismiss him.

Natalie raising a hand to halt him was also a common theme in the disappointing outcomes, but he did his best not to get disheartened. Nate’s panic was manifesting into words, and it must have added undue stress to Natalie, who was already preparing herself for a big change in her own life.

They both took a breath, preparing for what came next, but it was Nate breathing a sigh of relief when he was told Norah gave him the green light. He nodded, needing a moment before he could find words again. ”I’m ready. I’ll try not to screw this up.” He prayed to whoever was listening that he would not screw things up.

Filled with nervousness and excitement, Nate followed Natalie into the dining room, where their daughter was enamored with a bowl of ice cream drenched in hot fudge. He grinned, impressed with Nat, who felt this was news big enough to warrant a break in Norah’s strict dietary guidelines. The mother of his child was not shy when it came to playing dirty if it was the best option.

Nate took a seat across from Norah, finally prompting her to look up at Nate with those slate grey eyes. ”Hello,” she greeted with a smile, a spoonful of melting ice cream still present in her mouth.

”Hello, Norah,” Nate replied, unsure of how to breach their conversation. Nat had already dropped the bombshell, so it was not like he was carrying his identity as a secret anymore. What was the best way to reaffirm the news that he was her dad?

Turns out, the task was taken out of Nate’s hands, as Norah introduced the elephant in the room. ”Mommy said you’re my dad.” It was said in a surprisingly casual way. She was not accusatory or nervous. It almost felt like she had said, “Mommy says you’re from North Carolina.” After all the time Nate spent panicking, it was almost catching him off guard how easily Norah was taking the news.

”Your mommy is right. I’m your dad.”

Before Nate could say anything further, Norah interjected curiously. ”So do I still call you Mister Nate?”

”Whatever you feel more comfortable with, Norah. I just want to be part of your life.” Nate was not expecting the “dad” title until he earned it anyway, and he had every intention of doing all he could to deserve it.

The young girl took another spoonful of ice cream and fudge into her mouth, this time waiting until her mouth was empty before replying. ”Mommy said you lived a different life and that’s where you were. But you don’t live a different life anymore now?”

Mommy certainly told Norah a lot, but without a father around, Nat had to make due and make sure her daughter did not think she was just abandoned. ”I don’t. I used to spend a lot of my time going from place to place, so your Mommy never had the chance to tell me about you. But I’ve stopped now. I promise, I’m here for good.” Nate was not prone to making promises, but this was one he wanted to make to Norah and her mother, and nothing short of the New York or Federal Judiciary Systems could make him break it.

Norah finally paused from her ice cream, which Nate believed to be a major accomplishment on his part to earn her attention from so much delicious sugar. ”Mommy said… just because you weren’t here, didn’t mean you didn’t love me.”

Nate felt a pang in his heart, realizing just how much of Norah’s emotional stability was owed to a mother that did everything to keep her daughter safe and happy and loved. ”Your mom was right, as always, Norah. I loved you before I met you, and now that I’m here, I want to make sure you know I always will.”

As much as Natalie might have doubted Nate’s resolve and qualifications at first, she had to admit that she was impressed by him. Despite everything, he was willing and eager put his best foot forward and work toward a relationship with his daughter. He was willing to do his best and try not to screw it up. Norah was a lucky girl.

There were so few people out there with the strength of character to go through the kind of process and act the way that Nate did. Natalie mentally patted her college self on the back for being able to pick out someone like that, even if she hadn’t meant to in the slightest.

Natalie stepped forward, smoothed her dress, and turned the doorknob. She led Nate through the little apartment into the dining room, where Norah was sitting, still more interested in her ice cream than anything else that was going on.

Allowing the man and his daughter to interact without her intervention, Natalie remained standing while Nate sat. She very nearly felt like a mediator in that situation, except that there was nothing to mediate.

Everything that came out of Nate’s mouth was well-received by Norah. She politely asked him a few questions, all of which were extraordinarily civil and honest. Sure, there wasn’t much capacity for anger in the little girl, but Natalie had thought that there would be some hard feelings toward him. She had obviously been wrong.

>>”Your mom was right, as always, Norah. I loved you before I met you, and now that I’m here, I want to make sure you know I always will.”

Norah smiled brightly. ”Okay, erm, mister… dad,” she finished finally, smiling as she dangled her feet off of the chair that was far too high for her.

Natalie turned away, her arms folded over her chest. There was nothing in her eyes. Nothing at all. She cleared her throat and then stepped into the kitchen, ”I’m going to go get some drinks.”

She did not need to go let out a few tears alone. Definitely not.

Nate was sure his heart was going to leap out of his throat when Norah called him dad. No matter how accepting or welcoming she was toward the idea of accepting him in her life, it felt like “dad” was a word he was not going to hear for so long. The way she smiled at him only proved how ready this six-year-old was to make space in her life for a man who owed her so much. There was no hiding the shimmer in Nate’s eyes. His daughter… she sure was something.

Nat walked off to get drinks, and Nate took the opportunity to rub away the tears forming in his eyes. ”You’re a remarkable little girl, Norah. Thank you for letting me back into your life.”

Already shoveling another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, Norah shrugged like she could not fathom why she would have turned Nate away. The child was inherently kind, but equally curious. ”So are you gonna move in with me and mommy then?”

It was a question he was not expecting, though he had every reason to; why would a child not jump to that assumption? ”I… I don’t think so, Norah,” he admitted, hoping it was not disheartening news for the girl. ”Your dad has a different apartment, but I’m in the city, and I’ll be here a lot.”

Norah did deflate the tiniest bit, but sounded almost understanding when she answered, ”Okay.” She bounced back quickly, and there was already another question forming in her head. ”Can I go see your place, dad?”

It still sounded good the second time, and Nate was ready to say yes before he realized that had not yet been established in the terms and conditions with Nat. He was in the process of moving himself from the Mansion to a high-end living quarters in Haven, and he had no problems bringing Norah to visit him. Nate also knew better than to make executive decisions without his co-parent.

Fortunately, Natalie returned to the room with drinks right on time, prompting the question from Nate. ”I would be okay with that, sugar, but only if it’s okay with your mom. She is still the boss,” he reminded Norah, hoping Nat appreciated that reminder.

He turned and asked her, ”Norah wants to know if she’ll be able to see her dad’s apartment soon. Would that be okay with you?”

The coffee pot finished brewing and clicked off with a mechanical click, but Natalie wasn’t paying attention. She had her back pressed against the wall, listening to the conversation between Nate and Norah, wiping under her eyes every few seconds to ensure that her makeup wouldn’t smudge.

>>”Norah wants to know if she’ll be able to see her dad’s apartment soon. Would that be okay with you?”

Natalie was broken from her daze by the question that was directed at her, so she stepped away from the wall and scrambled to get the drinks that she was supposed to be gathering. She hastily poured two coffees and stuck them on a tray with a little saucer of cream and a bowl of sugar. She had no idea what Nate took, so she figured it was better to be over prepared than under.

For Norah, she poured a glass of peach juice and then placed it next to the coffees. Carefully, she picked up the tray and rejoined the two of them out in the dining room. She set a mug and the plastic glass down in front of their respective destinations.

”If you would like to see it, then I’m alright with it,” Natalie nodded slowly at Nate. They could start there and then talk about things after that. They hadn’t ever gone as far as to talk about visitation rights, and that would be a lot to go through. There were weekends and rides between apartments and days out. Then, there were holidays. She did not want to get into holidays.

Norah nodded emphatically, ”I want to go! Can we go right now? Please?” The six-year-old widened her blue-grey eyes and looked between her two parents.

Natalie opened her mouth to say that it was far too late, but then stopped. There was no way she could possibly say no to that face. She glanced at Nate and gave him another intentional glance to tell him that, as long as it was okay with him, she was alright with it.

Natalie had every right to keep Norah’s interactions with Nate limited to her own apartment. It would be understandable; Natalie already proved how much she preferred to have control of a situation. Her apartment was very much in her control, but Nate’s apartment was relatively unknown. (Unless she was using her own status with Haven to check in on his living space, which was a thought Nate selectively chose to disregard.)

Surprisingly, Natalie gave a visit to Nate’s place her go-ahead, and Norah jumped at the chance. Their daughter wanted to see his place that same night, and Natalie stopped herself from objecting. It was funny; Natalie was a domineering, strong-willed lawyer who apparently found herself totally at the mercy of her six-year-old daughter’s requests. It was sweet to see how much she truly loved Norah.

Of course, that put it in Nate’s court to make some effort. ”Norah, isn’t it a little close to your bedtime?”

Norah pouted, and Nate could feel his heart weaken. ”But dad, I don’t even have school tomorrow.” It was a Saturday, after all.

The logic was iron clad, and Nate realized exactly how unprepared he was to handle a “but dad” counter attack. She wanted to see his place, and that would let him spend more time with her; how could he say no? ”Well… alright. It’ll be a quick trip then, and your mom can come, too.” Nate would have time alone with Norah soon enough, but it felt important on that first night to share the time with Natalie. ”Why don’t you finish your ice cream though. If you just leave it there, you’ll have ice cream soup,” he joked, sure his daughter would not care what shape her frozen treat was in, either way.

---

The Haven Headquarters was not a far distance from Natalie’s apartment, and the late-spring, early-summer weather was pleasant, so the three decided to walk, with Norah talking in between her parents. ”Fair warning, I am still moving, so my apartment is not very full yet.” That warning might have been less for Norah than it was for Natalie. Hadden, in his classic decadent fashion, had the apartment luxuriously furnished, but Nate had not done much yet to add to the space.

Coming to a crosswalk, Norah reached for Natalie’s hand on one side, but also for Nate’s hand. ”It’s always important to hold hands when crossing the street! Safety first!”

Nate smiled and nodded, taking the small hand in his own. ”Of course. Very smart.” It was heartwarming to think of the picture painted by the three of them; two parents walking their daughter across the street hand-in-hand. An actual family. It was a picture Nate never saw himself in before, but he liked it.

Surprisingly, Nate took his first opportunity to parent just minutes after stepping into the role. Natalie had intended to let Norah go, since it was a momentous night and she didn’t have to be up in the morning (not that that fact would stop her from waking up at seven am sharp).

Nate, however, pointed out the fact that it was getting very close to Norah’s bedtime. She didn’t stop him, either. He needed to learn the hard way just how difficult it was to say no to Norah, and Natalie had years of practice. It was going to hit him like a ton of bricks, and Natalie was a little bit terrified of that fact. She had her daughter on a strict diet, and it did not need to be broken every time her ‘daddy’ had a weak moment.

Unsurprisingly, Nate caved. Natalie suppressed a snort and went to grab the coats from the closet. They could discuss parenting strategies on a different day.

---

What Natalie had not realized was that rather than a regular apartment, Nate was living in the Haven headquarters. There was nothing specifically wrong with that, but it caught her off-guard. She didn’t want to shield her daughter from what she did, but she also wasn’t entirely sure that she was ready to reveal every detail just yet. They would have to be careful around that area.

The best things about it was that it was very close to her apartment, though. It was well within walking distance, which meant that visits could be as frequent as they wanted. Distance was no longer a factor.

The woman looked down as her daughter grabbed her larger hand in her soft, small one. She was hanging between both parents, like some sort of stock photo. It was simply picturesque. Natalie felt her breath catch in her throat very briefly, but she regained her composure as quickly as she had lost it. They were sort of a family now. This would become normal.

The light turned, and they were free to cross. Like a the well-behaved child that she was, Norah looked both ways before crossing and then pulled her parents forward with surprising strength. Natalie followed willingly, and soon enough they were across the street.

Norah broke her hold on the two adults in order to skip ahead of them rather than walk. Natalie allowed her to go, making sure to always keep her in her line of vision. With their daughter gone, Nate and Nat were able to talk alone for a few fleeting minutes.

”Thank you… for this,” Natalie said, gesturing to their daughter, who was on her merry way without a care in the world. ”Presently and retrospectively. It means a lot that you’re willing to try, even if it will be difficult.”

It was still hard for Nate to handle what variables were acceptable when it came to their daughter’s safety. Nat had clearly done a great job keeping Norah alive for six years, but it was hard not to flinch when Norah jumped ahead of them on the sidewalk. Every negative consequence possible ran through his head: child snatcher, bike courier, runaway bus, or she might fall and skin her knee.

All he could do was follow Natalie’s lead. She kept a watchful eye on Norah’s playful skipping, so Nate did the same, albeit with much less blinking. (Who knows what might happen in the time it took him to blink?

His laser focus was softened slightly by the unexpected thanks given by his co-parent. Maybe he was not expecting appreciation for doing something as simple as being a father from Natalie, who could be sharp-edged at times. Deep down, he understood; many men could have balked at the request. When a curvy ghost from the past returns years later claiming paternity, it could shatter many men who felt they built new lives for themselves, or just wanted to dodge responsibility.

That was not Nate; not anymore, at least. ”Nat… thank you. Getting to meet Norah… really meet Norah… I dunno. I guess I wasn’t aware of how empty a part of me was until now.” His daughter was the puzzle piece that completed his life. Everything from that day forward would just be extra credit. ”She’s really something special, you know?” He looked away from Norah just long enough to share a beaming smile with Natalie. Of course she knew. How could anyone not?

The three of them entered the Haven building, (greeted with a wave and a smile by amicable security at the door,) and gathered into an empty elevator that would take them to Nate’s floor. As they stood watching the light pass from floor number to floor number, something was gnawing at Nate. ”Ever feel like there’s something you just can’t seem to remember?” he mumbled to Nat as he probed his mind for something obvious he was overlooking.

Nate keyed into his apartment and opened the door, which prompted Norah to bolt past him to look around the luxury living space. ”Don’t run,” he jokingly advised, chuckling to himself as he walked into the living room along with Natalie. There was nothing dangerous in the apartment; his kitchen equipment had not even made the move from the Mansion yet. Most of what he had around was furniture, art supplies, and…

Oh, **** me, duh!

Suddenly, Nate’s tone and demeanor became unsure and… almost immediately apologetic. ”So…” Nate began cautiously to Natalie, ”In the rush and excitement of getting to know our wonderful daughter—thank you, by the way,” he added, hoping to get one last moment of sucking up in before thing went decidedly south, ”I may have forgotten to mention… I have a pet.”

As if on cue, Norah emerged from one of the empty rooms, giggling and grinning. ”Mommy! I made a new friend!”

Of course, following at her heels, clicking and warbling happily, was Parker, Nate’s cat-sized spider.

Well, this will go well.

>>”She’s really something special, you know?”

"She is," Natalie nodded. Sure, she was completely biased, but it was the truth. Norah was special. She was bright, and wonderful, and had the disposition of spun sugar. Some days, Natalie wasn't even sure whether she had really raised her or not. It seemed impossible that she of all people could have influenced something so pure.

They entered the Haven residence building and Norah skipped forward ahead of them. She pressed the 'up' button on the elevator, having no actual idea where they were going. When the doors opened, the young girl rushed ahead and raised her arm. Call it mother's intuition, or maybe just really good insight, but Natalie knew exactly what she was going to do. She ran forward in her heels and caught Norah's arm before she could press all the buttons on the wall, making the elevator stop at every floor.

"We don't do that, Norah. Let mi- let Nate press the button for the floor he's on," she told her. She'd slipped up and started to address Nate with the obligatory 'Mister' before realising that there was no need to do that anymore.

Norah pouted ever so slightly, but stepped back from the wall, allowing Nate to press the button. Soon enough, she had become distracted by her reflection in the elevator wall and completely forgot about the ordeal.

>>”Ever feel like there’s something you just can’t seem to remember?”

Rarely, but there had been a few instances. The most recent had been a run-in with a mutant client of hers who she was not particularly fond of. "Occasionally," she said simply, preferring not to go into detail about Noel. She knew if she did, she may have never stopped complaining.

They reached Nate's apartment, and Norah ran forward. Impressively, Nate took over the duty of telling her not to run. Sure, there didn't seem to be any immediate danger, but it was easier to slip and fall at six years old than people assumed. Norah obliged and then disappeared around the corner.

"Stay where we can see you, please!"

>>”I may have forgotten to mention… I have a pet.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't particularly care for pets. They smelled, shed, and were generally just completely unnecessary. If Norah's new dad had a pet, then it might give her ideas. That, or something to hold over Natalie's head when she was older. For a second, she thought about asking how close he was to the pet.

That was until she saw it.

Natalie screamed bloody murder and tossed her purse at the beast that followed her daughter through the apartment. "Norah, get away from that thing," she hissed. She wanted to run away and never look back at the creature, but she couldn't let it get any closer to Norah. Against her instincts, she walked forward and grabbed the girl by the shoulders, trying to edge her away from whatever it was that had infested Nate's apartment.

Nate had a situation to deescalate, and that was all his fault. His head was so full of Norah, he never thought to mention his giant, fear-inducing mutant pet to the mother of his daughter. Her reaction was typical of someone meeting Parker for the first time, if not a little louder. There was a shrillness to her screech he doubted many could compete with. ”Dammit, Nat, neighbors,” he muttered, but was not about to say louder. He was already going to be far enough on her s*** list after this.

To her credit, Norah recognized right away that Parker was friendly. Many children would have been horrified by his appearance, but his daughter was not quick to judge a book by its cover. He was proud, though slightly concerned that her fight or flight mechanics could use some work.

When her mother grabbed Norah by her shoulders, she complied with being pulled away, but she was pouting in protest. Parker was well-versed in “parents and children backing away from him,” and he knew better than to follow. His eight legs shuffled back to give space, and he warbled and clicked, sounding almost disappointed.

”But mommy, he’s friendly,” Norah objected, looking at the dejected arachnid.

This sounded like Nate’s moment. ”She’s right, Nat. He’s a… very long story, but he’s also harmless. No venom, can’t even bite, really.” Parker’s nibbling was just a sign of affection and less dangerous than a kitten’s, but it was better to just explain that he could not bite at all. ”Honestly, he’d be a terrible guard spider, because he loves people too much.”

Nate stood between his pet and his “family,” hoping to keep the peace, (mainly so Nat did not try to step on the spider. ”I didn’t even think about him being here because I just moved him over yesterday, or else I would have warned—”

”Does he have a name, dad?” a small, curious voice interrupted.

Shifting his eyes from Nat’s look of terror and disapproval over to his daughter’s inquisitive gaze, Nate had to readjust himself to the question. ”Huh? Oh, I mean, yes. His name is Parker.”

The greatest thing about high heels was that, when turned around, they could make a decent weapon to spear a freakishly large arachnid with. Natalie had removed her left shoe and was holding it out in front of her like a knife, her other arm wrapped protectively around her daughter. There was no way that she would let the thing get close to her or Norah.

The spider shuffled back, away from the two of them, but Natalie was not convinced. "It's dangerous, love. Don't let it fool you," she insisted. She'd never been one to sugar coat the world or pretend that she was anything more than she was.

Nate was trying to tell her that the spider was harmless. A giant spider. Harmless.

With wide, intense eyes, she turned around, her shoe still pointed out in front of her. Rather than the spider, it was aimed at Nate's throat. "Don't you dare," she hissed, her voice breaking ever so slightly. She was terrified. Absolutely terrified. "You brought our daughter to a place where there's a giant arachnid? I don't care if he has a name or not!"

The spider (she refused to call it by a name) had retreated from the room, finally leaving them alone. Carefully, with her shoe still out, Natalie led Norah into one of the other rooms, careful to go in the opposite direction from the thing. "Stay here, sweetheart. I'm just going to have a chat with your dad."

"Can't I play with Parker, though? He's cute!"

"We'll discuss this later." There would be no discussion. She was absolutely not playing with a giant spider. 

With her daughter situated, Natalie reentered the main room, hellfire in her eyes. She didn't even bother to check the surroundings before she entered. 

Parker had met all the women who mattered to Nate, and some who did not. First impressions aside, most of those women ended up turning around their initial opinions of the bizarre pet. Parker was well behaved, affectionate, and if one could get over the fact that he was a giant spider, he was fuzzy. Quin and Sarah both found it in them to appreciate Parker, and Megan loved the massive arachnid (for obvious reasons.)

Somehow, Nate doubted he would get Natalie to see the light, but he had to make an effort. He still had no clue how long a lifespan Parker had, but if he was anything like the Goliath Bird Eaters he looked like, he might be around for fifteen to twenty years. It would be disappointing if Norah was banned from Nate’s apartment until she was thirty.

The heel of a nice, expensive looking shoe was pointed at Nate’s throat, which he was taking in stride. In his past life, these things occasionally happened, and one had to adjust. Parker picked up on the vibe of the room and retreated to the large hallway closet he “lived in,” giving Nate the chance to explain things without eight eyes watching on. He noted that she still did not drop the shoe at first.

Natalie gathered up Norah, and for a heartbeat, Nate worried she was just going to take his daughter and never return. He breathed a small sigh of relief as she dropped the girl off in a room, warning her parents were going to have a little chat.

While the women were having their little chat, Parker must have assumed the living room was a safe space again, because he skittered toward his owner, trailing wisps of silk through the hardwood hallway. ”No, Parker, it’s still too early—“

And too late, it would seem, as Natalie barged back into the room. Parker realized his mistake, scurrying behind Nate’s pant leg for protection. You silly bug, like she isn’t about to kill both of us.

Natalie’s eyes clearly displayed her vitriol, but Nate worked to keep his tone even and calm. ”You know, for a mutant, you’re surprisingly closed-minded. For all you know, our daughter could become a spider-whisperer when she hits puberty. Heck, she could spawn spiders.” Nate had run into two spider-creating women during his time in New York, so it was not preposterous. ”All I’m saying is maybe you’re jumping the gun here?”

Sure, Nate, she would appreciate that.

While her shoe had made its way back to her foot, Natalie’s finger had taken the place of pointing at Nate. Sure, it wasn’t as pointy or dangerous, but it would still be able to do some damage. It would just be damage of a different kind.

She fumed at the father of her child as she reentered the room. ”How could you do that without telling me? Now’s she’s attached and I have to be the bad guy here. You can’t just waltz into her life and be the cool dad with crazy pets who lets her do whatever she- EIEE!”

Natalie jumped a good foot backward as she spotted the spider that had rejoined them and was trying (and failing) to hide behind Nate. She backed up until she’d reached a wall, at which point, she held herself against it, trying to make sure that she didn’t have any other angles unwatched. Sure, there was only one of it, but it moved with surprising speed.

>>”All I’m saying is maybe you’re jumping the gun here?”

Natalie let her eyes close slowly as she tried to compose herself. Her bottom jaw slid forward slightly, and she licked her lips as she formulated her argument. Sure, she was terrified beyond all logic, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t ready for a fight.

”I’m jumping the gun on making decisions while raising my daughter? Nathaniel, you just came into her life. I’ve raised her for six years. Six years of rules, six years of tears, six years of everything else that comes with being a parent, good or bad. Those six years include a long battle of trying to get her to be okay with not having a pet, and you want to come in here with that thing, get her hopes up, and tell me that I’m jumping the gun?”

Her voice and eyes were steely, flickering between Nate and the spider at his feet. ”You will sit yourself down and rethink that last statement for a while, while I try to figure out what to do with all of this.” A breath came out through her teeth as she tried to think about how she could keep the spider out of both of their lives and let Norah down easily. Why couldn’t it have just been a cat? She would’ve been okay with a cat.

”Mommy? Can I come in now?” Norah’s voice came softly from around the corner. She was peeking her head out of the room that Natalie had placed her in and was wiggling her finger at Parker.