Author: usmgrad
Subject: HBX challenge August 2008 - Daddy's Date

Title: Daddy's Date, HBX Challenge August 2008

Author: usmgrad

Disclaimer: The characters belong to someone else, except for Emily and she’s all mine. I’ve borrowed them so Emily could have parents. I’ll return them unharmed (what a depressing thought) when I’m done with them.

This challenge response was written for the pure enjoyment of the readers.


Harm missed this when he was gone, Emily's bedtime ritual. She had already brushed her teeth, had her drink of water, and been to the bathroom, twice. Harm now watched as Emily decided which of her stuffed friends was going to be "allowed" to be in bed with her for the bedtime story and finally dreamland. This process usually took quite a while and sometimes the bed was overflowing with companions. But tonight was different, only two made the final cut; a pink fish Harm had given her upon his arrival home earlier that afternoon and Fuzzy Bear, a comfort bear purchased by Harm in desperation one night when she was sick. Emily climbed into bed with her friends and was ready for her story. With everyone comfortable, Harm began to read. He was a bit surprised when Emily didn't interrupt the story with her usual barrage of questions. No animal menagerie and no questions, something was bothering his princess.

As Harm placed the finished book on the bedside table, Emily finally spoke, however she was so quiet Harm almost didn’t hear her. "Daddy did you miss Mommy when you were gone?"

"Yes, I did." Harm was relieved Emily had finally broken her silence, but wondered about the reason for the question.

Holding tight to Fuzzy Bear and still whispering Emily asked another question, "And did you miss me when you were gone?"

Harm had expected this question earlier in the afternoon. It was usually the second question Emily asked when he returned home from a trip, right after did you bring my anything? Hugging his princess, he kissed the top of her head and reassured her, "I sure did. Did you know I didn't have anyone to read to while I was gone? I had to read to myself."

Emily smiled; she liked it when her daddy read to her. With a little more confidence, Emily continued with her questions, "Daddy, is Mommy your special girl?"

"Yes." Harm was beginning to wonder if something had happened while he was gone that he should know about.

"What about me?"

"You my dear daughter are my very special girl." Harm hugged his daughter again but was a little concerned about the doubts Emily was expressing. He would definitely have to find out from Mac what happened while he was gone.

Emily smiled, but Harm could tell something was still on her mind.

"Daddy when you came home you took Mommy out."

Harm chuckled, "Actually Mommy took me out." ‘Out’ consisted of dinner at the General’s house, no one was excused.

"Mommy called it a date."

"Yah, I guess it could be considered a date. Did you have a good time with Carrie?"

Carrie was a neighborhood teenager that babysat Emily when Harm and Mac had to go to official functions. Emily always had a good time with Carrie.

"Uh, huh, we painted our fingers and toes. Look it's the same color as my new fish." Kicking off the covers she showed her daddy the bright pink polish gracing her toes as she wiggled her fingers in front of his face.

"They are very pretty, guess your new friend fits right in." Harm stood to tuck his daughter in again. "Now back under the covers. What else did you and Carrie do?"

"We had popcorn and watched 'Finding Nemo' (Emily's favorite movie)." Emily yawned, the excitement of the day finally catching up with her.

"I'm glad you and Carrie had a good time. But now it's time for sleep." Harm leaned down and kissed his daughter on the forehead, hoping her doubts as to his love for her had been quashed. He then moved about the room, turning off lights and picking up stuff animals that didn’t make the "cut" to sleep with Emily. Harm was sure Emily would be asleep by the time he returned for one final goodnight kiss.

Emily yawned again, but wasn't quite ready to close her eyes. "Daddy, can you take me out on a date?"

Sitting back down on the bed Harm was surprised at the request. "A date?"

Emily yawned again, "Uh,huh, like you and mommy, only you and me."

"You think we can get Carrie to babysit Mommy?"

Emily laughed, "That's silly Daddy, Mommy doesn’t need a babysitter."

"She doesn’t? Oh, okay.” The way Emily looked, Harm could tell she was serious about this date. “So where should we go on our date?"

"Can we go to dinner?"

"Out to dinner with my very special girl, I think we can do that."

"But not chicken donalds, we go there with Mommy."

"Okay," In all seriousness, Harm extended an official invitation. "Miss Emily Ann would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night, just you and me, no mommy and not at chicken donalds?"

"I would love to, Daddy." Emily kissed her daddy’s cheek.

As he tucked his princess in one last time and gave her a final goodnight kiss, Harm noticed a happy, 'I got what I wanted' smile on Emily’s face and wondered if he had just been had. Shaking his head Harm was amused, life with Emily sure was interesting.

As Harm wandered into the living room with his own smile, Mac looked up from the book she was reading, "I was about to send in the Marine, what took so long?"

"It seems you have competition."

Eyebrows raised slightly, Mac inquired, "Excuse me? Competition for what?"

Harm was now grinning from ear to ear, "Me."

That got Mac's attention, she knew Emily was Daddy's girl but now she was competition?

"Oh, really, and what does my competition have that I don’t have?"

"A dinner date with me, tomorrow night." Harm lightly kissed the top of Mac's head and headed to the den, leaving a speechless Marine behind in the living room.



The next night:


At the appointed hour, Harm snuck out the back door and came around to ring the front door bell.

From inside the house Mac called for Emily at the same time she approached the front door.

Opening the door Mac found her husband, dressed to the nines and sexy as . . . , well very sexy. She frowned and complained, "That's not fair."

Harm was puzzled, "What?"

"Do you know what that look does to me?"

Coming in the house as an invited guest, Harm leaned toward Mac as he passed her and whispered in her ear, "How about you show me later, when I get back from my date."

Turning his attention to his daughter, Harm presented her with a bunch of daisies "Good evening Miss Emily, these are for you."

Emily took the offered flowers, "Look Mommy, Daddy brought me flowers. He didn't bring you flowers when he took you on a date."

"No he didn’t." Mac said quietly, staring at her husband. Harm looked apologetic for a moment than smiled and winked at his wife. She might not get flowers, but there were other fringe benefits she enjoyed being married to the charming Captain.

"They are very pretty, I like daisies. Thank you. Daddy"

"I know you do and you're welcome."

Reaching for the flowers, Mac suggested, "Why don’t you let me put the flowers in water for you so you and daddy can get going."

Emily held tight to the flowers, "No Mommy they're mine and I want to take them with me."

Seeing a possible impasse between his two girls Harm offered a quick compromise, "Em, how about you take a few flowers with you and let Mommy put the rest in a vase, so you can enjoy them when we get back from dinner."

At first Emily wasn’t sure about the arrangement, but changed her mind when Mac assured her skeptical daughter the vase of flowers would be next to her princess bed when she returned from her date.

With a few flowers in hand, father and daughter started down the walk to the car. Emily turned waved to her mom, "Bye Mommy, don’t wait up."

Mac chuckled, "Bye sweetheart, have a good time with Daddy."


Arriving at the restaurant, Harm informed the hostess he had a reservation. As they were seated Emily was curious, "Daddy what's a reservation?"

"That's when you call the restaurant and tell them what time you want to eat and where you want to sit."

"And you called?"

"Sure did, told them I was bringing a very special date and needed a table next to the big fish tank."

Emily was thrilled to be seated so she could watch the fish swim. But when it came time to place their order, she became nervous. "Daddy if you order fish, are they going to get it out of the tank?"

"No sweetheart, the fish in the tank are just for looking, not eating."

Assured that her new friends were safe, Emily relaxed a bit. "Good. Can I have chicken nuggets?"

Harm laughed, "sure baby anything you want."

After the orders had been placed, the questions began. Why were the fish in the tank? How did they get there? Where did they come from? How come they were different colors? Harm was doing a good job keeping up with answers until Emily asked how many fish were in the tank. Harm was momentarily at a loss for an answer so she asked the waiter who was placing her dinner selecting in front of her. Seeing Harm struggle for an answer, the waiter told Emily he wasn't sure how many there were, why didn’t she count them for him. Harm quietly thanked the waiter for the save.

Counting the fish became the dinner’s entertainment. By the time desert was served each fish had been counted, named, and some, thanks to Harm and the waiter, had a funny story told about them.

Emily continued to ask questions and talk about the fish all the way home. How did her daddy know that Sam was a boy fish? Why did Stinky always swim alone? How come Fido looked like a cat? Harm was afraid she would never run out of questions.

By the time they arrived home, Emily was finally winding down. Escorting his daughter to the front door Harm prepared to officially end their 'date' "Well, Miss Emily I had a wonderful time tonight"

"I did too Daddy" Emily said looking up at him with her big brown eyes, "can we do it again?"

Harm smiled, he never could resist big brown eyes, "Of course we can."

"Tomorrow night?"

Harm chuckled, "Well maybe not tomorrow night. How about you and I agree to do something special once a month?"

Emily thought about it a minute and then agreed, "Okay Daddy."

Harm bent down to Emily's level to shake her hand in agreement, at the same time Emily rose up to hug her daddy's neck.

Before he could react, Emily whispered in his ear, "It works better if you put your arms around me, Daddy."

Doing as he was told, he wrapped his arms around his very special girl.

"You're absolutely right Em, it works better this way."





A/N - "chicken donalds" is what my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter calls McDonalds. I couldn’t resist!