It was finally Saturday. Nick loved Saturday a little more than Sunday. When it came to Saturday, it was cleaning day every other weekend, and Sundays were free for anything. Usually it was a day to organize for the next week's beginning. This was a warm Saturday, cool still clinging to the air in the mid May morning, just before seven thirty in the morning. Today he didn't have much reason to wake up early, but getting into that habit was something he couldn't break out of even if he wanted to. Definitely not for just one or two days a week. So when he woke before his alarm, Nick pressed the disarm button on his alarm and sat up, brushing his dark hair out of his face and digging in his pajama pants' pocket for his hair tie. Pulling the curly locks back, he secured it carefully behind his head and stood up, stretching and glancing out the window. He could see the back yard and the peach tree that was past its budding stage, and smiled a little. Soon enough it would have peaches. Turning from the window, Nick went across the room to the bathroom door, slipping in and taking a quick shower. They rarely lasted more than five minutes, he'd practiced that little feat of magic over a long time.

He was out and dried in less than ten minutes, fishing out a clean white shirt and jeans from his closet to throw on. It would be a warm day, so light colors were definitely necessary. Tying on his white sneakers, Nick stood upright and stretched again, feeling cool and comfortable in the dry air. Stepping out of his beige, brown, and green-painted room Nick picked his way quietly down the hall, nearly tiptoeing past a door that was nearly---but not entirely---closed. He played down the stairs as if there were landmines on each step, avoiding what he knew would creak and stepping where he knew wouldn't. In the front hall, he went through the living room and into the dining room, which slid seamlessly into the bright kitchen. Clean corners, surfaces, and copper appliances to tone down the eye-searing early morning light that came in through the wide windows. He set coffee to start and sat against the center island, thinking about breakfast. Pancakes sounded good, and he knew it was rather universally loved in his household, regardless of how small the population was. Nodding to himself, Nick pulled what he needed out of the pantry and fridge, foregoing any boxed mix for some recipes his mother gave him over the years. He started mixing everything, pausing every few minutes to listen to the quiet in the house.

When the gurgling of the coffee pot sounded, he was already pouring the first few circles of batter into a buttered pan. Letting them cook, Nick pulled a mug out of a nearby cabinet and poured a cup, then pulled orange juice out of the fridge to set on the round table in the dining room. He found a round table bred more conversation when there were more than several people seated. It was nice when he thought about it. Going back to the stove, Nick watched the cooking and studied the clock. Almost eight, now. He wouldn't be late in waking her up, at least. Eight thirty was a perfect Saturday time to get up, in his opinion. And getting out of the house, going to a park or the zoo or the nearby lake sounded amazing, especially on such a warm day.

He finished the last three pancakes, following them with a few strips of bacon and cutting some strawberries into a bowl, then set everything on the table. He was less quiet this time, allowing his feet to meet the portions of steps that creaked. When Nick made it to the door that was only slightly open, he pushed it open gently.

Hearing the sound of the stairs creaking slowly sifted through her consciousness. Lizzy turned a little, her soft pillow caressing her face. The dream she had been having slowly slipping away. Then it was there. The presence of peace that could only be there when her dad was around. Lizzy blinked away and stirred. Turning over, so that she saw his gentle face, she grinned. Her blue eyes lighting up her face. Not minding the mess of her long blond hair, she sat up. Oblivious to all except him. "Daddy!"

With a thud, her feet hit the ground. Never one to take long waking up, she streaked across the room with giggles bubbling from her throat and throwing herself against his legs. "Good morning!" She held on with her little arms and leaned back to stare delightfully up into his face. Complete trust and a hint of mischief shown from her eyes. Her pink nightgown not a hindrance to her whatsoever.

His adopted daughter was the sweetest thing he could imagine. Nick was in no way disillusioned, Lizzy was the main thing he lived for and no matter how bad it got for him he always had a smile tucked away for her. When she sprung up from her bed full of her usual energy, Nick laughed and bent down to scoop her up. "Hey, sweetie, good morning!" With a single swift movement he twirled her around and set her in the center of the room. "So it's Saturday, what do you want to do?" He had a list in mind, but one didn't sound better than another. They were on an even scale, really, because most were outdoors.

When he set her down, Nick went over to her closet to thumb through appropriate clothing. She had just about every color on and off the rainbow collected in the room, which was longer than it was wide. "And, Liz, I've got pancakes and strawberries waiting downstairs that are cooling pretty fast." He added with a smile, glancing over his shoulder. She was such an angel, and her beautiful---if rather messy---blonde hair just reiterated that fact. He couldn't imagine having turned his back on her seven years ago.

She grinned up at him, "It's okay daddy. You can get dressed in one of my dresses while I eat them all up." With a squeal, Lizzy turned and raced out of the room. Her giggles following behind her. Her little feet patted along the hall and she jumped from stair step to stair step, counting them out loud as she went. Reaching the bottom, she turned called back up, "Just don't wear yellow daddy. It is not your color!"

Giggling, she dashed on through to the kitchen and looked around. It was evident that her daddy had been busy this morning. Skipping delightedly through to the diningroom, she slipped past the enticing breakfast and hid behind a curtain. The potted plant at the bottom hid her feet. She grinned. She had been saving this hiding space for the perfect moment to use. Normally she would climb into the hall bench or in the pantry closet.

Nick's eyes widened, then he laughed, turning around and pulling a sundress with him. It was bright blue with yellow trim, and taking it off the hanger, tucking it in the crook of his arm and following the laughter. Nick was glad to be just twenty seven years old, having been twenty when he adopted the sweet newborn from her too-young mother. She hadn't even wanted to see Lizzy after she'd been born, hadn't wanted to hold her child. He understood why. She hadn't wanted to become attached to her. Nick had just started his first webcomic and it was doing well, so he'd been able to adopt the little girl with few problems. Beyond the fact that he was unmarried and no one even knew his sexual orientation. He had kept certain details extremely quiet in case someone wanted to take his newly adopted daughter away. Now he was less guarded.

Going downstairs, Nick searched the rooms. Behind chairs, under tables. He pressed through the dining room and kitchen and paused. Glancing back, he spied a curtain moving. "Liiiizzy! Where aaaare you?" He tiptoed through the dining room again and paused with his back to the curtain. "Where is she...?" He sighed exaggeratedly, setting the dress down on the chair by him. "I was gonna take her to the park, or to the lake, or maybe to the zoo or that museum with all the underground caverns and playhouses..." He looked around again, turning in a circle. "I guess she doesn't wanna go!" He called.

With a shout of exasperation, Lizzy called out while untangling herself from the curtain. "I'm right here daddy! I'm here! Let's go to the lake! Can we feed the birds strawberries?" She finally tumbled out and into his arms. Grinning up at his face, she added, "You look much nicer when you are not wearing a yellow dress." She grinned and wrapped her little arms around him as much as she could. "Thank you for making breakfast. Are you hungry? Or did you fill up on coffee already?"

Nick laughed, bending down to hug Lizzy. "I don't think I'll ever wear a yellow dress, sweetie." Nick said with a laugh, and released the seven year old. "I don't think I'd look too good in any color dress, do you?" Going around the table, he set the dress on another seat beside Lizzy. "I think I could eat." He said with a smile, pulling back the chair beside him for Lizzy. "How about you? I think it'd be better to get syrup all over your gown and not what you're gonna wear today, eh?" He grinned, hoping wouldn't have a head of syrup an blonde hair to scrub later. That pale hair was beautiful, but could get into the messiest, most strange places.

Grinning, Lizzy hopped up into the chair beside her daddy. Drinking some orange juice, she asked, "What are we going to do at the park? Will it involve animals?" Moving onto her plate, she went quiet as she munched. Talking and eating never went together with her. She loved her food that much. Studying her daddy as she ate, she wondered if he was happy. So as soon as she finished her food and swallowed the last bite, she asked. "Daddy... are you happy?" She remembered other kids having two parents, and couldn't help but wonder if she was enough.

Nick gave a very sly smile. "Maybe animals are involved." He said simply, then picked up his fork and started swirling the top of his three pancakes over the others, flipping it over before starting in on it. Lizzy was a pretty clean young thing, but accidents did happen and syrup liked to string when one wasn't looking. He studied the plate in front of him, thinking he'd have to do dishes before things dried and made it hard to handle later, then glanced up to Lizzy.

"Of course I am, Liz... Why do you ask?" He furrowed his brow, cradling his head in his hand. Maybe she was growing aware that she had only one parent. But he was happy with just her, and didn't know how she'd react when he told her if she had two parents, she might not have a mommy, specifically. He was worried how she might react to that.

Lizzy wasn't sure how to respond. She couldn't quite figure out why she had asked. After all, he was always smiling whenever she was around. Surely she was enough family for him. Still, sometimes the kids at school talked. One of them in particular had quoted the Bible to her. Something about not good for man to be alone. She was a girl, so she was safe especially with her daddy. But daddy was a man and he was alone according to her classmate. Evidently adults needed adults around.

Shrugging, she grinned up at him. There were ways to make that furrowed brow smooth out. She took the tip of her fork and gently dabbed syrup on his nose. "Oh daddy, you have a biiiig mess." She giggled up at him, her joy filling her face. There were always ways to make daddy happy and sometimes just being silly was the best, and most fun, way.

Instantly Nick's confusion---and deep thoughts---melted away in the moment Lizzy's laughter rang out, and he wiggled his nose. "Oh, yeah?" He pulled a finger through the syrup on his plate and slid it down her nose. "I know I do, and she's right there!" He scooped the dress and the little girl up and threw them both over his shoulder. "Now the mess is gonna get cleaned up before we go to the lake, or she'll be a snack for all kinds of icky bugs."

Up the stairs and halfway down the hall, he set Lizzy on the ground again and pushed the door open. Hanging the dress on a low towel rack, he sat on the side of the deep bathtub and started warm water. "You'll be fine up here while I do dishes, yeah?" He asked Lizzy, glancing up at her. "I'll get things all cleaned up and we can leave right after." Hopefully some of the dog walkers would be out on such a nice day, Lizzy would love that. He thought about getting her a pet, but never figured if it should be for her birthday or a random surprise. He was still so indecisive about that.

Giggling all the way up the stairs, Lizzy tried to twist around. But her daddy had a pretty good hold on her so she stayed pretty safely in place. Reaching the bathroom, she waited until he sat her down. Then she pointed out, "But what about your nose?" Then before he could respond, reached into the bathtub and flicked a little bit of water up at his face. Only a few droplets made it that far, but it brought an even bigger smile to her face.

"I think you should go find your own bathtub. This one is mine." Her eyes twinkling, she attempted a stern look and cutely crossed her arms and lightly tapped one barefoot toe.

Nick laughed, ruffling Lizzy's hair and shutting the water off when it was deep enough. "I have my own bathtub, Liz, this one's yours for now." He used a little of the warm water to wipe the sticky syrup off his nose, then stood. "I'll be right back, okay?" Stepping out, he went into Lizzy's room and retrieved some underthings, bringing them into the hall bathroom and setting them on her dress. "Now, you get clean, no playing around. We have lots of time to play when we head out, okay? I'll be up in ten minutes, so don't make a mess!" His voice was stern, but his eyes soft. He had never truly gotten mad at Lizzy, she was so well behaved he was sure he could leave her alone at any point and she'd be a perfect angel without having to be told. Her teachers loved her, as he'd been told during several parent-teacher conferences, and it was all he could do not to explode with pride.

He left the door open slightly when he stepped out, and went downstairs to clean the dirty dishes and then pack a bag with snacks, water, and juice in case they got too preoccupied for lunch. It wouldn't be the first time, at least, that they completely lost track of time.

Watching daddy leave, Lizzy then turned and stripped off her pajamas. Dropping them to the floor, she started to get into the bathtub, but stopped. Pausing, she remembered that the laundry was supposed to go into the basket. She really wanted to get into the warm water but, the laundry wasn't supposed to be on the floor. Turning, she scooped up the gown and opened the laundry basket. Dropping them inside, she turned and went to climb into the bathtub without a second though.

Warm water was always fun to play in. She ducked under and blew bubbles. Then came up, hair dripping everywhere, to play a little more. However, the sounds of daddy downstairs working was a constant reminder that she rather play with him than this by herself. So it didn't take her long to climb out, drain the tub, and dry off. Dancing merrily into the next room, she looked at the outfit he had placed out for her. It was a lovely combination of colors. She was particularly fond of the blue. Dressing, she went to the window and looked out, distracted by some birds on a nearby tree branch. A small grin lit up her face.

With the dishes clean, dried, and put up, Nick pulled together fruits and peanut butter and stowed them in travel bowls, and filled a few bottles with water and apple juice. Sliding an ice pack into the bag, he took it into the living room and set it on the chair nearest the front hall. He went upstairs, glancing toward the bathroom door and finding it open, the light off. He paused, looking into Lizzy's room and leaning in. "Well, you smell a lot better now." He joked, joining Lizzy by the window and looking out. Instead of looking up, following her gaze, he looked across the street to the houses in that direction. He could see some people, and lingered on a few, but never brought it to attention. For the most part he wanted his attention on Lizzy, not smothering, but attentive. Watchful.

Glancing over at her daddy, she cuddled against his arm and let her head rest against him. "The birds are always so happy daddy. I like that. I want us to always be like the birds." Again she thought about how her daddy didn't have anyone but her. She decided to do her best to be enough. Looking up and grinning, she asked, "So what would it take to get braids today instead of pig tails?"

Nick smiled, running a hand over Lizzy's pale hair. The same hair as her mother. He hadn't spoken to his old friend in a very long time, and was wondering how she was. But she didn't want to see Lizzy---she was too afraid of meeting the girl, and Nick sometimes wondered why he even tried sometimes. She was across the country, after all, having moved not long after giving birth to Lizzy. "Well I think you're gonna have to say 'please' and 'thank you'." He moved sideways, pulling a few ponytail holders off the dresser and sat on the chair in the corner. "How many you want? Two? Ten? Maybe a whoooole head full of braids?" He laughed, imagining it and shaking his head.

Giggling, she followed shaking her head. "Please, may I have two french braids?" She clamored onto the leg rest that sat in front of the chair so he could reach her hair. Looking back at him, she grinned, "And daddy, I love you." Then obediently straightened up so that he could work on her hair.

Nick was always struck by how Lizzy seemed to know just when to say the right thing. Like the little girl had a sixth sense, digging into his mind to pick out all the negative and fill it with positive. He smiled, picking up her soft brush and beginning to section it. "I love you too, Lizzy." He said softly, starting on the two braids she had requested. He'd learned very, very early how to do buns, ponytails, braids of every kind, and some crazy hairstyles that were always sure to make the little girl laugh and fall over. With his mother's help, anyway. She'd always been fond of mentioning that her little boy liked to have little girl's hair sometimes, and she'd busy herself with styling it. If only Nick could remember that... "All done!" He said, ticking Lizzy's neck.

Gasping in delight, she wiggled around and crawled up her daddy's chest so she could clasp her arms around his neck. With a sweet voice, she said, "Thank you" and gave him a peck on the cheek. Then deciding that was where she wanted to stay, she tightened her grip, knowing that even if she didn't, her daddy would never let her fall. He always kept her safe. That was just a fact of life that she took for granted.

Nick smiled and felt an overwhelming sense of love, able to stand easily and spin Lizzy in his arms a few times across the room. "You're welcome, love." He said, kissing her forehead. "You always look so pretty with your hair braided. Must be your Grandma's lessons, eh?" He laughed, setting Lizzy on the floor. "Now, we gonna go to the lake, or no? You do want to see the dogs today, don't you?" He crossed his arms and tilted his head in faux curiosity, as if he had no idea.

Squealing and jumping in place, she exclaimed, "Of course I want to go!" Racing out of the room, she yelled behind her, "Daddy you are so slow today! That isn't gray hair you are getting is it?" Taking the steps a bit more slowly, but no less enthusiastically, she raced to the front door and came to a halt. "I'm already here and waiting on you too. You must be getting old to become so slow."

Nick laughed and shook his head. He didn't go after her immediately---he stopped, staring at the door and smiling a little. He was glad that he was in such good shape, enough to keep up with a seven-year-old's energy. But sometimes he thought it might be nice if he had someone to help. Someone he loved as much as little Lizzy. Shaking his head, Nick followed. "Oh, if I'm getting older it's because of you, kid!" He hurried down the stairs and gathered his keys, wallet and the bag he'd prepared from the chair. "Get out there, you, or I'll get'ya!" He wriggled his fingers at Lizzy like giant spiders and growled.

Squealing in delight, she turned and tugged at the door. Remembering then to unlock it before bolting past the screen too. Reaching the yard, she turned laughing to watch him come outside. "Last one to the car is a rotten egg!" Dashing ahead to the vehicle, Lizzy reached her door and laughing still, leaned against it. "Come on daddy. The puppies are waiting for us."

Nick was grinning like a fool when he stepped outside, watching Lizzy. She was such a sweet thing, he couldn't stop thinking that. Just tall enough to be able to go without a booster seat in the front of the car, she was really getting big. He was almost sad at that. Soon she would be a teenager, and he would be worrying over her constantly. Maybe she would get rebellious. Maybe she would start to feel indifferent toward him. Maybe she'd lose interest in spending time with her old dad, though he'd barely be thirty five when she was fourteen. That wasn't old, at least. He didn't think so, anyway. Locking the front door, Nick hurried to the car and unlocked it a few steps away. "Okay, you, get in. We'll catch the early loungers." He opened Lizzy's door and let her in, then went around to the driver side and set the bag on the floor under her feet. "Buckle up, ready to go?" He did as he told her to do and started the engine.