Daddy?

Daddy?
Present Day

Nothing had come to light in the next few weeks. The case it would seem went cold. Alex kept trying to find more on the case, but nothing came to light. The code hadn't been fully broken so they didn't have anything to look into. In the long run, the case forgotten. Even Alex hadn't been able to find the thread that would solve it. No blood, nothing that could link someone to give the family closure. Over the years Alex tried time and again to find the answer but nothing worked.

"Misha, have you ever been to Florida?" Alex asked when he walked into the living room of the house.

"A few times of the years, not one I like. Too hot for me." Misha smiled brightly as he sat with her on the couch.

"I have to agree, my mind was on a case that I never found the answer to." Alex looked up at the TV, seeing a holiday show on.

"Over the years, I am sure you have had more than one or two of those. It would be a horror to not be able to solve a case." Misha looked from the TV to Alex.

"Most of the cases were open and shut. This case should have been, but the man ended up dead." Alex told her with a sigh.

"Oh lord, that is bad. How did that happen?" Misha thought about it, then sighed. "Sorry, you didn't solve it."

Alex sighed as he looked at the TV again and didn't want to watch it. Standing, he kissed Misha on the forehead, leaving the room. He was in a horrible mood and didn't want to pout that on anyone else in the house. So he went to the office again, sitting at his desk. Papers were on the desk about other cases he had solved. Each one he could see the faces of those that helped. A few didn't like the outcomes, but he did the job as it should have been done. He could recall the case with Crystal, when she left to go live with the fae again. It hurt his heart that he couldn't see or talk to her any longer. Alex had always been able to chat with her about the cases. That one however didn't go over well. She had been with him during the case and they both couldn't figure it out. Neither could the cops at the time. So they had put it in the cold cases, where it was still there.

When he looked up, he saw Hem walking toward the door. Alex smiled at his friend and welcomed him into the office. With his size he made the room seem small. When he leaned on the wall looking toward Alex he gave a half smile.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, his smile falling.

"Got word that a child was found wandering by the lake. It looks to be around four years old. In Fae however, it would be a teen, maybe a bit younger." Hem explained with a frown on his face. "Someone said that the child was looking for you."

"Why would a fae child know me?" Alex wasn't sure what would bring a child here. How would they know who he was?

"Two of the ladies that live in the forest said that it looks like you." Hem explained, which made Alex up to his feet.

"That isn't possible, vampires can't have children. At least that is what I was told when I was very young. Unless we turn the person, that is the only child we could have." Alex looked at Hem for an answer.

"I don't know. We would have to go and get the little one." Hem told him, but by the time the words came out Alex was already moving. "Wait!"

It didn't dawn on him that he should have checked the time, nor did it matter at the moment. He had to find the child and see who it was. Crystal had told him that he couldn't have any more children. If this child was his, he wanted to know. To give the poor thing a home, a life that was filled with love. When he stopped at the edge of the lake he waited to see if a child was there. A moment later Hem appeared beside him looking unhappy.

"If you had waited a moment, I would have told you the child isn't here any longer. It is at the clinic being looked after by a few of the Elves." Hem told him, then watched as Alex spun around and ran. He sighed as he shook his head at Alex and the way he was acting.

Hem could understand to a certain point. The trouble was they needed Alex to calm down long enough to find out what was really going on. As he followed Alex back to the house, he could see the fae watching. He didn't stop until he put a hand on the door. In the one motion he was thrown from the door. Hem helped him up when he came to a stop in front of him. Alex looked from the door to his hand then to Hem.

"What the hell was that?" Alex showed his hand to Hem. It had a burn that looked almost to the burn.

"I am not sure to be honest. I had noticed that things had changed in the area since the fae started coming through here. I didn't expect them to put a ward on the door. Let me get that cleaned up." Hem walked up opening the door to glare at a few of the ladies in the room. "Who did the ward?"

"We're so sorry, we didn't mean to harm him. With the child here we worried that something that harm her." She told Hem with a sigh.

"A girl?" Alex asked when he entered the room

"Dad!" A young girl ran out of the back room. Her long brown hair was braided with flowers in it. A small crown sat on her head. Bright blue eyes looked up at him as she slammed into him. She was so small that Alex was worried that he would harm her. Hem was right that she was about the size of a four or five-year-old. The way she moved was more like a teen. She was pale like Alex, but had her mother's features.

"I am not sure if I am your dad, but I would be honored to be." Alex felt tears in his eyes as he held her close. She smelled of flowers, with a hint of something he couldn't place.

"Mother told me who my father was. It was you, always you. No other name but yours." She told me holding on as I held her close.

"Well your mother should explain a little more to me. I didn't know anything about it." Alex told her kissing her forehead. "What did she name you?"

"Dorcas." She said with a bright smile.

Alex felt his heart leap and break at the same time. Why would she name the child that?