You Don't Have to Be Scared

Andrew sighed as he walked into his bedroom, cracking the door before he stripped of his t-shirt and jeans. He ran his fingers through his short brown hair before setting an alarm on his cell phone for 7 in the morning, so he could get Lilly to the rank on time. Andrew gladly crawled under the covers, his eye lids heavy as they adjusted to the darkness of the room. He sighed as he reached over into his nightstand and grabbed the photo that held so many memories. It was easily his favorite picture, his daughter being placed into his arms for the first time, Sarah grinning as she looked over Andrew’s shoulder, her fingers tracing small but gentle circles on her newborn daughter’s cheek.

Sometimes he wished he could go back to that moment in life, where everything was so perfect and easy. Where all he had to do was play hockey and come home to his family. But, Andrew knew that things would never go back to that. He knew that he would never get back with Sarah, even if she came back to him, begging on her hands and knees. He wouldn’t.

Andrew slightly jumped as he heard the thunder, he quickly placed the picture back into his night stand, knowing that his baby girl would come running into his room at any second. Just as he picked up his remote control, he heard the soft pitter patter of his baby girl, and he grinned softly.

“Daddy?” Lilly called, sticking her head in the room, “Can I sleep with you?”

Andrew nodded his head, but remembered that she couldn’t see him with the room being dark. “C’mon,” He said, patting the empty spot next to him.

Lily jumped and ran across the room as lighting lit the room. She dived right onto Andrew’s bed, her arms wrapping around Andrew’s neck as thunder filled the room.

Andrew chuckled as he placed a kiss on his daughter’s forehead, moving her dark chocolate hair back in the process, “Daddy’s got you,” He cooed softly to her, wrapping his strong arms around her. “It’s alright.”

Lilly whimpered softly as she turned her head so that she could have a good look at her dad. “You’ll protect me right?”

Andrew nodded, “Always.”

Lilly clung closer to Andrew as lighting stroke. “Promise?”

Andrew licked over his lips as he nodded his head, “Promise,” He said, placing a kiss on her forehead, “Daddy will never let anything bad happen to you. Never, I promise.” Lilly nodded her head, her dark chocolate eyes closing in the process.

Andrew softly rubbed her back, as he hummed her to sleep. It was something that he would do her for her when she was a baby and couldn’t sleep. His grip tightened on Lilly as he thought about what he told her. He would never allow anything bad to happen to her. He’d protect her until the end, he’d always be there for his baby girl. And the thought of Lilly being hurt or in danger made his stomach churn.

“I love you daddy,” Lilly whispered, her voice coated with sleep.

“I love you to, Lils,” Andrew said, sliding down on the bed and pulling the covers over his body and Lilly’s. One thing was certain, Andrew Ladd loved his daughter and would go to the end of the world if she asked him to.

* * *

Andrew let out a sigh as he pushed open the doors of ‘Maddie’s Figure Skating’. He was late. Again. No surprise there. Through it wasn’t his fault. As the new captain, he had to stay behind to talk to his coach about some new hockey strategies. He let out a groan as he realized that Maddie probably wouldn’t believe him. She had warned him time and time again, that if he was going to be late to call. It wasn’t that she didn’t mind staying late with her students, but she wasn’t a babysitter. She was a firm believer in parent participation, and Andrew had been slacking in his.

Andrew walked through the hallways, his hands tucked into the pockets of his dark wash jeans, he licked over his lips before finally reaching the small rink that his daughter practiced in. He smiled as he saw his daughter holding onto her coach’s hand. He got a sense of pride whenever he watched her skate, she just took to the ice naturally.

“Hey, daddy!” Lilly yelled, letting go of her coach’s hand. “Look what I can do!”

Andrew watched Lilly with wide eyes as she did a simple camel jump. He knew that it took some people years to perfect, but his baby girl had just did it perfectly.

“Way to go!” He yelled, a grin on face. “You did great!”

Lilly grinned pushing some of her hair behind her ear, “Thank you. Miss Maddie has been helping me with it,” She informed her father.

Maddie chuckled softly before licking over her lips, “Could I talk to you Andrew?” She asked, softly biting over her bottom lip.

Andrew nodded his head and Maddie skated off the ice, taking a seat next to Andrew on the bench.

“Your late, again,” She pointed out.

Andrew ran his fingers through his hair, “I know, I’m really sorry, Maddie. I know your probably really pissed at me. I should of called.”

“Actually, I wasn’t really mad about that,” Maddie admitted with a small blush, “Your always late on Thursdays and Mondays when you guys don’t have games. Don’t worry about it.”

Andrew breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you. For a second there, I thought you were gonna tell me that you wouldn’t coach Lilly anymore. Not only would she be crushed, but I would be to.”

Maddie chuckled softly, “I like coaching Lilly. She’s a very bright girl and my favorite to coach. She has a lot of potential Andrew.”

“Thank you,” Andrew sighed, his green eyes bright. “So, what did you want to tell me?” He asked, eyes trained on the ice as Lilly skated, her brown hair flowing.

“Actually,” Maddie said, standing up and licking over her lips, “That was it. I just wanted to let you know that I know that you’ll be late on Thursdays,” She flashed him a smile before hopping off the bench and onto the ice.

Andrew licked over his lips, before reaching out and grabbing her hand. “Wait.”

Maddie turned around, her eyebrows raised in confusion and a slight blush on her cheeks. Their was no denying that she had feelings for Andrew, she liked him. But a relationship would never work, because she was coaching his daughter and she couldn’t date one of her student’s parent.

“Is there something else I can help you with?” She asked, noticing that he still hadn’t let go of her hand.

“Yes,” Andrew answered standing up, “Will you have dinner with me and Lilly tomorrow?” He asked. He wasn’t sure where his newfound confidence was coming from, but he wasn’t going to complain about it. Asking Maddie out, had been something he wanted to do since he first met her.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea Andrew,” She answered truthfully, “I can’t have a relationship with a parent.”

“I understand,” Andrew said with a nod of his head, “But have dinner with me and Lilly as a friend. Just a friend, noting else.” It was hard for him to say that, when he wanted it to be so much more.

Maddie softly bit her bottom lip, she didn’t see anything wrong with having dinner with him as a friend. “Okay,” She finally answered, “How about, I make dinner for you and Lilly?”

Andrew chuckled softly, “Lilly told you how bad of a cook I am?”

Maddie smiled, “Apparently, your horrible,” She laughed, cocking her head to side, “How do you burn toast?”

Andrew shrugged, “I’m not that bad of a cook. There are just some things that I can’t cook.”

“How about we just leave the cooking to me?” She asked, before skating away.

* * *

“Why are we going to Maddie’s house?” Lilly asked, as Andrew ran a brush through her hair.

“So we can have dinner with her,” Andrew answered, sitting the brush down and placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Why are we having dinner with her?” Lilly asked, jumping down from her fathers lap, “It she your girlfriend?”

Andrew nearly chocked on his spite, “My girlfriend?” He asked, “Where did you hear that from?”

Lilly shrugged, “I dunno!” She said, with a cute smile. “If you like someone then she’s your girlfriend.”

“I never said I like her Lils,” He said, but he did. He liked Maddie. “And second if you like someone that person is not your girlfriend,” He said, standing up and handing Lilly her jacket. “Anyways, we need to get going.”

Andrew picked up Lilly and left his house, locking his door. It took him about 30 minutes to get to her house. Even through he had been in Atlanta for a while, he wasn’t used to the roads and sometime’s he had trouble getting around. But for the most part, he knew where the grocery stores where, Lilly’s school, the rink and a few other places.

“Best behavior okay?” He said, helping Lilly out from his car.

Lilly frowned, “I’m always good daddy!”

Andrew chuckled softly as he reached Maddie’s door. “I know baby,” He said.

Before he could knock on the door, it opened and Maddie appeared wearing a dark red v-neck sweater and black slacks, her hair in a messy with a few stands laying on her forehead.

“Hey,” She said, a smile on her face, “You made it here safely,” She commented opening the door.

“Almost didn’t,” Andrew said, giving her a smile.

Maddie opened the door and closed it after Andrew and Lilly came in. She led them into the dinning room, where dinner was all sat up and still hot.

“I made Lasagna, I hope you don’t mind,” She said, pouring grape juice in a cup for Lilly, while Andrew helped her into a chair.

“Lasagna’s my favorite!” Lilly said with a smile, making Maddie and Andrew chuckle. “But, when daddy makes it, it doesn’t taste to good,” She informed Maddie, with a frown.

Maddie smiled, while she sat down in her chair with a little help from Andrew. “I’ll let you take home the extra’s, okay?”

Lilly nodded her head, liking that plan very much. Dinner went by fast, their was never a awkward silence, their wasn’t anything awkward about it. Infact, Andrew and Maddie seemed to be thinking the same thing; it felt like it was a family dinner, it felt like they were a family. And that thought both made them happy and scared them at the same time.

* * *

Maddie let a soft laugh as she laid her head on Andrews shoulder. Currently they were cuddled together on Maddie’s couch, while a sleeping Lilly slept on Maddie’s bed.

Andrew turned his head and placed a kiss on Maddie’s cheek. He was enjoying him self, he liked being with Maddie. Heck, he liked her. He loved the way she treated Lilly, as if she were her own. He liked everything about her, but was cautious about starting a relationship with her. He wanted to start a relationship with her, but he was unsure of her feelings.

Maddie blushed and took a sip of her wine, it had been her third glass of the night and she was feeling a little tipsy. She liked Andrew, and what hurt was the fact that she couldn’t start a relationship with him. If they broke up, not only would she be hurt, but Lilly would be to. And not to forgot that it was illegal.

Maddie shook the thought from her head, it would never happen, and she would have to deal with that. But, the small kisses Andrew was laying on neck, was making ignoring her feelings hard.

“Andrew,” She moaned, as he gently bit down on her neck.

“Yeah?” He asked, pausing his actions, a small smirk on his lips.

“You have to stop,” She pushed out, not meeting his eyes.

Andrew pulled away and turned her around so that they were looking eye to eye. Maddie blushed and turned her head.

“Hey,” Andrew said, gently moving her face so she could look at him, “We are both adults, nothing were doing is wrong.”

Even through she knew that they were indeed both adults, it didn’t stop her from feeling like she was doing something wrong.

“It’s wrong,” She blurted out.

“No it’s not,” Andrew chuckled softly. “It’s not wrong for two adults to have a relationship.”

Maddie rolled her eyes before standing up and running her fingers through her hair, “That’s just it! We can’t have a relationship!”

“Give me one good reason why we can’t!” Andrew said, standing up and walking over to her. “Give me one good reason, and I’ll back off. Just one good reason.”

Maddie closed her eyes and breathed in deeply as Andrew placed his lips on hers for a short kiss. There was no use in denying the fact that she liked him. She liked the sparks she felt when she was with him, she liked how he looked at her, as if he would protect her.

“It’s illegal,” She finally said, “I can’t be in a relationship with you Andrew, it’s wrong. What if we break up? What about Lilly? What would she go through? I’m your daughters coach and you’re the parent, it’s illegal! What if Lilly’s mom came back and you left me? I don’t want to get hurt Andrew!” She said, closing and then opening her eyes, “I’ve been hurt before. I don’t want to fall in love with you and Lilly, to only turn around to get hurt,” She paused when Andrew reached out to wipe away a tear. She was so caught up in speaking her mind that she didn’t realize that she was crying. “I just can’t do this!”

Andrew laughed, placing a kiss on her forehead. He pulled her into his arms, “I asked for one good reason, and you gave me a ton of bad ones.”

Maddie frowned, “My reasons weren’t bad.”

“First off, I’m never going to get back with Lilly’s mom, okay? I’ve been hurt to and I know how much it hurts, I don’t want to hurt you, Maddie. I care deeply for you and so does Lilly,” Andrew paused to make sure she was listening, “We’d take things slow, I’m not in a rush for things to happen. I just know that I really like you and so does Lilly.”

Andrew placed another kiss on her lips, “It’s not illegal for us to be together, Maddie and you know it.”

Maddie shrugged, she was stubborn and wasn’t going to agree with him, “It is too!”

Andrew sat back down on the coach and pulled her so she was straddling his lap. His lips found her neck and he placed a few soft kisses before kissing her forehead. “You don’t have to be scared,” He said his voice husky making her shiver. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” He said, gently moving her face so that their eyes were connected, “You don’t have to be scared Maddie. I know starting a relationship is hard, isn’t even harder when one person has a kid. But I won’t hurt you, I promise,” He spoke softly, pushing her hair behind her ear.

“It’s still illegal,” She said, making Andrew chuckle softly. His chuckling stopped when she pressed her lips against his. It was her way of saying that she trusted him and that she wanted to take this slow.

Andrew broke away from the kiss, a smirk on his face, “Nothing’s illegal until you get caught.”

There was nothing illegal about them being together and Andrew was going to show that to her.