Davis'P.O. V.
Calliope watched me carefully as I made her bed. I had done this many times for Izzy when she was younger. It was something I was used to, even though I hadn't done it in over a decade. This little girl seemed so scared of me, and all I wanted to do was offer her a hug.
"All ready for you, princess." I patted the bed for her, giving her my warmest smile, but it didn't convince her in the slightest.
"Let's get you back in bed now."
Lisa guided her to bed, tucking her in as I stayed back so as not to frighten her further. Lisa took my hand as we left the room, but I heard Calliope whisper "thank you" to me before I was out of earshot. Progress.
I got Lisa to go back to sleep, but sleep evaded me the rest of the night. So, I decided to make a breakfast of champions when 7 rolled around. I wanted Calliope to wake up to a big meal, one she could pick her favorites from. I made a large array of foods. Omelets, pancakes, waffles, even crepes, were made for her to choose from. Anything that screamed breakfast I cooked it. Bacon, sausages, muffins, biscuits all displayed on the table. Seeing I made too much food, I invited Izzy to come over as well. Maybe if Calliope saw me with her, she wouldn't be so wary of me. Who knows though, Izzy and I don't exactly have a conventional father daughter relationship.
"What's all this?" Lisa asked with a smile as she grabbed the coffee pot and made herself a cup.
"Breakfast, of course. Izzy should be coming soon, too."
"Perfect, I'm going to go check on Calliope. You keep being your sweet self with your freaking country music." She laughed as she went to exit the kitchen.
"Hey, leave my country music alone, woman. You know you secretly like it." I called after her. When I turned I found that she never left, instead Calliope had come and stood in the doorway with big eyes. "Good morning, princess. I didn't know what you liked, so I made everything. You are welcome to eat as much as you like and whatever you like."
She didn't move, I guess trying to decide if this was some sort of trap. "I told you he was sweet." Lisa winked at her as she took a sip of her coffee.
"I have come for my promised food and I brought Jared with me!" I heard Izzy yell down the hall.
"We're in the kitchen." Lisa called out.
"What do you mean, Jared is with you?" I asked, a little sternly scaring Calliope by mistake. Dammit.
"I mean, he's with me. I am sure you can put two and two together. Get over it," Izzy paused, seeing Calliope standing in her way. She cocked her head to the side for a moment. I had to swallow my anger down, and chew her out later when I wasn't around Calliope. She can't be sleeping with Jared already. I'll kill him.
"I think you have another stray. This one is really cute, though." Izzy smiled, kneeling down, so she was Calliope's height. She poked her on the shoulder, trying to get her to turn. Surprisingly, Calliope did, meeting face to face with her. "Hi, I'm Izzy, that guy's daughter." She pointed to me, making a face like it sucked to be my daughter. Whatever, she loves me. "What's your name?"
"Calliope." Her voice was shy as she answered her.
"That's a beautiful name, you should say it more proudly. Tell me again, but say it with confidence."
I love the way my daughter gets anyone around her to feel confident and strong. "Calliope," she said louder.
"Good, we' ll work on it more." Izzy winked at her, patting her on the head and standing tall. "Where'd you find her?" she asked me, taking a muffin off the table.
"The park last night." I answered. "But we' re not talking about that. We're all going to have breakfast and talk about you and Jared."
"Uh, no we are not."
"Uh, yes we are."
"I'll leave."
"You' ll do no such thing."
"I will too, wanna see?" She began to walk away, calling my bluff.
"Stop, Izzy. I'll save it for another time. Just come have breakfast." I rolled my eyes, caving too easily as usual.
"That's right."
"Wow," Calliope whispered, having seen the whole thing. She seemed impressed for some reason, but I wasn't sure why.
"Let's eat," Lisa told her, guiding her towards the food.
Breakfast was great, and I'd even heard Calliope laugh a few times at Izzy and my interactions. I guess to others we are very entertaining, even though all it was just Izzy trying to annoy me and succeeding. I enjoyed hearing Calliope laugh, so inviting Izzy was definitely a smart idea on my part. Besides, I love spending time with my daughter, so making Calliope laugh was just an added bonus.
Now to find Calliope's parents and ensure she never has to go back.
___________________________________
"You' re sure this is the place?" I asked Derek as I stared at the rundown apartment building.
"Yup, one Mateo Barns, apartment 3D, father to Calliope Barns and husband to Monica Barns. It says here that they found Monica overdosed in an alleyway 3 weeks ago. So it's just the dad. Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked me, now looking up from his file.
"Very."
"Alright then, lead the way."
I marched my way up the stairs, since this building had no elevator. There was a lot happening in these halls that scared me to know Calliope had been living here. It was obvious there were drug deals going down, and what looked like a lot of gang activity by the tags on the stairwell and corridors. We finally arrived at 3D, and I wasted no time, pounding on the door. It didn't take long for an average height, skinny man with dark hair to open the door. His dark eyes with even darker circles met me in confusion.
"Are you Mateo Barns?" I asked him the moment he nodded his head, I decked him right in the jaw, causing him to fall back.
I stepped inside his trashy apartment, stepping over dirty clothes he had lying on the ground. The place was a complete mess. Trash, cigarette buds, needles, and clothes littered the floor. The smell was repulsive and the place was so small, I doubt that it had a second bedroom.
So this must have been where Calliope slept. My heart broke, picturing her sleeping on the broken couch to the left of me.
"What the fuck, man?! What's your problem?" Mateo asked, rubbing his jaw. "Tell me where your daughter is." I wanted to hear what he'd say to that.
"What's that matter to you? Why are you looking for my daughter? Are you some kind of perv?" He wiped at his bleeding lip.
"Where is she?"
"With her grandmother, man. What did that little creep do now?"
I picked him up by the collar of his shirt and held him in front of me, lifting him a few inches from the ground. He stared at me wide eyed and scared shitless.
"Wrong answer."
Derek stayed outside, unwilling to watch me beat this guy. He said he didn't want to testify against me if things got out of hand. I made sure not to break Mateo's hands so he could sign what I needed him to. I made sure to break other things instead.
"You no longer have a daughter. Sign the papers, and forget all about her. If I see you anywhere near her, I won't hesitate to break every bone in your body."
His hand shook as he signed the papers, thankfully not getting any blood on it.
"Good luck with her." He chuckled dryly, so I kicked him in the chest while he was still down.
"Don't need it."
Fuck this guy. She's ours now.