note: HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVELIES! My gift to y'all is an update for The Way Back as well as Imperial Compass. I hope you enjoy and if you did, you can gift me back with your thoughts in the comments and a vote ;)

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 The last of the boxes settled onto his new floor in his new shining apartment. Moving from his old home and into this rusty apartment was a huge change. It lacked the homey atmosphere, something Andrew wished to change soon.

He grinned, holding his hand around Aurora's shoulder as she hugged his leg. "Thanks for the help, sweetheart."

She hugged his leg tighter and Andrew laughed, leaning down to scoop his daughter into his arms. "Oof," he groaned, a toothy grin on his lips, "you're getting heavier."

"It's because I'm growing," she replied back with a beaming smile.

"It is? Wow, look at my intelligent little girl. So smart," Andrew rejoiced, praising Aurora and she knew her father was messing around. She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. She made to withdraw but Andrew wrapped his arms around her small chubby frame. The embrace was warm and it kindled an equally warm fire within him. Being with his daughter never failed to put a smile on his lips.

"How about we have dinner here tonight?" he proposed, setting her down to the floor. "It could be the opening night just for the two of us."

"I don't think so," cut in another voice and his groan was out of his mouth before he could swallow the protest.

He turned his head to the doorway where Talia stood, a vase in her hands and an expression full of disapproval — the only expression she seemed to wear with an expert's ease.

"It's just dinner," he shrugged, an inviting smile on his lips. "You can join us too."

"No, thank you. Aurora has school tomorrow. She needs to get into bed early."

"And she will. I live less than five minutes away from the house," Andrew bargained but he should have known that his persuasion skills were out of date.

Talia looked at Aurora. "Go pick your toys from the room, baby. We're going home."

The expression she served her daughter gave no room for argument and Aurora almost begrudgingly made her way back to her room — a spare that Andrew was turning into a place for his daughter.

"It's not the room, it's her room," Andrew informed, stepping towards the door. They watched Aurora disappear into the room, a quiet tension building in her absence. "Why can't she stay for dinner, Talia? I live literally five minutes from the house. Dinner will take an hour or less."

"It's a school night, Andy," Talia sighed, her reasoning weak, "She needs to get home, have dinner, wash up and go to bed. And it's already dark outside. I don't want you walking the streets now with here."

He raised his eyebrows, finding both amusement and irritation from her words. "I could drive her home. Or do you not trust my driving skills, too? And what is wrong with walking these streets? We have a safe neighbourhood, Talia. We used to walk the streets all the time."

"Yeah," she nodded, "used to."

The burn made him angry but he knew the only way to soothe it was to stay calm and not fuel the fire. As calmly as was possible for him, he said, trying his to keep the accusatory tone from his voice, "You promised not to take Aurora from me."

Talia sighed, something she seemed to be doing a lot since he last saw her. If she was so tired of this why was she creating this big fuss in the first place? Could she not be civil and let him get along with his daughter. Instead of doing that, here she was putting unnecessary barriers between him and his daughter, the only person in this world that didn't make him feel so alone.

Before Talia could defend her senseless and selfish actions, someone else spoke, someone who Andrew thought had a lot more common sense.

"No one can take me from you, Ba," Aurora chirped, and the parents turned their heads to see their daughter hugging a doll to her chest while her other hand clutched a colourful pony, her feet planted nearby. Clearly she was wiser than her mother.

"You heard that?" Talia bit, her voice tight. "I could never take her away from you."

Andrew turned to her, the smile on her lips obviously for show and he wondered if his wife actually thought that their daughter bought it. Aurora was much smarter than Talia gave her credit for. Just seven years old but Andrew could tell that his little girl had the brain of a genius and he wasn't saying that because it's what parents do. No, he wasn't putting his daughter up on a high pedestal or boasting — he simply knew. Talia should stop underestimating Aurora, something Andrew had constantly tried to point out to his wife.

"Come on, baby," Talia said, calling Aurora over. "Time to go. I'll be in the car. Give Ba a quick goodbye. You'll see him soon."

Talia gave Andrew one acknowledging look before she turned on her heel and headed out of the building. The instant she was gone Aurora turned to Andrew and frowned. Worried and confused, Andrew knelt and beckoned his daughter forward, placing his arms around her once she was within reach.

"It's not fair, Ba," she confessed quietly.

He knew what she was talking about and she probably knew what he was talking about too but this was something he didn't want to acknowledge. They were trying, and that was the important part.

"What's not fair, baby?"

"That I have to stay with Mum," Aurora whined. "Why can't I stay with you also? Why can't we all stay with each other?"

Andrew smiled sadly, not daring to conceal his emotions from her. He believed that transparency was a good parent trait, which was the opposite of what Talia thought. Their parenting clashed sometimes and it also made an appearance in their arguments. Both thought that they themselves were the better parent, both unwilling to acknowledge that where one parent lacked the other parent retained and where one parent retained the other parent lacked.

"You know how it is, Aurora. Mummy and I were having problems for a very long time. Lots of fights, lots of disagreements. Mummy made me unhappy sometimes and I think I made Mummy unhappy a lot of times in the last few years. It's a big problem. It's why Mummy wanted a fresh start."

Aurora nodded, biting on her lip. She was holding it back. Biting down on her lower lip was something his daughter did only when she was hiding something that she really wanted to confess.

"What's the problem?" Andrew prodded.

"Did Mum want a fresh start with Simon? Her friend?"

There was no way that Andrew could worm himself out of this one. Little white lies were something that he would permit himself to do, like telling her that too much chocolate makes the chocolate monster come after you, but outright lying and covering up Talia's slipups was not in his job description. It was not something he would do.

"Maybe," Andrew said, settling on a neutral answer. "That's something you should talk to Mummy about. If you're ever having doubts about anything you can talk to us."

"I am," she replied, "I'm talking to you."

"This answer lies with Mummy, Aurora," he said gently, fully aware that while both he and Talia had encouraged Aurora to be open with them at all times, it was Andrew that Aurora chose to confide in. Talia was more judgy, making faces before she could give out her verdict while Andrew simply nodded, keeping his face neutral as he listened before he offered her advice.

Aurora fidgeted with her fingers. "Talking about this with her is going to be so weird."

Andrew shrugged, a carefree smile upon his lips. "Yeah? Well, you'll never know unless you try. Plus, I think Mummy will happily tell you about Simon. They, um, seem like very good friends. If that's what they are."

Andrew laughed and Aurora finally joined in. Hugging her father tightly, she asked, "When will I see you again?"

"Soon," he promised.

"When's soon?"

"Maybe this weekend," he said, trying not to let his smile slip. He needed to convince Talia but he was sure, even if it was for a day, he could keep his daughter company. He'd make the most out of it. "We still have lunch and ice-cream, and oh — the park! Ba never breaks his promises." He winked.

She smiled, hugging him again. "I know."

He walked her to the elevator, rode it with her to the ground floor, watched her leave the flat complex as she hopped into her mother's car and drove off. He watched the car disappear out of his line of sight and all the while he could not figure out why there was this dull ache in his chest, as if he were saying goodbye to her.

Talia promised joint custody. He could not lose Aurora. He wouldn't. Everything was all right. All was well.

Or so he tried to convince himself.