The Best Day

[Deleted]

I'm five years old
It's getting cold.
I've got my big coat on.

I hear your laugh
And look up smiling at you.
I run and run.

Past the pumpkin patch
And the tractor rides
Look now - the sky is gold.
I hug your legs and fall asleep
On the way home.

I don’t know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you’re not scared of anything at all
Don’t know if Snow White’s house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day
With you today

Avetis spend so much time with Mairyse and little Eve, he was practically part of the family. It was funny, really. He never would have guessed himself a family man, but here he was, practically adopting this little girl. He loved her dearly, just like she were his own child. She had no father figure in her life, and he was determined to help her with that.

Today Mairyse was busy, and Avetis was looking after Eve for the day. It was mid-October and he’d heard from one of his peers that there was a great autumn festival not horribly far from here, and he made the command decision that Eve needed to experience the autumn fun; might lift her usual seasonal depression. Poor girl was too young to deal with such things. So they’d driven an hour outside the city to a farm just outside the suburbs where there were plenty of fun things to do, especially when you were a five year old all bundled up in your poofy coat. The whole way there he had playing in the car the Aladdin soundtrack and was not ashamed to say they both seemed to have a lovely time singing along.

But that had been three hours ago. Now they were getting ready to leave; they’d ridden they tractor rides, they’d played in the fallen leaves, he had a picture of her riding the pony, and she had a perfectly rounded orange pumpkin that he was carrying for her (she had insisted on one that had been too big for her to lift, but he didn’t mind). He put the pumpkin in the back of the car on the floor so it wouldn’t roll and helped her fasten her seatbelt before getting in the car himself. The sun was sinking in the sky, turning it lovely colors, so he turned the radio on low and by the time they got back to her home, he had to carry her – fast asleep – in to go to bed.

I’m thirteen now
And don’t know how my friends
Could be so mean

I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys.

And we drive and drive
Until we’ve found a town
Far enough away

And we talk and window-shop
Until I’ve forgotten all their names

I don’t know who I’m gonna talk to
Now at school
I know I’m laughing on the car ride home with you
Don’t know how long it’s gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day
With you today

It was days like today that he hated that he’d sent her to that camp. He could have just trained her himself, kept her close. But would that have been fair to her too? She wouldn’t be able to meet people her own age. That, and the government did need her there. She was a hugely valuable asset. Just sometimes he wished it wasn’t his little girl. And this was one of those times.

It was Saturday morning and he’d been woken by a very upset Eve, who had shadow travelled here in tears first thing in the morning. He held her close to him in a tight embrace. He spoke soothingly and stroked her hair as the worst of the crying subsided. After some half hour, she was sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen playing with a flower she’d grown out of nowhere and he was making waffles for the both of them. He’d already gotten changed into his day clothes, and the kitchen was starting to smell wonderful. He placed the last pancake on the second plate and brought them over to the table where Eve was so they could eat.

Hardly an hour later, they were in the car heading out. Destination unknown. The radio was off and he listened to her delve into the details of what had upset her so badly. It took everything in his willpower not to drive all the way to Camp Jupiter and have a ‘word’ with the offenders. But this trip was for her.

Eventually they got to a small homey looking town with an old fashioned downtown lined with stores. They parked the car and fed the meter and then started off down the road. He never once looked at his watch, not really caring about passing time, as they talked and had lunch in a little mom-and-pop diner. He even didn’t mind going into a decidedly girly shop – though he stood out like a sore thumb there – with jewelry and perfumes and the lot. He even went as far as to get her a little something to remember their day by. It was pushing dinner time when they left the town and laughed and joked the whole way home. He loved to see her smile, but gods, how he hated to see her go.

I have an excellent father
His strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother
Inside and out
He’s better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house
And I had space to run
And I had the best days with you

It was only a day after the traumatic death of Eve’s mother. Poor girl was only six. Avetis had found her next to her mother’s dead body in their wrecked home just a few doors down from his. He had taken her to safety then returned hurriedly to gather some of her belongings so hopefully she could feel at least a little at home in his spare bedroom, her new room. She was a tough girl. Even though she was in a lot of pain, she had taken the time to grow a few vibrant flowers in her new room to liven the place. Today they went to the store and bought her new sheets and a lamp and any number of things to turn the room from a guest bedroom into a genuine little girl’s room. They even bought paints and set to work making her room into a springtime mural. Though neither of them were renowned artists, they’d finished the day stepping back and taking in the colorful masterpiece, from the trees that stretched to the ceiling to the little butterfly making its way across the blue sky. And then they’d settled down for dinner and a happy movie, and finally, bed.

But it wasn’t even two hours into the night and Eve was at Avetis’ side, crying. Nightmares, which was only to be expected after what had happened to her so recently. He helped her into the kitchen and made her hot chocolate with extra mini marshmallows and stayed up with her as she drank it and told him all about her nightmare. After that, thankfully sleep started to get the better of her, as it so often does after one has a good cry, but he didn’t tuck her back into her own bed. Instead he took her to his room and they both curled up under the covers together so he would be there should the dark memories rear their ugly head again.

There is a video
I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen
And you’re talking to me

It’s the age of princesses and pirate ships
And the seven dwarfs
Daddy’s smart
And you’re the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

It was back when Mairyse had been alive, when little Evelyn was only three. Avetis was over at their house after a long day. He couldn’t quite explain it, but where he used to prefer quiet nights with him and a book to wind down, now he felt almost like he needed his daily dose of time spent with Mairyse and Eve. The three of them had played pretend in the living room before. Eve, of course, had been the princess, Mairyse the evil step-mother keeping the princess prisoner, and Avetis the daring prince who rescued the princess. It was a fun little game of make-believe and they all had a grand time. After that it was time to set up paints in the kitchen under the careful guard of Avetis as Mairyse cooked spaghetti for them all. Avetis pitched in every now and again, but spent most of the time keeping Eve company and chatting with her and encouraging her artwork. At the end of the day, he walked home with a colorful finger paint picture in hand and a smile on his face.

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side
Even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
Staying back and watching me shine

And I didn’t know if you knew
So I’m taking this chance to say
That I had the best day
With you today

Song credit to Taylor Swift "The Best Day"
Note: Well, now you all know Avetis' major weakness... o.o But I hope you enjoyed the little story. Sorry it's all out of order chronologically, but the song lyrics kind of forced it that way. I should also note it's next to impossible to find a good picture of Nick Fury-Samuel L Jackson for this, so I hope you don't mind the not-as-good one. And I'm gonna pretend the woman next to him is Mairyse because it looks cute and yeah.