Imagines and One-Shots (Book Two)

Close As Strangers (Calum Hood)

hi hello yes this is another short more of a blurb than anything imagine so i'm sorry if that's not ur speed but i'm trying ok

also i literally could not come up with a baby name that i liked so i just didn't use one lmao

~

"Okay, baby," you told the little girl on your lap, "Say goodnight to Daddy." You looked down at her, subsequently chuckling under your breath. "Or not," you mentioned, making your husband laugh softly from wherever he was in the world that day. "I'm gonna put her to bed," you whispered, shifting her carefully so you didn't wake her up, "I'll be right back." Calum nodded, watching as you disappeared from his screen.

You returned not even two minutes later, seeing Calum before he saw you. He had a nervous look on his face and you'd known him long enough to know that he was lost in his thoughts again.

"Cal," you said as you sat back down and brought your computer onto your lap, grabbing his attention, "Babe, what's wrong?"

"I come home in two weeks," he murmured. You cocked an eyebrow, unsure of why that would have him feeling so uneasy. "What if she doesn't remember me?"

"She'll remember you, Cal," you tried to reassure him, but even you had thought about it a few times.

"You don't know that though," he sighed.

"It'll be fine, babe," you smiled softly, "I'm sure of it." He looked at you for a moment.

"I love you," he said quietly.

"I love you too, Cal," you grinned.

~

Two weeks later

You bounced up and down in the airport terminal – partly because the one-year-old in your arms was getting fussy, but mostly because you were excited to see Calum after him being on tour for so long.

You were pulled from your thoughts when you heard Calum's flight being announced over the intercom as just arriving and you couldn't help but squeal lightly. Your daughter looked at you curiously and you simply smiled at her.

"Daddy's home, baby," you poked her stomach, making her giggle before laying her head on your shoulder.

The moment Calum came out of the gate and you locked eyes, your smile got even bigger. He rushed over, dropping his carry-on bag at your feet and wrapping his arms around you – one at your waist, the other lightly draped on the arm that was holding your daughter. He pulled you closer, pressing his lips to yours.

"I've missed you so much, baby girl," he mumbled against your mouth.

"I've missed you too, Cal," you beamed as he pulled away.

When you heard the small whine coming from your daughter, both you and Calum looked at her. She was staring at him with wide eyes, not really sure what to make of the situation.

Calum attempted to reach for her, but she instantly started crying, burying her face back into your neck. The look on your husband's face broke your heart – every fear he had about his daughter forgetting him coming true.

"Don't cry, baby," you cooed, rocking the little girl gently, "That's Daddy."

She still wasn't budging though, so Calum did the only thing he could think of that might work. He knew you had burned a CD of all his song demos and played them for her as she was being put to bed, so he immediately started singing to her, not caring if anyone around heard him.

Within the first three lines of her favorite song – Close as Strangers – you felt the grip on you start to loosen and the cries turned into quiet whimpers. You smiled at Calum and he breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that it was actually working.

As Calum got closer to the chorus, you urged your daughter to look at him so she knew he was actually singing to her and she wasn't listening to a CD in her bedroom. She did, turning her head so she could see him. You carefully wiped her tear-stained cheeks as she sniffled, staring at her father.

Calum moved back toward you slowly as he didn't want to scare her again, his hand coming to rest on your hip. The chorus started and her eyes widened again, making you and Calum freeze, thinking she was going to start crying again.

But she looked at you and said very clearly, "Daddy?" Your own eyes widened at hearing her say her very first word.

"Daddy," you nodded, trying to keep yourself from crying.

"Daddy?" she asked again, a little louder, now looking at Calum.

"I love you, princess," he smiled, wiping the tear that had fallen down his cheek.

"Daddy!" she repeated, bouncing on your hip slightly before suddenly leaning toward him with her arms open.

Calum caught her, holding her closely as she kept saying 'Daddy!' over and over again. He pressed quick kisses all over her face, beyond relieved that she finally remembered him. She sat back up on his hip and looked at him.

"Daddy," she said for what was probably the fifteenth time, holding his face in her small hands.

"Princess," Calum copied with a smile, kissing her nose.

"Daddy, s-s-song," she told him, successfully getting her second word out.

"Sing it again?" he asked, making her nod quickly. "When we get to the car, I'll sing it again, princess," he promised her, kissing her again.

~

inspiration: http://anarchyaustralia.tumblr.com/post/133021226383/you-and-calum-had-thought-youd-planned-it-out-so