*Patrick's pov*

When we finished, the guys had to go home. "Alright bye Andy," I said. He waved and left with his shades on. "Do we have to go?" Joe said. I nodded. "Fine bye!" Joe and Pete said as they left. I waved goodbye and went upstairs to check on Cora.

She was asleep on her bed. She had the green blanket on. I kissed her cheek and said, "Goodnight." She didn't hear me of course, she was asleep.

I went to my bed and sat on my side of the bed. I sighed. I missed Elisa. I really did. But I knew I had to respect her choices. Even though I was heart broken. I moved over to her side and remembered how cute she looked in the mornings. How she would wake up and open both her eyes at the same time and then smile. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and I scolded myself. Don't cry. She wouldn't want you to cry. You need to stay strong for Cora, she needs a father. I sighed deeply. I turned on the TV and soon fell asleep.

*next morning*

I woke up and looked around. I put on my glasses and yawned. I stood up and went to check on Cora. I opened the door to her room. She was snoring slightly and scrunched her nose. I thought it looked quite cute. I looked around to make sure nothing was out of order, and left the room. What do I do know?

Elisa usually already had something planned for us to do, but . . . I shook my head. Forgetting Elisa was harder than I thought. I sighed and walked downstairs. What do I do? I was still a littke groggy but managed to sit and read a book without going back to sleep. It was quite interesting. It was about a man who love a woman, but to keep her safe had to hate her. Love was worth the sacrifice. I sighed. This was Elisa's favorite book. She would beg me to read it, but I would never really read it.

I was to the part where the biker threated to kill the young woman if the young man didn't get him his money, when my stomach growled. "Ah food," I said. I stood and went to the kitchen. What shall I prepare?

I heard someone come down the stairs and then Cora was at the kitchen door. She wiped her big brown eyes while yawning. Her black her was in a messy pony tail and she wore her pjs. How cute.

"Good morning daddy," she said still half asleep. She called me daddy . . . I smiled. She sat on the kitchen table and rested her head. "Good morning , sweetheart," I said. "What would you like for breakfast?" She lifted her head in an instant and said, "Pancakes." I smiled. "Pancakes it is, Kiddo."

*Back to Cora's pov*

"Patrick!" I squealed. He kept tickling me while I mixed the batter. "I'm gonna drop the batter! Stop." I said the last word swatting his hand away with a very high pitched voice. I giggled once more and continued to stir as Patrick put butter in a pan where the batter would go once it was done.

The bowl was a little too big for my hands but I managed to carry it around with me so I could stand close to Patrick. I stired with caution sticking out my tongue a little. "You almost done kiddo?" I stirred fasty. "Almost, " I said sticking my tongue out even more. As I finished stirring it I realized just how silent the room was. "Ppssshhh Paattrriiiccckkk," I whispered. He looked up. "Yes?" "It's so quite. Make some noise." My voice was barely a whisper. "You wanna put some music on?" "Ooohh yeah," I said as I put the bowl down. I'd just finished and was ready to put this batter on the stove.

"Okay let me go . . ." He said as he walked out of the kitchen and came back with his laptop. He went on YouTube and said, "Search up something you'd like to listen to." I stood there for a moment deciding what mood was I in. A song suddenly came to ran and I ran over to the laptop. I typed in five words and hit search.

The piano played and I jumped up and down. "When I was a young boy my father took me into the city to see a marching band, " I sang.  I never had a good singing voice but that never stopoed me. I sang to it as Patrick poured the batter making the first pancakes.  I bounced around for a bit singing along to the song.

"IM JUST A MAN! IM NOT A HERO!" I sang as Patrick flipped over the pancake humming a little to the song smiling. I grabbed the syrup and placed it on the table. "JUST A BOY WHO HAD TO SING HIS SSONG!" I twirled a little and grabbed cups and plates. "WE'LL CARRY ON! WE'LL CARRY ON!" I jumped over to the fridge and said, "Would you like milk or juice?" "Milk," Patrick said. I grabbed the gallon of milk and made my way back to the table. I served Patrick and myself some milk. "We'll carry on," I said. Patrick served two pancakes on the plates after listening for to different songs.

"Bon Appetite. " He said. I poured syrup on the pancakes. Patrick didn't put syrup. As we eat we chatted about stuff. "So you wanna talk about your childhood?" He asked. I nearly choked on my food. I just wanted to forgot it but at the same time I clung to memories as if my life depended on it. "Yeah sure. Where do we start? Um well my paternal father wasn't there. He ditched on my mom and I when he learned I was coming. Before I was 5, I spent most of my time at a daycare while my  Mom worked. Then after that my Mom got depressed I guess. We didn't leave the house much. I only left the house for school, doctor appointments, or if my Mom was feeling in a good mood, which was like never. I heard her talking to someone many times saying stuff like, "You can't take her, " "You can't find us," and "I won't let you." I never understood  what she meant. Anyways she kept to herself most of the time, she locked herself in her room. We never really talked except on her happy days. One day I heard her arguing on the phone with someone and next thing I knew we were in the car. And she left me out in the highway," I swallowed and took another bite of my pancake. Patrick was staring at me and I wish he wasnt.

Talking about my Mom's death never really affected me but people giving me pitiful looks always affected me. I felt like I was supposed to feel sad even though I wasn't. "So she said she loved me and left. Died in a car accident and well I ended up at the orphanage." I smiled. "Stacy, Jessica, and Logan became my friends and well here I am. Not much of a happy childhood but I had food and a roof over my head, so I guess I was alright." I ate the last of my pancake as Patrick stared at his plate. I felt so awkward,  not sure how the situation was going to unfold.

"I'm sorry," he said finally looking up. "It's okay. It's not your fault and hey I'm still here! I'm happy and smiling, see?" I smiled wide for him and he smiled back. "Now let's stop talking bout my childhood and start talking about these pancakes because seriously they are wodnerful what did you put in the batter?" He shrugged. "You know, toad's eye, a pich of dragon's breathe, mushrooms, herbs." I giggled. "Sounds like you'll be an excellent chief Dad." He nooded smiling, "Yeah and I wanna start a restaurant.  You know Stump and Cora dinner." I laughed.

"Totally. We'll be the best business in town." I grabbed my plate and put it in the sink. I walked out of the kitchen and crashed on the couch. The couch and I were growing close together. Patrick came in a few moments later. "So what do you want to do?" He asked standing in the doorway. I shrugged. "Oh come on. Just choose something. Anything." I looked at him with my eyebrow raised. "Anything?" He nodded.

I jumped up and said , "Let's play hide and seek." He smiled. "Awesome. You hide, I'll seek." I jumped up and said, "Start counting. " He turned to a wall and put his arm on the wall, then his head on his arm. "1,2,3," I tiptoed as fast as I could up the stairs. I looked around and opened a door to a closet. I looked around and saw boxes, clothes, and other stuff. I sat on a small stool behind some coats. Then I saw a hat. It was black and white hiding behind some boxes. I grabbed it and saw that it said I ♥ Bingo. I smiled. I put it on and it fit great. I really liked it and almost forgot I was hiding. Then I heard Patrick shout, "30! IM GOING TO FIND YOU!" I gasped and covered myself with a coat. I laid behind the boxes covered by a coat. I looked like a coat. Awesome disguise right?

I hide under there and held my breathe. I heard foot steps outside. They grew closer and then stopped. I waited my heart thunping. I smiled. Growing up I never played hide and seek, nor I hide in a closet. I spent my time doing homework, sitting, or watching tv. I never did anything because I couldn't do anything. I mean how do you play hide and seek when there is only one player? How do you play dolls when you already know what is going to happen? (I quickly grew a dislike for dolls) How do you read when you have no books, and no one to provide you with one?

Anyways the footsteps started again, but soon faded away. I let out a sigh of relief and looked around once again. There was a book sitting in front. I grabbed it and opened to see it was a coloring book. "Oh," I said looking in the pages. There were dinosaurs, lions, boats, hills with nice flowers, and littke boys playing ball. Footsteps were audio able again and I hid under the coat again this time clutching the coloring book to my chest.

The door opened and I froze. Patrick came in and I closed my eyes hoping he wouldn't notice. There was silence and then the sound of boxes being moved and shuffling. I could hear the coats being moved. No no no no no no no no, I thought.

Suddenly he grabbed the coat and I looked up to see him smiling. "Found ya," he said. He looked at me to see me cluthing the coloring book and wearing the bingo hat. He looked at me with a look of confusion. "Not the bingo hat again," he said with a half frown. "Can I keep it?" I asked taking it off showing it to him with a hopeful smile. He grabbed the hat, studied it for a moment,  then put it on me. His smile returned, "Looks good on you, doesn't it?" I shrugged. "Yeah you can keep it," He said as I stood up and hugged him. "Yay," I said and then let go quickly.  "MY TURN! GO HIDE!" I ran downstairs and started counting.

"1,2,3!" Hide and seek is actually fun. I can't believe I never played it as a kid. "7,8,9!" Ah I wanna color later. I like that turtle I saw. He looked so cute! "16,17,18!" Where could Patrick be hiding? Eh maybe not a good idea to have me look around this big house for a man who has lived here forever. "23,24,25!" Okay, first upstairs. His room, my room, the bathroom, the closet. I think those are all the rooms. Maybe. "28,29,30! TIMES UP DAD!"

I ran up the stairs. I looked around and walked to his room. I looked under his bed. Nothing. In the closet. Nothing. I walked out and walked to my room. I looked under the bed and in the closet and in my bathroom. Nothing. I puffed out some air and walked out. Inside the bathroom was no one. I opened the closet to see the boxes were were they were before I left. I quickly looked around but couldn't find him.

I walked downstairs and stepped into the kitchen. I took a quick look around but didn't find anyone. Where else could he be? I thought for a moment and then started walking to the Studio. I opened the door to see the main part was empty. I entered the part where the guys played and looked around. Then I saw him. He was looking at me behind the drum set. We made eye contact and he stared with a poker face. "Hello," he said. I laughed.

I walked over next to him. "Go count," I said pointing to the door. "Alright, " he said as he stood up and left. We he left I quickly ran outside to see there was another door in the same hallways. Was that door always there? I opened it and walked downt the small stairs. Suddenly I was inside a room with a couch, tv, and some other stuff. Oh this is probably the basement. I walked over to the couch and sat.

I sat there is silence. Just sat and waited. I was getting scared. What if I'm being watched? Someone is just waiting to kill me. Like I'ma hear a voice calling my name, then I will turn to see a dead person holding a knife ready to attack. And then they will speak in creepy inhuman sounds and stab me to death. They will eat me and use my skin as a coat. I sat there blinking. Wow thanks brain I'm even more paranoid. I stood up and looked around. There was a pool table and some records and cds on a table. I walked over and looked through them. I didn't recognize any of the artists so I just walked back. I smiled. This is the most active I've been in forever.

I heard Patrick yell something from above but I couldn't understand the words. I sat on the couch without making a move. A couple of minutes passed before I heard footsteps. I sat quietly not making any noise. Then the door opened. I turned to see Patrick running down the stairs. "HA! FOUND YOU!" I nodded. "I never knew there was a basement. " "Oh right I forgot to show you. Well here's the basement. " I looked around once more. "Nice basement. "

We played for a few more rounds and before we knew it it was around noon. "Well that was fun," Patrick said slouching on the couch. "Yeah," I said fixing my hat. "What do you wanna do next?" I thought for a moment. "Can we color?" He smiled widely. "Yes! I'm the coloring king here, let's go get the coloring books from the closet!" He stood up and grabbed my hand. We walked over to the closet and picked up the coloring book. He got another from a shelf and colors from a box. As we walked downstairs I realized my size compared to Patrick's. I was 50 inches so I wasn't that tall. I was maybe a few inches beneath average height.

We sat on the floor and opened to a page. I choose the cute turtle and he choose a complex drawing of two kings fighting. I grabbed the green and started coloring. "So then. The tour. What's our first stop?" "Um Chicago, of course. Our last stop will be in Arizona. This will be a long tour. Excited since Fall Out Boy just came back. We never broke up but no one believed us."

I laughed remembering Jessica almost dieing when the concept of Fall Out Boy's "break up". We colored talking about different concepts. "So then why do you think we were placed on this planet?"I  asked. "Hm? Oh. Well I don't know. Maybe we all have a mission that we have to complete?" I nodded. "Maybe. Yes. Probably. Or maybe we're all meant to make the best cookies ever. Who ever makes the best cookies ever gets all." He laughed. "You just discovered the meaning of life. Cookies." I nodded smiling.

We colored many other drawings until our hands hurt. Then we ate sandwiches. "So do you want ham or . . . "He asked. "Ham sounds great right now." He made me three ham sandwiches and made himself three avocado sandwiches. We ate joking around around the entire time. "Why are there no knock knock jokes about freedom? Because freedom rings." I smiled at him. "Hehe good one, Okay a little ladder tells a step ladder, 'You're not my real dad.'" He laughed. "Wow okay how about this one. The taco said to the nacho, 'you wanna taco bout it?' and the nacho said 'no because I am nacho friend.'" I put my head in my hands trying hard not to laugh. He poked my ribs. "Come on, you know you wanna laugh. " He kept poking my side and I said, "Stop touching my lonjas." "What?" "I said stop touching my rolls of fat!" I translated.

"You don't have rolls of fat." "You don't know that. Besides I'm ticklish so DONT YOU DARE TICKLE ME!" He raised his eyebrow. "You're ticklish eh?" "NO DONT YOU DARE!" I said standing up and walked slowly towards the living room. He stood up. "Be careful because HERE COMES THE TICKLE MONSTER!" "NO!" I ran to the living room but he catched up and grabbed me by the waist and plopped me on the couch. He tickled me until I was near tears. "NO DAD! HAHA! NO PLEASE STOP! HAHAH I MEAN HAHAHA IT! NO HAHAHA!" I covered my stomach trying to protect it from Patrick's fingers. "DAD STOP TICKLING ME!" I said between laughs.

He stopped and I laid on the couch trying to breath. "LETS SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT!" I said tickling him. He laughed and I smiled. He grabbed his stomach screaming, "CORA STOP! NO STOP TICKLING YOUR FATHER! HAHA! NO! HAHAHAAAHAHAHA!" I was on top of him tickling him, both of us laughing.

I got off him and he said, "Wanna watch a movie?" "YES!" He got on Netflix and asked, "What do you wanna watch?" I thought for a moment.  "Monsters, Inc." "Alright, I like that movie." He put it on and I snuggled next to him, my head resting on his shoulder and his arm around me in a warm fatherly embrace.

Once the movie was over it was 3:27 pm. We went out to his back yard that was extremely big. "Wow," I said looking at all the acres of land. I ran around because well I could. Patrick sat on a small chair watching me play and on his phone. He had given me a plastic bouncy ball, jump rope, and bubbles. He'd promise we would get more toys later. Really I didn't mind having toys, I never had them growing up and at the time I wasn't that old to not have toys.

I played jump ropes and got up to 59 jumps in a row without messing up. Patrick and I played catch with the ball. "I GOT IT!" I yelled as I ran for the ball and triped. "Holy Smokes, Cora! Are you okay?" I was laughing my ass off. "Ow that hurt," I said with a grin rubbing the side of my face. "I'm good." I grabbed the ball and threw it to Patrick with speed and he bearly caught it. "Wow, you should consider joining baseball with that arm of yours," he said. "Nah sports are too difficult. I'd suck at it either way," I said. "No you wouldn't. " "Yes I would." We continued to fight for a few more minutes about my capability of catching a ball.

After that Patrick went inside and I stayed out playing with the bubbles. I enjoyed watching them float away or pop. I'd sit on the grass watching them in peace or chase them around the yard. I blew my last bubbles with the last mix that was left and watch them float way while I follwed the around the yard. The way they could capture color or reflect and object always interested me.

I sighed and looked around to see a big tree. I walked up to it and looked at how it was practically made for climbing. I'd never climbed a tree before but this one seemed perfect. I climbed it with a bit of difficulty but got to a branch that was sturdy and that could hold my weight with no difficulty.  I swung my legs back and forth holding on to the branch.

Patrick came out and ran to me. "Cora you're going to fall," he said. "No I'm not. Look I'll hold on to the tree if you'd like." I grabbed on to the tree with my two hands trying to demonstrate. He smiked and took out his phone. "Smile," he said and I did. I swung my legs as I watched his face turn from confusion to excitement and concentration. I smiled knowing he was on Twitter even though I couldn't see his phone.

"So you're not coming down are you?" "I am. Just not right now." "Okay alright, I got it." "Hey Dad can you sing to me?" "Sure what do you want me to sing?" "Uh A Little Less Sixteen Candles A Little More Touch Me." He nodded and sang. I rested my back on the trunk of the tree my legs on the branch. I closed my eyes and listened to his sweet voice. I was really lucky to have Patrick as my Dad for many reasons but I loved when he sang to me. It was like a sense of securtiy for me. "I set my clock early cause I know I'm always late," he finished. I opened my eyes with a smile on my face. "Thanks Dad," I said. "Your welcome. If you need me I'll be inside. And don't fall." "I won't. " He smiled and oeft me alone.

I rested my head on the trunk and closed my eyes once more. The cool air hit my face and gave me a little but of goosebumos but I didn't care. I was happy. I felt like singing, " Nobody's gonna love you if you can't display a way to capture this. Nobody's gonna hold your hand and guide you through its up to you to understand. Nobody's gonna feel your pain when all is gone and it's time for you to walk away. So when you have today you should say all that you have to say. Say all that you have to say."

I sighed and closed my eyes day dreaming about Jessica and Logan. How they were in the orphanage probably miserable, but that someone came and became their Patrick. Somebody took them under their wing and brought a smile to their face. I smiled hoping that someday soon their Patrick would appear and make them happy.

After a while I became tired and climbed off. I walked inside and went up to my room. I grabbed a book, The Maze Runner, and started reading it. I really liked it and didn't put it down. I was in page 96 when Patrick called me for dinner. I went downstairs and Patrick made chicken for me, and made some vegetarian food for himself. I wasn't sure what it was, but didn't ask. As we ate I told him diffrent theories I had for the book. "Okay so when Alby was still in the Changing he said to protect the maps. So then when they were talking about some codes in the maps he didn't agree with them. But all of a sudden he agrees and decided to help and they let him go look at the maps on his own. But I think he wants to destroy them or something and that they shouldn't let him." Patrick nodded. "Sounds reasonable. How was he acting?" "Well he was saying that it was a bad idea and stuff but then out of the blues was like yeah good idea let me go work on the maos right now. Little wierd don't yeah think?" He nodded. "I wouldn't trust Alby." "I don't like him." We talked about other stuff and then I helped him with the dishes.

I went upstairs and showered. Once I was in my pjs I went on my laptop and talked to Jessica and Logan.

~~~~

Cora: Hey Jess Jess

Jessica: What up Cor Cor?

Cora: . . . Let's not do that ever again please

Jessica: Good that. So HOW HAS IT BEEN?

Cora: Oh today was the best day ever.

Jessica: Really? Did you buy a dragon?

Cora: Oh now its ruined. I need a dragon.

~~~~

"DAAADD!" I yelled. "Yes Cora?" "WE NEED TO BUY A DRAGON!" "ALRIGHT ILL ORDER ONE ON AMAZON DO YOU WANT A PURPLE ONE?" "YES PLEASE." "ALRIGHT." I giggled and returned to my conversation.

~~~~

Cora: Alright Dad's getting me a dragon now.

Jessica: Awesome. This is officially the best day ever.

Cora: Of course!

Jessica: Ugh I got to do homework now byye!

Cora: Adiós

~~~~

Cora: LOGAN HI!

Logan: CORA HI!

Cora: HII

Logan: HII

Cora: IM GETTING A DRAGON!

Logan: IM GETTING A STICK!

Cora: LLLUUCCKKY! A STICK IS MUCH BETTER THAN A DRAGON

Logan: I know right

Cora: Exactly.  IM TIRED

Logan: Well then take a nap sleepy-head

Cora: Ahh but I wanna talk to you

Logan: Well talk tommorw now slleep

Cora: Alright goodnight

Logan: Goodnight Sleepy-head

~~~~

I wrapped myself around the green blanket and fell asleep soon.

The weeks before the tour were awesome. Everyday Patrick and I would do something. Sometimes we'd go outside and play catch, color together, cook, or just talk. Our talks were wierd though. We could talk about something as ridiculous as why were weren't all Santa's elfs, to go deep into intelligent talks like what would have happen if Christopher Columbus hadn't discovered America.

He even tried to teach me Guitar Hero. "No I uh . . ." he put his hand to his face. I wasn't learning anything and was failing terribly. "Okay . . . I mean you're better now I guess." I laughed. "I told you I was bad," I said. "You're not bad," he said. "Okay you're a little bad." I shrugged.

The day before tour started Patrick helped me pack the stuff I was gonna need. He told what to bring and what not to bring. He advised me not to bring Mr. Pokey, the teddy bear from my first night, but I didn't listen. This teddy bear was so cute I wasn't going to leave it.

I laid in bed thinking about tomorrow.  Tour starts. Oh I'm nervous. What if I get lost? What if like fans somehow get to me? Like well they all glare and want to kill me or just say a friendly hello? Okay calm it's going to be fun. Yep tomorrow will be fun. And with that I fell asleep.

AUTHORS NOTE:

HEY GUYS HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! IM REALLY TIRED, IVE BEEN FALLING ASLEEP LATE AND WAKING UP EARLIER THAN USUAL, SO IF THERE IS ANY MISTAKES ILL FIX THEM LATER. I THINK IM GONNA TAKE A NAP AFTER I UPDATE THIS SO YEAH THANK FOR READING THIS ! HOPE YOU LIKED IT AND PLEASE VOTE OR COMMENT OR BE FRIENDLY TO A RANDOM STRANGER BECAUSE THAT COULD MAKE THERE DAY! (I HATE ALGEBRA! IVE TRUED IT AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT BUT ITS HARDER THAN IT SEEMS!)