"But you don't do anything with me!" she shouted, and stomped her feet.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I rolled my eyes at my complaining five-year-old.

"You always leave me with Marcus! Your never here!"

It had only been two days on the trip, and I had just got back from a show. I didn't want to do this, I was exhausted.

I sighed, and leaned down to her level, "Sweetie, I'm sorry. I'm trying as hard as I can... but I told you, this is Daddy's job. I'm really busy during my job. This is why I usually leave you with Dana, so that your in your own home."

She had tears rolling down her cheeks and simply nodded.

"But I like to be with you, Daddy," she crawled into my lap, "You leave too much."

That broke my heart. Split my god damn heart in two. I did leave too much, and I knew that. I couldn't be the best father I could be with the job I have. But I love my job.

I gave her a big squeeze and a kiss on the cheek, "I love you, you know?"

She nodded and wiped her tear.

"Do you love me?" I grinned at her, and she gave me a big smile back and nodded 'yes.'

"Bed time for you... it's extremely past your bedtime. It's past midnight."

She crawled into the bed, and I pulled the covers up to her chin, and smacked a kiss on her forehead, "Go to sleep. I'll be right in the next bed."

I made myself comfortable in the bed, but I just sat there. I didn't even try to go to sleep. Usually after a show, I was too hyper to even think about sleep. But I was so exhausted... I was like, overly tired.

"Daddy?" she whispered from the other side of the hotel room.

"Yes?"

"Did you do a good concert?" she whispered.

I couldn't help but smile, "I did."

"But I wanna watch."

"You want to watch?" I repeated back to her.

"Yeah, in the... aubidence," she tried to pronounce the word right.

"Audience?" I corrected her.

"Yeah! Why can't I watch you, Daddy?"

"Well, who are you going to watch it with in the audience?"

"Marcus."

I shook my head, "Sweetie, he's supposed to be backstage. With us. He protects Daddy."

"Protects Daddy from what? Those girls?"

I smiled, "Yeah. Those girls."

"You gots lots of girls after you, Daddy," she said, seriously.

I started cracking up, "Yeah, but your the only one that's actually got me, right?"

She giggled, "Yeah!"

"Alright, shhh," I laid my head back down, "Let's go to sleep. We have to go on another plane tomorrow."

She nodded, and closed her eyes again. And I laid here again, with my eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.

What's going to happen when I'm gone like this, one day down the road when she's a teenager, and boys like her... and I'm not there. And she won't want to come with me, and she'll be in school. I don't want her to grow up, at all. She's grown up enough as it is. Don't let my job cause her to hate me.