"But did you actually call him an asshole?"

Vanessa laughed as she sat back in her office chair, listening to Lin through her phone's speaker as he relayed the details of the conference he had just gotten out of with Mr. Martin.

"I almost did! But I figured it wouldn't be the most 'dad' thing to do,"

Vanessa couldn't stifle her laughter as she reviewed a motion she had just received in her inbox. A quick phone call, over a week ago, from Lin to ask about Lia's weekend schedule led to a new daily ritual between the co-parents. It was always around the time when Vanessa would be winding down on her work and before Lin had to head to the theatre. Over the past week, their conversations had mostly centered around Lia, but would also include pieces from both of their days.

"I went in there with an open mind as a former Hunter teacher. I explained that I understand the frustration around kids who slack off and don't work hard -"

"But you emphasized that that's not Lia, right?" Vanessa interrupted him.

"Of course," Lin emphasized as Vanessa could hear him getting into his car, "And that she's been going to the tutoring sessions and has had a lot going on lately -"

"But you didn't tell him what's been going on right? Because Lia would hate that," Vanessa chimed in, again.

"No, I didn't," She could practically picture the look on Lin's face, no doubt with a smirk, "So, we're talking and I told him that I didn't think it was appropriate for him to have Emilia berated at the front of the classroom -"

"And you framed it so that it didn't seem like Lia came home upset, right? Because he seems like the type of jerk who would use that against her and -"

"Vanessa," It was Lin's turn to interrupt, "I promise I didn't do anything to jeopardize our daughter's future at Hunter,"

Vanessa pursed her lips, fully aware that she hadn't quite let go of her single mom mindset, and leaned back into her chair, "Alright, continue,"

"I told him that I didn't think it was appropriate and that there are better ways to make a point about being prepared."

"And what did he say?"

"That if I was concerned about Emilia being chastised in class that I should spend more time making sure she prepares," Lin intimidated the ancient professor's voice, which gained a laugh from Vanessa as it reminded her of their daughter.

"I swear to God, V, it was as if I had been transported back to 1997 and was getting a detention slip from Mr. Atonal,"

"I liked him when I had him for AP Physics," She thought back on the past educator as she closed out of her work files on her desktop.

"Yeah, that's because you were always teacher's pet," Lin quipped.

"No, I just wasn't a smartass in class," Vanessa smirked as she gave into the easy banter. It brought her back to their days of dating. 

Lin laughed, "Fair enough."

"So, where did you leave things?"

"I told him Lia's understanding of the material was the top priority and thanked him for his time," Lin said simply.

Vanessa furrowed her eyebrows. She knew Lin well enough to know that wasn't the end of it. "And?"

"And I found one of my contacts at Hunter in my phone and have a meeting with the Principal tomorrow morning,"

She wasn't surprised in the slightest, "That sounds more like it."

"I should have asked you if you were available first, but I was so pissed when I was leaving. Not only as a past educator, but I've done way too much for that school to have my kid feel like shit in class because of an archaic teacher." Lin wasn't one to spout his success often, but wouldn't be above it if it was for their daughter.

"No, no. That's fine. You're absolutely right." Vanessa shook her head. She was actually impressed with the initiative Lin had taken on Lia's behalf.

"If you want to come and can't make it tomorrow, I could always reschedule,"

"What time?." She opened her calendar app on her phone before responding,

"8:30. I could swing by and pick you and Lia up?"

"Shit. I have a hearing at 9. But you should go! I trust you to take care of things, and if you can still pick Lia up that would be great. She's in a better mood when you're around," Vanessa replied in a self-deprecating manner.

Lin sighed, "Things still aren't better?"

"At least we're past the shouting phase and have moved into the phase of forced small talk."

"I'll talk to her,"

"No," Vanessa dismissed, "This isn't your mess to clean up; it's mine. We'll get there." She said the last sentence mostly to assure herself. She heard footsteps in her front lobby, "And speaking of, I think she just got here, so I'll let you go."

"Alright, I'll see you in the morning, V. Tell Lia I'll text her before the show."

"I will," Vanessa held the smile on her face once the call disconnected. She had to admit now that she was getting past the initial shock of having Lin back in her life, she found herself enjoying rekindling their friendship of sorts.

Vanessa began gathering her things when she saw Lia enter into her office. "Hey, sweetheart. How was school?"

"Fine." Lia answered swiftly, clinging to her backpack as she sat down in the chair in front of her mother's desk. "Was Lin at my school today?"

"Yeah," Vanessa replied, "You knew he had the conference with Mr.Martin."

"Oh," Lia replied with a sigh, "Right."

Vanessa raised her eyebrow at the timid look on Lia's face and the way she was picking at her chipped blue nail polish, always a sign when she was nervous about something.

"It's just that...people saw him," Lia said, pushing her fingers through her hair.

"Okay," Vanessa now sensed where the conversation was headed, "And what are they saying?"

After barely having more than a sentence conversation with her mom over the past several days, Lia almost felt awkward coming to her with the issue. "That he was either there for me or Hamilton. Nobody has said anything since the photos came out because most of them got taken down and nobody knows who I am anyways,"

"Lia,"

"Mom, it's fine." Lia rolled her eyes, knowing how her mom could get, "I don't need to have friends. But that's part of the problem. I've gotten over ten texts already from numbers I don't even know asking about Lin and how I know him."

Vanessa hated that Lia was fine with not having any friends. One of the greatest parts of her own high school experience at Hunter had been the friendships she made. She wanted that for her daughter. She knew she would bring up the topic at another time, but that wasn't the problem for today. "Are they suggesting anything?"

"Just stupid stuff," Lia replied, not wanting to get into all of the gossip she had already heard. Getting asked if you were your father's side chick wasn't exactly a conversation she wanted to have with her mother, as ridiculous as the notion was.

"Alright. I'll talk to Lin," Vanessa or Lin hadn't broached the topic of his celebrity status and what that would entail for their daughter since the day the pictures had been taken at the theatre. It was something she knew would have to be discussed as he was becoming more involved in Lia's life.

"But just say that you saw something about it," Lia spoke so fast that the words nearly sounded like a single jumbled mess.

Vanessa gave her an understanding smile, stopping the packing she was doing to give her daughter her full attention, "Alright."

"But also don't act as if I'll be upset if the news comes out,"

"Okay, Lia,"

"But don't act like I'm eager to get the news out either,"

There was no denying that Lia was her mother's child. Vanessa came around her desk, took the backpack from her daughter's clenched hands and placed her own on her daughter's shoulders, "Emilia, everything will be fine." She knelt down to be at her eye level, "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to speak to Lin about how you're feeling?"

"No!" Lia exclaimed as though her mother had asked her to go climb the Empire State Building, "I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Mom, he's Lin-Manuel Miranda." Lia replied, saying his name in a harsh whisper.

"Yeah..." Vanessa chuckled lightly, "But he's also your father and the two of you are building a relationship. It might be a good thing for you to try being as honest with him as you are with me."

"Mom," Lia whined out, drawing out the word to sound much longer than it's one syllable. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She liked Lin and hanging out with him. She didn't want to say or do anything that could risk that.

"Okay," Vanessa conceded. She had had a feeling that figuring out the dynamics of the relationship would come up at some point. Lia still saw Lin as her idol from Hamilton and Lin saw Lia as his daughter. It would be easier said than done for the two to seamlessly slip into their respective roles. And she felt partially responsible for that. "I'll talk to him. Just think about what I said, okay? Lin really wants to be in your life."

Lia simply nodded and gave her mom a small smile. Vanessa kissed her daughter's forehead, thankful that even if things had been rocky lately the fourteen year old still needed her mom.

The next day, Lin accompanied his daughter to school since his meeting with the principal was at 8:30. Lia didn't have the guts to ask him not to. He seemed so set on going, and if it meant Mr. Martin leaving her alone than she was willing to suffer through the consequences.

As they walked towards the office she tried to ignore the stares. She heard people whispering his name and Hamilton. He gave her a quick hug as they reached the office.

"Have a good day, sweetheart?" He told her.

"Bye, Lin," she told him. Lia still hadn't felt comfortable calling him dad. Maybe after a while she would but not yet. She ducked her head and then walked to her locker quickly.

"Is that your dad?" Some random upper class man asked her.

"Uhhh...yeah?"

"Really?!" She squealed. "That's amazing! Can you get me tickets to Hamilton?"

"No," she said, slipping a backpack strap off her shoulder.

"Why not?" She asked, snootily.

"Because he doesn't have any," she told her, just wanting to be left alone.

"That's bullshit," she said, crossing her arms. "Can you at least get me an autograph?"

Lia quickly traded out her needed textbooks and slammed her locker shut. She was never someone who liked to be the center of attention. All the eyes looking at her were making her uncomfortable and nervous.

She shouldered it most of the day, feeling more and more tense. When she let out of school she had the distinct feeling of being followed. As she made her way out of the subway station she saw that a dude watching her on the train was close behind. She picked up the pace, hoping to get to her mother quickly.

"Emilia!" A man's voice yelled. Her heart sunk and she started jogging, which was something with a heavy backpack on.

He was chasing her. Chasing her. He caught up and started snapping pictures of her.

"Are you Lin's daughter?" He asked. "How does it feel to have him as a father?"

Lia's heart was pounding and her face was flushed. Her hands clamped into fists. Finally, she reached her mother's office and ran upstairs. As soon as she reached the door she slammed and locked it behind her, huffing.

From her office, Vanessa told her client she'd have to call her back. "Lia?"

She stood when her daughter didn't answer.

"Lia?"

Vanessa made her way toward the front door. She found her daughter, face flushed, collapsed into the floor in silent tears.

"Sweetheart!" She gasped, rushing for her child. Vanessa sat with her on the floor. She just wrapped her arms around her, stroking her dark hair. Obviously she was too distraught to tell her what was wrong so she just held her.

It broke her heart to hear her kid struggling so much. Vanessa would do anything to keep her from hurting. What she'd been doing her whole life. Somehow she knew it had to do with their new family situation.

Finally, she began to calm down, but she continued to hold her. "What happened, baby?" She whispered.

"The kids at school were bothering me about Lin," she began. "And then some photographer followed me here. He ran after me and was trying to take pictures and ask me questions."

She closed her eyes, silently cursing the man. How dare he upset her kid like this. Lia didn't ask for a famous father. She didn't ask to be in the spotlight.

"I'm sorry that happened sweetheart," she said gently. "Lin and I will work on making sure that doesn't happen again okay?"

She nodded, seeming slightly reassured. Vanessa rubbed at her back and asked her about her school day. Mr. Martin had been less abrasive during history class. She got an A on her math quiz.

Vanessa decided that they should go home. She could finish up work there. They went out the back door in case the photographer was anywhere nearby. Instead of the subway, they took a cab to avoid people.

Lia got straight into her jammies when they arrived. Vanessa had been texting Lin about his meeting with the principal and the incident after school. The meeting had gone well. He agreed that humiliating students was not what they wanted at Hunter. The principal would address it with Mr. Martin.

Lin decided to skip a meeting and come see them before the show. Before he arrived, Lia started getting texts like crazy. Apparently the photographer had been from Buzzfeed. They did a piece on celebrity kids and her photo was one of several featured. Lia's heart dropped.

"Previously unknown to the press, fourteen year old Emilia Nadal is the daughter of Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda. She attends his alma mater, Hunter College High School."

The photo was unflattering. It had been taken while she was flummoxed and trying to evade pictures. Her hair was a mess and she wasn't wearing make up.

Lin walked in the door, looking concerned. Lia was curled up on the couch, wrapped in blankets with a cup of tea on the table. Lin immediately sat next to her, rubbing her arm.

"I'm so sorry, Lia," he said gently, looking her in the face. "None of us asked for this."

"Everybody knows!" She said tearfully. "The whole school knows and they keep bugging me for tickets."

"And did you tell them I can't get tickets?" He asked.

She nodded, wiping under her eyes with her hoodie sleeve.

"Good girl," he told her, and she liked the sound of that. "I'm meeting with my lawyers again tomorrow. We're gonna keep you out of the press."

Vanessa had been scrolling through herself. "But probably not me," she chimed in, showing her screen. Lin narrowed her eyes and saw that people were asking who her mother was. People from school had chimed in to name Vanessa.

Lin felt even worse. Vanessa was an adult but she definitely didn't need this. She didn't crave the spotlight and was perfectly happy living a quiet life with her daughter. This was all because of him.

"I'm sorry, V," he told her genuinely. Vanessa couldn't be mad at him. He was pursuing his dream, something he'd worked years for her. He deserved all the accolades he was getting and this was all just bad timing.

"I know," she said quietly. "How about we order in Chinese?"

They all agreed that sounded good and put in an order. They sat around the kitchen table eating together and Vanessa realized this was their first, true family meal. It was kind of nice, the three of them. They were in better spirits now, talking about Mr. Martin and how he'd finally seemed to back off today. Lia loved that Lin had stuck up for her, and Vanessa was grateful.

When it was finally time for Lin to leave for the show, he gave Lia a big hug. She tensed up slightly at first then relaxed into it. She felt safe.

They spent a quiet evening together, Lia doing homework at the coffee table while Vanessa worked on some case files. Vanessa suggested a bath before bed and tucked her daughter in, feeling better about things. She was relaxing with a glass of wine when there was a knock at the door. It was almost midnight. Vanessa looked through the peep hole and was surprised to see Lin again, back after the show.

She opened it and he stepped in, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Hey," he said, looking bashful. "Sorry to drop by. I just wanted to make sure you were both okay."

Vanessa had always been a fiercely independent person, priding herself on not needing a man in her life to take care of her. She'd started her own law firm, bought an apartment, and was successfully raising her own independent daughter. But, it was nice to be checked on. She smiled as she locked the door.

"She's fine," she confirmed, "We had a quiet night together and she had a bubble bath."

Lin nodded when she asked if he wanted a drink. She got a glass and poured him some wine, topping her own up.

"And how are you?" He probed, leaning against the counter.

"I'm fine," she said. She'd made a point to stay away from social media. She'd never been very active anyway.

"Are you?" He asked gently, looking concerned. "I know how private you are."

"I'm a big girl," she told him and he nodded. Lin knew very well she could take care of herself. She was a strong woman and that's part of why he was so attracted to her. Ever since he'd seen her outside the theatre, he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was gorgeous and smart and quick-witted. Plus she was an amazing mom.

He gently took the wine glass out of her hand and put it to the side. Vanessa's eyes flew to his, wondering what his intentions were. He stepped forward and linked one of his hands in hers.

"Listen, V," he began. "I know things didn't end well between us and it was mostly my fault. But...seeing you now and this amazing woman you've become, I..."

Vanessa stood, stunned, as he began propositioning her. Was this really happening? She'd always had feelings for him but they were overshadowed by resentment and hurt.

Lin didn't finish his sentence, but let his thumb rub against her palm. She could feel him leaning in closer. Was he going to...kiss her?

Lin's phone rang, interrupting the moment. He turned it off but the moment had passed. Lin cleared his throat and tucked his hands back in his jeans.

"I better go," he said, heading for the door. "I'll let you know what my lawyers say."

Vanessa nodded appreciatively, trying to shake the rush she'd gotten from their near kiss. She hadn't...wanted him to had she? It had been so long since she'd made out with someone. Even longer since she'd had sex, let alone good sex.

Lin opened the door and Vanessa called out to him. He turned and waited.

"Thanks for sticking up for Lia today," she said, truly appreciating his efforts.

"Of course," he gave her a closed-mouthed smile. "I'll do anything for you two."

Vanessa smiled as Lin let himself out. She'd previously thought that having Lin in her life would cause nothing but heartbreak. Maybe it would make things a little difficult as far as privacy went, but she was starting to think it wouldn't be such a bad thing.