Grief was a funny thing, in Lukas' mind. He remembered in vague memory of the whole, five stages of grief framework to figure out how to live without a loved one. Before the death of his beloved wife, he figured it'd be a linear thing. Clean cut, from one stage to the next. Then she died, and amongst the sobs and cries of their child and the sirens of an ambulance, he learnt it wasn't. It really wasn't.

He saw her in everything, no matter the years passed. When he made her favourite dishes, and read her favourite books. The guilt on his tongue when he kissed another quickly stopped any attempts at a relationship after her. There seemed to be no after, only the feeling of time stopping still when her heartbeat went flat. If it were in his wishes he'd plant himself in the ground besides her grave and never leave.

But that wasn't fair to Leia. His beautiful toddler, in who he saw his wife in so well. No, Leia deserved a life, had a whole future ahead of her. She deserved a father who could take care of her and be present in her life. So he did the best he could as a single father. Four years had passed since his wife's death, and Leia hadn't died yet under his care, which was an achievement in his books. Though on days like today, he did wish he had an extra hand to help, as he muttered a curse under his breath, bending down to pick up a fallen can. A deep breath of silence.....Fuck. Where was Leia?

He whirled around, noting the lack of boisterous babbling in his general vicinity. His eyes swung across the store, searching and searching for her. His eyes catch on familiar locks of gold and he breathed a sigh of relief, walking over with an exasperated expression. "Leia-." His voice catches in his throat when he realises what she's doing. Clinging. Clinging to a random stranger. And he knew why. Embarrassment filled within him, arms dropping his basket and quickly scooping her up and away.

"I'm so sorry, she clings on to people who reminds her of my wif- late. Late wife." He didn't need to say that. Oh god.