by Threnody
Disclaimer: Bob, Dot, and Enzo belong to Mainframe Entertainment and anyone else who can claim them. Adena is mine (*evil cackle* Mine, all mine!), but may be used with permission. No money is being made, entertainment purposes only, blah, blah, blah, don't sue. Thank you.
Author's notes: Okay, here we go... My eternal gratitude, as always, to Timesprite, Platinum Raven, Speedy, and (a new one!) Meghan for their help, support, and listening to me bitch and complain. More thanks to Speedy for beta reading, even though he knows naught of ReBoot, and in general for being a fantastic friend. Feedback, as always, is desired and welcomed.
On with the show...
Bob leaned over the back of the couch. Adena lay curled up on her side, fast asleep. Her book lay abandoned on the floor, dropped when sleep overcame the small sprite. He shook his head and sighed, making his way around the couch. Her deep amethyst eyes opened as he lifted her off the couch. "Daddy?" she asked sleepily. "It's bedtime, honey. C'mon, I'll carry you up." He hoisted her up and she leaned her head on his shoulder, clutching her teddy in one small hand. Bob made his way upstairs, careful not to wake her again. He rummaged through her dresser with his free hand and came up with a pair of pyjamas. Placing his daughter gently on the bed, Bob slipped her shoes and socks off. Peeling the jumper and shirt off her small body with utmost care, he slipped a night-gown over her head in their place. Scooping her silver hair to one side, he pushed her head up onto the pillow and pulled the blanket up to her chin. Turning, he got up and walked back to the dresser, flicking the night light on. He brought the rocking chair out of the corner and placed it by the door. He loved watching her sleep. He never tired of it. She was so small. So perfect. So optimistic and full of hope. When the days were so long and hard that even his patient soul was vexed and he held onto his patience by an almost non-existent thread, she greeted him at the door bubbling happiness and soothing his spirit. He sat and watched for some nanos, not really aware of the time, when a familiar voice whispered in his ear. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" Bob glanced up at Dot, and then back at their daughter. "Gorgeous. Just like her mother." "She doesn't look anything like me, silly." "She's got your eyes. Those beautiful eyes I fell in love with." Bob looked up. "Gorgeous," he repeated, and turned back towards Adena. Dot blushed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a wonderful father, you know. Enzo is jealous." "I love her to pieces. Both of them." Dot's eyes sparkled. "How'd you like another?" Bob turned, shock on his face. "Are you - ?" Dot giggled softly. "No. I just wanted to see the expression on your face." He growled softly and reached behind him to tickle her. She squealed, and Adena stirred and turned over, hugging her teddy to her. "Bob! You're going to wake her!" "Not if she's anything like you and Enzo." Dot swatted at him playfully. "Oh, hush." Bob grinned and motioned to her to let him out. Placing the chair back in the corner, he backed out of the room and carefully closed the door. He turned to face Dot, who was looking at him with a curious expression on her face. He crossed the hall and pinned her to the wall with his body, kissing her hard. "Let's go to bed," he said breathlessly.* * *
Bob drew little circles and figure eights on Dot's bare stomach.
"Quit that. It tickles." She pushed his hand away and pulled a tangled sheet up over her shoulders. "Chilly."
Bob pulled her to him. "Let me warm you up."
She shot him a look. He blinked. "What?" he asked, innocently.
She shook her head at him. He grinned. They lay in silence for a few nanos.
"I'm not opposed to the idea, you know."
"Bob, what in the net are you talking about?"
"Having more children."
"Oh."
Silence.
"What's wrong?"
"Hrm? Nothing."
"You're awfully quiet."
"Thinking."
"Oh."
More silence.
"You were joking about it."
"I know."
Bob held her tighter.
"You just caught me off guard, is all. It's not that I don't want more kids, it's just that-" She took a deep breath.
"Things are working out fine they way they are now?"
Dot exhaled. "Yeah. Are you upset?" She turned her head and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He shook his head.
"Not at all. We're happy right now... And whatever happens, happens."
Dot had opened her mouth to respond when the door creaked open and Adena stumbled over to her.
"What's the matter, sweetie?" She glanced over to see Bob discreetly pulling his sweats on.
"I hadda bad dream." She stuck out her lower lip and tried to look as adorable as possible. "Can I sleep with you?"
Bob took her arm and led her towards the door. "Let's go get a drink of water, and then we'll go to sleep."
By the time Adena leapt on the bed, followed by Bob, Dot had slipped into a night-shirt, and she held up the blankets so her daughter could snuggle under them. Bob shuffled towards the middle of the bed, sandwiching the little girl between her parents. Bob stroked her dainty blue cheek and kissed Dot over the top of her head.
End
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Bob leaned over the back of the couch. Adena lay curled up on her side, fast asleep. Her book lay abandoned on the floor, dropped when sleep overcame the small sprite. He shook his head and sighed, making his way around the couch. Her deep amethyst eyes opened as he lifted her off the couch. "Daddy?" she asked sleepily. "It's bedtime, honey. C'mon, I'll carry you up." He hoisted her up and she leaned her head on his shoulder, clutching her teddy in one small hand. Bob made his way upstairs, careful not to wake her again. He rummaged through her dresser with his free hand and came up with a pair of pyjamas. Placing his daughter gently on the bed, Bob slipped her shoes and socks off. Peeling the jumper and shirt off her small body with utmost care, he slipped a night-gown over her head in their place. Scooping her silver hair to one side, he pushed her head up onto the pillow and pulled the blanket up to her chin. Turning, he got up and walked back to the dresser, flicking the night light on. He brought the rocking chair out of the corner and placed it by the door. He loved watching her sleep. He never tired of it. She was so small. So perfect. So optimistic and full of hope. When the days were so long and hard that even his patient soul was vexed and he held onto his patience by an almost non-existent thread, she greeted him at the door bubbling happiness and soothing his spirit. He sat and watched for some nanos, not really aware of the time, when a familiar voice whispered in his ear. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" Bob glanced up at Dot, and then back at their daughter. "Gorgeous. Just like her mother." "She doesn't look anything like me, silly." "She's got your eyes. Those beautiful eyes I fell in love with." Bob looked up. "Gorgeous," he repeated, and turned back towards Adena. Dot blushed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a wonderful father, you know. Enzo is jealous." "I love her to pieces. Both of them." Dot's eyes sparkled. "How'd you like another?" Bob turned, shock on his face. "Are you - ?" Dot giggled softly. "No. I just wanted to see the expression on your face." He growled softly and reached behind him to tickle her. She squealed, and Adena stirred and turned over, hugging her teddy to her. "Bob! You're going to wake her!" "Not if she's anything like you and Enzo." Dot swatted at him playfully. "Oh, hush." Bob grinned and motioned to her to let him out. Placing the chair back in the corner, he backed out of the room and carefully closed the door. He turned to face Dot, who was looking at him with a curious expression on her face. He crossed the hall and pinned her to the wall with his body, kissing her hard. "Let's go to bed," he said breathlessly.
End