Night Magic
by Alryssa Kelly
Set: Sometime in the future, well after season 4. Rated: G Parts: One Author's note: Excessive cuteness contained within. The character of Adena is used with permission from Threnody, to whom this story is dedicated, with thanks. Possibly the only person on this planet who can say she's gotten fluff out of me. Damn you, woman!
Bob was padding softly past his daughter’s room when he heard the sound. Indistinct, somewhat muffled, but he couldn’t mistake it. He frowned. It was very late; and he’d put the little sprite to bed some time ago. His parental instinct on full alert, he reached across the hall and deftly flicked the light on, then pressed a hand to the door and pushed it open, ever so slightly. " 'Dena?" he whispered into the darkness. "Honey, are you OK?" The chink of light sliced into the room just enough for him to make out the huddled lump of duvet. A sniffle emanated from it. He shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Adena?" he called again, softly, but a little more firmly as he opened the door a little further and stepped into the room. The covers shifted to reveal the tear-stained face of his daughter. She sniffled again, and rubbed an eye with the back of a balled-up hand as Bob gently sat beside her on the bed. "Daddy..." she whined. "It’s OK, sweetheart, I’m right here. What’s the matter?" he asked as she clambered into his lap, burying her snuffling face in his bare chest. He winced involuntarily as she did so, kneecaps briefly separating muscles that shouldn’t be, then hugged her to him as he reached across and turned the lamp on. The small bedroom was suddenly brought into stark relief. He pulled back a little from Adena and made eye contact with her. "Are you having bad dreams again?" She nodded, her violet eyes misting up once more, her bottom Cupid’s bow lip trembling. Bob shushed her. "It’s all right, honey. Why didn’t you come and wake me up? You know you can do that." She sniffed again. "You and Mommy were making loud noises. I was scared. I thought the monsters had come to get you." Bob’s eyes widened, and he felt the heat rise to his face as he blushed, an awkward smile blossoming on his lips. "Uh... I’m sorry, 'Dena. No, no they didn’t. But really, it’s ok to come get me. No matter what." The little sprite snuggled into him again, and the two sat there for a few nanos, Adena’s short arms not quite making it around his neck, his wrapped protectively around her small body as he kissed her forehead soothingly, smoothing her errant silver hair down with a free hand. "Daddy?" "Hmm?" "Can you make them all go away? Go away forever and ever?" Bob thought about this for a nano. He didn’t want to make promises to her he knew he couldn’t keep. Nightmares weren’t tangible like Games; they couldn’t be dismissed like a User... or could they? He suddenly began formulating an idea. He pulled back from her again, and wiped the tears from her face gently with the back of his hand. "Adena... we can make them go away. But I’m going to need your help, OK? Only you can do the important part." She nodded, bleary eyes heavy with sleep. "Come on," he said, picking her up and setting her on her feet as he stood. "We have to go make the special powder." He took her hand and led her from the bedroom, down the hall and to the kitchen. Once there, he picked her up and sat her on the counter, then began looking through the cupboards. Adena watched him intently as he brought out a packet of white floury stuff (that poofed unexpectedly as he set it down, sending a cloud of it all over the counter, and her off into a giggling fit, prompting a grinning, but somewhat edgy, Bob to quiet her so as not to wake the rest of the house), and a small plastic bowl. "OK," he whispered, handing her the bowl. "You carry this." She clasped the bowl as he helped her down off the counter, and led her back to the bedroom. Once there, he sat her on the bed, and searched through the little girl’s craft box until he found what he was looking for - a tube of purple glitter. Then, he opened the closet and looked up on the topmost shelf. He and Dot had originally been planning to give Adena the plush toy on her birthday, but... this required something new. Something magical. They could find something else for her birthday. Carefully, he pulled the toy from its box, hiding it before turning around. Adena gazed at him quizzically. He winked at her, then sat on the bed, and produced the tube of glitter. "Right," he said softly. "You take this." She took the tube from him. He reached down and picked up the flourbag carefully, then emptied a handful into the small bowl. "Now. You put that in," he gestured to the tube. Adena’s small fingers fought with the stubborn top. He went to help her, only to have the tube snatched away from his helping hands at the last moment, a frown crossing her pretty face. "All right..." he grinned, withdrawing. He knew better than to interfere when his daughter was concentrating, even as tired as she was. Just like her mother. The tube opened - part of its contents scattering over the bed and the carpet. Adena gasped. Bob shook his head. "It’s fine, honey. Don’t worry." She relaxed, then giggled. "Go on. Put it in, and mix it with your fingers." Her eyes widened, as she was given permission to get potentially rather messy. "Just for tonight, mind!" he added, as she grinned mischievously, plunging her small hands into the bowl and began trickling the mixture through her fingers. He allowed her to do this for just long enough that the glitter was fully combined, creating a fine, dust-like powder. "There... that’s it. There’s your magic powder," he said. Adena lifted her hands from the bowl, and eyed her handiwork, then looked up at her father and laughed. "Shiny!" she said. "Exactly," he replied. "Monsters don’t like shiny things. Now..." he reached behind his back, "here’s something very special." He produced the plush toy Pegasus. Adena put her hands to her face in astonishment, inadvertantly getting the glitter-flour all over herself. Bob grinned. "Daddy!" she squeaked, as he handed it to her. She wrapped her arms around the purple toy, and hugged it tight. "Pay attention," he said, mock-seriously. "Now. Sit back in the bed..." he deftly moved the bowl of powder as she nodded and shifted backwards, moving to crouch beside the bed. He tucked her in, the glitter sparkling wherever the lamplight touched it. "OK. Here comes the magic part. This is your bit. You do this whenever you feel scared, OK?" Another nod. "Take a little bit of the dust, and sprinkle it on Pegasus." Adena carefully reached into the proffered bowl, and did so. "Now... lie back, close your eyes, and repeat after me: Gentle Pegasus, fly to me." Her small face screwed up in concentration. "Gentle Pegasus... fly to me." "Bring dreams of glee, and please protect me." "Bring dreams of..." she stumbled, but a gentle verbal prod helped her on, "glee, and please protect me." As they repeated the rhyme together, he stroked her forehead in a soothing circular motion. He lowered his voice little by little, until it was nothing more than a whisper in her ear. Her own voice had long since trailed off, her already tired body finally surrendering to restful sleep. When he was sure she was soundly asleep, he placed the bowl on the nightstand, and picked up the flour package. "Goodnight, princess," he murmured, kissing her softly on the cheek. Reaching out, he turned off the lamp, and quietly made his way out of the bedroom, leaving the door ajar just a little, and the hall light on, just in case.
Dot stretched and curled sleepily around Bob as he slid back into bed. "Everything OK, Bob?" she enquired. "You were gone a while." "I just had to sit with 'Dena for a bit," he replied, snaking his arms around her. "Mm. Scary dreams again?" "Yeah." "Hmm, what did you do? Usually she ends up in with us for the night." Bob grinned as he turned out the light. "Oh... just a little night magic."
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