A Bedtime Story
Rating - very G VERY G
Disclaimer - Despite the usual omege to Paramount - I would like to also give credit to Mr. Willy DeVille for the song Storybook Love which appeared in one of my childhood favorite movies - The Princess Bride
Note: Italics don't work in my e-mail program - so {} will stand for inserted song lines.
Be gentle - this is only intended to be a short little scene . . . full of FLUFF.
*********************
Under the beautiful brown-eyed stare of his daughter, William Riker found every ounce of his self restraint waver. . .
"Erica my love, I do not do fairy tales, I do space adventures." Sitting on the edge of his youngest child's bed, his baby, Captain William T. Riker attempted to dissuade his daughter with a scaled down version of Starfleet negotiations. . .having run out of "because I said so" twenty or so minutes ago.
And much to his dismay, his youngest, a splitting image of her mother, with her father's stubborn streak, wasn't taking the bait.
"Mama always tells me fairytales. . . "
His only girl. . . .batting her eyes endearingly at him . . .
"Erica, I'm not a very good Fairytale story teller. ." Riker threw his last ditch effort in, shaking his head to his own statement in hopes that maybe she would pull some of that Troi understanding her mother was famous for.
"Daddy, please won't you try. . ." crawling out from underneath her covers, the four-year old scurried across the bed to where her father sat, and gently crossed over his legs until she settled herself comfortably on his lap.
"All you need is a prince and a princess daddy. . . ."
Riker groaned. . .the only Troi this girl took after was her grandmother, unable to take no for an answer.
"Erica. . ."
Turning around, his little Deanna, with round chubby cheeks and ringlets of dark brown hair, stood up on Riker's lap so that father and daughter's gaze met eye-to-eye.
"I trust you daddy. . .you're the Captain."
Leaning forward Erica Riker kissed her father stubbly cheeks affectionately, knowing her father would not let her down.
And of course, he would not.
* * * *
{Come, my love, I'll tell you a tale. . .of a boy and girl, and their love story}
"What are their names daddy?"
Riker looked down, down into those eyes, those beautiful brown eyes.
"Erica, my love, the girl's name was Deanna. . .and the boy, the boy's name was. . .Cliff."
His four-year old was bright, and therefore her button nose wrinkled at Will's poor attempt at a joke.
"Daddy, If the girl's name was Deanna then the boy's name was William." Crossing her stout arms the girl challenged her father with a stern look of her own.
Which of course made Riker bite his tongue to keep from bursting out laughing.
"Now why does the boy's name have to be William."
"Because. . ."rolling her eyes the girl shook her head in frustration, "because all girl's named Deanna have to have princes named William, it's the federation law."
"Really? Who told you that?"
"Mommy." Indignant the girl wiggled herself further into Will's lap, "now let's get on with the story -- pullleeeeze."
Chuckling, Riker shook his head in agreement. He would definitely have to ask Deanna when that law came into effect.
* * *
{and how he loved her oh, so much, and all the charms she did possess.}
"What kind of charms?"
"Well. . . I believe princess Deanna could pat her head and rub her belly at the same time."
"DADDY. . . ." a giggle escaped the young listener.
"And I believe she had the power, with one look, to send Prince William's heart racing, his palms sweating, and his mind to only focus around her.
The young girl thought a moment about what her father had said. . .before laying her head back onto her father's chest, and urging him to continue.
* * * *
{My love is like a storybook story. But it's as real as the feelings I feel. My love is like a storybook story. But it's as real as the feelings I feel; it's as real as the feelings I feel}
"You said I."
"What?" slightly confused, Will looked down at his daughter.
"You said I, don't you mean he. . ."
Amazed, Riker could only thing of one thing to combat his four-year old daughter out-witting him. Tickling.
"Are you always this critical with your mother?"
Gasping, the little girl shook her head, tears of unrestrained laughter pouring down her face, "No. . . .but she always does it righhhhttttt."
In Riker's mind, a response like that deserved a few more tickles before continuing his story.
* * ** *
{Now this did happen once upon a time, When things were not so Complex}
"When did it happen?"
"Aren't you full of questions? How does your mother ever get through a story?"
Yawning, the girl shrugged her shoulders, "Usually she doesn't. So how long ago was it?"
"Oh. . .close to thirty years ago." Riker lifted his daughter into his arms, and carried her to the top of her bed.
"Wow. . .that IS a long time ago."
Smirking, Will gently laid his daughter under her covers, before laying down next to her, "Darling, you would be surprised. Propping his head up on his hand, he rose one eyebrow questionably, "Any more questions?"
Scratching her chin, another trait she had picked up from her father, the girl nodded, "Just one. . .why weren't things complex?"
"Do you know what complex means?"
"No."
"Okay - let's just say it was before Grandma Lwaxana came to live with us."
Surprisingly, the girl seemed content with that response; so Riker continued.
* * **
{And how he worshipped the ground she walked. And when he looked in her eyes, he became obsessed.}
Accepting an onslaught of questions, Will paused. But no questions came, his little listener had finally lost the battle with Mr. Sandman, and those brown eyes that had him wrapped around a spell, had inevitably closed.
Relieved he began to ease himself off the tiny bed.
"Uh-um. . ."
Surprised, Riker turned to see his wife conspicuously leaning against the doorframe of their daughter's room, clearing her throat.
"That's no way to end a story."
Sheepishly, Will broad shoulder's shrugged, "I believe my captive audience has fallen asleep."
"Only one has," strolling into the room, Deanna Riker walked to her husband's side, "However, I on the other hand as waiting on baited breath for the rest. . ."
"Deanna. . .I do space adventures."
Walking between her husband's legs, Deanna gently sat down, and wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, she kissed his stubbly cheek, "For me. . ."
"And me. . ."
Both Riker's turned to see their youngest daughter was indeed again awake, and outnumbered, Will found he had no choice but to continue.
* * **
{This love was stronger than the powers so dark, A prince could have within his keeping; His spells to weave and steal a heart, Within her breast, but only sleeping.}
"I don't get it?"
"Erica. . ." Deanna, who had taken to laying down on the opposite side of her daughter, sat up, "You know I don't think I get it either. . .care to explain Mr. Storyteller."
"Yeah, Mr. . . ." Erica stopped, seeing her daddy's cautious glare, "Mr. Daddy."
Satisfied, Riker continued, "Well, you see although Prince William, and Princess Deanna loved each other imensly, there were people always determined never to see them happy, like an evil Prince Worf."
"Will!"
"Okay, okay not evil . . .a misguided prince Worf, who thought that he and princess Deanna would make a beautiful couple, decided to pursue her, despite what EVERYBODY in the village thought, and princess Deanna, in a moment that could only be described as sleeping, dated him."
"Really?" Erica looked between both her parents, "then what happened?"
Will chuckled, "The Federation passed a law that only Princess named Deanna could be married to Princes named William - so Worf had no choice but to move far away and marry another, more suitable princess."
Seeing he had taken his wife by surprise, Will decided to take the opportunity and
continue.
* * *
{He said, "Don't you know I love you oh, so much, And lay my heart at the foot of your dress?" She said, "Don't you know that storybook loves Always have a happy ending?}
"Will, she is gone."
Turning from his gaze at the ceiling, Will first stared down at his daugther's angelic sleeping face, then to his wife, who he realized tonight very well could be a princess.
"I'm sorry about the Worf comment." Figuring now, while their daughter was inbetween them to shield him, he decided to get that over with.
"It's okay, you rectified yourself." Deanna smiled teasingly, "So when did you lay your heart at the foot of my dress?"
"At Chandra's wedding. " Replying matter-of-factly, Will eased himself off the bed and quietly walked to where his wife laid, "It just took you forever to lift it off from the bottom of your shoe."
"But I wasn't wearing a dress Captain ."
Bending down, Will scooped one arm under Deanna's legs, and another arm under her back, and gently lifted her into his arms, "I know, and I love that type of dress. . ."
* * * *
"Ah . . I should have known. So is that the end of your story . . ." Deanna whispered, as her
daughter's door hissed quietly behind the two, and Will continued to carry her toward their bedroom.
"Hmm. . .No. . .I believe {then he swooped her up, just like in the books, And on his stallion they rode away.}"
"Stallion?"
"Yes, I believe I read that a prince always whisks a princess off on a horse of some sort." Kissing his wife affectionately, Will let the door hiss behind them.
That would be another night - - - and another story
______________________________________________________________
Storybook Love by Willy DeVille
Come my love, I'll tell you a tale of a boy and girl, and their love story, and how he loved her oh, so much, and all the charms she did possess. CHORUS: My love is like a storybook story. But it's as real as the feelings I feel. My love is like a storybook story. But it's as real as the feelings I feel; it's as real as the feelings I feel.
Now this did happen once upon a time When things were not so complex, And how he worshipped the ground she walked. When he looked in her eyes, he became obsessed. (To CHORUS :) This love was stronger than the powers so dark, A prince could have within his keeping; His spells to weave and steal a heart Within her breast, but only sleeping. (To CHORUS :) He said, "Don't you know I love you oh, so much, And lay my heart at the foot of your dress?" She said, "Don't you know that storybook loves Always have a happy ending?"
Then he swooped her up, just like in the books, And on his stallion they rode away. (NOW you can go to the CHORUS!)