Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong solely to Janet Evanovich. Unfortunately so does all the money. Everyone that you don't recognized, including characters to be named at a later date, are completely made up by me, myself, and I.

A/N: I know I owe you guys an update (or 20) for LTL but know that I'm working on it. I'm trying to get my chapters done in advance so you can actually read them weekly. That's my goal anyways. So far so good though. But as a little gift. . . . Pffft who am I kidding, this is a peace offering. . . . . I'm posting this little one shot. It happens several years after LTL will end -cry- later on I'll probably make a little collection of them and post them. But as it is now. . . . . . . .

I hope you like it :)

As Always, Thanks For Reading.
~Sky

Bedtime Story

"Mommy?" I couldn't help but smile when Angelina or Ric called me mom. It still amazes me to this day that I really am a mom.

Its been a long couple of years with a lot of ups and downs. But here I am. Tucking my little . . . . No. Tucking my big kids in to bed. I don't know how they grew up so fast. It seems like it was just yesterday I was finally able to bring them home from the hospital.

My heart missed a beat in my chest. Thinking about that time always made my heart drop. I was so close to losing them. . . . . .

I shook my head, trying to forget the bad and see how perfect everything turned out. There, lying in Angelina's bed, where my two little miracles.

Angelina with her wild curls framing her face and past her shoulders. She refused to get them cut. A smile tugged at my lips when I remembered trying to take her to the hair dresser. She is definitely my child. Stubborn as hell.

She was lying with her bright blue bedspread already tucked in around her. Her reason for picking out that one was because it matched her eyes, which it did. Her real reason though was because all the other ones were 'too girlie' for her. Pink wasn't allowed in their room at all. Purple was out too. I always got an eye roll and a puking gesture whenever I wore either color.

My curls and my eyes. That was all that Angelina had of me in her. I was grateful of course, but every time I see her precious face, it feels like a piece of my heart breaks for Ranger. Her bright little smile mends it though.

"Mom?" This time it was Ric that called me.

I turned my head to look at him. If Angelina breaks a piece of my heart then Ric shatters half of it. I still have to remind myself that this is not Ranger. It's his son. Our son. Ric is just a couple shades lighter than Ranger was but other than that, they could have been twins. And their personalities. . . I couldn't help but laugh a little. Even without Ranger here with us, Ric has his eating habits, gestures, and over-protective instincts.

I sighed and brought myself out of my musings. When I looked at both of them again I saw them staring at me.

Ric raised his eyebrow and a smile broke out on my face. "Are you ok Mom? You looked like you were in another world."

I waved him off. "I'm fine. I was just remembering when you two used to be kids."

Angelina rolled her eyes. "We still are Mommy."

I walked over and sat on the edge of her bed. I tapped her nose once when I said, "It doesn't seem like it. You're so big now. Pretty soon you'll be as big as Uncle Tank."

Her eyes widen at that. She turned her head towards Ric. "I don't want to be as big as Uncle Tank! He's big."

"Oh come on Angel, you won't be as big as Uncle T. You're a girl."

Oh, wrong card to play Ric. I tried to hide my smile when I could sense Angelina's rhino mode.

"What? What did you just say?" She sat up in her bed and looked him in the eye. "Did you just say it was because I'm a girl?" She poked him in the shoulder. "Well I have news for you, you dumb boy, I can be whatever I want to be. Everyone says so. Being a girl just means I get to look pretty too." She had a triumphant smile on her face.

With his eyebrow raised again he said, "Who said you looked pretty?"

I caught Angelina by the shoulders just as she went for Ric. I just glared at him with Angelina struggling in my arms. He let out a tiny breath. "I'm sorry Angel. I didn't mean it. You are pretty."

She hrmped and crossed her arms. "I thought so." Her eyes said just wait till moms gone.

I sighed before releasing Angelina. "No fighting. Got it?"

I heard "Yes Mommy" and "Got it" at the same time.

"Ok you two. It's time for bed."

"But Mommy! You said you would tell me a bedtime story."

A felt my lips curl into a small smile. "Did I?"

She nodded. "You promised." Then she got me. The damn eyes. The bambi eyes. Sigh. Crap. I never should have taught her that.

One story. . . . It won't be that bad.

"Ok. Fine. Since I promised." I mentally rolled my eyes.

I got her tucked back in bed before I turned to Ric. "Do you want to stay up to hear? Or are you just going to go to your room?"

He looked at Angelina, with her wide eyes pleading, before he sighed. "I'll stay."

I grinned inside. He was such a sucker for her. He'd do anything for her. Ric was a great big brother. I ant wait till she starts dating when she's a teen. I laughed out loud at the thought. The poor kid was probably going to insist on going with them to make sure she stayed out of trouble.

Ric raised his eyebrow but I turned back to Angelina. "Which story do you want to hear tonight, baby?"

She thought for a minute but didn't come up with one she liked. "I don't know, Mommy."

"How about Cinderella?" She shook her head no. "Sleeping Beauty?" Another no. "Ariel?"

"I want something new Mommy."

Crap. "New?"

"Please, Mommy? I want something I haven't heard before." Then came the bambi eyes.

Double Crap.

I looked at Ric for help. He just shrugged his shoulders and tried to hide his smile. I glared at him for a minute before sighing and turning back to my little girl.

"Ok baby. Let's see what I can think of."

It took me a moment before a thought came to me. That might just work.

Ok. Here goes nothing.

"Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived a Princess. Almost everyone in her kingdom didn't understand her, especially her mother the Queen. The Princess envied all the birds outside her castle. They were able to fly and live freely out in the open, something she wished she could do since she was a child. The Queen, along with everyone else, expected the Princess to get married and produce more heirs to the thrown just like her sister, who already had three children. Everyone but her father, the King, and her grandmother, the previous Queen. They encouraged her to be who she was meant to be. They knew she was special. The Princess was not meant to live such a normal life. She was born for something higher."

"Wow Mommy. How come you never told me this story before?" Angelina's eyes were bright with questions and curiosity.

I cupped her cheek in my hand before smiling. I feel Ric looking at me, but I continued on with the story.

"The Princess was very adventurous. She was always exploring the vast kingdom, often finding trouble along the way. It was like she was a magnet for danger. The Queen hated that. She thought of nothing besides what the rest of the Kingdom thought of the Princess and her irresponsible actions.

"One day an old childhood friend from a nearby kingdom started showing interest in the Princess. This Prince Charming immediately gained the Queens approval. His intentions for the Princess were very clear. He wanted to marry her and have children to make heirs for his Kingdom. The Queen continually put pressure on the Princess to marry Prince Charming but she was undecided. That wasn't the life she wanted but she didn't know what else she could do. Every night the princess wished for guidance. Then one day, a Dark Knight and his men came across the Princess during one of her disastrous adventures. He rescued her without hesitation. With one look in her eyes, the Dark Knight new his heart belonged to her. The Princess sensed this connection too. She was now complete. She knew she was born to love the Dark Knight, just like he was born to love her. He introduced her to his men. She immediately became little sisters to all of them."

My heart started missing a couple beats. I paused to take a breath and Angelina took advantage.

"Mommy, was she really born to love him? That doesn't seem like the greater thing she was born to do."

"She was, baby. It may not seem like a lot but the love the Princess and the Dark Knight had was something really special. His love for her made her fly like she already dreamed, and her love for him made him the man he wished he could be."

Angelina looked confused. "I thought you said if two people really love each other, they won't try to change the other."

I could help the little laugh that came out of me. Before I could explain, Ric beat me to it.

"You don't understand Angel. The Princess and the Dark Knight didn't try to change each other. They never really changed. They just became the person that was hidden inside them, right Mom?" He gave me a pointed look.

I was always amazed at how much he understood. He wasn't the boy he looked like. He was a man inside that little body. A great man. Just like his father.

"Right Ric. That's exactly right."

Angelina still didn't get it. "Ok baby. You know how you grow everyday right?" When she nodded I continued. "Well while you change every day, you are still Angelina. That doesn't change but you are still becoming the girl you are supposed to be. Does that make sense?"

"Kind of. So they didn't really change? They just made each other better?"

"That right, Angel."

Her smile was bright. She was proud of herself. So was I. "Can you finish now, Mommy?"

I smiled back. "Sure.

"When the Princess brought the Dark Knight and his men over to introduce them to her family, only two people excepted them into her life. The King and her grandmother. Once they saw the light in her eyes, there was no question that they were meant for each other. They could practically feel their connection from across the room. The Queen hated it. She and Prince Charming tried many, many times to force the Princess and the Dark Knight apart. Their love was no match for the Queen and Prince Charmings selfish attempts."

I had to pause for the next part. Should I continue?

Ric caught my eye and nodded in my direction.

He knew. Of course he knew.

I nodded back a little and held his hand in mine as I continued.

"Unfortunately the Princess and the Dark Knight's love was no match for death. The Dark Knight was called away to protect his own Kingdom. He never came back. The Princess was heartbroken. She didn't know how she could go on without him. She thought if they couldn't be together in life, then she would join him in death."

I heard Angelina gasp, but I pushed forward with the story.

"It was almost too late when the Princess realized the wonderful gift the Dark Knight left with her. He had given her a son and daughter to carry. With the Dark Knights men beside her, and the two children within her, she got back her love, hope, and faith that had died with the Dark Knight. Weeks passed slowly for the Princess at first. Then after she was able to hold her children in her arms time started to move faster. Before she knew it they were almost ready to take care of their selves. Her life wasn't perfect. She didn't get to live the happily ever after she wanted, but she learned that wasn't important. She got to live and because of that, so did her children. That made everything worth it for her."

I took a deep breath before saying, "The End."

"Wow," was all Angelina could say. Her eyes were half closed. I kissed her forehead lightly and told her I loved her and to get some sleep.

"I love you too, Mommy. Thanks for the story. It was great."

I smiled and said goodnight as I turned the lights off and closed the door a little.

Ric held my hand as we walked to his room.

I sat on the edge of his bed as he climbed in. I tucked the blankets in around him.

"That was some kind of story you told us Mom."

I smiled and ran my hands through his hair. "It's based on a true story, ya know."

His smile warmed my heart. "I never would have guessed."

We both laughed for a minute.

I sighed before kissing his head. "It's late and we have a big day tomorrow. Get some sleep Ric."

"Love you, Mom." He said before closing his eyes and getting comfortable.

"I love you too, son."

I quietly slipped out of his room and went to the kitchen to get a drink. Just as I was getting a glass out of the cupboard, I heard the door unlock in the living room. I grabbed another cup when I heard footsteps walking towards the lights in here.

"Cocoa?" I asked with my back to them.

There was a grin in his voice when he said yes.

"The kids in bed?"

I put the milk filled cups in the microwave to heat "Just put them down."

"Great."

When the microwave dinged I pulled out the cups and added the cocoa to them, stirring them before finally turning around and handing one to Lester.

"Just come off a job?" He was still in his work clothes.

"Yea. Stakeout with Tank for the Stevenson file."

I followed Lester out of the kitchen to the living room and put the TV on some movie, lowering the volume a little. I sat down next to him on the couch as he put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer.

"You look like you had a hell of a night, Steph."

I sighed before telling him the bedtime story I told the kids.

He paused for a minute after, thinking it over. "You, ok?"

I smiled. "Yea. I am. I don't know why I told them but I feel much better now for some reason. Ric knew of course."

"What doesn't that kid know?"

We both laughed.

I laid my head on his shoulder suddenly exhausted.

I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, "Want me to tuck you in now Steph, and tell you a little story?"

I lifted my head and kissed his cheek lightly. "Maybe next time."

He grinned and winked. "I'll remember that."

We turned back to the movie and fell into a comfortable silence.

My last thought before falling asleep was that even without the happy ending, the Princess still seemed to live a happy life.

A/N: How'd you like it? Good? Bad? Please review. They make me write faster. /grins