This is set in the 'There's No Place Like Home' and 'A Whole New World' universe. Read and review!
Love Rhyleigh xoxox
Ben Rafter closed the front door, sighing heavily. Dumping his keys in the kitchen, he advanced to the lounge room...
Where he heard sweet music, his five year old daughter twirling around without a care in the world. His wife Melissa was smiling, as his five year old son, Zac, laughed. Zoe was pink cheeked, giggling in her pink pyjamas. Ben smiled, the troubles of his day slowly melting away at the sight of his family.
"Daddy!" Zac cried, finally noticing his father standing in the doorway. The little boy threw himself at Ben, Ben scooping him up into his arms.
"Hey, buddy", he said warmly, kissing his wife in greeting. Melissa just smiled.
"Daddy", the little boy declared, "Zo made me dance!"
Ben pretended to shudder, falling down beside Melissa. "Oh, buddy, you're one up on me. I can't dance".
"Uncle Carbo can dance", Zac giggled.
Melissa and Ben shrieked with laughter.
"Daddy!" Zoe cried. "Daddy, there's a ball at the castle and I've been invited! I need to practice my dancing. Dance with me, Daddy, please?"
"Zo, I'm not very good", he said warily, looking at his pyjamas-clad, overimaginative daughter. She had a look of pure innocence on her face, the mirror image of her mother and his wife.
"Please, Daddy?" Zoe begged.
"Come on, B2", Melissa said, scooping Zac, the younger of the twins, into his arms. "Let's get ready for bed, hey?"
Zac sighed heavily, his head drooping onto Melissa's shoulder. "Okay..."
"Please, Daddy?"
"Fine", Ben gave in, heaving himself off the lounge and taking Zoe's hands in his. Zoe's orbs were bright, the earnest belief of magic shining in the blue seas that made up her eyes. Ben bowed, making the little girl giggle. "Can I have this dance, Zoe Matilda?"
Zoe giggled, curtseying in return.
The father daughter pair spun and twirled, in the twinkling music that surrounded their home- their castle. Throwing her head back, Zoe giggled, as Ben spun her around, faster and faster, before collapsing in a heap on the carpeted floor, as the clock ticked over to nine.
"Come on, Cinderella", Ben told her, lifting her into his arms. She settled her head on his shoulder, brunette curls tickling his neck.
"I'm ready for the ball, Daddy", she murmured.
"Don't stay away too long, Cinderella", Ben told her, shifting her in his arms to carry her up the stairs.
"Daddy!" Zoe, giggling, rolled her eyes. "The ball's not that far away!"
Ben couldn't fathom the day where Zoe would come to he and Melissa, telling them that she had met the boy of her dreams. It didn't matter how old Zoe got, Ben would see the little girl he danced around with, holding her tight in his arms, afraid to let her go. Even when she did find the right boy (although no boy would be right, by his standards), Ben had something up on her prince.
He danced with her first.
"Bedtime, Zo!" he said, tossing her onto the pink doona, making her giggle and squeal. Scrambling under the blankets, Zoe allowed her father to tuck her in. Ben fluttered his eyelashes on her cheek, butterfly kisses, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Zoe closed her eyes, already in the throes of sleep.
Smiling at the little girl he called his own, Ben dimmed the room to darkness with the flick of a switch. With a smile, he left the door ajar...
Just in case Cinderella never made it to the ball.