This is an amateur, non-commercial story, which is not produced, approved of, or in any way sponsored by the holders of the trademarks/copyrights from which this work is derived, nor is it intended to infringe on the rights of these holders. And so it goes.

THE LONGEST NIGHT

"Sfptzl glbsh glaza daddy blpp!" gurgled Ikki from her crib. She was sitting up in her crib having a wonderful time with her toys…and utterly oblivious that the room was pitch dark.

"…what time is it?" Pema groaned from under her pillow.

"Two forty-three," Tenzin answered wearily.

"That's pretty precise." Ikki's laughter echoed throughout the room.

"I've been counting the minutes." Tenzin rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling. "I don't understand it. Jinora was always asleep by nine and never woke up before seven…"

"Hgsp! Anj Dohakyr!" Ikki declared from the crib. From the sound of things she was bouncing on the mattress. "Srga Spk Pnuyty!"

"I don't understand," Pema moaned. "Your mother suggested that it was the sugar, so we made sure she didn't get any sweets after dinner. Then she thought that a warm bath before bedtime might relax her. We've tried warm milk, lullabies, rocking and snuggles, reading…and she still won't go to sleep!" Something soft and fuzzy bounced across their bed. "What was that?"

"Oo-oo! Oo-oo! Fwy! Oo-oo!" Ikki called.

"I believe that was her stuffed sky bison." There was a second thump. "And that was her toy lemur. They must be on a life-changing journey."

"Le-le! Oo-oo! Grzpa spoof eh!"

"I don't suppose it'd be to Dreamland." Pema sighed and rolled onto her side. "Maybe we should reconsider things and put her in her own room."

"She's only sixteen months old." Tenzin sat up and collected the discarded toys. "And besides…"

"What?" Pema groaned.

"I don't think she threw these toys."

Pema buried her head under the pillows again. "I can't deal with that thought right now, dear."

"You know, it could be worse," Tenzin commented as he slowly extricated himself from the nice, comfy warm bed. "Tonraq told me once that Korra used to shoot fireballs and water streams at the ceiling over her crib at night before falling asleep. They had to replace that section three times before she grew out of it."

"I'm not listening…"

"Daddy! Daddy! Oo-oo! Le-le!" Ikki was bouncing up and down excitedly as her father approached with her beloved toys. "Pway, Daddy! Pway!"

"Come here, sweetheart," Tenzin sighed as he hoisted his daughter into his arms. "Let's go see Oogi, shall we?" He shuffled around for his slippers.

"What are you doing?" came a voice from beneath the pillows.

"We've tried everything else. I'll take her out for a long ride and see if that tires her out." Tenzin smiled wearily. "If nothing else, you'll be able to get some sleep."

"You are the greatest father and husband," came Pema's muffled reply.

The next afternoon found a bleary-eyed Pema watching her youngster running around the patio with her beloved Oo-oo raised high in the air. "I do not believe this," she muttered under her breath. "She didn't sleep all night, she's not the least be tired today…"

Jinora looked up from her coloring book. "I told you we didn't need another baby."

"Shush, you. Well, at least your father's getting some sleep right now, and she's bound to be exhausted tonight."

That night, something soft and fuzzy hit Pema's foot. It was followed by delighted laughter. "Oo-oo! Oo-oo! Fwy! Gphz hmbcl wrgl!"

"No, no, no…" Pema sobbed.

Tenzin slowly rolled out of the bed. "Well, here we go again."