"Once upon a time, there was a girl. She had no mother, only a father who loved her very much. The girl grew up in a time where woman were not to be educated and were expected only to manage a household. But this girl wasn't happy with that life, so her father taught her wondrous things. Things he'd learned on his travels and through his research. The girl grew up and decided to go to college; she wanted people to realize that she wasn't like the many helpless women of her era and while she was attending this college… she met a man."
"You daddy! It was you, wasn't it!" Ashley cried out, interrupting her father's tale.
"Yes," he said laughing, "It was."
"And then you courted each other and got engaged! But the energy monster made you do bad things so you left, but mommy found you later and you got married and had me!" Ashley said excitedly.
"Who's telling the story now? And why have me tell it if you obviously know it so well," John said playfully.
" 'Cuz you tell it the best daddy!"
"Oh does he now?" Helen said, raising an eyebrow as she walked into her daughter's room. "You don't think I tell it well enough?"
"Mo~oomm! You know that's not what I meant! Besides," the blond said shrugging her shoulders, "You and daddy tell it different."
"We do, do we?" John murmured glancing at Helen, not meaning for his daughter to hear.
"Yes," the young girl said confidently.
"And now I believe it's time for bed." Smiling at John, Helen started pulling him up from his daughter's bed.
"But momma! Daddy hasn't finished telling the story!"
"I believe," John interjected, "that you finished it for me."
Chuckling Ashley's pout, Helen bent down to kiss her daughter on the forehead, "Goodnight darling. I love you. Sleep well."
"Goodnight angel," John said, "don't let the bedbugs bite."
"I won't! I'll just get Henry's gun and shoot them!"
At that, her parents burst out laughing. "Ashley! You're not supposed to take Henry's stun-gun! You'll get yours when you turn 10—and that won't be for another four years!" John said, quelling his laughter and trying to admonish her.
"Three and a half," Ashley muttered. "Besides," she said in a louder tone, "I'm a better shot than him already! And I haven't even gotten formal training yet!"
"Well, you certainly are your father's daughter—stubborn, and sure of what you want!" Helen said smiling. Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Tell you what, if you go to sleep right now, tomorrow I'll let John give you your first lesson."
"Really?" Ashley's face lit up.
"Yes, really." Smiling Helen waved goodnight, "Now, goodnight."
"Goodnight mamma! Goodnight Papa! I love you!"
"Love you too," they chorused.
After Helen shut the door John took a close look at his wife. "Are you sure about that? I thought we agreed to wait."
"I know I said I wanted to wait but she is your daughter and she's just going to sneak around if you don't teach her. At least this way she has supervision."
John nodded, "I understand. Don't worry. Nothing will happen."
"I certainly hope not."