A/N: Just a little one-shot that popped into my head the other day. Hope you like it :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Devotion

There were several days in his life that Robbie Ross was certain he would remember for the rest of his life: the day he kissed a girl for the first time, the day his son was born, the day he won the respect of his new colleagues at Mary Hill CID. There were other days, days that he wished he could forget, but fortunately they were few in number.

None of these days, however, gave him quite as much amusement as the day that four year old Katrina Jardine marched up to him and announced that she wanted to marry him.

It took almost all of his will power not to burst out laughing as he gently explained to her that he was far too old for her.

"That's ok, I can wait until I'm bigger," she responded blithely.

This time Robbie couldn't help a small chuckle from escaping, "When you're bigger I'll still be far, far too old for you, Pumpkin."

Katrina seemed to consider this for a moment, "Then I'll marry Jamie," she decided.

Despite himself, Robbie couldn't help feeling a little hurt that he was displaced quite so easily, "Katie, where is this sudden desire for marriage coming from?" he asked her.

"Because I love you," she said simply, "and Jimmy said you're not really our uncle and I don't want you to ever decide to go away. I thought that if I married you then you'd never go." She looked up at him seriously, "I don't want you to go, Uncle Robbie, I'd miss you," she added and her bottom lip quivered ever so slightly.

Robbie blinked back the sudden tears that had pricked in his eyes at her statement, underneath all of his bravado he was quite a softie, especially with children.

He picked her up, "I'm going to tell you something very important, Katie, and I want to you listen very carefully, ok?" Katrina nodded, "I love you and your siblings very much. No matter what happens, nothing will ever change that and I'm not going to leave. Do you understand?" she nodded again and Robbie smiled, "You're stuck with me, sweetheart," he told her with a grin.

Katrina regarded him for a long moment, "You promise?"

"I promise," he told her seriously.

"Good," she murmured, burying her face in his neck, leaving Robbie wondering what he had done to deserve such devotion.