A Cinderella Story – One shot
Niley one shot/song fic based on Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Cinderella"
-----------
She spins and she sways
To whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
I watched my wife and our daughter, prancing around the living room of our two story mansion, dancing to a sweet melody I was humming from my seat on the couch. I watched in awe as Miley twirled our three year old in the air, spinning her around until they both got too dizzy to stand on their own. A wide smile spread across my lips as they both fell beside me on the couch, instantly snuggling into my side. Loving them like I did, I wrapped my arms around them, hugging them both to my heart. They were my life, my most precious belongings if at all they could be qualified. I laughed to myself as our vivacious little girl, Cindy, jumped to her feet, tugging on both of our hands. I reached for the stereo and pressed play to hear the deep, melodic voice of Elvis Costello fill the room. Instantly, Cindy started spinning in circles, swaying back and forth without a care in the world. Her happiness was radiating off of her, intoxicating both Miley and I.
"She's so carefree, just like you..." I whispered to the love of my life, kissing her temple lovingly as I pulled her into me, both of us watching our daughter in amusement.
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders
Cindy would always be my little girl, no matter how old she was. She was growing up into a beautiful young girl, a mini version of Miley to be precise. She was the spitting image of her both physically and character wise. She was so full of life, bright in her school work and sweet to all her playmates... I couldn't be more proud of the daughter Miley had given us seven years earlier.
While she grew up without a worry in the world, my fears started weighing me down... I had always been a worrier when it came to my loved ones, I was so protective of them, fearing something bad could happen to them whenever I was away from them. Miley, being Miley, laughed at my worry, warning me that I was going to become a wrinkled old man before my time came. I admired her ability to see only the positive in the world, always being so courageous no matter how hard the obstacle.
It's been a long day
And there's still work to do
She's pulling at me
Saying "Dad, I need you
I sighed as I looked down at the paperwork I was currently filling out... Being a record producer was time consuming and brain damaging if you asked me... The lack of sleep I was accumulating due to my work was surely unhealthy for me!
"Take a break, honey..." My sweet wife would coax me every now and then, worrying for my mental and physical health. "We have plenty of money, stop working so hard." She tried to convince me multiple times.
"Daddy!" My fifteen year old Cindy ran through the open door of my home office.
There's a ball at the castle
And I've been invited
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
"Please, daddy, please?" She begged with the most adorable pout. "You need to teach me ballroom dancing!" She exclaimed excitedly, her deep blue eyes shining and her long brown locks cascading down her shoulders just like her mother's did.
"Alright, sweetie, I'll show you." I promised, sighing. I glanced over at Miley, noticing the amused smile on her lips. Somehow my reluctance to accept the fact that my daughter was growing up was something she had learned to enjoy, teasing me whenever she had the chance. I sent her a playful glare before following my daughter out the doors of the office.
"Don't worry, she'll always be your little girl, not matter how old she is." The melodic voice of my wife came to my ear as her hands wrapped around my waist, holding me back. I had to hand it to her, Miley always knew what to say to make me feel better. I turned around to face her, a loving smile adorning my lips.
"Thanks for that..." I told her before capturing her lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. "I love you." I reminded as I pecked her forehead. Seventeen years of marriage and I still loved her like our very first day as a married couple, if not more!
"I love you too." Her blue eyes sparkled under the moonlight streaming through the hallway window, her features looking as flawless as they did when she had been twenty three years old. Looking at her, it was impossible to tell she was approaching her forties.
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
I hummed the beautiful song again and again, loving the sound of every word:
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
"I thought mom was your Cinderella?" Cindy's curious gaze met mine.
"No, you're mom is my Sleeping Beauty!" I smiled.
"Why?"
"Did I never tell you how I met your mother in the first place?"
"Maybe when I was small... I don't remember, though." My daughter looked at me expectantly and I couldn't hold back the smile that appeared on my lips.
"See, I was a swimming teacher for young kids during one summer at the local swimming pool in our hometown. Your mother happened to be babysitting some friends' children and she took them to that same pool. She slipped and fell, hitting her head against the side of the pool. She fell in the water, unconscious."
"And you saved her life?" My bright fifteen year old guessed.
"That's right." I chuckled, smiling at the memory.
"So you gave her mouth to mouth?" Katie smirked.
"Well it did come in handy." I winked at her, knowing that to her it sounded like the perfect fairy tale. And it was. Miley's word on our wedding day echoed in my head:
"You galloped along, saved my life and swept me off my feet in less than a minute, making me fall head over heels for you in half a day. You made me believe in fairy tales and I believe the rest of my life with you by my side will be nothing less."
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone...
I held on to my daughter's waist as I guided her steps, letting the music mark our rhythm. She had become quite a good ballroom dancer by simply watching Miley and myself and by practicing with us every now and then.
She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
"You're lucky she's only starting to date now." My wife reminded me. "She's seventeen years old, Nick... Most girls start dating by fourteen if not earlier!" I groaned in response, still not liking the idea of another man touching my daughter.
"You know what boys are like these days..." I ranted. "She will only get hurt!"
"Honey, come here..." I looked over at my wife who had a photo album sitting on her thighs.
"Old pictures?" I guessed as I took a seat beside her on the couch and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
"Yes... old pictures of us when we started dating... Look at us." She motioned for the pictures of the younger versions of us, laughing hysterically.
"We look happy and in love." I smiled, finding her hand to intertwine our fingers together. "Just like we've always been."
"Don't you want that for your daughter? Find the one person that will make her happy like you've made me happy for so many years?" Her loving gaze never ceased to melt my heart and numb my whole body.
"Of course I do, but it's too early! She's only 17!" I cried out exasperatedly.
"She will have to go through several relationships until she finds her Prince Charming... and you need to give her some freedom for that, honey." She was right... she was always right. It was ironic how I loved it and hated it at the same time. At the end of the day I knew she was being reasonable and I wasn't.
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
"Nick, tell your daughter she looks beautiful!" A tired and frustrated Miley called out to me. I knew she was having a hard time convincing Cindy that she looked beautiful no matter what she wore and I decided to help her out.
"Your mom is right. You look gorgeous, sweetie." I kissed her forehead lightly, peering down at her bright blue eyes. The light green silk dress she had picked out for her prom night suited her perfectly.
"Are you sure, daddy? Do you think Jason will like it?" As much as I hated to admit it I nodded my head in approval.
"Of course he will, darling." I gave her the best smile I could muster and turned to my amused wife. "Don't you dare!" I warned her, unable to contain a smile. She stunned me by saying:
"I'm proud of you." She continued when she noticed my confused expression: "For letting her go to prom I mean. There was a moment there when I thought you would ground her for life if it meant keeping her away from boys." She grinned at me, teasing me just like she always did. I let out a chuckle and shook my head.
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone
Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
"Oh my goodness!" I heard Miley squeal in the kitchen. I rushed inside the room to notice my daughter and her boyfriend of three years being embraced by my wife. "Congratulations!" I heard Miley say in a moved tone. This could only mean one thing...
"Daddy, we're getting married!" My daughter confirmed my thoughts.
"You're what?" I asked her a little taken aback.
"Our daughter's getting married to Lucas." My wife told me softly, placing a hand on my shoulder for comfort.
"Whoa. Congratulations." I managed to squeak out, wrapping my arms around my twenty three year old little girl. I shook hands with her fiancé, giving him a tight lip smile. I would be scared if I were him.
She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
But I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
"Have you set a date yet?" I heard myself ask as my daughter took a seat beside me at the lunch table.
"That's why I'm here..." Cindy smiled brightly. "Mom! Sit down, I want to tell the both of you at the same time." I glanced at Miley who stopped stirring whatever it was she was cooking as took her hand under the table as she sat close me.
"I want your permission on something..."
"If you're asking me if I want you to get married, I suggest you don't ask." I half joked.
"Nick!" Miley scolded me lightly, slapping my arm softly. I grinned at her while she shook her head disapprovingly. I looked over at my daughter who was chuckling at the sight of her aging parents fooling around. "Sorry... you were saying?"
"I would really like my wedding to be on your 25th wedding anniversary... if you don't mind?!" She spoke hesitantly, eying the both of us to see our reactions.
"You mean May 3rd?" Miley's eyes grew moist as she heard our daughters wish.
"That's fantastic, sweetie." I smiled, my eyes watering as well as my wife and I pulled our daughter in a warm embrace, giving her all our blessings to start her life with a family of her own.
That's when I knew that no matter what happened in my daughter's life, I would always be her father, someone she looked up to all her life for guidance and as a role model. The bond in our family would never falter, it hadn't over the past twenty three years and it wasn't about to.
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
"Congratulations, baby girl." I looked at my glowing daughter, dressed in an off white wedding gown. She looked just as beautiful as her mother had the day of our wedding, twenty five years earlier.
"Thanks daddy. I know you like Lucas even if you appear to be really protective of me." She joked.
"Well I do like him, I think I can trust him with you." I admitted, smiling down at her as we swayed to the music playing.
"You can. Thanks dad, for showing me what true love is... you and mom really showed me what that was and that's how I know that what Luke and I have is real." She rested her head on my chest as I rubbed her back lovingly. I knew in that moment that I would never forget the father/bride dance on Cindy's wedding day just like I had never forgotten my first dance with Miley as husband and wife.
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
"Do you think we will be alright without our little girl?" A teary eyed Miley asked me as we stood together, waving goodbye to our daughter and son in law who were taking off for their honeymoon.
"We have each other, don't we?" I smiled down at her, surprising myself with my own words. "Besides, it's not like we've lost her... she'll always be our little girl, it's just time for her to start a family of her own."
"I never thought I'd live the day to hear you admit that." Miley smiled through her tears. "I love you, Nick. Happy 25 year anniversary."
"I love you too, sweetie. So much. Happy Anniversary." I kissed her lips lovingly, aware that the crowd of guests had dissipated.
Although my Cinderella was gone I still had my Sleeping Beauty to grow old with and I knew we would be alright.
---
So there's my second one shot/song fic! This idea just popped in my head and I decided to write it down... I think it's pretty cheesy and cute but would LOVE your feedback!!!
If you haven't heard this song already, check it out. It's really beautiful.
xoxo