A/N: Had this bouncing in my head for a few days and had to let it out. Unbetaed as mistakes are mine.

Chapter 2

Jennifer laughed and shook her head as she watched her two favorite people in the world asleep on the couch, their breathing almost in synch. The father and daughter had eaten too much candy they had picked up trick or treating and came home with upset stomachs. The wife and mother headed into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea before she would wake the two sleeping beauties to go upstairs for bed.

She had just put a squirt of honey in her tea when she felt a tug at the sleeve of her robe and looked over to see Morgan standing there, rubbing her eyes and sniffling, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"My tummy still hurts," the child wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "And daddy's is making funny sounds."

Jennifer pulled her daughter onto her lap, "The two of you ate a lot of candy. What did you expect?" she tucked Morgan's light brown hair behind her ears.

"Make it better. Please, mommy," Morgan pleaded with her mother.

"Let's get you to bed. I'll get you a glass of water and when you wake up your tummy will be feeling better. How does that sound?" Jennifer stood up, taking Morgan with her.

"You promise?" the child batted her eyelashes. "Can I have a story too? But not one like daddy's. I didn't like that those kids were mean to him. I want a happy story." Morgan did not like the tale told to her the previous evening.

"I'll give you a happy story," she kissed her daughter's cheek and started toward Morgan's room.

Morgan stopped Jennifer at the bottom of the stairs, "I want to say goodnight to daddy first."

"But he's sleeping," she minded the child, knowing her husband would barely stir. Definitely a daddy's girl.

"I don't care," Morgan wiggled until she was put down. She ran over to the couch where her father slept. "Night, daddy. I love you," she kissed Rodney's cheek before running back to her mother. "Ready for story now," the animated child marched up the stairs toward her room.

It took Jennifer twenty minutes before Morgan was tucked in and the story happy enough for the child to be satisfied. "Goodnight, sweetie," the mother kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Night, mommy. I love you," the child yawned. "Daddy is still sad from his story. Can you use your special mommy powers to make him not sad?"

Jennifer smiled and nodded, "I'll try." Morgan did have a point and she did not have a chance to talk to Rodney about the story he told. The events of that Halloween had to leave some deep hidden scars on her husband. She had not noticed anything different with Rodney today, but sometimes children noticed things adults failed to notice.

Morgan was half-asleep by the time Jennifer left the room. When she got downstairs, Rodney was still in the same position, as he was when the two females had gone upstairs. Jennifer swore the house could fall down around her husband and he would not wake, but she could tickle a certain spot behind his ear and he would wake right up. She knelt down next to him and tickled that spot and whispered, "It's time to go upstairs. Let's go to bed."

"How long was I out for?" Rodney sleepily rubbed his eyes. The nap had done him good and his stomach was no longer bothering him.

"About an hour and half. I just put Morgan to bed and now it's your turn, but you are a little too heavy for me to carry."

The scientist gave a fake laugh as he sat up, "Funny. I'm not tired anymore."

"Good," Jennifer sat next to her husband. "We need to talk anyway. Are you feeling better?" she took Rodney's hand in hers and laced their fingers together.

Rodney nodded, "All better. What to be need to talk about?" His nose scrunched up in confusion.

"That story you told Morgan last night..." Jennifer started but was interrupted.

"Okay, I know it wasn't something I should have told her..." Now was Rodney's turn to be interrupted.

"She is still upset about it and thinks you are still sad over it. I'm wondering how come you never told me about it," she gave the man's hand an encouraging squeeze.

He shrugged indifferently, "You knew I was picked on as a kid. Didn't think it was worth telling."

Jennifer's hand moved from his hand to Rodney's cheek, "Rodney, you were locked in a closet for an hour. That's serious and it made you hate the holiday for thirty years."

Rodney started to get flustered, "Well, um thirteen is a little too old to enjoy Halloween and this is really the first year Morgan could enjoy it. Therefore, it's different. What happened is no big deal."

"You are a horrible liar, my dear," the worried wife's arms moved around his neck. "You are no longer that lanky geeky thirteen year old. You still may be a bit of a geek, but you are my very sexy and very handsome husband whom I will love until the day I die and who gave me the best gift I could ever ask for four years ago. Our little girl thinks you can walk on water. If I ever get the chance to meet that Helen Lorenzo I will give her a piece of my mind." After her little speech, Jennifer placed a soft kiss of Rodney's lips.

He could not contain the smirk caused by her words, "I knew there was a reason I married you. And what would you say to that vile little girl?" Rodney played along, wondering what his wife would do.

"It wouldn't be what I say as much as what I would do," Jennifer said with a sly smirk.

Rodney held up his hands, "If you are thinking what I think you are doing I don't think that would wise. She is about two hundred fifty pounds and would flatten you in no time."

She shook her head confused, "You've checked up on her?"

"Of course I have," he said as if it would not be a shock. "She's forty-six, morbidly obese, never married, no children, no job and still lives with her parents. Why wouldn't I check in on the people who made my teenage years hell? To see how they made nothing of themselves and I have everything I could ever dream of; beautiful wife who adores me and who I adore, an amazing daughter, great job and nice house and did I mention the beautiful wife."

When Rodney put it that way, it did sound like something he would do. "I wasn't talking about fighting her. I was thinking of showing her how three minutes in heaven should really be played, but I think three minutes is too short. Then there would be the obligatory speech on the effects of karma and how incredible you are and how lucky I am to have you as my husband."

"Really now?" his smirk grew. "Do you want the sappy reply or naughty one?" Rodney did not wait for an answer, "Sappy being that every moment with you and Morgan is like heaven and naughty is me saying let's go upstairs for a demonstration."

Jennifer was touched by the sappy sentiment, but she had something else on her mind, "A demonstration is in order, but I want to give you a little preview of what is to come." She pressed her lips against his for a far from G-rated kiss.

The kiss got Rodney's heart racing, "Hmm. Maybe Halloween is not such a bad holiday after all."

THE END