You know, I got such positive feedback on the first chapter, I decided to extend it into a series of oneshots. After all, The Neverending Story isn't the only book out there! ^_^ There is a world of unexplored possibilities here. I'm only surprised that I didn't decide to continue with this sooner! Well, the concept is the same: Six is reading Rex a bedtime story. *sigh* It's funny how the simplest of storylines end up being the ones we love the most...

SIX'S POV

Six should have realized that that night reading The Neverending Story would not pass without consequences. After that evening, the week went on normally. Then, when Six was walking toward the Zoo for some before-bed training, Holiday stopped him.

"Yes, Holiday?" He asked, to which Holiday smiled.

"We finished The Neverending Story. He's starting a new book tonight."

Six raised an eyebrow. Of what significance was this? "And...?"

"He's asking for you." With that, she pressed a book into his hands and walked off.

Six blinked dumbly for a moment before looking down at the front cover. 'Mary Poppins...' He allowed the tiniest of smiles to come to his face. He remembered One reading to him from the Mary Poppins series when he was a kid... Quickly, however, he regained his composure and started toward Rex's room. 'I suppose I'll just wake up early to catch up on my training...' He rationalized to himself.

When he opened the door to Rex's room, the kid was sitting upright on his bed, an excited expression on his face which melted to one of relief. "You did come!"

Six paused briefly before walking over and sitting down on the bed. "What made you think that I wouldn't?" He asked calmly.

Rex shrugged his shoulders. "I just wasn't sure you'd want to."

Six frowned, not sure what to say to that. True, the kid's worries weren't unfounded. The aggro-ninja wasn't exactly the type to like reading bedtime stories to a child. Instead of replying, he opened the book. "Before I start, I have one condition."

"Condition?" Rex tilted his head.

"I don't want to hear the term 'aggro-nanny' come from your mouth at all while I am reading this to you."

"Darn..."

…...

It was the fourth day of this new arrangement and Six was now reading Chapter 4- Miss Lark's Andrew. By this point, it was easy to become immersed in his childhood favorite. However, he often found it necessary to make a few adlibbed changes to the details and dialogue. (Some of those British exclamations and statements would have been enough to make Five to fall on the ground laughing if she heard Six utter them.)

Rex, as always, felt the need to ask questions during this chapter. As always, his first one came within the first two pages: "Hey, Six! Can I have a dog?"

"No."

Rex listened quietly as Six read about the pampered pet, Andrew, and his wish to be a normal dog. "He's kinda like me, except he has a better room." He chirped.

Six smiled dryly at this comment as he continued. As he read, however, a sobering realization entered his mind. Now that he thought about it, Rex was very similar to Andrew in a lot of ways. He felt separated from others, isolated, and outcast. It cast a bit of a shadow over a chapter that Six had once found so humorous. As he got to the part where Andrew was asking Mary for directions after leaving home on his own, Rex spoke up again.

"He even sneaks out like me!" He grinned brightly. "What a cool dog!" When Six started to go into detail on how flustered and scared Miss Lark was, he frowned. "Hey, Six?"

"Yes?"

"Do you and Holiday get worried like that whenever I sneak out?"

Six paused for a moment before replying carefully: "We don't go running around the front of the building calling for the police if that's what you..."

Rex shook his head. "No, I know that. But, do you guys worry when I do that?"

Six sighed. This was supposed to be a story, not a discussion of emotions. 'Ah well. Might as well give him a short answer and hope he doesn't pursue it any further.' "Yes." He replied. To his surprise, Rex didn't say a word on the subject afterward, though he had a very thoughtful expression on his face. The kid rested his head on Six's shoulder and hugged his arm as he listened.

The mood lightened considerably as Andrew began negotiating with Miss Lark, telling her firmly to let his mutt friend come to live with them and to stop making him wear overcoats and go to the hairdresser. At the end of the chapter, Rex was laughing.

"I don't know who I like more, Andrew or Willoughby!"

'Sheesh...these fictional canines are becoming a bad influence...'

Rex looked at the title of the next chapter: The Dancing Cow. "Ooh! Can you keep reading, Six?"

Six closed the book and stood up. "One chapter per night, remember?" Secretly though, he did want to continue.

Rex pouted and lay down. "Kay..." His eyes were drifting shut.

'Typical kid. He still wants to keep going even though he can hardly hold his head up.' Six rolled his eyes as he leaned over and pulled the covers over the tired child. "Goodnight, Rex."

As he opened the door, he heard Rex's muffled reply: "Night, Andrew." He smirked to himself as he walked down the hallway. Every night, for the past three nights, Rex would tiredly say goodnight to him. Each time, the groggy kid would say something different and random, usually something having to do with the chapter. It was never "Night, Six.".

Six would never admit it out loud, but he really hoped that he would soon read a chapter that would make Rex call him "Daddy" again...

Well? You likey? I hope you likey, because I likey! ^_^ I'm gonna like this. This will be a good chance to spread my literary passion while writing big, fluffy, father/son bunnies! Please review, but don't flame! Flames make little Rex cry! *looks at first chapter* Jeez! It's been almost a year since I typed the first chapter! Maybe it's something about the month of June... Ah well. Peace out!

PS- Can't you see Six loving the Mary Poppins series? I don't know why, but it seems like a book that he would have loved as a kid!