"Blair, are you coming to bed?" Chuck asked as he reclined with his hands behind his head on their down covered king sized bed.

"Yes, Bass, as soon as I finish picking out your outfit for tomorrow. I can't let my CEO husband look anything less than perfectly matched."

"Thank you Mrs. Bass. Now hurry up so I can ravish you."

Tonight was the perfect night. Maggie had been beginning to sleep through the night. She still woke up and needed attention from her doting parents to fall back asleep, but it was becoming less frequent. Nevertheless, the baby monitor was on, and placed on Blair and Chuck's nightstand. Parker and Kay had been lovingly tucked into bed, complete with a good night kiss and a dramatic reading of The Little Mermaid by Blair that both children loved, though Chuck insisted they loved it because they enjoyed listening to their Mom's voice.

Blair giggled as she sauntered over to their bed. She bent down to place a kiss on Chuck's lips. His strong arms wrapped around her petite frame and pulled her to him. She moaned softly as his hands roamed her body. She ran her hands through his smooth hair.

"MOMMY! DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY!" A small voice was heard from the other side of their locked bedroom door. Chuck and Blair immediately broke apart, and groaned at the loss of body contact.

Before Chuck could unlock the door, he heard Mackenzie explaining to her brother, "Okay, Parker, you remember the plan? You're scared of monsters in your room and…Oh hi Daddy! Parker isn't their something you wanted to tell Daddy?"

Parker just looked up at his father, screamed "DADA!" latched onto his legs for a tight hug, and talked in some baby nonsense.

Chuck gave a small laugh, and then picked up the young boy. "Is there something you wanted to tell me son?"

The boy just smiled and began to play with his dad's ear.

Blair who had been watching the scene unfold from bed after she straightened up her nightgown called over for Mackenzie to come join her.

Mackenzie dashed over to the bed and snuggled into her Mother's lap. Chuck and Parker sat next to them on the bed. Parker was now absorbed in touching every part of his father's face.

"Now Mackenzie, sweetie, tell Mommy what's going on, " Blair asked as she patted Mackenzie's curls.

"I was sleeping in my bed. Then, Parker came running in. He seemed so upset. There were little tears in his eyes. You can't see them now, but I promise Mommy they were there. He kept talking about monsters in his room. Monsters under his bed and monsters in his closet! I was so worried. You know for him. He seemed awfully scared. So I brought him here. So you and Daddy can protect us, I mean little Parker, from the monsters." Mackenzie exhaled after she was finished talking.

"Mackenzie, I am so glad you are such a kind and caring big sister," Blair complimented. "However, I have one question."

"Yes, Mommy?"

"How did Parker get out of his crib?"

"Um. Maybe Dorota came in to check on him and left the side of his crib down. You know how busy Dorota is."

"Mackenzie, are you sure you didn't take Parker out of his bed?" Chuck questioned.

Mackenzie gulped.

"Sweetheart, We wouldn't want Dorota to get in trouble for something she didn't do. You know that's very wrong," Blair stated.

"I pay Dorota a very generous salary and I need to make sure she is doing her job properly. If there is something you want to tell us Mackenzie, anything at all, you know me and Mommy will be here for you," Chuck added.

Mackenzie looked back in forth between her parents. Even at four years old, she could understand the pure love for her present on both of their young faces.

"Well…Maybe the monsters aren't in Parkers room. The monsters are in my room," Mackenzie paused, "And I'm scared of them," she finished up with a whisper, a lone tear she had been bravely holding in slipping from her eye.

Blair hugged her daughter to her chest and wiped her tear away. "Mackenzie, that is quite a problem. Luckily for you, your Daddy and I happen to be excellent at making monsters go away."

"Oh yes, we are certified monster hunters," Chucked lovingly smirked.

Mackenzie gave a sigh of relief. She trusted her parents and she was so glad they were going to make everything all better.

"We'll start tomorrow. But tonight it's late and you need to go to sleep Kay. Mommy and me are going to take you and Parker back to bed."

Blair carried Mackenzie while Chuck carried little Parker who was beginning to doze off, his tiny Bass chin resting on his father's shoulder, as his eyes fluttered closed and his small legs wrapped around as much of Chuck's torso as he could manage.

They reached Mackenzie's room first. As Blair tried to lower Mackenzie onto her plush bed, she encountered one problem.

"Mackenzie, you need to let go of Mommy."

"But I'm scared! Will you stay with me? PLEASE!" Mackenzie added in a panicky voice.

Chuck was a little startled to see his proud daughter so vulnerable.

"Blair, maybe we should stay. It's only one night. Mackenzie clearly needs us," Chuck conceded.

"Okay, how about you sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed tonight. I think your bed may be a little small for all of us."

Mackenzie nodded her head vigorously.

Chuck decided to let Parker stay in their bed that night too. Their small family snuggled together under the expensive sheets and Maggie who they brought into the bassinet next to their bed.

Mackenzie and Parker fell asleep to a second reading of The Little Mermaid.

Chuck instinctively reached out for Blair. He found her hand in the dark and laced their fingers together.

Blair sighed, remembering the original plan for tonight, though not regretful that it was replaced by taking care of her lovely children. However, she was a little worried about Mackenzie. But she knew she and Chuck would find a way to prove to Mackenzie that there were no monsters. She just wasn't sure how they would do it.

"Good night Mr. Bass," she whispered.

"Good night Mrs. Bass."

"Good night Mommy! Good night Daddy!"

"Mackenzie, we thought you were asleep!"

"Dada? Mama?"

"Shh, Parker, bed time!" Mackenzie announced.

A gurgle was heard from the bassinet that Blair could have sworn sounded annoyed at the interruption of sleep.

The next morning Chuck and Blair discussed what they would do about the monsters and devised a plan worthy of their sharp minds. All they needed was for Dorota to pick up a couple of supplies.

Mackenzie refused to step foot in her bedroom without the protection of her mother or father. So that night, the bedtime story was read in the master bedroom. Mackenzie was snuggled safely between her parents while Parker plopped himself down on Blair's lap. Tonight Blair read The Princess and the Pea.

"Mackenzie, are you ready to go to your bedroom? You can watch Mommy and Daddy destroy the monsters," Blair asked when she finished reading.

Mackenzie nodded, somewhat apprehensive, but nevertheless took a hold of her mother and father's hand as she walked between them to her room. They paused at the nursery to check on Maggie, who was sleeping soundly, which made Blair proud to see how well her daughter was maturing. They also tried to tuck Parker into bed but he imitated what he had seen his sister successfully do the night before and would not let go of Chuck, so they brought him along on their monster hunting mission.

Right before they entered Mackenzie's bedroom she paused, "I think I should stay out here. I can be a very good hallway guarder. "

Blair smiled to herself at her daughter's antics. Blair was sure she was just like Mackenzie when she was a child. She realized how fortunate Mackenzie was to have parents who showed their love for her and were willing to help her in times she felt vulnerable, like now. If it hadn't been for Dorota, Blair remembered, she would have never gotten over her awful fear of the dark. Eleanor was sure never there for her in this way. Blair then wondered who was there for Chuck as child. She shuddered thinking about his lonely childhood. Blair turned back to her family and smiled. Now was not the time. She had to take care of Mackenzie.

"Mackenzie, I promise he will protect you from the bad monsters," Chuck reassured her to enter her room.

Parker chose that moment to giggle, not really understanding what was happening but deciding Mackenzie must be acting silly. Mackenzie jumped thinking it was the monster. She hid behind her Daddy's legs and craned her neck out to search the room for the source of the sound. She relaxed, a little, when she realized it was only Parker.

Chuck rubbed Mackenzie's back soothingly. He smiled to himself realizing how much of a mini Blair Mackenzie was. He wondered silently if she was afraid of monsters too as a child. Nobody knew about his own childhood fear of the dark. He decided he would save that conversation with Blair for later. Right now he had to focus his energy on Mackenzie who seemed to be still a little riled up over Parker's giggle.

"Ready Mackenzie?" Blair asked.

She nodded.

"Dorota! Please bring in the extra strong Monster hunter's spray."

The maid shuffled in with a tray carrying one bottle of a clear liquid, filled with water while Blair was reading the bedtime story. The container's label was in Chuck's handwriting, though Mackenzie was too young to recognize that.

Also on the tray were a bunch of crowns. Chuck looked at Blair confused at the apparent last minute addition.

"Only Kings, Queens, Princesses, and Princes can kill monsters," Blair explained.

Mackenzie's face brightened up. "Princesses?"

"Of course! Lucky for us, we all meet those requirements. Now quickly put on your crowns! They will protect us from the monster too."

Chuck handed Parker to Blair. Then he picked up the spray bottle.

"Okay Mackenzie, I'm going to use my special spray to scare the monsters away for ever."

Chuck sprayed the perimeter of the entire room. Mackenzie's eyes were glued to him the entire time he worked.

"Now that should do it," Chuck concluded.

"Why don't we have some cookies now and then we can all go to bed?"

Mackenzie smiled up at her parents. She was finally relaxed.

"Do you feel safe now sweetheart?"

"Yes Mommy! But Can I have some hot chocolate too? With marshmallows? Just the way Dorota makes it."

Blair and Chuck laughed, happy their confident, happy daughter was back.

"Of course, Princess."


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