Chapter 14: Part I

"Alli, you have to eat your lunch," Tony pleaded to his daughter, who for the last five minutes had been asking for the birthday cake she'd seen Jeannie take into the kitchen.

"No Dada, cake," She laughed shaking her head.

He blew out a laugh of his own, shaking his head back at her. She was her mother's daughter, and at barely two years old she knew how to melt his heart. "You can have cake, sweetie, after lunch."

It was amazing how fast the last two years had gone. It seemed like just yesterday they were trying to make it through the first few days and nights of parenthood. And now here they were, just a few hours from Allison's second birthday. She was the light of their lives. Her first steps and her first words, which he never let Jeannie forget was "Dada"; were some of the best memories they would ever have. It amazed him every day how much like them she was. How she could use her smile to melt his heart, and bat clear blue eyes which over the years had ended up being his, at her mother and get everything she wanted. From the moment she'd learned to talk she hadn't stopped. Their lives were filled with constant "why's?" and giggly momma and Dada's. She was a little ball of energy that bounded through life with a toothy smile and a bubbly laugh.

She shook her head again, her pig tails twisting against her temples as she laughed. "Cake Dada," She repeated before locking her lips closed in protest of the fork full of broccoli which was headed toward her.

"Cake later darling, at your party," He tried to reason with her, but he knew he had no chance at winning this battle.

"Pleweas," She beamed at him, "I have cake?"

Jeannie's laugh floated in from behind Alli's highchair as she approached her beloved family. "You have to finish lunch." She told her daughter as she leaned in to kiss her cheek. "And then you can have as much cake as you want."

"One piece, darling," Tony told her, but Jeannie's smile was more than he could bare.

"It is her birthday, she can have as much cake as she wants, darling," She laughed as she pressed a kiss into his temple this time. "Besides, whatever she does not finish mommy can eat." She teased, before starting toward the closet; where the rest of the decorations were being held.

He laughed at that, enjoying her obvious plotting for cake. He didn't blame her; she seemed to have a sweet tooth with this pregnancy. It was risky to have another baby before they even knew if Allison was a genie, but there wasn't anything they could about it if she was. So, they'd decided to start trying for another baby when Alli was a year and half. To their surprise, they hadn't had to try to long before Jeannie was pregnant. She was just into her second trimester and already this pregnancy was easier than the first. He wondered why that was, and why her powers didn't seem to act up as much this time. Roger had suggested that maybe this pregnancy was easier because this baby was mortal. Of course there was no way of knowing that until they knew for sure whether or not Alli was a genie.

"No Da, cake."

Her heard her say it, watched her eyes close, and the open. He was pretty sure he knew what happened before he actually realized what it meant. "Alli," He half said, half asked blinking a few times in hopes that his mind was playing tricks on him. "Oh no…Jeannie," He yelled this time, jumping to his feet. "Jeannie…"

"What is it, darling?" She asked, worried as she headed to the table.

"She blinked," He blew out, motioning to the empty highchair. "She blinked!" He repeated his voice cracking with sudden panic.

"Oh," Jeannie exclaimed, worried. "Where did she go?" She asked calling her daughter's name.

"She probably doesn't even know," Tony pushed out, searching the living room while calling Alli's name.

"What was she saying, doing, before she popped out?"

"She was asking for cake," Tony said, eyes going wide with realization at where their daughter was.

"Cake," Jeannie said this time as they made a beeline for the kitchen.

Neither of them were surprised at what they saw when they pushed the kitchen door open. There on the kitchen counter in front of them, was their wide eyed two year old genie sitting on the kitchen counter. She had the cake pulled between her legs, and was currently shoveling a handful into her mouth.

Jeannie laughed with relief and walked over to her daughter. She pressed a kiss into the amused toddler's head; who in turn held out a cake filled palm to her mother. Jeannie nibbled on the cake, and cooed to Alli, while Tony watched from the doorway.

She was a genie. A cute little half genie, who at two had no idea or control over her powers. And they had a house full of guests coming over in an hour.

"Da cake," Alli giggled holding out a handful to her father.

He wanted to stay where he was and slowly lose his mind with fear from this new development, but her smile won him over almost instantly. He closed the few steps between himself and the counter and leaned down so he was eye level with Alli. "One of you is going to have to blink a new cake," He half said, half laughed as Jeannie giggled beside him.

Alli joined in with the laughter, as she fed herself and her daddy cake.

They should pick her up, clean her up, and go sit down and try to figure this all out. It didn't really surprise him that she was genie or that her powers had chosen now to arrive. He'd expected this from the moment they found out Jeannie was pregnant. He'd protected Jeannie and kept their secret for almost a decade, adding Allison to the equation couldn't be that much harder.

At least he hoped it wouldn't be.

"Now you're never going to listen to daddy, are you?" He asked of Alli as she fed him and Jeannie cake.

Jeannie shook her head, still smiling. "At least she popped out for the first time with us."

He nodded. There was that. Now if they could keep her from popping out in front of anyone other than themselves and Roger, for the rest of her life, they would be set.

To be continued

Author's Notes: Jumped ahead a couple years to move things along and wrap up the story.