"I love you so much."

At this, Hilary's ears perked. She stood up to her full height, from where she'd been knelt over in order to stroke Barkley's head, and looked down the dimly hit hallway. The dog, because he was no longer being pet, purred and strode down that same hallway, into the bedroom that Tyson and Hilary shared. That is, after all, where he slept at night.

Hilary, however, was just standing in the middle of the hallway, confused. She was almost completely positive that had been Tyson. It sounded like him, after all. But who could he have been talking to? She was out in the hallway. Tyler and Christy, at last check, were fast asleep in their beds.

And then it hit her.

Haley.

The little girl had just learned to get out of her crib on her own. Hilary wasn't thrilled with it, and feared for her daughter's safety. She knew they were going to have to bring up the toddler bed for her. But they hadn't done it yet, so Haley was still jumping out of her crib at all hours of the night. And her number one destination?

Tyson and Hilary's room.

Every single night, or so it seemed, Haley wandered into the bedroom, her auburn eyes wide and curious, and her lips bent up into the sweetest smile. It was so precious, in fact, that her parents found it hard to get mad at her for disrupting their slumber. Besides, she didn't really understand that she was interrupting them. Hell, Haley didn't even realize she was doing anything wrong. She thought that being able to get out of her crib on her own was an accomplishment. Something to be proud of. And that's why she always came in the room with a smile on her face. To show off her triumph.

It was such a trial, every single night. The weary parents would act happy, for their daughter's sake, but then promptly bring her back into her own room, and subsequently, back into her crib.

And then Haley would just climb out of it all over again.

At this rate, Hilary was just assuming that Haley had found her way out of the crib and into their bedroom again, and Tyson had gotten a hold of her. He was even less strict than Hilary, and basically encouraged their daughter's antics, which Hilary had told him not to do. After all, they were just trying not to disappoint her. Hilary didn't want her to actually think that crib jumping was something to be celebrated.

Hilary smiled to herself, closing her eyes and imagining Tyson sitting in bed with the little girl, probably in his lap. That's where Haley always liked to park herself. He was probably twirling her dark brown hair around his fingers…it was finally getting long enough to do that. And she was probably still smiling to herself, eyes half lidded as Tyson went about coddling her in the way only a father knew how.

"You're always there for me, aren't you?"

Hilary's smile grew a little wider at that. Tyson's voice was so soft, so gentle. He sounded so sure of himself, like this was the biggest truth he could possibly speak.

"Yeah, you'll never let me down. You're the best thing ever."

Hilary opened her eyes and let out a low, quiet giggle. Very slowly, she began to move back towards her and Tyson's bedroom, pressing her back against the wall next to the doorway and listening intently all over again. After all, she didn't want to interrupt Tyson and Haley's little moment. She did, however, want to hear more of it.

"You smell so good…"

At this, Hilary arched an eyebrow. That one was kind of weird. It did make some sense. She had just bathed Haley before bed. It really seemed to help the toddler get to sleep faster. Tyson commenting on it was a little odd, but Hilary supposed there could have been stranger compliments in the world. Besides, the lavender shampoo she used on the little girl really did smell amazing.

"And you taste even better!"

Now Hilary was concerned. Was her husband trying to eat their daughter?! She knew he had a habit of being hungry all the time, but trying to devour a child, especially their own, was definitely not acceptable. Narrowing her eyes, Hilary ran into the room and glared at her husband. As soon as she saw him, however, her expression softened, and then turned into one of disbelief.

"Seriously?"

The Beyblading Champion looked up with a gasp. In his hands was a large plastic container, full of what Hilary instantly recognized as chocolate pudding. The same, homemade kind that her mother always cooked up.

"I…I was hungry…" Tyson stammered, his eye wide and unblinking.

"Were you seriously sweet talking your desert?" Hilary hissed.

"It's delicious!" Tyson cried.

"I thought you were talking to Haley!"

"She's in her crib. Why would I be talking to her?"

"Because she always gets out and comes in here! I…I just…you're talking to pudding!"

"I love it," Tyson nearly whimpered, holding the container closer to himself as though Hilary were about to rip it away.

"Yeah, but you're talking to it like it's a person," Hilary muttered. "I mean, 'you've always been there for me'? Really?"

"Well, it has!" Tyson argued. "Your mom's pudding is always there for me. And it never lets me down."

Hilary rolled her eyes up towards the ceiling in dramatic fashion and shook her head. "I'm married to a child, I swear."

"I'm not a child!" Tyson bit. "I'm just passionate about your mom's cooking!"

Hilary sighed and lowered her head, staring right ahead at her flustered husband. "I sincerely hope you love me and your children half as much as you love that pudding."