1935

"Daddy! Daddy wake up!" Hugh Reid pried open an eye to find his three-year-old daughter standing beside the bed pulling at his hand.

"Maggie, what's wrong love?" He asked with concern, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and reached down to pick her up.

"Monstas" Maggie mumbled her face buried in her father's neck.

Reid frowned, "Monsters? He asked, wondering if he'd understood her correctly.

Maggie nodded, "Unda my bed."

Hugh smiled gently, "There aren't any monsters under your bed Maggie."

The little girl shook her head firmly, "Heard them Daddy, want to sleep wif you."

Reid could feel her tears dampening his neck and he rubbed her back soothingly, "Shh sshh…it's alright Daddy's got you…you're safe."

Maggie soon quieted but still clung limpet like to his neck, "Want to sleep wif you."

Hugh hesitated, a few months ago he would have immediately acquiesced to his daughter's wishes but Elaine was now 8 months pregnant and having a very difficult time sleeping. The last thing she needed having gotten to sleep was to be wakened by a restless toddler sleeping between them.

He glanced down at Maggie and quickly made a decision, "Not tonight love" he said softly, "We don't want to disturb Mummy but I tell you what, I'll come back to your room and make sure there aren't any monsters under your bed. How does that sound?"

Maggie nodded hesitantly against his shoulder and Reid dropped a soft kiss on the top of her head, "Good girl. Sit quietly for a minute while I find my dressing gown alright?"

Maggie nodded again and reluctantly let go of her father, allowing him to set her on the edge of the bed while he quickly found his slippers and shrugged on his dressing gown, slipping a torch into the pocket before bending to pick her up again.

She was shivering slightly and Reid immediately enveloped her in the folds of his dressing gown as he carried her back down the hallway to her room.

Just as he crossed to Maggie's bed the wind howled outside and Maggie immediately buried her head against his chest, "Monstas Daddy!"

Reid smiled softly, "That's just the wind love, there aren't any monsters."

Maggie shook her head, clinging determinedly to his neck so Reid turned on her bedside lamp and sat carefully on the edge of her bed rubbing her back and murmuring soothingly until she quieted. Finally she loosened her hold slightly looking up at him with her tears shining in her beautiful brown eyes, "Don't want to sleep hewe alone wif monstas Daddy."

Reid smiled and gently brushed the hair back off her face, "I told you there aren't any monsters Maggie. I'll even prove it to you."

He carefully lifted her off his lap and tucked her under the covers before removing the torch from his pocket and lying down on the floor beside her bed and peering under the bed. Unsurprisingly the only thing to be seen under Maggie's bed was an old hair tie but Hugh made a show of looking very carefully before turning off the torch and looking up at his daughter, "Not a monster in sight love."

Maggie looked skeptical, "Pwomise?"

Reid nodded, "I promise sweetheart."

Just then the wind howled again and Maggie hid under her covers with a frightened squeak of "Monstas."

Reid smiled softly and moved to sit on the edge of her bed, "It's just a storm darling and I promise it can't hurt you in here." His voice was gentle and he ran his hand softly through her hair.

"I'm scawed Daddy. Want to sleep wif you!"

Reid frowned, wishing desperately that he could give into her wishes but not wanting to disturb Elaine, as she had been so terribly uncomfortable the last few days. "I know darling but you can't tonight, Mummy needs her rest. What if I stay right here until you go to sleep instead?"

Maggie considered this for a minute, "What if the monstas come back?"

Hugh thought for a minute and then moved so he was sitting on the floor, his back against the same wall as the head of her bed. "There, now if any monsters try to come in I'll stop them alright?"

Maggie nodded and snuggled under her blankets. Reid knelt by the bed to tuck her in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well darling."

"Love you Daddy." She mumbled sleepily.

"I love you too Maggie." Hugh murmured tenderly as he sat back down, still running a soothing hand through her hair, I'll just wait until she's asleep.

Elaine Reid awoke to the now familiar feeling of her unborn child resting on her bladder, with a sigh she rolled over to give Hugh a kiss only to be met with an empty bed. She frowned and pushed herself up, putting her slippers on before heaving herself to her feet and reaching for her dressing gown. If Hugh had been called into the station he would have left a note, she would just use the lavatory and then go and check.

A short while later she was making her way down the hall toward the stairs and decided to check on Maggie first. She quietly pushed open the door and then froze in the doorway as she took in the sight before her; Maggie was still fast asleep in bed and there, with his back against the wall and his arm resting on Maggie's pillow snoring softly, was Hugh.

For moment Elaine considered leaving him to sleep but a quick glance at the clock told her he would have to get up soon anyway so she quietly crossed to her sleeping husband. "Hugh?"

He mumbled something incoherent but didn't wake so she reached out to touch him gently on the shoulder, "Hugh wake up."

At this he jerked awake, his head shooting up to look at her before he let out a soft groan and brought a hand up to his neck. "Elaine what is it? The baby?"

His worry was evident and Elaine smiled soothingly, "No Hugh, nothing like that, its just time to get up and I didn't think you'd hear your alarm from all the way in here."

Reid nodded, still frowning slightly and massaging his neck as he got to his feet. "What are you doing in here anyway?" Elaine asked, "Maggie isn't ill is she?"

Hugh shook his head, groaning again as the action jarred his tight muscles, "No she's fine, the storm woke her and she thought it was monsters under her bed. She wouldn't believe me that it was just the wind so I told her I would stay until she fell asleep to make sure the monsters didn't come back and I guess I fell asleep too."

Elaine smiled lovingly at him, "You are a wonderful father Hugh." She murmured as she leant forward to kiss him.

Hugh smiled back, "And you are the most amazing mother." He brought a hand up to gently rest against her belly as he spoke, smiling as he felt their child kick. "Restless is she?"

Elaine nodded, "I think he's practicing for his football tryouts."

Hugh smiled at her use of the masculine pronoun before frowning slightly, "Did you sleep alright? I would have just put Maggie in with us but I didn't want her to wake you."

Elaine nodded, "Once I got to sleep I slept fairly well, I missed you though."

"Sorry love…" Hugh began but whatever else he was going to say was lost as Maggie woke up, beaming at the sight of both her parents standing beside her bed. "Mummy! Daddy!"

"Good morning darling" Elaine replied leaning down to give her a kiss, "Did you sleep well?"

Maggie nodded, "Yes 'xcept for the monstas but Daddy made them go away. Daddy is the bestest policemen in the whole wowld!"

"Is that so?" Elaine teased, laughing softly at the ridiculous grin Maggie's words had brought to Hugh's face.

"Yes he makes me feel all safe. Is it bweakfast time now? I'm hungy. Is the baby hungy too? When will it get hewe?" Hugh and Elaine smiled at each other as they listened to their daughter's endless string of questions.

Hugh reached down and picked her up saying as he did so, "It is breakfast time and if you go and use the lavatory right now you can come and help me crack the eggs, how does that sound?"

Maggie beamed; nodding eagerly and wiggling to be let down "Don't bweak any wif out me Daddy" she called as she hurried out of the room.

"I won't love." Hugh replied before turning back to his wife, "I guess I'd better go and light the stove" he murmured as he leaned in for another kiss.

Elaine nodded, "Yes I suppose you should, I'll take my eggs scrambled please."

"Yes ma'am" Hugh replied saluting smartly and making them both laugh.

"Daddy!"

"I'm coming Maggie" Hugh called and with a final glance at Elaine he made his way out of the room, still rubbing at his stiff neck and feeling happier then he could ever remember being.