A/N : A little one-shot inspired by a drawing from my friend isiloup ! Enjoy ! And happy belated Halloween !


"Mummy, mummy !" Johnny yelled as he came into the kitchen on a Saturday afternoon. Anna was cooking some biscuits for tea.

"Johnny, mummy already told you not to yell when your sister is napping !" Anna said, lowering her voice to avoid waking up her one year old daughter, who was sleeping in the nursery upstairs. John was busy working at their bed and breakfast, The Grantham Arms, in the village. Anna stayed at home since Elizabeth, their daughter was still a baby.

"Sorry, mummy but my tooth is moving !" He said eagerly, lowering his voice too.

"It's normal, baby, it's because you're growing up. It will fall and you'll have stronger teeth after" she explained, shoving the cookies' plate in the oven.

Later that day, when John came home from work. Johnny happily told his daddy about his tooth.

"You're becoming a big boy now, eh ?" He said as he stroked his son's golden hair while reading his book. They were sitting on the settee while Anna was in the armchair nursing their daughter.

"Yes, mummy said it's going to fall and I'll be stronger," he explained seriously.

"That's not quite what I said" she chuckled.

"What mummy meant is that you're not going to be a baby anymore"

"Does this mean I'll have to work like daddy ?" He asked, worry showing his cute little face.

"Don't worry, you're still a long way from that, baby" Anna reassured him.

"You're still going to be our baby, no matter your age" John told him, kissing his hairline.

"When will it fall ?" Johnny inquired.

"I can't tell you, mate, but it will," John said.

More than a week later, Johnny's tooth still hadn't fallen and he was starting to be frustrated. He would often complain to his mother who was slightly going mad because of it. She told her husband as they were in their bed one night.

"I love our son but he's driving me mad with this"

"He's a kid," John told her softly. She was in his arms.

"You're obviously not the one who has to deal with his complaints 24/7, John Bates", she tilted her head to give him a pointed look.

"Sorry, my darling. I can always try to take it out with a thread attached to a doorknob."

"No, you won't" she dissuaded him.

"Why ?"

"Because it's dangerous !" She stated.

"My mother did it for me and there was no incident. I'm still handsome, with all my teeth" he joked.

"Hm"

"What is that supposed to mean ?" He looked at her with a feigned hurt.

"Well…" she said playfully.

"Oh you" he narrowed his eyes and started to tickle Anna on the ribs.

Two days later, John was home playing trains with his son while Anna was upstairs tending to Elizabeth. Johnny was still touching his tooth, turning, tugging on it without success.

"It's bothering you, son ?" John asked, seeing his son's distress.

"Yes, daddy," Johnny whined.

"Can I help ? I have an idea but don't tell your mom" he suggested and Johnny nodded in agreement.

John raised himself from the ground. He barely needed his cane nowadays but certain movements like this were still hard to do. He searched into one of the drawers to retrieve the thread Anna used to do stitching or mending. He attached one end to their living room's open door's door knob and then went back to Johnny with the other end in hand.

"I'm going to attach this to your teeth" he explained to his son as he did a loop on the thread "and I'll slam the door and it will fly away" Johnny looked a bit terrified at that prospect but John was quick to reassure him. "It won't hurt I promise, it'll happen really fast and then it's done"

Johnny nodded his head "yes" and John attached the hoop on his tooth. He went to the door once it was well attached and slammed the door with his hand. The string tensed and the tooth teared itself off with a scream from Johnny. Then it was on the floor and Johnny was crying while holding his mouth. John quickly went to his side and took him in his arms.

A few seconds later, Anna ran downstairs with a worried face.

"What happened ?" She asked, until she stopped in front of the scene and realized what was going on.

"John ?" She asked, upset. He stood up at once. He didn't dare look at his wife, knowing he would be scolded. Johnny stopped crying and looked at his mother and exclaimed "Mummy, it worked, my tooth has fallen !"

Anna's expression softened and she walked to his son and kneeled in front of him. She smiled at his big blue eyes gazing at her. She stroked his cheek and said "Go upstairs and put it under your pillow and tomorrow you'll wake up with a coin from the tooth fairy" She stood up and patted his shoulder.

His face lit up at the prospect, he gathered his tooth and flew upstairs. She watched him and giggled. She ought to tell him to be quieter to avoid waking up his sister but she didn't have the time. She turned around to face her husband who now looked like a puppy who did something bad.

"John Bates" she said with her upset voice and her hands on her hips.

"I-it worked and h-he isn't hurt" he tried to argue.

"I said no," she simply retorted.

"You're not upset, right ?" He asked, coming near her and trying to hug her but she stepped aside.

"Throw that thread, would you ?" She said before going back upstairs, with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Anna ? You're not mad at me, right ? Darling ?" He called her, anxious, but she was already upstairs.