Hey Annie fans!

So, just today I was lucky enough to see a production of Annie performed by my local theatre company. We are so very fortunate here in New Zealand that we have the freedom to attend live performances at the moment. I'm very grateful, and because I've performed in shows with this theatre myself in recent years, I'm also friends with some of the cast, including the delightful girls playing Annie and Molly in today's performance, as well as the woman playing Grace, who I am very pleased to say, played her beautifully, and better yet, the relationship between her and Oliver was honoured perfectly!

So, I've been inspired to write a brand new Annie story. This one will be two chapters, the second chapter will be rated "M".

I do hope you enjoy the story.

Peace and love,
Renee

...

Annie was beyond excited for the 4th of July/adoption party that Daddy Warbucks and Miss Farrell had been organizing for her.

There would be circus performers and animals and fireworks, and all of her friends from the orphanage would be there! But it wasn't any of those things that she was looking forward to the most. What she was most excited about was that she and her new Father would be performing a song and dance number together.

Annie had loved singing and dancing all her life. It was one of the things that helped her and the other girls get through the long days and nights at the orphanage. It helped them all keep their spirits up and brought about a small spark of joy in an otherwise depressing place. Connecting with her emotions through music helped Annie to cope with her unhappy life. It's what she had always believed would lead her back to her parents, and in a way it was. Annie didn't realize it yet, but it wasn't until Oliver Warbucks had listened to her song of hope as she sang it to President Roosevelt, that he realized what a truly remarkable little girl she was and how proud it would make him to be her Father.

Up until that point, he'd developed a fondness for the girl, but it was really only at Grace's insistence that he had tried to adopt her. Annie was beginning to see that Daddy Warbucks would do just about anything to make Miss Farrell happy. Of course, Miss Farrell always did everything she could to make Daddy Warbucks happy, or at least to make his days as easy as they could be. Annie knew it was part of Miss Farrell's job, but she was fairly certain there was more to it than that. Grace really wanted her boss to be happy, and Annie could see that she was glad to be the one to do it too.

In the evenings leading up to the party, Annie helped Daddy Warbucks with the tap dancing. She'd always had a natural affinity for keeping rhythm but this was the first time she'd owned a pair of real tap shoes! They were so shiny and pretty and Annie was ecstatic to receive them. Of course, it had been Miss Farrell who had helped her choose them. Miss Farrell was quite a talented dancer herself, Annie had noticed.

As they rode in the Duesenberg to collect the shoes from the store, the secretary explained to Annie that she'd been fortunate enough to receive classical dance training as a young girl herself. Annie was fascinated as Grace talked through the positions and the different techniques she'd learned in her classes. Grace explained to Annie that though she had been very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn at a dance school, Annie was fortunate in another way. She had a true gift, a natural ability. One that could not be taught. The girl had mused to herself on more than one occasion that perhaps one or both of her parents had been dancers, perhaps on Broadway. How exciting would that have been?!

When they returned home, Annie got to practicing her steps right away. She couldn't stop staring at her new tap shoes, how they shimmered as she moved across the floor. Grace had to keep reminding her that it wasn't good etiquette to look at one's feet while dancing.

Oliver came in from his office after a while and Annie and Grace ran through the steps with him.

"Do you really think I'll ever get the hang of this? Let alone by next week?" He frowned. Dancing did not come as naturally to him as it did to Annie.

"You're doing fine, sir", Grace reassured him with a gentle and encouraging smile.

"You're doin' swell, Daddy Warbucks, you just gotta lift up your legs a little more." Annie prompted him.

"Need I remind you that someone very nearly broke one of my legs a mere two weeks ago", Oliver narrowed his eyes at the young girl.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't think that kick was gonna work so good, honest." Annie said, looking quite apologetic.

"Work so well", Grace corrected her.

"So well", Annie repeated and Grace regarded her with a smile and a nod.

Oliver nodded. "I know you didn't mean to cause me any injury Annie, and I forgive you, but when you reach my age you may realize that something like that tends to take a little longer to recover from."

"How old are you anyway?" Annie asked curiously.

"Annie!" Grace squeaked. "It's not polite to ask a grown adult their age."

"Oh", Annie pouted, genuinely. "Do you know how old he is? If you tell me, then that's alright isn't it?"

Grace chuckled at Annie's inquisitiveness. "Yes dear, I do know how old Mr. Warbucks is."

"Do you?" Oliver turned to Grace, looking surprised. "Well that makes one of us. I stopped counting a long time ago." He shrugged.

Grace laughed. "Oh, Oliver."

"How old do you think you are?" Annie questioned him with a sideways glance.

"Certainly older than the both of you...put together, I'd say", Oliver scooped down to bop Annie on her nose good-naturedly and Annie giggled.

"Annie, will you go and ask Mrs. Pugh to begin preparing supper, please?" Grace asked the little girl. "OK", she answered brightly, always eager to help.

"Thank you", both adults called to her as she skipped out of the room.

"Precocious little madam", Oliver griped, though he had a fond smile on his face.

Grace grinned knowingly at him. "She's just inquisitive."

"Mm", Oliver agreed with her on that.

"By the way Sir, in case you have any interest in knowing; you were born in May of eighteen-eighty-seven which makes you forty-six years old."

Oliver raised an eyebrow at her. "Forty-six? Hmm. Not as bad as I'd feared. Mind you, I'll admit I often feel much older."

"Well, Annie will certainly help keep you young", Grace said gently to him.

Oliver bellowed. "Annie? It's her exhausting and boundless energy which is the very thing that makes me feel so old."

"Now Oliver, you are not old", Grace berated him softly with a stern look on her face. She was trying to scold him but it only made Oliver smile.

"I appreciate your saying so, Grace, but even still, I know that I'm too old for…" he stopped talking abruptly, his mouth hanging open in astonishment at himself for entertaining the thought aloud.

But Grace, never one to let anything go, especially when it came to Oliver Warbucks, pushed him to finish his thought. "Too old for what?" She questioned, taking a step closer to him.

He stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights, with nowhere to run and no way to backpedal.

After a few moments, Oliver realized that it was probably time to be honest with her, time to open up his long locked heart.

He straightened his back, looked right into her eyes and breathed, "For you."

Grace's lips parted in surprise, her eyes bulging as she tried to process his admission. "Oliver, what on Earth do you mean?"

She couldn't fathom the idea that her billionaire employer could possibly be suggesting what it sounded like. She knew the two of them had been becoming closer since Annie had arrived, and even more so since they had rescued her from her kidnapping, but never in her wildest dreams did Grace think that the headstrong, stubborn, independent Oliver Warbucks would ever confess to wanting or needing another person, and especially not her.

"I mean…" Oliver faltered, then picked his chin back up again. "Well, I mean that I've fallen in love with you, Grace." He looked shy in a way she'd never known him to be, and at the same time, there was a glimpse of hopefulness.

Tears sprung to Grace's eyes as her employer, whom she had long pined for without a modicum of hope of him returning her feelings, turned her dream into reality with a few simple words.

"Oh, Oliver…", Grace choked, overcome with emotion.

Oliver withdrew his handkerchief from his jacket pocket and gave it to Grace to dry her tears. She dabbed her eyes and sniffed, smiling despite her emotional state.

"You know", she croaked. "My parents had an age difference of twenty-one years. There are only thirteen years between you and me."

Oliver's heart did a somersault of joy, knowing she was evidently also onboard for a relationship between the two of them. "And did your parents have a happy marriage?" He asked her gently.

Grace's face lit up as she reminisced about her early life with her Mother and Father. "Oh, they had a wonderful marriage, right up until the day of my Mother's passing."

Oliver gazed upon her sympathetically. "I do recall you saying you had lost your Mother young. I'm sorry."

Grace bowed her head, fresh tears welling up in her eyes.

"Do you…", Oliver cleared his throat, finding himself becoming emotional as well. "Do you think she would have approved of me? I mean, would we have had her blessing?"

Grace lowered the handkerchief from her face, looking stunned. She pressed her hand to her heart. Her bottom lip trembled as she answered him. "I think she would have loved you nearly as much as I do."

Oliver inhaled sharply at Grace's sentiment. A broad smile stretched across his face as he took a step toward her. "Grace, could you still kiss me?"

She let out a breathy, surprised laugh, confused by the phrasing of his question. "What?"

"A couple of weeks ago, in the garden, after I agreed to adopt Annie, you told me you could just kiss me. Could you still?" He stepped even closer to her and Grace felt her knees weaken beneath her. She reached forward and grabbed onto the lapels of his jacket, both to hold herself up and to pull him nearer. "Oliver, I could kiss you every hour of every day for the rest of my life." She whimpered as she felt herself being pulled into his arms and his lips met hers in a deep and passionate kiss. She reached up to wind her arms around his neck, pulling her body flush to his as he continued to kiss her ardently.

When they pulled away from one another after some time, both wore brilliant and emotional smiles.

"She says it'll be ready to eat in half an hour", the spritely voice of Annie interrupted their intimate moment and the two of them jumped in surprise.

"Thank you dear", Grace laughed nervously while Oliver cleared his throat. "Thank you Annie. We should all go and change for supper then, yes?"

"Good idea, I'm famished after all that dancin'!" exclaimed Annie emphatically.

The two adults laughed as they fell into step behind her.

"Yes, I must confess, I'm feeling rather ravenous myself", Oliver agreed, though his thought was not directed at Annie, but at Grace, who caught his eye and blushed.

Annie was far too excited talking about the party and their rehearsal to notice her Father's and Miss Farrell's fingers entwining as they strolled together behind her.

...

For the next few days, Oliver and Grace kept their newly revealed feelings for each other sacred between them. Oliver had been slowly but surely improving with his dancing, with the help of Annie and Grace. They had their final rehearsal the night before the big party. Annie wanted to keep practicing well into the night.

"We gotta make it perfect. The president's gonna be there!"

"Annie dear, it already is perfect because it is overflowing with joy and with love, and there is nothing more perfect in this world than that." Grace took Annie's face in her hands and kissed the young red head on her brow.

"You're right. I sure am lucky to be so joyful", Annie smiled contentedly.

"And to be so loved", Grace reminded her, matching her effervescent grin.

"We're all lucky for that", Oliver said, smiling discreetly at Grace. He looked down at his daughter. "Annie, it's time for you to go to bed. You're going to need your rest for tomorrow. It's going to be a very long day."

"Alright, Daddy Warbucks. I doubt I'll be able to sleep a wink, but I'll try."

"Why don't you ask Annette to bring you some warm milk before she helps you to bed?" Grace suggested.

"Good idea", Annie yawned widely and Grace and Oliver chuckled.

"Goodnight my darling", Oliver bent down to kiss Annie on top of her curly hair.

"Goodnight Daddy Warbucks. I love you. I can't wait for the party tomorrow!" She beamed excitedly at him.

"And the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner tomorrow will come", he said to her softly and she nodded in reply, turning to wish Grace goodnight as well.

"Goodnight sweetheart", Grace hugged Annie tightly before the ten year old ran out of the room, eager to get to sleep so she could wake up on the day of her party!

Once they knew she was out of earshot, Grace crossed the room to where Oliver was and took his hand in her own. "Your dancing is coming along splendidly, Oliver. You're becoming very light on your feet."

"I feel lighter than air whenever I'm near to you", Oliver replied charmingly, spinning Grace around and making her laugh in surprise. As she returned to face him, she ducked her head in a shy way. He stepped closer to her until they were toe to toe and reached over to caress her cheek.

"Thank you for your assistance, my dear", he told her sincerely.

"Are you talking about the dancing or are you referring to the last ten years?" Grace smiled coyly at him, to which Oliver chuckled. "All of it."

She sighed contentedly as he stroked her cheekbone softly with his thumb. "In either instance I would surely have been helpless without you."

Grace shook her head. "I'm sure you would have been fine. Besides which, it was Annie who helped you most with the dancing", she winked at him.

"And I'm grateful to her, and I love her, but my dear Grace, I love you in a way that I've never loved any other. In a way that consumes me and confuses me and makes me excited for each new day. If I had known sooner that you returned even the smallest bit of my feelings, I would have asked you to be mine sooner. I would have opened my heart to you and…well, I would have done this a long time ago."

Grace watched in awe as her boss, the man she was besotted with, lowered himself to the floor and onto his knee. Her breath caught in her throat as he produced a small box from his jacket pocket and opened it to reveal a stunning engagement ring.

"Oh my word", Grace gasped as she stared transfixed at the sparkling stone. "I thought you said diamonds were deep in depreciation."

He hadn't been expecting her to say something so logical during such an emotional moment but Oliver knew the ever wise woman would probably always surprise him - for the rest of his life, he hoped.. "A perfect time to invest in some, in that case, wouldn't you say?" He replied with a laugh.

Grace continued to gaze upon the diamonds in awe. She did raise her eyes to look at him with a shy grin though.

"Besides which, your reaction to them is worth more than any cost that could ever be incurred, dear Grace."

Grace blinked as tears cascaded down her face. The man on his knee before her was so far removed from the man who, two weeks ago had told her that he only loved "money, power and capitalism."

She hadn't really believed him then either. She could see now that he had only been trying to protect his wary, beat-up old heart.

"Now, if you could kindly allow me to finish…" he continued with a cheeky grin and Grace pursed her lips by way of an apology.

He reached forward and took her warm, soft hand in his own. "Grace, you have been a steady constant in my life for longer than just about anyone. You've come to know me better than I know myself and despite knowing me as well as you do, knowing the many flaws and faults I have, you somehow still profess to love me. Though I may have been remiss in acknowledging it, I feel that having you by my side has been the very key to my success these past ten years. As tumultuous as they have been, your commitment, your devotion to me has never waned. I hope you will always be with me to be my lucky charm and perhaps, to let me be yours. Will you please do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?"

Grace didn't want to keep him waiting for an answer, honestly she didn't, but she just had to take a moment to revel in the moment that Oliver Warbucks was asking her to be his for life.

The tears only intensified as she gave him a brilliant smile and nodded fervently. "Yes Oliver, yes I will, of course I w-"

Her words were cut short by the press of his lips on hers. He had risen to his feet in a sudden rush of energy which surprised them both.

Grace was trembling as he released her from the kiss and slid the lavish but tasteful ring onto her finger.

She made a strangled sound of bewilderment and pulled him in for another emotional kiss.

"I love you", she murmured against his mouth.

"And I love you", he replied happily, feeling for the first time in his life that he really was the wealthiest person in the world.