a/n: I know I just updated (literally, like less than a half an hour ago), but I am going away for a couple of days so I decided to reward you all before I go. I will still be able to respond to reviews/PMs but I won't be able to update. Thanks for understanding. Please review and enjoy this addition to the collection!

Disclaimer: As always, Covert Affairs is not mine. I'm sick of writing this all the time, but I guess it's either this or I get sued haha

Princess

"Daddy, peese?"

Auggie sighed, tilting his head down at his three-year-old daughter. He could see her expression in his mind's eye. He knew she was looking right back, light blue eyes opened wide and bottom lip jutted out in a pout worthy of an award.

"Catie, I've already told you two stories tonight."

"Peese?" The little girl asked again, fingers fisting in the material of her quilt—powder blue covered in big yellow flowers that Annie had stitched on herself. "Jus' one more story?"

Despite the adorable look he knew his daughter was giving him, Auggie knew he had to stay firm. She had a bedtime for a reason and, gosh darn it, he wasn't going to be the reason she kept missing it.

"Alright," he sighed, recognizing a battle already lost, "Just one more story."

Catie gave a happy cheer and then snuggled deeper into her blankets as Auggie sat back down in the chair beside her bed.

"Which story do you want to hear this time?" he asked.

"You pick!" Catie said, practically vibrating from her excitement. Auggie made a show of hemming and hawing thoughtfully while Catie watched on with rapt attention.

"How about," he said slowly, tapping his chin as he considered all the children's stories he'd learned over the years. There were so many to pick from, and yet none seemed to be quite what he was looking for.

Hmm.

"I know," Auggie said, turning back in Caitlin's direction as inspiration struck, "How would you like to hear about a princess?"

"A pwincess?" Catie repeated, eyes going wide. Auggie grinned. One word and she was already hooked.

"Yes, a princess," he said, nodding gravely, "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess with pretty blonde hair who lived deep in the woods with her father, the King. The princess and the King were very happy together, since their kingdom was very peaceful.

"But then, one day, evil knights came to the kingdom and kidnapped the princess, taking her away from her father."

"Oh no!" Catie gasped, "What did th' King do?"

"He immediately went to all his king friends from the other kingdoms, asking them for help to save his beautiful daughter. One of the other kings agreed to help, and sent his son, the handsome prince, to go and rescue the princess. However, some people laughed at the King because the prince sent to rescue his daughter was blind."

Catie gasped, "He's bwind like you, Daddy?"

"Yes, but that didn't stop him," Auggie grinned, "He was a very determined prince. So he went to get the princes."

"All by himself?" Caitlin asked. Auggie shook his head.

"No, the king sent his three bravest knights to go with the blind prince," Auggie said, "The four traveled very far, fighting all sorts of dragons and evil knights until they eventually came to the castle of the evil wizard, for it was he who had kidnapped the princess."

"He s'not very nice," Catie frowned.

Auggie shook his head again.

"No, he really isn't, is he?"

He smiled when he heard Caitlin shake her head vigorously.

"So, the blind prince and his brave knights arrived at the evil wizard's castle. They fought long and hard against the evil wizard, who had all sorts of terrible icky monsters to fight for him. But, no matter how strong the wizard's monsters were, the knights were stronger. They were able to defeat the evil wizard once and for all."

"Yay!" Caitlin cried, beaming, "Then they res—res—um, saved the pwincess?"

"They did," Auggie said, "The prince marched right up to the tower where the wizard had been keeping the princess locked up, and he swept her right of her feet and carried her all the way to safety."

"An' they lived happ'ly ever after?" Catie asked.

"They did. The blind prince and beautiful princess fell in love and got married, and had beautiful and healthy children, and they lived happily together for the rest of their lives, and the kingdom was peaceful for all eternity."

Catie smiled, nestling down contentedly.

"Tha's a good story," she announced drowsily.

"I agree," Auggie nodded, "it's a very good story." He smiled at his daughter for a moment and then sighed softly, "And now that it's over, it's time for someone to go to bed."

"M'kay," Catie murmured, already well on her way to sleep, "Bear?" she asked, reaching a hand out.

"Of course," Augie said, feeling around on the nightstand before snatching Caitlin's white and pink teddy bear up and tucking it into bed next to her. She sighed happily, wrapping an arm around the princess costumed bear. "You two princesses sleep tight," Auggie said, tapping the bear's little stuffed tiara.

"'Night Daddy."

"Good night," Auggie stood quietly, turning out the lights and backing out of the room into the hallway.

"It's about time," a soft voice whispered once the girl was sleeping soundly, "I thought she was going to weasel stories out of you until one in the morning."

"I'm not that much of a pushover," Auggie whispered back, tilting his head to smile in the direction of his wife's footsteps as she appeared behind him, the seven month baby belly making it nearly impossible for her to wrap her arms around her husband's waist.

"That's what you think," Auggie smiled, and then pressed a light kiss to Annie's cheek.

"Did you like my story?" he asked curiously.

"It was lovely," Annie whispered, laughing lightly. "I quite like being a princess."

"Don't worry, Annie," Auggie whispered, turning in her arms so he was now facing her. Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips before bending down to kiss her large belly, "You're always my princess.

a/n: I hope you all enjoyed it. Please click the button below and review..they are so helpful you have no idea!