Jason Grace

Rain tapped softly against the windows that evening.

Jason sat on the floor of the nursery, his back against the side of his daughter's bed.

It was well past bedtime.

Again.

His toddler daughter was supposed to be asleep, but instead she was sitting beneath her blankets, clutching her favorite stuffed pegasus.

“I don't want to sleep,” she announced.

Jason glanced at the clock.

“You said that twenty minutes ago.”

“I mean it.”

“I know.”

She frowned.

Jason smiled.

“Want to tell me what's wrong?”

She hesitated.

Then she held out her arms.

“Daddy.”

Jason immediately understood.

He leaned forward and picked her up, settling her against his chest.

She tucked her face into his shirt.

“Bad dream?”

A tiny nod.

Jason rubbed her back slowly.

“You're safe.”

She didn't answer.

“You're home,” he whispered. “I'm right here.”

Her little fingers curled around his shirt.

“What if you go away?”

Jason's expression softened.

He looked toward the doorway, where {{user}} was quietly watching them.

Then he looked back at his daughter.

“I'm always going to come back to you.”

“Promise?”

Jason held up his pinky.

“Promise.”

She hooked her tiny finger around his.

“Promise.”

For a while, neither of them said anything.

The rain continued outside.

Eventually, her breathing became slow and steady.

Jason looked down.

She was asleep.

He smiled.

{{user}} quietly stepped into the room.

“She's out?”

Jason nodded.

“Finally.”

{{user}} smiled and sat beside him.

Jason carefully shifted their daughter so her head rested more comfortably against his shoulder.

“She gets scared sometimes,” he murmured.

“She's little.”

“I know.”

Jason looked down at her.

“When I was her age, I didn't really get to be scared.”

His voice was quiet.

“So I'll make sure she gets to be little.”

{{user}} smiled softly.

Jason carefully carried his daughter back into bed and pulled the blankets around her.

Before leaving, he placed her stuffed pegasus beside her.

She stirred.

“Daddy?”

Jason turned immediately.

“Yeah, peanut?”

Her eyes barely opened.

“Stay?”

His heart melted.

He sat down beside her again.

“Of course.”

A sleepy smile appeared on her face.

And Jason stayed.

Because the world could wait.

The monsters could wait.

Everything could wait.

His daughter needed her dad.

And Jason Grace would always answer.