"Sleepy," Allie told him honestly, blinking to make her eyes open and reaching out the hand not clutched around Nicholas to grip her father's. They weren't alone in the bed, either, because Daddy's bear is seat up on her pillow too.

Allie blinked once more and then tilted her head at him.

"You're smiling," she said, a little awed, because when was the last time she'd seen Daddy smile like that? She almost couldn't remember it! Slowly an equally bright smile crossed her face. "It's okay then?"

Of course it was. Rafe said it would be, and angels didn't lie. She still didn't want to, or try to, make the grin go away.