Sweet Dreams

"Daddy where are we going?" asked Joy as her father opened the front door and they both walked out and he closed the door behind them.

"Let's go for a walk around the estate" he said.

"Okay daddy" said Joy as she smiled.

"And not too far okay, it's getting late" he said as the sun was getting ready to set, the sky was starting to look orange, and he was sure that it would be nighttime soon.

"Okay daddy" said Joy as she did not care at all if they did not get to walk for long, as long as she got to go somewhere with her daddy.

Joy and her father were walking on the driveway, and they passed by a black car that was parked in their driveway.

There were green trees everywhere, which made their house looked more calm and serene.

It looked like the trees were dancing because their leaves were being tossed through and fro in the mild evening wind.

"My princess do you see that tree over there?" he asked as he pointed to a particular tree that they were passing by as they were walking.

"Yes daddy I see it" said Joy.

"Well I was told that, that tree has been here for one hundred years" he said.

"*Gasp* really daddy??" asked Joy in shock.

"Yes my dear, trees can grow and live to be very old" he said as he was explaining to Joy.

"That is so cool daddy" said Joy as she laughed.

"Yes it is my princess" he said as he laughed.

"Can I go touch it?" asked Joy.

"Of course my princess" he said as they changed from their clear path and they walked over to the tree.

Joy used her free hand to touch the bark of the tree, she could not believe that it was a hundred years old, it did not even look that old to her, the leaves were still as green as the other young trees, and the tree stood upright and tall.

"Daddy, I wish that you and mommy will live to be as old as this tree" said Joy.

"Oh my princess, of course we will" he said as he smiled.

"I will be all old and wrinkly, and you will be a big girl" he said as he laughed.

"Yes I want to grow up to be big and strong, so that I can protect you and mommy" said Joy as he father laughed at what she said, her was of thinking was really something for her age.

What exactly did she want to protect them from? the thought just made him laugh.

"Of course sweetie, you will" he said as he laughed.

"But for now, you are still little, and we will take care of you" he said as he smiled and Joy smiled too.

...

"Madam, the young master and Joy went out for a walk" said Alfred as he just came out of the kitchen and he happened to see Natasha pass by, he thought that maybe she was looking for Joy.

"Oh I see" replied Natasha, she had came downstairs because she was thirsty and she needed to drink some water, the only reason she stepped out of her room was because she was sure that she could no longer hear the sound of Joy's voice.

So she had thought that Joy and her father went to another part of the house, she never expected that they would have gone out for a walk.

"Yes Madam, so do you need anything?" asked Alfred.

"No I do not Alfred, I just wanted a cup of water" said Natasha.

"Oh then let me get it for you" he said.

"No it's fine Alfred, I will get it myself" said Natasha.

"Okay then" said Alfred.

"Oh Alfred, do you know when they will return?" asked Natasha.

"Ahh well the Young Master told me that they would not be out for too long" said Alfred.

"I suppose that they should return in about thirty minutes or so" he said.

"Oh okay then" said Natasha.

"Thank you Alfred" she said.

"You are welcome Madam" said Alfred as he smiled.

"I will be going to my room now" said Alfred.

"Goodnight Madam" he said

"Goodnight Alfred" said Natasha as she smiled at Alfred as he walked away.

...

"Daddy can we go walking again?" asked Joy as she and her father had almost finished their walk, the sky was now dark, and the stars were starting to twinkle in their sky, their path would have been dark if not for the street lights that were switched on almost everywhere.

"Of course we can my princess" he replied with a smile.

"And mommy can come with us next time too" said Joy, as she did not notice that the smile on his face wavered a bit.

"Sure she can princess" he said as she smiled.

"Well my princess, it's getting late, and it is almost your bed time, we should start heading home now" he said.

"Okay then daddy" said Joy as she smiled.

...

By the time Joy and her father arrived home, Joy was already getting sleepy, she had gotten tired of walking and her father carried her, she was already dozing, the house was almost empty, all the servants had either gone to their quarters of home at this time.

Joy's father carried her upstairs, he opened the door of her room, he switched on the lights and he removed her shoes, and placed them in her closet, and he placed the sleep Joy on her on her bed.

"Daddy" said Joy as she opened her eyes.

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?" she asked.

"But you are already sleepy my princess" he said as he laughed.

"Please?" asked Joy in her sleepy voice.

"Okay them my princess" he said as he laughed.

"Once upon a time" he began.

...

Meanwhile, Natasha had heard when Joy's father was carrying her upstairs, she quickly went into her room in order to avoid him.

She changed into her nightwear and she climbed into bed, she had concluded that sooner or later she had to get used to sleeping by herself, or else it would be questionable why she always slept in Joy's room.

Besides she had to do this for herself, she had to learn to sleep by herself and be alone, she had to conquer that fear that she had, because it was only then that she would live freely and in peace.

Natasha sighed, and she closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep.

Meanwhile back in Joy's room.

"The end" he said as he smiled, Joy had already fallen asleep before the middle of his story, but he decided to keep on going.

"Goodnight my princess" he said as he smiled.

"And sweet dreams" he said as he laid a soft kiss on her forehead, he stood up and he switched off the lights in Joy's room and closed the door behind him.