Just a quick one shot for the Candy Land forum challenge. With Em busy at work, Dave has to take their little girl trick or treating. A simple enough task. Or is it?

Pairing prompt: Dave/Emily

Candy prompt: Popping Candy aka Pop Rocks

Song prompt: "Sweet Life" by Paul Davis

Sweet Life

Dave Rossi had made a lot of sacrifices in the name of love, but sometimes even that was known to cross the line. There was love, and then there was insanity, and between the two, he was a trapped man.

Okay, so he had agreed to do one little, tiny favour for Emily…his tesoro...his heart...his wife. Take their daughter - his princess - Trick or Treating because she had to go to the DOD to help translate some Arabic chatter that had come in on the last transmission from Yemen.

It sounded like a piece of cake since everything was ready. All he had to do was dress Claire and walk her around the block a couple of times. But then again, she was only three, so maybe once around the block and she would be satisfied. She couldn't know the difference, right?

Easier said than done.

Getting Claire ready was one thing, finding her tiara and bag were quite another. By the time he got her ready, the sun was already setting. Not good. Even worse was that when he stepped out on the porch, the wind was cold. There was no way he was letting his baby out in the cold to catch pneumonia.

First came the fight to put the coat on. She refused and stomped her foot. She was a princess, and princesses didn't wear coats. He tried to reason with her - hell, he was, after all, a highly decorated negotiator. But serial killers had nothing on three year olds who inherited the best of both her parents.

Finally he relented and told her that she had to wear the coat, but could take it off when they got to the first house. One hurdle down. Then he couldn't find her treat bag. He could have sworn Em had left it in the study. But a quick search there turned up nothing.

As he searched the house, Claire waited. Her pleas of "Daddy! We got to go now!" rang thru the house. In frustration he grabbed a plastic grocery bag from under the kitchen sink and ran to the living room. Handing it to the toddler, she looked up with her mother's eyes at him as if to say: 'Really, Dad?'

Escorting her out of the house and down the sidewalk, it seemed to be going better than he had planned. Just once around the block, he told himself as he grasped Claire's hand.

The first house seemed to be easy enough and he thought he might be able to get through the night without a meltdown.

Each house proved easier than the last until they reached the one that would send them back home. That is when it got sticky. Claire wanted to continue. He felt she had enough. Four chocolate bars, two apples, and odds and ends of various candies, he thought was more than plenty.

She begged and pleaded and then turned on the tears. People were watching, and he could feel his cheeks grow hot even with the cold bite in the air. He thought about calling Em, but he had made a promise. Letting out his breath in a long sigh, he relented for one more block.

Finally they made it back to the house.

Carrying his sleeping daughter nestled on his shoulder, he had tried to put the coat on her, but ended up draping it over her instead.

Balancing her and the bag of candy, he managed to get the door open and both of them inside. Setting the bag down on the coffee table, he shifted the sleeping child down to be cradled as he took her upstairs to get ready for bed.

Untying the string at the back of the bodice, he stopped when he heard a soft "No".

"Claire," he reasoned, "you have to put your pajamas on."

"No, Daddy. Tonight I am a princess," she argued and then yawned widely.

"Claire…"

Then she said the magic words. "I love you, Daddy. Please?" And his heart melted. He reasoned that it was Halloween and her first trick or treat, so what could it hurt?

Pulling the covers up, he tucked her in. With a kiss to her warm cheek, he watched her for a few minutes. Then he reached over and turned out the light before getting up to leave.

As he started to close the door, Mudgie pushed his way in and jumped on the bed. Three times he circled before taking guard at Claire's feet.

"Okay, boy," Dave relented. "You take care of her." The dog's tail wagged in response.

Making his way down the stairs, he stopped for a drink. It was the least he could do to reward himself after a semi-victorious night. Sipping on his scotch, he heard the door open.

"Hmmm," Em whispered in his ear as her arms went around him. "Got any of that for me?"

"Sure…" He started to get up, but she stopped him.

"I'll get it; you look like you've had a helluva night." Disappearing for a moment, she poured herself a glass and took a seat beside him on the couch. "How was your night?"

"I could ask the same of you."

Sipping her drink, she closed her eyes. "The chatter was genuine." She didn't say anymore after that, but she didn't have to. Another terror threat had been squashed.

"Well, terrorists had nothing on my night. We were supposed to go around the block, but Claire talked me into another one, but she managed to fall asleep on her feet before we got too far."

Em nodded toward the coffee table. "Is that the bag?" She grabbed it. "Where is her princess bag?"

"I don't know. I looked everywhere."

"I left it hanging on the coat tree so you wouldn't miss it," Em replied while sorting thru the bag for goodies.

Biting his lip, Dave thought hard. Had there been a bag hanging on the coat tree when he arrived home and threw his coat over it in his haste to get Claire ready? "I guess I…missed it."

"Well, she wasn't going to be getting a lot of candy, so it shouldn't matter this time." Em extracted a couple of items, turned them over and put them back in the bag. "Did she have fun?"

"She went to bed with her costume. I hope you don't mind."

"It should be okay. Did you have fun?"

Slowly, Dave sipped his scotch in lieu of an answer. Emptying the glass, he set it on the table. "Next time, I get to translate chatter and you can go trick or treating."

Em laughed. "Ha! That good, eh?" Standing up, she took Dave's hand in hers. "Come on. Let's go to bed."

Without a word, Dave followed her as she turned out the lights and led him up the stairs. Stopping by their daughter's bedroom door, she pushed it open to take a peek.

Nestled on a pillow, her rose bud lips slightly parted, dressed in the pink Sleeping Beauty dress, and her black curls spread out, Claire was a vision of loveliness that took Em's breath away. Tears came to her eyes.

"What's wrong, Em?" Dave asked softly.

"I missed her first big girl Trick or Treat."

Dave took Em into his arms. "There will be others. Trust me. Next year and the year after, and the ones after that are all yours." He crossed his heart dramatically. "I promise."

Sniffling, Em smiled. "Okay."

"Come on, I think I might be able to brighten your spirits." He dragged her to the master bedroom. Closing the door, he turned to her.

"What do you have in mind?" Her eyes sparkled mischievously. He dangled a small square packet in front of her. "Oh," she breathed, "Pop Rocks. I haven't had those in years."

"I figured we could have our own Halloween party. A trick for a treat."

Reaching for Dave's shirt, she pulled him forward. "You first."

"What…?" he asked, surprised as her hands quickly undressed him. Leaning forward, she whispered softly in his ear. He grinned broadly. "I haven't tried that one." Shrugging out of his jeans, he tried to get her undressed but she pushed him to the mattress.

Straddling him, Em kissed him deeply before moving down his body. "Oh, by the way," Dave replied, "your turn next."

Em smiled wickedly. "My pleasure. But yours first." Ripping the packet open, she placed some of the candies in her mouth. She lowered her head.

And that was Dave's last conscious thought for the rest of the night.

The End.