Cause I could, that is usual my excuse.

**********************************

When Carter pulled the tray of cookies out of the oven, another wave of sweetness bloomed in the air. Already the apartment had been conquered by the sugary scent. She set the tray on the counter beside dozens of the cookies' cousins. As she put a new tray in, the apartment door opened and Kennedy rushed inside.

"Mommy, they said we had wear costumes for tonight!" she said, her seven-year-old face beaming with excitement.

"Hold up, Cadet," Carter said, nudging the oven door closed with her foot. "Did you thank Link and Maddy for bringing you home."

Kennedy nodded, still slightly bouncing with eagerness.

"Alright," Carter said. "Take a seat and tell me about this costume thing."

Beaming, Kennedy scrambled onto a bar stool while Carter plucked out a glass from the cupboard.

"For the fair tonight, my teacher said we should wear costumes and I decided what I want to be."

Carter poured out milk and slid the glass towards Kennedy, plopping a cookie in front of her.

"Oh yeah," she said. "What do you want to be? A warrior? Ninja? Secret Service agent?"

"I want to be a princess!"

Hand on the fridge door, Carter paused, looking back at her daughter.

"You want to be a princess?" she asked. Kennedy bobbed her head. "Okay, Jasmine is a good choice, strong, independent-"

"I want to be Cinderella."

"Hmm," Carter said, returning the milk carton to the fridge and taking a seat beside Kennedy. "Well, let's see what good merits Cinderella has."

"She's pretty!" Kennedy said, part of a cookie in her mouth.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, Cadet. She is pretty. But she also manages to still have a positive outlook on life despite being beaten down. She's a hard worker. She makes friends with even the lowest of the low. Now, before you can be Cinderella, you have to answer this question why did Cinderella run away from the ball?"

Kennedy giggled like that was the easiest question she'd ever been asked. "Cause if she didn't, the prince would see her look ugly."

"Exactly," Carter said. "She was afraid of being her true self. Look at me, Cadet." Kennedy stared up at her mother, blue eyes wide. "If someone really likes you, then you should never be afraid of them seeing you as you are. Because someone who truly likes you loves your heart." She tapped Kennedy's chest. "And your mind. So if they care about you, they will like you in sweatpants as well as a ballgown. Do you understand?"

Kennedy scrunched up her face in thought.

"Harrison sees me in my pajamas and he's still my friend." She brightened. "Does that mean he likes me?"

Laughing, Carter cupped Kennedy's face and wiggled her nose with her daughters.

"That's exactly what it means. Now you can be Cinderella."

Carter slid off her barstool and moved to the oven.

"What will you be, Mommy?" Kennedy asked.

"I didn't plan on wearing a costume."

"But my teacher said everyone has to!"

Flipping the oven door open, Carter grabbed a hot mitt and retrieved the last tray of cookies.

"How about this," she said, laying the tray down and moving to the last one to remove the now cooled cookies. "I'll go dressed as an FBI agent, how does that sound?"

Kennedy giggled. "But that's not a costume, that's your job. You should be a princess like me."

"Is that so?" Carter said, eyeing her daughter.

"Yes!"

With Kennedy's big eyes gazing up at her with such hope, Carter found any refusal dying.

"Fine, but I'll be Jasmine. And your father will have to wear a costume too."

"Daddy can be a prince!"

Carter grinned wickedly at the idea. "That's a great idea, you're father can be a prince."

*********

"That's it," Carter said. "You completely own me."

Kennedy laughed, as Carter stared at her reflection and the Princess Jasmine costume she wore. Thankfully she found one that took after the live-action one instead of the cartoon, there was no way she would walk into a school full of other parents showing that much skin. Shaking her head, she lifted Kennedy off her bed and helped smooth out her skirts.

"Come on, let's make sure the cookies are ready to go," she said.

As they walked into the living room, Donovan walked in and stopped.

"Carter, are you dressed-"

"If you ever want to make it passed this night, you will say nothing," she warned.

He didn't have to say anything, his grin said it all.

"Daddy, look mommy and I are princesses."

Donovan crouched down. "I can see that, Cadet. And you make a beautiful princess."

Pleased, Kennedy twirled so her father could have the full effect.

"Aren't you going to say I make a beautiful princess," Carter said.

"I thought I wasn't allowed to say anything at all."

He had her there.

"You should hurry up and get changed, we need to get to the school."

When Donovan looked away from Kennedy to Carter, she saw the hint of worry in his eyes.

"Why would I need to get changed?"

Carter plastered on a sweet smile. "Oh, you didn't think we were the only ones dressing up did you?"

The look of fear in Donovan's face felt like perfect revenge for his smile about her costume.

"What did you get me?" he asked, voice low.

"Tarzan."

Donovan swallowed at how little clothing the character wore.

"Was an option but I realized that you're mine and no one else should get to see all of that. So I went with Prince Eric, simple and comfortable."

Breathing out, Donovan rose and kissed Carter. "I'm glad you didn't go with Aladdin, either."

"The thought crossed my mind, but again. Can't have other mother's drooling over you."

Chuckling, Donovan left to face his costume fate and Carter finished packaging up the cookies for the Halloween fair. When Donovan returned, Carter burst out laughing. Donovan pointed at her.

"Stop, I didn't say anything about you, you can't say anything about me."

Carter nodded but continued to laugh. It wasn't that the costume was bad, it was that Donovan still looked good, which was mildly annoying and entertaining to Carter.

"Daddy, you're a prince!" Kennedy said.

"Of course," Donovan said lifting Kennedy into his arms. "Because I have to be worthy to escort a princess like you."

In response, Kennedy kissed his cheek and wrapped her little arms around his neck.

"Shall we," Donovan said, holding out his elbow for Carter to take.

"We shall, but I have cookies to carry," she said.

"I thought I sensed the world stop turning today, now I know the reason why."

Carter rolled her eyes at him and they all paraded out of the apartment.

At the school, Donovan held Kennedy's hand as they climbed the stairs and entered the warm confines. All around them children raced after each other dressed in every sort of costume, though Avengers' characters seemed to be the biggest theme.

What both Carter and Donovan instantly noticed was the fact that no parents were dressed up. They exchanged a glance then looked down at Kennedy.

"Cadet," Carter said. "You told me everyone was wearing costumes."

Kennedy nodded. "Our teacher told us everyone had to wear costumes."

Carter met Donovan's eyes. Their daughter wasn't to blame for the misunderstanding, but right then Carter wanted to blame someone because she felt other parents staring at them.

"Everyones staring," Carter said quietly.

"Yes, they are."

"We look like idiots."

"Yes, we do."

"Are we going to use this to make us look like the best parents in the world?"

"Yes, we are."

Wearing years of confidence that facing the worst of dangers had instilled in them, they headed down the hallway to the gym. Holding both of Kennedy's hands, they formed a trio. Whenever anyone met their eyes, Carter and Donovan looked back with complete self-assurance.

At the gym, Principal Fitch came forward, her eyes widening at the costumes.

"Evening," she said. "I didn't know you were going to dress up as well."

"Of course we would," Donovan said. "We want our daughter to know that having an imagination doesn't end with childhood, that the dreams she makes now can still be true when she grows up."

The parents close enough to hear Donovan's statement exchanged glances and shifted, as if wondering whether they should have dressed up as well.

Principal Fitch flushed but smiled warmly. "That's truly wonderful of you as parents to do. Come, I'll lead you to your table."

At a clothed table, Carter set out the dozens of cookies she made. Donovan took a bite of one, looking surprised.

"Did you know these actually taste good?" he asked.

"You can stop making jokes anytime you want now."

"Not likely."

Scowling, Carter pretended to ignore Donovan arranging the plates as best she could.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming?" a familiar voice said.

Carter didn't move, she couldn't bear to turn around.

Mason and Link burst out laughing and reluctantly, Carter faced the Evans clan. Only Harrison was dressed up. He had gone as Prince Charming.

"What are you wearing?" Mason asked.

"Costumes," Carter said, crossing her arms. "Because we're the best parents in the world and we support our daughter."

Neither Carter nor Donovan looked at each other, they knew how it could betray them and they were not going to be taken down.

"I'm surprised you didn't dress up," Donovan said. "I thought you would be more supportive of Harrison."

"We decided we could do that by not looking like complete idiots and embarrassing him," Mason said.

Carter wanted to strangle Mason right then and there, but the feeling was not a new one. And for the grin Link wore, she thought she might just add him in on the strangulation.

"Kennedy told you everyone had to wear a costume, didn't she?" he said, a pleased glint in his hazel eyes.

Carter felt a sickening sensation in her stomach. Her suspicions were confirmed when Link held out his hand and Kennedy high-fived it.

"Well done," Link said.

Kennedy beamed. Donovan shook his head. Despite hating him at the moment, Carter felt impressed Link managed to pull it off.

"I think," Link said, really taking in Carter and Donovan in their costumes, "this is the best day of my life."

**********************************************************************

Boo! 👻

(Yeah, I know I've used that one before but it's so fitting with the chapter!)

Well you got to hand it to Link, he finally is the one that's cooler than Carter and Donovan for one night!

What did you think??

Also did you catch the fact that Kennedy is Cinderella and Harrison is Prince Charming?? 😁

If I could only write one more one shot (I'm not saying that I can't) which would you want?

Vote, comment, follow because this was hilarious and you love me!