//------------------------------//
// Growing 
// Story: My Daughters 
// by ThunderCracker 
//------------------------------//

  Dennis has been taking care of his new daughters for 4 years now, and while they were under his care, they've had twists an turns, but all and all they still loved him. Dennis loved them like they were his own and they loved him like a father, and he knew that. He found out when Luna said it, and they'd also call him "Dad" and whenever he would tuck them in, they would say, "Goodnight Dad, we love you." This always warmed his heart. He was never going to get tired of it. He didn't want to lose them, he didn't know what he'd do if he did. He knew that they were going to leave him, and it was going to come down hard on him. Because he'd have to suffer from more sadness, more sadness than when he lost his parents, cause these were his daughters.

If Dennis knew that he'd be taking care of three Princess ponies from his favorite TV show he'd probably be more prepared, but when it took him by surprise, he still knew what to do. He didn't take them in because they were ponies, not because they were from his favorite TV show, not because he wanted to take them in, its because he knew that he could learn to love again, and that this was his escape from loneliness. Who knows? He might've went home that day and committed suicide? But his mind got the best of him, and now he has three new daughters, who see him as their father. 

They were now nine years old and growing fast, this wasn't a challenge for Dennis, the challenge was to hide from them that they were from a cartoon TV show, and that they weren't real. No, can't think like that, they ARE real, to me. Dennis thought. He was afraid of how they would react if they found out. They'd probably hate him forever. Dennis shook his head and opened the door to his bedroom to see the girls sleeping soundly. He smiled and close the door quietly. He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch and began to think. 

How much longer can I keep this from them? What will they do? Will they run? I'll probably never see them again. Dennis started hitting his head. Dammit! Stop thinking like that! You are their father, they love you too much to do that. He thought. He calmed himself down and walked into the bedroom silently and crawled into bed with the girls. He felt something wrap around his arm tightly like an anaconda. He looked at his arm to see Luna wrapped around it smiling as she nuzzled it. 

Dennis smiled and picked her up, being careful not to wake her up, and put her on his chest. She curled up in a ball on his chest and her smile widened as she snuggled up against him. He then felt something digging into he right him. He looked down at it to see Cadence cuddling with him. Dennis wrapped his arm around her and held her close. He looked to his right to see Celestia on his right on the far side of the bed, this saddened Dennis because she looked sad, he shook her lightly and she woke up and yawned. She turned to look at him and Dennis patted the spot by his side. She smiled and walked over to him. Celestia snuggled up with his shoudler wrapping her fore hooves around it. 

Celestia looked up at Dennis smiling and he smiled back, and Celestia whispered, "I love you Dad." Dennis' smile brightened and whispered, "I love you too Celestia, I love you too..." He kissed her on the head and closed his eyes to sleep. 

Dennis woke up the next morning and smelled something cooking. Pancakes... He walked into the kitchen to see Cadence standing in front of the stove on a stool cooking pancakes, he looked at the table to see Celestia and Luna wearing a smile on their faces looking at him. He lightly smiled back and looked back at Cadence as she put a pancake on one of the plates that were lined up. She used her magic to levitate it over to the table in front of Celestia. 

Dennis walked over to her and rubbed his face, he let out a sleepy groan. "Need help *yawn* Cadence?" He asked. "Nope. Thanks though." She said. "Alright... don't burn yourself please." Dennis said walking past her and patting her on the head. He sat down in his seat and rested his head on the table. 

"Morning Dad!" Luna said smiling. Dennis looked up at her and smiled back, then walked over to her and sat next to Celestia and Luna. "Good morning my little Luna." He replied hugging her and Celestia. Cadence levitated two more plates over to him and Luna and then sat next to Celestia with her own plate. 

Dennis wanted to make them laugh, he loved it when they laughed at him, so he said, "Hey, wanna see how cows eat their food?" They all looked at him raising an eyebrow. "MOO!" He shouted and the slammed his face down into his pancakes. 

All of them burst into laughter and Dennis raised his head laughing with them. They all walked over to him and hugged him and he returned the hug. "You're so funny Dad." Cadence said. "Do you wanna see how and Alligator eats his food?" He asked smiling. They all nodded and sat back down.

Dennis clapped his hands together and slammed them on the table next to the plate. He put one of his hands under the table and started slamming his hand underneath the table while the hand over the table slammed the top of the table on top of the pancake. The girls continued to laugh. "What about a Flamingo?" Celestia asked. Dennis stopped slamming his hands on the table and stood up. 

He stood on one foot and then started banging his head of the table. They laughed harder and Luna caught her breath. "What about a T-Rex?" She asked.

Dennis sat back down and tucked his arms into his sleeves to where his hands were hanging out. He looked his food. "MYEAAHH!" He shouted and shoved his face in his food and grabbing it with his hands. "And a Whale?" Cadence asked.

Dennis pushed the chair back and squatted. "Mehhhhh..." He said as he launched him self into the air and landed on the table causing it to flip and sending plates and silverware flying off the table. 

The girls laughed even harder and walked around the table and saw Dennis still lying there laughing his ass off. The girls walked next to him and brought him into a group hug. "We love you!" They shouted. Dennis wrapped his arms around them and brought them closer while returning the hug. "I love you too girls." He said laughing.