King's huge frickin' book of randomness galore:The ultimate

The alchemist's lament

"You....How....How could you?"

This was his question.

"How could you possibly do this?"

The question that scorned him.

"Why would you do this?"

The question that burned him.

"To children?"

The question that gripped him.

"Our children?"

It was the last thing he had ever asked her. 

And, all throughout, he couldn't help but remember the first.

"Will you marry me?"

"What bittersweet memories...."

He couldn't help but reminisce.

"It's quite silly how adults fight, isn't it dear?"

He asked his audience of one, stroking their hair fondly as they slept.

"We can't help it. We'll always be silly. But that isn't wrong, no, no, no....Not usually, at least. Silly is good. It's one of things I truly love about you...." He muttered, smiling softly. 

"Keep that about you, my dear. It'll guide you. More-so than sense ever will." He said softly, kissing the child on the forehead as they left them once again, visiting only when he was certain he couldn't be seen.

He'd followed this tradition of his quite often, year after year, all he could.

He visited his children.

He talked to them.

He asked them about their day.

He was there for them.

 As long as they could never, ever, possibly know.

It was how he coped.

But the pain.....

The pain was too much.

He was lying and fooling himself.

He couldn't talk to them.

He couldn't ask them about their day.

He couldn't be there for them.

Not in a way they'd ever be aware of.

Not unless.....

"Papa!"

"Hello, princess!"

He found a loophole.

"I had a really fun day today!"

"Oh? Truly?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright then, princess, come sit down and tell me all about it. I'd love to listen."

"Yay!"

He asked her how she could do something so perverted.....

How she could push such limits.....

"So first I....."

He answered his own question.

"Papa!"

Papa!"

"Hey papa!"

"Pops!"

Several times over.