AN: This takes place before Riley meets Jessica, between the first and second movies, if you wanna get technical. I still do not own National Treasure. However, the character of Katie, Riley's niece, is based directly off of myself, only I am obviously not five years old. No rude reviews, though I do always appreciate your feedback.

I'll be the first to admit it: I'm a big kid. Well, a big kid that's obscenely good with computers, that is. I guess that's why my little five-year-old niece, Katie, loves me so much. The two of us are so close that she doesn't even call me "uncle" anymore - just Riley. So, when I found out that her parents, my brother Taylor and his wife Bethany, had gotten tickets to some crazy play or something, I immediately volunteered to watch Katie. She was already a pro at sleeping over here - I had even bought her a Bindi the Jungle Girl sleeping bag that I kept in the hall closet for her to use the next time she came - so Taylor and Bethany agreed quickly.

That's why, on a rainy Friday night in October, I was sitting at home when the doorbell rang. I raced over and threw the door open.

"Riley!" Katie shrieked, in that tone that probably only little girls of five are capable of making. You know, that one that's a few octaves higher than the average speaking voice?

"Hey, you little tiger!" I said, and opened my arms. Katie broke free from Taylor and charged into them, and I lifted her up, gave her an enormous hug, and spun her around. Katie and I have always had a "Jesse and Michelle" kind of thing going for us. (Yes, I watch Full House reruns. What's it to you?)

"Thanks so much for doing this, Riley," Bethany said.
"It's nice to get out of the house for a while," added Taylor.

"Hey, no problem," I said, holding Katie. "We're gonna have a blast. Right, Kate-a-saurus?"

Katie giggled and gave a thumbs-up. "You got it, dude!"

Taylor and Bethany smiled and kissed Katie. "Be good, angel," Bethany said. "Don't have too much fun," Taylor added.

"We won't," I laughed.

Bethany and Taylor left. I set Katie down.

"What's up, Kate?" I asked as she sat down on the couch. I walked into the kitchen, cut two huge slices of double-chocolate-chip cake, carried them back to the living room, and gave one to her.

Katie beamed. "Thanks, Riley," she said with an ear-to-ear grin. "Well, I started kindergarten last month!"

"Naw! Really?! My little tiger's in school now??" I asked enthusiastically.

She giggled. "Yup, I am," she said, between forkfuls of cake. "It's so cool! My school is huge, it goes up to the sixth grade, and my class has 20 students. 11 girls, 9 boys!"

"Only nine boys?" I joked. "That must be hard."

"Nah," she said with a giggle. "You're the only boy I know that doesn't have cooties!"

I smiled. "I am?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "And I already got a best friend. Her name is Brooke, and she's so cool. Her daddy's a centaur or somethin'."

I laughed. "A senator. He works in the big building with the dome."

"Yeah, that."

"You don't like her more than me, now do ya, tiger?" I asked playfully, nudging her under the chin.

Katie giggled again. "Riley, you're always gonna be my bestest buddy in the whole world."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said. "Hey, I got an idea. You want some pizza?"

Katie nodded vigorously.

"Still like hamburger and pepperoni best?"

Another nod. I picked up the phone on the endtable and hit the 5 button - the speed dial to the pizza place.

"Pizza Castle."

"Yeah, hi. I'd like two large pizzas with pepperoni and hamburger. Delivered to Riley Poole," I said, then gave him the address.

"Got it. We'll be there in about a half-hour."

"Thanks."

I put down the phone. "Pizza's on its way," I said to Katie.

"Awesome!" she exclaimed. "I always have so much fun here!"

"Hey, I got ya something," I said to her.

"Really?!"

"Yeah! Stay here, I'll be right back."

I ran to the hall closet and pulled out the Bindi sleeping bag. "Close your eyes," I called down the hall, then walked into the living room and placed it in front of her. "Okay, open 'em," I said.

Katie's eyes grew huge. "A Bindi sleeping bag! Thank you thank you thank you!"

"You're welcome, tiger," I said, giving her a hug.

She ripped open the plastic (with some difficulty, I had to help her) and unfurled the sleeping bag. On it was a picture of Bindi's treehouse from the show, and there were quite a few animals: a koala, an elephant, a snake, an iguana, and a kangaroo.

"This is the best!" Katie exclaimed. She climbed into the sleeping bag to see how she fit. She looked adorable.

"Are you the princess of the animal world now, like Bindi?" I asked her.

Katie giggled and began to sing.

"Once upon a time, deep in the jungle,
There was a girl who lived in a tree,
That's why they called her...
(I joined in.)
Way-o, way-o, Bindi the jungle girl!
Way-o, way-o, princess of the animal world, uh-huh!
The Croc Hunter taught her,
Now his only daughter
Is Bindi the jungle girl!
Bindi!!"

We burst into laughter. The only reason that I know all the words to that song is due to Katie. She sings Bindi's songs from the show all the time, and that's why I'd bought her the sleeping bag.

AN: Sorry if it's kinda a cliffhanger, but I'm zonked. I'll write more later, okay? Please read and review!