Once Abandoned, Now Found

Chapter 20

Alex was quick to fall asleep once she was comfortable, her head nestled on Maggie's chest with the rest of her curled up as small as possible so she fitted onto Maggie's naked torso. Maggie's arms were wrapped around her, joining on top of her, helping add to the cuddle's strength. Danni was laying next to them, her arms wrapped around Maggie as best she could, holding on tight as the two women thought over the last few days.

Eventually, Danni got cold, so she covered her family with a blanket and retrieved the TV remote, hoping to watch something while Alex slept (again). Maggie couldn't see much, but she could see enough to have an opinion. They settled on The Crown, enjoying the peacefulness of a little and sleepy Alex, and all that could be heard was the murmur of the TV, breathing and birds chattering outside.

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Quite impossibly, things were still peaceful when Alex woke up.

Maggie and Danni were still awake watching the TV, and while Alex was not feeling as little as she had when she slept, she was still little.

"Da!" Was her first word, her small arms stretching out towards Danni as she woke up.

That got the women's attention.

"What did you say, baby?" Danni asked in disbelief.

"Da...ni" Alex called again, pouting as her grabby hands did not turn into a cuddle.

Danni didn't know whether to feel relieved or saddened. She hadn't been expecting any caregiving title from Alex, but to have it so innocently taken away hurt more than she expected.

"Da!" Alex's chin began to wobble and tears pooled in her eyes as she still wasn't given her desired cuddle.

"Danni!" Maggie was quick to break her girlfriend out of her stupor, reminding her that there was a small girl that was calling for her.

"I'm sorry bug, c'mon, let's cuddle" Danni shook her head and lifted Alex off Maggie and into her lap.

"Da" Alex gurgled happily, clapping her little hands together as she stared up at the woman, tears already forgotten.

"I think she's too little to speak multiple syllable words, you've been shortened to Da, and I think I'm going to be shortened to Ma," Maggie explained half-heartedly, she was already feeling the heartbreak Danni had experienced, and was not looking forward to hearing it.

"Oh," Danni replied, trying to keep her focus on the happy girl rather than on the reminder that Alex wasn't theirs.

Once everyone was awake and at least pretending to be happy, (Alex was oblivious to her heartbreaking abilities), they headed to the living room, hoping to play with Alex for the while.

Alex was more than happy to receive attention, rocking about as Maggie set up her train set while Danni got snacks and drinks.

"'oo 'oo" Alex smiled, beginning to push the train up the hill to the bridge.

"Yes munchkin, choo choo" Maggie praised, settling Alex in her lap and helping her move the trains about.

Maggie used this time to just enjoy Alex's presence again and to try and teach her the names and sounds of the wooden animals that came with the set.

"Cow goes moo" Maggie waved the wooden cow in front of Alex but she wasn't interested, Alex was too busy (tongue-sticking out level concentration) picking the people up at the train station.

"Oh wow, we have a proper train driver on her hands" Danni gasped as she reentered the living room, glasses, sippy cup, and snack packets in hand.

"Ma 'each" Alex grinned, suddenly interested in the cow.

"'ow 'o moooooooooooooooo" Alex explained, mooing until she ran out of breath.

Danni giggled and mooed back at Alex, who had already lost interest and returned to sending the train around the track.

Alex was having a lot of fun with the set and had not noticed the small glances Maggie and Danni were giving each other every time Alex called their names. It was breaking their heart, they knew they weren't Alex's parents, big or small, but to be reminded by Alex? That was hurting, and it almost hurt more knowing that she didn't mean it.

They never figured out what Alex was doing that time in the bath with the rubber ducks, otherwise, they'd probably be feeling very silly.

"Da 'ack?" Alex asked eventually, holding her hands out towards the packet of goldfish Danni had put down.

"Here you go baby" Danni went back to smiling, opening the packet and handing it carefully to Alex.

"Be careful, okay, open-end stays towards the sky" Maggie warned, showing Alex how to hold the packet to prevent crumbs from getting out.

"'O s'y," Alex said solemnly, her eyes flickering between the open packet and the ceiling.

Once she was done with the snack, it was juice time and then what Maggie and Danni hoped would be a small play in the garden.

It was not a small play in the garden.

"Okay, so we may have an outdoor baby" Danni panted.

She stood with her hands on her legs, face red and desperately out of breath as she watched Alex run all over the garden.

"Yep," Maggie said unimpressed.

"Can you chase her for a bit?" Danni asked, still panting.

"What was the one rule I said before you played chase?" Maggie asked, turning to her girlfriend, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

"I have to do the chasing" Danni mumbled.

Danni finally straightened up, twisting her back to reduce the strain of sudden exercise.

Alex ran to them, her small brown boots flecked with mud, her raincoat dry and her face red but happy.

"Da no 'hase" Alex pouted, pointing at Danni accusingly.

"Well isn't she just a big meanie?" Maggie agreed, joining Alex in a staring competition with Danni.

"I'm coming, I'm coming" Danni managed to say, finally having regained some breath.

"Kay" Alex was quick to run away again, her short awkward gait amusement enough.

"You wear Alex out so she sleeps in her own bed and you really will be" Maggie whispered to her girlfriend, smiling mischievously as Danni turned redder with a blush.

"Yes ma'am" Danni replied confidently, running after Alex with newfound energy.

Now there was something to run for.

A/N: Look at me actually getting a chapter out on time. Here you go, chapter 20. This is probably not my favourite chapter that I've written, but I was struggling to come up with anything without making it either too quick, too random, or not making sense.

There will probably be another chapter midweek as I'm going to have plenty of free time with this shielding thing.

If anyone has any questions they would like to ask me, please do and I will do my best to reply.

As always thank you for the reads, comments and votes, the first chapter now has other 2k reads which still seems insane to me.

See you later and have a good week!