Protecting Leah

The Truth

Taylor's P.O.V

I got home with Leah and realised that I had no clothing for her, so after leaving her with Meredith in the living room I went and looked for an oversized t-shirt that I had from my radio tour and got a pair of skins which would be longs on Leah. Taking them to the bathroom I turned on the bath and added bubbles. Wandering downstairs I saw Leah still petting Meredith so I beckoned her over, picked her up and took her upstairs. Not quite knowing whether this was appropriate or not I asked her if I could undress her to put her in the bath. She said okay so I got to work. First I shut off the bath then undressed Leah and put her in and just stood back and watched her closely I could see small bruises and scrapes in places that no child could manage to scratch. I remember Amos telling me he couldn't leave his son, Danny in the bathroom alone, since kids could drown so easily.

So I sat down on the floor by the bath and started to ask Leah questions about her life, like how old she was which she told me she was four. Where she went to preschool to which she told me she didn't. Even why she was in an orphanage because she seemed like a good kid. She told me how her parents died in a car crash when she was a baby and so she had been in care ever since. I was shocked but tried not to let it show. I let her play for a bit since I actually had a rubber duck in the bathroom cupboard then washed her hair with my shampoo and rinsed it with a cup then got her out and dressed her in my shirt and skins. She was very happy but I could tell she was tired so I picked her up from the floor and carried her downstairs, she put her head into the nape of my neck and it was adorable, I could have sworn she was nearly out when I put her on the couch and covered her in a blanket and she fell asleep.

Walking into the laundry with her clothing and after turning it on I went to pick up my phone to call my mom but I stopped when I heard the doorbell. Leah had sat straight up and was looking at me wide eyed so I picked her up off the couch where she had been asleep, placed her on my hip as she was so light and I went to answer the door. It was my mom and I knew this wouldn't be good.

Leah's P.O.V

I had just fallen asleep wrapped in a blanket that smelt nice and was warm when a doorbell woke me up and I didn't know where I was. I saw Taylor come in so she picked me up and I snuggled in, she was warm and smelt nice like the blanket. I felt her grip tighten too, she had her chin on my head and I was practically glued to her. I heard her open the door and sounded shocked when she said, "Mom, what are you doing here?" the other woman looked at me and said,

"Why don't we talk in the kitchen alone." Taylor nodded her head and motioned to the kitchen as she looked at me and smiled even though I knew it was a fake one. She then settled me back down on the couch, covered me with the blanket and picked up Meredith and placed her next to my head where Meredith fell asleep the next thing I knew I was drifting off to sleep.