Protecting Leah

Doubt Creeps In

Leah's P.O.V

I sat by the stairs for ages holding Brownie and talking to him before I heard the door open and close. I walked downstairs and saw Auntie Caitlin and as soon as she saw me she knelt down on the floor and opened her arms. I instantly ran to her and began to cry into her shoulder. "What's wrong honey?" She questioned me as she rocked me just like mommy usually does. "Mommy doesn't love me anymore." I said before she pulled me back and looked me in the eyes."Why do you say that sweetie?" She questioned while looking around.  "Mommy is still in bed and Uncle Austin won't let me near mommy until she feels better." I said while casting my eyes down at the floor. "What? Where are mommy and Uncle Austin?"

"In mommy's room." She nodded and picked me up before taking me to the kitchen to get some breakfast. "What do you want honey? Same as tour?" I nodded and she quickly found my lucky charms. I watched as she poured the milk in and then motioned for me to follow her to my table in the lounge that mommy and I use when we watch a movie. "What movie honey?" I turn and run to my pile of movies before picking Cinderella. Auntie Caitlin smiles at me before popping it in and settling me at the table and then she says, "I'm just going to see mommy. You stay here until I come back." I nod at her and she leaves muttering.

Caitlin's P.O.V

I arrived at Taylor's this morning hoping to take Leah out for a bit today since I know Taylor wants to wrap Leah's Christmas presents but when I arrived I shut the door and looked around, smelling bacon I went to the kitchen but no one was there and then I heard small footsteps. Smiling I stepped back into the foyer but as soon as I saw Leah's face I knew something wasn't right so I knelt down and by the time she had run to me and buried her face into my neck she was full on sobbing. I tried to ask her what was wrong and she flatly said, "Mommy doesn't love me anymore." I couldn't believe Taylor would ever say that but I listened to Leah and then she said that Austin told Leah to leave Taylor alone and I mean for god sake! The child is four years old. She needs her mother all the time. Leah and Taylor do everything together. But before I could speak to Taylor I needed to get Leah settled so within ten minutes Leah was munching on her lucky charms and watching Cinderella I was upstairs knocking on Taylor's door.

Knocking on the door I noticed the stepping of footsteps as Austin opened the door, "Caitlin, now is not really a good time..." He began to speak, but I quickly brushed past him muttering a hostile 'move' as I made my way to Taylor's bed where she was sat with red rimmed eyes. "Hey Cait, what's up?" I glanced at her and then scoffed as her smile moved from her face. "What's up?" she asked so innocently that I almost believed her. Almost. "What's up?" I questioned in horror as she sat up straighter almost intrigued. "What's up is that your daughter is downstairs believing that her 'mommy' and I use that term loosely right now, doesn't love her anymore." I watched Taylor's face turn to shock horror. "Oh my god Leah..." she stated as she went to move out of bed.

"Oh so now you want to know her, it didn't matter that she came to you this morning before your brother removed her and came into you, shutting the door behind him. Or that I found her as she made her way towards me once I stepped through the door and out of the kitchen, she immediately hugged me and the first words out of her mouth were 'Mommy doesn't love me anymore' and that came from a four year old." I stopped to breathe as I noticed Austin slink out of the room. "That's your baby downstairs watching a movie because she needs to forget that this morning her mommy didn't acknowledge her at all. That little girl loves you with all her heart Taylor and you tore it to shreds." I watched as Taylor sat down on the bed her face a wash of emotions.  "I-I-I uhm..." Taylor started to say before I cut in. "I think it would be best if I took care of Leah until you come to your senses, I don't know what's wrong with you or what but I will be with Leah at my apartment until you straighten yourself up and come and get her. I don't need an explanation when you do, just show up and show me that you are still that little girl's mommy." I watched as Taylor nodded and I left to pack a bag for Leah who was still in her pyjamas. Passing Austin on the way I said in a straight tone, "I don't care who you think you are or if you even care about Taylor or Leah but all I know is Taylor is broken and the only place she was taking Leah this weekend was your parent's house." I watched him gulp. "I don't know what went on, but you are a part of it somehow and if you ever treat Leah like that again you had better start running. Understand?" He nodded and ten minutes later I hoisted Leah onto my hip with Brownie and we left for my apartment.

Taylor's P.O.V

It was official, I was the world's worst mother, my parents thought so and my brother was trying to say the same thing too. I couldn't deal with anything. I could feel myself slipping away, I could barely recall Leah coming to me this morning, but I remember Austin briefly leaving and coming back almost instantly. But the thing that made me feel terrible the most was my friend telling me I had torn my daughters heart in two. 'She's four years old you idiot Swift. She needs you and you aren't there. Tell your brother what you need to and go get that daughter.' I swiftly look up as I hear the front door close and see Austin walk in shaken up a little and instantly I knew it was all a setup. From my parents to Austin, I had been setup and walked straight into it. I knew what I had to do and it would shock Swifties, band members, Scott Borchetta and many others in the business but I had no choice.