The Vacation Of Reconnecting

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"Come on Poppy, Daddy's coming soon so you need to get up." Taylor whispered, her hand stroking through the blonde curls on top of Poppy's head.

She mumbled a few incoherent words before turning over to face away from her mom.

Taylor laughed softly whilst she pulled the covers gently off of Poppy's body, "Come on sweetheart, are you not excited to see your Dad?"

"Mommy, go away." She whined, pulling the covers back over her shoulders and shuffling further away from the edge of the bed.

Taylor let out a sigh before getting up from where she was kneeling on the floor and opening the blinds. She took another look at Poppy who looked like she was flat out again, then left the room to go pack her some snacks on the go to give to Travis.

She cut up some apple slices in one compartment and some salted crackers in the other just to keep her going till they probably got something at the airport then placed an apple juice carton on top of the box.

After Taylor finished packing the food, she set the container on the table by the door and walked back into Poppy's room. Her little girl had definitely fallen back asleep, snuggled up with her stuffed bunny. It was always tough when Poppy left, even if it was just for a week or two, it felt like a part of her had left too.

Just as she was standing there, watching her daughter sleep, the doorbell rang. Taylor glanced at the watch on her wrist. Right on time, as always. She quickly went to open the door, finding Travis stood there with a slightly weary expression.

"Hey," He greeted, his voice low as he'd noticed the quietness of the apartment.

"Hi," Taylor replied, stepping aside to let him in and shutting the door behind him. "She's still asleep. I tried to wake her, but... well, you know how she is."

Travis smiled faintly, nodding. "Yeah, I do. I'll just carry her down, don't worry about it."

Taylor led him to Poppy's room, where she watched as Travis carefully picked their daughter up, making sure not to wake her. Poppy stirred slightly but then settled back into his familiar arms, resting her head on his shoulder.

Taylor grabbed Poppy's backpack and the breakfast container, following Travis as he carefully navigated his way through the apartment and down to the lobby. There was an awkwardness between them, the kind that always seemed to linger, but they both focused on getting Poppy downstairs without disturbing her.

As they stepped out of the building, the early morning light was just beginning to cast a soft glow on the quiet street. Travis adjusted his grip on Poppy, her small form almost disappearing into his large frame. Taylor stood beside them, handing over Poppy's backpack and the breakfast container.

"Here," she said softly. "Her favorite snacks, just in case she gets hungry when she wakes up."

"Thanks," Travis replied, taking the items from her with one hand while holding Poppy securely with the other. Their hands brushed briefly, and for a moment, they both paused, the contact stirring a familiar yet distant feeling.

But the moment was interrupted by the sudden flash of a camera. Taylor flinched slightly, and Travis turned his head to see a single paparazzo standing across the street, snapping photos of the tender family moment.

Travis frowned but didn't say anything. He just adjusted Poppy in his arms, shielding her face from the camera with his shoulder. Taylor felt a wave of irritation, knowing those photos would be all over the internet soon.

"Great," Taylor muttered under her breath, glancing at the photographer with narrowed eyes.

Travis sighed, giving her a sympathetic look. "You know how it is," he said, his voice resigned. "They'll get their shot no matter what."

"Yeah," Taylor agreed, her tone equally resigned. "But I wish they'd just leave us alone, at least for this."

Travis nodded, a shared understanding passing between them. It was one of the few things they still agreed on—their desire to protect Poppy from the relentless spotlight.

The driver was already waiting by the car, holding the door open for Travis. Taylor stepped back, watching as Travis carefully placed Poppy into the back seat, buckling her in without waking her. He then loaded her backpack and the breakfast container into the front seat.

"Thanks again for everything," Travis said, his tone sincere despite the awkwardness between them.

"Of course," Taylor replied, crossing her arms as she watched him prepare to leave. "Text me when you land?"

"Will do," he said, closing the door softly.

Taylor stepped back as the car pulled away, watching until it disappeared around the corner. She stood there for a moment longer, the quiet morning air filling the space where their goodbyes had been.

With a heavy sigh, she turned and went back inside, trying to shake off the strange mix of emotions swirling in her chest.

Later that day, as she was finishing up some work at the studio, Taylor's phone buzzed with a notification. She unlocked it to find that the photos of her and Travis from that morning had already made its way online. The headline was as dramatic as ever:

"Reunited for Love? Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Seen Sharing Tender Moment with Daughter."

Taylor rolled her eyes, scrolling through the article that speculated about their relationship status based on the brief touch and the exchange of looks. It was frustrating, but she couldn't deny the pang of something—nostalgia, maybe—that the photo evoked.

She sent the link to Travis with a simple message: "They got us again."

A few moments later, his reply came through: "Yeah, saw that. Same old story, huh?"

Taylor sighed, typing back: "Yeah, but we know the truth. Just wanted to give you a heads-up."

"Thanks. We've made it to Kansas safely, talk to you soon," he replied with an attached image of Poppy in Travis back garden on the trampoline.

Taylor stared at the photo before hearting it and locking her phone, setting it back into her bag with the rest of her belongings so she could start heading back to her empty house.