Matilda's Imagines

Willow: Getting used to it

As the day went on, the team adjusted to the reality of Y/n's return and the new addition to their family. The training session was pushed aside as everyone gathered in the lounge area, doting on Willow and bombarding Y/n with questions.

"Who does she take after more? You or her dad?" Alana asked, holding Willow carefully as if the baby was made of glass.

Y/n hesitated, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "It's just me and her," she said softly. "Her dad... isn't in the picture."

A heavy silence fell over the room, but it didn't last long. Mini, ever the protector, placed a comforting hand on Y/n's shoulder. "You're doing an amazing job, sweetheart," she said warmly. "She's lucky to have you."

Y/n's eyes filled with tears again, but this time, they were tears of gratitude.

Kyra, of course, was the first to lighten the mood. "So, are we going to talk about the fact that this kid is already cooler than all of us combined?" she joked, leaning over Alana's shoulder to pull funny faces at Willow.

"She's already got better hair than you," Macca quipped, earning a laugh from the group.

"Oi! Don't be jealous because she's got those perfect curls," Kyra shot back, ruffling Willow's tiny head gently.

"Speaking of hair," Caitlin said, smirking at Y/n, "you've got some catching up to do. You used to braid all of ours—think you can handle baby curls now?"

Y/n laughed, feeling the warmth of her team surround her. "I've had some practice," she admitted, brushing a hand over Willow's head.

As the afternoon turned into evening, Mini pulled Y/n aside while the others entertained Willow with silly faces and soft toys. "How are you, really?" Mini asked, her tone soft but serious.

Y/n glanced at her teammates, who were now arguing over who got to hold Willow next. "Better now," she admitted. "This past year has been... hard. But seeing all of you again, it feels like I can finally breathe."

Mini nodded, her eyes full of understanding. "You don't have to do this alone, Y/n. We're here for you—for both of you."

Y/n swallowed the lump in her throat, her heart swelling with gratitude. "I was so scared you'd be angry with me. That you'd think I was... a mess."

"Y/n," Mini said firmly, gripping her shoulders, "we've always been your family. And families stick together, no matter what."

Y/n let out a shaky breath, nodding. "Thank you, Mini. For everything."

Later that evening, as everyone gathered for a makeshift dinner at the center, Willow finally drifted off to sleep in Caitlin's arms. Y/n watched from across the room, her heart full as she saw how quickly her daughter had been embraced by the team.

"She's going to grow up surrounded by the best people," Kyra said, sliding into the seat next to Y/n. "Though, fair warning, I'm definitely going to teach her how to trash talk on the field."

"Kyra," Y/n groaned, laughing despite herself. "She's three months old!"

"Never too early to start," Kyra said with a wink.

By the time the night wound down, Y/n felt more at peace than she had in a long time. Mini made her promise to stay in one of the spare rooms at the training center until they could figure out a longer-term arrangement.

As she tucked Willow into the portable crib the team had somehow managed to find in a storage closet, Y/n whispered, "We're home now, Willow. You've got a whole family here who loves you. We're going to be okay."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Y/n believed it.