The Blanket Baby

Chapter 1

A hand slithered up the inside of her leg causing her to tremble violently. She's supposed to be afraid and feel disgusted but the longing ache in her lower abdomen said otherwise. How she got in to this position, she doesn't know but she can't say that she's mad at it. Another hand bunched a chunk of her hair together and pulled causing her to expose her neck. A tongue traced it away up the exposure until teeth grazed her earlobe causing her breath to hitch. A deep throaty chuckle was the response to her reaction, but just as quickly as it start did it stop. The bed strained with the new weight added to it and that little tidbit flew out the window when her legs were spread wide apart exposing a part no one has seen in six years.

"W-wait! What are you-"

Hot opened mouth kisses from her calf to her ankle stopped her protest completely, making her toes curl. Who is this guy? What is he doing to her and why can't she see his face? As soon as the thought formed, the room became significantly brighter revealing her sweet tormentor. Only... her tormentor isn't so sweet. Hazel-green eyes crinkled with amusement before nipping at her calf and positioning himself pointedly at her entrance: "Scream for me."

"Derrick!"

The incessant buzzing of her alarm woke Athena with a jolt causing her to bolt off her bed and say 'good morning' to her hardwood bedroom floor with her face. Not the best way to meet the morning but she was up nonetheless; now to find that stupid alarm that tumbled unto the floor with her. A groan escaped her lips as she pushed herself into a sitting position looking for that damned alarm clock, following an exuberant 'yes' when spotting it wedged between her bed and nightstand. A string of curses left her mouth when she noticed the time: 8:37 am; she is late for work and she knew for a fact that those ungrateful bastards won't cover her ass much less her pinky toe.

Cutting her bathroom routine down to ten minutes, she barely made it to her claustrophobic nightmare of a kitchen when her doorbell started ringing. A mixture of a whimper and a groan left her lips as she went to check her peephole. She swore she felt her retina burn when she saw who broke her rushed routine. Derrick stood in all of his half naked glory behind her door with a peeved look on his face instantly bringing back her dream to the forefront. Fuck. However, she couldn't give a rat's ass how he felt given that he is the one who is disturbing her this morning.

"Derrick, I am in no mood for your bull-"

Before Athena could finish, Derrick lifted a hand - a beautiful, no-stranger-to-hard-work hand - and pointed down towards the floor displaying a beautiful freckled face girl with dark eyes, and two large puffs holding a ratted green blanket, a teddy bear and a medium sized suitcase. Derrick was the one to break her silence.

"She was struggling up the stairs when I opened my door a few seconds ago. Pointed at your door and gave me this piece of paper."

His voice melted her insides and the rippling of his muscled arm holding out a slip of paper almost made her knees weak. No Athena, you're confused right now, remember? She took the piece of paper and read it's contents: 2674 Waterway, apt 4D, Athena Dalso, family. This time it was the little girl to say something: "Mummy said to come here when things get bad."

Athena hasn't seen this little girl ever in her meagre life much less to know her mother. Quickly checking the time, she crouched low to meet the girl face to face. "And who might mummy be?" The little girl pulled out a picture from her shirt pocket and handed it to Athena. She didn't need to look at it for too long before her eyes went wide. The stormy grey eyes and large afro hair much like her own is reminiscent to her big half sister Tilly which she hasn't seen in nearly ten years. Looking back at the little girl, she can see it now: despite the different eye colour, she looked exactly like Athena and Tilly - freckles and all. And if she's here, then something bad happened. Tilly always disappeared when something bad happens.

No time to think of anything now, Athena faced Derrick who must have put distance between them as his back was against his door, arms folded, watching, observing and calculating what was unfolding in front of him. He looked good doing it too. Blowing out a lungful of air, she berated herself as her mind was constantly flying south. Pushing herself to her full height, she patted the girl on the head and told her to stay put as she tries to negotiate with Derrick.

"Derrick..."

"I'll watch her."

That flustered her. Whenever there was physical cohabitation between Athena and Derrick, some fight - verbal or otherwise - always ensues making it almost impossible for this floor, this building, to be at peace. So him agreeing to do something for her this quickly meant that he had something up his imaginary sleeve since he has no shirt on. She narrowed her eyes at him, "your price?"

"You. In my bed. Begging me to fu-"

She knew it. "No deal."

"Come on. I was kidding."

Athena turned away from Derrick resisting the urge to give him the bird with a small child in her presence. "Come here -" Damn. She didn't even know her name. As if reading her mind, the girl spoke up. "Adelia. But everyone calls me Ali."

"All right Ali," Athena smiled, "we're going to work today."

"I'm serious, Athena. I was just messing. I will watch her for you. You work days; I work nights. I can do it. You can't handle a child at your job."

That stopped her. He was right, her job was demanding and she wasn't even sure if they allow children on site. She groaned before turning back to him. "If you do anything-"

"You'll feed me my balls." His lips quirked as if it was a joke, "we'll work out a trade off later. Go. You're practically out of a job now if you don't hurry."

Athena eyed him one more time before leaning over to Adelia. "If he does anything, kick him hard and run. I'll see you later." She tugged a puff and rushed down the stairs, mind racing as to what is going on now. A potential niece showed up on her doorstep, her sister is missing and probably so deep in trouble that only God can measure it, and she has to put her trust in a hall neighbour that mentally fucks her brains out almost every night she's asleep. On top of it all, she's probably in this mess now that she opened her door.

Hailing a cab because public transportation would be too slow for her liking, she rubbed the ache that somehow formed in the crook of her neck and shoulder in the twenty minutes that that whole situation went down. Life couldn't get any better.

___________________

I'll write for you soon _(:3」∠)_

~Kimmie~