Neighbors

13

Lin's POV

I was a little tired after learning some of the moves we had to do. Pippa didn't have to learn a lot for the beginning numbers except where to stand and walk. We had headed down to the other side of the city just to get to her friend's apartment. 

"Knock, knock!" She called while opening the door. I watched her throw the key back into the plant next to the door outside and didn't think that was safe at all... "It's auntie Pippa!" She yelled. I heard a blood curdling scream and a tiny child came running from the hall to tackle Pip's legs. 

"Wow..." I said while rubbing my ear. Pippa had a tiny child attached to her leg while she walked down the hall. I looked around the apartment and saw some pictures of the family on the walls. 

"I see you found Victor." I heard Vivian laugh. 

"Yeah, he got me." Pippa said while shaking her leg a little. He wouldn't budge.... I was shocked at how calm she was at this... "Is she in there?" Pippa asked while pointing at another room. Vivian nodded and I watched Pippa light up. "What's her name again?" 

"Natalie." Vivian smiled. Must be talking about the newborn. Now this baby I had to see.. I loved children. "Alright, I'm leaving! Be good for your Pippa." She said to her kid. He just giggled and hugged his mom tightly. At least Pippa got her leg back. 

"Bye mommy!" He giggled. I watched him walk towards me and look up at me. 

"Be nice to him. I'm going to check on the baby." Pippa pointed while walking away. I looked back down at him and got to his level. 

"Hello." I smiled. "I'm Lin." Victor decided to scream and run after Pippa. 

"Ow!" I heard her yell. I headed down the hall and saw her with the little boy attached to her leg again giggling... She sighed and dragged her leg towards the crib in the room. She looked down at Victor and he let go immediately. I watched her get down to his level and raise her eyebrow. "Victor, I'm going to pick up your baby sister. You need to stop grabbing me. I know you want attention, but right now I need to make sure she's okay. Then we can play." She was a pro... Victor nodded and watched her. 

"You're amazing.." I laughed quietly. 

"I've been watching him since before he could walk." She smiled. I walked over and peered over the crib walls. Pippa was already cooing over the little baby... She looked so experienced... "Hi there little baby..." She whispered while picking her up. "Oh, you're just so cute. You're going to grow up to be a beautiful lady who is going to break lots of hearts." She whispered. Victor walked over to me and held up his arms. I picked him up and smiled. 

"That's your baby sister." I smiled. 

"She cry lot." He frowned. 

"Does she?" I asked. He nodded and looked at Pippa. I looked at her and couldn't help but think of her as a mother... She was just walking around with the baby in her arms and swaying with the baby... How was she already this good with kids? I felt a little tugging on my hair and saw Victor pulling at it slightly. It wasn't bothering me just yet. 

"Alright. Now that I had my baby time. We can play." Pippa smiled while putting Natalie back in her crib. I carried Victor back out into the living room and felt a huge rush of pain in my head. 

"OW!" I cried out in pain. Victor had a huge clump of my hair in his hands while he giggled like an evil villain. 

"I should've warned you that he's a hair puller..." Pippa laughed. "And a screamer." She smiled, as if right on cue, he screamed once again, but in my ear. 

"That would've been nice!" I frowned. Pippa took him from me and Victor immediately went for her hair. She held him at an arms distance and gave him a look... He frowned and she put him down on the floor. "How does he listen to you?" I asked while rubbing the back of my head. 

"I'm auntie. He doesn't listen to me, he doesn't get the special Christmas cookies I make." She said while checking my head. "Plus, I've been in his life for as long as he can remember, so I'm a big thing in his life." She laughed. "You're fine. You'll live." She smiled. 

"Thank you." I frowned. I looked back down and noticed that Victor was gone.. We heard a huge thud and Victor came back crying. 

"How many times has your momma told you not to run in the kitchen?" Pippa asked while getting down to his level. He babbled something and she sighed. "I think it's getting to be bedtime if you're going to not listen." She threatened. Victor pouted and shook his head. "Then be a good little boy and I'll bring extra treats for Christmas." She smiled. 

After a few hours of screaming and toys being thrown all over the place, Victor had been put to bed and Natalie was fed and changed. Pippa was busy cleaning my wound on the couch. Who knew little kids could have such sharp teeth? 

"I didn't think he would actually bite me..." I frowned. 

"Why do you think I told him no the first three times he wanted to play dragons?" Pippa laughed while wrapping my arm with a bandage. 

"Well I didn't know! You haven't been warning me of these things lately." I laughed. She shrugged and kissed my wound. "Really?" I smirked. 

"I'm in the zone. Couldn't help it." She shrugged. "Plus, kisses always make booboos heal according to Victor." She smiled. I nodded and looked at all of the first aid stuff this woman had.. "She has been stock piling first aid things since she found out Victor was a terror. One time she came home and I was covered in scratches from him. She felt so bad." Pippa nodded.

"What had happened?" I asked. 

"He was pretending to be a cat... And it was bath time." She sighed. "I still love him like he's family though." She laughed. The door clicked open and I saw Vivian walk in. 

"Oh no... Who's hurt?" She frowned. 

"Noting too bad. Lin got to experience Victor's dragon bite." Pippa smiled. Vivian rolled her eyes and set her bag down on the counter. 

"Thank you so much. I hope they weren't too much trouble." She frowned. 

"Never." Pippa answered. Never?! The kid almost ripped out my hair, screamed multiple times in my ear, tied me up with a jump rope, then bit me.... I would call that trouble.... I hope she never asks me to babysit with her again... But at the same time, I wanted to again... Seeing her deal with Natalie like a pro, and being able to deflect every little toy that Victor threw at her was so... Reassuring... It was like watching a mom take care of her kids.... Why was I thinking of her as a mom already? We had only been dating for a few months now... 

When we got back to the apartment Pippa and I stayed in my apartment. 

"I'm so sorry about not warning you at all... I'm so used to babysitting alone." She frowned.

"Don't be. It was exciting." I smiled. "Even if it caused me to get a dragon wound." I smirked. She smiled and rested her forehead on mine. "So, are you ready for tomorrow? More dancing?" I laughed. 

"So ready." She smiled before kissing me. "Can I stay here tonight?" She whispered. 

"Of course..."