AU: Anna's first day of Pre-K.
In and out. In. And out. That's what he kept telling himself but he thought he might pass out at any minute. Lindsey was nervous, practically sweating. He looked over at Stevie who seemed very calm. He couldn't believe her, how could she not be on the verge of a panic attack? He gripped his daughter's hand tighter, he didn't want to let go, not yet.
Stevie bent down to be at eye level with Anna. She straightened the straps on her little tote bag and smoothed out the lines on her dress. "You ready for your first day of school, baby?"
"No," came the reply, but it wasn't from Anna. She rolled her eyes but Stevie couldn't help but smile. "I wasn't talking to you, Mr. Buckingham." She turned her attention back to Anna. "Let's try this again, are you ready for your first day of school, baby?" Anna beamed up at Lindsey and back at Stevie. "Yes momma!" Stevie chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Alright, whenever you're ready, baby girl."
Anna motioned for Lindsey to come closer to her. Lindsey leaned down and Anna put her hands on her father's shoulders. "Daddy, are you gonna pick me up from school today?" The question caught Lindsey off guard. "Y-yes, of course baby."
"Can we gets Ben and Jeweee's?" Her eyes got big and she gave him a grin he couldn't resist. "Whatever my little songbird wants." Anna tackled him with a hug and gave him one of her "famous kisses." "You the best, daddy!" With that, she was off.
Lindsey felt that emptiness again and Stevie wrapped her arms around him as she led him off to the car. "I don't know, Stevie, I was supposed to have more time. I was gonna teach her how to play guitar I mean hell, she just learned how to tie her shoes--"
Stevie smiled. "Lindsey, baby, it's just pre-k. All she's doing is coloring, learning the alphabet, playing with kids her own age and napping. You'll see her at twelve thirty, only four hours from now."
"It's just going by so fast, one minute I'm sitting in the hospital bed with you naming her and the next she's -- she's running off to school." Stevie reached up and gently kissed him on the lips. Once. Twice. Three times. He relaxed some and wrapped his arms around her frame and touched his forehead with hers. "Baby, we've still got plenty of time."
