1D One Shots/Sickfics

Train Ride (kidfic/sickfic)

Johanna sighed, taking in the peace of the moment. It was twenty minutes into the two hour train journey to visit her parents. Her daughter Charlotte, still just an infant, was asleep on her lap, while 6 year old Louis had dozed off in the rear-facing seat across from here, leaning on the window that earlier had kept him entirely fascinated. Moments of quiet like this were rare, what with such a young baby and a rambunctious little boy, so she had to savour them.

Unfortunately, the peace was interrupted about five minutes later when Lottie woke up and started crying, louder than should be possible for such a tiny creature. Johanna instantly started bouncing and rocking her daughter, whispering quiet consolations into her ear.

"Hey darling, it's alright. Mum's here, I've got you. Shh, shh. Why are you crying, huh? What's got you so upset?"

Unfortunately, her efforts took no effect and soon Louis was woken up by his sister's cries.

"Are we almost there yet, Mummy? I wanna get off now. Are we?" He reached across and tugged at here sleeve, trying to ensure she was paying attention to him.

Johanna smiled at him, slightly stressed out and not wanting her kids to bother the other passengers, but not showing any outward sign. "Not yet, love. Why don't you get out your farm book and look at the pictures for a bit?"

Louis nodded enthusiastically and started rummaging through her bag, pulling out whatever was in his way and leaving it on the seat until he found his book. He had just got it a couple days ago and he hadn't yet recovered from the excitement of having something new.

"Boo, are you going to put the stuff back in Mummy's bag please?"

Louis didn't respond, attention fully captured by his book.

"Louis," she repeated, tone stern. "Clean up the mess you've made please."

This time he looked up. "Yeah mum?"

Johanna laughed internally. This child. She couldn't imagine what he would be like as a teenager. "Put my stuff back before you read your book darling."

"Oops, sorry mummy." He quickly put all the random bits and bobs he had pulled out earlier back in the bag, then turned back to his picture book.

Lottie, who had managed to free one of her arms from her blanket, flailed out suddenly and hit her mother's arm relatively strongly, bringing Johanna's attention back to her daughter.

"Hey sweetheart, no kicking Mummy. What's wrong love, are you hungry?" Obviously, she knew her child was too young to respond, or even really understand, but she thought maybe it was good for cognitive development to talk to her right from the beginning. She reached across to her bag, balancing it on one knee and awkwardly rummaging through the mess that Louis had left behind. She knew she had put a bottle in somewhere but – ah! There it was! She pulled it out of the thermal bag and cautiously put her bag back on the seat, trying not to let anything fall out. When she offered the bottle, Lottie immediately latched on and stopped crying. Johanna smiled down at her beautiful young daughter, rocking her back and forth. She hummed a quiet song, not wanting to disturb the other passengers, but quite happy and needing to express it. Being a mother was hard at times, but she loved her children with all her heart. She was determined to enjoy every stage of it, even the long nights of staying up with a crying infant and the continuous mischief of a curious young boy.

When Lottie finished her bottle, Johanna pulled a blanket over her shoulder and lifted the baby to burp her. While gently patting her daughter's back, she looked over at the little boy across from her.

"How's your book, boo?"

Louis looked up. "It's good! Lots n lots of pictures!" He looked down at it for a moment, but then looked at his mother again. "Mummy, my tummy feels funny."