Raulson and Character One-shots

Hotgomery

Propmt: Billie Dean's niece, Delilah, comes back over for a visit. But this one-shot focuses on a bedtime story that the child asks Billie Dean to tell her, and Nora listens in on it. 

POV: Nora

 I laid out the purple and white night dress on the bed, then set the lamb with the purple sash that had white and orange flowers on it next to the brown teddy bear in the center of it. Delilah had found the bear while we were roaming the basement, it had belonged to Thaddeus. But now, Delilah had laid claim to it. 

Billie Dean came into the room, holding a book. Delilah's parents had started reading to her every night before bed, and her favorite was Princess Jasmine. I had only read it a couple of times so I didn't know a lot about it, but Billie Dean loved reading the story to her. 

Watching Billie be an aunt to Delilah brought me more joy than I've felt in decades. The woman I love most loving and nurturing a child I love more than life itself is the most wonderful experience. One I never got with Charles. 

But that didn't matter. He didn't matter. I walked to Billie, took the book out of her hand, set it on the bed, and pulled her close to me. 

"Hey." I whispered. 

"Hi." She whispered. 

I kissed her lips gently and she responded with a smile. She kissed back and swiped my bottom lip with her tongue, and I opened my mouth to her. She opened hers as well and our tongues explored each others. We stood in the center of the room, making out for a few minutes. We kept our breaths low though to make sure we could hear Delilah in the bathroom, listening to her squeals of laughter. We pulled apart and I rested my forehead on Billie's. I couldn't believe she was mine, forever. I never wanted to lose her like I've lost so many other people. No, Billie Dean means too much to me to just let her go like that. Not that I had any real reason to believe she would leave me, but I do worry. 

"Nora?" 

"Yes?" 

Billie shifted backwards and held my cheek in her hand. "You have that look in your eyes again." 

I shook my head and smiled. "I was just thinking of you. Of her. Of us. We may not have it all together. But together, we have it all." 

Billie laughed and laid her head on my chest, pulling me closer to her and starting to sway again. "You're a dork Nora." 

"But I'm your dork." 

"That you are." 

We pulled apart when we heard some splashing in the bathroom and Delilah call out, "Aunties! I'm done!" 

Billie left the bedroom again to tend to the child while I looked around. It wasn't exactly child friendly in here, but it didn't need to be. It was a home to us and that was what mattered most to me and Billie. So much as happened in the walls of this house. I lost my baby here. I committed a murder-suicide here. I've been trapped here for years. 

But some beautiful things have happened. 

I fell in love. True love this time. I got to reflect on who I am as a person, and who I want to become. I learned about my own toxic traits and am working to resolve them. None of this was easy. But it was so worth it. I got to meet and explore the woman I was always supposed to be. And I was learning to love her too. 

Billie came back in, holding Delilah in her arms now. "Auntie Nora!" Delilah squealed and extended her arms towards me. 

Billie smiled and I took Delilah, holding her close. "Do I have to get dressed?" She whined

"Yes dear. You don't want to get cold and catch your death." I said, booping her nose. 

Delilah giggled but when I set her down to put her clothes on, she still refused. "I don't wanna wear clothes." 

"You have to. A true lady would never run around naked." I responded. 

"Well maybe I don't want to be a lady!" Delilah defied, stomping her foot at me. 

I stood there, eyebrows raised. I was a little shocked, but more confused. Where had this attitude come from? I looked over at Billie who had furrowed brows, looking just as confused as I was. 

"Hey, don't be rude." Billie said, inching forward. 

"Sorry Aunt Nora. But I don't want to be a lady. I want to have fun! Ladies are old!" 

"Well, what if you can be a lady and have fun?" Billie Dean said, picking up the book on the bed. 

Delilah smiled and nodded, crawling onto the bed. 

"At least put on underwear." I said. 

"Yes ma'am!" She replied and put on her underwear. While Billie Dean told the story of Princess Jasmine, I was going to braid Delilah's hair.

And so we sat on the bed for about 15 minutes, reading the story and doing hair. After everything was said and done, the 3 of us were tucked into the bed, Delilah between us. I was sitting up while the other two were laying in the bed, I was stroking Billie's cheek while listening to Delilah talk about how she wanted to be a princess someday. 

"You already are a princess dear, you just have to own the title." I said. 

"But I want to defeat the bad guys like Jasmine helped Aladdin end Jafar." 

"You will. You're going to change the world kid. You just have to believe you will." Billie Dean said, kissing Delilah's forehead. 

Delilah yawned and stretched her arms out then snuggled back under the covers, inching closer to me. I smiled down at her, then at Billie whose cheek I was still rubbing. She smiled back at me and yawned herself. 

"I think it's bed time!" Billie said, gently placing her hand on top of mine. 

I nodded and moved under the covers as well, taking care to not nudge the child whose eyes were fluttering. 

"Goodnight." Delilah whispered, and with that, she was out. 

Billie and I smiled down at her, then brought our gaze to each other. "Goodnight my love. Sleep well." I said, leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on Billie's lips. 

"Goodnight baby." She responded, letting out a tired sigh.