Heimat AU: Mikey's Rescue

Chapter Eight: She's Yours

Later that night, Mikey was lying next to Maia. He had his stuffed triceratops cuddled to him, and his new dinosaur blanket in his other arm. It was cuddled close, up around his head. Maia was snoring. He smiled. He felt safe.

He looked up as Lauren sat down on the couch and sighed. She felt upset, he wondered why. Had he done something to upset her? She started to cry, and he felt bad. Lauren should never feel bad enough to cry. She was the best adult he knew.

Lauren, thinking the children were asleep, let herself cry. It had been a long day. How could someone torture their child as much as Mikey's parents had? How could he not know what a cake was, candles, presents? Love? She cried harder.

She felt a small hand on her leg. She looked down in surprise and seen Mikey staring up at her. He was clutching his blanket and watching her worriedly. "I'm sorry, baby, did I wake you up?" Lauren asked and quickly wiped away her tears.

Mikey shook his head, and as terrified as he was, he crawled up into Lauren's lap. She was surprised, Mikey was terrified, but he knew. Somewhere, deep down. Lauren wouldn't hurt him for this. He set his blanket down carefully and hugged Lauren. "Don't be sad..."

She cried harder; this child was so sweet. How was he so sweet? After all that was done to him, all this time? She hugged him and kissed his head and laid her head on his. "I love you, Mikey. I won't be sad." She kissed the top of his head again. "I hope you had a good birthday."

"I did." He said, nodding in her tight embrace. "I got so many things..." He was overwhelmed by the kits he got. A dinosaur excavation kit like at the park, a set of dinosaur figurines, books, a rocket ship, the blanket, and so much more. All for his birthday.

"You deserve so much more than that, Mikey." Lauren looked at him. "Mikey...I...I need to ask you a question, baby."

Mikey looked up at her curiously. "Okay."

"I'm trying to get custody of you...and I was so selfish that I never even asked you...asked if you wanted to become my son?" Lauren asked softly.

"...That...does that mean you would be my...mommy?" Mikey whispered, astonished. "What would happen to...my...other..." He couldn't say mother or father.

"They would never be able to have you again." Lauren said.

"I don't want them! I want you! I want you to be my mommy forever!" Mikey suddenly started to shake. "C-can I c-call you mommy, or is...is that not a-a-allowed?" His mother hadn't liked him to call her mommy.

"Yes. You can call me mommy, baby."

"Can..." Mikey looked down.

"It's okay, you can ask me anything." Lauren said.

"Can...can you stay with me?" Mikey asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes. Always." Lauren said. She wiped the rest of her tears away and held Mikey close to her. "Lay your head down, sweetie, and I'll stay, and you'll get some rest." She brushed his hair back over and over and hummed to him until he fell asleep in her arms.

She hoped that he always could, and that she really could be his mommy.

She needed answers.

***

Maia was curled up next to Mikey, both watching Jurassic Park on Lauren's laptop and enamored with the movie.