This is chaos but we'll get through together

Waiting

They'd come back from the holiday early because Anne was asked to do some press and marketing stuff meaning she'd be away for a few days, coming back just before Elizabeth's birthday. Elizabeth wasn't taking the news of Anne needing to leave well. She was sobbing and clinging to Anne, refusing to be taken out of her arms.
"I know you don't want me to go. But I'll be back really really soon" Anne says and Elizabeth whimpers, burying her face in Anne's shoulder.
"Don't go mama" she says, her voice muffled.
"I'll only be five days. That's all. And you'll have cat and Jane and catcat and Anna and Kitty" Anne says, rubbing her back and humming softly until she relaxes.
"I need you to be strong for me, sweetie. I'm gonna give you to catcat now okay?" Anne whispers and Elizabeth nods.
"Okay. I love you mama" she says and Anne kisses her forehead, giving her one last squeeze.
"I love you too. Forever and ever" Anne says, handing Elizabeth to Cathy.
"Call me whenever she needs me okay?" She says and Cathy nods, giving her a kiss and a last hug.
"I will. I love you" she says and Anne smiles
"I love you too"

***

And she was gone. The second the door shuts, Elizabeth starts to cry again, burying her face in Cathy's shoulder.
"Shhh. Shhh. Mama will be home in a few days" Cathy says, rubbing Elizabeth's back. This was gonna be a long five days.

The next morning

Cathy was woken at around 4 am by Elizabeth coming into the bed and curling up at her side with Bo.
"How many catcat?"
"Four more left. That's all. Wanna go to the playground today?"
"Yeah please" Elizabeth says, smiling a little.
"Now come on. Let's get a little more sleep so we have lots of energy"
"Can't" Elizabeth says quietly and Cathy nods, pulling her closer.
"Will a lullaby help?" She whispers and Elizabeth shrugs. Luckily, she'd recorded Anne singing a few times so plays one of the many recordings which causes Elizabeth to fall asleep in no time. By the time she woke again, Jane had made breakfast for everyone. Cathy carries her downstairs and coaxes her to eat.
"Look Lizzie. It's porridge with honey, your favourite!" She says and Elizabeth smiles a little, starting to eat. By the time she finishes, she's a little messy but it was nothing Cathy couldn't handle.
"I have an idea. Why don't we call mama to say good morning?" She says and Elizabeth's face lights up.
"Yeah!" She says, wriggling out of her seat and clambering onto Cathy's lap. Just as Cathy was about to face time Anne, the phone began to ring.
Incoming face time call: Anne💚💚
"Look who's calling!" She laughs, answering the call.
"Mama!" Elizabeth squeals the second Anne's face appears on the screen.
"Hi baby!" Anne coos and Elizabeth smiles.
"Catcat look! Mama!" She says, looking up at Cathy.
"Yeah! There's mama" Cathy says with a smile.
"Hey. How's she holding up?" Anne says softly
"Ups and downs really" Cathy says as Elizabeth scoots herself back a bit to get a better view to which she responds to by moving the phone down a bit.
"Luckily i did record you singing a few times and managed to use those recordings to settle her when she came in crying for you earlier"

***

Anne was talking to them both for a while, feeling her heart break at the thought of Elizabeth being upset about her being away. She switches to regular call and talks to Cathy for a while until she has to go again.
"Give her a hug for me okay?"
"Will do. She's playing with Mary at the moment. And Kitty. And Anna. They're building another couch castle" Cathy says and Anne laughs, remembering the last time they did it. How adorable Elizabeth looked with the crown falling over one eye. She had a photo of her in her little queen costume with herself and Parr hugging her as her lock screen and it was her most favourite thing. She really just wanted to go home. To hold her baby again. To be able to get into bed at night with Cathy and have Elizabeth come in and curl up between them.

***

Kitty was worried. Elizabeth just didn't seem in the moment. She leaves Anna and Mary to getting the castle they were building sorted and picks Elizabeth up.
"Hey lil red. You doing okay?" She asks and Elizabeth shakes her head.
"Miss mama" she mumbles and buries her face in Kitty's hoodie.
"I know. I know. But she won't be gone very long" Kitty says, feeling her heart break when she feels tears soaking into her shoulder.
"Oh lil red! Don't cry" she says as Anna and Mary walk over.
"Hey Lizzie. I have your queen costume!" Mary says and Elizabeth peeps out at her.
"The land of sparkle needs its queens!" This seemed to be doing the trick and soon Elizabeth was giggling and playing with Mary.
"It's good to hear her happy" Cathy says, coming in with Jane, Edward and Catherine.
"It seemed to be Mary that got her cheered up" Anna says and Catherine smiles.
"Catcat look!" Elizabeth giggles, coming out with the same costume as before on but this time with a green nightie on. Mary was dressed similarly but with yellow pyjamas.
"Oh that is so cute!" Jane coos as Cathy and Catherine take photos.
"Let's get some snacks and watch a movie!" Mary says and Elizabeth nods.
"Yeah!"
"Okay. Anna, Kitty. You guys get a movie. The rest of us will get snacks" Cathy says and Kitty nods.
"Will do" she says as she and Anna go over to the dvd rack.
"Let's pick a Disney movie" Anna says and Kitty nods.
"Yeah! Oooh can we watch Brave? Anne was saying Elizabeth likes that one" she says and Anna nods, getting everything set up.

That night

Elizabeth couldn't sleep. She wanted her mama. Catcat had left her sleep in one of her mamas t shirts. She sniffles and clings tighter to Bo. There was still tons of days until her mama was coming back. Her door opens and Mary comes in, laying beside her.
"Do you need a hug?" She whispers and Elizabeth nods, letting Mary hug her.