Once Abandoned, Now Found

Chapter 2

"Hey Alex, you must be awfully cold in there" Danni crouched down next to her girlfriend, trying her best to remain calm for Alex's sake.

"It cold." Alex nodded in agreement, continuing to shiver as the rain made its way through the cardboard and onto her.

"I bet, how about you scoot forwards a bit and I put this coat around you to keep you warm" Danni suggested. Slowly, she moved forwards again, taking her raincoat off and placing on Alex's shoulders. Danni took the time to pull the coat snugly around Alex's body, placing Alex's hands over the zips to help keep it against her.

"That's really good little one, do you think you can keep holding it shut? Maggie smiled, enjoying seeing the girl slowly stop shivering. Alex nodded in reply, the edges of the raincoat clutched tightly in her small fists.Since even before the storm, Alex hadn't felt anything close to warmth, so she was greatly appreciating the coat now.

While the silence settled, Maggie and Danni took the time to assess their surroundings, and more importantly, Alex's. They couldn't see much, but what they could wasn't to their liking. Alex's "home" was a series of cardboard boxes stacked against each other, a ratty tarpaulin splayed over the top. Surrounding the "home" were rubbish piles full of food wrappings, beer cans, and most frighteningly, needles. Empty lighters and cigarette boxes were muddy, and Maggie could swear that she saw rats the size of cats. The stench of human urine was not helping either. The only way of describing the alley was dark and dismal, and neither women could imagine the horrors awaiting them in daylight.

Whimpers are what brought the women back into reality, neither of them had noticed the sudden increase in rain and wind.

"Oh baby, it must be really scary huh?" Maggie attempted to soothe the girl, unsure whether or not touch would trigger the girl. Alex nodded really fast, her small hands opening and shutting on the coat in an attempt to reduce her anxiety. To Maggie and Danni, it almost looked like she was kneading the coat, kind of how kittens do when feeding on their mother. More whimpers and the occasional sniffle was all that was heard from Alex, the storm getting progressively worse.

"How about, just until the storm passes, you come to stay with us? You can have a bath, some hot food, and perhaps even a hot chocolate!" Maggie suggested, a small smile on her face as Alex looked up hopefully.

"Really?" Alex asked hopefully, finally giving the women a small smile.

"Yeah, if you ask really nicely Danni might even make you her super special hot chocolate" Maggie smiled, glancing at Danni to make sure she agreed.

"It 'pecial?" Alex suddenly became wary, her body tightened and there was a scared look on her face.

"Hey, hey, there's no need for looking scared. I just make it extra tasty" Danni attempted to reassure the small girl, not yet understanding why the girl was scared.

"Not nasty?" The small girl asked quietly.

"No honey, not nasty, very tasty" Danni continued to reassure Alex.

"Tasty" Alex mumbled to herself, one hand of fingers slowly making its way to her mouth.

"Yeah. How does that all sound baby? Would you like that?" Maggie was still trying not to coo at the small girls' actions, or scold her for having dirty fingers in her mouth. She decided that was a battle for another day.

It took a few seconds for Alex to reply, but the small "yes p'ease" from the girl made Maggie and Dani's day.

"How about you scoot your small butt out of there, and Dani will give you one of her famous cuddles on the way home?" Maggie suggested, smiling as the girl giggled at the word "butt". Alex nodded again, moving forwards until she was close enough for Danni to pick her up. She giggled as she was picked up, soon finding herself resting on Danni's hip. Danni's right hand was under her butt, and the other was rubbing circles on her lower back. Alex cuddled into Danni's chest, enjoying the comfort of Danni's vanilla smell. Her arms were around Danni's neck and she could hear the woman's soothing heartbeat in her ear.

Maggie couldn't stop herself from cooing in response to the adorable scene before her: a small girl swaddled in a raincoat several times too big, carried by the most amazing woman she knew, (even if that woman was currently soaking wet due to the lack of a raincoat). With Alex safe in Danni's arms, Maggie could finally pull out her phone and do what she had been itching to do since they first found Alex.

"Little's Protection Service, how can I help you?" A male voice came from the phone.

"Hi, my girlfriend and I found a little in an alley off Pearl Avenue in Innswood. it looks like she has been living there a while. We're taking her home to warm and clean her up, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of her. All she's told her is that her name is Alex, but she seems suspicious of anything described as "special", she thought it meant nasty? I'm not sure if it's important but I thought you should know."

"Thank you, ma'am, can I please take yours and your girlfriends names, along with an address we can reach you at? Can I assume that we can contact you on this phone number?" The man asked.

"Yes, sure. My name is Maggie Briggs, and my girlfriend is Danni Briggs, we live at 8 Edward Lane, and yeah sure, this number's fine". Maggie replied, constantly glancing up at the woman and child next to her.

"Ok ma'am, thank you for that. Considering the information you've told us, we will send someone over first thing tomorrow, we would send someone sooner but the flooding means that we can't get anyone out safely. In the meantime please keep a written record of Alex's condition, mentally and physically, as well as any triggers or words that might help explain what she's doing in an alley. The quick background check I've run proves that you are both competent caregivers, and registered foster caregivers, so until LPS deems otherwise Alex is now in your care. Please remember that means that if any evidence presents itself, you can be charged with little abuse. Is there anything else we need to know?" The man finally stopped talking, though Maggie did understand the need.

"Not that I can think of right now, we will keep the record like you said and wait to see a representative tomorrow," Maggie said goodbye and hung up the phone just as they arrived home.

"Be quiet now, she's asleep" Danni whispered, allowing Maggie to step forwards and open the door. They stepped inside and gave a sigh of relief, happy to finally be out of the rain.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! I am putting the first three chapters out in one go, and then after that I hope to upload a new chapter every week. 

Same as before, I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions. Thank you!