Title: Doormat Babe
Author: JJCookie16
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I just make up the plot as I go along and of course I don't receive any monetary value from this whatsoever.
Author's Notes: I know the whole 'Baby on the door-step' plot has been done to death, but I'm changing it slightly and throwing in a whole bunch of twists and turns. So hold on to your hats, seats, or whatever you can grab a hold of, 'cause it's gonna be a bumpy ride. Please review and let me know what you think.
Archive:
Pairings: 2x5, possible future 1x2x5?
Rating: T...may go up in later chapters, it will be posted.
Warnings: Angst, minor-character death
Genres: Drama, Family, Angst, Romance
Chapter 1
Glancing over at his clock, Duo groaned in dismay; it read 2am, not a time one should be ringing his doorbell. But at the rather persistent ringing, he decided it might be something important. Stumbling out of bed, he blearily made his way across his apartment to the front door. Carefully cracking the door open to the extent of the security chain, Duo glanced out into the hallway. Seeing as it was completely empty, he slid back the lock and fully opened it. To his surprise there was nobody anywhere in sight.
"Okay, what's playing Ding-Dong-Ditch at 2am?" Duo muttered sleepily. It was as he started to step out into the hallway for a better look that he literally stumbled across something on his doormat.
Looking down at his feet, Duo cocked his head to the side at the strange sight that met his gaze. There was a basinet sitting at his feet, with a very tiny baby swaddled inside it.
"What the...?" Duo blinked, his brain not quite up to processing what his eyes were seeing this early in the morning. Stepping over the baby, Duo quickly walked down the hall, hoping to catch whomever it was that had deposited the child on his doorstep before they got too far away. Unfortunately, it seemed the person had vanished completely, as the halls, elevators and stairs were empty.
Not sure what to do about the situation, Duo called the only person close enough to help him.
"Duo, it's almost 3am in the morning. Why are you talking about babies now?" Hilde asked, struggling not to fall back asleep.
"I'm trying to tell you that someone dropped a baby off on my doorstep Hilde," Duo replied shortly.
"As in like, with a note saying "here's your kid, have a nice life" type of deal?" Hilde gaped.
"Yeah, complete with note. Although considering I have never been with anyone except you there is no way this kid can be mine," Duo explained, running a hand frustratingly through his bangs.
"Well maybe it's a case of mistaken identity," Hilde suggested.
"I doubt it since the note clearly reads, 'Dear Duo, here's your son. I can no longer care for him, and hope that you can do a better job.' With of course no name as to who wrote it," Duo sighed.
"So the mommies a mystery...does the kid have a name?" Hilde asked.
"Uh, says here it's Damon," Duo read.
"It's a boy? Geez like I can handle one of you, what am I gonna do with two of you running around?" Hilde joked, trying to lessen the tension on the other end of the line.
Duo just scowled, "Can you get over here Hilde, I don't know anything about babies and I'm pretty sure if I leave it out on the doorstep my neighbors are gonna get suspicious."
"Just because I'm a girl Duo doesn't mean I know any more about them than you do. You're the one who spends every Sunday down at the orphanage with the kids," Hilde remarked.
"That's different, they can all walk, talk and basically fend for themselves. This is a whole other territory I don't know anything about," Duo defended.
"Alright, fine, but I have to do some shopping first. I'm guessing Damon didn't come with any supplies, right?" Hilde assumed.
"Supplies? Like what?" Duo asked, reaching down inside the basinet to check for things he might have missed.
"Bottles, diapers, extra clothing, toys, etc?" Hilde explained.
"Nope, just the basinet, the kid, the blanket he came wrapped in and the note," Duo replied.
"Okay then, I'll be over in a few hours. In the mean time, pick him up if he gets fussy and make sure he's not wet or dirty," Hilde instructed before hanging up the phone.
'Pick him up? Ya, sure thing...' Duo thought, dropping the phone onto the couch and staring down at the delicate face peeking up at him from inside the layers of blanket.