If Iris thought Alfie was a bundle of nervous energy when they had Addy for the day, it was nothing compared to the first overnight stay. It was a huge deal, for all of them. Addy was being dropped off before lunch and Liz had sent him a message that morning telling him how excited Addy was. She added a picture of her bag all packed ready to go, with her Echidna perched on top. All going well they would have her until 5pm the next day.

Once that was out of the way and Addy coped they were also gearing up to have her from Friday night to Sunday evening a few days later. It had to happen quickly because the Department wanted to get this case wrapped and off the books. She had a loving family ready to care for her, the sooner that happened for Addy the better.

Alfie had asked a million questions about what she ate, when and how often and what time she went to bed. Everything he could think of. He drove not only Liz nuts, but Iris and his sisters as well. If he couldn't get an answer from Iris he would text Lola or Mae. They loved it, it made them feel part of what was going on the other side of the world.

"I swear to god I am going to smother you soon." Iris muttered when he woke her up early yet again.

"Bug…." Alfie ignored her. "…I've just realised something."

"What? What could you have possibly forgotten?"

"Well nothing, I don't think. Unless you think I've forgotten something. You'd tell me right?" It made him panic a little. "Right?" Alfie was a nervous wreck and his early morning freak outs were far from cute. They had gotten old very quickly.

"You've forgotten how to think, that's what you've fucking forgotten."

"Good, great, thanks for the feedback Iris." He poked her leg repeatedly, hard enough to be annoying. "Anyway, as I was saying, I've just realised something. I'm, like male…."

"Oh for fuck sake, I thought you knew that. I thought you knew about penis's and the like. You certainly know what to do with it seeing as we are here because you couldn't keep your dick in your pants or wrap it properly."

"You are a bitch when you are grumpy. Does Colt know this?"

"Colt hasn't woken me up because he suddenly just figured out he's a boy."

"I bet he's woken you up because he is a boy though hey?" Alfie shot back at her and Iris tried not to smile.

"What's up Alfred?" Iris sighed; he wasn't going away.

"Alfie is fine…" he bit back sarcastically. "….well Adelaide is a girl."

"Fuck, no? When did that happen?"

"You are no fucking help." He stormed from the room, pulling her duvet off her at the same time and dumping it by the door, which was typical Alfie. Reluctantly Iris got up and pulled on some leggings and a hoodie. He had already told her that she couldn't walk around in her pyjamas in case DCP stopped by. It was over the top and ridiculous and Iris had scoffed at him and then did what he asked. He was paranoid about ruining this so Iris ceded to his insanity.

Alfie was pacing in the lounge looking at his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Figuring out who will be the least annoyed with me calling."

"Alfie. What's up? What's got your jocks in a knot?"

He snorted. "Bug, well I don't want people to get the wrong idea."

"About what? Us? I make it very clear I am your sister, we sleep in separate rooms, we haven't shared a bed since I was five and I am in a very committed loving relationship with someone other than my brother. Incest isn't really my thing."

"Well thank fuck for that and it's disgusting to even think about." He shuddered. "No, like if Addy needs a bath or shower, or helping getting changed. She needs help with her swimmers and like I am male and I don't want her to think, or the courts or DCP that I am…." Iris held up her hand to stop him.

"Alfred…" she barked. "…you are her Dad. This is what Dad's do. Suck it up, get used to it. I am not always going to be here." Up until now Iris had always taken her to the bathroom, got her changed and helped her when needed but she would only do it until they both got to know each other a little better. "How do you think things happen?"

"But I don't know how comfortable she is around men. She might not want me like, helping her."

Iris tried not to laugh; he was being serious. "Alfred, Adelaide has no idea about things like that yet. She may know she's a girl but I bet she has no idea why or what that means. I used to shower with Dad apparently, I doubted I cared, and he didn't either. You used to shower with Mom or bath with all of us. That's just growing up. Addy will be fine and if she isn't then we will figure it out. Although maybe don't shower with her just yet, you know just in case."

"Oh that's not happening, like ever." He really wished she'd stop calling him Alfred.

"I'd like to see you try and stop it." She chuckled. "Relax."

"Okay. It's not weird though right?"

"What? You taking care of a girl? No Alfie it's not weird, it's being her Dad. Don't forget, you are all she has now. It's up to you." Iris headed to the kitchen. If she was up she needed coffee. "You've looked after Poppy right and what did you have to do, change her?"

"Yeah, but she was like a baby and had no idea. I was just wondering that's all."

"What do you think George does, you think Mae lets him get away with doing nothing because she's got a vag and he doesn't?"

"No, Jesus I was just asking."

Iris handed him a coffee. "And freaking out?"

"Yes and freaking out."

"Then don't." She patted him on the shoulder as she sashayed past him. "Now, I am going to have a shower. You are not welcome."

"Don't be fucking gross."

Addy happily carried her backpack into the apartment. She had it stuffed to the gills with toys, her echidna clutched tightly in her hand and a smile on her face. Her face did fall a little when Liz told her she wouldn't be back until dinner time tomorrow and to have fun with her Daddy and Iris but she waved goodbye and cuddled into Alfie's shoulder for a few minutes.

They took her up to King's Park for a play in the nature playground and some afternoon tea. Iris enjoyed relaxing and reading in the afternoon sun while Addy and Alfie explored the park. She spied them heading back with Addy perched high on his shoulders and they both looked like they'd had a good time. She was chatting away to him at a million miles an hour and Alfie had a grin from ear to ear.

She bounded up to Iris once Alfie had lifted her off his shoulders and threw herself at her Aunt. "Catch me Bug." Addy declared. They did love how she had started calling Iris 'Bug' too.

"Did you and Daddy have fun?"

"Yes. We climb tree."

"Did you? Was Daddy scared? He's a scaredy cat."

"No, silly Bug." She shook her head. "Alfie help me."

Iris gave him a high five. "Good job Daddy." Addy joined in, giving them both a high five.

"We go swim now." Alfie had promised her that they could have a swim in the pool back at the apartment before dinner.

Before they left the park she asked to use the bathroom, although surprisingly her word for bathroom was 'dunny' and that was very Jedda like. He remembered that Jedda always called it the 'dunny'. Alfie looked a bit perplexed. He had helped her at home before they left but a public toilet was a now different kettle of fish. "Just use the parent's room Alfie." Iris nudged him when he stopped and looked worried in front of the toilets.

"Yeah? Like what if a Mum is in there."

"So what, as long as you actually have Addy with you it doesn't matter, it's not creepy and you aren't doing anything wrong." Iris urged him. Addy was starting to wriggle. "Welcome to being a parent. Now go before she pee's herself and you have to deal with that too." It was relief that the parent's room was empty though. One bridge at a time.

Addy happily unpacked her bag looking for her swimmers when they got back to the apartment, although her idea of unpacking left a lot to be desired, there was stuff everywhere as she tossed it aside. She wasn't waiting for anything or anyone and would have gone without them given half the chance. "Oh bugger." She muttered as she tried to get her swimmers on and got both legs through one hole.

"Let me help." Alfie tugged on the tangled swimmers. "What did you do?"

"I stuck Alfie."

He stripped her off and helped her, holding onto his shoulders as she stepped into them properly. She looked so cute in her swimmers, they had bright pink bottoms and a floral top and with her darker skin and hair she was impossibly cute. "Hurry up Bug." Addy dashed into Iris's room and urged her to get a move on. She was hopping from foot to foot and ran back out when Alfie called her to come and told her that Iris would come down in a minute.

One thing she did know was she wasn't allowed in the water until an adult said it was okay. Addy wasn't a rule breaker, she always waited, impatiently, but she was waiting. "Ready?" Alfie threw the towels on the sun lounge and jumped in the pool. Addy dived off the edge into Alfie's arms and then climbed onto his back and she hung on like a monkey as he swum up to the deep end.

He loved watching her try and swim and as long as he close she was willing to give it a go. Her little arms and legs would thrash about and she looked like she'd be shark bait but Addy loved it and would stay in the water for hours if he let her. When Iris finally made her appearance they threw Addy between them and she squealed with joy. She loved it and listening to her laughs and giggles and how confidently she asked Alfie or Iris for help was sweet.

Iris made him shower her after the swim and get her into her pyjamas while she cooked dinner. Addy loved spaghetti bolognaise and that's what they decided to do, make whatever was her favourite. "She's obviously your daughter." Iris had laughed when they read that she loved bacon. If Alfie had to eat one food for the rest of his life, bacon was it.

There were a few tears when she went to bed. It broke Alfie's heart when she asked when Liz was coming, so they made her a little video and sent it to her. Alfie read her a few stories and lay down beside her and stroked her back until she fell asleep.

"Are you happy?" Iris left them to it and was watching TV when he finally came out. Flopping down on the couch he even refused a beer. He didn't want to drink around Addy at the moment, the whole spectre of DCP loomed large.

"Well she's asleep."

"Yes, but are you happy?"

"Bug, my daughter is here, spending the night. I'm happy…"

"But?"

"Feeling the pressure a little. I mean let's not beat around the bush, this is a test. They are seeing how I go caring for her and if I fuck it up or she hates it then what?" he shrugged. "I can't lose her."

"You are not going to lose her. Alfie they are not going to put her in the system when she has you. That's the last thing they want for her."

He rubbed his face with both hands. "I know, but I am allowed to worry aren't I?"

"Yes, but not over stupid things. Worry about how we are going to get her back to the US, where she is going to live, go to school, worry about the fact that it's summer here and screaming winter back home and she has no clothes and the chance of buying anything suitable here is remote. Worry about how to get all her stuff back home."

"First things first Bug, I've got to get her first."

"You will."

Alfie was up to her twice through the night. He woke up to her calling for her Mum and it was a kick in the guts. He eventually just slept on her bed and that seemed to help her settle. He hated listening to her cry for her Mum because he didn't know how to help her, she had thrashed about and sobbed for almost an hour and Alfie just lie next to her.

Addy was watching TV; her favourite show was on in the morning and Jedda always allowed her to watch it. She apparently didn't get a lot of TV time but this was her favourite at the moment. Alfie was watching her. She had finally slept and Alfie woke after an hour or so and went back to his own bed. He was worried what people would think about him sleeping in her room. It was a little irrational but he was all over the shop at the moment, he wanted this to be perfect and worried what would happen if Addy told them that he slept on her bed. "How long did you ask for Mom and Dad?"

"I still do." Alfie looked at his sister. "Right now, I'd love them to be here."

"Right, it's no different for Addy. It's only been a few weeks. She's going through a lot of shit and probably doesn't understand most of it. I don't remember what I was like but I do remember MiMi telling me once how I asked for them and looked for them every day for weeks."

"Dad could help me be her Dad, Mom would know how to care for her. I feel like I can't do this sometimes. I don't want to get it wrong. I don't want to fuck her up."

"You aren't getting it wrong. You are both learning together, there is no right and wrong. You have to do whatever feels right and I know you know what that is. There is going to be missteps, Addy is going to have bad days but one thing I do know that the only thing we had in those early days was love, a lot of love and support and we survived, dare I say, we thrived eventually. So I know Addy will be okay, because she has you and you have us."

"Alfie." Addy scrambled off the couch when her show finished and tugged on his arm. "We go out."

He crouched down so he was eye to eye with her "Sure. What should we do today?"

"Zoo." She jumped up and down and clapped. "We go Zoo."

He was more than happy to take her out to the Zoo again. Iris decided to stay home and let them have the day to themselves. She wanted to do some shopping before they left and they did find a store that had some winter clothes that might be enough for the trip home at least. Lola and Mae were taking care of some of that for them but she needed something to wear when she got off the plane.

"Is Bug come?"

"Not today. It's just you and me. Bug is going shopping."

Addy didn't seem to mind; she was going to the zoo and that's all she cared about and by the time they got home he struggled to wake her up. It had been a big day. Iris tried to show her all the clothes she'd bought for her but Addy didn't care, she sat on Alfie's lap and cuddled her echidna.

Addy was happy to see Liz and Alfie did worry a little how she was going to cope when she said goodbye to Liz for the last time. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes, we go swim and park and zoo."

"That sounds like fun."

"Alfie tooked me."

"I am sure Alfie loved having you. Would you like to come back again soon?"

"Yes." She smiled at Alfie and jumped excitedly. "We go see fish." He had promised her that they would go to the aquarium on the weekend. She hugged him goodbye and Iris as well and he was a little emotional when she left.

"Alfie…" Alfie helped Addy into the car and buckled her in and Liz stopped before she got in. "…try not to worry. She did great, you did great."

"I hope so."

"Well see you tomorrow." Tomorrow they were having a meeting with DCP, they wanted to see how Addy had gone staying with Alfie overnight. Alfie and Iris also had a meeting with his lawyer. Once she had spent the weekend with them they had been scheduled to go to court for the custody hearing.

'Night, Night Alfie.' He got his usual video and he saved it alongside all the other's he had been sent.