"I stay here." Addy blew Alfie off when he asked her to come get her coat on. He'd given her fair warning about going out today.

"Not today…" they had spent four days at home while they settled in but now Alfie had things to do. "..we need to go."

"No, I stay here." Again she ignored him and continued playing with her doll. Lola and Mae had gone a little crazy making sure there were plenty of things for Addy to play with but it was the doll that Adam had demanded Mae take him to the store to buy that she loved the most. She loved stripping her clothes off and then getting Adam to dress her again, which he did so willingly. Alfie loved watching them together as they built a bond, Adam was incredible with her and Addy seemed to respond to his gentle nature. They'd been lucky to be raised by a man like Adam Ruzek.

"Addy, you can't stay here. We need to go out. We need to go buy a new car." Alfie had a truck but it wasn't suitable for carting around a child, it was just another thing that had been turned on its head. He didn't want her in the front seat so he was after a dual cab. They had gone outside briefly yesterday and Addy was completely unimpressed with the cold and snow and did not want anything to do with making a snowman. She just cried that it made her breathing hurt.

"No I stay here."

"By yourself? You can't stay by yourself."

"I stay with Pops."

"You can't stay with Pops."

"Why?"

"Because he's old."

"Why."

"Addy let's go."

Addy looked thoroughly unimpressed with him so tried something else. "It cold. It hurt me."

"That's why you have a coat and beanie and scarf." Alfie was finding it challenging learning how to negotiate with a three year old. "I have my coat and beanie too."

"I stay here." He realised they were in a battle of wills and he knew the longer it went on the more likely she would win. "My house."

"Yes, it is your house but we need to go out, so come and get your coat on please." He ended up having to go get her and it wasn't pretty. She cried all the way to the car, telling him it hurt and then sulked until he told her that they would go and see Sam once they were done and that seemed to appease her briefly. Once they got to the caryard it started all over again though. She didn't want to get out because it was cold and she wanted to see Sam now.

"I stay here."

"It's illegal. I can't let you stay in the car by yourself. You'll freeze."

"I stay here."

Alfie just sighed. He was learning very quickly about the stubbornness of a three year old so he hauled her out of the car much to her disgust and when she was howling in your ear it sounded ten times louder.

The salesman tried to talk to her but she was having none of it and Alfie had to explain that she was getting used to the cold and had never seen snow before and she wasn't loving it. He did bribe her with another stuffed animal and a cookie and the ice queen thawed a little.

"You are quite the Diva, aren't you?" He buckled her in and kissed her forehead before he tugged her beanie down low. It was ridiculous the amount of clothes she had on, she looked like the Michelin Man.

"No, I Addy."

Addy and Sam seemed to enjoy playing with each other again. She wasn't sure when Alfie was talking to Billy though as he sat on Lola's lap after a feed but she had been fascinated by watching Lola feed him until Sam dragged her away, he was far from impressed that Addy wanted to watch Billy, he found him quite boring because all his did was feed and cry today.

"How was last night?"

"Better but it's still rough, she took ages to go to sleep, she was fretting a little but when she woke up she could actually make her way into my room so she didn't wake up the whole house. She spent most of the night splayed out in my bed."

"Not the kind of warm body you are used too?"

"No, but oh so much sweeter." Alfie screwed up his nose. "That sounds wrong. It's just such a strange thing, but I love watching her sleep and listening to her sleep. I never thought this would be my life and six weeks in I am crazy about her. I just wish it was a bit different, for both of us. She shouldn't have had to lose her mother to get her father but what's done is done. Addy is here now and she's here to stay and I will work the rest out."

While Alfie was grateful that he now had Addy in his life it had certainly bought up a lot of memories for him, and not all of them were good. It had been a rough road for all of them, Alfie wasn't alone in that regard and they had all handled it differently and they still did.

Lola made the kids some morning tea. Addy still wasn't eating much; she didn't like the food and even bread was an issue for her unless it had vegemite on it. Lola had cooked them some little pikelets in the hope Addy would like them. Sam loved them and Addy ate a little bit but not as much as Alfie would've liked. He was starting to worry about that, hot chips and porridge were her only food at the moment and she would at least eat some fruit.

Lola reassured him that kids rarely starved themselves and that she would eat when she was hungry and he should just keep offering her a lot of different things until she got used to the different tastes. Lola packed up some pikelets for him to take because Addy didn't out right hate them. He'd bought some vegemite with him which helped Addy but Sam carried on like he'd been deliberately poisoned. Addy just looked bemused as he gagged on it.

Addy probably only ate because Sam was but he didn't really care as long as she ate something. "She hates the snow; I know that much."

"Poor thing, it's supposed to snow pretty hard over the next few days."

"I know, that's why I wanted to get out today, we've been home for four days, it was time to get her out. I need to drop in at work today too." He had a list of things to do and no idea how to get them all done. "I need to take her shoe shopping tomorrow as well, she needs boots and the ones you got her hurt her toes apparently." He wasn't really sure if they did or didn't because all she wanted to wear was her sandals with the 'flutterby' on them. Totally inappropriate for the dead of a Chicago winter.

"Oh good luck with that." Lola laughed, that would be fun to see and if she wasn't working tomorrow she'd tag along for shits and giggles. "Do you want to leave her here to play with Sam now?"

"No, it's okay. I don't think she'd stay anyway." Alfie did ask her though and was surprised when she said that she wanted to stay, right up until Alfie grabbed his keys and wallet and then her bottom lip quivered and she dropped what she was doing and ran at her Dad. "I go too." She held up her arms so that he could pick her up.

He ended up with Sam as well, because it was his favourite place and he talked to Addy all the way in the car about all his favourite animals and Addy told him that she loved 'Idnas, Kolalas and Kroos.'

"It's a Kangaroo…" Sam corrected her, saying nothing about the Echidnas or Koalas. Lola had decided that Sam needed to learn about Australian animals before Addy arrived and had literally made him cram in the days leading up to her arrival.

He knew she'd love the Zoo and they spent all afternoon there. She was spoilt in the gift store and Alfie had to rein them in a little, Addy was going to get far too used to the VIP treatment but it seemed to make her forget about the cold and snow for a while. "Did you have fun?" Alfie asked her after they dropped Sam off at home.

"Oh yes Alfie." She was very chatty now. "I like Sam."

"You and Sam had fun today."

"Yes, he funny."

Iris had a visitor when she was upstairs getting changed after going to the gym. She was slowly getting back into exercise often her operations and it was tough going but it did make her feel better. "Bug?"

"Yes, my darling Adelaide." She always giggled when Iris called her Adelaide.

"We go zoo."

"Did you? Was it fun?"

"Yes, Daddy Alfie tooked me."

"Did he?" It was the first time she had heard her call him anything other than Alfie and she was a little shocked, she was assuming that Alfie hadn't heard it yet because he promised to let her know. It was so god damn beautiful and it bought a tear to her eye.

"Yes and that boy."

"Sam?"

"Yes Sam. He tooked Sam too."

"And what did you see at the zoo?"

"Raffes and Monkeys and Lions."

"Did you love them?"

"Monkeys said 'ooh ooh'." Iris decided she was the cutest kid she'd ever met and that was a big call because she was besotted with Sam, Poppy and Billy but Adelaide had stolen a big piece of her heart. Perhaps it was the fact that Addy was the same age as she was when she lost her parents, perhaps it was the way she came into their lives or the fact that she got to know her right from the start and helped her settle in and was sharing a house with her but Iris was crazy about her.

"They are noisy. What else did you do today?"

Addy was bouncing and clapping. "See 'raffes." She disappeared into her own room and came back with a giraffe. "I have 'raffe." It was one of the toys that she was given at the Zoo today and her bed was overflowing with animals already.

"Shall we go see Daddy?" Iris held out her hand and loved feeling Addy's little one in hers. It was small and warm and soft and she hoped that Addy knew how safe and loved she was with them.

It almost killed Iris waiting for Addy to say Daddy again. She felt guilty and if she didn't say something soon she'd have to tell Alfie and no matter how much Iris tried to get her to call him Daddy she didn't until Colt asked her over dinner what she did today. "Daddy Alfie buyed a car." They were surprised that Addy was actually eating a little bit, she was eating some crumbed chicken and carrots and corn on the cob.

"Did he?" Iris looked at Alfie and he stopped with his food halfway to his mouth.

Addy continued. "Yep and went Zoo, I play with that boy Sam." She loved to talk at the dinner table and usually did more talking than eating. "And Baby Billy, he like me."

"Wow. Big day."

"I cold." She was shaking her head and Alfie was just staring at her. Iris could see the tears in his eyes. "Daddy Alfie buyed me hat."

"What colour is your hat?" She had seen it at the zoo and loved it, pulling it off the rack she plonked it on her head and skipped around the shop with it on so he had no choice but to buy it.

"Yellow."

"Like the sun."

"Alfie weared it." She giggled.

She still hadn't called him Daddy directly but this was a start and the 'Daddy Alfie' was so cute. She had only said it a few times and then she went back to Alfie. He didn't mind, he'd heard it. He had tucked her up into bed, read her some stories and got her all snuggled down with her wheat bag, which she was obsessed with. It was part of her night time routine, they would stand and watch it heat up and she would carry it upstairs and put it in her bed, cuddle up with Ed under one arm and the giraffe under the other and surrounded by her rapidly crowing herd of animals. Leaning over and kissing her forehead he whispered "Goodnight, my beautiful little Adelaide. Daddy loves you so much."

"Daddy Alfie I toasty." He brushed her hair lightly. "Night Night Daddy Alfie." She rolled over, still clutching both of them and closed her eyes.

He didn't want to leave her now so he sat with her until she was asleep and watched her beautiful sweet little face, he knew he was tearing up and he didn't really do anything to stop it. It was amazing hearing her call him Daddy; she had certainly stolen his entire heart. Six weeks and he couldn't imagine not having her in his life, he barely remembered what life was like without her. It now seemed empty and a little aimless. He loved his life back then, but he loved this one more.

"Here's Daddy Alfie." Iris teased him when he finally came down as Colton poured him a drink. Adam always insisted on a nightcap and they often joined him. "How freakin' cute is that girl?"

"Pretty cute. She called me Daddy Alfie again upstairs. I kinda melted and may have teared up a little."

Adam sighed. "I remember the first time your Mom called me Dad, of course MiMi reminded me that it was just her babbling but I think she was just jealous that she loved me more." He rattled on. "When we went to Roman's wedding, before he went fucking nuts, your Mom was about Addy's age and we had this ding dong of a showdown over a dress." Adam always reminisced and most of the stories they had heard but every now and then he had a pearler that was new to them

"You and MiMi?"

"No, me and your mother. She wanted to wear the same dress she wore to the wedding the next day, I was hungover as all shit, Gus was only about six weeks old and she went all friggin' prissy. No thank you Daddy." Adam chuckled. "My little sweet pea, wasn't always so sweet."

"But she loved you Pops."

"Well why wouldn't she?" Adam looked genuinely put out. "MiMi on the other hand always took her side. I was always getting in trouble for making her cry."

Adam watched the bottom of his glass, his eyes were unfocused and they knew he was thinking about MiMi, "She'd love Adelaide just as much as she'd love Sam and Billy and little Poppy."

"I know Pops." Alfie patted his hand. "I wish she'd got to meet all of them."

Adam smiled sadly. "Polly too."

"Yep Mom too."

More and more Addy was calling him Daddy Alfie now and he loved it.

"Daddy Alfie. Where you going?" It had been a struggle to get her packed and into the car. She was a ditherer.

"We are going to the Beach House for a holiday."

"Oh…" Addy thought for a minute. "I swim?"

"It's too cold Darlin'."

"Oh bugger." She muttered. "Bug come?"

"Soon, I think Bug and Colt might come for the weekend." Alfie had decided to take Addy to the Beach House for a couple of weeks. He was feeling overwhelmed and sensed that Addy felt the same some days. There were a lot of people around that wanted to meet Addy and everyone was trying hard to make her feel welcome and to settle in but it got too much.

Iris and Colton were going to come up on the weekend to break it up but he was really looking forward to the two weeks with just him and Addy.

"I very excited." She clapped from the back seat.

"Me too."

"Alfie?"

"Yes Addy."

"Snow?"

"Maybe, but the house is nice and warm and we've got big coats and scarves and hats so we can still go for a walk on the beach."

"Very cold."

"It is."

"Will not be cold soon." She sighed, she was pretty much done with the cold it seemed.

"Yes one day it will be hot and we can go swimming. Maybe we can go out on Lola and Riley's boat."

"Oh…and Sam?"

"Yes and Sam…and Billy."

"Baby Billy." Addy giggled. "I like him."

"Yes you do." Every time Billy was mention she reminded everyone that she liked him.

Addy loved the house; he was lucky she fell asleep on the way because when she was awake she had a million questions or wanted to sing or play I-Spy and if she didn't sleep she was a bit crabby. "Wow." She gasped when Alfie pulled up outside the grand old house. As soon as they arrived he felt a sense of relief and he loved that it felt like his whole world, because right now that's what this was.

It was a beautiful house and he had always loved it. He loved the quietness of the place, the sound of the water, the birds, the wind and the lack of cars, trucks, trains, planes and general noise. He also loved the memories, the pictures of his family, his parents, grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins were scattered around everywhere you turned. There were so many good memories in this place and he did always feel close to his parents here. He couldn't remember much about coming here with them but he did remember being here. He now wanted to share that with Addy.

It was cold inside the house and Addy was fascinated watching her Dad light the fire, it was different from the fire at home which was a gas log heater. Alfie had to actually get wood and start it from scratch. She squatted down beside him and listened intently as he told her the rules about the fire. They had grown up with it and he had no issues with Addy being around it either and he had figured out that she wasn't a risk taker so he told her it was dangerous and she needed to be careful.

"Okay Daddy Alfie." Addy moved back a little when it roared to life. "Oh, it hot."

"It is and it will keep us nice and warm and toasty."

She loved her bedroom when Alfie took her bag in, she popped her echidna and giraffe up on her bed. "I sleep in your bed."

"Okay, sure but when we go home you need to sleep in your bed."

"Yes." He didn't believe her but he didn't really mind. She started most nights in her own bed but rarely was he still alone by morning. Some nights he didn't even feel her come in. Addy would creep in, with her echidna tucked under her arm and climb into bed without waking him. If Addy felt safer in his bed, right now she could sleep where she liked. She had even spent a night with Iris when Colton was away for the weekend with his Dad. Iris thought it was cute that she wanted to sleep with her so she was 'not lonely' but whinged the next morning about how much room she took up and she felt guilty about pushing her out of the way like she often did to Colton.

They cooked dinner together, not that Addy was much help but she knelt up at the bench and chatted away to him while he cooked her favourite chicken.

They watched a movie curled up together on the couch and Alfie carried her to bed when she fell asleep on him. He loved the weight of her when she was asleep, it calmed him. Like a weighted blanket helped calm some people so they could sleep, Addy's weight was comforting. Not long after he went to bed Addy woke and called out to him, it was a strange house and she wasn't quite sure where he was and she ended up in his bed.

"Daddy Alfie." Addy patted his face. "Wake up."

"Why?"

"I hungry." Peeling one eye open he was surprised at how light it was and how close Addy was to his face. Their noses were almost touching. The quietness, the warm bed and darker morning had made them sleep in and it was no wonder that Addy was hungry.

Reluctantly he got up and relit the fire before making them breakfast which he let Addy eat sitting on the floor in front of the fire, usually at home they always ate at the table, Adam insisted on it. They ate dinner at the table last night and Addy had been giddy when Alfie showed her how to toast marshmallows on the fire. She didn't like them but she loved cooking them.

Addy was keen to go outside once she was finished. She was kneeling up at the window watching the beach. "Is it cold?"

"I think so."

"We go out?"

Alfie rugged her up, knowing how much she hated the cold. She'd got better, the one thing Addy hated more than the cold was being inside all the time so she had made the choice to wear more clothes than you could poke a stick at and go out. Choosing her own winter clothes had helped and she looked like a bright yellow fat snow bunny when she went out.

He pulled her beanie down tight over her ears and kissed her cute little nose. "Let's go."

It was freezing outside and Addy gasped a little when the wind hit her face but she didn't want to go back in. They headed to the beach, her little hand clutching her Dad's and she loved it. She found some shells, tried to bring seaweed back to the house to 'plant it' and ran until her face was bright red.

"I puffed." She flung herself at Alfie's legs and begged for a piggy back ride back to the house.

As he helped her out of her coat and boots he rubbed her hands to warm them up. "Your hands are cold." Patting her on the backside her urged her inside to warm up by the fire. "Did you have fun?"

"Oh yes." He pulled all her shells out of his pockets and rinsed them off and placed them on a towel to dry. Addy tried to count them.

"How many did you find?"

"Twenty hundred."

He helped her count them properly and she had fourteen and Alfie promised her they would go out after lunch and find some more and they needed to go out for some more wood for the fire before dinner. "I help."

"Yes you can." It was the best thing Alfie did, coming up here was perfect for both of them.

When Alfie tucked her up into her bed, she was knackered. They had been back down the beach before dinner, it had gotten colder and didn't stay out long but Addy had loved the run around and she'd helped him carry some wood, which amounted precisely to one small twig and Alfie carried the rest. "Are you warm and toasty?"

"Yes."

"Is Ed warm?"

"Yes and Raffe too."

"Daddy loves you."

"Oh. Night Night Daddy Alfie." She could barely keep her eyes open and he sat and watched her for a while. Some days he sat and looked at her and couldn't believe that she was his. He was totally responsible for everything about her and that felt a little heavy some days. But it felt right, loving her felt right and at the moment he couldn't imagine having space for anything else in his life. Addy was his whole world and he liked the sense of peace it gave him knowing that she was part of him, in his world and they were together. He refused to dwell what would have happened if Jedda was alive, if he would have ever known about her.

He didn't even look at the clock when she came in and told him she was cold and climbed into bed. She was a like a little hot water bottle this morning as she snuggled into her Dad, despite the huge bed Addy liked to be as close to her Dad as possible. He woke up with an Echidna on his chest. "Good Morning Ed."

"Hi Daddy." Addy giggled. "Ed waked up."

"I can see. What about Addy?"

"I waked up Daddy." He was surprised, she was calling him Daddy and if he thought he loved be called Daddy Aflie, he loved Daddy even more.

"Do you want to get up?"

"No, it cold." He had to admit the house did feel a little cold this morning. There had been an icy blast last night and he doubted they would get out of the house today. He didn't mind taking her out if she was all rugged up but not if it was well below freezing.

"Okay but toilet first and then I'm going to light the fire so it warms up the house. You can stay here." She did as she was told and came back and then lasted all of five minutes before she was out of bed and standing watching him light the fire and then sat herself down in front of it and waited for breakfast. Alfie joined her in front of the fire. "What shall we do today?"

"We go out."

"It's very cold outside."

"I got clothes."

"Okay, just a quick walk though. It's freezing out Addy."

Her bottom lip quivered. "Please Daddy."

Addy had him wrapped around her little finger and more she called him Daddy the more he fell under her spell. Addy was happy and that's all he cared about. He didn't know a lot about kids and apart from the odd inexplicable meltdown she always seemed happy and knew when to seek comfort when she wanted it. Lola assured him that she thought Addy was adjusting really well.

They lasted about ten minutes until Addy looked at him. "Oh Alfie, we go back now." She was happy to spend the rest of the day inside, even refusing to help him get wood for the fire.

Addy really enjoyed having her Dad all to herself. They read, they sang, they danced and cuddled and he fell more in love with her and more in love with being a Dad. Addy had told Alfie she loved him a few times but always after he said it, she also said it to Iris and Pops when they told her that they loved her. She was just repeating what they said.

Addy was sitting on his stomach, bouncing up and down and making Alfie cringe every time her butt bounced off his gut, suddenly she leant forward, placed her hands on his cheeks and giggled. "Love, love Daddy."

"Oh Adelaide." He held her hands on his cheeks. "Daddy loves you so much."

"Yes, yes. Love Daddy." She was bouncing up and down again. She'd never said that she loved him unless she was repeating him, it was the first time she'd come out with it on her own volition.

They had a great few days but Alfie was looking forward to having some adult company, even if he talked to Adam, Iris, Mae and Lola every day, without fail. He did believe they doubted his ability to keep Addy in one piece. Addy was watching the windows once her Daddy had told her that Iris would be there soon and she would see the lights of the car when they got here. Her squeal was ear piercing. "Bug, Bug." She jumped up and down and given half the chance she would have been out the door but knew she wasn't allowed.

As they came through the door Addy flung herself at Iris. "Bug."

"My darling Adelaide." She swung her up in the air. "I missed you. Have you had fun?"

"Yes. I so happy."

Alfie helped Colton bring in their bags and some extra food that he had asked Iris to bring up for them. "How's it been?"

"Great. I am really glad I bought her up here. It's been so good just hanging out together."

"She looks happy. We've missed her, Bug's been driving me crazy."

"Bug is crazy."

"Colt." Addy demanded a hug from him next. He was surprised at how much he missed having her in the house this week. He often had Addy sitting up next to him at the table and she would draw as he worked. It had taken her a few days to really warm up to Colton but now she loved him and was always excited when he got home from work.

"I missed you my precious." Addy clung to him like a barnacle.

"We cook 'mashlallows'. You like them?"

"I do. Can you make me some?"

"After dinner." Addy wiggled her finger. Alfie had told her every day that she couldn't have marshmallows until after she had dinner, not that she ate them anyway.

While Addy was busy 'helping' Colton take the bags into his room, which involved her talking to him all the way down the hallway, Iris hung back and started unpacking the groceries. "How's it going?"

"Great Bug, it's been great. She's loving it and I think we are doing good."

"She looks so happy Alfie but we've missed you both. Pops really misses her."

As soon as dinner was done Colt and Addy toasted marshmallows and it didn't take Colt long to realise that Addy was happy to toast them as long as he ate them. He was done after about six. "What about Bug?" he pointed to Iris and she had a couple but Alfie refused. He'd had more than enough over the past week. Iris decided that they were going to try banana's stuffed with chocolate and cooked in Afoil in the fire. Addy was unimpressed with it. It took too long, and was 'gusting.'

Iris was roped in to giving her a bath and then read her a story, she was certainly making the most of having someone new around. She did give Alfie a big long hug. "Goodnight Addy. Remember one story only." He kissed her nose. "Daddy loves you."

"Love you Daddy. Night Night Daddy Alfie." Iris just looked at him and smiled. He looked so happy. This had been good for Addy obviously and that was the reason why Alfie had bought her up here but it had been good for him too.

Alfie looked forward to having a drink and someone to talk too once Addy was asleep. It was a long night when she was in bed by seven and Alfie typically didn't go to bed until well after ten. "So Daddy?" Iris took her drink from Colton and curled her feet up under herself on the couch and leant back on her boyfriend. "I think Addy adores her Daddy."

"Well I am shit hot."

"To a three year old, yes, yes you are."

"Did she go to sleep okay?"

"Yes, she's pretty whacked." They had loved it up here, Iris couldn't remember coming here with her parents bu they often watched video's of them all down at the beach house. Alfie loved to watch the one where she wailed hysterically when the tide washed away her sand castle, which in reality was a pile of sand and they both loved the one where their Dad made a car out of sand and they were all sitting in it pretending to 'drive' up the beach.

"She's hilarious. She wants to go out every day for a walk but whinges because it's cold."

"Addy is no snow bunny."

"Nope, does love a fire though."

"When did she start with just calling you Daddy?"

"Oh, just over the last couple of days. I still get Daddy Alfie, or Alfie but Daddy is creeping in more. I kinda love it" he added sheepishly. It felt like they were almost there.

Addy loved having Iris and Colt there. So much so that Alfie was surprised when he woke up the following morning completely alone which was uncommon these days. He stuck his head into Addy's room and her bed was empty as was the lounge room. There was only one other place she could be and he peeked into Iris's room and there squashed in between Iris and Colt was a very comfortable Adelaide and Ed. Iris and Colt didn't look particularly comfortable perched on the edges but he loved seeing Addy sound asleep between them.

Alfie closed the door quietly. He missed her in his bed more than he thought he would but it was always nice to see her loving and trusting the rest of the family. It eased the burden on Alfie a little. The first few weeks she had only wanted Alfie and sometimes Iris, seeing her gain confidence with other people was a good thing.

Colton was the first one up. "What time did that happen?" He pointed back towards their bedroom.

"Don't know, not long after we went to bed."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be, Iris loved it. You know she's worried she won't have kids especially over the last week or so. I think right now having Addy in her life is helping her deal a little bit." Iris had had a few meltdowns this week, she was missing having Addy around and suddenly wondered if this was what their life was going to be like, quiet and childless.

"I'm glad. Addy's a bit of a healer isn't she? Whether she knows it or not, she is here for a reason."

"She's a gift, that's for sure."

That gift was roaring down the hallway. "Daddy." She flung herself at Alfie who scooped her up for a good morning hug. "I slept in Bug's bed."

"I saw that. Was it toasty warm?"

"It was. Colt too. They squash me." Alfie just laughed, he hoped there was no squashing going on when Addy crawled into their bed.

"Where is Bug?"

"Coming. We go beach." Addy had convinced Iris that they needed to go for a walk. She had tried to tell her it was cold but got the same response as always. She had clothes for that now.

Addy didn't want her Daddy to help her get her gear on. Colt had to do it. "Wow, this is a lot of clothes my precious." Addy loved it when Colton called her 'my precious'. He was the only one that did it though, it was their thing and Addy had even told Iris off for doing it.

He would make such a great Dad one day and Iris had loved watching him with Addy over the last few weeks. He had always been good with Sam and Poppy but living with Addy was a whole new experience for them all, he was embracing it and Colt seemed to love it as much as Addy did.

Colt tugged her beanie down and let Addy help him with his. "Are we ready?"

"Yes." She bounced towards the door. "Let's go." Addy wasn't even going to bother waiting for the others. She just wanted to go outside. Alfie assured her that they would follow them shortly once Bug was ready. Alfie stood and watched them skip off down the stairs, her little hand holding onto Colt's and the way he was looking down at her it was obvious that Addy was talking to him and Colt was giving her his undivided attention.

"Colt it very cold."

"It is, but this is fun. Do you like the beach?"

"I do. We get shells."

"How many?"

"Lots and lots."

If Addy had come a long way since she'd arrived, her relationship with Colt was probably the one that changed the most dramatically. Initially she would barely talk to him, she didn't like when he kissed Iris or cuddled her and got jealous and would try to get in between them. She didn't remember his name for days and just called him 'The Man'

It was an afternoon doing puzzles that finally sorted out their budding friendship. Addy had gotten frustrated trying to finish a puzzle, her Dad was upstairs having a shower and Iris was cooking dinner. Colton was checking some work emails at the table and he was her only option. "Hey Man." She just couldn't remember his name; she'd met so many people lately it was overwhelming. "I can't fix it."

"Do you want some help?"

"Yes." Addy grabbed his hand. By the time Iris came out of the kitchen Addy was sitting in his lap and they were doing the puzzle for the third time. Her one ovary exploded; they were giggling together and it was beautiful.

It was only a couple of days later that she asked to go with Colton to pick up Iris from work. He was stopping at his mother's on the way and reluctant to take her but Addy begged to go. Colt's mother spent the whole time dragging Iris and reminding her son that he'd never get this because Iris was 'infertile.' He'd lost his shit at his mother and scared Addy.

Addy hadn't enjoyed the trip and the next time Colt asked her if she wanted to go with him she asked if they were going to see 'that angry lady.' Addy declined to go, the lady made Colt angry and she didn't like that.

By the time Alfie and Iris caught up with them Addy was crouching down hunting for shells while Colt held out his hands to hold them for her. Addy's face lit up when she saw her Dad. "Daddy we got lots, twenty hundred…." She looked thoughtful "…and fourteen."

They both loved having Iris and Colton stay for the weekend. She made a card for Pops, with more shells stuck to it than was reasonable. You could barely pick it up. Iris had to take back with her, and while Alfie cooked dinner and watched a football game with Colt, Iris took her for a shower.

The first time she had come into the shower with Alfie he had completely wigged out. She had just appeared. "Daddy Alfie?"

"Yes Addy." Alfie turned his back on her and looked over his shoulder. It felt odd but he knew it was completely normal. Riley and George had both talked about having the kids in the shower with him, from the moment they were born.

"I come" She was already stripping off her clothes, she managed to get her leggings off but struggled with her top. "I stuck Daddy Alfie. I stuck..." There was no way he was getting out of it so he pulled her top off over her head and held her hand as she stepped under the water.

"Well I guess we'll wash your hair." Addy was under the water as it streamed down over her face. Grabbing the shampoo he chuckled to himself at what his life had suddenly become. "Close your eyes." Addy put her hands over her eyes and squeezed them shut tightly. She might have been loving the shower but he was now freezing his ass off.

They had a few tears as the soap got in her eyes but Alfie rinsed it out and she was happy to stay unfortunately. "Why that man drewed on you." It took him a second to realise what she was talking about.

"My tattoo?" She had seen it a few times before but had never asked about it.

"It's a 'raffe."

"Yes and what else?"

"A cat, a 'noscerus and a wombat." Addy giggled, covering her mouth with her hands.

"It's a leopard, a Rhinocerous a giraffe and wombat." Alfie corrected her as they got out of the shower.

"Oh….Why they drewed on you?" He dried her off and pushed her out the door of the bathroom and across the hall to her bedroom to get her pyjamas. "Because I like it and it reminds me of Lola, Mae and Bug."

"And Addy?"

"One day." He had decided to get an echidna tattooed on his arm next to his blue heart but hadn't got around to it yet. "Maybe an Echidna?"

"No, an Addy." Alfie was not getting a tattoo of Addy, he despised them, he thought they were creepy as fuck.

"An Echidna reminds me of you, Adelaide."

Addy thought about it as she leant on Alfie's arm and he helped her into her pants. They'd come a long way from the first few days when he freaked out about taking her to the bathroom. Addy loved being nude, even when he asked her to get dressed he'd often find her playing in her bedroom stark naked and oblivious to everything. He'd even found her downstairs on more than one occasion talking to Pops without a scrap of clothing on.

"Daddy Alfie?"

"Yes my Djinda."

"Why you have hairy sausage?" That was not where he thought the conversation was going to go and he was completely unprepared. Explaining briefly that it was a penis and boys have them Addy didn't look satisfied but Iris called upstairs to say that dinner was ready. He hoped that was the last of it and was a little surprised it didn't come up at dinner. She was more interested in the drawing on her Daddy and her mind was blown when she found out that Iris had the same picture on her.

It wasn't over though and he laughed hysterically when Lola happily regaled him with Addy's day. She had spent the day with Lola, Sam and Billy while he was on a later shift.

It was a few days after his conversation with her and he thought she'd forgotten about it. No such luck. Lola thought it was hilarious. Riley was constantly freaking out about Sam's obsession with his penis. He tugged on it constantly and was fascinated by his father's appendage.

They were having a bath together with Billy and Lola was watching them. Billy was perched in between them, splashing and squealing and when she got him out Addy giggled when Billy reached for his penis. "My Daddy Alfie has a hairy sausage."

"It's a willy." Sam just refused to call it a penis at the moment. Lola had no idea where it came from, they never called it a willy. "My Dad's is hairy too."

"You a boy."

"I am." Sam stood up in the bath and showed Addy his penis. Lola knew she should probably stop them but it was hilarious to watch and they were going to talk about it at some stage, better she was there to control it than leave them to their own devices. "It's not hairy."

"Daddy Alfie is big." She made a motion with her hands and Alfie would have been impressed with Addy's interpretation of his penis. It was about 3 foot long and Lola took great delight in sharing it with Alfie as soon as he arrived.

"Great, she can be my wingman when I am trying to pick up. Who doesn't want a 3 foot penis?"

"Ummm…" Lola scoffed at him. "…just about everyone."

In days gone by it would be cannon fodder for dinner but now that Sam was older it was going to come back to bite her more often than not. And once Sam was on a roll he was like a dog with a bone.

Now he was used to having Addy in the shower with him, even if the conversation went places he never wanted them to go.

What Alfie did get was his bed warmer back. She had ended up in Iris and Colton's bed but didn't last long. Alfie peeled his eyes open as she crept into his bed. "What's up Addy?"

"Iris squash me."

"You okay?"

"I sleep here." She snuggled under the covers, cuddled Ed and was asleep again in minutes. He loved a lot of things about Addy, just about everything but one of his favourite things was that he was her centre. When she was sick, scared, tired, hungry, or sad she came back to him. When she wanted a hug, a kiss, a cuddle, a tickle or a hand to hold she came back to her Daddy. When she wanted a warm bed to sleep in, she came to him more often than not.

Addy hugged Iris and Colton like her life depended on it before they left. "Drive safe." She parroted Alfie when he said goodbye to them. Iris promised to let him know when they got home. It would always be a nervous few hours for any of them when they knew someone was driving that road.

"Well that was fun." He carried Addy back into the house. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes. Addy love Bug, Addy love Colt, Addy love Daddy."

They had another week together and Addy was sad when they headed home, she said goodbye to the house as they drove away. "But you get to see Pops and Iris and Colton."

"And Sam and Baby Billy?"

"Yep, everyone. I think they missed us."

"Ohhh….and Poppy?"

"Yes, Poppy too."

"And Mae Lola." She rattled off all the names she could remember. "Ohhh and Bus and 'nannon." She actually clapped when she finished naming everyone. She hadn't spent much time with George and Riley and rarely talked about them. "Ohhh and Charlie." She loved Charlie, he would play wrestle with her and Addy couldn't wait.

"And George and Riley."

"Yes… Oh I miss them." She sighed.