Abby and McGee didn't know what to expect when they brought Annalynn home.
Obviously, she had endured a lot of trauma, but… it was if she never been in a normal family situation before. This would be an experience for all of them.
Rubyjane was just elated to have Annalynn home.
Before Abby or McGee could do anything like show Annalynn around, she was already dashing off after her sister. It was clear that Rubyjane wanted the responsibility of showing her the ropes.
No one was going to get in her way.
She showed Annalynn cool items and features around the first floor. The living room. Her toys. The work offices. The pantry shelf with all the kid snacks. The big refrigerator with double doors, and its magnet letters at their height. Annalynn took everything in with utter fascination. Just how dark had her life with Jessica been that she found ordinary things to be so remarkable?
Even the idea of an actual backyard seemed to confuse her.
Annalynn's curious behavior came to a head when Rubyjane showed her the staircase to the second level of the home.
She felt awed. "There's a staircase?"
Rubyjane bobbed her head. "Yep! Did your mommy's house have one?"
"Uh-uh. The 'partment in Japan also didn't…"
"You're okay." Rubyjane held a hand out to her sister. "Come on. I'll help you."
Annalynn took her companion's hand. "Thank you, RJ. I love you."
Rubyjane beamed and then occupied herself with helping Annalynn up the stairs.
"Do you two need any help?" Abby said in surprise to the girls' retreating backs.
"No!" the little ones chimed together.
Rubyjane continued to show Annalynn around when they finally did make it up. Everything else was forgotten when she showed her her toys. And her dress-up items. Playing together was on the agenda.
So the adults escaped to the kitchen to have a talk at the kitchen table.
"You saw the Xander place." Abby said at length. "What was it like, Tim? Aside from the chaos?"
"Many of Jessica's things were still in moving boxes." McGee remembered. "But it makes perfect sense because of her impossible schedule. And... The house only is one level. Even the front entrance is flat."
"Then that's that. Did Jessica spend every penny on Annalynn?"
"It's beginning to look that way. Her bedroom was decorated and furnished."
"So then what's this about a unicorn obsession?"
McGee chuckled. "One hundred percent not a joke."
"So noted." Abby deadpanned. "What's the situation on Anna's books and toys?"
"Honestly, I didn't notice. There was only a few moments of a peek on my part into her bedroom."
Abby leaned back in her seat. "If it's a 'not very much' situation like I think it is, let's definitely get our girl whatever she needs to feel like a kid. Agreed?"
"Yes." McGee said seriously. "I agree."
"Excellent. Now to figure out explaining Anna to Sarah and Clementine. It's only fair we tell them before they get back from Louisiana."
And so the couple worked together to develop a plan.
Rubyjane and Annalynn made their way back down to the kitchen after almost an hour of playing. Both of them claimed hunger.
McGee became the instant hero when he announced he would order pizza. The little girls' joy skyrocketed when Abby proposed the idea of watching a fun movie while they ate. Details for an indoor picnic unfolded from there.
But then came another revelation of Annalynn's oddities.
It began with her saying her new mother's name innocently enough. "Abby?"
She paused in her snack preparation at the kitchen counter and faced Annalynn. "What's up, sweetie? Did you need something?"
"Yes." Annalynn pointed to the sink. "Please could I have a drink of water?"
"You bet. Thanks for asking so nicely."
Abby filled a kid-friendly cup with water about halfway and gave it to Annalynn.
"Here you are." she told her.
"Thanks!"
But Annalynn only got a in a small sip when—
"Oh, no!"
Annalynn had accidentally dropped her cup when it grew heavy. Water spilled all over the floor.
Abby's stockinged feet bore the brunt. An unpleasant feeling. But she was quick to set aside her own discomfort when she spotted something more worrisome.
"Anna, what's the matter?" Abby asked her.
Something akin to terror had appeared on Annalynn's face.
"I got you wet!" she squeaked. "I'm sorry!"
"But it was just an acciden—"
Rubyjane chose this moment to jog over from the living room. She wanted to see what was keeping her sister. But… She immediately grew stricken when Annalynn began to cry.
"Mommy," Rubyjane's own eyes began to fill with tears. "Why is my Anna crying?"
Abby wasn't sure of a good response… Mostly because her crazy hormones had decided that this was perfect time to want to start sympathy crying. But she was forced to put a lid on it almost immediately. Her children freaking out would not be fun.
McGee found them like this. He had been in his office, putting together the pizza money and the service fee.
"Why are you crying?" he said to Rubyjane in bewilderment when he spotted her first.
This only made her cry more. "I-I don't know!"
But McGee was quick to assess the situation. An innocent accident had occurred. He would resolve it.
McGee moved Abby out of the way and then cast a towel on to the mess. It could keep for a few more minutes yet.
Abby unfroze. "I'll change my stockings in a minute, but Annalynn accidentally dropped her water cup."
"Got it." McGee acknowledged. "What about RJ?"
"Those are her sympathy tears. Miss Anna is the one who has me totally stumped."
It occurred to McGee that this was not a lot to go on. But he would do his best.
The first thing he did was wipe Rubyjane's tears for her as he said, "Are you concerned about Anna now?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"We'll figure out what's making her sad, and talk about it. Then I'll clean up the mess. You and Anna can even go back to what you were doing. How is that?"
"Sounds like a good idea." Rubyjane decided. "I like it."
She hugged her father and crossed the room to stand near her mother.
Annalynn shied away from McGee when he knelt down by her, even putting a universal 'stop' signal.
"No thank you." she said firmly.
Annalynn's message was conveyed clearly, so McGee didn't move.
"What's on your mind?" he asked kindly.
Fear was yet there in the toddler's voice. "Abby is wet. Sorry."
"Apologizing is good," McGee praised. "But it was an accident. Do you know what that means?"
Annalynn gave a nod of understanding, but moved back even more. She was deeply into a major thought process.
McGee waited. Annalynn was a complicated person. But he respected it.
A noisy exhaled escaped Annalynn when she finally gathered the courage to voice her main concern. "Y-you're not going to hurt me?"
"No." McGee didn't let it show that his heart fell from his chest at her inquiry. "I will never hurt you. Did your mommy do that?"
"Sometimes. When I had an accident." Annalynn shuffled her feet. "Hitting isn't kind."
McGee showed her affirmation. "You're totally right: hitting is very unkind. None of us will ever do that in this house."
Annalynn moved forward again. "Promise?"
"Yes." McGee said seriously. "I promise you that."
Annalynn finally relaxed held her arms out to McGee. "Could I hug you? Please, Tim?"
"I would love that."
McGee swept Annalynn into a warm hug. She even gave him a pat on the back when she leaned in. Her total sign of trust.
After a few beats, he strolled over to his other child and picked her up. With ease.
"Nobody in this house will ever hit each other." McGee looked from one daughter to the other. "It's alright to make mistakes, okay? Same goes for talking about big feelings. Do you understand?"
They pondered their father's words. But understanding clunked into place quickly enough.
Annalynn hugged him. "I get it!"
Rubyjane gave him a peck on the cheek. "Same!"
"Good." McGee hugged his children. "I love you."
"Me, too!" Rubyjane chirped.
Annalynn tapped him on the shoulder. "You!"
McGee hugged his children again and sat them on the floor.
Of their own volition, Rubyjane and Annalynn even hugged Abby before heading off to the living room to play.
"Wow." Abby marveled at McGee. "I'd say marry me, but that's already happening. You handled that like a rockstar. Breaks my heart that Jessica hurt Anna, though…"
McGee nodded. "And Onyx was harsh with Ruby. We know he struck you, but did he ever do that to her?"
"No. I found out when we were taken that he washed her mouth out with soap after she had accident. Ruby accidentally peed on my lap because she didn't like that we were fighting. Onyx wanted to punish her but didn't get a chance." Abby shivered at the memory. "But I wouldn't have let him."
McGee grew taken aback by this abrupt revelation. Abby had agreed to counseling about the events from the night her ex died, but she didn't like to talk about it. What crumb she dropped just now made him feel an infinitesimal second of pity. A kind gesture would be in order later on.
Abby watched Rubyjane and Annalynn play together in the living room just across the way. Both were happy as anything. Like neither had ever seen trauma. It was as if they'd spent their entire lives waiting for each other.
Witnessing this brought joy to Abby's heart.
She turned back to her fiancé, back to herself again. "Ruby will never know what kind of life. The same can be said for Anna, too."
McGee pointed to Abby's baby bump. "Neither will Riversong. And... Nobody will ever hurt you again, either."
"We're all at our safest because you keep us whole." Abby kissed McGee. "Don't think I haven't noticed how you're an anchor for our new addition."
"I remain humbled that Annalynn chose me to be hers."
"Fun feeling, isn't it?"
McGee nodded and then checked his watch. "You still need to change your stockings."
"At this rate, I'll just put on a comfortable outfit. Something loose would be better because River is being a total wiggleworm." Abby supported the underside of her middle with both hands. "I also want to bake later. Do you think the kids will want to help?"
"Is grass green?" McGee tapped Abby's elbow and nodded towards the stairs. "Come on—I'll help you out."
Abby was now in the stage of pregnancy where she needed help with some little things.
"That isn't the only thing you could help out with." she batted her eyes at her future-intended.
"Nice try," McGee kissed her forehead. "But we do need to have an adult present to collect the pizza and pay for it."
Abby sighed over-dramatically. "Fine."
By the time she returned after her wardrobe change, she saw before her a well-oiled machine.
The pizza had arrived and was on the counter. The spill from before was cleaned up. Her healthy snacks from before the water fiasco? Done. An overlarge tablecloth was already spread out on the living room floor. Everything looked quite nice.
Rubyjane and Annalynn were both watching McGee's final efforts at a safe distance now.
The man asked a pleasant but pointed question of her. "Why don't you ask Anna about the movie she chose?"
Abby approached her and offered her her hand. "Let's go talk while Tim and RJ work."
Elated, Annalynn held Abby's hand all the way to the couch.
"I know what we're going to watch now." the toddler said when they had settled.
"Please tell me." Abby encouraged her.
"I… Umm…" But Annalynn appeared to be having a memory blackout.
Abby kissed her on the top of her head. "It's okay to sign whenever you want, just like at the hospital. Everybody in this family knows how."
Annalynn signed the words for 'sleeping' and 'beautiful' immediately.
But Abby understood what she was driving at. "You're saying that you picked the movie about the sleeping princess?"
"Yes. I love i—"
Annalynn's reply was cut short and she found herself looking around in confusion after feeling a hard lob in her side.
"What was that?!" she bleated.
Abby chuckled and put one of Annalynn's hands on her bump. "That was baby Riversong, saying hello."
Annalynn had realized at the hospital that Abby was pregnant, but had yet to remark on it. Now she could slow down.
"Riversong?" she echoed. "That's the name?"
"Yep. What do you think?"
Annalynn threw her arms around Abby in a hug. "I'm just happy now."
Abby returned the affection. "So am I."
They stayed like that until the others came, bearing the goods. McGee had the food. Rubyjane had the spill-proof cups. One for herself. One for her sister.
"Anna, you can use this one."
She accepted a sparking purple spill-proof cup with a straw from Rubyjane.
"Thank you." Annalynn slid off the couch and pointed to the cup her sister was holding. "Are those bees?"
"Yeah-huh!" Rubyjane's cup was definitely decorated in a pattern on her favorite insect.
So both children compared notes while Abby and McGee got everything ready.
They had just getting settled when…
"Daddy, mommy—wait!" Rubyjane called.
The grown-ups had been trying to make a quiet exit. But both halted when called upon.
"Yes, Ruby?" McGee said to her.
"Will you and mommy watch the movie?" Rubyjane begged.
Annalynn added, "Please? It's already on!"
By this, she meant that the picture was in the opening sequences.
Annalynn even made grasping motions with her hands that were clearly meant to be a beckon.
McGee caved. "Alright. We'll watch, too."
"Yes." Abby backed him up. "Daddy and I would love to join you."
The little girls cheered.
After the food was finished and a bathroom break was had, Rubyjane and Annalynn joined their parents on the couch. It was clear what they wanted now. Cuddling.
Rubyjane leaned against Abby.
Annalynn was in McGee's lap.
Both girls were completely into the movie. It was just exciting enough to be an entire adventure.
But Abby found herself once again reflecting on how amazing her life was these days. When she looked over to her fiancé, her heart bloomed.
McGee was holding Annalynn as if they'd always known each other. And Annalynn loved it. She even felt relaxed enough to settle into her new father's hold after awhile. And to smile. They were building a bond.
"Yes?" McGee said when he saw Abby looking.
"Are you as overjoyed as I am right now?" she asked.
"I really am. Everything is better than I could have hoped for." he said softly. "Our family grew today."
"It did." Abby moved closer to him. "Let's watch a movie with our daughters."
Which is exactly what they did.
