Once settled in bed, everyone fell asleep quite quickly, as exhaustion touched each of them from their long day. Aiden rolled to his side, wrapping his arm around Antonia, his nose buried in her brown curls, his fingers gently rolling down her arm as he felt her body push back involuntarily into his. It had been a week since he had slept beside her, and it was his thought that it was a week too long. He could feel sleep pulling him back, but was suddenly alert when he was sure he heard a sound. The apartment was still dark, the lights from the street lamps outside filtering in through the curtains, and his eyes moved to see the time. It was a little after 2am. He lifted his head and listened again, his heart beating loudly in his chest when he heard rustling again, and the sound of possibly glass clinking together. His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what it possibly could be.
Slowly he pulled his arm from Antonia, listening to her sleeping groan of protest at the cool spot left behind by his absence. He put his feet on the floor and stood up slowly, ensuring that the bed didn't creak. He leaned over toward the bedside table and carefully pulled the baseball bat that was leaning against the wall, his gun stowed safely in a locked box in the closet. He walked around the bed, noting that the bedroom door was still closed, but a bit of light filtered in beneath it. He listened and could hear more shuffling and clunking sounds, piquing his curiosity.
He slowly opened the door, his bat sitting on his shoulder, his heart beating in his ears as he glanced to Antonia, her body curled comfortably, a sleepy smile on her face. He stepped out into the hallway slowly, closing the door securely as he looked down toward the kitchen. He paused for a moment, listening to the loud rummaging, and noticed there was a dull glow across the kitchen floor, an indication that the refrigerator door was open. His brow furrowed as he set the bat down in the hallway, and moved slowly toward the kitchen. He heard the sound of rummaging as he stepped around the corner, finding that the door to the refrigerator and freezer were wide open. He flicked on the light to the kitchen, and all movement stopped, as he quickly moved around the side of the door.
Sitting on the floor beside the open doors of the refrigerator was the tiny culprit. Dark blue eyes looked up in complete shock. Her face was covered in pie and food, her hands sticky and filthy. He watched as her hand moved to her mouth, shoving as much pie into her mouth as possible, dropping the plate as she started shoving it into her mouth faster and faster, making grunting noises as she let out a whine when he reached for her.
"Woah, woah!" Aiden said, reaching for the little girl, noticing that the floor was littered with packages from cheese and cold cuts, containers of leftovers, all empty and devoured. He lifted her from the ground, and she suddenly started to screech, struggling and screaming as he pulled her away from the mess. He didn't know if she was upset that he had picked her up, or upset because she had been caught. "Hey, hey, it's okay!" he exclaimed as she struggled. He let her go, knowing that if he tried to pull her away she might hurt herself, and he watched as she ran around the counter toward the couch. She quickly scurried behind the couch, closing her eyes as she curled into a ball as she hid from him.
Aiden put his palm on his forehead, trying to figure out what to do as he looked up to see Antonia's panicked form come running from the bedroom. "What happened?" She asked, noticing Aiden standing in front of the open doors of the refrigerator, and the mess across the floor. She spied the baseball bat and looked at Aiden with wide eyes.
"She didn't see the bat, don't worry." He said, as Antonia walked to him quickly and surveyed the damage. "I think she was hungry." He mumbled. "She's behind the couch."
Antonia moved to look for the little girl, unsure how to talk her out of her spot behind the couch, she watched as Melody's tiny body trembled. She looked up at Aiden, who closed the refrigerator and freezer, and walked toward her as he avoided the mess on the floor.
"What do we do?" Aiden asked, watching Antonia look up at him, a look of fear on her face as she nodded toward the couch. "I'll pull the couch out, see if she'll go to you, okay?" He asked, watching as Antonia nodded. He moved to the side of the couch, carefully pulling it from the wall as Antonia moved forward and plucked the little rolled up girl from her hiding place. Melody continued to hold herself tightly, a strangled sob coming from her lips as Antonia sat down against the wall, holding her little body against her.
"It's okay." She whispered, rocking Melody lightly, trying to get her to open her eyes, she rubbed her fingers across the little girl's cheek tenderly. "Aiden, can you get a warm cloth, so I can wipe her face? And maybe her bunny?"
"You got it." He said, turning sharply from the two, he moved toward the sink and carefully poured warm water on a clean washcloth. He turned and rushed to Antonia, grabbing the little girl's discarded bunny along the way.
"It's okay, baby girl." Antonia whispered, carefully wiping the sticky pie from the girl's face, along with the tears that were escaping. "I have you." Antonia whispered, holding her against her. Aiden came back and sat across from them, watching as Antonia tended to the tiny girl. He reached over and gently ran his fingers through her hair as he pushed himself over to Antonia. He leaned his back against the wall and pulled them both into his arms, kissing her cheek as he nuzzled her gently, rocking them both.
After a few minutes, Antonia could feel Melody moving a little in her arms. Her sobs had slowed as she reached up and wrapped her arms around Antonia's neck, pushing her face into Antonia, getting any food from her pajamas rubbed into Antonia's t-shirt. She opened her eyes slightly, and noticed that Aiden was right behind them, and her eyes closed again. "She doesn't want to look at me." Aiden whispered.
"She's just afraid that you're mad at her." Antonia said softly.
"I'm not mad."
"Well, I know that." She said, her voice soft. "Just give her a minute, it's okay, just keep holding us." Antonia whispered, feeling his arms tighten around both of them as he leaned his head against her.
Antonia could feel Melody's grip loosen after a few minutes, her body relaxing as she gently rocked her, and Aiden continued to rock both of them as well. "Is she asleep?"
"I think so." Antonia said softly, feeling Aiden's grip loosen as he stood up carefully behind them, looking down as Antonia gave him a grateful smile. He reached down and lifted the now sleeping girl from Antonia's arms, cradling her with one arm, he held his hand to Antonia to help her stand. He could see the mess from the girl's hands that had been smeared on Antonia's t-shirt, and the hopeful sadness in her eyes as he held Melody in his arms protectively. "We have to find out what this is about. I wonder what was happening in that group home."
"We'll talk to her." Aiden said softly. "Why don't you get changed, and we'll clean her up, get back to bed." He said, watching Antonia nod. "You're a wonderful protector, the best partner." He said, watching her eyes shine at his.
"I hate that she's in pain." Antonia whispered, watching Aiden's nod as he leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers.
"I do to." Aiden whispered, kissing her forehead gently. "Go on, change." He said, nodding toward the bedroom, and watched as she turned quickly and left the room. Aiden looked at the mess on the kitchen floor, his eyes moving over the packages and containers strewn on the ground. He waited a moment, and Antonia appeared wearing one of his dress shirts. "You know, I'm starting to run out of shirts."
"Hush. You'll wake her." Antonia whispered, deflecting his comment with a smile. She lifted the warm washcloth from the counter and began to gently wipe Melody's sticky hands and any other sticky spot on her skin, before turning toward the bedroom. Aiden followed Antonia, and as she lay down on the bed, he gently set Melody's tiny body against her, covering her with the blanket. He leaned down and kissed Antonia's forehead. "I love you." Antonia whispered.
"I love you." Aiden said softly, leaning down to kiss the tiny blonde had that was now burrowing into Antonia's chest, as she held her arm around her protectively. "I'm going to go clean up the evidence." He whispered. "I don't want her to feel self conscious in the morning."
"Don't forget to come back." She whispered.
"Oh, I won't. Get some sleep." He whispered as he stood up straight and slowly backed of the room, watching the two girls the entire time, until the door closed behind him.