Author's Note: Firstly, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my first chapter and a shout out to Redonkadonk and FantasyNerd306 for your support. It is appreciated!
So, I guess with this chapter I should simply say: welcome to Angstville! It all goes downhill from here, ha!
As always, I hope you enjoy!
The enormity of her decision hit Dinah like a ton of bricks as the sun rose the following morning. The baby's light cries stirred her from sleep and she felt Greaseball shift irritably beside her, pulling the duvet over his head in response. She rolled her eyes; she shouldn't have expected anything less from her man. The baby had only woken them once during the night but it was met with much grumbling from her partner whose answer was to simply bury himself under the covers and ignore the newborn. It hadn't really bothered Dinah; she understood the baby would be hungry once more. Not only that, but the infant was now in a completely new environment from the one she had grown accustomed to in her first week of life. As she had fed the girl another bottle of formula, Dinah had wondered where she had come from and the reasoning behind her being abandoned. Hearing Greaseball's snores from the bedroom, she found comfort in having the baby for company. It was just the two of them but they would be ok. Of that, she had been certain.
Now, with a clearer mind, she saw the situation from a different perspective. Dinah carefully lifted the child out of the makeshift cot and climbed back into bed, cradling the baby in one arm as she rested on her side. She was solely responsible for this tiny new life; to guide her and keep her safe. This baby depended on her to thrive. The very thought daunted her. She had no idea how to be a mother figure. She didn't know the first thing about caring for a trainlet, never mind a human baby, although she assumed there couldn't be too much of a difference.
As the baby quietened, Greaseball emerged from beneath the covers.
"Have you thought of a name?" he mumbled.
The question took Dinah by surprise. Had he been feigning disinterest?
"No, not yet. I was going to talk with the girls about it later."
Greaseball simply grunted in reply. That appeared to be the end of the conversation as he threw back the covers and made his way to the bathroom. Dinah could hear the squeak of the shower bursting into life and sighed. He clearly wanted nothing to do with the child and she could only hope he'd eventually come around to the idea of raising a youngster. They had never really had the conversation; about having a trainlet of their own. He was always too preoccupied with training, spending more time at the gym nowadays than anywhere else. Since losing the last national championship, he was determined more than ever to make a comeback and he wanted it to be spectacular. No time for distractions, especially not a baby.
"Well, I suppose we better get ready to open the diner," Dinah smiled to the infant, scooping her up and slipping out of bed to make a cup of coffee.
She had no idea what the day would bring.
Word had spread like wildfire through the train yard and almost all the trains knew of Dinah's discovery. As the coach opened up the diner for the day, she wasn't surprised to see Buffy and Ashley sauntering in first, excited to meet the new arrival. Dinah noted that Ashley had extinguished her cigarette prior to coming in as she gently passed the infant for her to hold.
"Oh my, isn't she precious?" the smoking car cooed, admiring the girl who was wide awake today, her blue eyes roaming with curiosity. "Where'd you say you found her?"
"Just behind the diner," Dinah said sadly as she dried off some mugs. "Someone must have left her there."
"You poor little thing," Buffy exclaimed, perched on the bar stool next to Ashley.
"Never mind, cherub," Ashley stroked the infant's cheek. "Who needs those pesky humans when you can have an Aunt Ashley and Aunt Buffy?"
Dinah couldn't help but giggle at the proclamation.
"I just wish I knew that everyone would be as supportive as you two and Pearl…"
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Why? Who's causing a riot?"
"Greaseball wasn't exactly happy when I brought her home, but I think he'll warm to her. But he warned me that Electra wouldn't be happy…"
"Awh, who cares what that electric diva thinks? He doesn't own the yard!"
Seeing Dinah's smile slip, Ashley passed the infant to Buffy. "What's on your mind?"
Feeling tears welling up in her eyes, Dinah turned away. Ever since she'd woken this morning she'd felt a heavy weight in her stomach and it was refusing to shift. She felt trapped; like an animal snared and no matter how frantically she tried she couldn't find a way to escape. The responsibility now felt like a burden on her shoulders and she couldn't go back on the decision she'd made last night. How could she? She condemned the very person who had abandoned the newborn in those freezing conditions. She'd thought she had done the right thing but the sickening twist in her stomach was filling her with doubt. Her head and her heart were battling it out: her mind yelling she was foolish, her heart adamant she'd done the sensible thing. It was suffocating.
"I'm just so scared," she whispered, a single tear trailing down her cheek.
"Oh, Dinah, sweetheart."
"This has all happened so fast…what if I can't do this?" Dinah could hear her voice quavering.
Ashley looked at the coach dead-pan and tilted her head. "Hunny, if a coach can raise a electric with an ego the size of Jupiter, I don't think we need to worry about that."
Buffy snorted. Dinah burst out laughing. With the laughter, she could already feel the tension in her stomach unravel. Ashley stretched over the counter and dabbed at the other coach's cheeks with a tissue, relieved to have lightened the conversation. "You'll do just fine," she said reassuringly. "Buffy and I will be there every step of the way."
The two coaches turned to Buffy. They had been too busy speaking to realise the little one had drifted off to sleep and she had curled herself up in the safety and comfort of Buffy's arms, one tiny hand clinging to her chest. The sight melted all of their hearts.
"Have you thought of a name?" Buffy smiled.
Dinah leaned over the counter. "I thought about Luna. It was a full moon last night when I found her and it seemed…fitting."
"Luna," Buffy glanced down at the sleeping infant. "I think it's pretty. It suits her."
The diner door flew open just then and interrupted the conversation. Electra stormed in, his blue eyes flashing with rage. Behind him trailed Pearl, obviously defeated in her attempts to stop him. His eyes immediately locked on the infant in Buffy's arms and his jaw tensed.
"What do you think you're doing taking in a human child?" he demanded, not even tearing his eyes away from the girl to look at Dinah.
"I saved her from dying out in the cold," Dinah made sure to keep her voice firm and even despite his presence filling her with dread. "I didn't see the harm; she's only a baby."
Electra slammed his fist onto the counter, starling everyone and making them all jump. Luna started to wail. Electra's eyes now bore into the coach.
"I didn't think you could be more foolish!" Electra stated through gritted teeth. "That thing has no place here!"
The comment filled Dinah with anger. "What are you so afraid of?" she asked, confronting the electric.
"You have no idea what that thing is capable of. You're putting the whole yard in grave danger."
Electra marched towards Buffy, who was holding the baby tightly to her chest. In response, Pearl, Dinah and Ashley shielded them both.
"You're not touching that baby, Electra." Ashley growled.
But in a flash, the trio crumpled to the floor with a single shock of electricity. Buffy's eyes widened in fear.
"Hand me the baby or you'll be next."
She didn't have a choice. A shock from Electra would also shock the infant in her arms and the power from a small jolt, whilst enough to simply momentarily paralyze a full grown train, would undoubtedly kill the newborn instantly. Buffy reluctantly relaxed her arms and bowed her head as she surrendered the child. Electra simply smirked; it had been too easy to make the coach comply. As he made to leave, Pearl rose from the ground and dashed forward, slamming the door shut and blocking the electric train's exit.
"You won't get away with this!"
Electra let out a malicious laugh. He pulled the coach close to his face and looked her straight in the eye. "I already have," he stated, before sending a stronger jolt of electricity to her chest, the blue flash of light more intense than the last.
"Pearl, no!" cried Dinah, but it was too late. The pink coach dropped to the floor like a rag doll.
Powerless, Dinah could only watch as Electra opened the door and vanished with Luna. She'd mustered enough strength to rise to her knees but the searing pain from the shock left her unable to fully lift herself from the floor. She glanced towards Buffy, who was shaking uncontrollably, her head buried in her hands as she sobbed.
"I'm so sorry, Dinah."
Dinah couldn't find any words to speak, everything had happened so fast. Then, she remembered Pearl. Ashley had recovered quicker and had rushed over to the younger coach, cradling her as tears streaked her cheeks. Bracing herself for the pain, Dinah gingerly got to her feet, supporting herself with the counter, just as Rusty, Wrench, Joule and Volta arrived. Rusty immediately fell to his knees beside Pearl.
"Electra took the baby," Ashley explained.
Rusty needed to hear nothing else. Pearl had told him about Dinah and the baby last night when she arrived home late. Nobody would get away with hurting Pearl, or the infant for that matter. Especially not Electra.
"Rusty wait!" cried Joule, as she and Volta followed the steamer out of the diner. She knew only too well how dangerous the electric train could be when in such a frenzy.
Dinah stared after them.
"Please don't let him hurt her."
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