Let's Play!

Ansel smiled at Brooke, taking the win where he could as he kissed her forehead.

"That's my girl. "

/ She will have no clue if she loses you because of her behavior how much she will miss you. /

He let it be for now, driving his kid and wife home without stress or fuss. He would hop out and look to the girls.

"I'll go get things ready, you can come inside with mama, Kay? "

Getting to hold her had far more impact than anything said. Her heart trembled, filled with longing and loss and love. It never seemed to get easier for her. Willow wanted to bury her face in the child's hair and squeeze her tight, but it never showed. She only braved a few strokes of Brooke's hair.

/ nothing lost if you never had it to begin with. Don't worry. She'll be alright, no matter what happens. /

And whatever happened clearly wouldn't be from a lack of care on the part of his wife. She loved her little girl more than life.


"I want you to carry me inside. "

Brooke lifted her arms and willow shifted to make her easier to grab.

Ansel considered his Daisy's, softening a bit as he picked her up.

"I can do that. Then need you to give mama all the hugs while I get the snuggle blankets and cookies for you. Ok? I'll be really sad if mama doesn't get cuddles, and that way you get to feel loved until daddy is done, deal? "

He loved you both and was hopeless in his efforts to help his daughter bridge the gap.

"But I just want you, " she complained.

Willow climbed out of the car, offering the ziploc to the child, who snatched it.

Ansel kissed the top of her head.

"I know, squirt. Daddy won't be long. Take care of mommy and give her loves until I get back, please? "

He urged his little girl, willing her to give Willow this one, and him really. He wanted that bridge to have a tiny start.

Brooke complained and whined the whole time, but she did stay with Willow. The woman did manage to get Brooke in the bath, though. The child was mostly just sulking crankily by the time Ansel made it back to them. She poked a bubble.

"Today is the worst," she informed him.

Ansel looked at her sympathetically, reaching to gently push her dripping hair back from her face.

" I dunno. I got to come pick you up early today. Mommy got to spend time with you. I get to love on you extra today. It feels pretty ok. I wish you weren't so miserable, though. Mommy and daddy are both trying to help, squirt. How about we work on getting these pretty wings washed up and then you can get the cuddles, hm?"

/ My poor girls. All of you have to go through this. /

He sounded so sad for the lot of them, glancing to Willow in a new bought of sympathy tinged with guilt. His poor wife, he'd been so heartlessly cold while she was dealing with it all.

Willow hid a smile behind her hand.

/it's really not that bad. She's just a kid./


"Maybe your day is a good day, but mine is the worst ever," she insisted.

The kid whined and fussed, but she was a lot more in order by the time she had been switched into her jamming. A lot of her feathers were still in strange disarray, but it wasn't as bad as before. The bath tub, however, looked like it had been used as a pen for someone plucking a chicken.

/Of course it is! Look at how pitiful she is. And you've been out here just fighting through it all while I'm a heartless dick. /

He felt awful, soothing and snuggling their girl until she passed out in a cuddle puddle between the two of them.

"I can't imagine life without them..... I know it was traumatizing and unexpected and I handled it terribly...... but ...."

Being a dad was unexpectedly amazing to him.

Willow reached out and gently drew the child's golden hair through her fingers.

"I hope that never changes for you."

Because she could do more than imagine it. And the thought was all it took for it to press in on her, freezing her ribs so she couldn't breathe. Crystal clear flashes of so many moments where she saw others walking away with the children she had loved, hers or not.

Willow squeezed her eyes against it, hating the brokenness in herself. What was wrong with her? Things were better now. Why did she keep seeing all the bad in her head? She shoved it down and forced her attention instead to braiding Brooke's hair. Maybe it would be alright to do this. The child was asleep. No one had to know it was her.

"Thank you for making sure she's cared for. "

Ansel watched Willow, reaching across Brooke to tip her chin up a bit.

"I wish you didn't know it, either. "

He apologized, the regret he held for how he'd hurt her clear. It had been rash, it had been poorly calculated with lesser pieces of his mind in charge. He had been at a breaking point. He let out a slow breath, gently letting his thumb stroke her cheek.

"My beautiful wife.... it is ok, I know I did it. I know it was a wrong I'll spend life carrying. .... even then though, they didn't stop being your children. "

He meant and genuinely believed it, not seeing it as something that could just be wiped away so easily. They were hers, and always would be. He was not panicking at the resurface, just sitting in the silent guilt.