Chapter Text
Monday morning rolls round, Caitlyn's alarm beeping as she murmurs incoherent words groggily and slams her hand on the noisy contraption to shut the beeping off.
Vi chuckles as she walks into the bedroom, her hair soggy and flat against her head, obviously just out of the shower. "Babe, you'll be late for work if you keep turning that off. This is the third time you've aggressively slammed that poor alarm."
"Well that 'poor alarm' has interrupted my sweet sleep three times in a row now." She muttered in response as she sat up, stretching with a yawn.
Vi just chuckled again as she walked over and sat on the side of the bed. "Well, you'd better get used to getting up on your first alarm, because my shifts at the gym is going to be starting earlier as of next month. Meaning I'm not going to be here to actually make sure you're awake."
Caitlyn groaned as she leaned her head on Vi's shoulder. "Don't remind me. Why do you think I'm taking advantage of that right now?" She replied, making her girlfriend chuckle yet again, pressing a light kiss against Caitlyn's head.
"Fair point. C'mon, I have bacon, eggs and sausage downstairs just waiting to be eaten." Vi said as she stood up again, grabbing a hair towel for her hair.
"Is Amber up yet?" Caitlyn asked as she got out of bed and grabbed her work uniform, laying it out on the bed for after her shower.
Vi let out a soft scoffed laugh. "She's been up for the past hour. I think she's excited to get back to school, see her friends again."
Caitlyn smiled as she wrapped her robe around her and began her descent downstairs, Vi following after her.
"She's in the living-room watching tv. She's had breakfast, brushed her teeth, washed her face, gotten changed and sorted her school bag out. I've made her lunch for her and filled her water bottle, they're both in her bag as well. Made you some of my home made mac and cheese for your lunch as well. So you're both all set for leaving." Vi explained.
"Now I can't wait for my lunch break. You know how much I love your homemade macaroni. And now Amber has plenty of time to do whatever she likes before we leave." Caitlyn concluded, making Vi smile and nod.
"Thought I'd get her ready for school so you have plenty time to get yourself ready, Rather than you trying to get all your things organised as well as Amber." Vi replied, making Caitlyn lean up and press a light kiss to the girls lips.
"Thank you, my love. You're incredible." She said gratefully.
Vi shrugged and grinned. "Not like I can forget, you tell me everyday." She replied, making Caitlyn laugh.
"Yeah, and you'll continue hearing it till the day we die. And in the afterlife I will continue to tell you just how incredible you are." She replied.
"Sap." Vi scoffed with a laugh, making Caitlyn grin.
"Don't act like you don't love it."
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." Vi smiled.
"Who's the sap now?" Caitlyn teased, making Vi playfully roll her eyes and walk into the kitchen where she finished gathering her belongings for work and placed her bag at the front door.
Caitlyn sat in the kitchen and ate her breakfast before checking on Amber, who gave her a good morning cuddle. "Morning Mama." Amber said cheerfully.
"Good morning my beautiful girl. Are you excited to get back to school?" Caitlyn asked with a smile, gently brushing the small girls hair from her face.
"Mhm! I can't wait to see my friends and my teacher again." She replied with an excited smile.
Caitlyn smiled back and placed a kiss on her daughter's head. "Good. I'm glad you're looking forward to going back. We'll be leaving soon, so just double check you have everything you need, okay? I'm going to go get washed and ready for work."
"Okay Mama, I will." Amber replied before a voice interrupted them.
"Hey you two, that's me heading out for work. I'll see you both later on." Vi said as she grabbed her jacket at walked over to them, giving Amber a hug and Caitlyn a loving kiss.
Caitlyn smiled and nodded. "Love you, darling." She said as she stood up.
"Love you Momma!" Amber added happily.
Vi chuckled and walked to the door before turning around again. "I love you both too. Have a good first day back at school kiddo."
"I will!" The small girl replied as she waved from the couch, Vi returning the wave before grabbing her backpack, slinging it on her back, and taking her exit as she walked to the gym just a few blocks down the road.
Caitlyn looked at Amber and smiled, pressing another kiss against her head. "I'll be back down soon sweetie. Make sure you're ready to go, okay?" Caitlyn said, earning a nod from Amber.
With that, Caitlyn made her way back upstairs and hopped in the shower, a quick five minute's later, she stepped out, quickly dried herself off and dried her hair, brushing it through before changing into her uniform and putting a little mascara on. She wasn't really all that much of a makeup girl unless she were going out somewhere nice.
After she tied her hair into it's usual low bun, she walked downstairs gathering her things for work before poking her head round the door to the living-room. "Alright my little princess. Time to go. Turn the tv off for me and come get your shoes and jacket on." Caitlyn said, catching Amber's attention, the small girl nodding and turning the tv off before rushing to the front door, putting her nice, new school shoes on, then slipping into her jacket and putting her backpack on, while Caitlyn put her shoes on, slipped her paramedic jacket on and her bag onto her shoulder.
Grabbing her car keys from the bowl at the front door and the house keys from the front door, she opened the front door. "Alright sweetheart, let's get going."
"Okay, Mama." Amber replied as she walked out of the house and towards the car, where she waited until Caitlyn walked over and unlocked it after locking up the house.
Caitlyn opened the door and lifted Amber inside, strapping her into her car seat and closing the door, then proceeding to climb into the drivers seat and clip her seatbelt in before starting the car and moving off when it was safe to do so, heading towards the school.
A short five minute drive later, Caitlyn pulled up at the school car-park and turned the car off. Getting Amber out of the car and handing the girl her school bag, Caitlyn took hold of Amber's hand, shut the door and locked the car, and walked to the front door so she could sign whatever she needed to for proof of adoption and parental phone numbers, emergency numbers, etc etc.
"Amber, it's so good to see you back. Are you looking forward to getting back to learning and playing with your friends?" A rather short woman asked with a friendly, welcoming smile.
"Uh-huh! My Mama, Momma and other family got me everything I need for coming back. Look! I have new shoes!" The small girl said enthusiastically, pointing to her nice, new, shiny, black school shoes, which will most likely be scuffed up and fabric pealed back by the end of the school day.
"Oh wow. Yes, they look very nice. Now, why don't you head inside and get your name tag from the fabric board to put on the attendance board?" The woman suggested, earning a happy nod from Amber.
The small seven year old turned to face her mother, who kneeled down with a smile. "Bye, darling. Have a good day, okay?" Caitlyn said, pressing a light kiss against the girls forehead.
"I will, Mama. And I'll tell you all about it when I get home." Amber said cheerfully before giving Caitlyn a quick hug and walking into the classroom, where she was greeted with a few excited voices upon her arrival.
Caitlyn smiled before she looked at the woman in-front of her. This woman obviously being her teacher.
"Hi, I'm Mrs Millar, Amber's teacher. And you are?" The woman asked sweetly.
"Caitlyn. Caitlyn Kirraman. Pleasure to meet you." Caitlyn replied, just as kindly.
"Pleasure's mine. I'm so very happy that Amber has ended up with such a loving family. I don't know what I'd do if I had known she'd been taken into an orphanage." Mrs Millar replied with a light sigh.
"Yeah, that's exactly how I felt when I declared her parents... well... you know. I just couldn't let her go through being placed in an orphanage as well as dealing with the grief of her parents. It wouldn't be fair to her, especially at such a young age." Caitlyn explained with a sad smile.
"I understand. At least now she seems to be as happy as can be with a supporting family who can give her the life she deserves. It's the least that girl deserves after all she's been through." The girls teacher agreed.
"Yes, I'll admit the first week or so was a struggle, with the fact that I've never dealt with children before. I grew up an only child. My girlfriend however has a younger sister and has dealt with all the temper tantrums. So we managed it between us and now, even though we've only had Amber for nearly a month, I feel as though we've done a good job so far." Caitlyn admitted, a warm smile growing on her face as she watched Amber interact with the other children.
"You and your partner certainly have. And being back at school will help with a lot as well. Now, speaking of that. What do you say we get these papers signed before you end up missing your shift?" Mrs Millar suggested with a soft chuckle, making Caitlyn look at the time and nod. Mrs Millar walked through to a small room beside the classroom, a small window in the walls between the room and the classroom. Caitlyn followed after the teacher, sitting in one of the allocated seats.
"Yes. Yes, lets get that done. It'll be my girlfriend, Vi, who will be picking Amber up most days after she finishes. My shift is 9am to 5pm. Vi finishes her shift at 3pm. She only works down the road, so will be here to pick Amber up by about five past. Just so you know not to expect me at the end of the day." Caitlyn replied.
"Not a problem, do you have photographic identity of Vi? So we know exactly who we're watching for." Mrs Millar asked, earning a photo of Vi from Caitlyn from her phone.
She then signed a bunch of paperwork, gave phone numbers of hers, her parents, Vi's, Vander's and Everie, if there would be any chance of Everie picking up Amber at any point.
"Well, that's you all done. And with fifteen minutes to spare. I'll give Vi a run down on how Amber is today when she comes to pick her up." Mrs Miller said with a smile, earning a smile from Caitlyn who stood up and nodded.
"Thank you. I'll see you with Amber tomorrow morning." She replied before heading back to the car, getting in, and heading to work, making it with five minutes to spare.
"You're running later than usual Cait. Did getting Amber sorted for school really take that long?" Everie joked with a soft chuckle.
Caitlyn playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No, getting all that damn paperwork at the school did. But it's all organised now, we're now her caregivers on the school system." Caitlyn replied, getting herself a cup of coffee from the coffee machine.
"Ah, I see. Well, at least that's it all sorted out now." Everie replied, only for a moment to pass before their walkie-talkies buzzed.
"Kirraman, Banes, I need you two on the road now. Fire in town square broke out, everyone's made it out safe, but some are injured and may need brought here. Fire patrol are already there." The voice sounded, making Caitlyn sigh before pressing the button.
"On it." She replied, throwing her coffee in the bin before rushing with Everie to the ambulance.
Eight hours later, Caitlyn's shift was finally over, and she was free to go home to her family.
Only, when she walked through the door, she heard faint sobs from the living-room.
Concerned, Caitlyn walked through to see Vi holding their daughter close in a warm embrace.
"Woah, what's happened? Why's she crying?" Caitlyn asked as she rushed forward, kneeling down beside them.
"Some little brats at the school have been bullying and making fun of Amber about her parents. It's really upset Amber. She was crying when I picked her up." Vi replied.
"What? And what did Mrs Millar say?" Caitlyn asked concernedly.
"That they solved the issue, and that Amber calmed down a bit, but was obviously still rather upset about it. But I don't believe that for a minute. She wouldn't be sobbing like this if it happened like that." Vi replied.
And with that, Caitlyn told the school the next morning that if something like this were to happen again, she'd be transferring Amber to a different school. This seemed to solve the problem as far as they were concerned. But little did they know, Amber was still indeed having issues.
The only change being that she was threatened.
"If you tell your fake moms that I'm bullying and making fun of you, then I'll make sure you join your parents deep down in the ground. Do you understand, Amber?" Aria, the main bully, threatened the small girl, who could only nod and cower away in response.
Aria smirked to herself and moved away. "Good." She said before walking away from the now terrified girl, who had followed Aria's orders and hid all the bullying from her parents and friends...
