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Donovan Galpin walked along the cobbled pathway in the park on his day off. The weight of the world was slim, no active murders or teenage delinquents to ruin his day off. Autumn was close approaching and the leaves were just beginning to turn. Children were playing frisbee and tag and throwing balls around. Parents taking pictures or just enjoying the mild day in the small bit of sunlight they were blessed with on this Saturday. His thoughts began to stray as he noticed Larissa Weems pushing a pram next to Alex Corvin, the new deputy head up at Nevermore. He smiled big, thinking back months ago when a very hectic week had him dropping a newborn in Larissa's lap and then just days later moving the shorter woman into the school as the new deputy head. While his own life had changed drastically over the past year, he was now relatively stable in his knowledge and what he felt he wanted out of life. The women were approaching closer to him as they walked the path in his direction. Both women were seemingly deep in conversation not noticing him getting closer as the paused, the baby, Lucy was beginning to fuss. Larissa pulled the baby girl up and out of the pram, Alex bent down to pull a cover out. Donovan quickly looked away out of respect for Larissa as she settled the babe against her breast and got properly covered. when he was sure that the tall blonde was settled with her daughter did he approach.
"Ladies, how are we this fine Saturday morning?" He called out with a smile. Smiles were getting easier for him to give. Copious amounts of therapy may were definitely to blame, but he wasn't complaining. Larissa and Alex turned their heads with small smiles.
"Sheriff Galpin, lovely to see you!" Larissa smiled wide, noticing the blush that subtly coloured her colleagues cheeks as the man approached them. "I won't speak for Alex, but Lucy and I are very well today." Galpin nodded with a grin.
"Miss Corvin, how are you doing today?" He asked the shorter woman.
"I am wonderful today. Just a stroll to learn the area, Larissa was kind enough to bring me into town and show me all the little haunts and local fun bits." Alex smiled serenely. Galpin swallowed hard. Corvin was gorgeous when she smiled. "Lucy however, has decided it is brunch time." Alex giggled as she motioned toward the bundle snuggled up to her friends breast. Galpin flushed lightly as Larissa huffed.
"I would have left her with Morticia, but she still won't take a bottle at all, and I am at a loss of how to get her to take one." Larissa looked down at her baby with fondness.
"I remember clearly the night I dropped her off with you being so lost and tired that I just needed help with her. DCS wasn't available, the stores were closed and I just showed up at your door." Donovan smiled as he thought back to that night.
"Wait, you dropped Lucy off?" Alex questioned in curiosity. She had known that Lucy was adopted but had no clue that it wasn't a planned adoption. "I feel so lost right now tell me everything please!" she led her companions over to a bench and sat down.
Larissa took a seat and adjusted the babe in her arms. "It was half two in the morning when the sheriff here walks in to my office with a baby screaming incessantly. I'd only gotten to bed just after eleven so i was so angry that i was woken up. When I opened my door there he was tired, unkempt and looking so lost. He asked for a bottle, which I didn't have at the time." He nodded along with his friends tale.
"I was resigned to have to deal with a screaming newborn for the rest of the night when Madam here reminds me that I still went to the right place." He flushed at the memory.
"Too right, I had to remind the poor sleep deprived man that I am a Shapeshifter and thus was able to alter my body to be able to feed the baby. So I took her from him went to my desk and began to shift while he went bright red and nearly choked on his own airway realizing what I was attempting to do." She laughed at the memory before adding. "Also, just a pro tip, do not shift yourself without thinking about the consequences first. It's how I came to be an all you can eat on demand buffet for this tiny terror I am so lucky to get to call mine." She cooed peeking under the cover as a little hand started flapping and smacking her chest trying to remove the cover over her head, tiny legs kicking out as well. Alex couldn't help but laugh. Larissa sighed in defeat as the cover was removed by Lucy.
"Oh my goodness, what a tale to tell her when she gets older. " Alex paused lightly before furrowing her brow. " She really hates the covers doesn't she?" Larissa nodded as Donovan looked up into the trees. Larissa giggled.
"She hates the covers and truthfully so do I, it gets so hot under them." The mother fixed the cover so that only Lucy's head with a pretty black bow on it was showing and she was also well covered. "Don, you can look at me, you aren't going to combust." Donovan swallowed and nodded.
"Just trying to be respectful Larissa." He stated reaching a hand out to play with a little sock covered foot. Alex watched the two people interact. She hadn't been here long but she knew that the Sheriff was good friends with her colleague.
"You two have know each other for a long time haven't you?" Donovan nodded and Larissa grinned.
"He was the first normie to make fun of my accent when I arrived here to attend Nevermore from Sussex. He married one of my classmates." Her gaze darkened as she thought of her old classmate. "In hindsight, I am glad I didn't attend your wedding Don." Larissa watched as he inclined his head in agreement.
"Yeah, I should never have married that one, was never so happy to get divorced." A hum of agreement was all that was stated. Alex looked confused.
"I'm sorry, I think I've missed something." She stated as Lucy unlatched herself. Larissa quickly covered herself back up before handing the baby to the sheriff who happily started to burp her.
"Well I'll just say we got rid of the outcast wife and kept the normie/outcast here. Our friendship hasn't always been good or easy especially after that woman stomped all over and ruined a lot." Larissa stated seriously.
"I went through a years long phase where outcasts were all just bad. I wasn't a good person at the time at all. I am not proud of it but I started therapy and I am slowly regaining my old self." He gave a small coo as Lucy belched. "Goodness me how does something so big come out of someone so tiny?" He watched the baby's blue eyes and a small gummy half grin happen. The trio of adults smiled as they began walking along the pathway again. Alex decided she'd like to get to know the handsome Sheriff more. Larissa looked at her friends and just wanted them to be happy. Donovan was happily carrying the baby as she looked at the wide world around her, her head resting back on his shoulder as she fought sleep after having a full belly, thinking that he might like to get to know the deputy head better if she was always so adorable and fund to be around. Despite only being there for a few months, she had fit into the group seamlessly, like she was supposed to be there.