Needed [DDLB]

Chapter 33

I pant as my legs slow me down after two long days without sleep and much water or food. I don't know how long I'll be on this trip, so I want to preserve as much as I can for as long as I can. The clothes on my body by now are dirty and sweaty, and the diaper has long been gone, replaced by a piece that I ripped off of my onesie.

I have a few cuts and a big bruise from a fight last night with a giant of a man, who wanted my food. I declined, and he started to fight me. Luckily, someone intervened before he could do more than hit me a couple times and I scurried out that alleyway like lightning was chasing me.

Meanwhile, I see their faces everywhere.

On the news, on every stranger that walks by and gives me a heart attack but doesn't look my way, in my dreams. I can't lose my hope now. I'm so close that I can taste it!

I know I'm in the right state, but I can't find my way and it's sickening to know that I'm right there, but not right there.

As I think this, a store to the left of me broadcasts the news of my face with my information on shiny, new TVs. I stop and stare for a moment, wondering how much different I look now. My stomach gurgles again for the thousandth time, and I gulp at the thought of the food in my bag that I got from the store before I booked it.

I slide down the wall and take out a chip bag, hesitating for a good two minutes, then eating all of it in one go. I wanted to savor it, but my body had different opinions.

Over this time I've been away from the guys, I realized that I maybe trust them a little bit too much, but I didn't really ponder on it until now. Now that I think about it, they really saved my life instead of making it worse for me. They gave me so much, including safety and warmth, and I gave them immense trouble.

But in my defense, they took me from my freedom, right after I had escaped that asshole, I got taken by the men without my consent, and it scared the shit out of me.

But, they did take me in. They were the parents I never had, and I can't just not thank them for that. I have to go back, I have to!

With a newfound determination, I walk into the store with the TVs and ask an employee for help. I show them to the face on the news, and then to my face, and explain everything as quick as I can. The girl motions with wide eyes to a telephone on the right wall, and tells me to call the police. I shake my head. "No, ma'am, I just want to go home, I-I need a phone book, ma'am," I tell her. She looks at me like I'm crazy, and I don't blame her. But I don't want to go to the police, the police always scare me with their grim faces and dark uniforms and serious voices.

Plus, they're all super tall, like giants.

Then again, to me, everyone is tall, even this girl I'm talking to. Maybe I'm just really short...

Nah, I'm pretty sure everyone else is just giants!

The girl leads me to the back of the pristine store and hands me a huge, heavy book with a lot of writing in it. I ask for her help in reading it and tell her my Papa's name. She asks me for his last name, what is his last name? I know his first name is Dakota, but what's his last name? I tear up at the fact that I know nothing of their information.

She quickly wipes my tears and sits me on her lap, pointing to the names and helping me find my Papa. In about five minutes, we have his number on the dial and the phone is ringing. She puts the phone on speaker and gives me a reassuring smile before I hear his low voice croaking through the phone. "What?"

"Papa, that was rude!" I say loudly, and hear a loud gasp in return. "B-baby?" He asks. I grin and tell him that it's me.

Then, I hear noises in the background. "Baby, where are you? We've been looking for so long, bugaboo, I'm sorry we haven't found you yet! We didn't have any leads until the last minute, the last minute being just now, and the police sent out a report to the news for you, and I just-" I shush his rambling.

"Papa, I wan go home," I stop myself from regressing too much in front of the lady. She only kisses my cheek with a smile. "The bad man took me and him no taste good and I escape so now I wanna go home," I explain to him. He chuckles and I hear a lot of movement on his line. "Baby, I'm tracking this phone and we will be there soon. Please, don't hang up the phone. Wanna talk to your Daddy? We all miss you so much, pumpkin," He says really fast.

I jump up and down at the sound of Daddy giggling and then he says hi to me. I say hi back and the lady looks at me with a warm, wide smile. "You're the cutest," She quietly says to me, causing my cheeks to flush and my smile to extend almost all the way to my ears!

I thank her, and then Daddy asks me who I'm talking to. "Daddy, wady hewp me! I on hew fone to tawk to Daddy!" I tell him excitedly. He chuckles and I swoon at the smooth sound. My heart beats faster in my chest and I gasp, realizing how fond I am of them and what it really means. Do I like them?

...

Of course, I like them, they're my daddies!

But I like them more than daddies, I like-like them...

Do I?!

~~~

I squeal as I see a big van pull up by the store and my daddies come out. I've been playing with the customers and Ms. Lailah for a short time now while I was waiting for them.

When they walk through the door and look straight at me, I rush over to them and jump as high as I can with my arms outstretched towards Papa. He chuckles as I don't even reach past his chest. "Papa, Papa!" I scream as I try to reach him. I huff when he just chuckles at me again instead of picking me up.

I give up on jumping and instead try to climb up his body, and it actually works! I cheer out loud and stuff my face in his neck to sniff his scent. His laughter shakes both me and him, and he tries to pull me back to look at me, but I just huff and hold him tighter to me. He laughs again and almost collapses because of how hard he's laughing. I pout.

And then, after thanking Ms. Lailah, we go home with full hearts.