"What's going on?" Lauren asked, walking out of her classroom.

There were kids crowding around and loud sobs coming from the centre of the crowd. It was chaos, to say the least, but Lauren knew exactly who those sobs belonged to. She pushed past the kids, getting to the centre where she found Camila lying on the floor throwing a tantrum.

"Right, I need this corridor cleared," Lauren said loudly, crouching down next to Camila. "Rose, can you please go to classroom 10M and get Mrs. Williams or Miss Epseley for me?" she asked one of her students who she had spotted.

"Okay, Miss," Rose nodded before following the other kids who were slowly but surely leaving the sixth form corridor.

"Hey, Mila, it's Lauren," Lauren said, rubbing Camila's back. "Can I pick you up, doll?" she asked, trying to position her hands under Camila's armpits so she could do so.

Camila didn't reply, simply kicking her legs and crying.

"Okay, okay," Lauren said, standing up. She realised there was nothing she could do until Camila's teacher came and told her the whole story. 

Thankfully, Miss Epseley arrived only a few minutes later.

"Hi," Lauren said warmly, despite the awkward situation. "I heard the commotion and found her like this," she explained quietly.

"It's been a tough morning, the lady who dropped her to school said she didn't sleep much last night and she's been completely non-verbal," Miss Epseley explained.

"I don't have a class to teach, I don't mind staying with her," Lauren said, "But I don't want to further upset her."

"I don't think she's in any state to come back to class," Miss Epseley said.

"I can't take her home," Lauren said, stepping away from Camila so she couldn't hear them. "She's really upset that I'm not babysitting her anymore, and I don't want her to get the wrong idea if I go home with her."

"I'm going to call the new sitter then and see if she can come early, can you stay here?" Miss Epseley asked.

"It's my friend, Ally. I'll send her a message but I know she's at work right now," Lauren sighed. "I'll stay with her until then."

"Okay, here's her backpack, just let me know if you need anything," Miss Epseley said with a small smile before leaving.

Lauren opened Camila's backpack, pulling out Milo and her pacifier.

"Hey, bubs," Lauren said softly. "I know you're having a really hard time right now."

Camila simply cried and continued throwing a tantrum. It was fifteen minutes later when Camila started to tire.

"Someone seems a bit sleepy," Lauren said gently, lifting Camila into her arms. "I think you need a nap," she hummed, standing up with Camila in her arms. She made her way back to her classroom, turning off the main lights before sitting down in her chair and opening her laptop. "Are you sure you don't want to go to your classroom? It's more comfy over there, isn't it?" 

Camila shook her head.

"Okay," Lauren said gently, repositioning Camila in her arms before handing her Milo. She pushed the pacifier into Camila's mouth, breathing out a sigh of relief when Camila's sobs finally vanished and were replaced by rhythmic suckles. "Shh, good girl," Lauren praised as Camila settled down, pulling her knees up to her chest and nuzzling into Lauren's chest. She sung soft lullabies until she was sure Camila was fast asleep in her arms, rocking her gently.

Two and a half hours later, there was a knock at the the door and Lauren looked up to see Ally.

"Hi," Ally whispered, gently closing the door behind her. "What happened?"

"Massive tantrum," Lauren said quietly, glancing down at Camila who was fast asleep.

"Lo, she was so upset yesterday," Ally said, sitting down on a desk opposite to Lauren's. "She didn't eat dinner or breakfast, and I couldn't get her to bed until she fell asleep on the freaking kitchen floor."

"I have a call with her mum today, but I honestly don't know what I'm going to say," Lauren sighed.

"I don't think I can watch her anymore, Lo," Ally said apologetically. 

"I had a feeling," Lauren said. "I'm gonna take her home with me but I'm not sure what Dinah's going to say."

She felt Camila stirring in her arms, starting to wake up.

"Hi there, angel," Lauren said softly as Camila's eyes blinked open. "Shh, it's okay," she soothed as Camila whined and turned into her chest, spitting out her pacifier. 

"I'm gonna go, but message me if you need anything, alright?" Ally said quietly, shooting Lauren a smile before leaving.

"Hush, nena, I'm just going to change your diaper and then we can get going," Lauren explained.

"M not wet," Camila whispered. 

"Are you sure, bubs?" Lauren asked, patting Camila's bottom.

"Mm," Camila mumbled, burying her head in Lauren's shirt.

"Okay," Lauren hummed, not wanting to push Camila. "Let's get going."

"Where?" Camila asked, her bottom lip wobbling at the thought of Lauren leaving her again.

"Uh, we're going to-,"

"I can't stay on my own," Camila interrupted. "I'm not big enough, please don't make me," Camila whispered.

Lauren hesitated a moment; Camila would normally never admit to not being able to handle things on her own.

"I know that, love," Lauren reassured her, smoothening her hair. "I wouldn't leave you all on your own."

"O'tay," Camila lisped, her pacifier back in her mouth. 

"We're going to go home and get some stuff, diapers, your meds, pyjamas, your sippy, Mr. Bunny too, and then you're going to come home with me," Lauren explained, lifting Camila off of her lap and helping her get her backpack on. 

Lauren had to admit that she had never seen Camila so calm. She held the older girl's hand the entire way home, not running ahead once, and played quietly with her dolls as Lauren packed her bag for her. 

"Dinah's home, but she's not scary, right?" Lauren said as she lead Camila up the stairs to her apartment. 

Camila simply shrugged in response, holding Mr. Bunny close to her chest as Lauren fumbled for her keys.

"D, I'm home," Lauren called. "Mila's here too," she added, sitting Camila down on the banister so she could help her take off her school shoes.

"What's going on?" Dinah asked, walking towards Lauren from where she had been sitting on the sofa.

"Long story," Lauren said quietly, indicating she would fill Dinah in later.

"How's it going, kid?" Dinah asked, immediately earning a small smile from Camila.

"You're not going to need a nap, are you?" Lauren thought out loud as she put Camila's shoes by the door. 

"I'm s'eepy," Camila said softly.

"I think you need a break from this," Lauren said, tugging on the loop of the pacifier Camila hadn't parted with since Lauren had given it to her earlier that day at school.

"Laur, leave it," Dinah said, sensing Camila had had a bad day. "Kid, do you want a snack?"

"Miwk?" Camila asked hopefully.

"I have her sippy here," Lauren said, pulling the sippycup out of Camila's bag. "I also have her B-O-T-T-L-E," she spelt out, unsure as to whether or not to take it out. 

"Does it matter?" Dinah shrugged.

"Camz, sweetheart, do you want your sippycup or your bottle?" Lauren asked gently, stroking Camila's small hand.

Camila didn't reply, but Lauren could see that her gaze was fixated on the bottle.

"Okay, Dinah's going to take you to the kitchen while I get some stuff sorted," Lauren said, realising she'd have to call Camila's parents. "Do you think you can show her how to make it?"

Camila nodded, rubbing her eye sleepily before reaching out for Dinah to lift her off of the banister.

"You going soft, DJ?" Lauren teased.

"Shut it, Jauregui," Dinah snapped playfully, rolling her eyes at her girlfriend. "LoLo's being silly, isn't she," Dinah consulted Camila, earning an eruption of giggles from the little girl. "Now, tell me exactly how operation-bottle works?"

"You need to put miwk in it an' then make it hot," Camila explained, padded down the stairs behind Dinah.

"I see," Dinah nodded. "And then I get to drink it?" she teased.

"No, it's my bowwle," Camila exclaimed, her voice muffled by her soother.

"It's your bottle?" Dinah exclaimed animatedly, lifting Camila onto the counter before going to get the milk.

"LoLo can buy you a bowwle for your miwk if you ask," Camila suggested, giggling at the thought of a grown-up like Dinah having a bottle.

"I dont' think she'd get me one," Dinah laughed, turning on the microwave. "Your school uniform doesn't look so comfy, do you want to get changed into something else?"

"No," Camila replied hesitantly.

"You sure? I think some cozy PJs might feel pretty good right about now," Dinah tempted.

"M'kay," Camila finally gave in.

"Right, let's go find Lauren and get her to help us."

That plan was soon foiled when they went upstairs to find Lauren on what appeared to be a very important phone call.

"You can change me," Camila shrugged.

"Okay," Dinah said, trying to stay calm. How hard could it be?

She knew that Camila was unable to do most things on her own when it came to getting dressed, and so taking charge would save her the embarrassment of struggling to do it herself.

"Are these your pyjamas?" she asked, pulling out a frozen-themed full length footed onesie.

Camila nodded.

"Okay, let's get this off, kid," Dinah said, slightly unsure of herself.

Camila nodded, letting Dinah start to unbutton her shirt.

"I wan' this off," Camila lisped tugging at the training bra.

"Sure, hun," Dinah said, helping her out of it.

"I'm wet," Camila admitted quietly, fidgeting nervously.

"Oh," Dinah said simply. "Right, okay, um, I don't know how to change diapers," Dinah puzzled, taking out the wet wipes and talc powder. "I'm sure I'll figure it out," she mumbled under her breath, unrolling the changing mat on the bed.

Ten minutes and two diapers later, Dinah gave up and decided to improvise, ditching the diapers completely and instead wrapping Camila up in an old T-shirt before putting her onesie on.

"All done," Dinah said proudly, helping Camila up. "I'll get you that bottle now."

"Where's Lolo?" Camila asked.

"Right here," Lauren said, walking into the kitchen. "D, you changed her?" Lauren asked in surprise.

"Don't act so surprised," Dinah said, feigning hurt.

"Okay, okay," Lauren laughed, holding her hands up in surrender.

"LoLo," Camila whined, reaching for Lauren.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Lauren asked, lifting Camila onto her hip and taking the bottle from Dinah. 

" We have Moana," Dinah said. "And popcorn."

"No popcorn, we're having dinner soon," Lauren rolled her eyes at having to babysit both of them. "Camila, give me your pacifier, please," Lauren said, holding her hand out.

"Kay," Camila mumbled, letting the soother fall out of her mouth. 

Lauren quickly replaced it with the bottle teat, wanting to avoid a tantrum.

"She'll be asleep soon," Lauren whispered to Dinah, watching Camila suckling rhythmically in her arms. 

"Good, because we need to talk," Dinah said, sitting down next to Lauren.

As predicted, Camila was fast asleep fifteen minutes later.

"Right, why is she here?" Dinah asked.

"Because she has nowhere else to go, D. Ally can't watch her and I know that anyone else I get to watch her won't be able to either," Lauren sighed, rubbing Camila's back gently. "I spoke to Serena, she's willing to pay double if I keep watching her."

"We both know this has nothing to do with money," Dinah cut her off. "You have a job, Lo, you're growing attached to her."

"How could I not," Lauren sighed, looking down at Camila.

"Lo, I know what this is about," Dinah said, reaching over for her girlfriend's hand. "I told you last year when you first brought up adoption that I don't want kids, and even if I did, we both know Camila couldn't be the one."

"Why?" Lauren asked. She wanted Camila; she only wanted Camila.

"She's...she's special, Lo. She's different, and it's not a bad thing but it would be so hard," Dinah sighed.

"I don't want a normal kid," Lauren sighed, leaning back with Camila in her arms. "I want this kid."

***