Belong - an adopted by Hamilton fanfic [Hamilton]

17. To watch

Lin's pov
Rue waved at me happily as she left with the girls to go shopping, and I smiled back.
In my head I was debating over the fact that the things I noticed couldn't go unseen.
She seemed to be happy, but I needed to tell Vanessa about it.

"V? Lovely?", I said as soon as I got home that day, the dark night sky outside. She looked up from her laptop, smiling, as she was wrapped up in a blanket.
I kissed her cheek, and sat down next to her.
Then, I gave her a worried look.
"Rue asleep?", I asked, and she nodded.
"Seb too. Finally", Vanessa filled in and giggled. I kept quiet. "Lin, seriously, what is it?"
I took a deep breath.
"V, I'm getting worried about Rue", Vanessa blinked her eyes a few times to take it in, but soon nodded in agreement.
"Me too-", but I cut her off.
"So you've noticed her ways of doing certain things too?"
Vanessa put the laptop on the table.
"Yeah. She taps, snaps, twitches, blinks...", she began, sighing.
"And the list goes on", I said, looking up at her, feeling sorry about Rue.
"Maybe, maybe, we could just keep an eye on her? And- and if it gets worse we'll have to do something about it, Lin, I'm just so worried about her-", Vanessa broke down crying, leaning against my shoulder.
Keeping my tears inside, I took her hair out of her face.
"It's just, I love her so much", said Vanessa, "She's been around here for such a long time, and she's a part of the family now"
I gulped, breathing in the same rhythm as Vanessa. I let my eyes water up.
"V, she's our daughter. Rue's ours, and I'll do anything to make her feel better", hugging my wife tightly.
I let two tears fall down on my cheek. I took a deep breath, and said the next few words.
"We just need to get the best out of the next few days"
I knew how stressed Rue was about Christmas, I knew she'd rather not celebrate it than going there.
Vanessa tried to calm herself down, her beautiful face looking up, heartbroken.
"Yeah"

The next morning I'd woken up extra early due to a dog licking my face, so I decided to go and wake up Rue. Little Tobi followed me there, as I took a picture of Rue's quirky and adorable way of sleeping, which I'd discovered was the way she always slept of all the rare mornings I'd got to wake her up.
Rue always had the duvet over her whole body, covering her head but kept a little peak hole open, just so her face could stare into the pale blue painted wall.
I popped my phone back in my pocket, looking outside, realising that it was rather dark.
She was actually asleep, for the unusual thing she never were.
I walked over to her, letting Tobi to jump up on her. She blinked her eyes a few times as I drew my hands through her soft hair.
"G'mornin' niñita", I said smiling, as she groaned.
"What's the time?", Rue said dryly, coughing to make her voice work and dragged the duvet over her head again.
"Um. 6:30?", I said, looking at her phone that had lit up.
"Too early to be alive", whispered Rue. "Lin, it's my last day of school. We start later than usual. At 10:30. Let me sleep, silly", she announced, and squeezed her eyelids back together.
"Well, Tobi wants you to come with her to the park with me. It's her wish for the day", I said, putting on my most innocent face, as I dragged off her duvet and started to tickle my daughter.
Rue broke out laughing, trying to defend herself with waving her arms in the air.
"Okay, okay!", she managed to say between the giggles, "I surrender! I surrender!"
I smirked, stopping my extreme tickling.
She gave me a suspicious look.
"But only for Tobi", she announced and stood up, putting on a hoodie.
I let out a laugh.
"Park for Tobi, yeah sure", I added, heading out to the kitchen.

Soon, Rue and I was out and about, after a discussion about whether pyjama pants and a hoodie was presentable for a walk at 6:40.

Walking with Rue was quite the experience, and I just watched her as she was unable to walk in a straight line. From one point to another, she'd tap and touch multiple things.
"Here, take lil Tobillo", I offered, handing Rue the leash. She smiled, and soon were very concentrated on doing it right. The tapping seemed to increase. Not much, just a little.
"Rue-Rue, you don't have to tap like that, just take it easy", my brain decided to say.
Step out of the sun, Rue.
"Okay", she quickly answered and walked over to a lamppost and touched it four times.
I gave her a concerned look, remembering Vanessa's statement.
Keep an eye on her, if it gets worse we'll do something about it.
The problem was, it accelerated per day. It wasn't this bad when we met her in October. That was two months ago.

When we finally reached the park, I saw Rue taking out Tobi's ball and looking up at me.
"Can I unleash her?", she politely asked, the woolly hat almost covering her eyes. I nodded as an answer, making her excitedly threw the ball a few meters after taking Tobi's leash off.
"Yeah, Tobi, go get it!", she shouted in a high pitch.
The excited pup ran after it, her tail wagging in hyper mode. I managed to snap a picture real quick, tweeting my usual good morning tweet.

@Lin_Manuel:
Mornin' world.
Spending this one with my daughter and doggo, running around the park in this early hour.
🌎 , spend time with your family.

I attached the picture, Tobi halfway in the air and Rue's face laughing.

@Lin_Manuel:
(whether it's early, midday or bedtimey)

Not tagging Rue, just for the sake of safety. But, if I knew this generation right, everyone had found her twitter by this point.
Tobi ran over to me, wet by the rainy puddles all over the park, leaving the ball right next to my feet.
"Okay, Tobillo", I exclaimed, throwing the ball again and she set off. Caught it in the air.
Then she ran to Rue, doing the exact same routine as she jumped up and down in excitement, wiggling her tail.
Rue threw it again, and leaned against my shoulder, letting her head rest on it. She was perfectly tall so that she precisely could reach to rest it there.
"What does Tobillo mean exactly?", she found herself asking curiously.
I chuckled at her sudden question.
"Ankle", I answered, and smiled at her. Her eyes seemed to ask; 'why?'.
"She was a stray dog in the Dominican Republic as a pup, and sat down looking up at us right by V's ankle", I continued, looking back at the memory.
Rue awed, and giggled when Tobi came running back and said the next few words.
"That's just precious"

Half an hour later, we were back in the apartment seeing that both Vanessa and Sebastian were up and about.
I walked over to Vanessa and gave her a kiss. I looked down on the blueberry pancakes on the table, smiling.
"I love you", I ensured her for the first time of today.
"Love you too, nerd", she replied, and giggled.
Rue was already running around with Sebastian, who'd insisted on playing trains with his sister as soon as we walked through the door.
"Breakfast, lovelies", Vanessa said, and picked up Sebastian, placing him in his little chair.
Rue sat down next to him, letting Sebastian tangle her hair.
Happily and carefully eating her blueberry pancakes, as Sebastian cheerily clapped.
"Rue?", said Vanessa, and Rue looked up. "Can you come to the theatre after school today?"
She smiled, and nodded.
"Also, these are amazing, V", she added, and Vanessa smiled beautifully. "And why?"
I laughed at her hidden curiosity that shone through.
"A surprise, niñita"
Rue tried to hide her excitement, miserably failing.
Suddenly Tobi was up on the table, and managed to grab a pancake off of my plate in a matter of seconds.
I sighed, giggling but angry, quickly taking the pancake out of her mouth right before she jumped off.
"Tobillo! Behave!", I shouted after her as she ran down the hall, looking back at me with a face that only could mean;
'look, dad! I trolled ya!', all this with a little piece of pancake still left in her mouth.

-----
Happy Valentine's Day!💝
(well or I could say happy galentine's day?)
Well, I'm spending it alone (in school with friends I love) (and imma Skype my internet friend) bUT ALONE. Who else will prob eat snacks and watch a movie?🌚

Also, I have a confession to make;
I dislike chocolate. I really find it disgusting. Sorry 🎉

Decided to finish this chapter bc of this day, I'll try to write another one too so y'all will be v happy 💐

Rue from Lin's point of view. Hopefully that's what y'all wanted🌈
Dad-overprotective-Lin woo
Anyone fancy a mom-caring-Vanessa??

Also questions for Rue right here;
Rue

Okay gotta tell y'all this thing again, because I l o v e writing this and oml the feedback I get from you guys is amazing. Like, okay, question of the chapter;
Why do you read this fanfic?💓

Tell someone that they mean something to you,
Sincerely,
C

PS. Did you catch the Dear Evan Hansen reference in the chapter?

Published; 14th of February, 2017