Finders Keepers

While you were caught up in your own thoughts Gabi was moving automatically. Grabbing the remote and flipping the channels until it landed on a colorful cartoon with an annoyingly happy theme song playing.

“Ooh, it just started mama!” Gabi pulled you on to the couch and squeezed in tightly to your side.

“Ok, good. Now you have to tell me who everybody is.”

Miguel watched as Gabi pointed out her favorite characters to you. You smiled, and entertained her with silly questions.

“And that’s Ringo!” Gabi exclaimed pointing at the TV.

“Ok and Chewy is her brother?” You asked.

“No mama, cause Chewy is a girl!”

“Oh, ok they’re sisters.” You laughed and looked over at Miguel who was already watching the two of you.

“Papa! Come watch!” Gabi playfully crawled over your lap to wave Miguel over.

He smiled at the sight.

“Ok, ok.” He feigned a sigh and joined the two of you on the couch. Gabi snuggled comfortably between the two of you and giggled at something a character did in the show. Miguel shifted slightly and wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you in close. You leaned in to him, enjoying the shared warmth.  The three of you sat somewhat silently together, with Gabi occasionally telling you about characters in the show.

“Oh! Papa, what’s for lunch?”

“We’re having pizza.” He gave her a small grin.

That made her sit up quickly. “Pepperoni, papa!”

“I know, I know. I didn’t forget the pepperonis.” He jokingly rolled his eyes. “Where’d you leave you uniform Gabi? We gotta make sure we wash it, remember?”

Gabis expression changed. “I don’t want you to wash it.” She grumbled, folding her arms.

“What? Why not?” Miguel asked, looking up at you just briefly.

You peered down to look at her as well and she shrank in on herself.

“Cause I don’t wanna play soccer anymore…” she said quietly.

You and Miguel shared a look over her head. He put a gentle hand on her back and bent down so he was at her level. “Why not, mija? You love soccer.”

“I just don’t want to play with Olivia anymore.” She pouted, crossing her arms.

“Who’s Olivia?” You asked.

“She’s on Gabi’s soccer team and…” He looked at her upset expression. “She’s also the one that knocked Gabi over today.”

“She said it was an accident but I know she did it on purpose!” Gabi exclaimed. Her arms were still crossed and she slumped lower where she sat.

“Well, Gabi, if you give up on soccer now I won’t be able to see you play in your big soccer game.” You offered.

“You’re coming to my soccer game?” Gabi immediately perked up, her expression softening.

“If you’re still playing.” You gave her a sly smile.

She sat up, her small hands grasping your shoulders. “I will! I will mama!”

“Ok good!” You laughed as she launched herself into your arms, hugging you tightly.

_______________

After the pizza arrived the three of you ate your fill while another one of Gabis favorite shows came on. Between bites Gabi told you about her friends in her preschool and her teacher.

“Olivia was my best friend but I like Nessa more now!” She sat up higher in her chair, her pizza held carelessly in her hand. “Nessa helped me when Olivia pushed me down.”

“Oh, that was very nice of her.” You said steadying Gabbi in her seat.

“And she likes Chewy just like me!”

“So Chewys World is your favorite show?”

“Yes!” She smiled brightly, making you smile with her. In the pit of your stomach, however, the guilt was starting to rear its ugly head again. Whenever you started to think too deeply you were quickly reminded just how wrong all of this was.

It was strange how quickly you had just accepted this role.

It was even more strange how easy it felt.

You looked over at Gabi, her mouth covered in pizza sauce as she grinned at you. All of your anxieties immediately melted away at the sight of her.

“Silly girl.” You said as you grabbed a napkin and gently wiped away at the sauce covering her mouth. She chuckled before taking another large bite.

“Slow down, Gabi…” Miguel smoothed a hand through her hair.

Once you were all finished eating Miguel said he would clean up while the two of you went and sat back on the couch. Gabi brought a few of her toys to show you while the two of you sat together. When you could tell she was beginning to get tired you put on an animated movie and Gabi laid against you as she watched it.

“You getting sleepy over there, Gabi?” Miguel asked from the kitchen where he was putting way the leftover pizza.

“No papa…” She said as she yawned.

You stifled a laugh. Despite her trying her hardest to stay awake you could tell she was already half asleep. Your eyes met Miguels over Gabis head. His expression warm as he watched the two of you. He wiped his hands off on a kitchen towel and walked back into the living room. Silently he made a motion for you to hand her to him. You moved as slowly as you could, trying your hardest not to wake her. Her head lolled onto his shoulder as he scooped her up.

“Be right back.” He mouthed to you before disappearing down the hall to what you assumed was Gabbis room. Once he was out of sight you grimaced and placed your hands over your face. You flopped fully back on the couch and sighed. As nice as this fantasy had been reality was starting to set in.

It was nice while it lasted.

You heard Miguels footsteps come back into the room and stop right in front of where you were laying on the couch.

“She’s asleep.”

You peeked at him between your fingers, still not moving from your position.

“And I guess that means we need to have that talk now.” He said solemnly. It was almost as if he was dreading this as much as you were. You let out a deep sigh, preparing yourself for however this conversation was going to go.

“I’m sorry.” You offered softly.

“No. Please don’t apologize-”

You sat up quickly. “No Miguel, I do need to apologize.” You looked up at him. “I had only meant to help calm her down a-and now I’m in your apartment and she’s calling me mom and-”

Miguel crouched down to your level and placed his hands on your shoulders, effectively stopping your rambling. “This isn’t on you. I encouraged all of this. If you’re looking for someone to blame then we’re both guilty.”

“What do we do now?” You said shrugging. “And I mean, this doesn’t just affect Gabi, but you too… A woman who looks like your ex pretending to be her?”

He grimaced slightly. “S-she wasn’t my ex.” He was trying to think of an excuse. “She and I…” He trailed off with a sigh and released his hold on you, standing to his full height again. When he couldn’t come up with anything he simply flopped down next to you on the couch.

“I know, I know, you said you two weren’t close but regardless, w-we can’t keep doing this.” You said. “We can’t keep lying to her, right?”

Miguel nodded. “You’re right, we definitely shouldn’t lie to her.”

“I mean what if I move out one day? Or what if you move out?”

Miguel dismissed that idea almost immediately. He had only just found you. He wasn’t losing you any time soon.

“Then she’ll just wonder where her mom went again. That can’t be healthy for a child’s mind, right?” You continued on.

You looked to him expectantly, but he didn’t meet your gaze. What could he say to that?

Again, you were right. He should be thinking about how insane he must sound to you but all he could think about was how concerned you were about how this was going to affect Gabbi. You were putting her above everything else.

Just like a mother should.

You didn’t understand it now, but he’d explain it to you. The multiverse. Gabbi’s universe. The collapse.

He’d tell you whatever you wanted to know.

Then you’d realize none of this was wrong. That this was exactly how it was supposed to be.

With a loud sigh you stood from the couch. “I should go. I-I’ll call you later, I promise. I just need to breathe.” You took a step away from him, heading towards the door but Miguel jumped up to stop you.

“No, Y/N wait-” He caught your wrist when you had one hand resting on the door knob. “I-…” He paused, trying to find the right words.

“Miguel…?” You took a step towards him.

No, not now. This was definitely too soon.

He looked at you ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to lie to you.”

Don’t tell her.

“Ok, good first step.” You said, folding your arms.

DO NOT TELL HER.

“But if I tell you the truth you wouldn’t believe me.”

You rolled your eyes and leaned back against the door behind you. “How about you let me be the one to decide that.”

He took a deep breath, looking you right in the eyes.

“Fine.”

______________

You stared at Miguel in disbelief. He was lying. He had to be. Or he was just crazy. That was definitely and option. Because what he had just told you was the most insane thing you’d ever heard.

Miguel ran a hand through his hair. “Please say something.”

“You know how crazy you sound, right?”

He nodded silently.

“Let me get this straight.” You rubbed a hand down your face. “So, you’re saying… in some alternate universe… you and I-”

“Are her parents. Yes.”

“And in that other universe… both us are-”

“Gone.” He finally looked up at you. “Dead.”

“And somehow you brough her to this universe.”

He nodded silently this time.

“And all of that means that technically…somehow I am actually her mom?”

After a pause he nodded again, still not wanting to speak.

“I-I’m sorry Miguel but, I’m just supposed to believe all of this?” You stared down at him, your arms folded. Miguel shrugged his shoulders from his spot on the couch. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy.

“Wow…I mean of all the excuses to give… an alternate universe is not what I was expecting.” You said sarcastically.

Without a word Miguel stood. He walked until he stood directly in front of you and you tried not to shrink away from his gaze. He reached forward and grabbed your hand softly. Silently he led you down the same hallway he had gone with Gabi but you noticed the hallway in his apartment was much longer than the one in yours. He stopped at a blank wall pressed onto a panel that you couldn’t even tell was there. A large hidden room opened up and you followed him inside. Your jaw dropped as you looked around the room. Miguel immediately began pulling up visuals and diagrams to show you that everything he was saying was true. Video files. Images. He pulled up every single thing he had on the version of you from Gabis universe. One thing in particular made your eyes grow wide. A photo of you- no not you, the other you- in a hospital bed, holding a newborn Gabi in her arms wrapped in a blanket. She looked exactly like you. You took a deep breath and looked at Miguel. He was already looking back at you expectantly.

“T-this is real?” You asked timidly.

He nodded silently, his eyes moving to look at the screen behind you. You followed his gaze and turned back to look as well.

“You really…brought her here from another universe?”

“I couldn’t just leave her there.” He folded his arms. “Her universe… it was dying…”

You turned back to the photo of Gabi as an infant.

“Gabi she- she doesn’t have anyone else.” He continued on. “When I got there her father- the other Miguel, had just been killed.”

You finally turned to look at him then. He was still staring at the screen in front of him, avoiding your gaze.

“But her mom, you… you’d been gone a while.” He took a deep breath before he continued. “Even if that world hadn’t collapsed, she wouldn’t have anyone. No where to go. She’d be an orphan.”

“Even so… I just can’t keep pretending to be her mom-”

“You’re not pretending.” He cut you off. “You are her mom.” Miguel gently grabbed your shoulders causing you to face him fully now.

“And you’ve felt it too, haven’t you?” He peered down at you. “I know you did; I felt the same thing.” He hit a button on the monitor without taking his eyes off you and a baby monitor like video of Gabi popped up. Just the sight of her sleeping so soundly made you smile just a little, she was so cute.

“She’s our kid.”

You turned to face him now, unsure of what to say. He wasn’t wrong. When you had taken Gabriella into your arms there was a familiarity that you hadn’t known you were missing. Even being around Miguel, you felt a pull whenever you were around him. You looked away from him to the video of Gabi. She stretched then changed positions, holding her Hello Kitty plush closely.

“She’s really mine?”

“She is.” Miguel pressed a button and a visual of multiple DNA sequences appeared. “Any blood work or DNA test would say so.”

Wow. This was real. Miguel wasn’t actually crazy. Or maybe he was. Figuring out how to travel between universes might be the work of a crazy person. But, at least he was telling the truth. And after everything today there was no way you could leave Gabi now. You felt a sense of responsibility over her. Now you didn’t have to pretend to be someone you weren’t. But where did that leave you and Miguel?

“So… if we do this… does this mean that we would have to be…” you trailed off, unsure of how to label it.

Married? Dating? Together?

“Yeah… yeah I guess that would have to be a part of it.” He started. “But that won't be too hard, will it?”

Your head snapped to his direction.

“I like you, (Y/N). So, I won’t have to fake anything on my end.”

He took a small step toward you. “I mean, we’ve already had our first date.”

“This is so much bigger than a first date Miguel.”

“Y/N, we’re married and have a kid in another universe. Don’t you think things will go pretty well for us in this universe too?”

“I mean- I don’t know!” You turned away from him. “What if we’re actually not meant to be together? What if we end up hating each other in this universe?”

He chuckled lowly, folding his arms.

“I’m being serious Miguel!” You glared at him. “I mean, what if you don’t like me at all? What if you only think you like me because another you liked me?”

Miguel placed his hands on your shoulders, looking down at you softly despite your harsh glare. “I like you because I like you.”

Your expression softened just a little.

“Us being together in another universe drew me to you, I’ll admit that.” He lifted a hand to caress your cheek. “But, getting to know you… seeing you and Gabbi together… doesn’t it feel like this is how it’s supposed to be?”

“Miguel-” You started.

“Do you think it’s coincidence that you just happened to find an open apartment in the same building as us?”

“I- I…”

He grabs your hands and gently pulls you to him. “This is how it was meant to be.” He gestured to Gabi’s sleeping form on the screen. “We have the chance to be a family.”

A family.

That sounded nice.

You’d always wanted a family of your own. Saff was the only person in your life that had been a constant. Your family, while somewhat loving, had become distant in the past few years.

You had been lonely for so long. You had tried to maintain the relationship with your family but not going down the path they had wanted for you had driven a wedge between you. Trying to keep that relationship going was one of the hardest things you’d ever done. But this?

This was easy.

You’d connected with the two of them so quickly. Maybe it was insane to try to replicate a life another you had but if it worked did it even matter?

You wanted this. An adorable daughter and a dedicated husband? Two people who had somehow found their way into your life without you even having to try. Who were you to fight something that seemed to be happening by fate?

Maybe you shouldn’t.

“Well…what about work? What is everyone going to think when you’re suddenly married to the newest employee?”

“I couldn’t care less what anyone there thinks.” He gives your hands a gentle squeeze. “All I care about is what my wife-” You felt butterflies in your stomach at the way he said that word. “-thinks. Only her and my daughter.”

“Our daughter.” You corrected him.

He grinned broadly. “Our daughter.”