Chapter Text
July 1971
The cool air from the window unit blew coldly against Melanie's arms. Summer was finally here, and Melanie was restlessly waiting for her father to come back to tell her the news she had been waiting for. For months and months, Melanie had been excitedly waiting for her sister to be born, and the day was finally here.
"Are you ready, Mellie?"
Melanie turned away from the outside world at the sound of her grandma's voice. She nodded quietly.
After the death of her father, Melanie and her mother had moved into a tiny apartment on the East Side of San Diego. As time passed slowly, Susan started building a new life for the two of them. Susan met Sam, who was the father Melanie had been missing in her life. As the family grew from two to three, and almost four on the way, Sam Mayfield successfully adopted Melanie, officially giving her a life she never knew she was missing.
After staring out the window of the hospital for what felt like hours, Melanie finally heard her father's voice calling from down the hall.
"Mellie, sweetie, are you ready to meet your sister?" Sam quietly asked her.
Melanie instantly nodded, adrenaline forcing her up and towards her father.
Hand in hand they made their way down the hallway, silently awaiting what was in store for them.
"Here we are." Sam announced as they reached the hospital room.
Melanie's excitement grew and grew. The once loud child silent with anticipation. Slowly, Sam opened the door that would change Melanie's life forever.
"Hi Baby-" Susan started.
"Come here,"
Melanie slowly walked up to the side of the hospital bed watching the crying baby in her mother's arms.
"I want you to meet your little sister, Maxine." Susan continued.
"Maxie..." Melanie said in admiration.
As the Mayfield sisters met for the first time, life changed for Melanie. The three year old decided in that moment that she would be the best big sister Maxine could ever ask for.
"Do you want to hold her?" Susan asked.
Nervously, Melanie nodded her head, ready to hold the sister she quickly learned to love.
Sam helped Melanie sit up against the head of the hospital bed, putting a pillow down to help support baby Maxine.
As they placed the baby in the arms of Melanie, it was like the world had shifted. Maxine stopped crying, immediately comforted by the arms of her big sister. Melanie stared at her baby sister as if she would disappear in the blink of an eye.
Suddenly Melanie gasped.
"She's holding my finger, mama." Melanie said quietly as she felt Maxine's finger wrap around her own.
"She is, baby." Susan smiled at the sight.
"Look at me, sunshine." Sam kneeled down next to the hospital bed.
Melanie looked away from the baby in her arms.
"You're her big sister, Mellie. It's your job to protect her from all the monsters in this world. Especially when me or Mommy aren't around. Can you do that for us?" Sam told Melanie in awe of his two girls. Melanie looked at him with a smile on her face, ready to protect Maxine for the rest of her life.
"Okay, daddy." Melanie started. She looked back down at the baby in her arms with a newfound passion in her heart.
"I'll protect you forever, Maxie."
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