" WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

May groaned. " What is that?!"

" It's Ivy, who else?"

May groaned as she turned to the crib and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, standing up and walking to the crying baby. She picked Ivy up and gently rocked her

" Don't cry sweetie don't cry." She said soothingly. " Shhh, it's okay."

Ivy cooed and nestled closer to May. Drew blinked.

" How'd you do that?!" He exclaimed.

May grinned. " I took care of a baby Manaphy. It thought I was her mother. And we grew pretty close. Here, I'll show you."

She gently shifted Ivy and opened a drawer, picking a scrapbook up and handing it to Drew. " Look through it while I give this one her milk."

" But May it's three in the morning. Can't you wait till later?"

May shot Drew a glare, her eyes sharp despite the exhaustion on her face. "She's hungry, Drew. Do you want her to cry all night? No? Then we're feeding her now."

Drew groaned and flopped back onto the bed, covering his face with a pillow. "This is not what I signed up for..."

May ignored him as she carried Ivy to the small kitchenette, humming softly to calm the baby. Drew sat up reluctantly, reaching for the scrapbook May had handed him. As he flipped it open, a wave of curiosity pushed past his irritation.

The first page held a photo of May holding a small, wide-eyed Manaphy, both of them smiling brightly. Handwritten captions decorated the edges.

"Day 1: Manaphy imprinted on me. Guess I'm a mom now!"

Drew smirked slightly. "Of course it did."

He turned the page to find more pictures-May helping Manaphy swim, feeding it berries, and even tucking it into a makeshift crib. The captions grew more sentimental as the pages went on:

"Manaphy's first steps on land!"
"She called me 'Mama' today. My heart!"
"Saying goodbye was harder than I thought. I'll never forget her."

By the time he reached the last page, which featured a small drawing of Manaphy surrounded by hearts, Drew felt a pang of guilt. He looked over at May, who was now seated with Ivy in her arms, a bottle of milk in hand. Her expression was soft and full of love as she murmured soothing words to the baby.

"You really were a mom," Drew said, his voice quieter than usual.

May glanced at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Told you. And I'll tell you something else-it doesn't matter how tired you are. When someone depends on you, you just... do it."

Drew leaned back against the headboard, running a hand through his hair. "Guess I've got a lot to learn."

"You'll get there," May said encouragingly. "You're not bad with Ivy, you know. She likes you."

"Probably because I'm the one who keeps quiet when she's asleep," Drew muttered.

May chuckled softly. "You're such a drama queen."

"And you're the queen of chaos. We balance each other out," Drew quipped.

Ivy cooed, her tiny hand reaching up to grasp May's finger. Drew watched the moment, a flicker of warmth crossing his face.

"Alright," he said finally. "Next time she wakes up at three in the morning, I'll try to help. No promises, though."

May smirked. "That's the spirit."

And for the first time since Lily had turned their world upside down, Drew felt like they might actually survive this.

" Did you change her yet?" Drew asked hurriedly.

May rushed to the bedroom. " No."

" I can't find the keys!"

" To what?!"

" The car!"

May popped her head out of the room. " Drew. You're twelve."

" So?"

" We don't have a car. And you can't drive."

" Then how are we supposed to get to the clinic for Ivy's.... C- H- E- C- K- U- P?"

" Flygon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to dress the little one."

Ten minutes later, Drew was piloting Flygon while may held Ivy in her arms. Ivy clutches onto a stuffed teddy bear, and May kissed her daughter's head

Ivy was wearing a onesie designed with flowers and vines. On her head May had placed a green bow, and Ivy looked spectacular.

Drew sighed shakily as Flygon landed. " Here goes nothing."

May hopped off. " Don't worry Ivy will be fine."

" Hope so."

" Hello, we would like the check in for Ivy Hayden." Drew said as May cradled her baby

The receptionist gave Drew a chart. " Please fill this out. Doctor Gary Oak will see you shortly."

" Thank you."

Drew sat on a chair and looked at the questions and blinked.

" May?*

" Hm?*

" What am I supposed to write for half of these?"

May leaned over Drew's shoulder to glance at the chart, her brow furrowing. "What do you mean, 'half of these'? Let me see."

Drew handed her the clipboard with an exasperated sigh. "Look at this. 'Family medical history'? What am I supposed to write? 'Time traveler dropped her off; history unknown'?"

May blinked at the form, then groaned. "Oh no... I didn't think about this. We don't even have real documents for her!"

"Yeah, no kidding," Drew muttered, tapping his pen against the clipboard. "What do we put for her date of birth? 'Unknown' doesn't sound great."

May bit her lip. "Uh... let's just estimate. She looks about six months old, so..."

Drew scribbled on the form. "Fine. Six months ago, uh, what's today's date? December 3rd? So June 3rd, I guess."

"Works for me," May said. "What's next?"

Drew skimmed the next section and frowned. "'Known allergies?' How are we supposed to know that?"

"Just put 'none known.' That's what people do when they don't know, right?"

Drew wrote it down, muttering, "We are so underqualified for this."

May rolled her eyes. "We're doing fine. What's the next question?"

"'Parents' full names.'" Drew looked up at May, his pen hovering. "Do we write our names? Or do we admit to being babysitters-turned-unofficial-parents-by-force?"

May sighed, glancing at Ivy, who was happily chewing on her teddy bear. "I guess we write ours. Otherwise, how do we explain her looking like us?"

Drew hesitated, then scrawled May Maple and Drew Hayden under the section. "Alright, but this is getting weird. What if the doctor asks how we managed to have a baby without anyone knowing?"

May waved him off. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"'Family history of illness or conditions?'" Drew read aloud. He glanced at May. "Should I just make something up?"

"Absolutely not!" May exclaimed. "We'll just say it's... not available."

Drew rolled his eyes but wrote N/A. The rest of the form wasn't much easier-questions about developmental milestones, vaccinations, and dietary preferences had them guessing wildly.

"'Does your child interact well with others?'" Drew asked dryly.

May smirked. "Well, she likes Tessa. Put 'yes.'"

By the time they finished, the form looked more like a creative writing exercise than a medical document. Drew handed it back to the receptionist, feeling a mix of pride and dread.

The receptionist glanced at the form, raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "You can head into Room 3. Dr. Oak will be with you shortly."

As they walked down the hallway, Drew whispered to May, "If Gary finds out how little we know, he's going to call Child Services on us."

May shot him a glare. "Relax. It's not like he can tell we're winging it just by looking at her."

Drew snorted. "Let's hope you're right."

They stepped into Room 3, and May settled Ivy on the exam table, whispering to her, "You're going to do great, sweetie."

Drew, meanwhile, was quietly bracing himself for Gary Oak's inevitable interrogation.

Gary Oak stepped into the room with his usual confident stride, clipboard in hand, and immediately paused at the sight before him.

"Whoa, what's going on here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Drew and May immediately jumped, practically throwing themselves into a full-on panic. May fumbled to keep Ivy from toppling off the table while Drew desperately tried to grab a bottle of formula that somehow fell on the floor.

"Wait-no! She's fine! Ivy's fine, we just-uh, just-hold on!" May shouted, her voice rising in panic. "We're fine! We're all good!"

Drew yelped as Ivy's teddy bear went flying across the room, and he lunged to catch it, knocking over a chair in the process. "This is not fine! This is a disaster!"

Ivy, seemingly unbothered, was cooing happily in May's arms, her stuffed bear still rolling away from her. May looked at Drew, then at Gary, her face flushed.

"Ahem," Gary said, his gaze shifting from the chaos unfolding in front of him to the innocent baby in May's arms. He smirked slightly but didn't say anything at first. "Alright, let's... calm down, people. I'm here to help, okay?"

Drew paused mid-scramble, his breathing heavy. "You're here... to help?"

Gary nodded and gestured to Ivy. "Well, yes. I'm the doctor, aren't I?" He then pointed to the exam table. "Let's get started, shall we?"

With a deep breath, May finally managed to get a hold of herself, though her hands were still shaky as she laid Ivy down on the table.

Gary turned to May and Drew. "I'll take it from here. You two seem a little... unprepared."

"No kidding," Drew muttered under his breath.

Gary began with Ivy's eyes, checking them with a small flashlight as he leaned over her with practiced ease. Ivy blinked a few times, slightly confused but otherwise calm, while May and Drew stood frozen, unsure of what was happening next.

"Pupils are responsive, no issues here," Gary said, jotted something down on his clipboard, and moved on to her ears. "Just need to check for any fluid or blockage."

Ivy wriggled a little as Gary gently tugged her tiny ear forward to peer inside, but she only gave a tiny squeal, which quickly turned into a giggle when Gary's fingers brushed her ear.

"Does she do that often?" Gary asked, glancing at May.

May laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah. She's a very laughy baby."

Drew stared at the ceiling. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Gary didn't pause. "Alright, mouth's good-teeth coming in fine, no rashes or redness around her gums." He gently checked Ivy's mouth, watching her curiously as she opened and closed it. "Very healthy little one."

"Uh-huh," Drew said, still trying to act calm. "Great. Healthy. We're just... not sure what to do with her when we leave."

"I'm getting to that," Gary said, unbothered. He moved to the next part of the checkup, starting to slowly take off Ivy's onesie to check her chest and stomach.

Both May and Drew watched anxiously, barely breathing as Gary moved with precision, his hands gentle but firm. He placed his stethoscope on Ivy's chest, and she let out a small, gurgling laugh at the cold sensation.

"Strong heartbeat," Gary remarked, jotting notes down. "Breathing's clear." He moved to her stomach, pressing gently. "No tenderness, good muscle tone."

Drew's eyes widened. "Wait, is this... normal? Are we actually doing this?"

May shrugged helplessly. "I guess so?"

Gary nodded, clearly not concerned in the slightest as he went on with his checkup. "I'm going to need to give her a shot. Shouldn't be a big deal, just a little routine stuff for a baby this age."

"A shot?" May exclaimed, looking horrified. "No, wait-she's fine, right? She's totally fine!"

"I'm not hurting her, don't worry." Gary pulled out a tiny syringe from his kit and smiled reassuringly at Ivy. "She might cry, but it's better this way. You don't want any illness creeping up on her in the future."

Drew winced, clearly nervous. "Oh, she's definitely going to cry. She can't handle this."

Gary gently placed the needle into Ivy's arm, and the baby let out a small squeak, her tiny fists clenched. May's face turned pale as she watched her baby flinch.

To everyone's surprise, Ivy only sniffled for a moment, then blinked and, before anyone could react, broke into a giggle as if it were nothing.

May and Drew stared at the baby, completely dumbfounded.

"Well," Gary said, pulling the needle out with no fanfare. "She's certainly tougher than you two."

Drew, still wide-eyed, looked at May and whispered, "Is she superhuman?"

Gary chuckled, handing them a final sheet of notes. "I'll leave these with you, but I'd say she's perfectly healthy. Just keep up with regular checkups. I'd say she's growing stronger every day."

Drew and May nodded mutely, still trying to process what had just happened.

"Anything else?" Gary asked, giving them an amused look.

"Nope. Nope. Nothing," May answered quickly, her face flushed. "I think we're done here."

"Good," Gary said with a wink. "I'll see you next time, though. I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you two-can't get enough of your chaos."

As Gary left the room, May and Drew stood there, staring at Ivy, who was peacefully cuddled in May's arms, clutching her teddy bear with the biggest, happiest smile.

"Well, we survived," May said quietly, feeling slightly dazed.

"Somehow," Drew muttered. "But what next?"

May looked down at Ivy. "Next? We keep going. One step at a time."

When Max stepped into the house, he paused at the sight of Ivy, who was peacefully nestled in May's arms, her little eyes half-lidded as she clutched her teddy bear. He grinned widely, his hands full of bags from the market.

"Oh, yippie, it's Ivy!" Max said with a mock cheerfulness, throwing his arms up in the air dramatically.

May rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "You're such a dork, Max."

She gently placed Ivy in his arms, her face full of motherly affection. "Here, take her for a bit. And remember what I told you-take good care of her, okay?"

Max looked down at his niece, his eyes softening. He cradled her carefully, a big grin spreading across his face. "Don't worry, I will! I'm the best at babysitting!"

May raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. She'd seen Max with kids before-he had a knack for making them giggle, even if he was a bit over-the-top sometimes.

"Just... don't drop her, okay? You're a little clumsy, and she's still so small," May warned, watching him with a concerned expression.

Max puffed out his chest and gave a mock salute. "I got this! No baby of mine will ever feel the slightest bump. You're looking at the future professional babysitter, right here!"

Drew, who had been in the kitchen, peeked his head around the corner and snorted at Max's overconfidence. "Yeah, Max. Just be careful. You're not exactly a baby expert."

Max shot Drew a playful glare. "Please. I've got this. Don't worry about it."

Ivy cooed in his arms, seemingly oblivious to the banter, and Max's face softened as he looked down at her.

May smiled, feeling reassured. "Alright, I'm going to get some rest for a bit. You can handle her for now?"

Max nodded enthusiastically, rocking Ivy gently in his arms. "Absolutely! Go ahead, May. I've got it covered. I'm basically a pro."

May gave Drew a knowing look, and he just sighed, shaking his head. "Good luck, Max. We're counting on you."

With one last glance at Ivy, May walked off to her room, and Max, still holding the baby with a big grin, watched her go.

"This is gonna be great," Max muttered to himself, rocking Ivy gently. "Don't worry, little one. Uncle Max has got your back."

May walked into the living room, her steps slow and careful, not sure what she'd find. What she saw made her stop in her tracks.

Max, sitting on the floor, had created a little puppet show for Ivy. He was holding up two mismatched socks with drawn-on faces and making them talk in funny voices, causing Ivy to giggle uncontrollably.

"Goo-goo ga-ga, I'm the big sock!" Max said in a deep voice, waving one of the socks around. Then, he switched to a high-pitched squeak. "And I'm the tiny sock! Watch out for the big sock's evil plans!"

Ivy's laughter bubbled up, and she kicked her legs happily, clearly loving the little show. Max grinned like a kid himself, clearly having the time of his life.

May couldn't help but smile at the sight. She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her brother and daughter play.

Max glanced up and noticed May watching them. "Oh, hey, you're back! Ivy and I are having a blast!"

"I can see that," May said, chuckling softly. "You want to feed her some milk now? She's probably getting hungry after all that fun."

Max blinked, looking down at the laughing Ivy, who was still holding onto one of the socks. "Huh? Oh, right, milk." He gently placed Ivy in May's arms, still grinning. "You're right, she looks like she could use a little break from all the sock drama."

May raised an eyebrow. "Sock drama? Really?"

Max shrugged with a wide grin. "Hey, it's an intense world of puppetry."

May rolled her eyes but smiled as she sat down to feed Ivy. "Thanks for keeping her entertained. But next time, try not to give her a sugar rush with all the laughing. She might never sleep."

"I'll keep that in mind," Max said with a wink. He flopped back on the couch, kicking his feet up. "Now I'll be the audience. You're the star, May."

May shot him a playful glare as she fed Ivy, who, despite the earlier excitement, was now content and calm in her arms.

"Sure, Max. You're just lucky she loves you. I'll have to keep an eye on your puppet skills, though. I might need you to do that at the next family gathering."

Max grinned proudly, raising his arms like he'd just won an award. "Best Uncle of the Year, right here!"

May laughed, and Ivy, her mouth full, gave a soft gurgle of contentment, as if agreeing with Max's self-proclaimed title.

Drew burst into the room with a panicked look on his face, causing Max to jump in surprise.

"I'll take Ivy," Drew said quickly, holding out his arms. "You need to take Max to his P-U-K-C-E-H-C!"

May furrowed her brow, completely confused for a second, but then she caught the hint. Drew was trying to spell "check-up" so Max wouldn't hear, clearly trying to avoid an argument.

"Wait-what's that?" Max asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously as he glanced from Drew to May.

May shot Drew a look. "Oh, nothing! Nothing at all! Come on, Max dear, let's go. Time for your check-up."

Max raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed. "What do you mean, 'check-up'? I don't need one. I'm perfectly fine."

Drew sighed in frustration, holding Ivy with one arm. "You're going to love it, Max. I'm sure you're due for one anyway. You want to keep up your health, right?"

May nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! You've been so busy with Ivy that you've forgotten about yourself. You need to go see the doctor, so let's go."

Max groaned and flopped back dramatically onto the couch. "I'm fine, I don't need one! You're just trying to make me go because you think I'm sick!"

Drew shot May a pleading look. "May, please-help me out here."

May sighed and stood up, giving Max an exaggerated smile. "Come on, Max. Let's go. It'll be quick, and you'll feel so much better after."

Max groaned but finally stood up, dragging his feet as he muttered under his breath, "Fine, fine, I'm going. But I'm not gonna enjoy it."

May gently passed Ivy to Drew, who was still holding her, and then grabbed Max's arm, guiding him toward the door. "Trust me, Max, you'll be fine. And who knows? Maybe they'll give you a lollipop afterward."

Max perked up slightly at the mention of the lollipop. "A lollipop? Well... okay, if they give me one, I'll go. But only because you promised."

"Deal," May said, grinning as she gave Drew one last look. "You're in charge of Ivy, okay?"

Drew nodded and waved them off. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

As May and Max headed out the door, Drew looked down at Ivy, who was peacefully sucking on her bottle.

"I guess we're just two adults here, huh, Ivy?" Drew murmured with a sigh, adjusting her in his arms as she cooed softly. "No chaos for us... for now."

But little did he know, the chaos was only just beginning.