The clock chimed, on the hour, signifying 12PM. After nearly 2 hours since Buttercup's fall and injury, things were beginning to improve. The two sat together, helping themselves to more snacks upon the tray. Bellum had taken the courtesy of making the both of them a herbal tea from the staff room and the pleasing, relaxing aroma of camomile filled the office subtly. In order to shift the mood, Bellum began a fresh conversation, based upon more positive memories to help recover from the intense moment they had. Frankly, Sarah felt she couldn't look at Buttercup the same way again.

"It was ridiculous" the tomboy chuckled."Me and Blossom kept yapping back and forth and nothing was working. All it took was for Bubbles to be a sweet little munchkin and ask the monster to leave. I couldn't freakin' believe it, but looking back on it, it's pretty damn funny!"

Bellum smiled contently, but was still concerned about the remaining wound.

"So, you can get on with your sisters if you wanted?"

"Sure I do. We had a day where were stuck in the house 'cus it was raining and we had a fun time pretending to be monsters, having Blossom dress up like mojo... it was awesome"

Sipping more of the tea, which she personally felt was like drinking bath water, the green hued puff continued. "I mean, we're sisters. Obviously we aren't always gonna get along, but they're my family and they mean a lot to me"

"What about before?"

"Huh?"

"Where you said you didn't feel loved. Do you still feel that's the case?" she pondered.

"...Yeah" she replied dimly, surprising the secretary.

The woman thought hard about the circumstance. She'd dare not ask directly why, but figured she'd find out eventually if she proposed the right questioning. "When was the last time you felt loved?"

The girl blinked and looked up at the woman, awaiting an answer. Buttercup wondered for a moment. Truth be told, with the way Bellum had taken care of her, attending to her, listening to her, comforting her... she felt pretty loved then and now, and her cheeks flushed a hard red. Instead, she thought to the last moment before the occurrence that night.

"I guess... the last time was when the Professor saved us from the wicked crazy guy, called Dick. We literally thought it'd be our last exchange of words to him and we said that we loved him... I meant it. I really did. I blacked out and, when I came to, I was in his arms and felt love fill me up, like I had been drained of any hope and strength that was within me. I felt his misery thinking I was gone, his tears, but, a part of me still sincerely doubts he actually shares the amount of love me as he has for my sisters"

"You know what?"

The tomboy scooted over to her to be closer, listening.

"I'll bet you your sisters feel the same way"

"Huh?"

"There's three of you. Each of your sisters and you are probably gonna feel like you're being singled out and underappreciated at points. It doesn't mean that your father loves any of you any less, there are just days where one can feel like that and it can be crushing. You feel like the world is against you, but remember the times in which you've all been there for each other. Remember what you've done for each other"

Sighing, Buttercup rested her head on the woman's lap again, lying on the couch and gazing up at her, like she were speaking to a therapist. "I guess that's true, but I still feel I'm the most unlikable"

"Think of another time somebody was there for you..."

Buttercup remembered a heartbreaking moment, a moment that caused her to doubt the sincerity of anybody's love for her. "My sisters..."

"Hmm?"

"I... kinda liked a guy and he turned out to be a jerk... he tried to distract me while his friends attempted to kill Blossom and Bubbles. They'd come looking for me. At first, I was real mad. I beat that guy like crazy, broke his nose, gave him some uppercuts, properly messed him up... then when I calmed down, I realized what a jerk I'D been, making my family worry about me"

The more the powerpuff thought, the more she remembered times where her sisters were truly there for her. The suspicion of false praise and manipulation was starting to crumble and fade and her mind was starting to clear, like she were emerging from a dense mist, formed by her own confusion and doubt.

"You've been there for me too" she whispered softly.

Although the girl couldn't see beyond the bush of crimson red that engulfed the beautiful woman's head, Bellum was taken aback slightly. "Yes, I have been"

"You were there when my sisters were in trouble, you, the Mayor and Townsville healed us after we fell fighting the RowdyRuff Boys, you made sense of things when Femme Fetale tricked us and when those no good goons dressed up and imitated us when they robbed banks"

"You were there when I was in trouble too"

That's right. When they were fighting Sedusa, Bellum proved herself to be quite the champion, taking on that sinister master of disguise and freeing the girls from her clutches. Bellum had always been there for them and it made the tomboy smile. The woman brought her in for another hug.

"I've always thought of you girls as if you were my own. I know how intense things can be, what you go through. Please, don't feel you have to shoulder so much and on your own, because I'm here for you too. Me, the Mayor, your father. Please have some faith in him. Find time to talk with him and I'm sure he'll understand"

It seemed as if Buttercup had heard everything she needed to that night. It would take some time and, as Bellum said, she couldn't FIX everything, but she could help. Nuzzling the lady, the powerpuff found herself to be cradled in the woman's arms again and she gave a goofy, content smile. An adorable yawn squeaked from the tyke, who was beginning to fall asleep.

"I'll take you home now, you can sleep on the way. You must be exhausted"

"At least I don't have class tomorrow" she yawned again."G'night Ms. Bellum" she whispered, her head resting comfortably in the crook of the woman's arm.

"Sweet dreams, baby girl" cooed Sarah, seeing the nickname was becoming a habit.

Stroking the babe's hair, neatening it from it's previously frizzled state, she began walking out the room, switching off the lights and locking the door. Making her way to her car, she strapped the infant in and they made their way to the Utonium residence. She'd previously given a call, a heads up, to the Professor, who had stayed up just for his girl to come home, the other siblings fast asleep, tucked away in bed. Pulling up outside the house, seeing the warm glow from the family home, Bellum opened the door to fish the snoozing pup from her seat.

"I love you, Ms. Bellum..." the little girl the babe's sleepy statement adorable, she returned the gesture, stroking her head.

"I love you too, Buttercup"

A sweet smile, a tear that fell from the child's cheek, followed by the final blazing light. The last of the bandages fell away and Bellum strode up to the house, with the Professor's child, safe and well.

THE END

(I'm aware this story isn't very smooth and may feel forced and confusing at times, so, I'm sorry about that. I may go over some of the chapters to try and iron things out a bit more, otherwise, I hope you've enjoyed this)