Prologue

For the first time in a long time, Zach's life was looking up.

His foster parents, Christine and George Dosil, were pretty cool. Christine was a bit loud, but that was just her volume setting as she ran through life somewhat hectically. George was quieter and was way calmer. The words he seemed to say most were "slow down." Zach had to say that phrase several hundred times a day, so he and George got along pretty well. Christine was better with Jason and Cerulean; they liked going on adventures together, Zach and George following after them with just a little apprehension. Things were going well and Zach had overheard the two talking about permanent placement for the boys.

Zach felt like a big weight had been lifted from his shoulders- there was no more constant worry if the little ones were in sight and out of Dad's way, if there was anything even slightly out of place that could set Dad off, or if Jeremy was looking for a fight. Life hadn't been this simple since Mom left four years ago.

It hadn't taken long for a morning rhythm to take shape in the Dosil house; the Barbers were not the first foster kids to live there. George made breakfast and Christine set out the backpacks for the little ones. Zach was in charge of lunches, which Jason and Cerulean put in their own bags. Christine had to hurry off to work before they went to school. When it was time to go, Jason and Cerulean put their backpacks on. Jason pulled his on with all the precision of a brain surgeon, the straps having to sit exactly right on his shoulders. Cerulean swung hers on with Fred in one hand, the bear flying through the strap. Zach threw his over his shoulder and ushered them outside. George ambled out after them, taking in the lovely weather.

"I wanna sit by the window!" Cerulean said, bouncing in front of the car door.

"But it's my turn to sit by the window!" Jason protested. Zach sighed as he tried to remember whose turn it was. This was pretty much a daily argument. Christine wanted them all in the backseat of the car, because even though Zach met the height requirement, he still hadn't met the weight requirement for sitting in the front seat. And Zach, they had discovered, got nauseous if he didn't sit next to a window, so the little ones had to rotate who got the other one.

"You had the window yesterday, Cerulean. You're in the middle, come on." Zach took his sister by the hand as he opened the car door, pulling her in after him. Cerulean huffed as she climbed into the middle booster seat.

"Fred doesn't like the middle…"

"Well, Fred needs to learn to share," Zach said. Jason beamed as he sat in the booster seat next to the right window. George leaned in over him.

"We all good in here? Remember everything?" George asked.

"Yep!" Jason chirped.

"All good," Zach echoed. Cerulean muttered darkly into the matted fur on Fred's head. George, who was used to at least one kid being annoyed with their seat, just chuckled and shut the car door. Zach turned to his grumpy sister. He gave her a long look until she turned to him.

"What?" Cerulean said, voice still muffled by fur.

"Let's get down to business," Zach began. Cerulean lifted her head, clutching her bear tightly.

"To defeat the Huns," she said, quite serious.

"Did they send me daughters?" Jason picked up as George got in the car.

"When I asked for sons!" all three sang.

Disney was the sound of the morning ride. Zach personally thought he was getting a little old for Disney, but the little ones liked it. Cerulean wanted to be Belle when she grew up. Jason wanted to be a mermaid. So Part of Your World, Under The Sea, Belle, and Tale As Old As Time followed I'll Make A Man Out of You. They were in the middle of Be Our Guest when Jason shrieked.

Things happened fast after that. Zach felt the whole world suddenly fly to the left, screaming flooding his ears. He hit his head on the window with a smack and glass shattered somewhere on his right. The world stopped moving as suddenly as it had started. Zach impacted the door with a crack in his arm that he knew well. His head spun as he took in the situation.

The screaming had stopped. Zach's arm was definitely broken and something warm was trickling down his face. Three of the four door windows had shattered, both the right side windows and George's window. The windshield was cracked and- and the backs of the front seats were splashed with blood. Zach, heart in his throat, turned to his right.

The sight he was met with burned in his brain as he screamed, and it would give him nightmares for the rest of his life.