Authors note – Seeing as Kayla Louise has ceased writing I have been giving permission to use her stories any way I please, so here after a revamp, title change and new characters here's a story for your enjoyment.
Disclaimer – Don't own CSI, own this story partly please read above statement to find out what that means, please enjoy and leave a review.
You know I've gotten so used to seeing these same four walls they have become embedding into my being, everywhere I turn I can see them. Horrible plain white walls, they have no character and they wonder why so many kids in the foster home beg and plead to get out of it. Me and my twin sister are not so lucky, being thirteen and might I add quite feisty, nobody wants to risk fostering us or better yet adopting.
You would think with names like Harmony and Grace people would jump at the chance, but nope not even a hand shake or a pat on the back, we often feel invincible dead to the world a mere speck a nobody in this unforgiving planet.
At least Grace has school to look forward too, me on the other hand couldn't care less. I'm as much an outcast there as I am at the foster home; at least Grace has friends a social group outside the home, I on the other hand have few friends needless to say I'm a social outcast. We don't own much our school books are tattered and torn and have offensive words scribbled all over them some so obscure many of our teachers give us detention for , something which I hate and detest them for, but Grace accepts with open arms. I sometimes wonder about my twin, she does worry me.
All we want in life is too be cared for, even loved and as god is our witness next time we have an adoption rally at the home were going to make every effort to find a family that will change our life's for the better.
You know it goes beyond me the logic of some people, adults especially. The only friend I have in this prison was attacked by one of the other girls in this hell hole. Casey Whitley a complete and utter nutter, attacked Brianna Johnson a twelve year old who suffered the worst thing to happen to anyone. Weirdly though Casey has never attacked Grace, weird that.
Two weeks ago Brianna came home from school to find her home in flames and her parents and little sister missing she can remember the CSI's that dealt with her, maybe I can remember oh yes her name was Sara Sidle and her colleague was Catherine Willows the two nicest people we have met yes we have met Catherine often comes to see Brianna. I have a sneaky suspicion that at the next adoption rally Miss Willows will adopt Brianna and once again Grace and I will be left in this sest pit of doom.
Anyway back to Brianna I honestly can't blame Casey attacking Brianna but on the other hand I can and will condemn it. If you lived here you would seriously consider hurting or killing someone just to get attention and that's exactly what happened with Casey. Hey I may even decide to use psychotic tendencies to get out of here. Not that my level headed twin sister Grace would approve.
Two weeks after Brianna was attacked it's the day of the adoption rally and here I am sat in Brianna's bedroom plaiting her hair and helping her get dressed, while Grace is painting Brianna's nails it's pretty difficult for Brianna to do anything with her arm in plaster and leg in plaster, I mean I class Brianna as my little sister even though Grace was only five minutes younger, not that Grace ever lets me forget it either I still look out for Brianna as if she was family.
Once we are finally ready to go the hype of activity in other words the zoo, well that's what it feels like when loads of eyes are watching and waiting for your next move, goodness sometimes I dare not cough.
We walk into the room to find Catherine with her daughter Lindsay; yes we all know Lindsay Catherine brought her once to meet us, nice girl very bubbly though. Even Sara stood in one corner obviously feeling out of place, well wouldn't you when you're in a blue jumpsuit and smell as if you're wearing perfume ala dumpster. It makes me Grace and Brianna giggle when everyone walks past them with their noses in the air and turning a slight shade of green. Lindsay sees us and runs towards us not too sure whether that's because she's happy to see us or running away from the smell patrol well just about to find out.
"Hey guys, hi Brianna how you feeling today?" Lindsay squeals giving each of us a friendly bone crunching hug "God I just had to get away from those two talk about smellorama"
"Hi Lindsay" Brianna replied giggling "I would like you to meet my best friends Harmony and Grace"
"Hi Harmony, Hi Grace I love your names" Lindsay remarked smiling sweetly at each of us "hey come and say hello to my mom and Sara, but I will warn you hold your nose"
"Uhh ok" I reply feeling weird uncomfortable if I may "Thanks I like my name too"
"Ok then let's go" Grace replies excitedly.
I mentally groan inside, honestly how dumb was that 'thanks I like my name too' ahh complete and utter idiot and all that Lindsay does is smile and hook her arm through mine whilst Grace helps Brianna over to the waiting and somewhat very smelly adults. You know if I'm totally honest Lindsay made my day putting her arm in mine the only other people I have ever let do that are Brianna and Grace.
"Hi Brianna, how are you sweetie?" Catherine asked smiling at us all before looking at the clothes she wore "Sorry about the smell we just finished a case"
"We know we can smell you" Brianna replied looking at Sara "Hi Sara"
"Hey" Sara replied looking towards myself and Grace "Hi Harmony, hi Grace"
"You remembered our names?" I reply in shock "You ok Sara? Well apart from smelling awful"
"Harmony that wasn't nice" Grace shouted glaring at me "Of course Sara remembers our names, honestly"
"Well that was nice" Sara replied holding her hand on her heart and showing a pouted lip.
"What are you Sara? Twelve?" Lindsay asked "Stop pouting I mean Brianna is twelve and doesn't pout and I don't know how old Harmony or Grace are"
"Were thirteen" I reply pointing to Grace whilst talking "How old are you Lindsay?"
"Thirteen well actually fourteen, it's my birthday today" Lindsay replies before turning towards her mum and then back at us "Ok can you go and ask if you can come to my birthday party tonight?"
"No" We all reply in unison looking down towards the floor as if we had just been shouted at for no reason.
Lindsay, Catherine and Sara stand there in shock, you know maybe they deserve an explanation as do you all. Grace looks up from the ground and starts to explain.
"Our group home prison wardens will never let us out well only if you count school but Harmony can't stand school and I like it a lot but stick by my sister as you do" Grace explains holding my hand as she does "Anyway the only other option is adoption and I very much doubt that it is an option for you all right now, with your jobs and family,
"Well not totally Brianna has a chance of finding her haven her family" I state looking at everyone before looking back at the floor "Nobody wants thirteen year old twin sisters!"
"Why not?" Lindsay asks turning to her mum and Sara "Surely they will allow you out for one night at least, it's not like my mom and Sara would kidnap you for Christ's sake"
"Lindsay it's not that simple" I reply looking directly at Lindsay "They only let us out for school or if we get adopted and as either are an option needless to say our room is the only thing I see twenty-four seven"
"I don't want to stay here anymore" Brianna groaned "I want to go to Lindsay's party"
"Brianna it's just not an option" I sigh turning away and letting go of my sisters hand "Now if you excuse me I'm going back to my room, there's nothing here for me"
"Harmony wait" Brianna shouts the emotion clear in her voice "Please let's try"
"No Brianna" I shout back wanting to get away and punch something to release my growing anger "Have fun and I'll see you later, that's if you aren't adopted by then"
"Harmony wait!" Grace yells but I don't wait, what's the point?
I slowly walk away letting the tears fall, I don't get it I don't usually cry but for some strange reason today I do. I'm soon brought out of my trance by a hand on my shoulder and by the smell it's either Catherine or Sara.
"Harmony? Harmony please turn around" Sara pleads turning me around gently by my shoulder "Look if you want to have fun they can't stop you"
"Oh yeah how do you know?" I snap whipping my shoulder from Sara's hand "You don't know anything about me or my life in here, how it's a daily battle for me and Grace not to be beaten up for no reason, just go"
"No I'm not going" Sara replies placing her hand on my shoulder again "I know how you feel, what you're going through I went through it too"
"Really?" I ask wiping away at my tears "How come?"
"Well my mom and dad would argue, it got violent and my mom killed my dad" Sara said sighing "I was taken into a home just like this and never left till I was eighteen"
"Is this meant to give me hope or what?" I ask sharply getting annoyed again "Don't get me wrong but if you were in a home till eighteen, what hope have me and Grace got?"
"You have every hope going, you just need to make more effort" Sara said slapping her forehead after her comment came out her mouth.
"More effort? How much more effort could we do?" I yell breathing in and out deeply trying to control my anger "Tell me this Sara, we get ourselves dressed make ourselves look presentable and what does it get us? Nothing nobody wants us"
"Come back to the room and me and Catherine will see what we can do for you Grace and Brianna" Sara starts gently tugging my shoulder "I promise I will help to make your life better"
"Yea in my dreams" I whisper saying my next statement louder "Fine whatever"
I walk back towards the meeting room to find Lindsay, Grace and Catherine cuddling into a sobbing Brianna and I know I did that I promised I would never hurt her feelings and what did I do? I hurt them. I walk slowly over to them and I'm instantly pulled into a hug by Lindsay, I'm in shock but at that moment I let three years of hurt flow out onto to Lindsay's shirt.
"I don't want to stay here" I sob "Nobody likes me here apart from Brianna and Grace, nobody likes me at school they all pick on me and they hate me"
"Mom can we do something to help them?" Lindsay asks holding my hand tightly "Can we take them away from here, I mean like foster them or something?"
Before Lindsay receives her answer Catherine is on her feet and looking directly at Sara, who stand up as if ready to run, I know I would.
"Sara come with me" Catherine responds practically pushing Sara towards the door "We are getting Brianna, Harmony and Grace out of here right now, tonight if we must"
And with that Catherine was out the door, at least Sara stayed a few moments more and turned to Lindsay.
"Ok, Lindsay ring Nick and Warrick and tell them where we are" Sara says following Catherine not even waiting to know if Lindsay was dealing with her request.
Lindsay looked at us shook her head giggled slightly and looked out towards the garden.
"I have a question are you allowed to go out into the garden over there?" Lindsay asks making her way over even without the answer being given.
"Yeah but we will be watched" I reply looking towards the head of the home who's glaring at us, if looks could kill we would be dead about now "It's a wonder they don't watch us on the toilet"
"Ewww" Brianna exclaimed pushing open the glass panel doors to the garden "Come on let's go into the garden, if we get the idiot patrol then so be it"
I follow Lindsay, Brianna and Grace out into the garden and smile you would think they had been family for all their lives, holding hands and friendly hugs something also I only just received tonight from Lindsay normally it's a stick or shoe that contacts my body but I'm so used to that it's become second nature if they miss me one day they are either off school on strike or just generally haven't seen me. I'm brought back to Earth by Lindsay's kind voice.
"Hey dreamer" Lindsay shouts waving at me "Over here"
"Yeah sorry" I reply walking at what you would call a snails pace "Just thinking"
"Yeah well can you think later" Lindsay replies grinning "Here I'll push you on the swings"
"How can you push me on the swings?" I ask totally confused "How is that possible?"
"We Willows women are multi skilled" Lindsay replies "While you were in a land of your own I phoned Nick and Warrick and also ordered Pizza"
"Plus hello twin alert I can push Brianna while Lindsay pushes you" Grace explains rolling her eyes at me.
"Have you seriously ordered Pizza?" Brianna asks licking her lips at the sheer thought of pizza.
"Oh yeah Uncle Nick and Warrick are bringing it with them" Lindsay replies noticing I'm still walking slowly to the swings "Now Harmony get on the swing"
I run the last few steps to the swing set and climb on and I can't contain my laughter I have two new best friends a wonderful sister and they like me for what I am. I Harmony Jane Paris thirteen years of age a human being with feelings have friends and adult ones too, could my life get any better? Well only time will tell well for now I'll be happy just being around Brianna, Lindsay and Grace.
Twenty minutes later and I saw two men walking over to me, Brianna, Grace and Lindsay juggling a pizza box and a cooler box.
"Lindsay who are these guys approaching us?" I ask slightly off guard when strange men were approaching me
"Uncle Nick, dad hi!" Lindsay squealed happily, well that answered my question.
"Oh dad meet my new friends Harmony, Grace and Brianna!"
"Hey ladies!" Warrick replied smiling at us all "Now who would like some pizza? Lindsay where is your mom?"
"Inside somewhere, she is dealing with something at the minute!" Lindsay replied turning to me, Grace and Brianna "Come on guys tuck in!"
"Hi I'm Brianna, what is your name?" Brianna asked holing out her hand to Warrick.
"Hello Brianna I'm Warrick, Lindsay's step dad!" Warrick replied nicely pointing to Nick "Beside me is my best buddy Nick!"
"Hi Nick" Brianna giggled then noticing I was quiet "Harmony you ok?"
"Yeah fine, pleasure to meet you sir!" I reply politely "My name is Harmony Jane Paris and my sister, twin sister is Grace Louise Paris"
"Well hello Harmony, nice name!" Nick replied smiling at me" Hi Grace"
"Hi Nick nice to meet you sir" Grace replied politely, she always has been the politer twin.
"Thanks, have you got a Texan accent sir?" I ask smiling at Nick starting to trust him, but only slightly.
"I sure do, even Sara likes my accent!" Nick replied crouching down in front of me, boy he was a tall guy.
"I can see why!" I reply "So how long have you lived in Las Vegas?"
"Oh about six or seven years" Nick replied "How long have you lived here?"
"Too long" I reply my attention turning to the pizza box to my left hand side "Hey Lindsay, Brianna, Grace don't eat all the pizza"
"Well hurry up we are hungry!" Brianna replies before shoving more pizza in her mouth.
"Don't worry Harmony I have an extra one" Nick whispered "You want some?"
I'm about to reply when Sara and Catherine reappear in the garden at least with the wind they didn't smell that bad now.
"Hi Nicky honey, see you met the girls!" Sara said clutching a clear plastic bag with lemons in it "Hi Harmony sweetheart, how would you like it if you and Grace could come and live with me and my boyfriend?"
"Yes please!" I reply grinning happily for once hugging Grace who is equally happy "Does this also mean I get more pizza?"
"Yea it sure does" Nick replied with a heartfelt laugh "Welcome to the family Harmony and Grace!"
"Thank you Nick, Sara!" I reply hugging Nick the first man I have hugged in quite some time "When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible I hope" Grace stated already making her way indoors.
"Does this mean that Harmony, Grace and Brianna are coming to my party?" Lindsay asks looking at all the adults; I can't help but roll my eyes at her daft question, but oh well.
"It sure does Lindsay" Catherine replied hugging her daughter "Now go collect your belongings girls and we can get out of here!"
"Can you help me?" Brianna asked Catherine scuffing her shoe on the floor nervously.
"Yeah sure, want Lindsay to help too?" Catherine replied hugging both Lindsay and Brianna "Brianna how did you break your arm and leg?"
"I was bullied but Harmony and Grace were there to help and even helped me into this dress tonight!" Brianna replied pointing to her dress "Harmony did my hair and Grace did my nails!"
"That was very nice Harmony!" Sara said hugging me "Where's Grace?"
"I can be nice at times; maybe I should warn you I'm what they call a wild child!" I say shrugging my shoulders "Grace is eager to pack I'm guessing"
"I was a wild child myself Harmony!" Sara replies "Don't worry about Nick is already going grey!"
"I am not grey!" Nick protest "I happen to have different shades of colour in my hair"
"No Nick you are grey!" I say siding with Sara who giggles
"Great they have already started ganging up on me, Warrick man good luck!" Nick says turning to Warrick who was tickling Brianna.
"Warrick stop that tickles!" Brianna says through her giggles.
I stand and watch as Warrick makes my best friend giggle and Brianna is actually enjoying it; it makes me smile and also makes me feel glad that Brianna has found someone like Warrick that could make her laugh. Granted Nick had made me and Grace laugh but I think and also believe that he is more cautious around us, had Sara told Nick about us? I don't really know but what I do know is that we were escaping this hell hole for a while, not sure how long but it any length of time away from here was a good thing and I would welcome that with open but cautious arms.