Erin stumbled into the darkening night as the first drops of a rainstorm were starting to make their way down to the earth. She shivered and clutched her arms around her, the thin t-shirt and ripped jeans she was wearing were doing nothing to keep her warm. Every part of her body was drenched with fatigue but she kept stumbling forward. Every step forward was a step away from home and away from them.

She wasn't even sure what part of London she was in now, she was so lost and she knew she couldn't keep going on like this but Erin knew she couldn't go home either. The rain was coming down faster now and made Erin shiver even more in the cold night. Erin had been on the streets for more than a month now and it was taking its toll on her, every inch of her body was protesting at each step that she took forward. Her limbs were getting heavier and she felt the strength being sapped out of her. As she just about managed to lift her head she found she was in front of a tall gate enclosing a car park, Erin forced herself onwards and summoned up every last bit of strength in her body and someone managed to pull herself up and over the gate.

As she descended she felt her body slip from underneath her as her numb and cold hands lost their grasp on the gate,. She fell to the ground with a thud but the coldness that plagued her body seemed to numb the pain. She was bordering on exhaustion now, she pulled herself a couple of paces further and then felt her eyes begin to close, she curled up in a tight ball and as the torrential down pour began and the winter wind whipped around her, she slipped into a state of unconsciousness, with every atom of energy seeping out of her and into the bleak night.

"Hello?" a voice brought Erin back round and she slightly uncurled herself and squinted at the early morning light.

As her eyes began to focus she saw an older man crouching in front of her with a worried look on his face

"Leave me alone" Erin growled she only wanted to be left all alone; she had given up and was too exhausted to carry on.

She pushed herself into a sitting position and internally winced as her body screamed in protest; she shivered violently and decided that the weather wasn't going to make things any easier for her any time soon

"I can't do that…" the man said gently "What's your name?"

Erin froze in shock, if she gave him her name, she knew he would call the police and she would have to go home again. She knew she had to go and she gingerly forced herself up, the world began to spin and before she knew it she felt her knees fall from underneath her and she started to fall towards the ground. But the impact didn't come and as she glanced upwards she saw this man had caught her just in time. She could feel his warm body against her as he helped her sit back down, his touch was gentle and she could see the concern in his eyes.

He was soothing her now, telling her that it was okay; she wanted to believe him she truly did. Erin looked up at him as he took his jacket off and gestured for her to take it. Erin's mind was protesting telling her that it was a trap but her body urged her to get closer to any warmth that she could. She tentatively took the jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders immediately feeling the warm effect of the material.

"You're going to freeze if you stay out here any longer" he said softly

"I don't care" Erin was full of bitterness and she had truly given up on herself

"I do" Erin was surprised at these words, he was the first man, no…the first person to ever say that about her. She could hardly keep up with what he with what he was saying, she caught his name…Leo and that he was a doctor and he wanted her to come with him

"Five minutes" Erin said firmly and she was determined that he was not going to find out her name

He nodded and gave a brief but warm smile as he held out a supporting arm to her. She took it and he helped her to her feet, Erin winced as her body screamed protest. But Leo was patient and took his time with her, keeping his grip steady on her but making sure he wasn't hurting her.

Erin wasn't sure where he was leading her but there was something about this man that stirred something deep down inside of her. Emotions that she hadn't felt in so long were coming to the surface. Even though she had only just met him and she hardly knew him, Leo made Erin feel safe and cared for. Erin didn't quite know where she was going to, she didn't know what was going to happen to her but right now she knew that she was with the only person in the entire world that had ever showed any kindness towards her. She glanced up at him and he gave her a warm smile, she tried to return it but her muscles were too busy shivering. There was something about his smile that renewed a hope in Erin, something that had disappeared from the young girl a long time ago.

"Erin?" the seventeen year old go looked up and saw Leo smiling down at her, a merry expression playing across his face

"Sorry" she blushed as she realised how lost in her thoughts she had been

"You were a million miles away" Leo chuckled sitting down on the sofa next to her "Where were you?"

Erin leaned into Leo feeling the same comforting warmth that always made her feel secure

"I was thinking about the day you found me" Erin said quietly

"Ah" Leo nodded knowingly

"It's been a whole year" Erin said looking up at him

"And how you've grown" Leo said wrapping his arms around her

"Thank you" Erin said snuggling into his chest

"For what?" Leo said looking down at his adopted daughter

"For caring enough not to walk away from me"

Leo smiled and pressed a kiss in the top of her head "I'll always be here for you Erin and I promise I'll never walk away from you"

Erin nodded and sniffed back a couple of tears, as she looked out into the cold evening she knew that finally she had found home and when she was with Leo she knew she was never going to be alone again.