Lucy sat in the crook of Laxus' arms. He tightened his grip around her waist, before sighing. "I gotta go, Lucy. Those damn people from Lamia Scale need me there by 5."

The female planted a kiss on his lips, and wiggled off him. "I'll miss you."

Laxus gave his girlfriend a teasing smile, "I sure hope you do."

He rolled up the last of his clothes, and packed it into his charcoal suitcase. Scrolling down the hallway, with Lucy not far behind, Laxus stopped in front of a door, and opened it slightly. Inside, sat a girl, cross-legged, with a solemn pout on her face.

"Cana?" Laxus called.

The girl still sat there, eyeing him carefully.

"I'm leaving now. I might see you round, kay?"

Brown locks fell around her face. "You're leaving," She stated bluntly. "Just like everyone else."

The man sighed, having to put up with yet another silent tantrum. Pushing past the white down, Laxus crouched down in front of the girl. "Don't do this, Cana. It was inevitable, and you know it."

Now looking up at him, with her beautiful purple irises, Cana sniffled. "Whatever."

"See ya round, kiddo." Laxus squished Cana into a tight embrace, to which she punched him and yelled out in annoyance.

Laxus then stood up and began to walk out, until Cana spoke quietly. "If I don't find my dad, can I come back here?"

He shrugged, "You do that anyway. But, you're always welcome here."

Lucy frowned, as Cana hadn't turned up to dinner. Again.

As a foster carer, it was her job to look after every single child who turned up onto her doorstep. Most kids listened to Lucy, and obliged without a seconds hesitation. But sometimes, there were the odd one or two who would give her grief.

Cana had turned up on Lucy's front porch 113 days ago, with nothing but clothes covering her body, and a mysterious-looking leather bag swung over her shoulder. She was only a teenager, left at Lucy's house. Confused, and in shock, Cana tried several times to run away. And try she did, it only got her so far until the police had caught up with her.

One day, Laxus came home to check up on his girlfriend, who was on the verge of insanity. After constantly watching Cana until she had fallen asleep, Lucy hadn't gotten much shut eye. So, he insisted on introducing himself to the new girl, in order to give Lucy a break.

During that time, an unexpected event occurred. Cana had taken a liking to Laxus. The man could easily relate to Cana. The problems she battled, were much like the ones he faced during his childhood. Lucy could never connect to Cana as Laxus did. And now that he was gone, she was left to struggle with the loose grip she had on Cana.

"Teenagers," Lucy grumbled to herself, hoping to lighten the mood.

She passed through the long corridor and banged on the door that Cana was haunting. "Dinner's ready Cana."

"I'm fine," came a mumble from the other side off the door. Her voice like silk, was somewhat alluring; calling to Lucy.

The blonde women stepped forward, twisted to iron handle, and pushed through. Breaking the barrier between Cana and sunlight. Seriously. The curtains had been shut, and a sickly smell filled the room. It was scent of dirty clothes, and something more…sweet.

Alcohol?

Switching the light on, Lucy let her eyes adjust before gasping. Cana was stuffing a brown bottle back into the leather bag that Lucy had seen earlier on. "Cana!"

Cana now seemed quite relaxed, "Oops, sorry Lucy. Looks like you caught me." She then raised her shaky hands, and sarcastically admitted defeat.

"Cana, you're 15. How can you be drinking! It-It's illegal." Lucy wasn't quite sure how to handle this situation. Never in her years of being a foster carer had she ever stumbled across something like this.

"I dunno what to say."

These children need help. It stung Lucy's eyes just thinking about it. "Give me the bottle."

Cana popped the bottle snugly down her jumper. "I don't want to."

Lucy breathed in, "Please give it to me."

"Nope." Cana stood up, and jumped onto her bed. She folded her arms across her chest and sniggered.

Lucy leapt across the room, and onto the bed. "I will rip it from your hands if I have to."

"If you can catch m-" Cana's cocky comment was brought to a halt. Lucy wrapped her hands around the teen, and attempted to grab the beer bottle.

"H-Hey," Cana growled, beginning to feel agitated.

They wrestled for a few minutes until both of them gave up.

"I thought," Lucy panted before continuing, "You kids were supposed to be full of energy."

Cana scoffed, "My lover," she pointed to the bottle, which still remained down her jumper, "Isn't doing my any favours. Physically anyway."

Lucy rolled over and eyed the girl carefully. Studying her. "Then why do you do it?"

"It calms me down. And I'm not as anxious that way," came the calm reply.

"Yeah?" Lucy began to feel the slightest bit happy. "Anxious about what?"

Cana sneakily took a sip of alcohol, and passed it to Lucy, "Finding my dad."

Lucy joined in, and finished the bottle, "What happened to your parents?"

Cana fell into a slow rhythmic pattern when she told Lucy her story. Her past.

"So yeah. He's the only family I've got left."

"Jeez," Lucy breathed out, "That's got to be hard."

Cana shrugged, "I get by."

The two girls laid in the room, and both fell into a deep sleep. The stars danced on the window, the moonlight drabbled on the ceiling.

A week had passed, and the girls had finally opened up to each other. Sooner or later, they had become friends.

One morning, tired-eyed and sleepy, Lucy got up early, and decided to write some more of her story. Careful not to wake Cana up, Lucy tip-toed into the study, and quietly spun on her chair. Dabbing her feather into some ink, she allowed her shoulders to sag, and set her mind free. It was the children that gave her inspiration, so the children, she would write about.

Cana is a strong and independent woman. When I first met her, the asperity in her voice hinted at the pain she tried so hard to cover up. People accuse Cana of being a rebellious, drunken teenager. Her mother's death, and the fact that her father immediately abandoned her afterwards are just ripples of hardships that she has tried to overcome with alcohol. The second-best substitute to friends. Besides, how can you have friends if you're constantly moving from place to place? Nowhere to call home. No solid foundation of which you can build a life from.

When Cana isn't in a foster home, she's living on the streets, hoping that her father- whose appearance is unknown to her- walks by, and perhaps considers taking her home.

People are so quick to judge these days. They walk past her on the streets, thinking she's just another addict who screwed up her own life. There are so many other factors people don't consider. So passing her by, it never crosses their mind that maybe she doesn't have a place to stay for the night, because she's too polite to ask for help, or that she's too young to understand that it won't bruise her ego, or that her family raised her to be proud.

Four months ago, it was decided that Cana would stay with me. But, it was only a week ago that I happened to stumble across her backstory.

Tomorrow, Laxus' dad, Makarov Dreyar, is picking Cana up. He's going to take her to his adoption centre. Kids above the age of 12 only have a 30% chance of being adopted. That's 3 in 10 teenagers. I want to make those numbers rise at the very least. I'm sorry I can't do anything now.

I wish you all the best, Cana Alberona.