Running through the parking lot
He chased me and he wouldn't stop
Tag, you're it, tag, tag, you're it
Grabbed my hand, pushed me down
Took the words right out my mouth
Tag, you're it, tag, tag, you're it

-Tag You're It; by Melanie Martinez

"Do you think this'll work out?" Sienna turned to look at her husband anxiously. It was early in the morning, and the couple were getting ready for what would be the second biggest day of their lives.

"Everything's going according to plan, Sienna." Jaden, who was fixing his tie in the master bathroom, glanced over at his wife for a moment. "Don't worry so much."

"I know, but this is happening so fast. I didn't think today would. . ."

Before Sienna could go any further, Jaden walked over and embraced her. The couple had been going through a very lengthy adoption process, one that seemed to last an eternity. When the two decided, a year and a half after marriage, to start a family, they noticed problems right away. Sienna had fallen pregnant on three separate occasions, but suffered a miscarriage for all of them. It had been Jaden's idea to go to a doctor. They found out that Sienna's body couldn't physically handle the stress of carrying a baby, which was why she kept losing the baby whenever becoming pregnant. The doctor suggested other methods, like surrogacy, but the couple decided against it. Sienna had claimed she wanted to experience pregnancy firsthand, and if her body couldn't handle it, then maybe it was time to stop trying the old fashioned way. In the end, the couple looked into adoption. Sienna said there were plenty of children who were in need of homes, and she'd be more than willing to take them in. Jaden loved the idea, supporting his wife with her decision.

"This is what we've wanted from day one," Jaden said, his tone soft and comforting. "We fell in love with her the second we saw her, remember?" When Sienna nodded against her husband's chest, he continued. "She hasn't given us any problems," he went on, "she hasn't shown any negative signs with us. That's all that matters, okay?"

"I know," she whispered. "But I'm scared."

Pulling back, Jaden smiled at his wife. "So am I," he replied. "But we'll get through this. You're a Witwicky, right? What's that family motto you have?"

"No sacrifice, no victory."

"That's right." Jaden nodded, kissing Sienna's forehead. "Everything will be just fine. She'll be a wonderful addition to the family."

-0-0-0-0-

Clarissa Gómez, at only six months old, was a very stunning child. Her dark skin and black hair contrasted greatly with her crystal blue eyes, something many believed were signs of mixed heritage. While, on file, it showed that Clarissa's mother was of Hispanic background, there was nothing on the infant's father. Many came to the conclusion that the father chose to leave after finding out the pregnancy, or maybe was unaware of the pregnancy to begin with. It was really hard to say. Around the time of Clarissa's birth, her biological mother not only kept the father's identity a secret, but made it clear she had no intentions of keeping the baby. So, as a result, a newborn Clarissa was put into the system almost immediately after being born. It would take six months before a couple would show interest in taking the child into their home.

Jaden and Sienna Giovanni were a young, childless couple who wanted to start a family. The social worker on their case suggested Clarissa after the couple suggested they wanted to start with an infant, rather than an older child. Right after being shown the six month old, the couple fell in love. It was stated right away that they'd be willing to adopt her. And after months and months of processing and undergoing evaluations, Jaden and Sienna were deemed acceptable candidates for adopting Clarissa. And so, the couple anxiously drove to the location where they'd be able to fill out the last of the paperwork and take their new daughter home. Sienna had gone a little overboard when it came to toys, food, and accessories. Jaden made sure to buy all the necessary items an infant would need; i.e. car seats, cribs, high chairs, etc. They did what they thought was necessary for their new child.

It took a lot of time and effort for Sienna and Jaden to be allowed to have Clarissa in their home. It was almost like a test run for them, before they came to the big final conclusion. The couple's social worker could tell just how eager they were, just how much the child meant to them in the first few moments after meeting. It was like love at first sight for them. It was a heartwarming sight. And after a certain amount of time went by, with Clarissa residing in the Giovanni household, the couple called their social worker to let her know they wanted to keep the infant. They already considered her their daughter; they wanted to make everything official. When everything was settled over the phone, they had a date picked out to do some final paperwork and have Clarissa finally be their official daughter.

"Just think," Jaden said, "in just a few minutes, she'll officially be our daughter."

"God, I'm already starting to cry," Sienna exclaimed, giggling both excitedly and anxiously. "I was starting to think this would never happen."

"It's a good thing we never gave up, though."

"I do feel a little bad, though," Sienna sighed. "Judy offered to be a surrogate for us after the last miscarriage. Do you think we made the right choice saying no?"

"You said you wanted to experience pregnancy firsthand," Jaden said, giving his wife a pointed look. "After the loss of the last baby, I think the decision we made was understandable. I appreciate Judy's willingness to be a surrogate, as well, but it would be hard for her, too."

"I know."

"You're not having second thoughts now, are you?"

"Of course not," Sienna exclaimed. "It's just. . .I don't know. I'm in love with Clarissa, you know this. I started remembering Judy's offer, and I'm wondering if it's too late to ask her if she's still up for it."

A long pause fell between the couple. The air became tense, and Sienna found herself squirming restlessly in her seat. Jaden's lack of response was making her uncomfortable.

"You and I both know we said no to her being a surrogate because she had Sam only months before," Jaden said. The tone of his voice was low, and that made Sienna's stomach knot up nervously. "Sienna, you need to tell me right now if adopting Clarissa is still what you want?"

"I still want to adopt her, I do. It's just all this got me thinking. Sam's almost two now. I'm just wondering if Judy's still. . ."

Jaden placed a hand on his wife's knee, effectively silencing her. It had been a stressful time for both of them. They'd been working towards wanting a family for a while. It was the one thing they've always wanted.

"Why don't we get through this first, okay?" Jaden's voice was firm, leaving no room for arguing.

". . .Okay."

"Good."

-0-0-0-0-

"I'm happy to see you both." Jaden's and Sienna's social worker, Adeline Osbourne, looked at the couple with a warm smile.

"We're happy to see you, too, Adeline," Sienna said.

"How's Clarissa holding up?" Adeline asked.

"She's amazing," Sienna gushed. "She's absolutely amazing. Jay and I love her to bits."

A big smile came across Adeline's features. It was obvious from day one that the couple was already smitten with Clarissa; there was no denying it. The day they were allowed to take the infant home, it was the happiest day of their lives. They expressed on numerous occasions how important children were to them; Adeline was more than happy to help them.*

"Sienna's brother and sister-in-law are watching Clarissa at the moment," Jaden added. "If that's alright."

"Of course," Adeline replied. "I'm sure Sienna's family is more than capable of watching after her."

"They are," Sienna added. "They've got a kid of their own. I'd say it'd do him some good to have a playmate."

Adeline chuckled at the remark. "Well, I've got the paperwork here," she said, motioning to her desk. "All you two have to do is read and sign."

The couple sat down and looked over the paperwork. It all seemed pretty straightforward, and it was pretty much all the same stuff Adeline told them about. The couple would continue to be monitored for a little while, just to ensure Clarissa's safety. The watch-period wouldn't last too long, just long enough for officials to get a good idea on their parenting methods. After Clarissa was taken into the Giovanni household during the family's "trial period," there was heavy monitoring on the family. People were sent down periodically to ensure the infant's wellbeing and safety. Among other necessities being met in the adoption procedures, Jaden and Sienna were seen as capable parents, and their announcement to adopt Clarissa only solidified it.

"Do either of you have any questions?" Adeline asked. "I'd be more than willing to answer any before you sign."

"I. . .think we've got it," Jaden asked. He looked at Sienna for a moment, gouging out her reaction. When she finished reading, she slowly nodded her confirmation. "Yeah, I think we're good."

"Great." Clapping her hands, she gave a pen to the couple to finalize the adoption. "All we need is a signature."

(A/N):

First, I'd like to apologize on how long it took this chapter to be posted. I was having a bout of writer's block, so this was honestly the best I could come up with. Second, I know this chapter isn't the best; hell, it might even be confusing! I don't have a whole lot of knowledge on the adoption process, so if there's anything in this chapter that makes no sense whatsoever, let me know, okay? For anyone who's got adoption experience, whether you've adopted a kid yourself or you were adopted, I'd like to know how it goes so I can fix anything I got wrong in this chapter. I just don't want to offend anyone who's undergone this whole procedure.

Nothing in the Transformers franchise belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the shoes on my feet. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, don't hesitate to let me know. I'll add them in as soon as possible.

Like I said, let me know if there's anything that could use improvement. Help me become a better writer so this story can become better.

Leave a random fact on anything you guys might know. It could be something you've learned recently, or it could be something you've known for a while. I'd love to know!

Au revoir, my friends,

Farrah Czajkowski