Elizbeth and Ben Finnley walked into the orphanage, equal parts excited and equal parts scaried. The couple had come to adopt a child, a boy they think because Ben had always wanted a son. When the couple got married, they were both young and vibrate and were eager to start a family of their own but after a tragic stint with cervical cancer Elizabeth was rendered infertal. They could never have kids of thier own. They threw themselves into thier work, they traveled and watched thier neices and nephews grow up but they were still missing something. So here thy are, so many years later, at an orphanage. To pick some lucky child to take home with them and make part of thier family.

"Hello?" Elizabeth tapped a woman on the shoulder.

"Wha- Oh! Hello! You must be the Finnleys! They said you would be coming. I'm Sara Rodgers and I'll be helping you through the adoption process. Come this way, the kids are over here." She shook thier hands and lead them over to a different room. They walked in and saw kids of all shapes and colors playing with old toys and yammering away. A few came up and introduced themseves but they didnt seem right to them. Suddenly one caught Mrs. Finnley's eye.

"Who is that?" She asked, pionting over to the little boy, who looked to be four years old. He was sitting on a worn yellow beanbag chair by a small bookshelf in the corner of the room. The child had brown, wavy hair and seemed extremely into the book he was reading, it was a rather thick book for a kid his age, she noticed. What use would a child that small have with a book like that?

"Oh, thats just Lance. I don't think you want him. I mean he is a very sweet child but, um, you see he was put in a... bad home." Sara hestitated a second. "The foster father beat him pretty bad. Whipped him. He has got some really nasty looking scars forming on the backs of his shoulders. He has been having trouble in school and with the other children, and its a shame because he's a nice boy and he used to be so social but lately, I don't know, he has been pushing away. His shrink cant get through to him. If progress isn't made soon... I just don't know." She sighed and shook his head.

"I'm going to talk to him." Elizabeth decided with a nod, head over to the boy. Sara went to stop her, but was stopped by Ben.

"Don't." He laughed, looking proud. "When she wants to do something there's no stopping her." Elizabeth went over and sat in the red beanbag chair next to Lance. Her heart ached for this child. Who could be so cruel to such a precious child? He didn't seem to notice her presence beside him.

"Hello?" She asked softly, making him jump slightly in his seat. Her heart twinged in sadness. The child glanced at her for a second before looking away. "My name is Elizabeth, whats yours?" Another glance, no response. "You like that book?" She smiled when he nodded shly. "Mind telling me what its about?" Her mind swam in confustion when he sat the book aside and held a small, shakey hand out to her.

"H-hi, I-I-I'm L-lance. Lance Sweets." The child mumbled, still holding the hand out but still not making any eye contact.

"Hello, its nice to meet you." She smiled and gently shook the hand. "How old are you?"

"S-six." He stuttered, squirming in his seat. Her eyebrows shot up in confusion. He was that old? But he was so small and looked so young. He seemed to pick up on her confusion. "I know I'm small."

"Oh! Oh no, itsno problem, dear. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" She got a head shake but he finally looked at her and it nearly broke her heart. He had large brown eyes, they were intelligent, beautiful eyes. You coud see his whole life vibrating through his eyes. All the happiness, sadness, all the pain, it projected through his eyes and it broke her heart.

"Don't cry." Lance squeaked, crawling up onto her lap and putting a hand on her face. She wiped at he eyes, realizing she had been crying.

"I'm sorry, you didn't do anything. I just... can I hug you?" He look surpised for a second before looking down. After a second he looked at herwith thse those big beaufitiful eyes again and nodded slightly. She carefully and softy wrapped her arms around the boy, who didnt make any motion to hug her back.

"Wow." Sara said, watching with wide eyes as she hugged him. "Lance has never bonded with someone that quickly before."

"My Lizzy is very special." Ben chuckled proudly. "She can make friends with just about anyone."

"Yes, but will he bond with YOU?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, confusion flashing onto his face.

"I mean, Lance has a distrust in men because... well..." Sara glanced to the side.

"I get it." Ben sighed, shaking his head. "Well, I think Liz has dug her heels in on this one! This is going to be hard."

"Yes sir, it is."

AUTHORS NOTE:

I know this is corny. Im sorry but I have to do it. A Sweets' life story story. starting from his adoption. Please dont throw rocks. I'm sorry this chapter is so short, its just the intro.