Hello, everyone.
This is a prompt from Rick and Maggie.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"I know the rule is you have to love your little sister, but even if you were some strange little kid who lived in my room, I'd love you anyways."
-DJ Tanner
A small knock sounded on the door, barely heard over the booming of the thunder and the heavy beating of rain smashing against the walls of the house.
The family was sitting on the sofa, watching Home Alone. DJ was nuzzled into her father's side, and her father had one arm wrapped around her. Jesse sat on DJ's other side, and Joey was seated in the seat beside him, laughing at all the hilarious stunts in the movie.
Danny glanced up at the knock.
"It's pouring," he muttered as he stood. "Who would be out in this mess?"
He opened the door, and he was shocked to find a small girl- no older than fix or six years of age- with curly blonde hair standing outside his door, soaking wet and shivering. Her skin was blue from the cold rain.
"Oh my goodness," Danny gushed, worried for the poor child's health as he gently pulled her inside, attracting the attention of his family. "Are you lost? Where are your parents?"
The girl shrugged and shook her head.
"You don't know. Okay. Can you tell me your name?" Danny asked.
"Stephanie," the girl replied, shyly.
"Well, I'm Danny, and this is Jesse, Joey, and my daughter, DJ. You can stay here tonight, and in the morning, we'll find your parents," Danny assured her. "DJ, can you go get some of your clothes? Jesse, get me some towels, and Joey, grab some blankets."
The three of them hurried to grab the supplies, and Danny showed the young girl to the bathroom, where she changed into one of DJ's nightgowns and wrapped herself in a blanket, still shuddering and coughing and occasionally sneezing.
"You can stay in DJ's room tonight," Danny said to her as he showed her to the said bedroom. "Jesse is across the hall; Joey is downstairs; and I'm at the end of the hallway if you need anything, but try to be quiet. My baby daughter, Michelle, is sleeping in that room," Danny whispered, pointing to the baby's room.
Stephanie nodded, and Danny closed the door behind him while Stephanie turned to DJ, who examined the girl in curiosity.
"You don't talk much, do you?" DJ finally said.
Stephanie shook her head.
"That's okay," DJ replied. "I talk enough for the both of us, anyway. What do you like to do?"
Stephane shrugged and pointed to the nearby bookcase.
"You like to read?" DJ said. "Me, too. What's your favorite book?"
The girl went over the bookshelf and pointed at Cinderella.
"Me, too!" DJ gushed. "You want to read it?"
The girl blushed and pointed at the book before shaking her head.
"You can't read," DJ realized. "That's okay. You want me to read it to you?"
Stephanie's eyes lit up, and she nodded, brightly.
"Okay," DJ said, patting the bed beside her, and Stephanie crawled into the bed beside the older girl. "Once upon a time…"
Danny held Stephanie's hand as he lead her into the police station.
"Excuse me," he said to the woman behind the desk. "This little girl is lost."
"What's her name?" the woman asked, her fingers on the keyboard of her computer.
"Stephanie…" Danny trailed off, and he glanced at Stephanie, realizing that she'd never told him her last name.
"Davidson," she finished.
The woman pursed her lips as she typed the name into the computer.
"Here she is," the woman said, "But she's not a missing child. She's in the records of the Potters Home For Orphaned Girls."
"You're an orphan?" Danny said, glancing at Stephanie, who nodded. "But your parents…"
Stephanie shrugged.
"You don't know where they are," Danny realized, remembering her answer from last night.
He was baffled. He'd only known this girl for one night, and he couldn't help but wonder how anyone could abandon her. She was sweet and kind, and she'd really hit it off with DJ, who didn't really like anyone outside of the family, except for Joey and Kimmy.
Danny would be happy to have her as his child; he'd be unbelievably grateful. How could her parents just… give her up?
"I'll have an officer take her," the woman said, picking up her walkie talkie.
"No," Danny interrupted. "I'll take her."
The woman nodded, and Danny drove Stephanie to the orphanage. She waved goodbye, sadness in her beautiful blue eyes, and an older girl walked her down the hall, talking in quiet tones with her. Danny didn't like the older girl's snappy tone or the cruel expression on her face or the tears in Stephanie's eyes. It broke his heart to see her so unhappy, and he hadn't even known her for twenty-four hours.
"She doesn't have a family," Danny said to the woman behind the desk. "That means… she needs someone to adopt her."
The woman nodded, wondering where he was going with this.
Danny had made his decision. He wouldn't allow that little girl to feel unwanted for another moment.
"Can I please have adoption papers for Stephanie Davidson?"
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet the newest member of our family," Danny said as he faced Jesse ( who was holding Michelle), Joey, and DJ, who were waiting in the living room in anticipation. "Stephanie Judith Tanner."
The minute Stephanie appeared at Danny's side, DJ almost tackled her in a hug, and Danny was about to tell her to be gentle, but to his surprise, a laugh bubbled out of Stephanie's throat.
"Now, we can be sisters for real!" DJ exclaimed, pulling away to look Stephanie in the eye.
"Sister," Stephanie repeated with a small smile.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this one shot! Goodbye.
