Lucy, Benjamin and Johanna were going for a walk one day when they heard the sound of the notorious whip cracking. Normally they'd have ignored it, because as pathetic as it was they heard it every day. But this time the sound of a child crying followed the sound of the crack. Johanna was only five but even she knew it was wrong. Damn if she would put up with it.
She ran up and kicked the administrator in between the legs surprising him. He gasped and dropped the whip. "Who did that," he asked.
"I did," Ben said determined NOT to let his daughter suffer under that instrument of torture. "Why would you do such a thing?"
"Why would you," Johanna cut in, "do such a thing to this child? She can't be any older then three"
"WHAT BUSINESS IS IT OF YOURS," the administrator snapped, "teach your daughter to mind her manners," he yelled to Lucy.
"She does mind her manners," Lucy yelled back, "and she would never harm a three year old unlike some jerks"
"The child is four," he said, "and she was steeling food"
Johanna knelt by the child's side.
"It looks like she hadn't eaten in days"
"She's an orphan. Who cares," the administrator challenged.
"I care," said Johanna firmly, "let her go"
"I will not let Adrianna go," the administrator responded.
"LET HER GO," Johanna yelled.
"Do you want to stand in her place?"
"THAT won't happen," Ben said calmly, "you let her go or I will issue a complaint against you" "Nobody would believe you"
"I'm an upstanding citizen with a wife and a child. You are not. I think they WILL believe me"
"Fine," the administrator said, "I'll let her go"
He unbounded her and freed her from the stockade, "but I'm placing her in your care and if she does anything you're the one who will pay"
Ben rolled his eyes.
"Where do you live child," he asked Adrianna.
"In the park… since my parents died. I made sure to stay away from the orphanage"
"Well now," Lucy said gently, "you shall stay with us… you'll be like our own child loved and cared for as much."
Ben had no objections. Johanna definitely didn't. Adrianna quickly became like one of the family. It's awe inspiring when you consider none of this would have happened if Johanna hadn't did what she did.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but the administrator and if you couldn't guess this is AU