Disclaimer: Don't own Mercy Thompson series, Charmed or Hayley and Tommy (They are originally from Power Rangers)
A/N: this ties in to my Wolf Ranger and Purest Love storylines
~~
Lunar Curve
The rain fell in sheets as Josie Brooks walked down the street pulling her rolling suitcase behind her another suitcase in hand and her softball bag on her back.
She hadn't dreamed in her worst nightmare that coming out as Bi-sexual to her parents could have possibly gone as bad as it did. Then again as strictly Catholic as they were and by how intolerant they were of her cousin, Kyle, who was as flamboyantly gay as they come, she really shouldn't have been so shocked her sexuality wasn't welcomed in their house. Though nothing could have prepared her to come home from school to find her bags had been packed and the locks had been changed so she couldn't even enter her own home
Josie had long given up wiping at her tears. It was pointless and the rain hid most of them anyway. The only real way one could tell she had been crying now was her puffy eyes and red nose that she could do nothing about.
~~
Joseph Martin was the pastor at a small local Baptist church. He and his wife, Sarah, had just gotten home from visiting with their first grandbaby when they noticed a teenage girl walking down the street carrying a suitcase and pulling a rolling one. The girl looked to be no older than maybe sixteen. She had a round face, caramel brown hair and eyes the color of milk chocolate. She looked distressed, as if her midevening stroll in the rain hadn't been her idea.
He looked at Sarah and was unsurprised when she took off to get the girl. She didn't have to ask, after nearly thirty years of marriage she knew well enough that he wouldn't tolerate leaving this child to fend for herself.
Sarah could have cried when she saw the teen girl walking the street, obviously having either ran away, or more likely by her expression, been kicked out and disowned. Sarah easily persuaded her to come to their home.
"Come… come child, what happened?" Joseph asked as they stepped inside the house.
Josie looked away fearfully, afraid that this man that she knew for a fact was a pastor would turn his back on her as easily as her own parents had if he knew her truth.
"My parents kicked me out." She stated flatly then gave a small, humorless laugh, "then again what should I expect strict Catholics to do when their daughter tells them she's bisexual?"
Joseph was appalled by what he heard. He didn't want to believe that people that claimed to love God would do that to their child but he knew it happened.
"No… that is not right… that is not the way Jesus taught us to treat our family members." He countered "How old are you?"
"Fifteen," she replied.
Joseph sighed he was debating his next move. He knew he was obligated to report this event to social services but he hated the idea of a fifteen year old going into foster care.
She checked the plastic rolling suitcase as he debated his next move and found the clothes it contained were dry so she went to the bathroom and changed. She was shocked when she got out to be invited for dinner.
"Do you have any food allergies?" Sarah asked as she put the hardy looking stew into bowls
"Just peanuts." Josie replied.
"Okay, no worries then, my stew is peanut free" Sara smiled as she handed her a bowl.
"You have to report me to children and family services, don't you?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so…" Joseph replied "Do you know of any relatives that might take you?"
"I have two cousins that might Allie or Kyle. I don't know what Allie does but Kyle is one of the highest paid divorce lawyers in Washington state." She sighed "I'm really hoping for Kyle… he… he was more like an older brother than a cousin."
~~
Kyle looked up as Warren entered their bedroom. It had been a long day in court but, as usual, Kyle had more than earned his legal fees by helping an abused woman nail her now ex-husband's proverbial balls to the floor. They were just settling in when the phone rang. Kyle swore, then answered it.
"Brooks residents…" he said his tone shaper than he had initially intended.
"Hello this is Paige Matthews calling from San Francisco Children and Family services. I'm sorry for the late phone call Mr. Brooks, but I'm calling to discuss an urgent matter concerning your cousin, Josie Brooks"
At the mention of Josie's name Kyle almost dropped the phone.
"What happened to Josie?" He asked.
"She was kicked out of her family home this afternoon… your parents won't take her and your sister can't so here I am coming to you in hopes you would take her."
Kyle looked at Warren who nodded yes to the unasked question of should they take Josie in. He looked absolutely livid. The nice thing about living with a werewolf was the same thing that could be annoying, there was no such thing as a private phone call.
"Yes Ms. Matthews, my partner and I will take her." Kyle said hiding his anger as well as anyone could expect.
After what he went through he shouldn't have been so shocked that the aunt and uncle that rejected him so vehemently when he came out as homosexual wouldn't accept a daughter that was bisexual but he was.
~~
Paige mused for a moment over the fact that he had said partner and not girlfriend or wife. Was Kyle gay or, like his cousin, bisexual and currently with a male partner? She figured if he was part of the LGBTQ community maybe he would be able to find her the support she would need to become the confident bisexual woman she could be.
He was also a divorce lawyer meaning he had connections to counselors that could help her cope with how her parents had rejected her. All in all Paige felt the powers that be knew what they were doing pushing Josie to Kyle.
"Okay Mr. Brooks, you really don't know how relieved I am you said yes. I just need to know, would you be taking sole custody or would you want to share custody with your partner?" she asked
She heard another male voice in the background and she assumed this was the partner Kyle spoke of.
"Share… that way if she needs a guardian's permission and I'm tied up with work she can still get it."
"Okay and what is your partner's name… at this point it doesn't matter male or female as long as they can pass a criminal background check."
She heard the relieved sigh from Kyle that lead her to believe that her initial assumption that Kyle was in a homosexual relationship was right.
"His name is Warren Smith and I can guarantee he will pass, he is currently a licensed Private Investigator with my law firm."
"Okay, I will be escorting her to the tri cities personally tomorrow morning."
Paige gave him their arrival time and where she wanted him to meet them and the call ended.
Kyle heard Warren growl in rage. Family was even more important to Warren since he had none of his own anymore and the idea of a mother disowning any reason didn't sit well with him.
"We need to get the guest room ready." Kyle said figuring as angry as they both were they weren't going to get much sleep.
~~
Paige looked concerned as she learned that there weren't any fosters available to take Josie for the short amount of time she had to remain before her flight to Washington the next morning. Finally she got fed up and called Piper.
"Paige this is short notice but I'm not going to say no to a child in need." Piper sighed after Paige told her Josie's story. "I don't understand how a mother can do that to her child. I don't care what Wyatt or Chris told me there is NOTHING they could EVER do or say to make me do that to them!" she paused calming slightly. "But Paige you do know Tommy and Hayley are here… Kira is watching Samantha tonight so they can spend time here."
"So… what are we doing…"
"Bring her, if I'm right she's going to have to get used to werewolves eventually." Piper sighed.
To Be Continued…
