Chapter 1

Luke and Lorelai followed the caseworker, Celia, down the hall to where the playroom was. Luke was the most nervous. After failing to be able to have a kid of their own, the couple finally both agreed on adopting one out of foster care since there were so many in need of a family to call their own.

His heart raced and his palms grew more sweaty with each step they took down the hall of the Hartford Child Protective Services building. Lorelai was at least interacting with the caseworker, as Celia answered her questions. Luke had no idea what to even say, much less ask. Neither one had a preference whether it was a boy or girl, just whichever kid connected with them the most. Since both of them each had a daughter, Luke suggested the possibility of adopting a boy. It would be great to have a son to take fishing and play catch, though Lorelai pointed out he could do that with a daughter, as well. April never wanted to do those things so the thought never occurred to him. Now that she pointed that out, Luke hoped if they did end up with another girl, she would want to do those things with him. They were hoping for someone for Doulia to grow up with, but overall, it didn't matter.

The play room where all the kids were playing, was decorated with Disney characters painted on the wall with Mickey and Minnie Mouse at the center of their view when the three of them walked into the large room. There was a small Playskool playset with a very short slide and a Fisher Price blue and red basketball hoop on one side of the room. In a corner of the room was an area with some bean bag chairs near a couple bookshelves crammed full of children's books, ranging in different reading levels.

There were plastic bins of different colors and sizes full of toys, though some were half full with the toys scattered around on the floor.

Children's music played from a radio in the shape of Lightning McQueen from the Disney/Pixar movie, Cars.

Kids ranging from two years to around eleven were busy playing. A few fought over toys while most got along well. There were a few playing alone, or reading while some of the little ones clung to who they assumed were probably older siblings.

Lorelai turned to Luke, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Hey, maybe we should adopt a set of siblings. That way they won't get split up," she suggested.

"But we didn't plan for siblings," he pointed out.

"I know, but I didn't think of it before. Now, seeing their faces and the younger kids clinging to their older siblings..." Lorelai watched a particular set of brothers with a heartbreaking look. If she had it her way, Lorelai would adopt every single kid in the room.

"Those two aren't up for adoption," the caseworker explained. "They were just placed in foster care and will be placed in a foster home until they are able to go home."

"Oh, so not all these kids are adoptable?"

She shook her head. "They're all just waiting until a vacancy becomes available."

Luke was looking around the room, watching the kids. All of them touched his heart, but none of them stuck out to him.

For the next couple of hours, Lorelai and Luke mingled with the kids. Lorelai was doing a better job than Luke was, whose mind raced with what to say. Then finally, after stepping away from a kid who shouted some swear words that he shouldn't have known yet, he wandered across the room to where the slide playset was while Lorelai played Candyland with three of the kids.

Ducking his head to look in one of the wide openings, Luke saw a little girl, no older than eight, curled up in the fetal position. When he kneeled down on one knee and leaned towards the floor, her body tensed up and scooted more against the other side. It was obvious the kid was too old to play in one of those things, but she didn't seem like she was playing, though.

Holding a hand up, he assured her, "I'm not here to hurt ya. I just wanted to see if anyone was in here." Her right cheek was planted to the floor, her eyes pointing straight at him. "Can I ask what your name is?"

The child didn't answer and made no other move since backing further away.

"My, uh, name is Luke." He paused to see if introducing himself might have helped in any way. The kid still remained silent. Being not very good on the whole small talk thing, which he pointed out, Luke tried to think of something that might break the ice. "You like any sports?"

No response.

"Um...how about fishing? Ever been?"

Still nothing.

He asked a few other icebreaker questions but nothing seemed to work. Finally, Luke asked, "you want me to leave ya alone?" and took her silence as a yes. Standing back to his feet, Luke wandered over to where Lorelai was talking to Celia again. They stopped when he rejoined them.

"Meet anyone?"

The whole way, Luke found himself constantly looking over his shoulder, at the playset. When he heard Lorelai, he turned forward at her. "Uh, well…" Luke turned to Celia, pointing over his shoulder, "Who's that kid over there in the slide?"

Celia moved her head to look around him, seeing who he was referring to. She had to duck to see better. Once Celia realized who it was, she sighed, sadly. "That's Jaiden. She's been with us since she was four after she was pulled out of her mom's home."

"Is she adoptable?" Lorelai asked, curious. Her arms folded, lightly across her chest.

"Well, yes but she won't let anybody get close enough. Honestly, in the four years I've known her, I've never even heard her speak," she explained to the couple.

"May we ask what happened to have her pulled from her mom's home?"

Celia nodded, "Mostly abuse. A neighbor stated Jaiden was basically her mother's personal punching bag."

Lorelai's heart couldn't help shatter as she gave a heartfelt expression. "Poor kid."

"I know," she agreed. "The mother had a bachelor's degree in business, worked for a really good company. The family was high class," she shrugged, holding it for a few seconds. "Not to mention very intelligent. But I guess she wasn't really happy. Took it all out on her daughter. Even took a knife to her."

Luke kept looking between the caseworker and over where Jaiden was hiding. He felt drawn to go back over there. In fact, he had felt drawn there, in the first place.

"Kid's so closed in...None of us know what to do at this point. It's a long trial whenever we have to get her out of there. Night terrors haunt her at night…"

Everything went mute as Luke stared over at the playset. His heart broke hearing what the kid had gone through and had no one she could count on. A parent was supposed to be there for their child, not harm them. He couldn't imagine ever being afraid of his parents, as a kid. How frightening that must be, then to be taken somewhere to be around strangers and not know where you're going or what's going to happen to you, and all these people trying to get to know you. That would have freaked him out. Luke couldn't help wonder how freaked out Jaiden could have been.

"Luke. Luke. Luke!"

Luke snapped out his thoughts, once again, turning to Lorelai. "Huh?"

"I asked, what are you thinking about?" she asked.

"Uh…" He wasn't sure what to say and looked back towards Jaiden. Finally, Luke admitted about how he seemed to be drawn towards the kid. "I think… I think she might be the one, Lorelai."

Lorelai stared at him, puzzled. "You mean Jaiden?"

"Yeah." He looked back again.

"I mean, you can give it a shot," Celia told him. "I'm sure a permanent home is all Jaiden needs, but," she shrugged. "The problem is, I don't know if she'll even let you."

"Well, you never know until you try," said Lorelai.

"That is true, but I've seen so many families come through and try to get to know her. My heart breaks every time they have to give up."

Luke looked forward at that. "Well, there's your problem." He wasn't sure where that outburst had come from. It actually surprised him more than it did the women. But Lorelai knew what he was getting at.

"If everyone keeps giving up on her, of course she's not gonna get used to anyone," she said.

"Fair enough," Celia nodded and couldn't help smile. "So, would you start the process on Jaiden, then?"

Lorelai looked over at Luke. "Luke?"

He didn't even have to think on it. "Absolutely."

She turned back to the caseworker. "Let's do it."

Both Luke and Lorelai had already gone through the background check and classes prior to meeting the children, as well as the home inspection. All that needed to be done was getting them on Jaiden's case plan. They started with weekly visits, twice a week at the CPS office. They were also given a copy of her case file which Luke and Lorelai read through before the first visit.

They waited in a room like the play room only smaller while the caseworker went to fetch Jaiden.

Lorelai had gotten Jaiden a present to help make a good first impression. She was sitting at the table in the center of the room while watching Luke pace around the room. "Luke."

He stopped pacing to look over at her. "What?"

"Will you stop pacing? You're making me dizzy," she told him.

Luke let out a breath of air. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just nervous." He held his hands on his sides.

"It'll be fine."

He took a deep breath, letting it out. "I know. It's just...seeing her, last time…" Luke stared at the floor.

At that moment, the door opened and in walked Celia, leading Jaiden, who looked catatonic.

"Sorry it took so long. As I said before, it takes awhile."

"Not a problem," Lorelai replied and turned to smile over at the little girl. Luke couldn't see before since she was laying down with her cheek to the floor, but right across was a jagged, deep scar. It kind of made it look like she was a part of the mob. "Hey, sweetheart."

Jaiden kept her gaze on the floor, keeping her arms pinned at her side.

"My name is Lorelai, and you remember Luke, right?"

Luke tried to smile for her, but Jaiden's gaze remained, unmoved.

Lorelai reached over to pick up the present they had gotten for her and held it out to Jaiden. "We brought you something. Would you like to open it?" They waited to see if she'll take it, giving her a few minutes before Lorelai set it back on the table. "Would you like to play a board game, sweetheart?"

Nothing.

Luke studied the kid.

Celia bent over to be at Jaiden's level, "Jaiden, these people want to get to know you. They're not gonna hurt you. Okay?" The kid was stiff as a board. Pretty much a statue. Both Luke and Lorelai could not imagine what could be going through her mind at the moment.

Lorelai kneeled in front of Jaiden, keeping some distance as not to invade her personal space. "Sweetheart, I know a lot of people have come and gone in your life, and just gave up on you. I just want you to know, Luke and I won't. We will give you all the time you need to get to know us."

Luke moved over to kneel beside Lorelai. "Lorelai's right, sweetie. We're not going anywhere, we can promise you, that."

"Here," Lorelai stood up to grab the present, bringing it back. She pulled out the tissue paper and pulled out a stuffed, brown and black dog. "We thought you'd like a stuffed animal since yours got lost." Lorelai held it out to her as Luke finally stood up again.

To their delight, Jaiden finally moved. She didn't look up, but she took the dog, holding it in her hands. Jaiden stared at the stuffed dog that was in a sitting position.

"You like it, sweetheart?"

The dog even had a red, leather collar with a cardboard dog tag in the shape of a bone if Jaiden wanted to name it. Its pink tongue hung out of its mouth, as well.

"He's all yours," Lorelai smiled for her. "I tried finding one that looks like my dog, but they didn't have one," she shrugged.

Luke was still studying the kid, watching her. Her body still looked tensed and her form was so thin, she was basically a twig. Her skin was pale white and her hair was a very light blonde that grew past her shoulders, though that was mostly because giving Jaiden a haircut was also a challenge since she rarely let anyone near her. It was tangled and messy in a lot of places. The teal and black striped t-shirt Jaiden was wearing looked paper-thin and the tennis shoes looked worn out and the shoelaces on one of them were coming untied.

"What would you like to do, Jaiden?" Lorelai asked. She wasn't even paying attention to how Jaiden looked. All that was her mind, was helping Jaiden feel at ease. Though, don't get Luke wrong. He wanted the same thing. But he couldn't help look at her, especially when Lorelai was doing most of the talking. They waited to see if she responded or at least point to something. Lorelai ended up stepping back, getting out of Jaiden's way and let her do whatever she wanted.

After a few minutes, Jaiden eventually moved, walking across the room. She dropped beside the table, crawling underneath it. At least she took the dog with her and when they ducked their heads to look under there, Jaiden was holding it close in her arms.

"She seems to accept the dog," Lorelai said, hopeful.

"Has she accepted gifts before?" Luke finally asked.

Celia shook her head. "Not really."

"Then, we're already making progress?" Lorelai asked, eagerly.

"I mean, her other dog was a gift too. That was the only other gift she has accepted."

She shrugged, "So, maybe she likes dogs."

Celia held her hands on her hips. "It's possible. She has gotten along with a dog whenever I place her in a foster home that had one."

"Would it be alright if next time I brought my dog?"

"We would have to have the next visit be at a park, but that would be alright," she nodded over at Lorelai.

Jaiden remained under the table for the rest of the first visit. They each said good-bye to her, but she didn't respond, back, nor did Jaiden even look up at them. On Thursday, the four of them met at a park. Of course, Luke and Lorelai were the first ones there.

Once Celia and Jaiden arrived, they walked over to where they were waiting for them.

Lorelai introduced Jaiden to Paul Anka, the dog. The dog instantly took to the kid, but did the kid take to the dog? Paul Anka panted as he stared up at the kid, sitting back on his haunches. Finally, Jaiden reached out and slowly moved her hand to pet his head. After a few minutes, Jaiden knelt down and moved her hand along Paul Anka's back, rubbing his neck, gently. Then, she lowered her head and hugged Paul Anka around the neck.

Lorelai kneeled on the other side of Paul Anka. "You like him, sweetheart?" They noticed her tense up with Lorelai close. She stood up, stepping back beside where Luke was standing. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wasn't trying to make you feel uncomfortable." At least she still had the stuffed dog with her. Luke and Lorelai still had a long ways to go, though.