I only own Rachel, Bianca, Matthew, Sergeant Willaims, Judge Forhowser, and Chelsea in this story. Enjoy!
A True Home For You
The night was getting colder, much too cold for any young person to be out and about. The young fourteen-year-old felt it as she pulled her arms into her short-sleeved shirt, which did nothing to keep her warm as she moved forward. She didn't dare knock on any doors of the homes she passed because she didn't want them to alert the police she was there and go back to her foster family.
Her foster family wasn't very nice to her and she had only been with them a few days before she ran away. Now, she was wondering how she was going to get warm now as she walked down the street.
She then looked up and spotted the Grant Mansion not far ahead of her. She had heard plenty of rumors about it in the three days she had been in Staybrook and realized she could stay there and no one would bother her. She now went up the hill and looked at the door and grabbed the handle, opening the door and going in. She glanced around and saw it looked very nice on the inside and she immediately spotted a fire in the living room fireplace and went to it, deciding to warm herself a bit before she headed off again.
She was finally feeling warm when she heard footsteps coming and jumped up to hide, but was spotted.
"What are you doing here?" asked a voice and she turned to see a man with cat-like features glaring at her through narrowed eyes. She turned and ran, hoping to get to the door, but he caught her and pinned her to the floor.
The girl looked up at him fearfully. "Please, d-don't hurt me!" she begged. "I…I was cold. I just wanted to get warm. I didn't touch or take anything! Honestly! Please."
The last word came out in a whimper and the cat man's angry look softened a bit as he took one of her hands into his own and felt how cold it was.
"Goodness, you're freezing," he said, his face taking on a look of worry as he gently scooped her up into his arms, carrying her back to the fireplace and sitting in front of it and setting her in his lap, grabbing a nearby blanket and placing it around her while he held her like a father would a child. She was surprised she felt safe right then and rested her head against his shoulder, letting out a tired sigh as she began to feel warm again.
"Rook?" they heard a female voice call out.
"In the living room, Rachel," the cat man called back and a young woman came in, smiling at him and then her face looked surprised at seeing the young teen in his arms before she smiled again.
"Ah, Whampire said he saw a young girl come in," she said. "That must have been you."
The mentioned alien now stood beside her. "Yes, that's her," he said. "Sergeant Williams mentioned he was searching for her after they arrested that couple a few houses down for theft and embezzlement."
The girl looked afraid, which Rachel noticed and kneeled down beside her and Rook. "Don't be frightened, honey," she said soothingly. "You're safe here."
Rook then gently stroked the teen's head soothingly. "What is your name?" he asked.
She shrugged. "If I have one, my foster parents have never called me by it," she said. "I don't even know what it is."
Rachel looked thoughtful. "Well, why don't we call you Chelsea?" she said. "Everyone needs a good name."
The teen lifted her head. "Chelsea?" she asked and then gave it some thought and smiled a little. "I like that name."
Rook nodded. "Then that's what your name will be," he said.
Later on, Chelsea was upstairs when she bumped into two tall purple crystal aliens and jumped back, thinking they would scold her. "Ah, you must be Chelsea," said one of them. "Rachel told us you had arrived."
She was a bit stunned they were being so kind to her and was more startled when they both gave her a warm hug. Rachel, who had just come up, smiled.
It had now been a couple of weeks since Chelsea had come and she liked living at the Mansion, but still needed parents as she was a minor. "Chelsea," said Rachel, coming up the stairs. "Can you come to the kitchen please?"
"Coming," she said and followed the owner of the Grant Mansion to the kitchen where Sergeant Williams and Judge Forhowser were sitting with Bianca and Water Hazard at the table while Matthew was helping Rachel make lunch. Bianca looked up at Chelsea and smiled.
"Chelsea," she said. "We wanted to ask you something."
"What?" she asked.
"Do you want to stay here?" asked Water Hazard.
Chelsea nodded and then she looked astonished. "You're going to foster me?" she asked, a bit of hope in her voice.
"How about one better?" asked Judge Forhowser.
The young teen looked confused. "I don't understand," she said.
Matthew got down from the chair he had been standing in and went over to her. "He means becoming my big sister," said the five-year-old boy.
Chelsea looked even more stunned. "You mean, adoption?" she asked.
They nodded. "If you want to stay here, Chelsea, then you may," said Bianca.
Chelsea looked at Rachel. "Really?" she asked hopefully.
Rachel smiled. "It's true, Chelsea," she said. "So, what do you say?"
Bianca and Water Hazard both got a start when Chelsea threw her arms around them and began to cry in happiness. Water Hazard took her and set her down in his lap and felt her hug him again. Bianca came around and hugged them both and Matthew joined in too.
Judge Forhowser nodded and gathered the signed paperwork into his briefcase. "It's all settled then," he said with a smile as he and Sergeant Williams headed out.
Chelsea just stayed in her new mother's and father's embrace and even hugged her new little brother, happy that she now had a true home and a true family.
Rachel smiled as she watched them, feeling proud to have another niece in the family that seemed to grow bigger every day.
Happy New Year, Everyone!
GoldGuardian2418