Six-year-old Rosie was lying on her stomach in the floor of her bedroom drawing a picture that her Mommy said she'd hang on the refrigerator. She was quietly humming to herself as she did so, swinging her legs back and forth.

Suddenly, she heard the apartment door fly open and slam closed.

"Elaine! Why do I not see supper on the table?!" came the yelling of Rosie's drunken step-father Ricky.

"I-I just got home from another shift at the diner…I-I haven't had time to cook anything yet-"came Rosie's mother's soft-spoken reply. Then came the sound of Ricky's palm coming in contact with Elaine's cheek.

A tear trickled down Rosie's face. She hated nights like this.

Then, more yelling. Rosie decided to go out. She usually did this when Ricky came home drunk. She would go out on the fire escape and think.

She usually thought about her father. She had never met him. She'd always try to picture what he was like. He was handsome, smart and willing to do anything for his little girl. Just the opposite of Ricky. She knew he was probably some bum who was in and out of prison. But a girl's gotta dream right?

Rosie was yanked from her daydream by a really loud thud. She hurried back inside to see what had happened. She entered the living room to find her mother on the floor, unconscious, and bleeding from the head. From the blood on the corner of the coffee table, Rosie guessed that was where she'd hit her head.

She looked at Ricky with her puppy dog eyes, which were filling with tears. Ricky looked scared and didn't say a word.

Suddenly, he grabbed her arms so tight it hurt and made her look him in the eyes.

"You will never tell ANYONE that I did this, do you hear me?" He said shaking.

Rosie nodded her head, her face now wet with tears.

As if to make his point clearer, he hit her in the face, sending her to the floor. He quickly exited the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

After he left, Rosie got up off the floor and reached for the phone. She pressed several buttons then placed the receiver to her ear, still sobbed.

"911 Emergency" the woman at the other end of the line said sweetly.

"M-my mommy is unconscious….an-and there is blood everywhere."

"What happened honey?" the lady asked.

"My s-stepfather pushed her down and she hit her head on the corner of the coffee table." She had intended to tell the truth from the beginning. After all, her fingers had been crossed when she'd said she'd lie for him. Rosie told the woman the address and she reassured her that someone would be there soon.

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Shawn sat in the psych office playing with a bouncy ball, when the phone rang. He let it ring several times, then realized that Gus was at work and couldn't answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"I am calling for a Mr. Shawn Spencer, is he available?"

"Speaking" Shawn said, mimicking her very serious tone.

"My name is Lisa Hawthorne, with the Department of Children and Families, and I am calling on behalf of Rosie Schmidt."

"With all due respect ma'am, what does this kid have to do with me?" Shawn asked, smelling a potential case.

"Her mother, Elaine Schmidt, formerly Elaine Carter, passed away yesterday morning." Shawn recognized the name immediately. Elaine, Shawn and Gus were the three musketeers in school. Inevitably, she and Shawn realized they were in love with each other. But then, she disappeared. They never heard from her again.

Suddenly, it clicked.

"Mr. Spencer…Rosie is-"

"My daughter" Shawn finished. He could barely breathe. He knew what she wanted. There was no way he was ready to take care of a kid.

"Mr. Spencer are you there?"

"y-yeah"

"We need to arrange for Rosie to be flown down to Santa Barbara. When can you be ready for her?"

"Whoa, slow down! Look, believe me I would really like to get to know this kid, but I can barely take care of myself. I-."

"Mr. Spencer, we prefer to place children with their natural parents whenever possible. So, I'm going to give you until tomorrow to decide whether you are ready for this responsibility." She began to hang up the phone

"Wait" Shawn said, curious as well as scared "Tell me about her.."

"Of course, Mr. Spencer," She smiled. She had him now. "She has light brown hair, huge brown eyes, and a cute little nose. She is very small. She's a very sharp little girl, too. Observant and smart. Very quiet and shy, too."

That sounds like me…minus the quiet and shy part Shawn thought I can't let her down like my dad did me.

"I've changed my mind" Shawn said "I want Rosie"

"Are you sure Mr. Spencer?"

"Yeah…..I am"

"Alright Mr. Spencer, I'll put Rosie on a plane to Santa Barbara on Thursday"

"That's fine"

"Wonderful. Have a nice day Mr. Spencer"

"Bye" and he hung up the phone with a click.

Just then, Gus entered the office.
"Hey Shawn"

"Gus…promise me you won't laugh"

A/N- Tell me what you guys think!