Thinking it over.
Solaria.
Stella was sleeping soundly while Stormy was having a nightmare. She twisted and turned around in the bed until the climax of her nightmare neared.
"AAAAAHHH, Stop hitting me, stop hurting me, ..." Stormy yelled as she woke up crying. Stella had woken up too and walked over to Stormy telling her it was all right
"It was just a nightmare. I 'm here for you." Stella tried to calm Stormy down while she held her in her arms.
"I will be a good girl. I will do anything you want but please don't send me back." Stormy pleaded with Stella who caressed Stormy over her back.
"Don't worry, I will make sure you end up somewhere safe." Stella promised her. Stormy then calmed down and after half an hour she fell asleep again. Stella looked at her alarm to see it was only two at night. She went back to bed hoping that Stormy would sleep until morning. A few hours later Stella walking up to hear that Stormy was having another nightmare. She heard her whimper as she seemingly tried to fight of someone. Stella went over to her but just before she reached the bed Stormy woke up screaming.
"It 's all right Stormy I 'm here for you." she sad to the girl who looked at her in fear but the moment she recognised Stella she calmed down and fell into her arms crying. Stella wondered what had happened to the little witch when she lived her first twenty one years. She decided to take Stormy to her bed and laid her down next to her. Soon they had both fallen asleep again. When Stella woke up again in the morning she felt Stormy struggling with another nightmare. She put her arms around her and the girl calmed down as she felt Stella's protective arms around her. Stella looked at the sleeping beauty in her arms and smiled. She could always do this if she really wanted it.
"Wow, am I thinking about adopting her?" she whispered to herself. For a moment she had but what about school, how would her parents feel about it and what about Brandon? She had to sort this all out. She felt Stormy's warm body in her arms and listened to her breathing for a long time until Stormy woke up.
"Did you sleep well for the last part of the night?" Stella asked Stormy who just nodded.
"I hope I didn't wake you up." Stormy apologised.
"No you didn't I was already awake when you woke up." Stella reassured her as she slowly sat up. Stormy stood up and went to the bathroom.
"Where are you going?" Stella asked her.
"I have to go." Stormy answered as she closed the door behind her. Stella smiled as she picked out some clothes for Stormy. As soon as the girl had returned Stella went to the bathroom herself and she took Stormy with her. Half an hour later they were both sitting in front of Stella's vanity where Stella was doing Stormy's hair.
"Will I be allowed to grow long hair like you?" Stormy asked her while Stella finished combing her hair.
"If it is up to me you may but other people will think differently about it. It just depends to who is taking care of you." Stella answered her question.
"So if you would adopt me I can let my hair grow." Stormy tried to convince Stella to adopt her.
"If I would adopt you you may let your hair grow." Stella warmed up even more to the idea of adopting her. They both left the room for breakfast and as soon as they had finished breakfast Stella took Stormy to the garden. Stormy was playing with some of Stella's old toys while Stella was watching her play when Stella's mother walked up to them. She sat down next to Stella who wondered what her mother was doing here at the palace.
"Hello mum, what brings you here?" Stella asked her mother.
"Well when your father told me that you brought a child with you to take care off until the social services would have found a permanent home for her I had to come over and see it for myself." Her mother told her.
"I know it sounds so unlike me but she needed help and I wanted to help her. She still remembered who she was at the time she was brought to me but now she is just a little frightened girl." Stella said to her mother while she looked at Stormy who was building a sandcastle.
"What do you mean?" her mother asked
"That girl is Stormy, one of the Trix. They all had an accident with a potion and Stormy is the one who is off the worst. The others turned into babies so they can do their life over from the beginning whereas she has to start over from the age of six when she just escaped hell. She is severely traumatised and I have a feeling that only someone who would really wants to take good care of her will be able to make her grow up to be a, I am just guessing, better person than she used to be." Stella told her mother.
"Why do I have the feeling you are talking about yourself as the person to raise her?"
"Because I promised her that I would take good care of her. The only way I can be sure that she is taken care of n the best way is by adopting her myself. Dad thinks it would be a good idea but there are so many things that I have to take in consideration before I make a final decision. Would you support me if I apply for an adoption?" Stella answered making her mother look at her with a surprised face.
"Even after all these three girls have done to you and your friends you would want to adopt Stormy? You have a bigger heart than I have. I can only say then that you should do it if you really want to do that." Her mother admired her.
"Thanks mum, I really can use your support on this. Would you mind watching her for half an hour so I can make some phone calls to a few people I have to talk to before I make my final decision." Stella asked her mother who agreed to and after Stella had introduced Stormy to her mother she went to her study to make some important calls. She first called Ms Faragonda because she had to drop out of the grandmaster classes if she was going to adopt Stormy.
"This is Faragonda speaking," she heard on the other end of the line.
"Hello it 's me Stella, there is something I have to tell you. I might drop out of the grandmaster classes since I am in the middle of deciding whether I should adopt Stormy or not." she told the Alfea school director.
"Are you considering to adopt Stormy yourself?" Faragonda asked
"Yes I am, nothing has been decided yet but when I have made the final decision I have to drop out so I can take care of her." Stella answered.
"You know," Faragonda began "I would regret it if you wouldn't take the courses since you and your friends are one of the few who are able to actually pass it. I even recommend that you take Stormy along when you start these courses. You can bring her to school here in Magix and then go to classes yourself. There is no problem for us since you and all who have entered the grandmaster courses will be separated from the rest. You will even be in another part of our school while you are taking these courses. You don't have to drop out because you are going to adopt Stormy, although I considered you to be the last one to adopt a child. Bloom and Flora are more likely to make such a big decision. What made you consider this option?"
"A very traumatised girl." Stella answered the question. She said goodbye to Ms Faragonda and hung up. Now the only one she wanted to tell about her plan was Brandon. She had send him a text message asking him to come to her. He had replied that he would be there at eight in the evening. She went back to the garden where she found her mother and Stormy playing in the sand together.
"It seems like the two of you are having a lot of fun." Stella said as she looked at a pretty dirty Stormy. Stella's mother looked at her daughter when a big smile.
"She is quite a bundle of energy, Stella." Her mother said.
"I know, I sometimes wonder when her batteries run flat too." Stella joked making Stormy laugh. Stormy looked up at the sky where thunderclouds were appearing.
"May I walk in the thunderstorm." Stormy asked.
"That 's very dangerous you know." Stella's mother told her.
"Actually mum, thunderstorms are good for her so we will both take a walk in it. Is that all right?" Stella asked Stormy who nodded and soon the two of them were walking through the thunderstorm. When a lightening hit Stormy Stella saw how the girl enjoyed the high voltage running through her body. After an hour the storm was over but Stormy seemed to be filled with energy again and tried to create a mini twister to show Stella why she wanted to walk in the thunderstorm. Only right after a storm she was able to do that for a few days but she hoped that as she got older she would be able to always do something like that. Stella thanked the heavens that she was still young and unable to use her full power yet.
Gardenia.
After Bloom had fed Icy at noon she put the little girl against her chest as she was walking around with her trying to make her burp. As soon as she heard Icy burp she laid her down in her cradle so she could have some lunch.
"You know Bloom," Vanessa started to talk to Bloom "I have been watching you with Icy and I have to say the two of you belong together. You treat her as if she is your own daughter and not as a temporary assignment. If you would decide to adopt her I will help you raise her as long as you go to school. Your dad and I have discussed this last night while you were giving Icy a bath. I really think that Icy would grow up to be a better person under your influence."
"I am glad you think that way about it too mum," Bloom told her mother "I have been talking to Sky and Ms Faragonda about the possibility of adopting Icy and they both support me on the decision. I was going to tell you tonight about it but since you brought it up I 'm telling you now."
"So that's why you were calling with your inter realm cellphone." Vanessa started to understand.
"Yes, Sky was a bit reluctant to the idea at first but as he heard my reasons why he thought it would be a good idea too. I also made an appointment with the social services in Magix about the possible adoption of Icy."
"Well you have it already planned and when will the adoption become final?"
"As soon as they agree and I have signed the papers, when that will actually be I don't know."
"Do you think the other girls will understand your decision."
"Well I had a phone call this morning from Flora who still was undecided about adopting Darcy or not. When I told her that I had already decided to adopt Icy she cheered. I think she is going to adopt Darcy as well."
"And what about Stormy?"
"I 'm not sure but if anyone wouldn't adopt a child it would be Stella since she hates to take such a responsibility at our age. She would surprise me if she would tell me that she is going to adopt Stormy." Bloom told her mother. They both cleaned the table and after that they went to the living room to watch Icy sleep.
Linphea.
Flora was walking around with Helia and Darcy talking about the future. Helia loved the idea of adopting Darcy but couldn't really wrap his mind around it why she took so long to decide. Darcy was such a cute baby and with Flora's guidance she could grow up to be a better woman.
"When we have children of our own she will be their big sister and protect them from all kinds of danger." Helia dreamed as he looked at the baby.
"But until that day it is our job to make her feel safe and take care of her." Flora stated the obvious as she kissed her boyfriend.
"When did you have an appointment with the social services again?" Helia asked.
"I believe it was tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. Why?"
"I was thinking of joining you but since it is that early in the morning I can't. I have to escort a dangerous convict to the omega sector."
"Let 's hope he stays there for ever." Flora told him.
The two of them decided to go back home to feed Darcy again.