A/N: Here's chapter four. We hope you are enjoying the story thus far and please review. Showtunediva and I don't own any Annie characters, but we do own Annie's cousins. :)

Chapter 4: Back to School

The day finally arrived that the girls had to go back to school. Annie was feeling a little less nervous about High School and was now more worried about her sister starting Middle School. The night before school was to start, Annie found Molly in her room crying into her pillow. She grew very concerned about her sister and sat down next to her, pulling her close.

"Molly, what's wrong?" Annie asked.

"I'm really scared about school tomorrow," Molly said, peeking out from the pillow.

"What about?" Annie asked, stroking her siter's pretty brown hair, which always seemed to calm her down.

"Everything. I'm moving to a new building this year and I've never had an easy time making friends.l What if all my friends changed over the summer and no one will talk to me anymore?"

"Molly, listen to me. Even though you're not as outgoing as me, you are the sweetest person I've ever, ever met. Your friends will love you all still and if not, make new ones. Middle School are three years of your life that are going to change you, I'm not going to lie, but they are also some of the best years of your life. If you have problems, come to me or Mom, or Duffy. She's going to the same school as you, remember that and she said she'd be there for you,"

Molly nodded. "But, Annie, I'm so scared about the school work, too,"

"What about the school work? You've done amazing with your grades each and every year,"

"But it's going to get really hard this year. I'm worried about English, mostly. You know how I have Dyslexia, what if I can't read as well as everyone else or I fail?"

Annie looked at her sister and hugged her tightly. "Molly, that's what Mom, Daddy, and I are here for. We will go over it with you, like we've done every single year. You are not going to be alone, Molly, alright?"

Molly nodded, her tears starting to subside. "Thanks, Annie,"

"Of course, kiddo,"

Molly got up and went to go get ready for bed. Grace was coming in just as Annie was leaving. She tucked Molly in for bed and then went to Annie's room to see what she and Molly had been talking about. Annie looked up from the book she was reading.

"Hey, Mom,"

"Hi, sweetheart. What was Molly talking to you about?"

"How she's really nervous about school. She said that she's nervous about making friends and her schoolwork and stuff like that,"

"Schoolwork? Why?"

"Well, she said about her Dsylexia, mostly. But I told her not to worry, that we'd be there and thing like that,"

"Thanks, honey. I think that you made her feel a lot less nervous. You're an amazing girl," She said, kissing her daughter's forehead.

Annie got under her covers and fell asleep. Grace let herself out of her daughter's room and across the hall to Molly's once again. She sat on her youngest daughter's bed and kissed her forehead. "I love you, sweetie," She whispered, before leaving.

The girls were up early the next day. Annie couldn't help but be anxious about High School. While she was excited to make new friends and learn new things, she was still worried. No matter what her mother told her, she just couldn't help it. After her little heart to heart with Annie, Molly was a tiny bit less nervous, but Middle School was just going to be such a big change. In previous years, Annie had gone to school with Molly, but now Annie wasn't going to be there if she needed it, and that was what Molly was scared of most. The constant comfort of her big sister is what Molly was going to miss the most. She knew Duffy was going to be there, but it just wasn't the same.

"Are you girls excited about school?" Grace asked on Monday at breakfast.

"Yes. I think that high school will be a lot of fun," Annie said.

"That's good, darling. What about you, Molly?"

"I'm still really nervous," Molly admitted to her mother and sister.

"What about, sweetie?"

"Annie's not going to be there," Molly said. "And Duffy is a year ahead of me. I don't know anyone at my school,"

"What about your friends?"

"I don't know. I just don't want to be alone,"

Grace came over and hugged her daughter. "You will not be alone, darling. You will make friends, I promise. Now, let's head off to school,"

The girls got up and piled into the car. Grace dropped Annie off at her school first, since her school was closer.

"Have a good day, sweetheart. I love you," Grace said.

"I love you, too, Mom. I'll see you later." Annie got out of the car and walked into the high school. Grace drove to Molly's middle school next.

"Have a wonderful day, baby girl. I love you. Remember what Annie and I told you,"

"Okay, Mama. I love you, too,"

Molly hopped out of the car and walked into her middle school building. Grace sighed. Time flew by way too fast. It seemed like just yesterday she was adopting her daughters and now they were in middle and high school. She hoped that they both would have good days.

Annie's first day of high school went amazingly. She had already made new friends and she loved her teachers. Grace had been right, there was nothing to worry about. She only got lost a couple of times in the hallways, but other that that, her day was wonderful. Molly's day went pretty well, too. Her friends were glad to see her and even though it was a big adjustment, she actually quite liked Middle School. Grace was glad to hear both her daughters' day went well. They took them out for dinner that evening to celebrate and when Grace was tucking Molly into bed, Molly said,

"Thanks, Mommy, for giving me advice before school today. It made me alot less nervous,"

"Of course, baby. I love you so much," Grace said, kissing Molly's forehead.

"I love you, too," Molly said, closing her eyes. Grace pulled the covers up around her little girl and left the room. She went to Annie's room to say goodnight to her.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. I'm glad you had a good first day," Grace said.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you,"

"I love you, too,"

Annie got under her covers and fell asleep. Grace was so proud of both of her daughters. They were the best things that ever happened to Grace and she was so happy that they were where they were in life. Her daughters meant the world to her.