I'm sorry. I am an awful author.

It's been so busy being in art school. I'm tired and stressed. So please refrain from any negative comments if you're able, although you are free to yell at me if you would like. Please just remember I am human too!

But I really am sorry.

Disclaimer: Don't own stuff


"What. The. Hell."

George was pissed.

She had no idea what Nancy was doing with her parents' car, running around random neighborhoods picking up people, but she was planning on finding out. After following Nancy for around a half an hour, nearly losing her three times, and finally finding her stopped in a park, George climbed out of her own car and knocked on Nancy's window.

"George." Nancy's face was slightly pale as she stumbled out of the car. "I can explain."

Even through her anger, George was a little taken aback by how Nancy's slender frame was almost shaking, her blue eyes wide with fear. This was not the confident closed off Nancy she was used to.

"Then please do." George's words were clipped.

Nancy hesitated.

"Don't get them in trouble, okay? Please promise you won't get them in trouble," Nancy said quietly, almost pleading. It was a tone that George hadn't ever heard from her.

"Who?" Her anger was fading to confusion and concern.

Nancy opened the car door and flipped on the car light.

George stared at two tiny girls. Both had huge dark brown eyes. One girl's hair was black, the other's was a dark brown. Their hands were intertwined and they stared at George with fear.

"It's okay girls, this is George," Nancy stepped forward. "She's my foster sister."

The girls relaxed.

"George, this is Sarah," Nancy pointed to the girl with the slightly lighter skin and dark brown hair. "She's eight. And this is Jewel. She's ten."

George noticed that both girls were dressed in Nancy's clothes, the ones that had disappeared from her closet. The smaller girl was wearing a shirt as a dress with legging underneath.

"What..." George stared at Nancy.

"Let me explain," Nancy pulled George back outside and shut the car door.

"What is going on?" George hissed.

"They were in my foster home, two homes ago, okay," Nancy whispered. "They're half sisters but it's not really in the records so they get split up. We were in the home for almost a year together. It was their first foster home. Then the house was shut down and we all went separate ways. They don't get to see each other very often, so I pick them up in the middle of the night sometimes... They have my number, I got them each prepaid phones."
"And you take care of them?" George felt her anger leaving.

"Yes. I..." Nancy paused, looking away. "They're so little. Sarah entered the system when she was the same age as I was when I did. Somebody has to take care of them."

"And the foster homes? Aren't those what they're for?" George tilted her head. Nancy looked at her evenly.

"Yes. That's what they're for. But not all of them are like your home. If you're lucky, you get food." Nancy's voice was even, but George could tell her breathing was increasing. "Some homes are hell on earth."

"Were... were you ever hurt?" George breathed, her brown eyes huge.

Nancy was silent for a moment.

"Yes." she said quietly. "Yes I was."

"I'm sorry." George hated how empty her words sounded. What could she ever say that would express how truly sorry and horrified she was? "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. And not every place is bad." Nancy scrambled to reassure George. She didn't want her to think she lived a life full of misery and abuse. Because there were times when she was happy and safe. "It's just, when you've been in the system as long as I have, you see it all. Most houses are fine. Just one or two..." Nancy stopped, abruptly changing the topic. "Anyways, your house is the best place I've ever had." Nancy finally met George's eyes. "Are you going to tell your parents?" she whispered. "I… I don't want to get sent away."
There. She had admitted it.

She wanted to stay with the Faynes. She cared about them.

Admitting it was freaking scary, because admitting that she cared for something meant she would get hurt when it was inevitably taken away.

But maybe the risk was worth it this time.

A crack was forming in Nancy's wall.

"First of all, they aren't going to send you away, not if I have anything to do about it. And I won't tell them. But maybe you should think about telling them. They will understand. Give them a try."

"I stole from you guys," Nancy blinked. "I took your car out while still be grounded from taking it last time."

"They can't understand why you're doing it unless you explain it. And you can't do this forever in secret. Eventually you will be caught."

"Why would they care though?"

"Are you really asking that?" George's brow furrowed. "You've been in our house for a couple weeks. You know why. We care about people, especially you."

Nancy wrapped her arms around herself, turning her head away from George. George could see that she was shaking slightly.

"Nancy?" George, unsure about what would be most helpful, put her hand on Nancy's shoulder.

"I just… I'm not used to that. Other people caring, I mean. It's always just been me."

"That sounds like a lot a kid to handle."

"I do what's necessary." There was brokenness in Nancy's voice.

"Well it isn't necessary anymore. Nancy, I care about you. You are important to me. I will do whatever is needed to help you," George promised.

"Thank you," Nancy met her gaze, and George could see tears shining in the beautiful sapphire spheres. "I… I'm glad you found me. I'm sorry, I kept shutting you out. I... I just have issues trusting people."

"It's alright," George whispered. "It's not your fault. None of it is."

George carefully leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Nancy's thin form.

Stiff at first, Nancy hesitantly relaxed into the hug.

"Nancy, did you bring anything to eat?" A small voice interrupted them.

George and Nancy laughed, pulling apart.


"So this is where our cheerios are going," George joked, watching the two small girls eat.

Nancy sent her an apologetic glance, but George just shook her head and smiled. She wasn't actually upset. She was more... amazed. As tough as Nancy seemed on the outside, it was clear she wasn't at all cold or harsh. She was the opposite.

"Nancy says you guys got a dog named Togo," Jewel chatted excitedly mumbling through her mouthful of cereal. "And a big TV! And she has her own room."

"I've got my own bed at my house," Sarah said proudly. "I don't gotta share it."

"Oh! Guess what George!" Jewel jerked away from Nancy. "Guess what Nancy gave me last week!"

"Some books," George winked at Nancy.

"How'd you know?!" Jewel stared at George. "Guess what, guess what! I already read half of one."

"Jewel stop stalling and give me your arm," Nancy held out her hand. Jewel sighed and pulled up her sleeve, showing a bruised and burned arm.

George gasped, her eyes widening. Who would hurt such a small sweet girl?

"How can this happen?" George shook her head. "Shouldn't we report this?"

"I've tried before. They claim she hurts herself, there's no evidence but her word against theirs. They always say the same things. That she's acting out to get attention. And the system turns the other eye because they need a place for all these kids." Nancy worked efficiently, rubbing in burn cream and neosporin onto the cigarette burns before bandaging them. "But I'm going to hide cameras, I've just gotta find the right kind, the money for that..." Nancy trailed off. "They aren't going to get away with this."

"Nancy, you could go to jail from breaking in," George hissed. Nancy shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

"We've got to get you two back," Nancy glanced at her watch.

"I'll follow you in my car," George said.

It was almost four am by the time they got home.

"Are those girls safe?" George asked Nancy seriously before then went back into the house.

"Sarah is. Jewel... It's not as bad as it could be." Nancy's jaw tightened. "But no. She's not safe."

"What can I do?" George took a deep breath.

Nancy glanced away and for a second George thought she would go right back to shutting her out.

"I need cameras. And..." Nancy hesitated, her blue eyes flitting back to George.

"And what?" George touched Nancy's shoulder. Nancy jumped at the touch but didn't move away.

"I... I'm investigating something. Something from one of my previous homes. A bad one."

"Okay."

"I'll tell you about it later, I can't right now it's... It's just I've never talked to anybody about all this..." Nancy ran a hand through her slightly tangled hair. "I just... when you found me in the car with the kids, I knew I owed you an explanation and..."

"Hey, it's fine," George smiled. "When you opened the car door and I saw those girls wearing your clothes, saw how you take care of them... I'm glad I found out. I will do anything I can help you get those girls to safety."

"Thank you." Nancy smiled slightly.

"You know you could have told us why you were doing it. We wouldn't have been mad. We want to help."

"I've made mistakes trusting the wrong people in the past." Nancy's voice was quiet.

"Well, you can trust me."

George thought she saw a tear shining on Nancy's cheek as the girl quickly embraced her, murmured a good night and disappeared, but wasn't sure. Maybe it was just a trick of the dim light shining from the street light.

Thanks for reading, friends. I hope you enjoyed it.