A/N Right, this is a quick story about my main OC to get me back into a writing mood :)

She was such a small girl.

She stood on the pavement looking up at the house, a little blur of brown hair, dark blue coat and thoughtful pale eyes. She had a single bag in one hand- everything she'd ever owned in the world- that she had carried for three days.

Now, finally, the girl had arrived and just two more steps were all she needed to reach out to knock with one pale hand. But her feet were firmly stuck to the pavement as thoughts raced around her eight-year old head.

This house was someone's home. That 'someone' was a family of five, a family that might be hers, a house that could be /her/ home.

The girl had never had a home.

Well, maybe she had, once, but the earliest thing she remembered was waking up in Alex's house two years ago with a fever that had stolen her mind and threatened to kill her. It had come close, teetering on the edge, but she wasn't going to die because of a mere fever. Not her!

The house was three stories high: not very tall, compared to others on the street, but it took up all her vision.

Her heart thudded in her chest, so loud she was sure someone would come running. People behind that door were waiting for a girl, for her!

She had to be brave, and she had to open that door.

The small blur of blue and brown took the last two steps and knocked quietly on the rough wooden surface. Maybe no-one would-

It swung open to life, heat, the sound of chatter and laughter. It was as if standing in the street had frozen her, and now she was thawing. Her heart was still beating hard, but in hope and joy instead of fear.

A girl just like her stood in the doorway. Maybe a bit younger. Her dress was red and pretty, floating around the knees and swaying as friendly blue eyes took in the huddle on her doorstep.

"Who are you?" the child in red asked curiously.

The girl tilted her head up, swallowing her fear and hope against hope that she could find a home. She didn't know, not then, that this girl and her family would someday be her whole world. This was her second start.

"Saph," she replied in a quiet, placid voice. "Sapphire Iota."

A/N I will hopefully put something else up as well. R+R :)

~ Saph