ShanePOV

I slammed the door behind me and took off running without any real destination. After about 5 minutes I sat down on the curb and threw up. I was utterly disgusted at the thought of Claire and her dad.

Get a grip Shane. It's not like she had a choice. IT WAS RAPE!

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and realised I was outside Claire's old house. Vines were growing on the front of the house and the windows looked dusty but aside from that, it still looked lived in. I walked up the overgrown garden and up the porch.

The door was open and I walked in. It was the same layout as our house just smaller. More like three bedrooms instead six. I walk into the living room to see dried blood everywhere. It looked years old and smelt vile. It was probably from when Claire lived here.

I heard a muffled sob from upstairs. Immediatelyi ran to the top floor and followed the hushed sounds. I came to a child's door, with letters on the front. C.A.I.E were stuck to the door, with spaces for the L and E. Slowly, I pushed the door open.

Cowering on the bed was a young girl. She suddenly looked at the door with fear in her eyes and started to chant how sorry she was to make a noise.

I cautiously walked over to her with my hands up – showing her I meant no harm. I knelt down to her level on the bed.

"Hi," I almost whispered in order not to scare her. "My name is Shane. I'm here to help. Can you tell me your name sweetheart?"

"Destiny" I almost couldn't hear her she spoke so quietly. I cleared my throat again. "Hi Destiny, um, would you like to come home with me? I have a little girl called Lexi you can play with."

After some time to think, Destiny nodded and crawled closer to me.

"So how old are you?"

"I'm seven next week," she answered then looked panicked, "does my age matter? Are you going to leave me now?" tears welled in her eyes as I told her I would still take her home. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I carried her out of the house.

CPOV

I sat in the kitchen as the tears flowed down my cheeks. Scared someone would come in and see me like this and ask questions, I stood up and marched to my room and cried to myself in the darkened room.

After a while I heard my door creep open but I still didn't move. I felt someone climb on the bed next to me.

"Mummy" Lexi whispered, I turned over to face her. "Hey baby" all she did was snuggle next to me and we stayed silent as she played with my hair. Finally she broke the silence.

"Mummy, can you do my hair?" she asks. I smile at her and agree.

First we head to the bathroom and I run us both a bath, and I fill it with Strawberry smelling bubbles. Lexi comes in holding her bath time toys and drops into the rising bath tub, giggling. Once there is enough water I turn off the taps, strip us both of our clothes, help Lexi into the water and climb in after.

Slowly I wash her hair, giving her a long massage on her head, which she always loves. Once we are done, I climb out first leaving her to play with her toys, whilst I use the hairdryer in the bathroom to do my hair.

Once Lexi's fingers start to prune up, I pull her out of the bath into a big, fluffy, aqua blue towel. I quickly clear up the toys and empty the tub before carrying Lexi back to my room. We spent the next few hours styling her hair in various ways before curling it and gripping the front bits off her face.

She smiled her cheeky grin in the mirror when we heard the front door slam.

"Daddy" she screeched raising her arms asking to be lifted. I smiled at her nervously and picked her up. I wasn't sure how Shane was gonna react to me anymore. What if doesn't want me and Lexi no more?

I blinked back my tears, picked up my beautiful daughter and walked downstairs.

Shane stood in the living room with a little girl hiding behind his legs with tears in her eyes.

"Shane?" I asked, "What's going on?"

"Well, um, when I er, left here I ended up at youroldhouse." He rushed. "She was living there, terrified. I said she could stay with us." He looked at Mike waiting for confirmation.

"We haven't got any spare rooms. She would have to share with Lexi."Michael then looked at me, leaving me to decide.

"I'm not kicking a child out on the streets at night. She needs a home, so yes, she can stay with Lexi." I looked at Shane and smiled. He smiled back and I knew everything would be ok.

"Thank you. Well her name is Destiny and she is looking forwards to meeting Lexi." I put down Lexi and gave her a nudge towards Destiny.

"Come pway with me?" Lexi asked. She got a small nod in response and Lexi pulled her to her room to play.

Michael left us alone and Shane came over to me and apologised over and over for what a dick he was. I forgave him and thought we should write a song to prove to Destiny how we are going to be there for her.

"I'd love that." He smiled and we went downstairs.

Finally at 6 o'clock we had finished our song, Shane on Guitar and me singing. We called down Destiny and told her this song was written for her, so show her that we are there.

It's like a storm
That cuts a path
It breaks your will
It feels like that

You think you're lost
But you're not lost on your own
you're not alone

I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
If you can't cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won't let go

It hurts my heart
To see you cry
I know it's dark
This part of life
Oh it finds us all
And we're too small
To stop the rain
Oh but when it rains

I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
And you can't cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight

And I won't let you fall
Don't be afraid to fall
I'm right here to catch you
I won't let you down
It won't get you down
you're gonna make it
Yeah I know you can make it

Cause I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
And you can't cope
And I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won't let go
Oh I'm gonna hold you
And I won't let go
Won't let you go
No I won't

Once we had finished we looked at the young girl in front of us. She smiled back and asked, "Do you mean what you said in the song?"

I knelt down to her level "Of course sweetheart. Both Shane and myself haven't had the best childhoods, we are gonna change that from you. We will always be there for you."

We sat downstairs for a while until Lexi's bedtime. We took both Lexi and Destiny to their room, (they could share the bed tonight until we get another) read them a story and kissed them goodnight.

Laying down in Shane's bed I asked him "Babe, where are her parents?"

"She said that the people who took her killed them. I'm sorry," he said quickly as tears formed in my eyes.

"Listen, Claire, I know it's sudden, but ever since I found her I wanted to protect her." He told me, staring in my eyes, "How would you feel about adopting Destiny?"

I couldn't even answer him, I just leaned forwards and kissed him with all I had. I felt him hesitate before responding back. Before I knew what was happening I was taking off his clothes and him, mine. I cried happy tears as he made love to me. No-one had ever been gentle to me before, another reason I love Shane Collins.

So what you think? New child on the scene? Shanes reaction? Please R&R xxxxx