The next morning Ashlyn was taken home and had packed her things and was waiting out the front of the mansion with Prince for her ride to come and pick her up. She had decided that it was useless to try and argue so she was better off to just accept it and move on, besides it wasn't like she was never going to see them again they would still come to visit her once a month. She stared stone faced toward the gate as she heard footsteps come up from behind her.

'I'm sorry this is happening, Ashlyn.' She turned to see Devon standing beside her.

'No need to apologise Mr Miles, it was bound to happen eventually.' She replied. Then she heard Bonnie and RC walk up to stand next to them. 'I will miss you all, though.'

'We'll miss you too, but I have something for you before you go.' He took out a necklace from his pocket. She looked at it and smiled; it had the black FLAG symbol on it and was on a thin silver chain. 'Just something to remember us by.'

'Thank you Mr Miles.' She smiled.

'You're welcome.'

'Are you sure there's no way I can stay?'

'I only wish there was.' Devon shook his head.

'Then where's my Dad?'

'He'll be here to see you off soon.' Bonnie said.

'Not to be rude or anything, but where is my ride? I really would like to get this over with ASAP.' She said tears starting to well in her striking blue eyes.

'It shouldn't be too much longer.' RC said and he hugged her gently. 'Take care of yourself, ok?' Ashlyn nodded before hugging Bonnie, then as she let go a familiar black t-top drove around to the front.

'Ready to go?' Michael asked from inside. Ashlyn nodded surprised then she put her things in KITT's trunk and got in the passenger side. 'Goodbye!' She waved to her family as they drove down the driveway and out the gate.

'I'm really going to miss you all.' She sniffed.

'Hey, I'll still come and visit you, so will KITT and I'm sure these people will be nice.' Michael tried to cheer the two of them up.

'We'll still be able to talk over the phone or via your comlink.' KITT reminded her.

'You have a point KITT, but it just won't be the same.' She sighed. 'I mean what about my friends, what were they told?'

'Everyone that knew you were told that you passed away in the hospital.'

'Everyone?'

'Everyone.'

'So now I really have no one.'

At the mansion everyone was upset, even RC3 was bummed out, but they knew no way could change the boards mind and even though they knew they would still get to see her it didn't make them feel any better about it.

Bonnie had decided to walk to the Semi so she could surround herself in the things she loved, but on the way she passed the spot in the garden where Ashlyn had been shot; some of the blood still stained the grass and she felt more tears spring to her eyes so she hurried to get to the Semi.

When she got inside however she was surprised to RC working on his bike, which was bashed up from the last time Michael had borrowed it, she saw that his mind wasn't really on his work and she offered to make him a cup of tea from the small kitchen that was in the Semi.

'Sure, thanks Bonnie.' He gave her a weak smile and she went to make them hot drinks.

By the time she came back her friend had resorted to full on sobbing and it wasn't long she had joined in, they both knew it was going to take a long time before FLAG was the same again, if ever.

When the trio arrived at the house in California where Ashlyn would now be staying she was surprised to see her new family waiting out the front for her. There was a middle aged woman with blonde hair, she was standing next to a tall man with black hair and large oval-shaped glasses and beside them were two kids both looked to be around Ashlyn's age.

One was a girl with light brown hair and the other was a boy with blonde hair. They came over to help with her bags as the two outsiders got out of the car and Ashlyn couldn't help but notice how the other kids looked at her as though she was an alien or something. This was going to be difficult.

'You must be Mr Knight.' The woman said. 'I'm Teagan Rider, this is my husband Jackson and our children Mathew and Hailey.'

'Please call me Michael.' He replied shaking hands.

'Which makes you our new daughter Ashlyn.' She smiled.

'Hi.' Ashlyn smiled awkwardly.

'Kids why don't you take your new sister to her room and help her get settled.' Jackson suggested.

'Yes Dad.' They said and they lead Ashlyn inside.

'So, how did you know Ashlyn?' Teagan asked.

'She was in my care for a brief time after she was removed from her previous foster family.' He replied.

'Oh and why was she removed from there?' Jackson asked.

'I'm afraid I can't tell you that, for privacy reasons.'

'We understand.' He nodded, realising something must have happened.

'Is there anything we should know about her? Is she allergic to anything?' Teagan asked. Michael shook his head.

'No, but she does tend to have rather nasty nightmares.'

'Right.'

Michael thought that the parents seemed nice enough, he just hoped that his daughter would learn to get on with her new siblings. Inside Ashlyn was trying to do just that, but the others weren't making it very easy for her.

'So what's your name?' The girl asked.

'Ashley-n.' She replied remembering that her name had changed. 'Yours?'

'Our Mum just told you outside, but I suppose we shouldn't have expected you to remember them. I'm Hailey and this is my brother Mathew.'

'Nice to meet you.'

'Yes, I can imagine it would be.' Hailey replied snobbishly. 'Anyway this is your room.'

Ashlyn walked inside; it wasn't as big as her room in the mansion and the walls were painted a mouldy yellow colour and it was peeling off in places. The bed was a single with a plain white duvet and when she felt it, it was as hard as a rock.

As she looked around she noticed several spider webs in the corners of the roof and while there were no spiders to be seen, she couldn't imagine them being too far away. She knew she should have been glad that someone had been willing to look after her now that she couldn't stay in the mansion, but if she was honest even the orphanage was better looking than that.

Still she didn't really have a choice in the matter so she moved her things in and started setting up when she heard Michael call to her from outside. She ran outside to say goodbye, as she assumed that he was about to leave. Unfortunately she was right.

'A-Are you going?'

'Yeah, I've got to get back to FLAG and get to work on finding Durant.'

'Who's that?'

'I'll explain next time I see you.'

'Oh, but I don't want you to go.' She said quietly.

'I know, but I'll talk to you again soon.'

'I'll miss you.'

'I'll miss you too.' He sniffed. 'Look after yourself, alright? Remember to take care of Prince.'

'I will.' She replied glancing down and the puppy that sat beside her legs.

'Do you wanna say goodbye to KITT?' He asked, Ashlyn nodded and she said her goodbyes then the two of them drove off.

'Goodbye, Michael. Bye KITT.' She whispered. Then she went back inside her new home. She was sad and angry, but mostly heartbroken and she just wanted to go back to the mansion and live normally. However since she couldn't do that she was going to resort to lying on her bed in her new room and staring at the ceiling, but her new "brother and sister" had no intention of letting her have her privacy.

'So who was that guy that dropped you off?' Hailey asked appearing out of nowhere.

'He's just a friend.' She shrugged sadly.

'Right. What about that car? It looked pretty fancy and ooh, what's this?' She asked sharply tugging on Ashlyn's wrist and staring at her comlink.

'Ouch!' She yelled angrily. That was her bad side and pulling on her arm hurt her shoulder. 'Let go!' She stepped back.

'What's your problem? I didn't even pull it that hard.'

'Yeah well it still hurt!'

'No way, I could have pulled it way harder!'

'Uh, Hailey I think I just heard Mum call you.' Mathew said.

'Alright, I'll see you later and by the way that puppy isn't yours anymore, it's mine.' She said and walked off.

'Sorry, about my sister she isn't very nice at times. Anyway are you ok?' He asked looking at her arm.

'Y-yeah I'm fine.' She replied not meeting his eyes.

'Are you sure? You cried out pretty loud.'

'Uh yeah, I'm sure, but thanks Mathew.'

'That's alright, A-Ashlyn?'

'Call me Ash.'

'Ok, Ash.' He grinned. 'Want me to show you around the house before my sister comes back?'

'Sure.' She smiled back and he led her to his room first. His was slightly bigger than hers and it had sky blue paint on the walls with a queen bed in the middle and a chest of drawers opposite it. On the roof she saw glow in the dark stars and pictures of rockets, he even had a rocket night light.

'It's not much, but it's home.'

'I think it's great.' I smiled.

'Really?'

'Yeah. So it I take it you like space stuff.'

'Oh yeah.' He nodded flopping on his bed, then he payed the spot next to him and she sat down. 'I've always liked space, I just think it's so amazing and there's so much out there for us to discover.'

'Yeah it is pretty cool.'

'Anyway, I'm sorry about your room; Mum and Dad wanted to wait until you arrived before they fixed it so they could do it the way you want.'

'Oh, wow, great!' She grinned.

'What will you do?' He asked curious. Ashlyn thought about it, she had loved her bedroom at the mansion, but this was her chance to have a bedroom that she designed with whatever she wanted in it, well within reason of course, but she knew exactly what she wanted.

'Well, I would like it to be painted emerald green and have a double bed with warm grey fluffy blankets and a green duvet. There would be a brown wooden chest of drawers on the wall opposite the bed, kinda like yours, but I would put some of my special things on top of it and have my very own set of book shelves where I could put all of my books. Then I would have a desk, like my old one, on the wall opposite the door, but closer to the wall where my bed is and that's it, I think.'

'That sounds great.' He smiled.

'Thanks.' Then they were interrupted by a shout that echoed through the house.

'Mathew, Mummy wants you!'

'Oh no.' He face-palmed.

'What?' Ashlyn asked confused.

'That's Hailey code for I want you out of the way.'

'Oh dear.'

'Yeah, my thoughts exactly... Wait a second, why don't you come with me and then she won't be able to do anything mean because Mum and Dad will be watching.'

Ashlyn flinched, she had never been able to say those two names together and it hurt that she now had a friend that would no doubt be saying it often. She felt that feeling of jealousy again, but she refrained from saying anything as she didn't want to upset or offend her new friend. She followed him downstairs and was angry to find Hailey cruelly poking and prodding Prince as he was trying to get away from her. She really didn't like her new "sister", who seemed to be more like one of Cinderella's step-sisters.

'Prince!' She called and the puppy came running, Ashlyn laughed as he barrelled into her legs. 'Hello good boy.' She cooed.

'He's cute, where did you get him from?' Mathew asked.

'My last family bought him for my birthday.'

'Cool. Anyway you wanted me Mum?'

'Yes Mathew, I was hoping that you and Hailey would take Ashlyn to the beach.' Teagan suggested before looking at Ashlyn. 'After all you must be hot from your long journey here.'

'Yes, I am kinda hot.'

'Ok then, do you have swimmers?' Mathew asked.

'No.' She shook her head.

'You can borrow a pair from Hailey.' Teagan said and Hailey, begrudgingly, let her borrow an aqua one piece swimsuit.