When Marci did not return for another hour, Ikuto called the child services center and the group was picked up by a large van. They arrived at the Child Services building momentarily. It was a huge building with different branches. The main area was the desk that opened up to a long hallway. The kids were taken to the last door in the hallway and put in a playroom with other kids, who had been whisked away from their homes with different situations.
"I remember coming here a long time ago." Utau said with a sigh. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I want to talk to the older kids for a second if you don't mind you two." Ikuto addressed Kairi and Yaya. Yaya was about to protest but Kairi dragged her away without a word to play with a doll house.
"Okay, if Marci doesn't come back then you know what that means." Ikuto stated.
"We'll be separated into different foster homes and house. Maybe even adoption if we've been here long enough." Tadase confirmed. Utau took in a breath and Nagihiko held Rima close to him.
"Maybe we won't be separated. Maybe we'll be put in a big foster home." Kukai suggested.
"Well, let's hope for the best. I don't want to be separated from each other." Amu said sadly. Ikuto held her hand tightly.
"I'll be eighteen in three days, I can probably get one of you to live with me. I have enough money in the bank saved up and Child Services will give me a check when I leave. I can get a small apartment near the foster home." Ikuto stated.
"Amu will go with you. That's the ideal. We can get Kairi to bypass the system in the office to approve the papers, and she'll live with you." Nagihiko said.
"No, he should take Yaya." Amu protested, but Tadase shook his head.
"Kairi won't let Yaya leave, and he wouldn't be able to house the both of them. I won't go without Utau, and I know Rima won't go without Nagi." Tadase explained. Amu looked down.
"I don't want my parents to find us and hurt you." Amu whimpered. Ikuto pressed a kiss against her temple.
"They won't hurt us, baby. Everything will be okay." Ikuto assured.
"Ahem. Am I interrupting?" A voice asked behind the group. They all turned to see a woman in a pencil skirt and blouse, with her hair tied back in a tight bun.
"No ma'am." Nagihiko answered.
"Okay. Well, I'm not allowed to share details about your caretaker, but you've been through enough, you guys are mature." The woman said. They all nodded.
"Her car was found on the side of the freeway heading east. There was sign of a struggle." She informed. Everyone tensed.
"Was any DNA found?" Kukai asked. The woman shook her head.
"Police are investigating now. For now, all of you are being transported to another foster care home. No separation. Your belongings will be transferred. Grab the little ones and meet me at the front desk." She ordered, then turned and left, her heels clicking the whole way.
"Yaya! Kairi! Time to go!" Utau called. Yaya happily bounced back to the group with Kairi walking slowly behind her. He had given her his jacket, and was left in a T-shirt.
"Where are we going?" Kairi asked Nagihiko. He explained and also told him about bypassing the system. Kairi nodded occasionally and listened closely as they left the building and entered another van.
They arrived at the new foster home about an hour later. It was a big building with dim lights outside the house. One light was on in the house from where the group could see. They were escorted to the door and the case worker, Mr. Bryant, knocked. An older woman, about fifty, opened the door. Her forehead was adorned with wrinkles and she had blond hair tied back tightly. She wore a plain black dress and wore white pearls around her neck.
"Hello children. My name is Mrs. Coventry. You'll be staying here for now. Please, come in." The woman greeted. The group cautiously entered the house. It was stuffy and the lights were dim and gloomy. Mr. Bryant left quietly.
"You children will be taught manners in this household. Girls and boys are separated at night and must be in bed by 8:30. The girls will act and dress like proper young ladies and the boys will act live gentlemen and not dress like delinquents. No loud music and meals will be given three times a day. If any of my rules are broken, you will face punishment. Understood?" She declared. The group silently nodded.
"Okay children, because it is late, you will be going to bed. Girls are on the top floor and boys on the bottom. You four girls will be sharing a room with Eva and Remmy. You five boys will get your own room. Your day clothes are in the closet separated by age. Night clothes are lying on the beds. You have five minutes to get to bed. I'll be checking on you." She said and then left to another room. Everyone let out the breath they were holding and hugged one another.
"We'll see you in the morning." Rima said sadly as Nagihiko kissed her goodnight. Kairi hugged Yaya tightly and she kissed his cheek. Kukai held Utau for a while, then kissed her. Tadase called Matt, and wished him goodnight, promising to explain the situation in the morning. Ikuto held Amu's cheeks silently.
"I guess we won't be sleeping together anymore." Amu whispered. Ikuto cracked a smile.
"We will when you move in with me, and we won't be doing much sleeping." Ikuto said with a sly smile. Amu blushed and pushed him off gently.
"Goodnight, angel." He whispered and kissed her. She smiled into the kiss and then followed the girls upstairs. When they got up to their room, they were greeted by two small girls. One was braiding the other one's hair while humming a sweet song. When they saw the older girls, the smaller one hid behind the slightly bigger one.
"I don't know if Mrs. Coventry told you, but we're moving in here. You two don't mind that, do you?" Utau introduced sweetly. The girls shook their head slowly, almost in a confused matter.
"What are your names?" Amu asked quietly. The smaller one had long red hair and freckles. She wore a long white, flowy nightgown with long sleeves. Her eyes were a beautiful blue and her hair was half braided sloppily.
"I'm Remmy." She greeted quietly. Rima smiled.
"Here, let me fix your hair." She offered. Remmy hesitantly sat down on a lower bunk bed and Rima joined her. The room had three bunk beds and a small closest. Two small chests were placed at the foot of each bed.
"I'm Eva." The older one said. She had long blond hair and green eyes. Her skin was pale and she wore the same thing as Remmy.
"Your gowns are in the chests." Remmy stated. The girls exchanged a look and opened their chests, pulling out long pink girly nightgowns. Yay smiled as she put it on, but the other three exchanged a look.
"You've got to be kidding."
