Samantha Carter woke up one morning and was leaving to head to work, but when she opened her front door, she found a small child sleeping on her doorstep. Samantha bent down and gently shook the child awake.

The small child rubbed her eyes and looked up at the short haired blonde woman confused. 'How did I get here?' The child wondered as she looked around at her surroundings, 'Who is this woman?'

"Hi, I'm Sam." Samantha introduced "And you are?"

The small child looked skeptical about introducing herself. 'Should I talk to this stranger?' The child thought 'Or should I get up and run?' The child wanted to run, but where to. The best bet was to introduce herself.

"Uh...I'm India." The little girl replied

Samantha nodded, "Well India, why are you sleeping on my doorstep?"

India just shrugged her shoulders. 'How am I going to say that I ran away?' She thought 'I can't. I can't tell anyone.'

"I'm sure that you're parents are very worried about you." Samantha added. From the size of the little girl, she estimated that India couldn't be anymore than seven years old.

"I'm hungry." India said changing the subject. She actually was hungry, but that was probably due to being malnourished.

Samantha gave a nod, "Well I have food in my house. Would you like to come inside? I'm sure you're probably cold too."

India nodded as she agreed. She didn't want to speak too much. It was always frowned upon in her house. But getting warm did sound nice as she was freezing. It had been pretty cold that night.

'I guess I'll be calling in sick to work today.', Samantha thought as she helped India up and ushered her inside the house. She made a quick check out the houses next to hers and across the street before closing the front door.

"So India, what would you like to eat?" Samantha questioned

India shrugged. She truly didn't know. She'd never been asked what she wanted before. She'd just eat whatever was served.

"Uh..whatever is easiest." India said

"No, whatever you want." Samantha insisted "Don't worry about being too much trouble."

'Hmm..I've always wanted to try pancakes.' India thought. Of course they'd been made before in her house, but she'd never been allowed to eat them.

India took a breath. She was nervous about asking for what she'd never been allowed to eat, "Um..could I have pancakes?"

Samantha smiled, "Excellent choice. Pancakes are really good. Would you like to help make them?"

"I can help?" India inquired as she furrowed her eyebrows. Not only had pancakes never been permitted, but helping in the kitchen certainly never had either.

"Of course." Samantha told the little girl, "Why wouldn't you be able to?"

India just looked up at Samantha and blinked her eyes, "I don't know."

After eating breakfast, Samantha drove to work. She walked India to a day care on the base before heading into the base and then her lab.

By the time, Samantha was able to take a break from work and check on how India was doing, the little girl was gone. 'Well where did she go?' She thought

"Um excuse me? Where did the little girl that I brought in this morning go?" Samantha wondered

The caretaker looked around the room, "Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I have so many kids here and so little help. She must have just slipped out."

Samantha sighed, "It's okay. She might have just gone home. If she comes back let me know."

"Will do." The caretaker replied

As Samantha walked away, she couldn't help but think about little India. 'What an eventful day that I've had so far.'. India reminded her of Cassandra, but even Cassie wasn't as little as India is. 'How could that little girl possibly survive on her own?' Samantha wondered. She hoped that she would see India again, but she really didn't know if she would.

Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.

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