Cindy M 19 : Yeah, it's Sam and she's in a pretty bad place right now.

Thanks to all that added this story to their faves and are following. Sorry for the long wait and while I don't remember where I was going when I first wrote this story... Well, we shall see where it goes together. :)


She ran past the same people that she had come across before, and like before they ignored her. It didn't matter anyway since she didn't want the help from these people or the small boy from before either. She wiped at her eyes again, turning a corner to find herself in cramped ally, the two buildings making it just small enough for her to squeeze down until she found herself on the other side, several tall structures around her. It looked like a train yard, something she found herself recalling on a cartoon, though she couldn't recall what the show had been called or where she had been. Running over to an abandoned boxcar, she crawled up into it, her small stature making it a struggle. Just as she crawled up into the car, the sound of footsteps hit her ears.

"Why do you want to find her?" came a small child's voice, the question making the small raven haired girl wonder the same thing. Who were these people and why, out of all the other people walking around ignoring her presence, did they want to bother her? Sure, she wanted to find out who she was and where her parents were, but without a memory of who they were, she didn't know who to trust. Moving into the darkness of the boxcar she watched from the shadows as the same two boys rushed by, the dark skinned male complaining that they were going to get in trouble for being out here.

"Come on, Tuck, she's lost and alone, why shouldn't we help her?" the raven haired child asked his friend, stopping for a moment to look around. He had been sure that he had seen her go this way, the small child disappearing down a lone alleyway. It had been hard to get to where she had disappeared, all the adults moving slowly around them.

"She doesn't want our he-"

"Because you called her a stray!" the boy snapped. He didn't know why his friend would say something that stupid about a girl that had been looking so frightened, but her burst of anger had been rather shocking too. He didn't know her, but for some reason he wanted to help her, to get her to where she could be safe. Danny and Tucker were only eight, but the two boys were different. Tucker was a techno-geek, preferring to interact with technology instead of his peers, thus making him almost indifferent to other's emotions while Danny was more about making friends, though he didn't have many since he was labeled an outcast like his friend. Yeah, even for being so young they were already labeled as different, which Tucker was and Danny found himself in that same class because of what his parents did.

The raven haired girl watched them, listening to the words coming from their mouths and while she still was unsure about their real intentions concerning her she now knew that she didn't like the little dark skinned boy, Tucker. Danny, the boy who seemed to be worried about her wellbeing, she liked him. Not enough to come out from her hiding place, but it was nice to know that someone out there was concerned. She had no idea what the other two adults were about... Not them or the male that Danny had hidden her from. It was certain that the nasty looking male was out for a reward, telling the woman about her, but who was that woman?

The adult didn't appear to be her mother, not by appearance, her hair red and her eyes teal. The other male, his suit was like that of the woman, strict in appearance, but he looked nothing like her either. His hair was blond and his eyes were a sharp blue. Neither one looked like parents, their cold eyes and harsh demeanor nothing like she would assume a parent should be... Then again she didn't know what her own parents were like either or any other parents so who was she to judge? Maybe she should do what Tucker said they should do... Maybe she should go to the police, but what would they do with her? She had no information to give them to go on and she didn't even know her own name. Another whimper left her lips, her eyes watering again at the thought that she was alone.

Danny turned when he heard the whimper, Tucker turning with him as the pair approached the boxcar just behind them. The raven haired girl didn't even notice as she crumpled behind a wooden box in the corner. She wanted to go home! She wanted to be safe! "Amethyst?" he called out, the techno-geek shaking his head at his friend's actions, but he didn't stop him as the small boy crawled into the dark interior. She looked up the name he had given her, turning just in time to see him approach. She took a step back from him, but for some reason she found that this time she didn't want to run. She wanted someone to help her and this boy was the only one that seemed to care so watching him approach she just waited. The raven haired boy stopped just a foot from her. "Do you want me to take you to the police station?" The girl shook her head.

"I don't think they can help me," she muttered at the look on his face. "I don't know anything about myself, so what good could they do?" He blinked at her in surprise. She was rather smart for a child so young, knowing that without any information the cops would be at a loss. That didn't mean that they couldn't help her, but she would probably be better off with his family then wherever they would place her until then. There was no telling how long it would be either and he was sure his parents would want to help this little girl.

"Do you want to go home with me?" She seemed unsure, the emotion in her wide amethyst eyes telling him as much. "If anything, at least you can get cleaned up and eat something," he pointed out. She looked down at her clothing, taking note of what she was wearing. Her pink shorts were stained from hiding under the dumpster, while the white blouse was covered in dirt and dust from her climbing into the boxcar. Danny was also looking at her, though he was more concerned with the cuts on her face and knees where she had scooted back from him when he had first seen her. Finally she nodded. The small boy nodded, reaching out to take her hand before exiting the darkness, Tucker still waiting at the entrance.

"What about those people looking for her?" he asked the other boy as he looked over at the raven haired girl. "Maybe they know her or are her parents." Danny shrugged. If this girl didn't know who her parents were, then how could he give her over to a pair of strangers? Pulling her with him the trio headed back thru the tight alleyway and onto the streets just as another child approached them, the redheaded girl raising a brow at the appearance of the small girl that was now moving closer to Danny. Amethyst was looking at this girl, her appearance similar to the woman who had been running after her.

"Danny, were did you two disappear? You know that you were supposed to head to the park and stay there," she stated, her eyes never leaving the small girl. Danny explained that on the way there how he had lost his ball, but had found the small raven haired child hiding under a dumpster and then being chased by some other adults. "Hmmm, so why not take her to the police station?"

"See!" Tucker cried out. "Even your sister says that you should take her there!" The raven haired male frowned, explaining with the words that the small girl had said, his sister looking surprised at his logic. Sure, he was right about what would happen, but it was wrong to just take her home when the right thing was to turn her over to the proper authorities.

"Danny, she isn't some str-" She was stopped as the girl beside Danny turned red, her voice higher than the other female's.

"I am not a stray!" she raged, her little body shaking. "I don't want to go to the police station and I don't think you even have the right to tell me what to do!" All three children looked at her in surprise, but the raven haired child had more to say, her amethyst orbs flashing as she turned to Tucker. "You can do what you want, but if Danny wants to aid me the way he wants then you should just shut up!" Blinking in surprise at her own actions she looked into the blue eyes of Danny to find that he was smiling at her. Blushing she looked down at the ground.

"Okay, now that that is decided, let's go see mom and dad," the boy stated, still smiling as he walked past his shocked sister with Sam still holding onto his hand. Tucker walked behind them, pausing for only a moment to shake his head at red head.

"Well, that girl is loud when she's mad." The girl said nothing as she joined them on the walk back to their home.