Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry it has taken this long to update but I was doing my pre's and barely had time to breathe. There over now though so you finally get chapter 3 and I can get this idea out of my head and on the net. Be warned though I am now entering my two weeks of orals so this fic could take a while to be completed because my LC will be six weeks after that. Aaaarrrggghhh the pressure!

Annie sat back in the car, between Grace and Oliver, and sighed. She was finally going home. Home. It was such a small, simple word but its meaning had many depths. The Hudson Street Orphanage was never her home, it wasn't a place where she felt safe or loved or wanted, she just lived there. Thinking back over the last few days Annie realized that a home wasn't a building, the mansion was not necessarily her home now it was her house. Her home was where she felt safe and loved and wanted, and right now that was with Oliver and Grace. She stifled a yawn as she curled up on the seat and fell asleep.

Oliver slowly moved his arm around Grace's shoulders and pulled her in a little closer, while at the same time being sure not to disturb Annie. He had never felt happier in his entire life than he did at this very moment. No amount of money, houses or cars could replace the two most important people in his life, his family. All that remained was to make it official, but that could wait till tomorrow.

Grace finally began to relax as the car turned onto 5th Avenue and she realized that she had not relaxed for a moment since the search for Annie's parents began. Now it was over though and Annie was safe. Annie had been all smiles when the paramedics looked her over and while she gave the cops her statement but deep down all she wanted to do was cry. Grace knew, she could see it in the little girls eyes, but she knew better than to push Annie, she would talk when she was ready. Now life could get back to normal, with perhaps a few exceptions. Grace looked down at Annie and pushed a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. The then placed her hand on Oliver's and gently caressed it with her thumb.

When they finally reached the house Punjab parked right outside the front door. Oliver took Annie in his arms and, together with Grace, took her in home. Drake was waiting inside the door for them, the other servants waited too but they pretended that they were still working.

"Miss the other young girls have been put to bed, they were all terribly tired." Drake said to Grace.

"We sent them up once we got the call that everything was alright."

Grace smiled her thanks and followed Oliver up to Annie's room.

What took place in Annie's room was almost identical to what had happened when they had returned from the movies. Grace removed Annie's clothes while Oliver retrieved her dressing gown from the bathroom and once they had drawn the covers over the sleeping child Sandy jumped up on the bed and fell asleep. They both placed a kiss on Annie's forehead and started out of the room, when they reached the door they stopped and looked back at their sleeping angel.

"Hopefully this will be a start of a new life for all of us," Oliver said as he closed the door,

When he turned he saw Grace walking down towards her own room.

"Grace."

Grace stopped and waited for Oliver to catch up. When he did he turned her to him and took her hands in his own.

"When I said this was the start of a new life for all of us, I meant all of us."

Grace smiled a thousand watt smile and hand in hand they waked toward her room. Oliver kissed her lips gently and turned to leave.

"Oliver," Grace called after him.

"Stay with me."

Oliver stopped and turned his mouth slightly open, he was about to start on about how it wasn't appropriate but when he looked in her eyes he knew that the last thing Grace wanted was to be alone right now. What happened today had shaken her to the very core of her being.

"Please."

Without saying a word Oliver walked back to her and taking her hand lead her into her room.

TBC