Hello! I'm back again with another chapter! I'm sorry this one is so short, but I've been riding the procrastination train as school very quickly approaches. However, I do hope to have another longer Skye chapter out tomorrow!


"Yes. Hurt? Hold on-" Coulson paced his kitchen, phone in hand. "Oh, the poor girl. Of course. Yeah, I think we can do that. I'll talk to Melinda. Yes, it was great talking to you, too."

Melinda watched as her husband set the phone down with a sigh before rubbing his temple with his hand, clearly stressing about something.

"What's wrong," Melinda asked in response, setting her cup of tea down on the kitchen counter to give him her full attention.

"It was Maria. They have a girl in urgent need of a home," He began, turning towards her.

"And?"

"She's hurt. Bad. And she's a bit older than I know you had in mind, but I really think we should take her in, Mel. She's 18, so if we don't adopt her they wouldn't put her in the system, they'd just cast her out. I know a teenager would be a lot, but I think we could handle it. We've faced harder challenges together."

Melinda could tell that Phil's heart was already set on this by the desire in his eyes and the way he was trying so hard to convince her. A teenager would be hard, and wasn't exactly what Melinda had in mind, that much was true, but Phil had been right about the fact they've faced more difficult things.

"What's her name?" Melinda said, refocusing her thoughts on her husband.

"Kora. Kora Xiulan," he said with a gentle smile. Melinda knew her husband was aware he was winning her over.

"We have the room," he continued on, "and she's old enough to be responsible for herself. She may have to redo her senior year of highschool, Maria noted, but I work at the high school so it isn't much of a problem."

"A teenager is going to be more closed off," Melinda warned in response. "She may not be a fan of all your antics." Melinda picked her mug back up, taking a sip of tea while raising her eyebrows at Phil, who had feigned confusion.

"Antics? What antics? I don't have any antics," he replied, smiling, which prompted the other to roll her eyes.

"Sure you don't. Just like I don't see you putting dad jokes in the classroom emails to your students," she retorted before taking another sip.

"I plead the fifth," he responded, moving to set his own empty mug from earlier in the sink. "Seriously though, Melinda. I think we have to help her. It breaks my heart when I think of what so many kids go through, but now we can help. We signed up to foster for a reason, Mel."

Melinda sighed before taking another sip. She knew he had already practically convinced him, but she quickly ran through any issues that may arise from this before sorting through ways she could solve them.

"She really needs our help?" She asked, looking back towards the other.

"Yes, Melinda. It sound's like if she's thrown to the streets she may not be safe," he said, looking down sadly.

"Alright then. Call Maria." She smiled, knowing that they were finally going to have another member of the family, but it dulled a little at the creeping anxiety of responsibility.

That anxiety was dimmed a bit, however, when she could see Phil give a huge, goofy smile before picking his phone back up to call Maria.


Reviews are appreciated! See ya tomorrow!