Hello Darlings! This fic is one of many that I am posting in an effort to figure out what project I'm going to focus on next. I'm going to post two to three chapters of several different projects I'm working on, to start. I'm looking for feedback from you dear readers to figure out which you want to see more of! My thought is, the project with the most reviews by...November 30th? Will be the one I put the most effort into! Depending on how inspired I feel, the others will get updates as well, just slower than my focus project. That's the goal anyway! We'll see how it works out! Please enjoy!

The young girl reached the shadows cast by the building and sunk into them. It was a dark, rainy night; the perfect night for a covert break in. Silently she reached for the window sill and gave it a quick tug. To her surprise, it inched open with a small squeak. After a few more breathless tugs, she managed to wedge it open, creating just enough space for her small form to slip through and enter the room she had been aiming for. The kitchen.

Moving stealthily, she made her way across the creaky, wooden floors to the large door that guarded the pantry. It was only once she had opened the pantry door that disaster struck. Three jars that had been balanced just on the edge of a high shelf tumbled to the ground. The girl managed to catch two of them but the third alluded her grip and landed on the floor with a crash loud enough to wake the dead.

"Who's there?!" A young, male voice called out, making the girl start in fright and duck deeper into the pantry to better hide herself. She had not been expecting such an immediate reaction, but the voice was young. There was a chance he had been sneaking down here for a snack himself when he heard her commotion. If she stayed very quiet maybe he would think it was a rat and go away.

"I know there's someone here! No rat would make that much noise! Show yourself!"

Apparently she would have no such luck. With no other option available to her, she decided to make a run for it. She could hear the boy rustling around in the room, searching for her, but if she took him by surprise there was a chance she could make it to freedom.

Throwing the pantry door open, she bolted, aiming for the open window she came through. She could hear the boy give chase but she was almost there…

BAM! The girl was hit from behind and sent tumbling to the floor. Instantly she attempted to scramble to her feet but the boy was faster than she was. He managed to turn her onto her back and sit on her stomach, effectively pinning her. She squirmed and hit and kicked but to no avail.

"MA! I got a thief!" The twerp hollered as loud as he could while trying to catch her swinging arms.

"James Pleiades Hawkins!" Came a muffled shout from upstairs.

"I'm serious Ma! I got it right here!" The boy yelled triumphantly.

"Let go!" The girl yelled, giving up on being silent.

"No. You stole from us."

"Did not!"

"Well...you were gonna!"

"Jim!"

The boy, Jim, looked over his shoulder with a giant grin for his Mama, "I got 'er, Ma!"

"Yes, you did. Now let her go this instant!"

"But, Ma!"

"Now!"

"Yes, Ma." The boy grumbled before reluctantly pushing himself off his thief. The girl lay there for about a half a second before deciding to bolt again.

"MA! You let her get away!" The kid yelled behind her. The girl had made it to the window when the woman called Ma spoke again.

"You know, if you went to all the trouble to break in here, why don't you at least take something. You were after food, weren't you?"

Something in her voice had the girl pausing to look back over her shoulder at the woman.

She was pretty and looked too young to be a mom to the brat she was restraining with a hand on his shoulder. Her hair was brown and hung loose to the shoulders of her nightgown. Her feet were bare and her big brown eyes were watching the girl with something she had never seen before. She didn't know what it was. It wasn't anger or disgust or even pity, she was all too familiar with those. No, this was something different, something nicer, and it had her taking her hand off the windowsill.

"I don't know about you but, now that I'm up, I could use a midnight snack!" the woman continued cheerfully, "Jim, why don't you help me pull out the leftovers from dinner."

"All of 'em?"

Sarah took another look at the girl still hovering by the window like a frightened bird, giving her a once over before nodding, "Yes, all of them."

"But what's dad gonna have for lunch?"

"Your father can make do with sandwiches." Sarah's tone was firm in the face of her son's doubt, so Jim began pulling them out of the fridge. Still not entirely sure why his ma was so determined to feed the thief but willing to go along with it as long as she didn't get away. Sometimes he wasn't sure his ma realized just how difficult it was to catch a thief.

Meanwhile, Sarah got the stove hot and began to reheat the stew and steamed vegetables. Before too long delicious smells were once more filling the kitchen. Three places were set at the breakfast table and Sarah and Jim sat down to eat while the girl stood watching, trying to figure out where the trap was. Were they trying to poison her? Had they already somehow contacted the authorities? Were they going to sell her into slavery again?

After a few minutes, Sarah set her spoon down and turned to face the girl.

"You're food is going to get cold if you don't eat it soon." she urged gently. When the girl simply watched her suspiciously, Sarah dipped a piece of bread into the third bowl then took a bite.

"See? Perfectly safe. We don't want to hurt you." She continued kindly, "I know it's hard to believe, but I promise I just want to help you. Come eat with us." She then turned her back and pretended as much interest in her food as the ravenous boy across from her.

"Jim, slow down! You're going to choke!" She laughed, even as she heard small, shuffling footsteps approaching the table from behind her.

"ShaweeMa." Her son mumbled around a mouthful of bread.

"And don't talk with your mouth full." She admonished, while dutifully ignoring the girl as she hesitantly inched her way into the empty chair.

After a long moment, where she eyed the food in front of her with deep suspicion, the girl finally took a nibble. Her eyes closed in sheer bliss and when they opened Sarah could see the ravenous hunger in them. Then the girl dug in with such gusto, even Jim watched her in amazement. Sarah had to wonder if the poor little thing had ever had a proper meal in her life.

Once she slowed a fraction and began to chew her food properly, Sarah decided it was time for a few answers.

"How is the food?"

When the girl nodded her head appreciatively around a mouthful of food, Sarah smiled.

"Good, I'm glad you like it. My name is Sarah and this is my son, Jim. Can you tell us your name?"

The girl swallowed and shrugged her thin shoulders, "Ain't got one."

"You don't have a name? What do you answer to?"

The girl shrugged again, "Anythin. Most jus' yells at me ta do stuff."

"Hmm." Sarah murmured thoughtfully as the girl resumed inhaling her food.

Comfortable silence reigned over the room, broken only by the sound of the fire crackling in the stove. Young Jim began to doze off in his chair, his stomach full of his mother's good, warm food. Sarah sat quietly, occasionally lifting her mug to take a sip of her tea, while the girl continued to eat.

Once the bowl was wiped clean of any last drops and the last of the bread was packed into her little mouth, the girl stood and scrambled for the window once more.

"Do you have somewhere to sleep tonight? It's getting rather chilly with the storm moving through." Sarah called after the child.

"Yup." The girl answered tersely.

"Wonderful! Is your family waiting for you? I could send some food…"

"Nope." The girl interrupted, her shoulders stiffening at the questions.

"I see. Well, since you have no one waiting for you and since it is such a nasty night, would you like to sleep here tonight? You are certainly welcome to, although I won't force you to stay."

The girl whipped around, eyes blazing, hands on her hips as she confronted Sarah, "Whad'ya want, Lady? Why ya bein' so nice? Ya lookin' ta sell some'at so's ya can keep feedin' yer brat? Drop yer act, coz I ain't fallin' fer it!"

"There's no act, dear. I genuinely want to offer you any help I can. I want to see you safe, and warm, and happy." Sarah responded with such tenderness that the devil himself would fall to his knees before her.

"Why?" The girl shot back.

"Because, once, you had a mother and if my Jim ended up on the street my greatest wish would be that someone would be kind enough to take him in, feed him, and care for him as if he were one of their own."

"My Ma be the first ta sell me." The girl scoffed, "She need the opioid."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Sarah whispered.

Her tone of deep, genuine sadness caught and held the girl's attention. This woman, this stranger, cared enough about her to be sad? She glanced back at the open window; at the rainy, darkness beyond it; and shivered. Ever since she had escaped she had slept on the cold, hard ground, huddled under a pile of scrap for added protection and warmth. What would it be like to sleep with a real roof over her head, with a real blanket covering her? She couldn't remember ever having that luxury, even when she still lived with her mother. Turning back to the woman she found her watching her with a hopeful expression.

"One night." She found herself conceding.