The New House & Realizations!

It had been three days since they moved into the new house and Mai wanted nothing to do with it and nobody knew why. She was also having severe nightmares and would try to refuse to sleep until it was way past her bedtime and her little body just couldn't stay awake any longer. It was also six days until Christmas.

It was six days 'til Christmas and they really couldn't get any kind of peace. What with Mai's nightmares and all the camera crews and TV peoples who were there pretty much all day…and night; it was really starting to piss Elliot off.

After everyone found out how Mai was really conceived they agreed to keep it between them; they also agreed to keep Mai's birth mother a secret from just about everybody except for close family and the mew mews and their guys. The only reason behind not telling anyone outside of the family is because it was not an easy story to tell. Not Mai is three and Zoey is only seventeen; and if you do the math Zoey was only fourteen when Mai was born. At least Elliot was sixteen when she was conceived and seventeen when she was born.

Anyways, they decided to keep it quiet; so naturally, everybody knows. And everybody knows because of Elliot's dad, a nurse and a few nosy passerby's in the hospital blabbed. And just because so many told the media and news people they all believed them; especially when a nurse said, because they know all this stuff. And to back their story up the nurse gave them a few blood samples and any kind of DNA they would need. Elliot's dad, because he was believed to be dead for so many years, but turned out to just be in witness protection; they believed him. But he also gave the news stations a video he had recorded of the whole conversation on the day Zeke had told them about it. Man, Elliot was unbelievably pissed off.

Needless to say both he and Zoey and her parents were suing the nurse and his dad; they could not sue any of the passerby's because they couldn't prove they said anything. And even if they could they wouldn't because they didn't have any proof that anything they were saying was true; it was the nurse and his dad that had all the proof.

Zoey and her family were also pursuing legal action against the guy who started all this bull crap. Not that Mai is bull crap or a mistake in any way; no Mai was pretty much almost completely perfect and loved by almost everyone on both sides of the family and the others. We all know the one person who doesn't like her.

"DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY!"

It was the middle of the night when Elliot woke up immediately to the sounds of Mai screaming bloody murder for him and Zoey; she had never screamed like that at night.

"Mai! Don't worry baby, I'm coming!" Elliot yelled grabbing baseball bat as he ran to her room.

When he got there however, he didn't need the bat because Mai was just screaming in her sleep while squeezing the life out of Mr. Bear, arching her back up off the bed and kicking her feet.

"Daddy! Daddy, please! Pease don't leave me! Daddy!" Mai screamed and cried at the top her lungs as tears came falling freely from her sleeping eyes; you could hear the fear and pain in her voice…and it was killing Elliot.

"Mai, Mai baby, its ok; I'm right here." Elliot said softly as he sat on the edge of her bed and pulling her to him, started rocking her.

After a few minutes Mai woke up crying.

"Its ok baby, I'm right here; I'll always be here." Elliot said softly holding onto her.

"No, you won't; just like mommy isn't." Mai said softly shocking Elliot.

"Mommy's not here because she still lives with grandma and grandpa and has to finish school; you know this. And I'm not going anywhere; I'll always be here." Elliot said making her look at him, also to try to understand what was going through her little head.

"NO YOU WON'T!" Mai screamed as she pushed away from him and ran away, down the stairs and out the door where she ran into Wesley who was just about to knock on the door.

"What's going on here?" Wesley asked as he picked a screaming Mai up.

"She thinks everybody's going to abandon her. Did she wake you again; I'm sorry if she did." Elliot said with an apologetic look on his face.

"It's fine; I guess that must be the reason for her nightmares." Wesley said as he handed Mai to Elliot.

At this point Elliot was really glad he didn't have neighbors and that the media wasn't outside his house tonight…for once.

"Mai, what is going on? We're never going to leave you, ever; I promise you this. Mai, look at me; that a girl." Elliot said waiting for her to her to look at him.

"Now; what's going on? Why on earth do you think we're going to leave you?" Elliot asked again while Wesley stood there.

"…Becawse you moved…" Mai said slowly.

"No, we all moved." Elliot told her picking her up.

"…Not mommy…" Mai said slowly.

"But you know why she didn't move in with us; she'll move in when she's out of school." Elliot told his daughter who was in tears.

"…But when scewl is over you'll move in with her and forget all about me. or she'll move in here and you'll get rid of me. You'll go away just like my old grandma and grandpa! They were going to take me away from my fake mommy and take me with them, but they went away. Fake mommy and Nate made them go away forever with a bang bang noise! You'll go away and forget all about me!" Mai cried hard into Elliot's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

Finally Elliot and Wesley began to understand; Mai had been moved around so much and there were probably a few places she was told that was permanent that weren't. And then there were Mara and Amanda's parents; they were killed trying to take away Mai.

Elliot and Wesley just looked at each other sadly

"Mai, listen to me; Zoey and I will never ever leave you; neither will Uncle Wesley and Aunt Renee. Grandma and Grandpa Hanson and Grandma Grant won't leave you either. And none of us, including all the other girls and guys will EVER forget you. Do you hear me? NEVER. We will all always be here for you no matter when, where or what. Do you hear what I am telling you; we all love you!" Elliot said to the sobbing girl in his arms.

"…...Really?" Mai asked softly, shocking Elliot and Wesley; it hurt them so much that she was hurting like this and couldn't wrap her mind around it all.

"Of course. Hold on one second; Wesley, what time is it?" Elliot asked really not knowing; he panicked when he heard Mai screaming and just went running.

"About eleven at night; why do you ask?" Wesley asked confused.

"I'm going to take her over to Zoey's; show her that she's loved and nobody is planning on ever leaving her. And then tomorrow we'll go see my mom and hopefully the same thing will be said there." Elliot said as he picked Mai up and carried her to her room where he got her an outfit for tomorrow. He then went to his room to get a pair of clothes for himself and to get changed into regular pants and a shirt; he's been sleeping in his boxers.

On their way down Elliot grabbed his house keys and walked past Wesley and locked his front door.

"We'll see you later." Elliot said to Wesley as Mai looked at him.

"Auntie Renee and I love you very much Mai. Don't you ever forget that." Wesley said looking the scared girl in Elliot's arm before gently kissing her forehead goodnight.

"Love you too…" Mai said softly.

Elliot could've taken the car, but that would require getting Wesley to go with as well because Elliot couldn't drive worth shit. Not to mention if he could drive and there were people out there he wouldn't attract too much attention to them. Also Zoey only lived about two blocks away; they know. Her parents, mainly her mother, had figured it out; from doorstep to door step it was approximately two and three quarter's blocks. And to top it all off; it was a beautiful night; the stars were out and it was a full moon with no clouds whatsoever.

Two and a half minutes later Elliot and Mai were standing at Zoey's front door, knocking.

Five minutes later all three of them were at the door; Adam with a baseball bat and the girls behind him.

"Oh, it's just Elliot and Mai." Adam said which caused Mai to burst out crying.

"Adam!" Suzie yelled hitting her husband over the head, "come on in. What's going on?" Suzie asked shocked and confused at the sudden outburst.

"Mai thinks we're all going to abandon and forget all about her…" Elliot started and then continued to tell what had happened. It took a total of ten to fifteen minutes for it all to sink in because Elliot had to explain it twice because the three of them didn't understand it the first time through. After the second time through they still didn't get it; I mean they understand why with all the shit she's been through. They just didn't understand because they showered her with love every chance they got; even when they thought they weren't her biological family.

"Mai, we love you very much and we will never stop loving you." Zoey said softly bending down to Mai's eye level.

"Then why don't you live with daddy and me?" Mai asked hoarsely as she was starting to lose her voice.

"I have to finish school remember?" Zoey told the young tired toddler.

"B-but wh-why ca-can't yo-you fin-finwish scewl living with daddy and me?" Mai stuttered frustrated as more tears ran down her face because she didn't understand.

Zoey was about to say something when her mom piped up, "Zoey why don't you put Mai in your bed and come back; then you and Elliot can go to bed." Suzie said softly.

"Oh no, no boy is going to be sleeping in the same bed as my baby girl. No offence Elliot because I really do like you." Adam said to Elliot, injecting himself into the conversation.

"Zoey cover Mai's ears." Suzie said simply…oh boy…

Zoey did as she was told and waited.

"Now you listen to me; one you already know they're having sex and two Mai is going to be in there with them so there won't be any sex to be had! Now Zoey, please take Mai to your room and put her to bed." Suzie snapped; something you don't see very often.

At this outburst Adam backed off and Zoey did as she was told; Elliot just sat there shocked.

"Ok Mai it's time to go to sleep. Daddy and I will be in, in a little bit. Now go to sleep. I really do love you very much, with all my heart just like daddy." Zoey said softly kissing Mai's forehead as she covered her up.

Soon, both of Zoey's parents and Elliot entered her room.

"Mai…grandma and grandpa love you very much." Suzie said softly as she walked over to the bed.

"I didn't mean to sound the way I did when we answered the door; we didn't know it was you two. We thought it was either a burglar or something. We really do love you very much." Adam said softly, apologetic.

"A bur-burger won't knock on a door; I-I ea-eat bur-burgers…" Mai sniffled out which got everybody laughing, which she didn't understand.

"I'm sorry dear; we're not making fun of you, I promise. Not a burger; a burglar. A burglar is somebody who breaks into someone's home or store or something." Suzie said softly after she got done laughing.

"Oh…but would a burgaler knock on the door?" Mai asked confused.

"No, I guess not. Grandpa should've known better, shouldn't he?" Suzie asked earning Mai's first real smile in awhile.

"Yes; he should." Mai said giggling a bit.

"Hey! I'm going to get you for that! Ok, here I come!" Adam exclaimed as he dived into the bed and started tickling Mai causing a fit of laughter from her which made the girls and Elliot smile.

"Ok you two; that's enough. It's time for Mai to get to sleep. And the four of us adults need to have a serious talk. Goodnight; I love you, my favorite granddaughter." Suzie said kissing Mai's forehead before she exited the room.

"I love you little princess." Adam said also kissing her forehead before he also left.

"We love you baby girl." Elliot and Zoey said at the same time before kissing her and headed out.

"Nwite; luv you too." Mai said softly, dead tired.

After closing the door with smiles on their faces, Zoey, Elliot and her parents went to sit down in the kitchen.

"So mom, what's up?" Zoey asked seriously once they were all situated.

"I think you should move in with Elliot and Mai sooner than planned." Suzie said shocking everyone and making Adam choke on whatever it was he was eating.

"Excuse me?! She still has school to finish!" Adam exclaimed rather shocked.

"Hush up and let me finish! Yes, I understand she has school to finish, but Mai is right; she can continue going to school while living with them. It's only an extra two and three quarters blocks away; she'll be fine. And I think we can all agree that we hate seeing Mai the way she was and want her to be happy; she deserves that. And I'm sure Elliot would make sure Zoey made it to school every day and not play hooky; he's responsible like that." Suzie explained.

"But…" Adam started but was immediately interrupted by Suzie.

"It's what Mai wants! And I want a happy granddaughter who isn't afraid to come to us or her parents when she's upset and hurting! I want a happy granddaughter who knows she is loved and is happy! If this is what she wants then god damnit it's what she'll get! That is if that's what mom and dad want as well." Suzie said close to tears.

"It's actually not about what I want; it's what Zoey wants. I don't want to push her into something she doesn't want." Elliot said simply.

"Of course that's what I want! Mom, dad I love you two; don't get me wrong. But I want to live with my daughter and the man I love; the two people I love with all my heart." Zoey said speaking up.

"Well then it's settled; Zoey will move out of here and in with Elliot and Mai. But not right away; and don't tell Mai…it'll be a big Christmas surprise for her. It will be a Christmas present from all of us!" Suzie said happily clapping her hands together.

"Yay…" Adam said sarcastically.

"That's the attitude. Now you two, off to bed; it's been a long night. But wait, what do you have planned for tomorrow?" Suzie asked looking at Elliot.

"I'm going to take Mai to see my mom and hopefully we'll have the same reactions from her that we did from you." Elliot said simply.

"Oh well you should. I don't see why you wouldn't; your mom seems really lovely and seems to love Mai just as much as the rest of us do. Anyways off to bed." Suzie said dragging her husband to bed.

"Well, I certainly didn't see that one coming…" Zoey said as they walked to her room.

"Neither did I." Elliot said following her.

When they got to her room they were shocked to see Mai, barely awake, still fighting sleep.

"What are you doing up young lady?" Elliot asked looking at his daughter who by how she was wobbling looked very drunk.

"I-I wa-was wai-waiting f-for y-you." Mai said-she sounded drunk too.

"Well, we're here. Now it's time to sleep." Elliot said as Zoey climbed in over by the wall and Elliot got in on the outside of the bed, squishing Mai in-between the two.

As Elliot and Zoey looked from Mai, their beautiful, perfect daughter, to each other; they smiled happily. They had everything they could want in life right there.

Not long after that the three of them all fell to sleep, smiles on their faces; I think Mai had the biggest one of all.

And not long after they fell asleep flashes filled Zoey's room; Suzie was taking pictures. She just couldn't help herself; she waited outside the door just waiting for the most perfect, absolutely adorable moment and took her shots. Picture after picture until it was Adam's turn to drag her off to bed.

Everybody went to sleep, waiting for the events of the next day and Christmas…

So there you go

Tell me what you thought

Try to update soon,

SarT55