The next day Will and Emma were sitting in the social work office just outside of Canley waiting to be interviewed. Will was getting jittery as was Emma but she wasn't showing it. Instead she was sitting with Ruby on her knees, reading her a storybook from the pile next to her.
"Mr Fletcher and Miss Keane if you would care to come this way." The social worker said to them from a door further along the corridor. "Ruby will be taken to speak to another of my colleagues while we do your interview." He continued as he saw Emma taking Ruby's hand and walking along the corridor with her.
"Oh okay. Well you be a good girl eh Ruby." Emma said kissing her forehead gently and ruffling her hair. Ruby smiled and nodded and then followed another person into a different room.
"Now what can I do for you?" The social worker that introduced himself as Mark said.
"Well we were both the investigating officers on a case involving the murder of Ruby's mother. The social work offices in Canley were involved in a serious arson so they were unable to help us find somewhere for Ruby to stay and seeing as she has no family and there are no known family friends that she is able to stay with, Will and I have been looking after her." Emma said confidently.
"And you need Ruby to get emergency fostering or put into care." Mark concluded picking up a notebook from in his desk drawer.
"Oh no. That's not it. Well because she's been staying with us at home as well, we've both become attached to her. I…I was in care myself and I don't think she should be put through that. If it's possible, we'd like to adopt Ruby." She said shakily.
"Well we will have to review you both fairly regularly but seeing as Ruby has nowhere else to go and considering her age it might be better if she stayed with you as she already seems relaxed and settled. I'll have to go and sort out some forms for you both but at the moment it's a yes." Mark replied smiling at both Emma and Will.
"Out of interest, was this a joint decision and how long have you two been together. It's just procedure, we need to know some background and make sure the child will have parents who are in a stable relationship." He asked just before leaving the room.
"Oh yeah it was my idea but Emma wants it just as much as I do. We both love Ruby, she's such a sweet kid and we really like her. Erm Emma and I have been seeing each other for at least five months and we've been living together for about 3 months." Will said taking Emma's hand in his.
"Okay well that seems to be fine. I'll go speak to a supervisor and then I'll come back and let you know." Mark said leaving the room.
Meanwhile Ruby was sitting in a squishy beanbag being asked questions by another social worker by the name of Sarah. "So Ruby how do you like living with Will and Emma?"
"I love it. Will lets me play on the Playstation with him and he takes me to the park and goes on the seesaw with me. I like Emma too, she reads me stories and does my hair all pretty. They both make me giggle and they tell me they love me and they give me cuddles." Ruby said happily.
"Would you like it if they adopted you?" Sarah asked smiling at her.
"Uh huh I like them. If I can't have Mummy and Daddy back then I want Emma and Will to be them." She said quickly.
"Okay Ruby, I'll go and see if they're ready to take you home yet." Sarah said leaving the room.
Emma and Will signed the documents that gave them custody over Ruby and were told that the social work office would be in touch with them soon about an inspection. They then went to collect Ruby from Sarah's office and took her back out to the car.
"Rubes, Emma and I were wondering if you wanted to go and get the rest of your things from your old home?" Will asked as he strapped her into her booster seat. Ruby nodded and he stroked her hair softly.
They drew up at the house and Emma and Will took out the key that they had been given and unlocked the front door. Will let Emma take Ruby upstairs to her room while he went around picking up things that Ruby would probably want to see when she was older. He opened a chest of drawers in the living room and took out several photo albums which he put into a box next to him. He then took all of the pictures from the mantle piece and added them to this box along with some ornaments and box on the sideboard that contained Ruby's Dad's wedding ring.
Upstairs Emma had emptied all of Ruby's clothes into some more boxes and was starting on the books from her shelf. Ruby meanwhile was packing away all of her soft toys and her colouring pencils and Barbie dolls. Emma smiled at Ruby as she sat contentedly putting her dolls into a box, one by one. She slipped out of the room and went into the bedroom next door where Will was putting away Ruby's Mum's jewellery and the photos from her bedside table.
Emma sat on the bed beside Will and they looked at the photograph in their hands. Ruby's mum was smiling up at them from the photo and cuddled up in her arms was her baby daughter who was probably only hours old judging by the size of her.
Just then they heard crying from next door and they rushed through to find Ruby sitting on the bed with tears running down her cheeks. "Ruby sweetheart, what's wrong?" Emma asked scooping Ruby into a hug.
"I…I miss Mummy." Ruby said burying her face in Ruby's neck.
"I know you do baby but trust me, everything's going to be all right. Mummy wouldn't want you to be upset would she? She'd want you to be happy and for you to remember all the good things that you used to do together and all the happy times you had." She said taking Ruby downstairs and through to the kitchen.
An hour later, they loaded up the boot with all of Ruby's things and they set off back to Will and Emma's flat. Emma took her into the spare room and lay her down on the bed. "Rubes, because you're living with us now I was wondering what you want your bedroom to look like?" Emma said smiling down at her.
"I like pink." Ruby said, stating the obvious. "Can I have a pink room please?" She asked cuddling into Emma.
"Course you can baby. You can have whatever you want." Emma replied kissing her head. "Now I was wondering, do you go to nursery Ruby?" She asked pulling her onto her lap.
"Yes, I go to Hamilton Green Nursery. I go in the morning." She answered proudly. "And after summer I'm going to be a big girl and I'm going to Primary School!" Ruby exclaimed to Emma, who smiled at her delighted expression.
"How about I take you to nursery tomorrow then?" Emma said sliding off the bed and onto the floor. "But for now I'm going to try and unpack some of your stuff." She told Ruby to go and play with Will so she also slipped off the bed but instead of sitting down next to the boxes she dodged them and ran off towards the living room in search of Will.
Later on in the evening, once Ruby had gone to bed, Emma sat down next to Will on the sofa and cuddled into him. "You know I have to go back to work tomorrow babes." Will whispered in her ear. When Emma nodded, he continued. "Will you be fine taking care of Ruby on your own?" He asked, already knowing she'd do great.
"I was thinking that after I drop her off at nursery that I'll start decorating her room." Emma said smiling up at him.
"Well I think that's a great idea honey." He replied kissing her softly. "Now come here, I've been waiting to do this all day." He added pulling her closer towards him so that she was lying on top of him with her head on his chest. Putting his arms around her he hugged her close to him and they drifted off to sleep on the sofa in their pyjamas.
I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling
This innocence is brilliant, I hope that it will stay
Yay more Will/Emma/Rubyness on the way...actually I haven't written any more than this but I promise to keep updating until it's done...not many chapters to go...might be persuaded to do a sequel to this one...just possibly...tell me if you want one when it's done xxpip