Okay guys! I know there are more people out there reading this than reviewing and that's just mean! It only takes a couple seconds to say "This is great!" or "I would fix this part…." Come on guys! So I don't really have a plan for this chapter so I'm just gonna write it as I go! Thank you to HugeSG1Fan for commenting on both chapters! I'M GOING TO CHANGE LENA TO FIVE YEARS OLD NOW! I feel like 3 is too young for what I want to write.

Chapter 3

Neal POV

"Did Mozzie or Kate know about Amelia?" Peter asked as we pulled in front of the foster home. My heart sped up at the thought of seeing Lena.

"Geez Peter! So many questions!" He raised an eyebrow at me as if to say: You put off this discussion for far too long. Now you gotta pay up. "Yeah, yeah I know."

"Mozzie knew only because he found a picture of Amy behind one of my paintings." I explained. "Kate…I don't think Kate wanted to know."

"How so?"

"She would ask me about my family and when I would offer up something she would change the subject."

"Why do you think she didn't want to know?" Peter asked.

"I don't think Kate wanted to know if I loved someone more than her. At least that's what Mozzie said…" I trailed off because we were stopped in front of the Foster Home. I looked towards the playground and saw about 20 kids running around. None of these people have parents. Well neither did I, but that situation was different. One little girl though was sitting on the grass by herself. She had a stuffed bunny next to her and a pad of paper in front of her. She had crayons in her hand and was coloring. Her hair was brown and held back from her face with a light blue ribbon, exactly the color of her eyes. Her dress was light pink and had polka dots.

"You see her too?" Peter asked, snapping me out of my staring. I looked at him with tears pooling in my eyes.

"She looks exactly like her," I whispered and put my head in my hands. "Oh god Peter. I can't do this. I just can't." I just kept thinking of Amelia every time I looked at her. It's not her Neal. Amelia is gone.

"Neal, from what I've heard you were a great brother and have already raised a kid under much worse circumstances! Amelia turned out fine and so will Lena." Peter reassured me.

"But that was before I was a con!"

"Ex-con."

"Still! My life is completely different now! What if I fail? What if something bad happens? What if-"

"Neal-"

"What if she doesn't like me?" I asked, finally voicing my main fear. Peter laughed and rolled his eyes. (Neal has never met Lena FYI. He hasn't seen Amelia since her wedding. He has seen pictures of her though)

"Neal if that's the only thing you're worried about I know you will be fine. Lena will love you. See look!" Peter pointed to the girl drawing in the grass. "She's already exactly like you!"

"That's what I'm afraid of…"I whispered but got out of the car anyways. The building in front of us was a little bit worse for wear but could've been worse. It read Bethesda Foster Home: Helping children find homes since 1957 on the front doors.

"Notice how it doesn't say good homes?" I put out when Peter pulled open the door.

"Be nice Neal."

"I just want to get Lena and get out." I whispered just as a plump old lady made her way over to us.

"Wha'cha want?" She questioned with a hand on her hip and gum in her mouth.

"My niece." I growled, suddenly angry. This is who is taking care of my Lena?

"He's gorgeous and he knows what he wants." She purred. "I like that in a man." She licked her lips and growled slightly. It was all I could do not to throw up.

"We are looking for a Lena Caffrey. This man is her legal guardian now." Peter explained but her eyes never stopped looking at my body.

"Caffrey? That weirdo?" She laughed. "There's something wrong with that girl. Doesn't talk, just sits and draws. You might wanna get her checked out. If you know what I mean…." She laughed and winked at me as if I was supposed to find that amusing. I didn't. Peter had to hold my back to keep me from ripping her throat.

"Her mother just died!" I yelled. "How do you expect her to act?" The lady took a step back and just stammered.

"I-um-she-sorry-I-she's-drawing-show you-here," She mumbled while turned and fled.

"Well that wasn't very nice," Peter laughed.

"Screw manners, she deserved it." I growled and followed the women.

…

Once outside the women pointed out Lena to me and ran back inside. Peter clapped me on the shoulder and I headed toward her. If she noticed me walking towards her, she didn't say anything. I began picking up little details of her and storing them in my mind. Right handed, obviously favors the color pink due to the dress and her main color on her paper is pink, likes the wind because she giggles when it makes her hair tickle her face, and she loves the bunny next to her. Amelia probably gave it to her.

"Hi Lena," I said softly when I finally reached her. She looked up at me and cocked her head to the side. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Who are you? You look like Mommy." She said. I knew what she was seeing. My blue eyes were the same as hers and Amelia's.

"Yeah. I'm your mommy's brother." I explained as I crouched down to her level.

"How come I've never met you before? What's your name? Were you really her brother? Why are you wearing a hat? And who's that man behind you that's staring at us?" She rambled but stopped when I laughed. I kept laughing and eventually she started to laugh too. While she was laughing I noticed one of her teeth was missing.

"You're silly." She whispered.

"And you have a lot of questions!" Just like Amelia. "The reason you haven't met me before is because I live far away, my name is Neal but your mommy knew me as Nick, yes I really am her brother as well as your uncle, and I like this hat!"

"What about that man?" She whispered suspiciously.

"Him? That's my friend Peter." And then I leaned down to her ear, "don't worry he's a good guy…" She giggled and looked up at me.

"Do you like to draw? Do you wanna see me drawing?" She asked loudly, bouncing with happiness.

"I would love to Miss Lena," and I sat next her, careful not the crush the bunny, and looked at her paper. She had drawn herself, Amelia, and her bunny. There were hearts all around it and written at the top was Family.

"This is very good sweetie," I whispered, trying not to cry. Even a little girl's drawing of Amelia made a hole in my chest wrench open.

"Thanks Uncle Neal! Or is it Nick?" She questioned while smiling, showing off her missing tooth.

"Neal is great Lena."

"Uncle Neal," Lena asked, suddenly quiet, "am I gonna stay with you now?"

"Yeah baby." I nodded and kissed her head. "You are."

"So does that mean Mommy is really gone?" She said, her voice cracking on gone. Heartbroken, I picked her up and put her on my lap. She held her bunny to her chest and laid her head on my shoulder.

"What did people tell you?"

"Well Mrs. Milton next door said that Mommy was in a better place and Mr. Stevenson, Avery's dad, told me that my Mommy was gone and wasn't coming back." She whispered. "Does that mean she left me on purpose? Was it my fault?"

"No!" I cried. "It will never, ever be your fault. Do you understand?" I felt her nod but still felt my shirt get wet from where her head was. I remembered telling Amelia that same thing. That was so long ago. It seems like history is repeating itself.

"Lena, your mommy loves you very much, more than you will ever know but she was forced to leave you. She couldn't stay with us anymore but she misses you very much." I explained sadly. "Now come on, lets go meet Peter okay?"

"Can't we just go home?" She cried.

"We will baby. Just after I sign some papers to say that no one can take you away from me." I told her head softly. I picked her up and set her on my hip. I held her drawing in one of my hands while she held her bunny with the hands that were around my neck. I kissed the top of her head lovingly.

"Why would someone wanna take me away?" She cried. Crap, bad choice of words.

"It's just in case sweetie. Then we can go to my house. There's a very nice lady named June there." I explained while getting closer to Peter. "You will like her very much."

"Can she make cookies?" She whispered, finally taking her head off my shoulder.

"Yes, she makes wonderful cookies." I laughed and hugged her close to me.

And we're done! Hoped you liked it! Tell me what you think! SERIOUSLY, it's not that hard to review. In my own opinion I feel like I should do more imagery and less dialogue. Do you guys agree? Are there any other criticisms? Everything helps! I LOVE YOU ALL! Thank you!

REVIEW!