A/n Maybe someday I'll update at decent place.

Tick tock

It was sunny, how could it be sunny? Caius gripped his knee tighter, these things weren't supposed to happen. They Happened but to him. Not to them. He had dinner with them Yesterday! They were fine, they were both fine. These thoughts ran though his thoughts again and again. He had known Grace since they were in preschool, and she was like a sister to him. Nick was close as well, he had met him five years ago and he was fine! She was fine! His mind continued to race.

Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock

The sun seemed to shine brighter though the window. The mood in the room seemed to darken.

"Ahem" The Lawyer finally spoke up. "The will states that the Nsus would like for you to take their daughter as her legal guardian"

Caius's mouth felt dry. He shouldn't be surprised. Grace's family had disowned her when she married Nick. Nick's only living family was his grandmother and she was in a home.

"Surely there must be someone else? Someone who has experience, someone who's married?" He had a stable job, and no criminal record, but was he really ready to raise a kid?

"I don't know the situation of the Nsus, I only know what they wrote." The Lawyer looked him straight in the eyes. "You don't have to take Yeul, we can put her in the system. A young girl will have no problem getting adot-"

"Yes," Caius's mouth moved without him thinking. "It is the least I could do for my friends."

"Very well, we'll start the paper work immediately."

Yeul was sitting at the dinner table

"Dad," She glared at Caius. "Where's my mom?" Caius stopped chopping the onions. And turned. Cheese and crackers he was praying that this day would never come. He knew it was going to happen. They didn't look that much alike, and all the other kids had two parents. He sighed and turned towards her.

"Why did this come up?"

"Kelly was talking about how her mom was having another kid," oh no he could see where that was going. "And I told her that I came from you. She then said that only moms can have babies. She where's the mom that made me?"

"Well you did come from a woman," Caius was dreaming this. "Let's go upstairs"

Caius walked into the storage room. He pulled open the drawer that contained the photo of Grace and Nick on their wedding day. Yeul didn't say anything. The Mood that her father was in was pulling her down. They rarely went into the storage room. No reason too.

Caius kneeled down before her, holding out the photo.

"The women is Grace, She's your mom, and this is Nick." He pointed at both them. "He's your Dad."

"Where are they?"

"They're in a better place, but they had to leave." Caius paused, "I was tasked with taking care of you, you have always been my child." He rushed the words. Nervousness coursed through him.

"So, you adopted me?" She didn't seem to be mad.

"I am your legal guardian, so yes."

"Okay, can I go back to coloring now?"

"Sure kiddo."

He smiled

He knew he should have said no. He should have stated in Crystal Cove. Yeul would have to make new friends. They would have to find a good house that didn't cost too much or was too far from the new branch. But the promotion was too good and pay was even better. Besides the boss would get mad at him and she might fire him. He could not risk losing his job, not with Yeul to look after.

He placed the box on the floor. Yeul was up in what was to be her room unpacking the boxes that had her things in them. He peered at the writing on the side. Smart books. Despite his grumpy move he smiled. Yuel always call his accounting and econ textbooks smart people books. She demanded that he label the box that.

He lifted the box and headed towards the room that was destined to become his study. A knock echoed on the front door.

"I've got it!" Yeul yelled as he heard her footsteps on the wood floor. Caius stayed in view of the door as she opened it. Upon seeing a young boy, he continued carrying the box full of books.

Returning to the living room Caius noticed that a plate of cookies had been placed on the table. Yeul was sitting to the side and munching on one.

"Who brought the cookies?" Caius picked one up and looked at it.

"The people who live in the house across the street." Yeul said "his name is Noel he looks to be around the same age as me."

"Hopefully you'll be able to be friends with him." Caius took a bit of the cookie. "That looks like a nice plate,"

"Yeah I said I'd return it." Yeul had finished her first cookie as was going for a second.

"Oh no," Caius said as Yeul stopped, "It's almost your bed time. You're not having another until tomorrow. I'll put the cookies on one of our plates and return the other one. Okay?" Yeul nodded.

"Now let's finish unpacking"

Caius would be the first to amity that he wasn't the best with new people. Sure, he could do small talk at the office, but making friends was hard. Come on Caius he told himself. Just hand them the plate, say thanks and try to not make then nervous. Sometimes people got weirded out by him. Mainly because of the who inheriting a kid thing. People started to treat him differently because of that. He stood at the door and did the only thing he could.

He knocked.

The door opened to reveal a large man and a Relatively small woman. These must have been Noel's parents. He held up the plate.

"I just wanted to-," He trailed off. They both had looks of terror on their faces. A little bit of confusion seemed to be mixed in as well.

They broke out of their stun and both reached for the doorknob. Fumbling over each other to close the door. Caius was confused. He had never seen these two in his life. The only person that really hated him was Marta from the PTA. She made the worst brownies anyway. And she was halfway across the country and all of her family was close to her. What had he down to terrify these two? Sure, he was big, but blondie was bigger than him!

"Ahem," Caius adjusted the plate so it was closer to them. They stopped scrambling and looked at him.

"Thank you for the cookies," They had stopped reaching for the doorknob. "This looks like a fine plate and I wanted to return it. My Daughter said she would but it's past her bed time." He waited.

"So that makes you," The woman looked at him, she still looked a little shaky, "Our neighbor,"

Caius nodded and pointed to his house.

"Me and my Daughter live right over there. She needs new friends here and I hope that your son could be one."

"Yeah," The large guy spoke, "That would be cool." He reached out and took the plate.

"Speaking of our son," The woman looked much calmer now. But there was still a hint of something in her voice. "We have to go and check on him,"

Caius nodded and turned to walk away. He heard the door close and the sounds of conversation though they were muffled.

That could have gone better.