Five years later.

"Hey, hey David! Wake up!"

The whispers wakes you but it's the shaking that makes you groan and pull the blanket over your head. You don't want to wake up, it's probably only twelve or seven in the morning!

Your shoulder is shaken again and when you don't respond, someone yanks your blanket off with a big tug. Nooo come back, it's cold! You open your eyes slowly to see your sisters standing over your bed. Roxy is holding your blanket, the thief. They're both grinning, that can't be good.

You pull your Big Bird plushy closer. "Go 'way."

Roxy drops the blanket and puts her hands to her hips. "Nuh, uh, you gotta wake up and play with us!"

Rosie climbs on your bed and sits on your legs, leaning in close. "It snowed." She whispers with a grin.

That gets you to wake up properly and suddenly Rosie sitting on you is a problem. You have to get up now, it hasn't snowed in at least eleventeen days!

"Are we gonna go out? When can we go out?" You sit up and lean on your hands. Rosie gets off of you again.

"Roxy asked Mommy and she said that we can go now. She's making hot chocolate later!" Yessss, even better! Hot chocolate is your favorite drink ever, you love it! Well, when it's cold you like it. In summer you love orange juice! But it's not summer and you want some hot chocolate, now that Roxy stole your blanket.

"With marshmallows!" Roxy calls from the foot of your bed where your chair stays while you're asleep. She rolls it over and helps you get in properly. When she starts rolling you away you realize something.

"Wait!"

She stops abruptly. "What, what did we forget?"

You stretch your arm to your bed and make a grabbing motion with your hand. "Bird!"

Rosie is already on her way to get it and when she turns around to give it to you, you see her shaking her head at Roxy. "Tsk, tsk, tsk," she says just like Mommy does when one of you does something bad. You grin when she hands you the plushy and sit it on your lap so it can see where you're going.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Davie!" Roxy wraps her arms around you from behind and squeezes tight. "I won't forget again, I promise!"

You giggle and give her hand a quick peck. "It's okay. Now let's go!"

"Yes!" The arms disappear again and the next thing you know you're squealing with laughter as Roxy runs down the hallway, rolling you along. Rosie is running next to you and trails her hand on the first floor railing.

All three of you reach the lift and Rosie quickly presses the button five times. Behind you, Roxy sighs. "It's not gonna come faster like that Rosie."

"Yes, it will!" She replies with her hands at her sides. "I did that once and it came really fast. I can prove it too, David was there!"

You nod really fast and turn around to look at Roxy. "She's right, it was really fast and we were downstairs in two seconds!"

She sighs again, like she always does when she thinks that you're too young to understand something. You don't like that. By the look Rosie is giving her, neither does she.

The lift dings and the moment is over. You burst into giggles and both of your sisters join in a second later.

When you reach the ground floor, the three of you hurry into the living room, where Mommy is sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper. You don't know why she does, it doesn't even have any nice pictures!

She looks up and smiles, setting the mug she was holding onto the little table by the couch. For a second you think it's hot chocolate, but then the smell hits you and you wrinkle your nose. Coffee. That's even worse than newspaper! When you grow up, you're going to do a looot of stuff differently. Roxy always says she wants to be president when she grows up, and you've already made a list to show her of what you want to change. Making coffee ilegil, no, illigal, not allowed, is really high up. Of course, this list is all in your head because you can't write yet, but next year you and Rosie are starting school. You're both super excited!

"Ready to go outside, chickadees?" she asks, folding the paper and setting it down on the cushions. "Or do you want breakfast first?"

"We go out!" you immediately shout, because who would ever want to stay inside to wait on food when there is snow out there! You just have to make sure you tell Mommy that, because grown-ups do weird things like drinking coffee instead of hot chocolate, and you never know. Maybe grown-ups also stay inside when there is snow. They're weird.

Mommy laughs and you giggle, not even really knowing why but knowing that if Mommy is laughing you are laughing. Then she stands up, picks up your favorite orange scarf from the sofa, and walks over to you, kneeling and wrapping it snugly around your neck. "You can go out," she says, "but you have to layer up first! We don't want anyone getting sick, right?"

"Right!" Rose agrees. "Being sick is bad, I don't like it!"

Mommy ruffles her hair. "Well said, squiddle," she says. "No one likes being sick! Do you mind running to the laundry room to get your brother's coat? We don't want baby bird being sick either!"

"Should I go get hats and mittens?" Roxy asks eagerly as Rose nods and runs off, already starting to bounce to the stairs. "I'll get hats and mittens!"

That leaves you and Mommy. You hold out your arms to her, and she picks you up, sets you on her hip, and plants a kiss on your forehead, which makes you make a face and scrub at it because it makes you feel like there's makeup on your head. Ewww. She laughs at that and bounces you slightly.

"Are you gonna make hot chocolate?" you ask anxiously. This is a very important question!

"Of course," she smiles. "It's not a snow day without hot chocolate, is it?"

"No," you shake your head seriously. It's good that even though she's a grown-up, Mommy gets this very important fact. "With marshmallows?"

"And whipped cream," she adds, grinning at you. "Maybe even both! Who knows!"

"Both?" you repeat, feeling your eyes go wide with wonder. Marshmallows and whipped cream in one cup? That sounds ... that sounds awesome!

Scampering footsteps skid around the corner back into the sitting room and you look over Mommy's shoulder to see Roxy pulling Rosie by the hand, both of them carrying all the winter clothes that you all forgot upstairs in your excitement about the snow. You make a face because it'll take forever to put them on, but obediently you sit as Mommy puts you down and helps you get the sweater and big coat on.

Roxy is done fumbling with the buttons on her coat as Mommy puts your socks and boots on, and she stands there bouncing in place. "Come on come on come on!"

"Calm down, kitten," Mommy smiles at her. "Just a second, let's make sure David stays nice and warm!"

You make a face again and Roxy laughs as she drops to her knees, putting your other boot on and tying a clumsy knot. "There!" she says. "All done!"

"Yay!" you cheer, throwing your mittened hands into the air. Rose claps hers gleefully and then runs around to push your chair. Roxy quickly takes over for her, going to the back door. Mommy opens it for you, letting the three of you out into the yard, and then kisses each of you on the head before she goes back inside.

"Hot chocolate will be ready soon, and so will breakfast!" she calls to you from the doorway, but you're already grabbing a handful of snow from the railing on the back deck to fling at Roxy, and you barely hear a word she says over the sound of your own giddy laughter.

So it goes, and as you grow up you don't find your family lacking in anything at all. You're happy as can be, with you and Rose and Roxy and Mom. Some people wonder why you don't also have a Dad, but you just shrug and Roxy says that Mom is too awesome to need a husband, and Rose nods staunchly in agreement, and that's that.

Right now you're wheeling down the hallway to Mrs. Derrint's history class, which is on the second floor of your school building. Thank god it has an elevator, not all places do. It's normally only for teachers, but you get a special pass. One other person is allowed with you and it's usually Rose, but today she and you have different classes before history, so you just meet up there.

Hopefully you're going to more interesting stuff today, not look at a dumb map all day. You already know where all the continents are, you've had Mom read them to you when you were smaller. You're big enough for the new stuff now, duh.

When you reach the classroom everyone is already going in, so you hurry up and wheel in right before Rose, who is nice enough to hold the door open for you. She smiles at you as you pass her and you smile back before rolling over to your desk by the door.

While you get your books from your bag, Mrs. Derrint connects her computer with the beamer and pulls up a big picture of the world map. Nooo…

You slump in your chair and watch as she turns to the class with a big smile. She claps her hands together and the rest of the students start paying attention too.

"Good afternoon class!" she begins with a bright voice. You like Mrs. Derrint, she's always so cheerful. "I know it's Wednesday again and you're all tired and want to go home already, I for one can't wait to go take a nap too! So get your brains in gear for the last lap now, let's have a little revision of last week's topics!"

A collective groan goes out from the class. You perk up. A revision, huh? You don't mind at all because it usually means that, depending on how well the class does, you'll go on to the next topic this lesson.

"Mark!" your teacher continues after some of the clamour has quieted down again. "would you like to tell me what the seven continents are called and point them out on the map for me? It doesn't have to be in alphabetical order, but it would gain you an extra mark!"

Not him! Mark never pays attention and he doesn't ever know an answer! Thanks to him, you're probably going to learn the dumb continents for another five months!

He looks up at the call of his name and his face tells you he hasn't been paying attention just now. Great! Mrs. Derrint repeats her question, but there is still nothing in his face that makes it seem like he knows the answer. "I dunno.", he shrugs and you groan internally.

Mrs. Derrint sighs. "Well, if Mark doesn't know, would anybody else like to try for an extra mark?" Your hand shoots up. Maybe you can still save this! "Yes, David?"

You list them off on your fingers and point at the map in turn. "The continents are Africa, Antarctica, Aus-no! Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America."

"Nicely done, David!" She writes down your extra mark in her Big Book. "You've really earned that one."

You grin. From the corner of your eye you spot Mark giving you a dirty look. You ignore him. He should've been paying attention.

The rest of the lesson is much better, now that you've gone on to more interesting stuff. Countries! It passes much too quickly in your opinion, but when you and Rose go to the elevator together you hear your stomach grumble. Maybe a break is good too. Mom always has an afternoon snack ready for when you get home.

Rose presses the button once and leans back against the wall next to the lift. Some time ago the two of you figured out that pressing it more than once doesn't actually make it faster. You were both disappointed for weeks.

"Why do you always try so hard?" A voice comes from behind Rose and she turns around to stand next to you. Mark crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Is it because you're scared Rose's family will give you away too?"

You frown. "Shut up, Mark." Next to you, Rose tightens her hands into fists.

He shrugs. "Whaaat, I'm just telling the truth. You don't even look like them, there's no way you're related. I bet they were much happier before you came along."

It's like he just threw a bucket of ice water over your head. You freeze and go very still, losing the happiness from class and even your calmness as a seed of anxiety starts to grow in your core. You want to vanish from here, you don't want this to be happening, you just want to go home, and you have no idea what to say to this, you just want to flee-

Rose takes a step forward, her voice cutting like a razor. "He said, shut up."

"Ohhh!" Mark raises his hands to his chest and waves them around. "Can't even speak for yourself, can you? Do you have Rose to do that for you?"

As you shrink a little further into your chair, Rose takes one last step forward and looks him straight in the eyes, glaring icy daggers. "No, but at least whenever he talks, it's not complete garbage. You can't say the same about yourself, Mark."

Before he can say or do anything, the elevator dings and Mr. Brown takes a step out, only to stop and look at the three of you. "What is going on here?"

"Nothing!" you say quickly, because you know Rose would make a big deal out of it and that's the last thing you want. You would much rather let the floor swallow you and have no one notice, thanks. "Nothing."

"Alright then," he hums thoughtfully, eyeing each of you in turn. "but if it's nothing, then may I pass, please?"

You and Rose get out of the way, Mark just turns around and leaves. Once the elevator door closes, Rose speaks up, glancing at you with concern. "Are you okay?"

You shrug and fiddle with the zipper on your jacket, not meeting her gaze. You don't want to talk about it.

"He's wrong, you know."

"I guess."

The door opens again and you get out on the ground floor. On the way outside you're both quiet, but you can tell Rose is looking for the right words to say. When you get outside, Roxy is already waiting on the sidewalk. Her school usually finishes a little earlier than yours, so she comes to pick you and Rose up whenever she can.

"Hey, kiddos!" With a grin, she walks up to you, but looking at your faces, it quickly turns into a frown. "Everything alright?"

Another shrug. Rose bites her lip and grabs the straps on her backpack, her fingers sort of digging into the fabric. "A boy in our class said some mean things, so um-"

"I'm gonna talk to Mom." you interrupt her and they look at you. You focus on the tiny white flower in the grass right by the sidewalk instead of their faces, though. "I don't know what she's gonna say but, but I'll talk to her."

Rose nods firmly while Roxy leans down to kiss the top of your head like Mom sometimes does when you're sad.

That being said, the three of you go quiet. During the walk home you think of what Mark said. Does Mom really think you're annoying? Would she be happier if you weren't there? He's kind of right, even though you don't want to admit that, because someone already didn't want you, so why should this be any different? You notice Roxy and Rose arguing by shooting each other different types of glares over your head, is this a sister thing? You've never had an argument like that, oh God Mark was right, you really don't belong with them. There's a drop on your shirt, is it raining? Another falls right next to it and- oh. Oh, okay.

It feels like ages for you to get home, but at the same time you're sort of glad for it. You don't want to ask Mom. You don't want to hear what she says. You just want to… You don't even know what you want. You want to forget any of this happened, you want to get it over with, you want ... you don't know. You don't know.

"David?" Roxy says quietly, as Rose opens the door. She steps in front of you and looks down at you, her eyes going a little wide at the sight of your tears, and immediately wipes them away, shaking her head. "What's wrong? What did that boy say?"

Even as she hugs you and you hug her back you shake your head. "I want Mommy, I want to talk to Mommy," you wail into her shirt, your voice coming out as more of a plaintive whine than actual words. It's so wrong and unfair and-you had been having such a good day, too!

"Oh, no..." Roxy murmurs, stroking your back almost frantically as she tries to console you. Then she wraps her arms around you and picks you up with a grunt of effort-she recently hit a big growth spurt and got taller, but you and Rose have gotten bigger too so you don't think she'll be able to carry you for much longer-and hurries inside, leaving Rose to get your chair.

You sniffle and bury your face in her shoulder, trusting that she won't drop you, and close your eyes as she carries you through the familiar space of your house. It feels like home and so does your sister, she feels like home and family and this has to be right, isn't it? Mark is wrong, isn't he? ... Isn't he?

"Mom!" Roxy calls as she stumbles to her knees, setting you gently on the big soft couch in the living room before she climbs up next to you and wraps her arms around you. Rose wheels your chair in from the other room and then runs to join you both on the couch, too. "Mom, come here!"

Within a few seconds, Mom appears from her office, the bright grin that always greets you quickly fading to a look of dismayed concern. "What happened?" she asks Roxy, walking over quickly. Rose scoots over to make room for her to sit down and draw you into her lap, and she turns her attention to you. "What happened, baby bird?" She kisses the top of your head, just like Roxy had earlier, and hugs you.

You sniffle and lean against her, scrubbing at your eyes. "Mark said... Mark said that I don't belong with you and that you would be happier if I wasn't here and that I'm always in the way and, and, and ..." That's about all of what he said, but that's not all of what he made you think, and you just burst into tears again.

Beside you, Roxy shifts and when you look up at her she looks furious. "He said what?" she cries, outraged, and opens her mouth to continue when Mom puts a hand on her knee for a second, giving her a warning look.

"Kitten," she says quietly. Roxy pipes down, obviously seething.

"I was going to punch him," Rose adds quietly, "but Mr. Brown was there."

"And he didn't say anything?" Mom asks sharply as Roxy nods approvingly at Rose.

"He didn't see the whole thing," you sniffle. "He just-he just came in at the end. We were waiting on the elevator."

"I see," Mom says, then discards whatever thoughts she was having and hugs you tightly. "Don't you listen to a word he said, baby bird," she murmurs into your hair as you cling to her. "He isn't the one who's part of this family. That's you. He doesn't know a thing about how we work. We would all be much, much sadder if we didn't have you, you know that?"

You don't say anything, but you do feel a little better. You know Mom would never lie to you, so it has to be true that they really want you around. Mark is wrong. He has to be. Right?

Another thought occurs to you. "But, but then," you swallow around the lump in your throat. "why didn't they want me?"

She pauses for a moment and sighs softly, running her fingers through your hair. Finally, she looks down at you and asks, "Do you want your sisters to hear? They don't have to if you don't want them to."

Why in the world wouldn't you want Rose and Roxy to hear whatever Mom has to say? You know you'd just go tell them later, anyway. So you just nod and wait for her to go on.

"It's not ... it isn't that they didn't want you," she says, as if she's choosing her words carefully, or maybe just thinking hard. "It's that they couldn't keep you."

"What does that mean?" you ask. You've known you weren't her son biologically because that would have made you like Rose's twin, but you aren't twins, you have different birthdays, but you've never really wondered about your actual-no, not your actual mom, your biological mom. Your actual mom is holding you now. You're still ... starting to wonder, though.

Mom takes a moment and weighs her words. "It means that they would have kept you, but they couldn't afford to take care of a child," she says finally. "They were barely more than children themselves."

You don't really know what she means by that part, but you nod and take that in quietly. "Do you think ... they would want me if they could?" You almost want to meet your parents now. Just to tell them you aren't mad at them. They might be afraid you're mad, if they had to give you away.

Rose looks distraught. "Do you want to go back to them?" she asks. Mom hushes her gently as you firmly shake your head.

"No, no! I just ... I want to talk to them," you say. And then you think about the actuality of talking to grown-ups and shrink back against Mom, adding "But not now. Later. When I'm bigger."

Mom chuckles slightly and hugs you again. "We might be able to see about that," she says, dropping another kiss to the top of your head. "For now, though, do you want an after school snack?"

Wiping the last of the tears from your face, you nod earnestly. "Yes, please."

It isn't the last time you'll think about this, you already know that. But for now, you want to stop thinking about them and about stupid Mark. You want to eat some food and sit with your real, actual family, and be happy.

So, as Roxy hops up to help Mom cook and Rose slips her hand into yours and fumbles at the TV remote with the other just in time to catch your favorite cartoon, that's what you do.

AN: Chapter two is up! Sorry to keep you all waiting for so long, exams are a chore. To make up for it, here's an extra long chapter, just for you. Updates are probably still going to be rather slow because that amazing, well liked time of the year isn't quiiite over yet, but we'll get there! We have a lot planned for this AU.

Thanks for being so patient!