Thank you to Annika Preminyer, StZen, Mrs.MonkeyD.Hitachiinx3, steph300, OnlyNotReally and dark-phoenix-4eva for your reviews, and to everyone who's read this and/or added it to their favourite or alert lists.

I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.

Tyson yawned and rolled over. Expecting a nice warm body to cuddle, he was disappointed by an empty space. Waking up a few degrees more, he blinked drowsily.

No Max. Throwing the covers off, he stood up and headed for the other bedroom. Sitting on their foster daughter's bed, talking to her softly, was Max. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes, he wandered over and stood rather awkwardly next to them. He had never been good with offering comfort in any shape or form - his philosophy was that if you pretended it hadn't happened, the person could be distracted into normality.

"You had another nightmare?" he ventured at last. The redheaded girl nodded sheepishly. At thirteen, she was old enough to feel horribly ashamed at making such a fuss over dreams. "Hey, it's ok, Izzy. We all have them."

"Him included." Max said dryly. "About socks, walking beyblades, and an empty fridge, that was the last one, wasn't it?" Isobel laughed as Tyson glared and coloured.

"Normal things seem scary in nightmares!" he protested. The other two laughed at him.

"I won't have to go, will I, Dad?" Isobel asked eventually. "I get a say in it, don't I?" Max nodded.

"Of course you do."

"Just not all the say."

"Tyson!" Tyson looked away, mumbling an incoherently apology.

"'s true, though."

"I know it is, but there is such a thing as tact, which you've never learnt, ever-" Max's angry tirade was interrupted by Isobel flinging her arms around their waists in a clumsy hug.

"I love you," she whispered, the tears that had woken her brimming up again. "You're the best parents I've ever had. They're not taking me away just because one of you isn't female!"

Tyson and Max hugged her back, and exchanged a long, unhappy, hopeless look over her head.

Tomorrow, they would show her the letter. Tomorrow.

Those of you who have noticed the slight addition to the summary - well, how else do I make sure the message is getting around?

xIlbx