So, broadwaybabewa and I have come up with this idea. Basically the concept of Annie, but instead of Annie, the main character is April Rhodes… crazy right. The people who find her is the imaginary family we have created for Will Schuester. This is the family we use in our other stories. I promise this is better than the summary sounds. Please review!

PREVIOUSLY

James' POV

She slowly sits up and reaches for a coloring book that has a big box of crayons sitting on top of it. I help her open the box of crayons and she smiles. I move the chair so that she can sit on my lap and color.

"I'm gonna start dinner, what do you want sweetie?" Melissa says.

"uhm, spaghetti?" Becca tells her, even though it sounds more like a question.

"sure" she smile, pouring water in a pot to start cooking.

I just smile at the little girl in my lap coloring a picture of Tigger. It's been way too long since she's had anybody's undivided attention, but I think she'll be okay in a few weeks.

LATER THAT NIGHT
DEBBIE & GREG'S HOUSE

Debbie's POV

April eagerly ate dinner, she wasn't too sure what she wanted but accepted my offer of chicken soup. She's feeling better than she was this morning but is still running a low fever. She's laying on the couch watching Cinderella and sucking her thumb. I'm pretty sure that's something she does because she could never get any comfort from other people.

I sit by her as the movie is nearing the end. She gives me a small smile and lets me feel her forehead. She still doesn't feel like she has a high fever, which is good. It's getting close to Christmas and I want her to have some nice things, but she probably hasn't thought of anything she wants. She sits up and leans into me. I wrap my arm around her and she smiles.

"what do you want for Christmas honey?" I ask her.

She sighs, "I dunno, I've never gotten anything"

I start to rub her shoulder, "it's gonna be different this year. You're gonna be with us and I want you to have some nice things"

"I would ask them every year to take me to see Santa. They never did, so I just stopped thinking he was real because he never came.." she quietly says, tears forming in her eyes.

My heart breaks for her, she never got a single gift on Christmas, and is only eleven, but doesn't believe in Santa. I really want to see if I can change that for her. "Honey, I can take you tomorrow to go see Santa, I promise he's real.."

Greg and I are gonna have to get her most of the things she wants to even try to change her mind. She needs the chance to be a kid, I can tell she really wants to.

"really?" she asks me, attempting to hide her tears.

"yeah sweetie, we'll go see him, and then we can get you some new clothes" I tell her. she needs something warm, it's too cold for her to be wearing the thin dress she had on when she came to us.

She smiles and snuggles up to me. I hug her and she continues to watch the end of the movie. I gently run my fingers through her hair and she smiles. It's a little after nine thirty and she's starting to doze off in my lap.

"it's time for bed sweetie…" I tell her, rubbing her back.

She just yawns and snuggles into me. "can I sleep here?" she asks.

I continue to rub her back, "the bed is a lot more comfortable, and you'll be warmer"

She sighs, "are you sure?" she's still not used to having things always be there for her and not having to share them with anyone else.

"yeah, it's okay, it's yours and no one else can take it from you" I tell her. I know right now this is only temporary but she needs to hear these things.

She just yawns again and clings to me. I run my fingers through her hair and she starts to fall asleep. I quietly turn off the TV and continue to hold her. A few minutes later I feel her relax and her breathing deepens. I knew trying to convince her anymore to get into bed wouldn't help. She turns her head to the side and rests it on my shoulder. I just keep rubbing soothing circles on her back and shoulder, making sure she's really asleep before I decide to move her to the bed.

THE NEXT MORNING
GREG & DEBBIE'S

Debbie's POV

She slept through the night and quietly came into the living room about ten, where Greg was watching TV. I didn't hear her until I came in with my coffee and she was cuddled up next to him on the couch. I sit next to them, "hey sweetie, did you sleep good?"

She nods, rubbing her eyes to stay awake. I smile, "I'm gonna make you some breakfast and then we're gonna go see Santa…"

"kay.. can… I have pancakes? I had them when we were at that restaurant and they were really yummy…" she asks.

I squeeze her shoulder, "sure kiddo.."

I get up and head back into the kitchen, it's a good thing that she felt like she could ask for something to eat, I'm sure she tried and tried in that orphanage and hardly ever got anything. This is when I remember my brother has been playing Santa down at the mall, so I'm gonna have to call mom and explain things to her so he doesn't tell her first.

LIMA ORPHANAGE
10:15AM

Kim Stevenson's POV

I'm so glad Debbie's husband noticed that little girl and was able to get things going in the right direction for this place. There's eight girls here now, all under the age of twelve. We had to purchase new bed frames, mattresses and flannel sheets because what they had was falling apart. It's an old building so the insulation and plumbing aren't that great but there are things that we can fix. The insulation will be harder to repair because these girls need somewhere to stay.

The fire department came and replaced the nonworking smoke alarms. The guys also gave each of the girls a teddy bear, which some of them have never had one of their own. My girls were willing to give up some old toys and books that they didn't use so the girls here could have them. I told them not to worry about clothes because we would have to take care of that for each girl individually.

We hired a cook, and food service because the girls weren't getting the nutrition they needed. I called the pediatrician I use for the girls and she was willing to come and check on each of the girls, since their records were so behind. She told me that if they ever got sick she'd be willing to help take care of them.

I've also started talking to the girls individually to find things they like so I can update their files and get to know them better, something the old director never did. I can already tell the ones that will need to visit with a counselor to work through the traumatizing experiences they've had and the others that just need a friend. The state also said they would talk to the school and work on a plan to get the girls caught up where they need to be. So far it looks as if each one will have to take a test to see what grade they should be in and then we'll go from there.

I've helped the girls develop a routine so that each day they would know what to expect, other than having to worry about when their next meal was, or what they could and couldn't do.

We've made contracts with a construction company to come in and update the bathrooms as well as put in a playground on the vacant lot next to the building. The social workers the state has hired suggested we make rooms for school, counseling, a small doctors office and a playroom. I agree, but I still would like the girls to go to public school once they get caught up to where they should be.

I've talked to James and Debbie and started doing follow up on the girls they're taking care of. I hate that the information in Becca's file was ignored, it was something that should have been taken seriously and she should have been given the attention and care that she needed to get through something like that.

Some of the girls are having a hard time getting used to the new routine and are still wanting to constantly clean, or they still beg for food every time they see me. At night I've been having to stay in their room until almost one sometimes until they all fall asleep because most of them are afraid and don't like to be alone.

It's going to take a lot of work to get these girls where they need to be but it'll be worth it.

THE MALL

Debbie's POV

I'm standing in line at the mall holding April's hand. It's been a long time since she's really been out in public like this so she's scared. I'm glad that it's my brother playing Santa so I can call him later and ask him what she said she wanted. We get up closer to the front and I can tell she's trying really hard to be happy, but the apprehension is still there, she's not sure what's gonna happen.

It's finally our turn and I help April up on Henry's lap and he looks at me, wanting to know what's going on. I mouth that I'll call him later and he just blinks, telling me that he understands.

I hear him ask April what she wants and at first she looks over at me and shrugs her shoulders. I smile at her and he tells her that it's okay if she tells him what she wants. She quietly mumbles something to him and he smiles up at me. She jumps off his lap and runs back to me. I hug her and she just gives me a small smile.

"what did you ask him for honey?"

She just shrugs her shoulders, but her attention is caught by the open windows of a hair salon near by. She tugs my hand and starts to walk closer to the window, and watches a few of the women in various stages of their hair cut. I then notice her run her fingers through her long, curly hair and look longingly into the window.

I smile, "would you like to get your hair cut?"

"can I?" she asks, grabbing the ends of her hair that fall in the middle of her back.

"alright. I'll call the girl that does mine and see when we can get it done" I tell her. She smiles and nods.

An hour later we're in the car again, and she's starting to yawn, and her eyes are getting heavy. She falls asleep before we get home, and once we get there Greg comes to the car to help me carry in the bags. I got her a few coats, some jeans and warm sweaters. I also was able to get her a hair appointment for tomorrow. He picks up the sleeping girl from the seat while I get the stuff that I'd bought. He gives me a look, I know I spent a lot but she needed this. We get her inside and he lays her down on the couch, covers her up and gives her a stuffed animal.

I quietly go into the kitchen and call my brother, I know he's on break now so hopefully he'll answer.

A/N: Sorry it's taken so long. I wish I'd gotten these Christmas chapters up before Christmas but that just didn't happen. But oh well, I hope you enjoy this. Please review! Follow me on twitter, gleerocksmysocks. And Tumblr: emren10.