*Disclaimer I own nothing recognizable, all those rights go to Stephenie Meyer. As all Song Rights go to the listed artist. I only own any original characters.

A/N: First I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, added this story to their favorites and is following this story. Your support means so much. Secondly, I want to apologize for taking SO long to update and also to all of you who have reviewed for my lack of response. I know I could give a million different reasons but I'm sure you've heard them all by now; so why hit repeat and go over them again. When all in all it comes down to real life just taking over. Please know that all your reviews and supportive words mean more to me then I can express; you all keep me going on this and I appreciate that so very much.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter; it's a New Year for us so it's a perfect time for Bella to start a new one as well.

Another quick note is that this story does have a medium size time jump from the last chapter and will also contain another one at the end.

Dust To Dust

(Five months from the last chapter, So now May 1978)

It's not your eyes

It's not what you say

It's not your laughter that gives you away

You're just lonely

You've been lonely, too long

All your actin'

Your thin disguise

All your perfectly delivered lies

They don't fool me

You've been lonely, too long

Dust To Dust

By: The Civil Wars

Bella winced as her stomach gurgled and pinched in pain. It had been a good four days since she had found any food. The streets were always a game and a gamble. Bella knew the game she played to stay out of sight was a risky one, especially when it came down to finding food. Unfortunately with everyday that passed, the out of mind bins that others passed up have been bare of any leftover food that was eatable.

As Bella reached over the silver shaded trashcan that rested along the bathroom wall for the towels above it, the date on the newspaper caught her eye. Today was May twentieth, not only was it her fourth day without food but it was also her eighth birthday. For a brief second Bella wondered if Sam thought of her today before a snort of amusement left her because she knew he didn't. Why would he? He had a family, he had friends, he had a warm bed, he had food and in a few short weeks he'd have a birthday party. So why think of her? He was burden free.

With a soft sigh, Bella ripped free a few gruff towels, wetting and soaping them before she scrubbed at her face trying to remove as much soot as possible. She wondered if the dirt that caked her face could ever be scrubbed off. Normally she could care less about the dirt, it helped her blend in better. Rarely did another vagabond look twice because it just appeared that she had even less and therefore had nothing of use to them. But today there was no option, the dirt that could be removed needed to be cleaned away because today she needed to push her boundaries and head more into the city to find food. Sure she could wait until night and sneak into the main city like the rest of her kind, but that raised the risk dramatically because she would have to fight with others for food; and she had seen people stabbed over an apple core. Since she couldn't scavenge at her normal haunts, trying to clean up and blend somewhat was her only recourse.

Cupping her hands to hold the cool water that poured from the spigot, she splashed away the soap that lined her face. She couldn't stop the cringe as the soap seeped in and burned the open wounds around her left cheek, where she had been smacked with a bottle a few days ago. It was one of those rare occasions where another hobo looked twice and saw an easy small target, who demanded Bella's things. When she refused and tried to run, she felt his hand clamp down onto her wrist and as he pulled her backwards to face him, is when she felt the bottle shatter along her face, forcing her to drop her blanket, pillow, and bag as she writhed in pain from the blow. The man laughed as he raided her things, in the end leaving her with the bag and two sets of clothing that he deemed were of no use to him. As horrible as it was to lose her things and be beaten, she couldn't be happier that he never realized her gender, as he constantly referred to her as boy. She truly believed her ability to cover up her true nature saved her from an even worse attack that night.

With a heavy sigh she banished the memory as she glanced up into the cracked mirror that adorned the bus stations wall. She slowly reached up and traced the outline of the bruising and cuts along her face. In a way she was surprised they still remained, seeing as most cuts would heal within a day or two, however, for the first time since leaving the hospital she looked like she did when she was admitted a year ago.

The angry growl of her stomach had her wince from the pinching pain. Again flicking her eyes to the mirror, she took in her appearance. She still adorned clothing way to big, her hair was cropped to her chin but was currently tucked up into her black baseball cap. Her gray sweatshirt was lightly stained but compared to her blood soaked shirt in her bag, it was a far better choice. Her jeans were darker while also harboring stains had nothing on the bloody ripped pair in her bag, her shoes at one time were white but now displayed a color she couldn't describe. Even if there was a name for it, she didn't know it. Her time in school was way to short to learn every color or to teach her to fully write or read. She was a year older and knew barely more then when she received lessons from Sam.

She shook her head to clear it. 'This is as good as it gets,' she huffed to herself. With a deep sigh and another angry protest from her stomach, she threw her bag over her shoulder and exited the restroom making her way onto the busy streets. She knew bringing her beat up bag with her wasn't the best way to fit in amongst the everyday people, but she couldn't leave it at the bus station; it would be gone by the time she came back for it and unlike in December she didn't have any abandoned building to use as a resting place.

A few weeks after Christmas, Bella awoke to voices echoing throughout the building. Slowly she crept down the old stairs and watched as men started to walk about. She could barely hear their words over the loud noises from outside but finally she heard the words tear down the building. Quickly she gathered what she could and fled out the back and down a rusty fire escape. From that moment on she had taken to sleeping in drainage ditches and fire escapes of places she knew weren't occupied. But never again did she stay in another building due to the fear of either losing what little she had left or being crushed to death as the building came down around her as she slept.

The smell of food had Bella stopping dead in her tracks and for her eyes to shift towards the scent. There on the corner of an intersection sat a busy restaurant, the smell of cooking food making her stomach ache even more. 'It has to be here,' she whispered to herself knowing her energy was to low to walk any further. Cautiously she turned off the busy sidewalk and stepped onto the black top parking lot; all the while making sure to keep her head down but her senses alert as she made her way to a light pole with a giant yellow and red M atop of it that was towards the back of the lot. She had no idea what it stood for and she really didn't care; there was food here that was all that mattered.

As she took her position for her long wait to access the cans that lined the exits, she could feel a heavy gaze upon her. It instantly caused her to look up and into a pair of steely brown eyes; on instinct her eyes darted to the ground from their intense nature. Slowly she raised her gaze to take in the owner of such intense eyes; he was a dark skinned man, however, a bit lighter toned than her father yet still darker then her. He wasn't very tall compared to most men she had seen. He was leaning up against an old red truck and his jeans were torn at the knee and his red shirt was covered in black stains. Slowly she raised her eyes higher, she didn't need to meet his eyes to know they were still locked onto her. His raven black hair was slicked back; carefully she took in his face but she only found it unreadable but going off the lines on his face, she knew he was close to her father's age. Bella flinched a bit as she saw him push himself off his truck, his eyes still locked onto her but a wry smile crossing his lips as he made his way inside the building.

'Odd' was all Bella could register from the interaction. People usually never looked at her twice, but this man seemed fascinated. The newness of this man's nature caused Bella to try to feel out a reason for his interest in a transient like her. The only thing she could relate his behavior to was when it came down to finding food people seemed to always notice her. 'That has to be it,' floated through her thoughts. So many times Bella had sat in a city park to pass the day. While she tried to stay away from others she knew families who were picnicking close by saw her disheveled clothing and hungry gaze yet after their fill instead of offering it to child in need, they would either pack up their leftovers and dump them in the trash or give them to their dogs; never once offering them to someone in need. Bella had not only felt the hands of cruelty this world had to offer but has seen them as well.

A vise like pain pulsed through her stomach causing her to stagger a bit before she could brace herself along the light pole. Gritting her teeth and with deep breaths she fought off the pain. She knew now there was no more waiting for the right moment, she needed food. Pushing herself up straight, she let go of her crutch and slowly shuffled her way to the trash can she had locked her sights on. As soon as it came into reach, she stumbled forward quickly catching herself on the stone waste can; she knew that time wasn't on her side. Not even taking full time to recover from her misstep, she started to pull at the wrappers and cardboard. At the sight of the half eaten food and the tightening pain in her stomach she quickly forgot her street smarts and began to stuff the ice cold meat into her mouth, only to start to choke as she was pulled harshly back by her arm before coming face to face with an angry looking teen.

Bella could see he was yelling but she could hear nothing over the humming sound in her ears, and the gasping noises as she tried to get air past the stuck meat and into her lungs. Soon Bella felt her kneecaps crash into the hard cement as things started to become a haze around her. She didn't know when it happened, as she now felt arms around her pushing in an upward motion, and with another quick upward push the partly chewed food shot itself from her throat, allowing gulps of air to fill her depleted lungs and limp body. After a few moments Bella realized it wasn't her that was holding herself up, there were still arms holding tightly around her limp form. Slowly Bella raised her tear hazed eyes to see the angry teen that had grabbed her roughly and caused her to choke; however, right now he didn't look angry he looked frightened. Shaking her head to clear her mind through the buzzing fog, words finally filtered in. "Who in the fuck do you think you are?!"

"Uh...Sir, she... was stealing."

"STEALING? YOU HAVE A FUCKED UP POINT OF VIEW OF STEALING! ALL THAT CRAP IN THAT CAN HAS BEEN PAID FOR AND WHAT HAS BEEN DISCARDED INTO THAT CAN HAS NOT ONLY BEEN PAID FOR BUT GIVEN UP BY SAID OWNER. SO WHAT EXACTLY HAS SHE STOLEN FROM YOU? HMM . STOLEN YOUR TRASH? THINK ABOUT IT! TRASH IS SHIT YOU DON'T WANT SO WHO GIVES A DAMN IF SHE DOES. YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY, AS HER TAKING IT KEEPS YOU FROM HAVING TO EMPTY IT," an angry gruff voice shouted.

"I...I..."

"ENOUGH! THERE IS NOT A DAMN THING YOU CAN SAY TO COVER YOUR ASS FOR YOUR IMMORAL BULLSHIT MISTAKE!"

"I could call the police."

That word made Bella's heart race and for her to wiggle a bit to free herself from whoever held onto her tightly.

"It's okay." While the voice was still gruff, it held no anger like it had moments ago as it came closer to her ear in a form of comfort, causing Bella to stop her struggle. Slowly she could feel the man holding her shift to stand tall.

"GO RIGHT THE FUCK AHEAD. ME AND MY FOSTER DAUGTHER WILL BE RIGHT HERE!"

'Foster daughter?' Those two words sent Bella into a bit of a panic; she knew this man didn't sound like her foster father, but it didn't matter. She had no interest of ever being a foster child again.

"JUST KNOW WHEN THE COPS SHOW UP, YOU'LL LOOK LIKE THE ASSHOLE WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE DEFINTION OF STEALING AND SHOWS NO COMPASSION FOR A CHILD OF NEGLECT." The voice shouted. "I'D SAY I'M SORRY, BUT I'M NOT, YOU LITTLE PRICK. I'M NOT SORRY THAT THIS GIRL I RECEIVED IN MY CARE A FEW DAYS AGO STILL STRUGGLES WITH OLD HABITS. HABITS FORCED ONTO HER FOR SURVIAL DUE TO BEING ABANONDED BY HER FAMILY."

Bella could see the teen's bravery vanish as his cheeks flushed red from embarrassment at the crowd they were attracting.

"Come on; let's get out of this dump," the gruff voice softened as it came to her level again before letting her go.

Bella stumbled a bit on her feet as she now stood fully on her own. Taking what strength she did have she turned slightly to see the man that saved her and defended her. It was the man with the intense eyes from the parking lot.

He motioned for Bella to follow him, but she didn't know what to do as she felt completely unsure. She didn't know him at all and in her life men had only ever hurt her.

'Go with him, baby girl,' the soft angel like voice echoed into her mind. If it wasn't for the fact that it sounded nothing like her she could assume it was her conscience. She often wondered if she would end up like some of the others who would sit on the street corner talking to a voice they hear in their heads.

"Come on, little one," the man's gruff yet somehow soft voice pulled her from her thoughts. Bella turned her gaze slightly to the flushed looking teen, causing her to remember his threat of police.

Police That was a very bad idea, very bad! They would force her back into her foster family. They would ask her questions about why she didn't help Tim and Kristy. Yes the Police were a very bad idea. As her heart raced at the thought, it was what it took to get her to make up her mind as she walked slowly towards the intense man. As they reached his truck, Bella paused at the door. She could make a run for it right now, but she knew her body was to weak. As she pushed the chrome thumb release of the unlocked door, she opened it a bit before she paused again in fear, knowing this could be the worst mistake in her life. This was going beyond everything she has ever learned to keep herself safe. 'Go with him, baby girl,' again whirled in her mind. As much as that voice annoyed her, it never lead her astray and with her resolve set, she pulled open the door and slide into the cab. As soon as her door shut, the engine came to life, and Bella found herself becoming ramrod stiff. Slightly out of the corner of her eye she took in the man, who met her with his own side gaze and another wry smile as he continued driving.

Bella didn't feel any direct threat coming from the man, but still didn't relax her guard. She had been tricked one to many times to allow someone her trust blindly due to one kind act. She had made that mistake with the Cullens and she wouldn't make it again. Trust was a valuable thing and nobody in her life had ever proven worthy of it, and she doubted anyone ever would.

"You gonna stare out the windshield all day or are you gonna have something to eat?" His voice snapped Bella back into the present. 'Eat?' Bella's forehead creased in confusion. Not only at the fact that they were parked in alley, but she didn't even remember them stopping. Bella glanced up at the man and noticed a bag in his hands and the aroma of food coming from it, making her stomach scream out. With a nod she opened her door and followed behind the man, and what she could only hope was the promise of food.

Bella made sure to stay a few steps behind him as they came into the old building. Quickly a buzzing sound filled the air as light after light turned itself on. Bella's eyes went wide at the sight of the contents, inside were so many cars, some intact and some missing wheels, while others were missing doors and other parts. Bella quickly coughed and wrinkled her nose at the over powering smell.

"Yeah, sorry, gas, oil and other fluids can be a bit over powering when you're not use to a garage," he softly chuckled as he led them forward.

As they reached a wooden work bench, he sat the bag down and with that wry smile turned to Bella and quickly pulled her into his arms before sitting her down onto the bench. He quickly picked up a socket and walked over to the charger that was parked no more than a foot away. "Well, you gonna eat? Or do you like all your food cold?" he asked. He needed to turn away from her, because of her face. That broken busted and abused face caused him to feel complete rage that someone could do such a thing and looking at it just riled him up more, and that was the last thing she needed to see.

As he bent over the motor, he pretended not to be watching as he worked. It took her more than five minutes before he heard the ruffling of the bag, again he turned his gaze to her as he watched her nibble away on the burger held gingerly in her hands. He could tell she tried to play herself off as something she wasn't when he saw her in the parking lot. You would have to be blind or just completely ignorant not to be able to see the frightened little girl under that boyish facade. Then again he wasn't like others; he didn't look right through those who others deemed a waste. It's hard to ignore when you've lived that life, but it was more than his similar past that had him watching the skittish girl as he exited his truck. She reminded him of so much more, the mere thought caused his heart to twinge.

"So what's your name, sweetheart?" he asked trying to not only find out more about this girl but also take his mind off the twinge in his heart. He almost chuckled at the shocked look on her face, at him knowing she wasn't the boy she portrayed to be. There was nothing but silence for what seemed a lifetime. He could understand her inability to trust someone with that information. Just when he was about to change the subject, the softest tiniest voice came out, yet it held a husky raspy tone from lack of use.

"Isabella Marie Uley."

"Well, Isabella, I'm Manuel but everyone calls me Manny," he smirked as he went back to cranking the bolt down.

"Bella," she sighed. "That is what everyone use to call me," her voice full of sadness and pain. He wondered what this poor girl had seen and what had she been through.

He knew a name was more than what people called you, it defined you. It carried all the bad and good with you and like most things in life sometimes you just had to change it.

"Mia," he said as he walked back over to the bench. Watching as her brow furrowed, "Sometimes in life, little one, you need to make a change and a name is no different. It's obvious your real name pains you because of the baggage it carries, so make a change. Give yourself a new name and let the pain rest with the name you left behind." He shrugged, 'Practice what you preach,' caused him to scoff to himself at the thought of what his friends would have said if they heard his little speech as he rooted through the pile of screwdrivers. He wasn't sure what had him being pulled to this girl and what caused him to become all philosophical. He wasn't sure why deep inside he cared so strongly, it just felt good to feel something other than anger again. With a side glance he could see that as she nibbled away, her pondering his words.

'Mia?' she questioned herself. It seemed to continue to float through her mind along with so much more. She couldn't understand how he seemed to know how she felt. Another thing she couldn't understand is why he cared; why does he care about a straggly looking hobo like her? What was in this for him? Her father kept her to torture her, Sam had kept her around to pay her back for taking their mother, the Cullen's gave her false hope by pretending to love and care. All the while it was a ruse to boost the good doctor's status, and her foster parents took her for money. So everyone who took her into their lives had some sort of motive but what was his? Yet Bella couldn't shake the truth of his words from her mind. So many times she wondered if she could just shake herself free of the baggage that came with her, and maybe a new start, a new name could help her walk away from it. She can't remember how many times she wished to be someone else.

"Why Mia?" her soft voice asked in confusion.

"Well, seeing as your middle name is Marie, I figured why not remove the r and e and make it Mia."

Bella shrugged as she nodded a bit in a gesture that showed what one would assume to be an if you say so.

"I guess we could do this whole song and dance thing, but I see no need. I know part of you is wondering how I knew all that stuff I yelled at that pizza faced prick, aren't you?" he watched as she slowly nodded. "I knew because I've been where you are little one. I've lived the exact same life but not here; I've lived mine in Mexico a long time ago and trust me if you think it's bad here, it's ten times as bad down there," he paused a moment letting her take it all in. "That's why I looked at you the way I did. Unlike everyone else I don't see right through you, I see you completely. To me you aren't trash, you're a little girl but more importantly you are a human being. Now I might not be the best guy in the whole world, and I do swear a whole hell of a lot along with my friends but I can at least offer you a place, a safe place. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I mean figuring I gave up my dinner, saved your life, and really if I wanted to hurt you, I would have already. I'm not expecting you to jump feet first into trusting me, but I hope it's a start and that you'd stay here where it's safe," he rushed out as he rubbed the back of his neck. He could see the confliction in her face as she contemplated his words and offer.

Bella lowered her gaze as she suddenly became fascinated with her shoes as she allowed all of his words to sink in. She still felt weary but who wouldn't after the life she had lived. Yet again his words touched base with her, hit her to the core and made so much sense that they wrapped around her splintered heart almost as if not only his words but he, himself was a tourniquet that was somehow squeezing everything back into place.

She couldn't understand how someone she had met only hours before seemed to penetrate her deep fortress. Somehow when she listened to him she could only see honesty and true understanding reflecting in his eyes. Again she had to wonder what was in it for him? Sure she could ask but she was afraid to know the answer, but again something innate told her she would be safe. 'Sweet Girl, you are two who are cut from the same cloth. You feel it. Trust it, stay safe here,' the soft voice that haunted her whispered. That voice as always annoyed her but that voice had never led her astray and this place was better than a drainage ditch or fire escape. Maybe here is where her new life began and an old life died?

"I like Mia," she smiled slightly as she looked up at him through her long lashes.

"Well then, Mia, it seems we have a deal," he smiled as he lifted her up and placed her on her feet. "Now let's get that face cleaned up."

Bella cringed at the thought of having her face picked at, but it hurt and she wanted it to heal. Slowly she followed him through the maze of cars in the large warehouse to a door that opened to an office, where a desk sat cluttered with papers and a folding chair resting next to it, along with a worn out couch along the back wall that held a pillow and blanket, making a make shift bed. A quick brightness caused Bella's attention to jump to it.

"Come on, the sooner we start the sooner it's over." Manny quickly picked her up and placed her on the counter and began to exam the injury. "Well no wonder it looks so agitated, it's full of glass," he gritted out due to his anger at whoever did this. "Do you know who did this to you?"

Bella shook her head no. "He wanted my stuff and I said no. So he hit me. It was my fault, I shouldn't have made him mad-"

"NO! It isn't your fault. Understand? No, this is all the fault of your family; they turned you lose on the world at the young age of... How old are you anyway? By the looks of it you are about five foot, so ten and half, eleven maybe, heck possibly even eleven and half?"

"No, just turned eight today."

Manny paused in shock. She was eight? What eight year old is this tall? "Are you sure you're eight? Because-"

"Last year I was seven, so this year makes me eight," she huffed in annoyance. "I might not know a lot because I can't read or write well but I know how old I am."

He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at her feisty side. "Now don't move, this is gonna hurt as I pull this shit out," he warned, at seeing her nod he set to work. He was amazed at her strength, she sat jaw locked and quietly through the pain with no whimper or tears. She reminded him of a little she wolf. One minute she was innocent and sweet and the next she was fierce and feisty and ever so brave; she was a true fighter. Some might say she was like a little kitten but not to him. Cats could be cold hearted and only ever looked to swat at you with their claws. They had that we own you mentality and were more than happy to be alone and isolated. No, this girl was no kitten, she was a little lone she wolf, who as much as she pretended she didn't want it, was in search of acceptance and for a pack where she belonged. And little did she know, she had found it here in his shitty garage.

After a few more minutes, he finished his last stitch and pulled her down from the counter.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Anytime, little one."

Manny flicked off the light to the bathroom. "How about we get back to that car, it's not gonna repair itself," his gruff voice filling the room as he removed her hat from her head, letting her knotted tresses fall as he threw the old black cap in the trash. "There is no more reason to hide who or what you are. You are safe here," he smiled as he ruffled her chin length hair, before walking out of the office and into the shop.

Bella smiled a bit at his words. 'It would be nice not to hide,' flowed through her thoughts. Bella looked around the room; while she didn't fully trust him, she couldn't shake the strange flicker of safety ignite even more. 'Maybe there is good and trust in the world,' flowed through her thoughts before she followed after him only coming to a dead stop as she ran into something causing her to stumble back a bit. Shaking her quick daze, her eyes rose up and were met with a pair or ice blue ones on a tall, light skinned man with cropped blonde hair.

"Well, who do we have here?" his voice was smooth yet holding an edge to it, causing Bella to become nervous.

'There is no more reason to hide who or what you are. You are safe here,' Manny's words rang through her mind. With a resolve set she didn't break eye contact, "Mia, whats it to you" she forced out in a feeble attempt of authority.

To her shock not only did the man chuckle but the room filled with them, causing her to finally look around at the four other men in the room. Three of them were almost identical to Manny; their skin tone was the same but their heights varied, and along with their hair styles, but neither of them were as broad as Manny. The other man had the same skin tone as the blonde haired man but differed as this man had brown hair and was extremely tall and his hazel eyes held amusement.

"Enough, knuckleheads," she heard Manny bark out. "Mia, these idiots are my friends. The jackass that stands in front of you is Travis. The three stoogies over there that sort of look like me are my cousins. The one with the long hair is Alfonzo, aka Fonz. Next to him in the blue shirt with the buzz cut is Carlos, aka Carl. The one with the bald head is Cruz and the tall fucker is Jay," he paused to allow it all sink in. "Guys, this is Mia. She is taking the spot on the couch, so she is officially part of this crew, and you will treat her as such," his voice held nothing but authority as he laid down the law to his friends.

"If she has the couch, where you moving to. Seeing as your ass-." A harsh glare from Manny caused Carl to shut his mouth. "You know, coming to think about it, your sleeping habits aren't my business," he back peddled under the harsh gaze.

"Welcome to the crew" Jay cheerfully crowed, breaking the tension.

"Yeah, I always wanted someone to give noogies to," Travis chuckled as he began to ruffle her hair.

"ENOUGH! Don't you assholes got some work to finish?" Manny barked out.

"Apparently so," Cruz smirked. "Welcome, little one," he greeted before heading off to the jacked up Mustang.

"Now if you don't mind getting to your shit, I can show Mia how to tune a carb."

With that last declaration everyone separated and went about their ways to do as the head honcho had dictated. However, even as they worked, they watched out of the corner of their eye at their broken hearted leader work with his young protégé. When the load roar of a 440 six back revved in the warehouse, it caused all heads to turn to the man and girl who both wore smiles that could fade out the sun. The man stood proud as the little girl danced in joy with a screwdriver in her hand, after she had successfully tuned her first carb. Nobody knew who felt more pride, Manny or the young girl, but they knew one thing for sure in that moment a bond was born.

Six months later

A group of five watched as Manny walked hand and hand down the sand of a moonlit Santa Monica beach with young Mia, as the sounds of the amusement park on the pier raged behind them. Tonight they would celebrate with rides and games but first business needed attended to.

If someone six months ago would have told them that Manny would lose his anger, his grief, and once again find his smile and joy in life, they would have called you crazy. Most of all, after his loss. The day he lost Marissa while she tried to bring their child into the world only for them to both die had sent him into a depression and severe anger at himself and the world. He spent every minute taking jobs and building cars; he functioned but didn't truly live. Not until a trip to McDonald's found him a wounded soul that mirrored his own. They had both been children of the streets, cast aside by their families and society. They both fought to survive and both had found salvation in each other.

It was a hard first month as Mia opened up more and more about her past causing Manny's temper to flare, and after she told the tale of her foster parents, it caused Manny to storm from the warehouse. When Manny stormed out, it took forever for the boys to calm the hysterical girl, who thought she chased Manny away.

In fact it was the complete opposite. Manny left, yes to reign in his temper, but to also call in a favor from an inmate at the women's prison. That was the night Mia's wicked foster mother took her last breath as she was shanked repeatedly before her throat was slit by a razor blade. They all remembered that night after Manny got off the phone and the smile that was painted on his face as he murmured in a sing song voice, 'ding dong the bitch is dead'. Though her foster mother now laid dead, it only gave Manny partial relief. He had eyes and ears out on the streets in hopes to find little Mia's father so he could personally bestow the same courtesy he had bestowed upon her.

That next morning when Mia woke she clung to Manny as if he was a lifeline. Granted she was coming to love all of them but they were turning into uncles, while to her Manny was becoming her father, even if she didn't know it yet. It showed more with every passing day just how much she became daddy's little girl in Manny's mind, even if he didn't know it.

The second month it was all complete. The upstairs part of the warehouse where Manny's apartment rested and a place he hadn't entered since Marissa's death was now cleaned and furnished, but most importantly the once sacred baby room was now a finished bedroom for Mia. Her face lit up with such excitement at the light purple painted room, and the large white bed that was adorned with bears and dolls.

During the third month Manny decided it was time for him to teach Mia more than how to build an engine or transmission; it was time to teach her to read and write. Mia struggled so hard with the work, always trying to find an escape into anything else, but Manny stood patient and stern. Eventually it paid off as she finally was able to read a children's book through without any help and could write her name and a few other words, plus was able to master math.

When the fourth month hit, he was no longer Manny, he was papi and Mia became mi niña (my girl) to Manny. They were now officially father and daughter while the others had become her uncles and to them she had become their niece. However that was also the month Cruz was on a 48 hour Mia watch and during his watch while out with his little niece for ice cream, his eye caught a hold of something he had to bring home. Manny had been shocked silent when he came back from a run to Mexico to see his mi niña tearing apart a 1978 Corvette sting ray, while Cruz sat to the side with his feet propped up licking away at his ice cream cone. It wasn't that Manny hated the idea of getting a prized car into his shop, it was the fact that it obviously was acquired while Mia had been present. His four friends laughed at the sight of Cruz licking away at his prized cone while little Mia was the one hard at work. Manny on the other hand found no humor as he stormed forward like a bull. Knocking the cone away and decking Cruz in the face, screaming and cursing about how he could have done something so stupid to risk his Mia. As Manny was pulled off, his bloody friend he came face to face with those doe like peridot eyes, causing that to be the night that Mia learned of what the shop was really for. That they weren't legit mechanics, they were car thieves who stole high end cars, sometimes selling the parts or sometimes using them for their own cars, for illegal races. Manny was sure his sweet kind hearted Mia would hate him for being a thief and a liar but all she did was hug him and say she understood because it was how he survived before she turned around and tore back into the motor. Manny felt the vice release around his heart because truly it was how he survived those hard years on the streets; but quickly the vice tightened a bit at how he keep out the last thing he and his crew did for income and that was run drugs from Mexico with their fast sleek cars. He just couldn't tell her that, he couldn't let her know he did that. It wasn't something he was proud of at all; it was something he let his grief get him into when he lost Marissa and it was something now he couldn't get himself out of. As much as he hated it, there were perks like being able with a simple call have Mia's foster mother meet her maker, the devil himself.

It wasn't long after that night that the boys began to teach Mia how to pop locks and hot wire cars, but most of all they began to teach her how to drive. Again when Manny found out, he almost busted a blood vessel in his forehead at the sight of his daughter driving a stick shift jerkily around a parking lot. This time it wasn't just Cruz who received a hit, it was all of the crew as they watched and encouraged her. It didn't take long after that though that Manny found himself giving into a pair of doe eyes before he was sitting in the passenger seat giving her instructions. He figured if she was going to do it, he was going to teach her. It was the safest option when faced with the five idiots he called friends and Mia called uncles.

The fifth month everything seemed like a well-oiled machine as Mia had fully come out of her shell and found enjoyment in rough housing and playing pranks with her uncles. In these five months the five men couldn't see their life without this girl that could get them such hell from their boss, but more importantly gave them all something to care about, something to protect, and something to love.

As the month was drawing to a close things seemed to finally come full circle. Manny from day one had been teaching Mia every detail in building a motor and transmission from nothing but a bin or parts. They still remembered the way he beamed down at her as she completed her first engine and tranny, listening as the Camaro fired up with the first twist of the key. It looked so much like the moment where she had tuned her first carb, again the man stood proud while this time the young girl danced around with a set of keys in her hand. Somehow that car becoming whole again seemed symbolic to the guys, because it seemed to mark the day where Mia and Manny had finally completed their journey to become whole by each filling the missing pieces of their once broken soul. She gave him someone to care for and love, someone to see past the pain. He gave her safety and love, he gave her the ability to see beyond fear and learn to trust. They never needed to tell each other what the other needed it was some innate thing that they just seemed to know, which led them to this moment, to the moment where they were ready to remove the shards of the past and fully release them.

Smiles crept across the five faces as they watched the pair let go of each others hand to open the boxes they carried in their other. Moving as one they poured the burned ash contents into the sea, finally allowing the last parts of the chains that bound them to be washed away with the tide. In Manny's box was baby clothing, along with some of Marissa's, but most importantly her ashes. He was finally letting her go like she had asked him to do before she passed. Mia released her demons as well by dumping her now ashed remains of clothing and backpack that tied her to her streets, finally ridding herself of the remnants that haunted her closet. Again joining their hands, they stared out into the vast ocean with smiles because now they were both completely free from the chains that bound them.

Let me in the wall, you've built around

And we can light a match and burn them down

And let me hold your hand and dance 'round and 'round the flames

In front of us

Dust to Dust...

So here is Bella's new start and new family. I know it might not be what you all wanted. I'm sure some of you would like for her to be with Rose and Emmett; however, like Carlisle said due to her genes she is unable to do that as the Cullen's proximity awoke the shifter part of her. Therefore their continued presence would drive that part of herself to waken even farther and for the wolf to eventually drive Bella insane as it would want to escape; but unable to do so since she can't shift due to being a hybrid and at this time is missing the key to cause her change.

I do hope you liked Manny and his crew and if not or you're on the fence will give them a chance. While they are not perfect, they can understand her suffering better than anyone and will also help make her stronger. They are an important stop on the road to La Push for Bella. I'm also sure not everyone is going to like the name change for Bella (it is temporary)... but I did my best to explain why I gave her a name change. It is
something I know from experience, just how much a name change can help heal when trying to leave the hurt behind.

As for the next chapter we will take a big leap forward as we get to see what the fates have planned out for Sarah.

As always, please review as they are very much appreciated; however as always flames are not.