I will never forget the day when I first met the raven haired child who won my heart completely over even on that first day.

It had been one of the worse day's of my life, I had not only got into three fights in the same day, I got expelled for two weeks and had to listen to my foster mom yell at me the whole drive home, I was also was suppose to have been grounded but I had ran out of cigarettes so I had climbed out of the window to walk to the store and get me a pack...however then my lousy luck it started to storm.

When the young girl looked up and saw me there was a mix of fear and hopefulness that ran through her and she stood up, her dark hair blowing back in the wind and that's when I saw the large dark splotches that decorated her face.

"sir?" the child whimpered as she shivered violently and I shrugged out of my leather jacket and handed it to her.

"actually kid I'm a woman." I retorted as I angled my umbrella over both her and I.

As we walked I saw Setsuna, my foster mother walking down the road and I wanted to disappear because the last thing I needed was this little girl seeing me get treated like a small child.

However when Mom had reached us she only gave me a quick look that clearly said that we'd discuss this later then smiled.

"who's this?" she asked and I shrugged "some kid that was freezing half to death on the bench over there." I answered and the little violet eyed girl glanced up, a little worriedly then whimpered

"I'm H-Hotaru Tomoe."

"What happened to your face Hotaru?" Setsuna asked kindly and what the young girl said next made a mixed array of emotions shoot through my very soul, crushing me.

"Daddy's girlfriend...I...I...was bad."

"I don't give a fuck what you did kid, You did not deserve that." I snapped, earning a glare from Setsuna.

"Language Haruka." she warned and I glared back at her, though I swear I must have had temporary insanity from stress because I would never even think of challenging the green haired woman.

"Well it's true, no one deserves to be beat like this!" I snapped and mom's glare intensified and I couldn't help but shrink back.

I wasn't submissive for a lot of people but I respected Setsuna and even had a healthy fear of her though it was not the fear like I had once.

"You're right Haruka but we have to get this girl inside before she catches cold." Mom stated, her tone softer than her eyes had been and I sighed and followed them toward the house.

Have you ever figured what it felt like when a prisoner was being lead to execution? Well I felt like that prisonar once Mom had settled Hotaru into warm dry clothes and had sent me upstairs to my room.

When she came in though she looked a mix of disappointment and concern.

"we need to talk now." she stated and I knew that tone, it only spelled trouble.

"I can explain..." I began but she stopped me.

"Haruka, don't lie to me." she growled, her eyes hardening and I glanced down and braced myself for a lecture.

"I know why you snuck out..and we'll discuss that later. I just want you to do me one favor and keep an eye on that little girl while I call the authorities." she continued in a kinder tone.

I was shocked by this, Mom normally didn't trust me around anyone smaller than me because of my temper and now she was asking me to watch a little girl who had been mistreated?

"Sure mom." I answered and she smiled

"Thanks sweetheart." she retorted before throwing me my pajamas and a towel before adding "get yourself dry before you get sick."

I couldn't help but smile at this, Setsuna wasn't the only one that understood me...she was the only person in the world that could make me actually laugh.

However then fear gripped me, how would I handle a little girl who was half scared to death? Who was I to help anyone?