"Welcome!" Mr. Tanner exclaimed when Charlie and his parents stood on their doorstep that Friday evening. Behind him, the living room was empty but Charlie could hear muffled noises coming from the upstairs. "I'm so glad you guys could make it. Come in, come in."

Charlie sucked a breath in. He remembered the last time he'd been in this house. Things had been much different for him back than. And they're different now.

"Oh, I just remembered I don't think I introduced myself," Mom laughed lightly. "I'm Raven."

Dad extended his hand, to which Mr. Tanner shook it. "Peter Mark. My wife was telling me about you. She says your daughter knows Charlie."

"Yes, that's right," Mr. Tanner nodded in agreement. "They went to elementary school together."

Dad nodded sharply. "Oh, yes. That's the Stephanie you were referring to, weren't you, Charlie?"

Three sets of eyes fell upon him.

"Yeah," He mumbled, wishing he could walk out that door again. "That's it."

"I'm really glad you could make it," Mr. Tanner said again, "Steph is looking forward to seeing you again, Charlie." Charlie ignored the soft aww that came from his Mom. "you guys are becoming fast friends."

He shrugged. Charlie supposed they technically were. "I guess so."

Mom shook her head good-naturedly. "You'll have to excuse our son, he's not the most talkative."

"Not a problem," Mr. Tanner chuckled. "I wish my youngest daughter would experience that instead of skyrocketing our phone bill."

The adults laughed over this. Charlie did not. His eyes drifted towards the long staircase. Was Stephanie up there or was she working? He assumed she would be here unless her plans were changed and she was required to be at the burger joint. That would be worse; he didn't want to be there anyway but at least if she was here, he would have someone he-sort of-knew.

Mr. Tanner clasped his hands together. "Why don't we go have a seat in the kitchen? Oh, and Charlie? If you want, Stephanie's upstairs in her room. Do you remember which one that is?"

He wasn't so sure he wanted to just go up there by himself, so he played dumb and shook his head.

"That's right,. I'll take you. Raven, Peter, just go through his door-" Mr. Tanner gestured behind him, "My friend, Joey, and my brother-in-law, Jesse, should be in there. I'll be back in a moment."

Charlie followed Mr. Tanner up the stairs and around the corner. There, at the end of the hallway, was Stephanie's room. His heart was beating just a tad more than normal. This was where he'd admitted everything. This was, though unbeknownst to him at the time, where everything would change for him. This was where he'd learned someone did care-enough to intervene on his behalf.

"Hey, Steph," Mr. Tanner said as he entered the room. "Charlie's here."

She wasn't wearing her work uniform this time; her hair was in a ponytail and she wore a pair of jean shorts along with a white shirt and a blue short-sleeved plaid shirt over it. She gave Charlie a small smile as he came beside her dad.

"Hey," He said, trying not to sound as awkward as he felt.

"Hi," Stephanie said, getting to her feet. "I'm glad you could make it."

Wasn't like he really had a choice in the matter.

"You kids have fun," Mr. Tanner said on his way out. "I'm ordering the pizzas in twenty minutes."

"Okay, Dad," Stephanie called. She then turned back to Charlie. "Did your parents make you come?"

He was surprised. "What?"

She seemed embarrassed now, trying to back track with a stammered explanation. "It's just...you don't look happy to be here."

He wasn't but he didn't think she would notice. Or anyone else, for that matter. Sometimes people weren't so perceptive when it came to him actually experiencing something. "Not really," He admitted.

"Sorry about that," Stephanie was sheepish. "Dad gets these bright ideas sometimes..."

He shrugged. It wasn't her fault. His adoptive parents could be the same way. "It's fine." His eyes wandered around the room, taking in how different it was since the last time he'd been in there. There was only one bed this time, all properly made which he suspected was Mr. Tanner's urging. Along the walls were posters and pictures and a ribbon from a science fair. "Is this just yours now?"

"Huh?" Stephanie hadn't been paying attention, lost within her own thoughts.

"The room," he elaborated. "You were sharing the last time."

"Oh," She realized, "yeah. Michelle moved into DJ's old room when she left for college."

"Oh, lucky you."

Oh, lucky you?

"Would I be crazy if I said I was hurt when she moved out?" Stephanie smiled wryly, sitting on the edge of her bed. He remained standing, absorbing her words.

"Depends."

She rolled her eyes. "She wasn't the one who was supposed to ask to move out."

He raised his eyebrows as if to silently say Really Tanner?

She groaned, falling on her back. "I knew it. I'm crazy."

"Come on, babe, we both know you are," He said teasingly.

She sat back up, a small smile creeping up. "I was supposed to ask," She continued, shrugging a little. "We've shared a room forever and the first chance she gets, she leaves."

"But isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yeah," She seemed to struggle with what she wanted to say. "But I...I don't know. I guess I didn't expect her to ask Dad right away."

He wasn't equipped to deal with this. This was dipping into territory he would rather stay out of. He started to feel uncomfortable, it prickled at his skin. He wished someone would come in.

Maybe he could lie and say he had to go to the bathroom-?

He glanced at Stephanie, shutting his eyes and squeezing them shut.

"Steph." The use of her actual name made her look up, "Look, I don't think she meant it like that. I wouldn't want to share with you either."

She got on her feet again. He could tell what he said lightened up her mood. "Like I'd want to share with you," She wrinkled her nose for emphasis. He grinned.

"I think you're lying. You'd love having me."

"I think you're conceited."

He smiled proudly. It made her laugh.

"Thanks," She shook her head as her laughter died down. "Guess I was being crazy."

He chuckled. "Only a little."

She chewed on her bottom lip. "So, uh, are your parents here already?"

"Yeah. They're in the kitchen with your Dad."

She nodded. "I can't wait to meet them."

I could wait

He grimaced. "Listen, they...just...pretty sure my Mom thinks we're gonna start dating."

She wasn't surprised. In actuality, she let out a sigh, conveying to him that she'd heard that before. "My Dad thinks the same thing."

Really?

"Really?"

"Yeah," She said flatly. "He was in the kitchen the other day when we talked. Uncle Jesse was there, too and got all protective and asked if Dad met your parents yet." She paused. "Although he didn't know it was you I talked to. He got confused when I called you Charlie."

He understood. It had been hard for himself to get used to it, having always gone by his full name since he could remember.

She tilted her head. "Why did you start going by Charlie?"

He shrugged. "Dunno, I guess. Wanted something different."

Because he couldn't listen to his name being called out.

Because he couldn't stand to have it shouted.

Because he couldn't deal with another moment of thinking it was him who was using it.

"Oh, well, I like it," She told him with a grin. "It suits you."

"Careful, babe. You might just compliment me."

She smirked. "Oh, I dare you to call me that downstairs."

"No way," He snorted. "I'll never hear the end of it. I bet my parents think we're secretly dating or something."

"Which is ridiculous," Stephanie said. "Guys and girls can be friends."

"Right."

"I mean, come on. Us dating?"

"You wouldn't last ten minutes," Charlie said.

"That's where you're wrong," She crossed her arms. "I wouldn't last five."

That made him laugh out loud. "You know what, you're okay, Tanner. When you're not being dorky or a goodie goodie, anyway."

"I'm not dorky or a goodie goodie," She protested.

"I don't know, sounds like something a dorky goodie goodie would say."

"Shut up."

"That's the best you got?" Charlie taunted her. "That's weak, Tanner."

Stephanie got closer to him, her face showing her slight annoyance at the fact that he was taller than her. To compensate, she stood on her tiptoes which brought her up a little bit. Enough to be forehead-to forehead with him. Just to mess with her, he did the same-which made him taller yet again.

She scowled, but he knew it wasn't genuine.

"You're such a pest."

"You're annoying."

"Pest."

"Annoying."

"Pest."

"Annoying."

"How about you're both annoying?" They turned to find Stephanie's sister, Michelle, in the doorway, staring at them with raised eyebrows. She was older looking than he last remembered seeing her.

"Go away!" Stephanie snapped.

"Dad told me to tell you to come downstairs. He's gonna order the pizzas."

"Great, now go away," Stephanie shooed her.

The youngest Tanner rolled her eyes, grumbling as she did so.

"I can really see how much you've been missing her," Charlie drawled.

"That doesn't count."

"Oh, I bet it doesn't."

"Just follow me," Stephanie turned, her hair bouncing slightly. Charlie grinned shamelessly, unable to resist.

He tugged on it.

She whirled around, giving him a glare that he wasn't intimidated by in the least.

"Pest."

/

Charlie followed Stephanie down the stairs which led into the kitchen. There, he was in for a bit of a surprise. He had no idea what a big family she had. It had only ever been him and his dad for so long; even now, with his adoptive parents, it was just the three of them.

This wasn't something he was used to.

In the corner of the room at the table, a woman he recalled seeing last time he visited was there. She was saying something to who Charlie presumed to be her husband as they were trying to get who he presumed to be their kids, to settle down for a moment. One of them was talking a mile a minute, enthusiastically explaining to them about some action figure one of his friends had that he really, really wanted. To his right, a blonde man was talking to Mr. Tanner and his parents, doing some impression.

Charlie exhaled. This was a lot of people in one kitchen. Was this normal for them?

He didn't like this.

He didn't like it at all.

He wasn't scared of being in a crowd of people. It just felt...suffocating at times.

Cramped.

"Dad?" Stephanie's voice broke through him. "Can we eat outside?"

"Way ahead of you honey. Got a table all set out there," Mr. Tanner said. Then he stepped beside Charlie, pointing at the people on the other side of the table as he introduced them. "That's my brother-in-law, Jesse and his wife Becky and their kids, Nicky and Alex." He pivoted, pointing this time to the blonde man that was doing impressions when he and Stephanie came down. "That's my best friend, Joey."

Charlie nodded.

"And you must be Stephanie," Mom said with an excited smile that had Charlie inwardly groaning.

Please don't embarrass me...please

"Yeah," Stephanie smiled. "Hi. It's nice to meet you."

Dad got up to shake her hand. "I'm Peter and this is my wife, Raven. It's nice to finally meet you, Stephanie. My wife and I have heard a bit about you from Charlie."

Charlie felt himself go red and hoped it wasn't noticeable to anyone else. Did his Dad really have to make it sound like he talked about her all the freaking time?

"I've heard a bit about you guys, too," Stephanie said, which was likely just to be polite or she didn't have anything else to say because he'd hardly said much about them.

He'd never been so grateful to someone before until Michelle spoke up to ask how long it was until dinner. While Mr. Tanner answered her question, Stephanie yanked on his sleeve and gestured for him to follow her outside. He did, feeling like he could breathe once again when there was open space surrounding him again.

"Not used to a big family?" She surmised.

He exhaled. "Not at all."

"At least we can eat out here," Stephanie said, in an attempt at looking on the bright side. "Trust me, you do not want to hear-" Across from them, a branch broke and someone yelled, hitting the ground with a thud. Stephanie grimaced. "Oh, great."

"What was-"

"My neighbor," Stephanie said with a sigh. " ."

And speaking of that neighbor, he came into view, climbing back up a tree while wearing a-

Bird costume?

He was all puffed out, decked in white feathers and flapper things that Charlie believed to be the wings.

"Oh, it's one of the Tanner girls," The man said, "hello there...whichever one you are."

"Stephanie," She said and then raised her eyebrows. "Nice look, Mr. Gibbler."

"Thank you," the man, Mr. Gibbler, apparently missed her sarcasm. "I'm bird watching and I think this relaxes them, makes them flock towards you."

Stephanie nodded slowly. "Right." She shared a glance with Charlie and they both felt laughter bubbling up inside of them. They stifled their snickering, albeit not as well as they could have.

"What are you guys laughing at?" Michelle came outside, frowning at the two of them.

"Nothing, it's just-" Stephanie looked at him again and they both cracked up.

"Did you see-"

"All those feathers!"

Michelle crossed her arms, taking their laughter as a sign she was being laughed at. "Fine, don't tell me." She stomped back into the house with a huff, the door slamming behind her.

"You should hear her when Dad makes her get off the phone," Stephanie remarked. "It's like a volcano exploded." She went to sit down and he did as well, across from her. She looked like she was about to ask something. At least, that was the impression he got. "Can I ask you something?"

He was right.

"Do you ever wish you had siblings?"

If anyone else asked him these questions-this, his reasoning for going by a nickname-he would have gotten irritated and shut it down. But he supposed this wasn't a big deal since they'd been out of each other's lives for a while. Even when they'd been in each other's lives, it wasn't like they were friends or anything.

"I don't know," Charlie had never given it much thought. Being that it was just him and his real dad for almost twelve years, it wasn't like he expected a baby to appear at any moment.

She played with a splinted piece of wood from the table. "I guess your parents don't have any other kids?"

"Nope. Couldn't. That's why they have me."

He'd heard it before; his adoptive parents had tried over and over again to have a child but to no such luck. His mom had some issue he didn't care to remember-honestly, she shared a bit too much sometimes-but whatever it was, it meant she couldn't get pregnant. So, they turned to adoption and wound up with him.

"Oh."

They could hear her neighbor doing a terrible imitation of a bird call but it wasn't funny to either of them right now.

"Are you...are you happy with them?"

The question had him straightening up fast. "What?"

Stephanie shrunk a little at his reaction. "I was just...sorry, I guess I shouldn't have asked."

"No..." He grasped the end of the table. "It's okay."

He'd never been asked that question.

Now that Charlie thought about it, he was never asked by his case worker, therapist or otherwise whether he was happy with his adoptive parents.

It wasn't to say he wasn't because anything was better than what it had been.

But even disregarding that, no one had asked.

But she did.

"I guess I am happy," He rubbed his neck, trying not to feel too awkward at dipping into touchy feely territory. "They're nice." When they aren't being nosy and annoying. "I like them."

"Do you love them?" She pressed tentatively.

Charlie's voice came out cooler than he'd intended for it to be. "It's none of your business."

He regretted it once he saw her face fall.

"Oh, sorry," She whispered.

"Hey, kids," Mr. Tanner greeted them in an upbeat tone. He was holding onto a pizza box and sat it down in front of them along with a can of soda for each of them. Despite how his stomach lowly growled, Charlie didn't feel hungry in the slightest. "Hope you don't mind but Michelle, Nicky and Alex will be eating with you."

"It's fine, Dad," Stephanie said, her mood brightening up but Charlie thought it was only so her dad didn't suspect anything. "We'll entertain them."

He smiled at her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. As Mr. Tanner returned inside, Michelle came out with Nicky and Alex- he was sure that was their names.

"Go sit at the end," Michelle instructed them.

Charlie could feel the curious stares of the two younger boys on him. It wasn't like they were subtle.

"Guys, stop staring," Stephanie hissed at them.

Apparently speaking directly to them had the opposite effect of what she wanted.

"Is he your boyfriend?" One of the twins said with a grin.

"Have you kissed him yet?" The other chimed in.

Michelle was not even bothering to hide her amusement. "You're not denying it."

Stephanie glared at them. "We're not dating. We're just friends."

Michelle rolled her eyes. "Sure, Steph. Whatever you say."

"Yeah, whatever you say," One of the twins repeated.

Charlie dropped his head, snickering a little.

Stephanie kicked his foot. "Not funny!"

"It's a little funny," He disagreed and when the three younger kids weren't looking, he mouthed, babe.

She narrowed her eyes.

He smiled innocently.

"So, Steph," Michelle said, "where did you guys meet? From school?"

"Uh," Stephanie bit her lip, looking unsurely at him. Charlie would have thought Mr. Tanner would have said something. Than again, maybe not. Maybe he was trying to give him some privacy.

"Yeah," Charlie chimed in. "After she annoyed me." Stephanie raised her brow. "She wouldn't leave me alone."

"Ooooh," the two boys said gleefully.

"Oh, I did not," She rolled her eyes.

"Really, she did," Charlie smirked. "Remember that time you pulled my hair?"

She scoffed, shaking her head.

"You pulled his hair?" One of the twins' jaws dropped.

"She was mean to me in elementary school," he added. "She made me cry a lot."

Stephanie, at this point, was trying not to laugh. "You're ridiculous."

"She did?" The other twin said in amazement.

Michelle snorted as she ate her pizza.

"She tackled me at recess," Charlie made an attempt at sounding sad. "Pushed me right off the swing. I told her she could use it after me but-" He looked away for dramatic effect and to fix his facial expression-he was starting to grin. "She didn't want to wait."

"None of that happened," Stephanie insisted, a few giggles coming out. "I was not mean to him."

"We're gonna tell Uncle Danny," One of the twin's declared.

"Yeah!" the other nodded in agreement.

"Oh, no," Stephanie deadpanned. "Not that."

The twins jumped to their feet and ran off toward the backdoor, laughing and loudly calling out Uncle Danny over and over. This left Charlie alone with just Stephanie and Michelle. He turned his attention on Stephanie, looking all too satisfied with himself.

She wasted no time in leaning forward just enough to pluck a piece of pepperoni off his pizza and pop it into her mouth.

"Pizza thief," He accused.

"That's what you get for spreading lies!" She stuck her tongue out.

"I prefer to call them...exaggerations of truth."

"So...lies."

He put a hand on his chest, a faux wounded look on his face. "That hurts, Stephanie. That really hurts."

"Live with it."

Michelle sighed loudly. "Can't you flirt later?"

"We're not flirting," Stephanie told her sister.

"Right," Her sister said sarcastically. "Of course not."

"Ignore her," Stephanie said to him dismissively. "She's crabby because the boy she likes doesn't know she exists."

"That's not true!" Michelle's voice hiked up in pitch.

Stephanie did not believe her. "Then why were you telling Denise that he-"

Her sister cut her off, hotly. "Okay, okay! Fine, he doesn't." She slouched, looking both irritated and dismayed all at once.

"But it's okay," Stephanie's tone suddenly changed to a sickly sweet one. "I'm sure Charlie could give you some advice."

He nearly choked on his pizza. What? He wasn't giving love advice to a-what was she? Middle schooler? Incoming freshman? He shook his head vigorously. "No, I'm not-"

"Really?" Michelle was interested now. "You'd do that?"

No!

"Of course," Stephanie shot him a smirk which her sister missed completely. "He'd love to."

Oh, you're in for it now, Tanner

You just wait

"Great, because I need it," Michelle sighed heavily, as if her future depended on it.

"I think I'll be right back," Stephanie was grinning widely, "Won't be gone long."

"Okay," Her sister didn't care, she was focused on Charlie.

And as for him, he narrowed his eyes at her to which she laughed, waving goodbye with a cheeky grin.

/

"That was cruel, Tanner," he cornered her later.

She seemed proud of herself. "That's what you get." She poked his shoulder.

"What I did was funny," he protested. "Yours was just cruel. I didn't think she'd ever shut up."

"That was the point," Stephanie said, smugly.

/

"Hey, kid!"

He was about to go back upstairs with Stephanie when that one man with the dark hair came towards him. Was that the man Mr. Tanner said was Joey? Before all this, he didn't realize how crappy he was with names. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Uh, I guess," Charlie said slowly.

"Great. Michelle," He addressed the youngest sister, "go tell Steph that I've got Charlie for a bit, okay?"

"Okay," Michelle went to do just that.

"Let's go back outside," The man gestured.

The sun was still out but the temperature had gone down some. It wasn't as warm as it was when they were eating. It was silent at first, neither of them being brave enough to talk. Then, the man did, extending his hand.

"Jesse Katsopolis, Steph's uncle."

Charlie shook it gingerly.

"I've heard a bit about you, Charlie," Jesse said.

"You...have?" Charlie wondered what Stephanie told him.

"Stephanie told me about your dad," Jesse admitted. "I was the one who called CPS for you."

Charlie inhaled.

So that was how it happened.

He'd wondered how, wondered who she told and how much she spilled.

Those first few days in foster care, he stayed in a group facility, laying on a lumpy mattress and getting used to sharing a room with a dozen other boys. Those first few nights, he'd struggled to find sleep, often he would end up staring at the ceiling, not knowing what laid ahead.

"Oh."

"She told me he hit you," Jesse's mouth was firm, as if he was holding himself back.

"He did."

"And..and you're okay now?" Jesse's gaze was too scrutinizing to handle. Charlie looked away.

'Okay' was subjective.

In the sense of physically, as in not being forced into the same conditions he dealt with for almost twelve years?

Yes.

In the sense of having healed fully from his 'trauma' or whatever cheap, gimmicky saying his former therapist had said?

Not in the slightest.

"Things are better," He shrugged to keep it casual. To keep the other man from further questioning him. "Can I go back now?" He said just as Jesse's mouth opened again.

"Ah, sure. Go ahead, kid."

His jaw tightened but he refrained from telling the man he didn't like being called a kid.