When Yolanda woke up in her usual room at the community center, since she'd stayed there so long that they might as well put her name on the door.
But anyways, after she woke up, she went through her usual routine. She worked out in the gym, showered, brushed her teeth and then ate a generic breakfast in the cafeteria before heading out to her job at the local diner, since she was hoping that by the time she turned 18, she'd have enough saved up to get her own apartment, since she was a high school dropout who'd never get into college, so waitressing was the best she could do.
But little did she know that her life was about to change for the better.
"God, I hate my life." Yolanda said as she finished another 8 hour shift at the diner, wishing once again that she could just live a normal life, but then again, she'd never been able to do that, even before her parents had died.
Her family had robbed her of her childhood, since Yolanda had been forced to grow up way too fast in order to survive and she hated them for it. All she wanted was to be able to go back to school and live a normal life, but she wasn't that lucky. Her life was just working in a diner and making money from local boxing matches while trying to save up for her own apartment while sleeping in a community center. That was her life and she'd learned to accept it, even if she hated it.
Anyways, she was walking back to the community center, since she needed to get back before they locked the doors for the night, since otherwise she'd be sleeping on the street and while she was used to that, she'd take a bed if she could.
"Going somewhere?" a male voice said behind her and Yolanda groaned as she turned to see some Los Halcones thugs walking up to her.
"I don't have anything on me worth taking." Yolanda said tiredly.
"Eh, I can still think of some ways you can satisfy us." one of the thugs said and now Yolanda's mind was going into panic, since she literally had no one to help her out of this mess as she tried to run, but the guys were too fast for her.
Adrenaline kicked and Yolanda barely felt it as her eyes shifted to look like cat eyes and her fingernails extended into full claws.
"What the hell?" one of the thugs asked.
"I don't know." Yolanda asked, panic coursing through her as she realized she was a metahuman, with no idea on how to control her abilities.
"Enough." a new voice said and Yolanda couldn't help but be thrilled when she saw Laurel Lance running towards them.
"Back away or I'll have the cops here in 20 seconds. Leave the girl alone." Laurel said as she then rushed up to Yolanda's side.
"Dude, her dad's a cop and her fiance's the richest man in town. Not worth messing with her and getting that kind of heat." one of the thugs said to his buddy, who nodded as they ran off.
"Yolanda, calm down." Laurel said, trying to calm the girl down, since she was clearly having a meltdown.
"Stay away Ms. Lance, I don't want to hurt you." Yolanda said as she tried to push her away, but Laurel would let her and wrapped her arms around the girl and brought her into a hug.
"Calm down Yolanda. Just take deep breaths." Laurel said soothingly as Yolanda took her advice and tried to calm down and as she did, she felt her claws retract and her eyes go back to normal.
"What's happening to me?" Yolanda asked her, tears in her eyes.
"You're a metahuman Yolanda. But you don't have to go through this alone. I can help you." Laurel said.
"No one ever helps me. I'm alone in the world." Yolanda told her.
"Not anymore. Do you really think it's a coincidence that I just happen to be here looking for you? I'm here because you're not staying at the community center anymore and you don't need to work at the diner anymore either. You're coming home with me." Laurel said.
"What?" Yolanda asked.
"My fiance and I are already approved foster parents and since we're already fostering another girl your age, we've decided to foster you too. You can finally get your life back on track." Laurel said and Yolanda couldn't believe her ears. The thought of actually being able to be a teenager was something she'd given up on so long ago the idea of being able to do it now was foreign to her.
"You want me even though I'm a metahuman?" Yolanda asked and Laurel knew what she had to do as she looked around to make sure the coast was clear.
"Trust me, that's not an issue. You might want to cover your ears." Laurel said as she turned to face the alley next to them and Yolanda was confused, but did what she said as Laurel took a deep breath and unleashed her canary cry.
"You're the Black Canary." Yolanda said in awe, recognizing that cry.
"I am and my fiance is the Green Arrow. So we can help you learn to control your powers. That is, if you want to come live with us." Laurel said.
"Absolutely. A chance to have a chance at a real future beyond a life as a waitress." Yolanda said and Laurel smiled.
"We'll likely need to get you set up with a tutor to get you caught up in school before you can enroll, but it's a first step." Laurel said and Yolanda nodded, since she knew she was behind in school, but she didn't care.
"I can finally have a real home. A real family." Yolanda said, since that was something she'd never had before.
"Yeah, though you will have two sisters. One who's another foster, Artemis and she's around your age and my biological daughter Jasmine, who's about 6 now." Laurel said.
"I always wanted siblings, but it will probably take me a while to get used to living large as opposed to sleeping on the street." Yolanda said.
"I know. And I can tell that you're willing to put in the work to be a part of our family, and we'll do the same." Laurel said.
"Thank you Ms. Lance." Yolanda said.
"Please, call me Laurel." Laurel said.
"What if I called you mom?" Yolanda said nervously, taking Laurel aback.
"I wasn't expecting to get that title so soon." Laurel said, since while she was surprised, she was happy.
"You've acted more like a mom to me in the few times we've met than my own mother ever did before she died. You care about me more than she ever did." Yolanda said and Laurel smiled as she hugged her new foster daughter, though she had a feeling that they'd be changing that to adoption soon.
"You can call me whatever you want. Now, let's stop by the community center to grab any stuff you have there and then I'm taking you to your new home." Laurel said and Yolanda grinned, happy that she finally had a chance to be a kid again.