Broken Pieces (Adopted by 5SOS)

Shattered Glass Like The Past

Ashton's POV

I sighed and leaned my head on the backboard of the couch. Today was full and exhausting, but in the very best way. The fact that the public knew of Rae excited me. I've already checked some of the mass media websites just to see what they've written about her. So far all I can see is the few photos I've allowed of Rae to be released to the press and a short summary of my announcement at the festival.

This tour is sure to be an interesting one. It starts in four days. I'm excited. I thought about hiring a nanny or caregiver to take care of Rae, but with the amount of security we have it really isn't needed. Our security guards usually do their job pretty well. She'll be fine.

Rain is also leaving as soon as we set off for tour. I really like her. She's a great kid. I sometimes wish that I could adopt her as my own, but I don't have time right now for the shitstorm that is the adoption process. It took over a year for me just to adopt Rae. Besides, Rain already has a family that is interested. She'll be much happier with a family that has more time for her than we do.

"Ashton?"

I looked up and saw the girl that I was just thinking about. Rain was shyly leaning against the entryway to the living room.

"Hey." I smiled, "What are you doing up?" I patted the sofa cushion next to me "Come sit."

"I want to ask you something." Rain looked me in the eyes for a second and then looked away, "It's about adoption."

"You'll get adopted after we go on tour, I promise. Remember the gay couple at the fair today?" I opened a new tab on my computer and went to my email, "Your caseworker just emailed me about them. They own a horse ranch. Pretty cool, right? It's also a buisness and they have guest houses and staff and cool stuff like that."

"That's nice." Rain said slowly.

"One of them is half Algonquin, so you can learn more about your heritage too." I excitedly clicked through some pictures that the caseworker had sent me, "And the other has a brother with bipolar disorder. They will know how to handle your mood swings and manic episodes and things like that. Here you can learn new things and socialize with people but also have time to yourself too. Doesn't that sound awesome?"

She shrugged, "I guess."

"What's wrong? Aren't you excited to get adopted and out of the foster system?" Rain didn't seem nearly as enthusiastic about this as I was, which is kind of ironic because she's the one who is mainly effected by it.

"Look, Ashton." Rain looked up at the ceiling, trying to find the right words to express what she was feeling. "That's nice and all, but I was kind of hoping that you would adopt me."

"Oh, sweetheart." I said softly. How do I let her down like this? It's obvious that it took a lot of courage for her to do this.

"It's fine." She interjected and turned away so that her long black hair sheilded most her face, "Youre in a famous band, it was stupid of me to even think that you would love me enough to adopted me. I'll go now."

Rain ran up the stairs and up to her room, letting the door slam loudly. I put my hands to my head and exhaled a long stream of air. I feel so awful for rejecting her like that. She's been rejected her whole life, I just made it even more prominent in her brain that nobody wants her.

I went upstairs to check on her. Rain has a history with self harm, I don't want her hurting herself over this.

"Rain?" I softly said and knocked on her door.

No answer.

"Rain?" I said a little louder, "I want to explain some things to you. Can you please open the door?"