Finding Family |Adopted by Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood|

18

A/N: Happy Friday! Get some popcorn. It's going to be a long one.

"So is that what happened when you went to work with Melissa and Chris?" Dr. Lye asked, watching Star hold three dolls over her head and ran around the room.

Star nodded and zoomed past her therapist once more. For the past four weeks, Star had performed this ritual at least once during the therapy session. Each week, she would come into the room very timid but as soon as Dr. Lye would turn her back, Star would go to the shelf and grab three dolls before holding them above her head and run around the room.

After a minute more of running around, Star stopped in her tracks and plopped down on the floor, putting the dolls on the ground and looking up expectantly at Dr. Lye.

In the next room over, Melissa and Chris sat on the couch across from Dr. Hove who was adjusting her glasses before looking up at the couple who sat fairly relaxed on the couch.

"So we have been seeing Star at our clinic for quite some time now. I have ideas and Dr. Lye also has ideas on the amount of improvement Star has made but I do want to hear what you think first." Dr. Hove smiled encouragingly at Melissa and Chris.

"Well, I mean... Some days are better than others.. It's certainly a process but I think she has improved a bit since she first came to our house.. She spends a little more time with Chris now since he works from home," Melissa began, looking at her husband.

"Care to elaborate Chris?" Dr. Hove responded, scribbling down some notes.

"I uh.. I mean... I kind of just leave Star to her own devices during the day. She just seems much more comfortable and content if I just let her do whatever she wants...She does anything I ask her to do, willingly too... I feel bad about making her nervous or upset," he admitted sheepishly.

"Melissa how about you?" Dr Hove asked.

"Honestly... same for me. She has started to lose her fear a little and she explores and just acts like a kid... she never does anything bad..." replied Melissa, looking down and feeling slightly guilty.

"I understand where you two are coming from. I really do." Dr. Hove began.

"This is a baby doll. Her name is Baby and you are going to take care of her" Dr. Lye said, handing Star a soft doll dressed in pajamas. "I am going to move Baby around and have her do good or bad things"

Star took "Baby" and held it for a second before abruptly throwing it on the floor before walking over to a pile of blocks and stacking them. Dr. Lye picked up the doll and moved it over to Star before placing Baby down and stepping back to watch.

"Bad! Stop you bad kid. You stupid, dumb. No move! " Star growled, marching over and hitting the doll across the face with her hand before putting the doll face down and repeatedly, smacking the doll on the backside for several minutes only increasing in intensity. She picked up the doll by the arm and squeezed it so hard that Star's knuckles were white. "Bad bad bad. You clean now and play game later with Seth"

"Do you want to get another doll to be Seth?" Dr. Lye asked, her eyebrows furrowed with concern while writing down notes.

Star stood up and went over to the shelf with dolls before turning to the therapist. "Can I get more than one?" she asked.

Dr. Lye nodded and watched with curiosity as Star picked up three dolls from the shelf; a big muscled wrestler, a prince and a small farmer. Dr. Lye pursed her lips as Star moved the big muscled wrestler doll over to the baby doll and played out the "game"

"A domestic violence witness, physical, emotional and sexual abuse by nearly all the foster homes. The kid has been to hell and back several times. It's a miracle she can still function as well as she does!" Dr. Lye told Melissa and Chris nearly two hours later.