Family?

•11•

When I woke up, I was still curled into James, one of his arms gently wrapped around my body.

I heard someone else in the room, and initially, I didn't know who it was.

After a minute, it clicked, it was Sunset.

"She called me big brother." James' voice was soft as he spoke, happy.

"She did? I didn't think she'd get to that point with any of us."

"I didn't think she would either." A hand brushing over my head. "But.. I liked it. I want her to stay here."

"That's between her, and mum and dad. But I have a feeling I know how that will turn out, James." I could almost hear the smile in Sun's voice as she spoke.

I moved a bit, rubbing at my eyes. "James?" I covered my mouth with my hand as I felt a yawn.

"Hey, little fox." He smiled softly, moving his arm so I could sit up.

I stretched faintly, my eyes closing.

"We fixed your book. And mum is going to get you a copy just for reading on her way home. That sound okay?" James lightly tucked hair out of my face as he shifted so I could sit.

"Yeah." I nodded softly, looking up at him. "James?"

"What is it, Little Fox?" He asked softly.

"I.. I want to stay here with all of you. I like it here, you're all really nice and I feel safe.." I looked at the floor, afraid to see how he'd react.

He smiled. "Well then, mum and dad would be three for three on fostering and adopting their kids." He joked softly.

"Three? Oh- Sun." I'd forgetting Sun wasn't biologically their child.

"Technically, they're my aunt and uncle, but when my parents passed, they took me in." Sun smiled a little. "I was really young when it happened, so to me, they've always been my parents."

"And Ella was left at a hospital as a newborn. She came here when she was.. three, I believe?" James hmmed slightly. "Anyway, if you want a home here, you have it. You can talk to Mum and Dad later if it makes you feel better. Sun and I can take El put for ice cream or something so you don't have to worry about being interrupted by accident."

"Yeah.. that sounds good." I nodded, again looking at my hands.

"I'll go call dad." Sun got up, walking off.

"Lilah, trust me when I tell you there is no way in hell you'd be sent out of this house unless you wanted to leave. The process may take time for them to adopt you legally, but they'll make sure you're happy. Okay?" James smiled a little, setting my book up on the desk. "You're a good kid, Lilah, and we all like having you here."

"But Ella's still-"

"Ella is adjusting, I promise. She told me that she likes having you here. She just wasn't sure about it before because an extra person means mum, and dad's attention is more spread out than she was used to." He smiled. "Don't worry about her, okay?"

"Okay.. thank you, James." I let my eyes close, leaning against him.

"Course kiddo." James smiled. "Just rest for now, okay?"

"Okay.."

A few hours later, I was sitting at the kitchen island with Erik and Harmony, Sun, James, and Ella out getting ice cream.

"You wanted to talk to us, Lilah?" Harmony sat down across from me, Erik beside her.

"Yeah.." I looked at my hands, toying with my fingers slightly. "I uhm."

"Whatever it is, you can tell us Li. We won't judge." Erik smiled, an arm around his wife.

"I.. I want to stay here. Not just.. a longer placement, but.. I want to just stay here. No more moving, no more new foster families. Just.. this family."

"Lilah.. are you asking us to adopt you?" Harmony's voice was soft as she spoke, a hand stretching out towards me, and gently settling on my trembling hands.

I stared at the counter, afraid that if I looked them in the eye I'd break down. "Yes.. only if you want me- I mean, you already have three great kids you don't need me-"

"Lilah." Erik cut me off. "We've been talking about adopting you since the beginning. But.. we learned with Ella that sometimes jumping to offer can add pressure. We wanted to wait and see if you'd come to us about it." He smiled softly. "Actually.. whenever we've mentioned our family at work or anything like that, we've said that we have three daughters. You've been part of this family for a while now, we just wanted to make sure you wanted to be a part of it."

I blinked, looking up at him. "You- you have?"

"Yes. Li we never wanted to push you. But we'd seen your records, and we saw the difference of you being here versus the other places you've been. You seemed like you were happy here, so we figured you'd want to stay."

"I do- I absolutely want to stay here-" I wiped at my eyes slightly, my hoodie sleeves pulled up over my hands. "No where has ever felt like home.. not until this place. You've all treated me like one of your own, not like I was some extra person just here for however long.. it.. it made me happy."

Harmony got up, walking over to me. "We'll call Jenn in the morning to talk to her about all of this, yeah?" She smiled softly, brushing a hand over my head. "And once the others get back, we can talk to them, then watch a movie or something together. That sound good?"

"Yeah, it does." I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes. "Can.. can I hug you?"

"Of course you can." Harmony pulled me into a hug before she even finished speaking, holding me tightly. "Our sweet girl." She murmured softly.

For the first time in so long.. I truly felt at home.