Adopted by Mean Girls

It's a Scary kind of Feeling

Okay, sorry. I just went back through to see what I had published and realized that I had skipped over this chapter which is supposed to come before 'You Know what I had More Of'. I sincerely apologize for the confusion that this mix-up entailed and here's the chapter...

**Comet's POV**

I came home from school to find Erika in the dining room talking to my social worker, Maddie.

"What's going on?" I asked, dropping my backpack on the couch and standing next to Erika.

"Hey, Comet," Erika smiled at me, but I could see the tears in her eyes, "How was school?"

"Fine. What's going on?" I repeated.

"Social Services found out about all the days of work I missed. They want to re-evaluate my home for you," Erika took a breath.

"Do they know you were sick?" I turned to Maddie, feeling myself getting angry, "Did you know she was sick? Erika missed all those days because she didn't want to get her cast and crew sick and she wanted the audience to see the best show possible."

"Caroline," Maddie began.

"Comet," I corrected automatically, "My name is Comet and I'd like you to call me Comet."

"Fine, Comet," Maddie restarted, "All we knew at first is that Erika missed a week and a half of work and at the same time you were slipping in school. Some alarms were raised and then we learned Erika was sick and you were helping take care of her when you weren't at school. A few things were answered, but once a question about a home is brought up, it's really hard to get it under control again if it's a misunderstanding.

"No!"  I felt the tears and backed myself against the wall, "I don't want to leave."

"It's just temporary," Maddie tried.

"No!" I ran into my room and slammed the door behind me. I buried my face in my pillows and stuffed lion as I sobbed.

I had finally felt safe in Erika's house. I had finally started taking down the wall around my heart. I loved living in Erika's apartment and it felt like home. Maddie was going to take that away from me and I hated her for that.

There was a soft knock on my door, "Comet? It's Erika. Can I come in?"

I managed a weak, "Yeah."

I heard Erika's footsteps and felt my bed shift as she sat down beside me, "Comet, it'll be okay," Erika pulled me out of my pillows and held me against her chest, "Comet here, give me a hug. It'll be okay. I'm going to make you a promise, Comet," Erika rubbed my back, "I'm going to fight for you. I am going to fight for you and us until you're back here safely. You're never going to lose me."

There was something I needed to say to her before Maddie took me away. Something that she needed to know.

"I love you," I stammered, hoping it was loud enough for Erika to hear.

"I love you, too, my Meadowlark," Erika's arms tightened around me.

**Erika's POV**

I held Comet until she stopped crying, then I turned on some music and we packed her up. I made sure she took the phone and charger I'd bought her and pulled her into one last hug before Maddie guided a misty-eyed Comet out of the apartment. All of my neighbors had met Comet and they liked her, so the news that she'd been taken away got through the floor pretty quickly. A few of my neighbors came over with dishes of food and the NYU student from down the hall promised to bring up my mail and packages for me. 

I had to go to the theatre that night. I didn't want to because I was in almost no shape to perform, but missing work was what caused Comet to be taken out of my care and I was going to do every show, interview, and performance from now until Comet was back in my apartment.

My castmates soon put it together that something was wrong and as the days and weeks went by, I found little notes and presents on my dressing table. Tina Fey came by and sat with me for a few hours after a show one day and let me cry and talk with her. She's a mother, so she knew how I felt about Comet. In addition to all the shows and work I'd been doing, I'd also been bending over backward for CPS to get them to approve Comet's reinstatement into my care.

After about two months, the day of the court hearing was announced - Saturday, June 9, at 8 am.