Nick's POV:
The next morning everyone was getting ready for school.
I noticed she hadn't come downstairs yet.
I went up and knocked on her door.
I don't know why I was expecting a response.
"I'm coming in Kiddo."
When I walked in I saw her on the bed sitting in a ball.
Just like the hospital.
She looks exhausted.
"Did you sleep at all Kiddo?"
No response.
"Why don't you come on down for breakfast."
She got up and followed me.
"How about some toast?"
She was just looking down twiddling with her hands.
She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.
"Kiddo when was the last time you slept?"
No response.
"Did you sleep at all last night?"
Nothing.
I sighed and made some peanut butter toast.
"Alright kiddo here's some toast."
She wouldn't touch it.
I turned her chair to the side then I knelt down by her and took her hands in mine.
She started to shake.
"Kiddo, no one is gonna hurt you, not anymore."
No response, just shaking.
Her breathing was getting shallow
I let go of her hands.
"Ok let's go to the store."
She hesitantly got up and followed me out to the car.
"Ok we'll get clothes and school supplies. I know school is the last thing you should be worrying about, but the state will mandate it. We'll get you caught up though. If you see anything at the store you like, just let me know."
No kind of reaction.
In the store I had to pick everything out.
Any progress we made with responses is gone.
I wonder how long the state will let me keep her out of school.
When we got home she was trying so hard not to fall asleep.
"Kiddo it's ok to sleep. If you want you can go upstairs to sleep and lock the door to your room if that'd make you feel better."
She flinched awake more when I spoke.
This is breaking my heart.
I stepped out onto the porch to call Andrea about school for her.
"Hi, this is Andrea."
"Hi this is Nick Martin, I have a few questions about the girl, I just brought home."
"Oh yes. You were on my list of people to call. I have more information, but what are your questions?"
"Do you know her name yet?"
"Her last name is probably Finch. That's all we know. There aren't any birth records for her."
"Where is her mother?"
"That is also unknown."
"Did she go to school?"
"I'm not allowed to share everything, but we believe she was homeschooled in a way."
"What do you mean in a way?"
"I'm not at liberty to say."
"Is she going to need to go to school?"
"Yes, she'll have to go to school. We'll have her do a test to see what grade she should be in."
"How long does she have until she has to start."
"She can wait until most of her injuries are healed, but most likely next Monday."
"What? It's already Wednesday?"
"I know. I'm trying to pull the strings, but I don't think we have any options here."
"We don't even know her name."
"I know, just keep trying to get her to tell you. Ope I have to go. If you have any other questions email me."
"Wai-"
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
"Kiddo-"
She was asleep.
This can wait.
I was cooking us some lunch when she started speaking in her sleep.
"Please...Stop...Stop! Stop! I'm sorry! I-I-I won't do it again!"
I rushed over to her and started to try and wake her up.
"Kiddo come on. It's ok. Wake up."
Her eyes shot open and she saw me and panicked.
"I-I-I'm sorry."
She said with wide fearful eyes.
"It's ok. You don't need to be sorry. Are you ok?"
She nodded.
"Can we talk?"
She nodded again.
"First can you tell me your name."
She shook her head.
"Why not?"
She didn't respond.
"Remember how nothing bad happened when you talked just a second ago?"
She nodded.
"Then can I know your name?"
She shook her head.
"Why not?"
No response.
I sighed.
"Let's eat lunch."
I got her to sit and watch TV with me, but she sat at the edge of the couch as far away from me the whole time.
I heard the door open and in walked the boys from school.
"Hey, boys how was school?" I asked.
"Good I'm starving." Xander said.
"River was harassing a girl again." Zero said.
"Yeah the school isn't doing anything about it since his family donates to the school." Ace said.
"Is the girl ok?" I asked.
"Yeah Sage stepped in."
"Can we have our friends over to study?" Ace asked.
I love that the boys all have the same group of friends, but I don't know if it's a good idea with her being so new here.
"I don't know..Can you guys go over to one of their houses?"
"No not really. We'll stay quiet and stay in one of our rooms."
"Ok, I'll get started on dinner then. Those boys will eat us out of house and home." I chuckled.
"Thank you!" She flinched when Arlo said that.
"Would you like to cook with me Kiddo?"
She just got up and followed me.
"So my grandparents were from Italy, so my grandma or what we called her Nona, she taught me to cook. Tonight we're making one of my favorites gnocchi."
I got all the ingredients and cleaned off the table.
For gnocchi we just make the dough on the table.
That's the way I was taught at least.
"Ok you see how it's sticking to my hands?"
She nodded.
"That's not what we want, so we have to add a little more flour. Will you do the honors?"
She nodded and added more flour.
After I got it to the right consistency I put it into the fridge.
"So while that sets let's get set up to roll each noodle individually."
After we were all set up and I showed her how to roll them.
She got the hang of it really quickly.
Hers looked better than mine.
"Have you done this before?"
She nodded.
"With who?"
Right then Garren, Emmett, Caleb, Iris, Jade, Ezra, And Sage all came in.
"Hey Mr. M, What're you making?" Sage came in and said.
He loves my cooking.
"We're making Gnocchi."
"Who's this?" Ezra asked.
She stopped rolling the gnocchi and just kept her head down.
"Oh we don't know her name yet. She doesn't really talk." Arlo said coming down.
"Can I help you make the Gnocchi Mr. M?"
"Do you have something you're avoiding studying?"
"Maybe, but I also like cooking with you." He said with a smile.
"Do you remember how from last time?"
"Yeah I think so."
"Ok, have a seat. If you get confused copy her."
"Got it."
"So how was school today?"
"My brother is a womanizing asshole. Excuse my french."
"Your excused, what is he doing this time?"
"Just being creepy with girls. I'm Sage by the way."
He said holding his hand out for a handshake.
She flinched a little, but just looked at his hand.
He got the message and shook his own hand.
"That's ok. I can talk for the both of us. You wouldn't believe it girlie. Today the lunch lady tried to give me a corner slice of lasagna and I already hardly wanted it cause it's not like Mr. M's cooking in the slightest, but a guys gotta eat you know?"
"How many times do I have to say it. You can just call me Nick."
"That's besides the point. So I was like..." He just went on to tell her about his day.
She even smiled for a second.
"Sage are you ever coming up to study?" Xander came down and asked.
"In a bit, I'm hanging with my new friend here, and helping with dinner."
"Ugh ok." He went back upstairs.
A little while later dinner was ready.
"Ok guys come on down for dinner."
Sage sat next to Kiddo, or who he calls Girlie and I sat on her other side.
We were all eating. Even kiddo.
She only ate a couple bites, but still.
It was a nice night.
Dinner was good, Sage finished his homework he was avoiding and it was overall a great night.