"Aricka, we're here." the girl looks from the window into Miss Jamie's eyes. "This is where your new family lives. Thomas, remember?"

She nods. "The 'Tuber, right?"

"That's right. He's going to take care of you now."

"He won't hurt me, right?"

"No, he won't."

"Okay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jamie and Aricka walk up to the door, and Jamie knocks. A few moments later, Logan-who Aricka didn't know yet-answered. "Hello again, Jamie. Is this Aricka?"

"That's right, Logan." Jamie answers. Bending down, she says, "Aricka, this is Logan-he's a friend of Thomas', okay?" silently, the girl nods. "What do you say?"

"Hi Logan." it was a whisper, but it was progress, at least. Logan held out his hand to the girl, and she shyly took it. His was so big and warm compared to hers, it was almost laughable.

"Thank you for bringing her here, Jamie," Logan says, and Jamie nods.

"Call me if you need anything-my number is on the card. Aricka, you have my cell number, right?" the girl nods. "Okay, sweetie. I'll see you in a month." Oh yes, the monthly check-ins.

"Bye Jamie," Aricka whispers again, and Logan leads her inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thomas! Aricka is here!" Logan suddenly yells, making her jump. "Apologies, Aricka." he quickly says. Footsteps could be heard, and then Thomas was there. He bends down to her level.

"Hi, Aricka. Remember me?" she nods, managing a small smile.

"Hi again Thomas." she still clung to Logan-he was nice, she thought. And he apologized when he scared me.

"I was just finishing your room-do you want to see it?" her eyes widen.

"My own room?" Thomas nods, and Logan had to fight back his anger-this little girl never had her own room? "I always wanted my own room."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aricka gasps as Logan leads her in-she was still holding his hand tight. "Do you like it?" Logan asks. Wordlessly, she nods, letting go of his hand to grab the giant Stitch that was on the step next to her bed.

"Stitch," she whispers. "I like Stich," she says-sounding like Lilo for a second. Logan and Thomas watch, afraid to speak-she didn't say half of this when they first met. She turns, her big blue eyes bright and teary. "If I go, can I keep him?"

Thomas crosses the room and hugs her. "Hopefully, you don't have to go. You can stay here, and we can be a family. Would you like that?" she bites her lip, nervous. "It's okay if you don't answer that now. We have a long time to decide that, okay?"

"Okay."