"Valerie?" I heard. It was around 1 in the morning, and I was fully awake. I hadn't gotten any sleep. I was too scared for my surgery.

To my surprise, George was standing in the doorway, looking like he hadn't gotten any sleep either. I guess we were both worried about the surgery.

"Daddy..." I said, reaching my arms out to hug George. He knelt down next to me and said, "I'm here, Val. What's wrong? Nervous about the surgery?"

"Yeah. Kind of." I said, sighing. I also had something else on my mind, but it was too silly to tell George. I didn't want George to think I was a baby. I had my shyness for that.

"Valerie? Is everything okay?" George asked, putting his arm around me. I started to cry and I shoved his arm off.

"Valerie Adalasia Salazar, something's definitely up. Tell me, I'm your father." George said sternly. He's never stern or strict with me. He's obviously worried about me.

"Nothing's wrong, okay? It's just nerves." I snapped. George backed up, appearing scared and confused. I felt bad. I didn't mean to scare my dad.

Should I tell him what was really going on?

"Daddy? I'm worried that I'm going to forget about my bio parents. And where I came from. I'm proud to be your daughter, but...I never really got to know my bio parents. It was foster home after foster home. I never really had a family until this year." I said.

"Didn't you take your old middle name? Isn't that the plan. Valerie Adalasia Salazar?" George asked.

Moment of truth. I was going to tell him about the plan to take Will's last name as well.

"Actually, um, I was talking about this with Gerard a few weeks ago, and I was thinking...Will's like my other father. I was thinking that I would like to take his last name too. I was waiting to tell you guys until it was certain I was getting adopted." I said.

George smiled and gasped. Then he said, "I'm sure he would love that. Also, I got the adoption papers in the mail yesterday." I started screaming with glee. This was the best day of my entire life.

Well, besides the fact I was about to have surgery. My twelfth surgery in ten years.

"Are you ready?" George asked. I nodded and George said, "Get some sleep, Val. You need it."

___________

I woke up at around 6AM to Gerard flipping the light switch on and off...again.

"How many times have I told you I hate when you do that?" I snapped.

"You're late. You were supposed to be up a half hour ago." Gerard said. I sighed and sarcastically said, "Aw darn. Am I late? That sucks." I dropped the sarcasm and snapped "Not." 

"I know. This is a lot for a ten year old to go through, I know." Gerard said. He tickled my sides and I giggled.

"I hear a Valerie squeal in here." George said, peeking through the door. I waved to him and he came in with my hospital bag. I smiled softly. 

I had only two things from my bio parents. My mom's purple barrette that I used to wear nearly every day, but stopped wearing once George took me in, and my hospital bag. Everything else, my clothes, my flute, my history book, I had gotten that stuff from the nicer half of the foster homes I was in or from teachers or "friends" who took pity on me. 

"Valerie? You almost ready?" George asked. I nodded, and then Will came in and put me on his shoulders. He smiled at George and said, "I heard the news."

"What news?" Gerard asked. I ran to the living room and grabbed the adoption papers off the table, never breaking a smile. I handed Gerard the papers.

"Are these...Valerie?" Gerard asked. I smiled and said, "Yeah."

"The preferred new name slot isn't filled out yet." Gerard asked. George smiled at Gerard and said, "She told me." 

"The plan?" Gerard asked, turning to me. I smiled and nodded. I took a pen and filled out Valerie Adalasia Salazar-Roland. 

"Perfect." I said, capping the pen. 

"Time to go to the hospital, Via." Will said. 

___________

It was almost time for me to go to sleep, and for some reason, I was oddly...excited. I don't know if it was the medication the doctors gave me to help me relax, or if I was happy to have Will, George, and Gerard there. Probably a little of both.  

"Why is Val so giddy?" Will said, watching me giggle a bit.

"Give her a break. She's not scared." George said. The doctors said Will and Gerard couldn't come with me when I went to sleep, but George could. Gerard kissed my head and said, "Good luck Via. I love you." Will did the same thing. 

I waved to both of them and gripped George's hand. The nurse put the anesthesia in and George sung a lullaby under his breath.

But it wasn't in English. To my surprise, it was in Italian. It was the lullaby my mom and auntie used to sing to me when I was little. But how did George know it?

That was all I could think about as sleep took over.

___________

I woke up and saw George, Will, and Gerard surrounding me. And a girl in a wheelchair who I didn't know. The world was too blurry to see her face, I could only see dark brown hair dyed teal at the tips. 

"Good morning, sweet pea." George said. I smiled, and I could see the girl do the same. The world focused again, and my heart jumped out of my chest.

Wheelchair Girl was really, really cute. 

"Hey. So, um, I guess you're wondering why I'm here. I'm Rebekah Adler, but you can call me Reed. I'm here all the time, and I usually get bored when I'm waiting for my appointments and I decided to see if any other kids were here. I ran into your dad, one of them, and they said you'd love to meet me when you woke up. So, what's your name? Tell me about yourself!" the girl said excitedly.

"I'm Valerie Salazar-Roland. I'm, um, I'm 10 years old, and I go to Eisenhower Middle School. I play flute, and I really like history. And languages. I speak 4 languages." I said awkwardly. 

Reed smiled and said, "Oh! I really like this one musical called The Prom. But that's the only musical I like. Cause I'm a lesbian. Who got kicked out of her house. And I'm in sixth grade. We go to the same school. Wait, I think I've seen you around before!" 

Why. Was. Reed. Adler. So. Cute? Why?

"Also, um, sorry I talk so much, you just seem really interesting and stuff, my bio parents were Russian immigrants. It was nice. Before I got kicked out. But I got adopted by a gay couple, and my dads are the coolest dads on the planet. You should meet them. They're really nice." Reed ranted. 

"Great. They seem cool." I said. "Also, we're in the same grade. I skipped a grade." 

"AWESOME! Okay, I'll give you my number so we can compare schedules." Reed said. George handed Reed my phone and she typed her number in it. 5 minutes later, I heard a buzz. 

"My dad is here. I'M COMING!" Reed yelled. She sighed and said, "Gotta go, Valerie. Talk to you...later, I guess. Bye!"

Reed rolled out of the room and Gerard elbowed me.

"Someone has a crush!" Gerard said in a very sing-songy voice. I groaned. 

"She's not my crush. Just a friend." I said.

But what if I did had a crush on her? What if she was something more?

AN: So, some of you knew this was coming. If you know what happens after with Reed and Val, don't spoil it! Hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!