Warning for basically the rest of the book: Abuse, alcoholism, PTSD.
I'm sorry. Some (actually most, I cannot keep my mouth shut about angsty plans) of y'all knew this was coming, on with the story!

"Josie, sweetie, wake up." I heard Stephanie say. She seemed sadder this morning than usual.

"Mama? Is everything okay?" I asked. I rolled over and looked at my alarm clock. 5:50 AM.

Stephanie sighed and took my hand in her own. "Jo-Jo...you remember your aunt Samantha?"

I nodded slowly. I remember when I was constantly ticked off by Stephanie and wanted to go back to her. And deep down in my heart, I knew that the news I was about to get wasn't good.

Stephanie took a deep breath and I swear I could see tears line her eyes. "Well...um...I don't know how to tell you..."

"Just say it, Mama. I'm ten years old, I can handle it." I said.

"You're going back into Samantha's care...I'm so sorry..."

I didn't know how to feel. I would have to leave Stephanie. Brandon. Anthony. Christian. Andrew, Tracie, and Betsy. Harper. Whizzer, Ivy, Lydia, everything and everyone I've ever known.

"MAMA! No! I'll miss you!" I said, launching into Stephanie's arms and sobbing into her chest. Stephanie kept stroking my hair and whispering that it would be okay, but I didn't believe it.

I had just gotten a good life. I couldn't bear to leave it.

"Mama...I don't want to leave you." I choked out. Stephanie let go from the hug and took my hands.

"Josie, even though I won't exactly be there with you physically, I'll always, always be here for you. In here..." she said, pointing to my heart, "and here." She pointed to my head as I said, "Okay..." on the brink of tears.

"Josie, I'm gonna miss you so much. In fact...I have something for you to remind you of home." Stephanie said. She got up and got something from her room.

She came back with a pastel pink journal with a family picture taped to the front of it. "You can write journal entries in this, or letters if you want." I nodded and grabbed Mendel, my stuffed lamb, from my bed.

"I'm gonna bring Mendel with me." I said, smiling. The tears came back and I turned to my mom.

"Will I ever go home?" I asked.

Stephanie seemed like she had to think about it for a few minutes. "Well...I don't know when, but I do know that I'll be fighting for you. Believe me, this is as hard for you as it is for me."

"Will you forget me?" I asked. Stephanie hugged me and then said, "I could never. You're my precious little girl, my daughter, my little Trina. And I love you, so, so, so much. Even if you're not physically here, you'll always be my special girl."

I sighed and said, "I love you, Mama."

_______

Stephanie's POV

"Hey." Brandon said to me. "Is everything okay?" I shook my head, I was still wrapping my mind around Josie getting ripped from me. I sighed and thought about what Josie would do if she was here in the theatre with me right now.

"It's awfully quiet." Andrew said, coming up to us. Then it finally hit him.

"Where's Josie?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. Moment of truth. They deserved to know, they loved Josie to death.

Love. Not loved. Josie's still with us, just not physically.

"Gone."

AN: YES! YES! I did it! This is only gonna get more evil! I'm so proud of myself. Hope you enjoyed and catch ya later! Love you all!