About a month after I tried to run away, I was sitting on the couch, in the living room, being told, once again, that I was going back into foster care.

"Please don't send me back." I pleaded, biting my lip gently. "Please, just, I'll leave, you can tell them I ran away, I... you'll get payed, and I'll get out. Please."

"Why would you want that?" Mr. Walter asked, confused.

"It's easier. It's preferable to live on the street than in another home." I explained.

"Okay, just, when?" Mrs. Walter agreed.

"Now. Today. I'll pack." I smiled, and rushed upstairs. I threw some clothes into my backpack, along with my phone and charger. Everything else I left. "Bye." I smiled a little, and waved, standing at the door.

"I'll grab you an apple." Mrs. Walter sighed, walking into the kitchen.

"It was nice having you here." Mr. Walter said, slipping his arm around my waist. I shifted uncomfortably, and moved out of his arm.

"Okay Abigail," Mrs. Walter handed me a small apple, "uh, goodbye." She flashed me a quick smile, and I slipped out of their house. I was wearing my new winter jacket and scarf, which honestly wasn't helping that much, against the cold December air.

I realized that when the Water family reported me missing, people would start looking for me, like, DHS would be looking for me. I walked down a few blocks, before it started to rain. I quickly found a little covered area by a wall. It was dark enough, so I curled up there, and fell asleep.

•••

About a week and a half later I had noticed posters going up on some windows, with my face. It told people that if they saw me they should call the New York Foster Care system. I started tearing those posters down whenever I could, I didn't want anyone to find me. I didn't want to go back.

There were about 3 days until Christmas. There were decorations all over the city, and Christmas music playing over speakers. Everyone was shopping and with family.

That night, it started snowing. I was too nervous to go into the covered areas anymore, because I knew people were looking for me. Eventually I sucked it up, and sat on my jacket in the snow, curled up, leaned against a wall.

I woke up when someone put a blanket on top of me, the newfound warmth surprising me.

"Merry Christmas." A woman whispered, and I looked up.

"Hmm?" I mumbled, confused.

"Oh god." I saw her hand fly to her face, "Dave, Dave come here, it's a kid." I got a little scared, and a man around her age, came over to her.

"Oh, um, sweetheart, how old are you?" He asked, crouching down by me.

"Fifteen." I answered, honestly.

"Oh. Okay sweetheart, I'm gonna call Child Protective Services, why don't you come inside where it's warm?" The woman started to help me up, and I shook my head quickly. "Honey what is it?"

"Please don't call CPS." I pleaded, scared.

"Why not?"

"I... I'm... I was in the foster care system, and I don't want to go back. It's awful." I admitted, slinking back a little.

"Oh. Well, you're gonna freeze to death at this rate, just, they'll find you a good home, and it's almost Christmas, you don't want to be alone."

"They won't find me a good home, they never have, and certainly not before Christmas. I'll just be in another group home until January, and then I'll go to another crappy family, please don't make me." I started crying, and hugged my knees tightly.

"Um, I'm sorry sweetie, I have to, I don't want you to die, okay?" She gently rubbed my shoulder, "come inside, my husband and I own this restaurant." She helped me stand up, and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. She walked me into the restaurant, and had me sit in one of the circular booths.

"Thank you." I whispered, pulling the blanket around myself, tighter.

"Of course." She smiled at me, and dialed who I assume was CPS, on her phone. I heard her talking for a bit, when she turned back around to me, "sweetie, what's your name?"

"Abigail Edminston." I mumbled, and she repeated it into the phone.

"Okay, sweet pea, your social worker's on her way. They said they've been worried about you." The lady sat next to me in the booth, and I saw her husband, Dave, emerge from the kitchen.

"Here you go." He smiled at me, and handed me a mug of cocoa.

"Thanks." I whispered, holding it on the table with both hands.

"So, is someone on their way? Or do you want to stay with us?" He asked.

"I've called CPS. They're coming to get her."

"Oh. Okay." He sat down next to his wife in the booth. "How long were you out there?" He asked me, I fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I don't know, a week and a half?"

"I'm sorry. Have you had food? Do you need something? Have you had water? I'll go get you some."

"I've had food, and I had water a few days ago." I shrugged.

"You need water." He said, sadly, and stood up to go to the kitchen.

"Thanks." I whispered, though he was most likely out of earshot. Just as I said this, I saw the door open, and my social worker, Becca, walk in.

"Abigail? Sweetheart? Oh gosh you're okay." She sighed, relieved and pulled me out of the booth, wrapping me in a hug. "You're so wet! Oh, honey."

"I'm sorry." I whispered, as she pulled away.

"You're the woman who found her?" She turned the the lady from earlier.

"Mmhm, Karen." She shook Beccas hand, smiling.

"I'm so sorry, we can't offer a reward, she's the governments responsibility right now. The reward would only come from her parents, and..." Becca trailed off, and I hugged myself tightly.

"No, she was no trouble. We actually found her right outside. My husband and I were leaving for the day, and we thought we should give her a blanket, just because... well... you know. Then we realized she was fifteen and called you."

"Well, have a wonderful night, you two." Becca smiled, and took my hand, pulling me out to her car.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, buckling my seatbelt.

"Group home." She shrugged, "its 11:30."

"Okay." I sighed, and pulled my legs onto my seat.

"Abigail you can't run away," she groaned. "We have a family lined up to take you, they'll be there tomorrow morning."

"I can't do it."

"Yes you can. Abigail, you're fifteen. What did you think was going to happen when you ran away? Did you think that was a good option?"

"No." I sighed.

"Abigail, you were going to die. You were going to freeze to death, or starve to death."

"I know! I knew that going into it. Please please just let me go."

"Freezing to death cannot be preferable to foster care." Becca rolled her eyes.

"It is. I... I... it's terrible. It's scary. I just... I just want to die." I whimpered. "I don't want to be tossed from home to home, and to live the rest of my life unloved. No ones ever loved me, no ones ever going to love me!" I shouted. I unbuckled my seatbelt, and started yanking on the lock on the door.

"Abigail? What are you doing?" Becca asked, looking over to me, as I jumped out of the car. "ABIGAIL!" I heard her scream, as I made contact with the concrete, and blacked out.

•••

The next time I opened my eyes I was in a hospital room. I looked around the room quickly, and saw that I was alone. I had a black cast on my right arm, and was in a sling. I had several bandages on my foot, and felt more on my torso.

"Oh! You're awake!" A nurse smiled, coming into my room.

"How long was I out?" I asked, shifting a little, and wincing as I moved my torso.

"Two days." She sighed, "do you want the rundown?"

"Mmhm." I nodded.

"Okay, well, you broke your ulna and radius." She pointed to my wrist, "and dislocated your right shoulder, hence the cast and the sling. Then you had minor cuts on your foot and ankle, one of which required stitches." She pointed to a gauze cast on my ankle, and a pretty nasty cut on your stomach, that one took 22 stitches." She explained, and I bit my lip, feeling guilty. "Finally, a minor concussion, which is why you blacked out. Well, that and the malnourishment."'

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Oh, honey, don't apologize to me, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm just glad you woke up in time for Christmas." She smiled, "I'll call your social worker, tell her you're up, then we just need you to stay overnight, have a psych eval, and then you're good to go."

"Wait, what day is it?"

"December 24th."

"Oh." I sighed.

"I'll send a psychologist in here really soon, sweetheart."

•••

The next morning I woke up to someone shaking me, gently.

"Abigail, Abigail get up."

"Hmm?" I opened my eyes, to see Becca standing there with a Christmas present.

"Merry Christmas." She smiled, and handed me the bag. I sat up a little, and opened it, pulling out a stuffed white bear.

"Thank you!" I smiled, "is this from you?" I asked.

"No, it was a donation, they had a toy drive for kids in the hospital over Christmas." She explained, but I was preoccupied lightly kissing the bears head. It was my first Christmas present in years. "Are you feeling okay?" Becca asked.

"I'm feeling better." I nodded.

"Good, because there's a couple in the hallway for you, they're gonna take you home, no group home necessary."

"Oh." I sighed, and hugged my bear closer to me.

"Cheer up, Honey. They're coming for you on Christmas. To a hospital, after you jumped out of a car, don't make this harder on them."

"Okay." I forced a smile, and she went out of the room to grab them. About a minute later, I saw Lin walk into my hospital room, along with his wife, Vanessa.

"Hi Darling, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"You... you're... Lin... are you actually... am I going home with you?"

"Mmhm." He nodded, smiling. "Let's hurry though, my parents are over, and we're waiting on stockings until you get there."

"Why?" I asked, as he started to help me out of bed.

"So we can open them together. V, can you grab her clothes?" Lin nodded to my jeans, t-shirt, and jacket, which were neatly folded on a chair.

"Oh." I bit my lip, still in shock.

"We celebrate Christmas, we're not necessarily religious, but, whatever holiday you celebrate, we'd be happy to accommodate that." Vanessa explained.

"I always celebrated Christmas, like, with my parents." I shrugged, them winced, due to my cast, and shoulder.

"Awesome." She smiled.

•••

About a half hour later, I was in the backseat of their car, and they were turning into the parking lot of their apartment building,

"Okay, we're on the 47th floor." Vanessa said, wrapping her arm around me to help me walk.

"Is there an elevator?" I asked, nervously.

"Of course there is." She laughed a little, and walked me into it. The elevator shot up, and soon we were standing in front of their door.

"Don't be shy, Abigail. There's pancakes in the kitchen, and apple cider." Lin explained, opening the door, "¡hola Papá! ¡Mama! ¡Y mijito!" He exclaimed, scooping up his one year old son.

"Hi Lin." His dad smiled, from his position on the couch, "is this the young lady you've been telling us about?" He asked, and I bit my lip, and stared at the floor,

"Mmhm." He nodded, "Mom, Dad, this is Abigail, we're fostering her."

"Hi Abigail." His mom stood up, and came over to me. "My name's Luz." She smiled, and gave me a hug, I smiled and hugged her back, best I could with my sling.

"Hi." I said, she seemed nice.

"I'm Luis, it's nice to meet you Abigail." His dad came over, and pulled me into a hug as well.

"Hi." I smiled.

"Lets open stockings!" Vanessa offered, smiling. She was sitting on the couch, with her son on her lap.

"Okay. One second." Lin went over to the TV set, and grabbed the families stockings. He handed one to his wife, one to his son, and one to me, and kept the last for himself.

"Oh, I don't, I don't need this." I said, awkwardly holding the full stocking. "I already got a Christmas present." I said, referring to my new teddy bear.

"Well, Santa obviously thought you deserved Christmas presents this year, so sit down." Lin smiled, patting the spot next to him on the couch.

•••

"Okay, its late, do you want to see your bedroom?" Lin asked, later that night.

"Mmhm." I nodded, smiling a little. I followed him down the hall.

"Okay, this is Sebastian's room." Lin pushed open one door, I saw toys and trains covering the floor. "And this is my office." He pointed across the hall to a room with a messy desk and a keyboard, "this is me and my wife's room." He pointed to a room with its door closed, "finally here's your room." He smiled and gently pushed me into the room.

"Thank you." I smiled, looking back at him. The room was mostly bare, there was a twin bed with a white comforter. A small desk with a laptop sat in the corner right next to a closet with a few dresses and sweaters hanging neatly.

"Now, I know there's barely anything here, but V and I didn't know what you liked, we thought you could pick the decorations out yourself." He explained, and I sort of limped over to the desk. "Sweetheart are you okay?" He asked.

"Huh, oh, um, it's just a couple bruises and a few cuts." I looked down at the gauze bandages on my foot.

"I'm sorry." He sighed.

"No, it's fine," I stood looking at the MacBook on my desk. It had a red bow sitting on top of it. "This is for me?"

"Yep." He smiled, "now into bed." He prompted. I smiled at him, and climbed into my new bed. "Okay, well, Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas." I sighed.

"I hate to end your day like this, but, did you ever tell anyone what your foster dad did to you?" Lin asked, sitting on my bed.

"No." I whispered.

"Okay, well, I'm gonna call my lawyer. Is that alright?"

"Mmhm." I nodded.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, sweetest." He lightly tousled my hair, then left my room.

•••

Hi.

I'm sleepy

I'm actually always sleepy

Also, um, I have like 19 unfinished one shots in my drafts, so if you think I've ignored yours, I may have it like, halfway done.

So, if there's any one shot in particular (even one you have previously commented) that you want to see next... COMMENT IT!! Seriously, just, remind me!! Love y'all

Thanks for reading!

- Abi