Peter groaned, "Sorry Miley. Now Johnny will definatley disown the three of us before he can catch our getting into trouble disease."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
As she was walking out with Chrissa, her mom turned and said, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't running away....really. Yes I'm upset that you and Dad didn't adopt her but I wouldn't run away" Chrissa said looking at her Mother, her hands folding in front of her.

**************

"I hope he doesn't!" Miley cried. "I know he's all upset...but I really hope he doesn't disown me and Justin"

Jen squeezed Peter's arm "I wonder what Chrissa and her Mom are doing?"

Her mom softened a little. "It's okay. I wanted to adopt her too, but your dad said we weren't ready."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter sighed. "We will find out based on whether or not we hear sirens. You know, I have a better idea. Let's get out of here!"

Chrissa nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "I know; Miley's brother, Justin said he may consider adopting her after the baby's born. I like that....but then....she won't be MY sister!" she said ready to cry.

********

Jen made a face, and nodded beginning to walk toward the door with him "But what will Chrissa think. Just leaving won't be very friendly. It will be like deserting her!" she said to Peter

Compassion in her heart, her mother said, "I am so sorry."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter stopped at the door. "I guess you're right." He sighed, not wanting to leave a friend behind or go to juvie. He certainly did not want Jen or Miley to go to juvie. "You and Miley go to the car. I can stay behind."

Jen made a face and continued walking with Miley "Alright Peter...if you are sure" she said and turned away walking out the door.

**********

Chrissa began crying and hugged her Mom. "I'm sorry Mom....I'm acting like a baby, but I was really hoping you'd adopt Natasha. I want my own sisters, and she needs a home! And she likes me!" she cried into her Mom. "Please don't be angry at me for coming here, I just wanted to see her. Please don't send me to Juvenile Detention...."

When they got outside, Miley said, "He's just trying to protect us. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her mom siad, "Alright I won't. Still I must call your friends' parents because they let me worry and didn't bother to call and tell where you were. Especailly the little girl."

Chrissa stepped back and wiped her eyes, with her sleeve. "Jen and Miley aren't little girls." she said sniffing, thankful her Mom wasn't that angry anymore. "I really am sorry.....do you think dad will ever consider adopting her before Justin does?"

*******

"I know" Said Jen, as she climbed into the passanger seat. "He just wants us safe....but I worry about him to. I like to stay with him"

Chrissa's mom wanted to tell her she was referring to Jen when she finally saw the little boy (Peter) Chrissa hung out with. He looked scared and she figured it probably was because of her threat. "I decided I will not press charges, but I will call each of your parents to tell them what you did."
Then, the boy (Peter), said, "I don't live with my parents."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miley put a hand on the younger girl's arm. "Want to wait for him?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justin was fianlly home and told Maralyn everything Miley and Peter told him. "Think we could adopt her?"

"You don't live with your parents!?? Then who do you live with?" Chrissa's Mom asked astonished. "Your awfully young to be living by yourself"

Chrissa made a face at Peter and just sighed, shaking her head.

***

Jen nodded. "Yes I'd like to wait for him Miley"

***

Maralyn made a face and put a gently hand on her stomach. "Well...." she said putting down her book. "What do you want Justin?"

Peter gasped, realizing what he just did. Okay, so now he was going to have to tell about what he had done, having to move from Johnny's to Nate's to have Nate and Kevin betray him and Justin and now he was living with Miley and her parents. He didn't want to give Miley up. "With my aunt and uncle and my cousin." He looked her straight in the eye. He wasn't lying, but he wasn't giving Miley up either. "The girls really didn't mean any harm. I mean, we didn't want Chrissa to get in trouble. She was going to come back home."
The mother said, "I'm sure your aunt and uncle taught you right from wrong."
Peter shut his eyes. Did they? He had only been living with them for a few months. "Ma'am, we didn't try to cause any problems. We are just kids."
Chrissa's mother said, "Well, maybe it's time I learned what kind of people she is hanging out with."
Peter gave Chrissa a sad look. No, she wasn't going to dig up his past and say that's why Chrissa couldn't hang out with him, Jen or Miley. "Ask her."
With that, he ran off, trying not to think of what he just did. Maybe he had just dug himself and thier friends into a deeper hole. Still, ever since Chrissa's mom yelled at them, his past started breathing down his neck.
He rushed into the car with Miley and. "Nobody's going to juvie. Let's get out of here, quickly."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justin caressed her in his arms. "Well, she woudl be help wiht the baby probably and maybe having a baby asround will bring joy into her life."

Chrissa was hurt deeply when Peter suddenly rushed off, leaving her to explain why he no longer lived with his parents. She thought he was her friend.....why would he do that? Her Mom turned to her, a look of frustration on her face. Chrissa gulped and rung her hands together before slowly angry. "He doesn't live with his parents.....because....because.....after he became a Christian his Mother and Father didn't accept him. So he had to move away with his friends"

*******

Miley nodded to Peter and started the engine pulling out of the orphanage parking lot. Jen turned around in the passenger seat and touched Peter's arm. "what happened in there?"

******

"Yeah.....but I wouldn't just want her to help. I'd want to love her like a daughter..." Maralyn said quietly, feeling Justin's hands on her. "I'd like to meet her, but I don't know about right now" she sighed with fatigue.

Peter felt his heart stop beating, as his imperfections haunted the inner depths of his heart. " I accidentally told her I wasn't living with my parents and she asked why. I didn't want to get you all in trouble or for Chrissa to stop being allowed to be with us because of my past. She said she was going to call our parents and i didn't want to give her our numbers." He took a deep breath, plopping his head against the seat.
~~~~~~~~~
Justin got a pillow for his wife. "Me too." He ran a hand throgh his short hair that flipped out at back of his neck. "And what if I ever had to tell her about my past?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chrissa's mom said, "I want to find out more information about that little boy you were hanging out with."

"He's not little!! He's fourteen! He's a good kid! Sure he made some bad mistakes in life, got invovled with gangs, drugs....but he's fine now! He's a Christian and he's very nice!" Chrissa gasped, realizing she had just suddenly blurted all about Peter's painful past. Tears welled up in her eyes and she ran out of the bulding to the parking lot. She saw Miley, Jen and Peter drivng away, and called for them to come back. But they didn't hear her and she began crying. Why did this have to happen to her? Peter, deserted her, and then she just blurted his past.

****

Maralyn squeezed his arm "You wouldn't....she wouldn't question you on what you used to be. She would just know you for who you are now. Just like Sara is going to. She never has to know about the old Justin Thomas, all she will know is she has a wonderful, lovng father her loves her very much"

****

Jen made a face and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Peter" she said comfortingly to him.

Peter ran a hand through his hair, biting his lip. "What do we do now?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justin took some water, staring out he window. If only he knew what he had done, that he had june get rid of their baby in highschool, would affect him like this. "SHoudln't they deserve to know they have a sibling?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chrissa's mother caught up with her. "Excuse me?"