It had been about a week since Rebecca had last seen her father. Rebecca took her conversation with Gia to heart and did all she could to keep herself from closing up, especially on the people who wanted to help her. She confided her worries to Mr. and Mrs. Burrows; she stuck closely to Troy and her friends, and at school she talked to Ms. Chesterfield. At home, at school, and anywhere she was with her friends she felt safe.

But it was a huge leap between feeling safe and feeling like she was a part of a loving family again. Rebecca knew it was true in her heart, but it was still very strange to think of the Burrows as her new loving family. She continued to feel like a step-child.

One morning, as Rebecca was getting ready for school, the phone rang. It was never for her so she didn't bother answer it. Someone must have because it stopped ringing quickly. Rebecca finished getting dressed and then stepped outside of her room into the hallway. She wanted to go down the stairs but she overheard Mrs. Burrows on the phone.

"What do you want, Carl? What's going to make you drop this?"

Rebecca knew she was talking to her father. She sat at the top of the stairs and listened.

"I'm not going to ask you for any money. That's not what this is about… Yes, I know she's not my daughter."

Rebecca bit her lip. She had been hearing that all week whenever one of the Burrows was on the phone with her father. It seemed he liked to remind them that they had no right to take her away from him because he was her biological father and she was nothing to them.

"Carl, why would I try to come after your money? I'm still waiting on child support for Troy! I've figured out I can't get anything from you at this point."

Rebecca sighed hearing this. It seemed her father had never been very dependable when it came to taking care of other people. It was no real surprise he couldn't handle being a single father.

"Do you really think I'm going to pity you because your wife moved out?" Mrs. Burrows said and Rebecca frowned. This was news to her. She knew Jake had talked with his mother about leaving her father, but she never heard anything after that. It seemed Mrs. Holling did have enough sense to pack up and leave.

"Carl, I'm not happy this is happening. I couldn't care less about how your life turns out, but Rebecca doesn't need this. She's just a… HEY!" Mrs. Burrows suddenly yelled. "Watch yourself, Carl! You can say whatever the hell you want about me and my husband, but that's your daughter! Show her some respect!"

Rebecca felt her eyes water and wiped away the tears with her sleeve before they could drip down her face. She had no idea what her father had called her but she had heard some of the names he had for her both when he had beaten and in the week following. Those were what hurt the most.

"You really think I don't know that, Carl? I don't care whose daughter she is or when she was conceived. She's a kid and she needs a family. If you had even a shred of humanity inside of you, you'd stop calling. She's happy here and she's off your hands. You don't owe any money; she's not your responsibility anymore. Chris and I are looking after her. She's our responsibility. We'll take care of her. And I don't care who's kid she is, she's my daughter now. Back off!"

Mrs. Burrows hung up the phone and slammed it down on the kitchen island. She took in a deep breathe to calm herself down and then tried to finish making lunches for Troy and Rebecca for school. She lay down four slices of bread on the counter and was about to start assembling them when she thought she felt someone behind her. She turned around and jumped when she saw Rebecca.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"You just said that to get him off your back, right?" Rebecca asked. Mrs. Burrows frowned.

"I'm sorry?"

"So he'd stop calling. So he'll stop bugging you at random hours of the day. You… you didn't really mean it, did you?"

"Mean what?" Mrs. Burrows asked.

"I'm your daughter?"

Mrs. Burrows smiled, "Yeah. I figured you've lived here long enough. You pull your weight in this family. That's got to mean something."

"I… I was just… helping out," Rebecca said. "You took me in so… it's the least I can do. I…"

Mrs. Burrows put the sandwiches down and walked over to Rebecca. She put her hands on her arms and smiled at her.

"I want to see you happy," she said. "I'll do everything to see you happy and safe. I'm always going to be here, looking out for whatever you need."

"But I'm not…"

"You're just as much a part of this family as anyone else in this house. You have a home here. I love you."

Rebecca smiled. She looked up at Mrs. Burrows and then threw herself into her arms.

"Thank you."

"You're a good kid. Your father's an idiot for screwing it up. Chris and I aren't going to be like that," Mrs. Burrows promised.

Rebecca nodded her head. She believed that was true. It was a shame her relationship with her father seemed to be over, but at least now she really knew she had moved on to something better. Since her mother had died she always wanted to have a family. She never thought it possible. Not even in her dreams did she every think she could feel the love, support, and safety that a family could provide her.

This was better than a dream come true. It wasn't perfect, but it was exactly what she wished for.