Author's Notes: This is not my first Animorphs fan fiction, but it is the first one I posted to I got into Animorphs when I was in Grade 5 (I'm almost 21 years old now) and ever since then I've been developing this character. I hope she's made her way onto paper as easily as I hope she has. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Animorphs. That honour goes to the illustrious K.A. Applegate. May the world and all who live in it bless and keep this woman, who has written the best series on Earth, and has not only fueled my desire for reading and writing, but has actually inspired me to become an English Major. I hope one day she realizes how much of an inpact on my life she has made.

It was raining really hard. Thunder and lightning happened at random intervals. I was tagging alongside the Cop as he and I approached the huge manor. An old woman came out to greet us, fighting the wind with her umbrella.

"I found her wandering around outside the mall in the rain," the Cop told the woman when she came within ear shot. He almost had to yell to get above the noise of the storm.

"At this time of night?" she replied. "Where are her parents?"

"In all the ramblings she was making, I figured she had no parents."

"Did they abandon her? Did they die?"

"I don't know! I just found her on a patrol. I think she might be delusional."

They were talking as if I wasn't there; as if I wasn't just standing there, beside the Cop, soaked to the bone. The skin-tight T-Shirt and shorts I was wearing didn't fight the cold, either. I didn't shiver, though. That would have been a sign of weakness. I didn't relax my facial features, either, which could be why the elderly woman wouldn't look right at me.

My flip-flops were all but ruined. I don't even remember where I found them. My short, dark-brown hair was all but glued to my head. In a very sporadic manner, I might add. My dark, dim, dismal eyes glared at the two adults discussing my future.

At one point in the conversation, the old woman finally mustered the courage to look at me and ask, "Where do you live?"

I barely moved when I replied, "No where." I guess my tone scared her, because she had a look of fear on her face and she jerked away from me. She looked back at the Cop.

"I don't want to take her to the station. Do you know how much paperwork that is? And I promised the kids I'd rent a movie we could all watch tonight."

"I'm not sure my facilities could hold her. We're over packed as it is."

"I promise I'll come back tomorrow so we can iron out the details then. For now, I think all three of us are tired."

The Cop looked down at me and smiled. I just glared at him. The old woman sighed. "Alright. I'll take her for now."

"Thanks. Have a good night." The Cop tipped his hat, patted me on the shoulder and walked back to his patrol car. The rain was still hammering down, even as the Cop got in his car and drove away.

The old lady and I stood in the driveway, in the rain, for a long time, before she said, "Let's get inside. I'll make some hot cocoa," and proceeded to walk into the large manor.

I stood for only a few moments longer, until I called to her, "I wish to attend school."

The lady stopped and looked back. "You want to go to school? Really?"

"I wish to learn things."

"But this is The Hole. No kids here attend school."

"I'll be the exception."

She looked at me, as if analyzing me. I don't think she believed me at first. The look on my face must have shown I wasn't kidding. She stared at me for what seemed like an eternity before finally nodding. "Alright. Tomorrow, I'll get you enrolled in school."

"Thank you," I said, pitifully. It was the first time I said that in a long, long time…