Disclaimer: I own nothing but this particular slant on the story.

Chapter 1: May 12, 1980

Sister Anne, of the parish of St. Clemens in San Francisco, knew what she was going to do with that sweet baby girl before her mother had even kissed her goodbye.

This wasn't the first child to be dropped at the church, and it wouldn't be the last either, but it was the first time it had been done in such a dramatic and memorable fashion. One day she would tell that little girl about the heavenly lights, but until then she would keep it to herself.

The parents seemed to care deeply for the baby. They left a hand stitched blanket, a note for her new family and even rough handwritten medical history of the mother's immediate family. They had kept her for 2 days, making a memory to hold on to. They asked that she be given a name that started with a P, kissed her forehead, and were gone.

It had only taken a few hours to arrange a new family for the baby. The archdiocese was used to handling these things, and the couple was thrilled. The next day she would be going home with a new family. To a new life.

The couple was Anne's brother and his wife. They were not terribly religious, but the had faith and came to mass at least once a month. They had decided to adopt the year before, but the mother changed her mind. They could have children of their own, and planned to, but Joy felt strongly that they should give a home to a child in need first. They had been foster parents for a while, but the nature of the system soured them quickly and the turned to private means instead. It was stroke of luck, really, that Anne had been the one present that day, and that she knew of a family already. It was generally a much harder process to find a home for those children in the church community. As it was that was being stretched, seeing as the family would be moving to LA in the next few months. Technically the Mathews couple was at the top of the list for adoption within the church, but Anne had some pull, and she used it on her brother and sister-in-law's behalf.

Hank and Joyce had been overjoyed when given the opportunity to take the baby. It was very short notice, but they were willing to make the sacrifices required. They came in that evening with a car load of baby supplies. They took her home and started converting their spare room into a nursery. The next 

day the preliminary paperwork was signed, and Alyssa Paige Summers officially became the daughter of Hank and Joyce Summers.