Author's note: Hi, this is Michilolita and this is my first attempt at a To Kill a Mockingbird Fanfic. Please, be kind and enjoy. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own To Kill a Mockingbird rights or anything like that...sadly.

Chapter 1 -Miss Graham Comes to Maycomb

It was a hot June day in 1924 and Melanie Louise Graham sat with ankles crossed, two suitcases by the hard wooden bench on which she sat, a red ribbon in her chestnut curls and impatience pulsing through her veins. She had been sitting there for three hours and thirty two minutes waiting for the man with a funny name to retrieve her and drive her Maycomb so that she may take of her dying aunt. Melanie had been told in a letter that nine o'clock was going to be the meeting time but the man had not appeared. At first she was afraid the man might have gotten into an accident and therefore unable to get on time but the more she waited the less tragedy she thought of and focused in on more realistic ideas such as he got distracted by work or simply forgot.

"I swear if he does not show up in the next minute I will just walk to Maycomb!" She declared for probably the tenth time that day. She stared intently at the dirt road in front of her house expecting an automobile at any moment and so she did not dare return inside lest she miss him. And so Melanie simply sat there thinking back on what had led up to this tortuous waiting.

Melanie Louise Graham came from the prominent Graham family in Montgomery. Her father Mr. Jeremy Graham came from a long line of Grahams with old money. Mr. Graham maintain his wealth through stocks and a business Melanie cared little to know about since she had been taught she would never take it over after her father's passing. When her father was in his forties he married the seventeen year old Louise Lynne, a debutante from Charleston, South Carolina. Melanie was the product of their first year of marriage and was the only child since Mrs. Graham died of a heart attack two years later after suffering a miscarriage. Even without her mother, Melanie was raised to be a proper lady like her mother by her father and nannies. Melanie knew her reputation was of the utmost importance since she was a Graham but try as she might to be a lady she would often ruin herself by speaking her mind, ignoring protocol and the unforgotten time she attacked the "Honorable" Jacob Howard when he made a drunken pass at her at her father's Christmas party when she was sixteen. It was thought she would end up a spinster for she was already twenty and did not have a single suitor in want of her since the Howard Incident. She knew he father was slightly embarrassed by her and her new reputation and would gladly send her off to where to find a husband and become a "respectable" Graham lady once again.

The perfect opportunity arose when Mrs. Graham's ailing older sister Mrs. Daisy Brooke wrote to Mr. Graham. She asked if Mr. Graham would be kind enough to send Melanie to Maycomb so she could see her one last time before she died. Mrs. Brooke's husband Joseph had died several years before of an aneurism and her only child Joe was recently married to a Miss Carol Haverford who had no interest in caring for her dying mother-in-law. Mr. Graham thought it would be a great idea for Melanie to take care of Mrs. Brooke and perhaps become somber afterward and be able to be married off then. So it was decided. Mrs. Brooke would not be able to retrieve Melanie because of her fragile state, Joe would not be able to get her either and Mr. Graham could not spend all day taking Melanie to Maycomb. From a later letter from Mrs. Brooke a man had volunteered to take Melanie to Maycomb since he would already be in Montgomery due to him being elected into the state legislature. Melanie could not remember the man's name though. She knew it had something to do with a bird and an old roman name like Julius Wren or Cassius Raven or Brutus Sparrow or Maximus Robin or Spartacus Lark.

"Miss Melanie, you've been out there since five thirty this morning and haven't eaten a single thing. Are you sure you don't want to come inside real quick?" Ellie, her colored maid, asked fearing that her mistress would have a heat stroke.

"I'm fine, Ellie!" Melanie snapped back not meaning to be as harsh as she sounded but she was on edge.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. I'm just really tired of waiting for this man. If one says nine o'clock, one should be here at nine o'clock," Melanie sighed.

"Well, Miss Melanie, it's only two after nine and of course you're tired of waiting for him since you've been up all morning even though you didn't have to be up yet."

"I can't help if my body wakes itself up at ridiculous times!" Ellie just laughed at her little mistress.

"Oh, Miss Melanie, you are a queer one," Ellie chuckled but was cut off.

"Ellie, what's that?" Melanie pointed towards a glimmering light in the distance.

"I think…that's a car, Miss Melanie!"

"It must be him! It's about time too! Well, good bye, Ellie. I'll write you and father," Melanie Louise kissed Ellie's cheek then shooed her back into the house. Melanie stood anxiously straightening out her dress and fixed her ribbon in her hair. The car finally came and stopped before the grand house. Mel-Lou had already regained her seat and looked poised as the car door opened. A tall man stepped out in a definitely pressed gray suit with a tight vest that had a gold pocket watch chain shining on it, a black tie tuck in his vest and a starched white short. He had a shaved, square jaw, a long nose that had a pair of circled glasses resting on the bridge that covered his dark brown eyes. His tick black hair was parted to the right from where Melanie stood. He was much older than her but much younger than her father. If she had to guess the man was probably around thirty five or so.

"Good morning, ma'am," He greeted in a soft, cavernous voice. She was tempted to make a rude remark about his "tardiness" but remembered she how vowed to be on her best behavior in Maycomb and around the Maycomb lest she upset her aunt.

"Good morning," She smiled.

"Are you, Miss Graham?" He asked without setting foot on a step.

"Yes, I'm Miss Graham. Are you Mr. Spartacus Lark?" She asked trying to feign the most ladylike attitude she could but her sweet smile faded as he stared at her with a puzzled look. There was an awkward moment of silence then the man laughed. Not a little giggle but more like a chortle where he had to turn away and cover his mouth.

"Are you alright, Mr. Lark?" She asked concerned at his random hysteria. He turned to face her again with a broad, handsome smile while trying to repress his laughing.

"Miss Graham, I'm alright but my name is Atticus Finch," He chuckled making Melanie go pale all over except in her cheeks were blush consumed her along with embarrassment.

"Of course his name was not Spartacus Lark! Who would name their child that?" She thought to herself wishing herself away at that moment.

"I do apologize, Mr. Finch. I was misinformed about your name," She recovered with some grace and another fake smile.

"That's quite alright, Miss Graham," He assured her still amused.

"Well, shall we be going?" She asked picking up her suitcases.

"Wouldn't you like to tell your parents good bye?" He inquired.

"My mother's dead and my father is New Orleans," Was her short reply as she descended the stairs to be by his side. This seemed to make him take a step make mentally but then he offered to take her cases and put them in the trunk which she allowed. He opened the car door for her so she could sit down before he got in to drive. So they began their long journey to Maycomb.

It was quiet in the car as Atticus Finch drove and Melanie just looked out the window. She could not help but grin to herself as she saw the welcoming sign of Montgomery passing behind her.

"So, Miss Graham, will this be your first time to Maycomb?" Atticus tried to start a conversation.

"Yes, and you don't have to call me 'Miss Graham' or 'ma'am' stuff. You may just call me Melanie, Mr. Finch," She said.

"Alright, Miss Melanie, and you can just call me Atticus," He gave her a mild smile, "Have you ever left Montgomery before, Miss Melanie?"

"No, Mr. Atticus, this is my first time leaving Montgomery and even though the circumstances are not ideal I am glad to be leaving."

"Is that so?"

"Oh, yes. Have you ever been forced to live in the same place all of your life and not even step foot outside that place's set boundaries?"

"No, I have not."

"Well, you are lucky, Mr. Atticus. Are you from Maycomb?"

"Well, actually I grew up just twenty miles out of Maycomb at Finch's Landing but I live in Maycomb now."

"And what exactly do you do, Mr. Atticus?"

"I'm a lawyer, Miss Melanie."

"Really? A lawyer? Interesting. Have you won all of your cases?"

"I've only lost one, Miss Melanie."

"Are you being honest? You lost only one case? That is absolutely amazing!"

It seemed the rest of the trip flew by as Melanie deeply question Atticus about each and every one of his cases so far in his lawyer career. Atticus was surprised by how deeply interested Melanie was and that he was actually talking to her about it. It seemed that unless he was in court he did not really need to talk much or people did not really want to talk too much. Honestly though, Melanie did not care too much about law but she just loved the sound of his voice and the look in his eyes as he talked and his cases were interesting enough to entertain her on this trip.

"Here is the Brooke house," Atticus as he pulled up to an old house painted yellow. Melanie stared up at it, to study it almost as Atticus went to fetch her cases then her door.

"Thank you, Mr. Atticus," She said as they walked towards the white front door. Almost nervously Melanie knocked on the front door. It was not long till a tall, thin black woman opened the door.

"Yes? Oh, Mr. Finch, you're back! Dis must be her! Miss Daisy, she's here!" The colored woman exclaimed happily ushering the couple into the living room before going back to fetch her wheel chair bound employer. Mrs. Brooke was rolled up and almost made Melanie gasp. She had always expected her aunt to be an old woman with wispy white hair and wrinkles but instead she appeared a young woman around Atticus's age with golden hair and bright green eyes. She did not seem sick at all except she was in a wheel chair. Mrs. Brooke smiled cheerfully at Melanie.

"Are you Melanie Louise Graham?" Mrs. Brooke inquired.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, my Melanie Louise, come over here and give your Aunt Daisy a hug and kiss!" Aunt Daisy ordered gleefully. Melanie obeyed happily but awkwardly. When they separated, Aunt Daisy held Melanie's hands and looked over.

"You look just like your mother except those blue eyes. You get those from your father," Aunt Daisy just smiled up at her niece until she realized Atticus was still just standing there, "Oh, Atticus, honey, let Lorna take those cases and have a seat, please."

"Ah, thank you Mrs. Brooke," Atticus took the offered seat.

"No. Thank you, Atticus, for retrieving my darling niece for me. I don't know what I would have been able to do to get her here without you. I hope I did not inconvenience you too much."

"It was no problem at all, Mrs. Brooke."

Mrs. Brooke just smiled to Atticus then called for Lorna who appeared almost at the moment her name was called. Aunt Daisy asked for Lorna to cook lunch then would not Atticus refuse to have lunch with them. Aunt Daisy made Melanie sit down in a chair and proceeded to question her on everything about Montgomery and her father. Melanie answered everything in politeness and even tried to include Atticus in the conversation. When lunch was prepared and then eaten, Atticus left so he could attend to some business leaving Melanie alone with Aunt Daisy.

"So, I see you're taken with Atticus, aren't you?" Daisy giggled like a school girl. Melanie was shocked.

"Not at all, Aunt Daisy! He's much too old for me! Besides I am not interested men. I am only interested in caring for you," Melanie went on the defense but Aunt Daisy only laughed before calling for Lorna.

"Yes, Miss Daisy?" Lorna asked.

"I'm tired. I want to take my nap," Daisy said.

"Yes, ma'am," Lorna took Daisy away but not before Daisy told Melanie to take a walk downtown. Melanie complied and left the house.

"I'll make sure they'll be together before the end of the summer, you can count on that, Lorna."

"Who are you talking about, Miss Daisy?" Lorna was a bit confused pushing Aunt Daisy down the hallway to a back room.

"I'm talking about Atticus Finch and my sweet niece Melanie Louise, of course," Aunt Daisy said as Lorna helped her into a bed.

"Oh, Miss Daisy, I don't think you should try to interfere," Lorna warned tucking her employer into her bed.

"Oh, hush, Lorna! It's inevitable and I'm just going to give them a few little pushes. Now, I'll take my nap. Thank you, Lorna," Aunt Daisy dismissed Lorna and did her best to go to sleep and not plot out her niece's future marriage to Maycomb's most eligible bachelor.

Author's Note (yet another): I hoped you enjoyed this first chapter. Also for those who have previously read this chapter I did edit one part about Atticus's "flawless record" as he did loose his first case involving the Haverfords. Sorry for that, but if this was your first time with the chapter then you are blessed to have read the editted version. :) Please keep reading!