Daniel soon returned with a few new changes of clothes for Sura, a new shirt and jeans for Riv, and a bag of groceries. As I put away the groceries Daniel took a seat at the bench to shuffle through the items in the clothing bag and meet this new member of the family.

"Hey there, Sura," he gently said, extending his hand. "I'm Daniel, the nurse of the house and Reverend's roommate. It's nice to properly meet ya."

She paused for a moment, but did eventually meet his big hand with her small one.

"I'm sure all of this is horribly overwhelming for ya, but we'll do what we can to help, okay?" he said, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. "I'd like to take ya out to the infirmary to get an initial evaluation for your file and make sure you get the care ya need. It don't take too long and I don't need to do it today if ya don't want."

She seemed unsure how to respond and looked toward Riv. Riv returned her look with a little smile and a nod of reassurance.

"...Okay," she whispered.

"Would you like to do that now, or would you like to settle in a bit first?" he asked. "I'm fine with either, as long as we can get it done. Just remember it's for your health, nothing strange or bad. If you'd like, Reverend and Riv could accompany you if you don't feel comfortable going by yourself."

"...Tomorrow?" she asked.

"You'd like to go tomorrow?" Daniel asked further.

She nodded.

"That's perfectly fine," he replied. "A lot has already happened today and there's no real rush for this. Are you willin' to trust me with the procedure? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"...I'll trust you."

"Do I scare you or make you nervous?"

Sura winced and looked away. By now I was finished putting everything away, so I turned to sit beside Daniel.

"Please don't be afraid of him," I said, taking her hand. "I assure you he's very kind and truly just wants to help you. Your...stepfather said you don't like men?"

"...They weren't nice people," she quietly said.

"Did you want to talk about it?" I asked. "You don't have to, but the option is always there."

"...Maybe tomorrow."

"Of course, there's no rush," I rubbed her hand. "We just want you to feel as comfortable as possible and know how best to take care of you. Remember: You're part of our family."

"...But I'm not yours."

Her eyes fell to the table in front of her and I could see Riv's own expression change, his ears falling to the side. Before I could stand up Riv wrapped his skinny arms around Sura and rubbed the end of his snout on her head.

"Sura, I'm not from either of them but they've never treated me like I didn't belong here," the little boy said. "Father and Daniel have always been nice to me and I'm sure they'll be nice to you, too."

Sura sniffled.

"I'm not theirs, but they never treated me like I wasn't," Riv continued. "They love me. Let them love you, too."

Slowly the little girl seemed to be swayed, reluctantly nodding her head and returning to her food. Even as she ate Riv still clung to her, doing what he could think of to make her feel wanted.

When she was finished with her food I asked if it was enough, and she again nodded so I turned to wash everything up. Setting it aside to dry I extended my hand to take her upstairs to try on the new clothes, and carefully she accepted. With Daniel and I taking a hand each and Riv kindly carrying the bag of clothes out in front we ascended the stairs and went to their bedroom, handing her the changes of clothes to try on-- a couple shirts, a pair of jeans, a pair of tie-bottom capris, and a set of sleepwear. Riv took his new shirt and pair of jeans to try on in the bathroom to allow our new resident some privacy.

Sura stepped out with each new article and everything seemed to fit nicely.

"Do you like them?" Daniel asked.

With a little smile she nodded her head, growing a little more confident and receptive with each new piece of clothing. Her ears still drooped to the side, but she did seem to be slowly coming around.

"If you'd like, you could change into the sleepwear for the night and I can put your old clothes in the washtub to scrub tomorrow," I offered, extending my hand. "We usually do laundry on weekends anyway."

Without a word she gently placed her old clothes in my hand, so I balled them up and put them under my arm.

"...Also, if you'd like, you're welcome to Riv's smaller clothes," I went on. "I know nobody particularly likes hand-me-downs, but they're in good shape and he can no longer wear them. They're in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe. We'll try to get you more of your own clothing very soon."

She didn't seem too bothered by the idea, looking back toward the wardrobe in their bedroom. Riv soon came out with his own clothes, happy with how they looked and fit and giving Daniel and I a hug. Sura stood aside and watched, looking awkwardly away from the sight, but I opened up my other arm to invite her in. She carefully took a few steps toward me and wrapped her own little arms around my narrow ribs. With both arms I hugged both my son and daughter, placing my hand on each head and combing my fingers through their hair. After I let them both go they repeated the same with Daniel, who seemed happy to finally earn some of Sura's trust.

"Further, the bathroom is that room just over there," I said, pointing toward the bathroom. "It might be worth taking a shower to relax and unwind. The shower stalls are on the far end of the bathroom and are completely private. There's a changing area just before you walk into the shower and there's soap in every stall. In fact, Riv, why don't you go with her? It's been a few days."

"Okay!" Riv said, running into his room to grab some sleepwear.

Upon his return he took Sura's hand to set forth for the bathroom, Daniel and I chuckling as they made their departure.

"I think they'll be just fine," he said.

"Mm, I'm a bit worried about her," I replied. "The people who brought her here were...not nice."

"Oh that don't surprise me any," he said, walking with me to the washtub downstairs. "All the more reason that it's better she's here and not there. I know kids don't really feel the greatest being dropped off to a place like this, but there's certainly worse alternatives."

"...Do you think I'll be able to support both of them?" I asked, finally thinking about the hit in my pay this will cause.

"You know you don't have to support either of them entirely on your own," he said, his arm around my back. "I'd certainly like to help how I can."

"...We'll see."

Daniel already did so much and I didn't want to give him even more work and chores to do-- that wouldn't be fair to him. I should be able to manage with a bit of extra work during nights and weekends when the kids are already in bed, assuming the hit I took in pay would bring my wage back down to what it originally was before my small promotion.

...It could be doable.

With Sura's old clothes in the washtub for tomorrow we turned around to head back upstairs and take our places in the staff room. Daniel grabbed a book and sat his usual way on the long sofa as I lay against his side. It had been a long week and I was content to just relax. He reached his arm around me and held me close and warm against him, it taking a rather high effort to not just drift off right there.

It wasn't long before the two children came back from their showers, both of them taking their towels downstairs to the washtub with Riv leading the way. I felt more comfortable with both of them together going through the house at night, though the nightstaff had done well enough to leave us be. After a couple minutes they both returned to the upper floor, Riv taking both of them to their room.

I smiled from where I lay. They seemed to get along nicely and Sura reminded me much of how Riv was when he first arrived. If he could push past those obstacles, then Sura certainly could, too, right? Soon both of them could be heard coming down the hallway and entering the staff room to join us. Riv carried a small stack of paper, pencils, and colored pencils while Sura carried some books. The books she carried were fairly simplistic.

Both of them took a seat at the small table, facing us. Riv began writing down some words on the paper and Sura opened one of the books. As she flipped through the pages he would point out each word, sounding it out, and describing why the words had those sounds when needed.

He was helping her learn how to read.

"...I thought new types couldn't go to schools here," Sura said. "How did you learn how to read and write?"

"Father and Daniel taught me," Riv replied. "I can do math, too."

"Did they teach you math?" she asked.

"Mhm."

Sura looked over to both of us, tilting her head a bit at the sight of my lying on the much bigger man as he continued to read. I smiled back to her as I'm sure it was a little strange to behold.

"Though we can't enroll either of you in the school system here, we have no issue educating you according to the academic outline for the area," I said from the couch. "It wouldn't take long to get your reading, writing, and math up to the local standards."

"...Really?" she asked, her ears perking up a bit.

"Of course, sweetie," I responded. "We still have the outline on-hand and we usually make schoolwork sets over the weekends. I'd say it may only take a few weeks to bring your levels up to Riv's and we can work from there. We can start that as soon as next week."

Her big triangular ears perked up a bit. I never thought I'd see a child who actually wanted to go to school, but I wasn't about to argue.

We carried on the rest of the evening with Riv helping Sura learn the basics of reading. She seemed to already know the alphabet, it was just a matter of making it work for her to make words and ideas. She took well to those basics, already reading and putting together small words before it was time for bed.

Both children grabbed their respective supplies and returned to their room to put everything away when Kuri's door opened. I hopped off the sofa to check on them, Sura frozen by the sight of the large ramiotran.

"Sura, this is Kuri," I said, walking over to the small gathering. "He's part of the house security, here to keep us safe, especially at night. He won't hurt you."

Kuri extended his hand to greet Sura, who slowly shook his hand. I guess it was a little ironic for someone of her background to come to a house like this, but I think she'd adjust after a while. She was already showing some progress from how she was just a few hours ago.

They both returned to their room as Kuri returned to his to watch over the hall for the night. Daniel stood up to meet me in the hall and we both went in to put the two kids down for the night. Riv was all too happy to receive the nightly routine of getting hugs, nudges, and tucked into bed as Sura watched from her futon. When we turned around she looked almost in longing.

"Sura, if you would like the same things we'll happily do so," Daniel said. "We don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Sura looked aside in uncertainty, rubbing her arm as she sat on the futon. After a moment her gaze shifted over to Riv, then back to Daniel and I.

"...Please?"

"Would you like the same routine?" I asked.

She answered with a gentle nod.

We smiled and came toward her, both of us giving the little girl a firm hug and a soft nudge of the snout atop her head before tucking her in for the night. She looked back to us with glossy eyes, but I tried to reassure her with a gentle pat on her head before we left. So much had happened in such a short amount of time I was sure she was exhausted.

"Alright, you two," I said as we both walked back to the door, "we'll see you tomorrow morning. Sura, if you need us, our room is just at the end of the hallway. Please don't be afraid to come to us if there's anything you need, okay?"

"...Okay."

We smiled and turned to head out to the hall, closing their door behind us. With them in bed we decided to return to our room to have a little more privacy, my changing clothes in the bedroom as Daniel changed his in the bathroom. Once he returned he sat on the edge of the bed, looking to me as I stood in the middle of the room.

"So what happened when Riv and I went to bring in the dishes?" he asked. "I didn't think we were gone that long."

"You weren't," I softly laughed. "Maybe only half a minute after you left her parents brought her in. I hadn't gotten a chance to lock the door for the night."

"Her parents brought her here?" he asked, a bit irritated.

"Sort of," I recalled. "It was her mother and the mother's boyfriend, technically-- she was a first-generation new type and he was a pure. Sura is her child, but not his, and neither of them were happy about it."

"Um, why?"

"...She said she didn't want 'dilute' children this far south and they wanted to get married, and couldn't do that with Sura still in the picture."

"Are you kiddin' me?"

"No, that's what was said."

Daniel looked to me in sheer disgust, echoing well my feelings on the matter.

"Both of them were...horribly disparaging and I couldn't get them out the door fast enough," I said. "I asked Sura if they said things like that to her often and she said they did, and given how quiet and careful she acts I'm more than willing to believe it."

"I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm really not," he sighed. "The worst part is people like that don't realize just how much they take for granted. Children aren't toys to be shelved when they lose their novelty, or thrown away when something new comes along."

"...That's why I asked her if she might be waiting on any relatives."

"Is she?"

"No, thankfully, and I wouldn't feel comfortable adopting her out to relatives if I could expect the same kind of treatment. I asked her while she was eating if she wanted to stay here permanently, giving her that option."

"And how'd that go?"

"She wanted to stay here, but if she ever changed her mind, I...suppose I'd honor that, too. Though, with how quickly Riv took to her I don't think we'll need to worry about that. I'm so glad Riv finally has a friend and it seems the poor girl needed exactly the same."

"I think she'll come around just fine, Reverend," Daniel said, patting an open spot next to him. "She's not alone anymore and we just gotta be patient. Sounds to me she's already made a bit of a stride, so let's see where it goes. Probably a lot further than her parents could manage."

I took a seat next to him and he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me in.

"You're gonna worry all the grey out of your face at this rate," he chuckled, gently rubbing his snout against my head. "Just take it one day at a time. She wants to be here and she seems plenty willing to overcome these things deep down. I'm sure Riv didn't one-eighty in a day."

"No, that took at least a few weeks," I thought back to four years ago. "I just don't want her to feel left out, or out of place, or anything like that...anything like what she might have come from."

"I don't think Riv would let her," he laughed. "Really, though, let's just take it one step at a time. She can really only go up from here."

It was a little jarring realizing just how much time had passed since I took Riv into the foster home, and you could hardly tell now how he was back then. With his example and how closely he seemed to watch over her, maybe I had little to worry about.

One step at a time.

We both retreated to bed, tired from the long week and the unusual event from today. Daniel pulled me in close, his arm resting over top of me and his snout atop my head, cozy and warm. Soon we both drifted off to sleep, curious to see what tomorrow would bring.

---