zero, overnight changes.

HER LUNGS WERE CONSTRICTED and her heart pulsed wildly. Maya Green felt dizzy. She cursed the cool night air and that bright LED lights that blinded her as she rushed through the local police department. It was close to four in the morning, and no civilians were in the building, which Maya was thankful for. No one looked at her like she was crazy. Frankly, she probably wouldn't have noticed. Her only focus on was locating Lexie, and the girl's cries echoed in her skull and the building.

Maya turned around a corner, and found the girl and her babysitter, who wasn't much older than seventeen. She felt the air leave her lungs and push back in, but it felt like sweet relief. She moved forward again, and skidded to her knees as Lexie jumped up and ran to her god-mother's arms.

She released a shaky breath once Lexie was in her arms, and she knew the child was safe. Maya stood up, with Lexie in her grip and began to soothe the sobbing child. She glanced at Tanya, the babysitter, and noticed the tears welling in the teen's eyes too. Maya shifted Lexie to one hip and held out her free arm to the teenager, pulling her into a hug too.

She held both girls until finished crying. Lexie had cried herself to sleep in Maya's arms, and Tanya's parents came to get her about half an hour later. With no children listening, finally, a police escorted Maya off to a private room and invited her to sit down. She repositioned Lexie in her lap to make herself comfortable in the chair, and she watched as the officer sat down, a solemn feature written into his features.

"We're so sorry to bother you so early in the morning," Officer Schneider muttered as he glanced out the window, then back to Maya. "Richard and Cindy Grayson were involved in an accident, and pronounced dead on the scene. Another officer found you listed as an emergency contact and the legal guardian of Lexie. We're sorry for your loss."

Maya swallowed harshly and glanced down to the sleeping six-year-old in her arms. Her fingers pushed some hair out of Lexie's face, subconsciously.

She huffed out a breath, and looked back at the officer. "What happened?"

Officer Schneider sighed, "From a witness, we believe that Richard and Cindy had the right of way at an intersection, but a tractor trailer had lost control, and hit them. We have forensic mechanics checking out the truck for any failures. You and her godfather will be the first to know of any updates."

Maya snapped her head up at the mention of a godfather, completely unaware that there was one at all. Neither Cindy or Richard had mentioned the man that would also have custody of Lexie too. She furrowed her eyebrows together and blinked; mostly out of confusion, but exhaustion too.

"A godfather?" Maya was baffled, and she shook her head slightly. "Who?"

He shrugged, "We just have a name, Luke Alvez. We have yet to make contact with him. His supervisor has told us that he's out of town on a job, but he should be back in time for the funeral."

Maya's world was spinning, at a much faster pace than she liked. She wasn't sure what was going to happen now.