The sunny and clear skies made for the perfect weather for the game.

The game was taking place at the small stadium (if you could even call it that) behind the school. It wasn't really a stadium, more like one set of 20 year old metal bleachers on each side of the manicured field.

Strangely, a cop car was parked outside the stadium which was weird.

When we arrived inside the gates I sent Ashton and Calum to get us a spot in the stands while I walked Ender down to his team mates all in their yellow jerseys. Ender sat down on a bench to change into his cleats and I crouched down next to him.

"You're going to do great, End. I'm proud of you for making the team." I smiled up at him.

"Thanks, Car." He gave me a little grin and tied his shoe laces.

Once his shoes were tied I gave him a quick hug and watched him run off with the rest of his team so Coach Robin could get them in a huddle to discuss strategy.

I left the sidelines and joined Ashton and Calum in the stands. I took a seat next to Ash who put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him.

My eyes began to scan the other team across the field and I immediately became worried. All of the kids on the opposing team were huge, one kids red jersey barely fit him. The kids on our team were average size for their age except for Ender and it was obvious to tell. Ender had always been on the smaller size for his age since he was born a few weeks early. That was why I was still able to pick him up at his age.

"What is it?" Ashton asked and I looked up into his sunglasses where I couldn't see his eyes through them.

"Look at those kids on the other team. They're huge." I said, worry evident on my face. "Ender's going to get crushed."

"He's going to be fine. If the coach didn't think he could play then he wouldn't put him in." Ashton assured me.

"Ender's fast, Car. He'll be fine." Calum added from the other side of Ashton and I nodded, biting my lip.

A referee in his black and white striped uniform jogged out into the middle of the field and blew the whistle. Both teams ran out to take their positions and I became increasingly anxious. I wanted Ender to win his first game so badly, but I also wanted him to stay uninjured.

Ashtons fingers slid between mine and he gave my hand a squeeze.

Ender was the center forward so his job was to score goals and distract defense to give room for the midfielder, so he was positioned closest to the opposing teams goal.

The game started and my eyes followed Ender as he ran, his teammates passing the ball to him so he could kick it in the goal. The first time he went to kick it the goalie blocked it.

"That's alright, End! Keep going!" Calum yelled out and I smiled.

The next time Reid passed the ball to Ender he kicked it, the goalie missing it.

"Yes!" I cheered. "Way to go Ender!"

"Told you." Ashton nudged my shoulder and I leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"Shut up."

By the mid part of the game, Ender's team was winning.

"He's doing really well." Calum smiled at me.

The team took a fifteen minute break and started up the next half, the next team coming on even stronger and harder than they did the first half.

The abrupt ringing of my phone in my pocket took me out of my trance from watching the game. I took it out to see who it was but didn't recognize the number.

"Hey, i'm going to go take this." I turned to Ashton, showing him my phone.

"Okay, want me to come with you?"

"No, stay here." I smiled. "Ender needs to see you in the stands."

He nodded and I quickly made my way down the stairs, answering the phone.

"Hello?" I asked loudly since the crowd in the stands was cheering loudly as our team must have scored a goal.

"Hi, is this Halle Chase?" A unfamiliar woman with an english accent asked me in a very official sounding voice.

"Yes, this is she. May I ask who I'm speaking with?" I found a spot next to the school building where I could hear much better but still see the game.

"My name is Holly Baker and I work with Greater London Social services. I'm calling you about your cousin Abby Young."

Abby? I've never met an Abby before.

"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong person, I don't have a cousin Abby."

"Your father was James Chase correct?"

"Yes." I answered sceptically.

"His sister Deborah, had a daughter named Abby."

Aunt Deb had a daughter? She died a few years after I was born but I never heard of her having a daughter.

"So Abby? What about her?" I asked, extremely confused.

"Well unfortunately she passed away Wednesday evening." Holly said and my eyebrows furrowed.

"That's horrible." I frowned. "But i'm confused as to why social services is calling me and not the hospital or something."

"Well Abby had a child, and you are the only immediate family."

In one sentence the breath had been knocked from my lungs.

"Abby had a kid?" I asked.

"Yes.I know you have never been in contact with her, but she has you listed on her will as who should get her child if she were to pass."

I took a deep breath. "So I'm the legal guardian now?"

"Well you have a choice. She could come live with you or if you don't feel like it would work then she can enter the foster system and eventually get adopted by another family."

"It's a her?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, her name is Parker Grace, but she goes by Gracie."

"How old is she?"

"Four." Holly said and my heart skipped a beat.

"I know this is a lot to take in and process, but I'd like for you to think about it and give me a call once you've decided."

"Where will she be until I decide?"

"We have a house for children in situations similar to hers where she will stay until a final decision has been made." Holly informed me.

"Okay." I gulped.

"Again, I'm sorry for the sudden call and news. I hope to hear from you soon. Call me if you have any questions."

"Yeah. Thank you for calling me." I said and hung up my phone,letting my arm drop limply.

What had just happened?

I was now the legal guardian of another child? And a four year old at that? I barely could afford to take care of Ender and myself now, how was I supposed to financially and physically support another child?

Of course, I could say no but then she would go into the foster system and I don't know if I could do that to a child.

My back was pressed against the brick wall of the back of the school and I felt like I couldn't breathe. A few stray tears rolled down my cheeks but I didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Carter?" I heard someone call my name and I look up to see Ashton crossing the grass towards me. "The games almost ove- hey are you okay? What's wrong?"

He jogged towards me once he noticed I was crying and placed his hands on the side of my face, wiping away the teardrops with his thumbs.

"What happened?" He asked softly.

"Social services called me and my cousin Abby died and left me her kid." I blubbered out and Ashton looked taken aback.

"Wait? I thought you had no other family."

"I thought so too. I've never even heard of her before and now i'm responsible for her child for the rest of my life." I started to sob and Ashton shushed me.

"There's no one else that can take her?" Ashton asked, trying to process it all just like me.

"Either I take her or she goes in to the foster system." I breathed and Ashton stood still, mouth agape.

"Wow." He blinked. "When do you have to decide?"

"I dont know, soon though." I answered.

"Okay." He nodded. "Why don't we go back to the game and you can discuss this with Ender at home."

I nodded and wiped under my eyes, trying to look like I wasn't crying.

"Wow. Carter, I dont even know what to think." Ashton said and ran a hand through his hair.

"Join the club." I sighed and began the walk back to the stands.

Calum noticed my expression of distress and shock and opened his mouth to speak but Ashton shook his head, silently telling him "not now".

"How are they doing?" I asked, referring to the team.

"They're winning." Calum answered and I nodded, looking out onto the field to watch the last few minutes of the game.

I had to put out everything with social services out of my head and focus on Enders game.

Taking a breath I watched Ender continue to run around the field until the ref blew the whistle and the game was over, Enders team winning.

Everyone in our side of the stands began to cheer, including me. Calum, Ashton, and I got up and made our way to the benches where Enders team and the other parents were.

"Congratulations, End!" I grinned as I approached him and wrapped him in a hug much tighter than he probably expected.

"Did you see that? I scored two goals in a row!" He exclaimed and we all laughed.

"Awesome job, mate." Ashton crouched down next to me and clapped Ender on the shoulder.

"Thanks." Ender beamed up at him.

"Proud of ya' mate. Good game." Calum said and Ender looked up at him with a wide grin, obviously enjoying all of the praise he was receiving.

The entire team was going to the pizza place to celebrate and we joined them, Ashton driving us there in his jeep.

Joey was there when we arrived and shook Ashton's hand.

"Hey, nice to see you again." Ashton smiled. "Thanks for helping Car the other day."

"Yeah of course. That Dylan kid is a prick." Joey laughed and Ashton joined in.

"I think I can agree with you on that." Ashton chuckled.

We took our seats and ordered our pizza, but while I was smiling and laughing on the outside, I couldn't get the conversation I had with Holly out of my head.

What if I did take Gracie in? Everything would change. Would I be able to do it?

My thoughts only down spiraled throughout lunch and when we eventually made it back to the house, I sent Ender upstairs to shower so I could think about how to approach the topic with him.

"Tell me what you're thinking." Ashton said as I sat at the bar, gazing off into space.

"What happened?" Calum asked and I sighed.

"My cousin Abby passed away and left me her little girl and social services called me to say that I'm her only immediate family. So now I have to decide if I want to take her in or have her go into the foster system." I explained and his eyes widened.

"Does Ender know?"

"No, I'm going to talk to him about it once he gets out of the shower."I answered and dropped my head into my hands.

"What do you think you're going to do?" Calum asked.

"I don't know." I answered, looking up. "I mean taking in another child is going to be a huge financial expense, but I don't want her to go into the system."

"Who go into what system?" I heard Ender's voice pipe up from the stairs and all of us turned to look at him.

"End come have a seat." I said and he furrowed his brow as he came to sit in the bar stool next to me.

"What happened?" He asked, sensing the diminished atmosphere of the room.

"Do you remember when I told you about Dads sister, Aunt Deb?"

"Yeah?"

"Well apparently she had a daughter named Abby and Abby passed away last week." I took a deep breath before I dropped the bomb on him. "And Abby had a daughter, and we are her only immediate family."

His face went from one of confusion to one of surprise.

"Is she coming to live with us?" Ender asked with eyes the size of baseballs.

"I don't know. We have to decide. But I wanted to ask you what you thought."

He sat there for a moment in apparent deep concentration before he looked up at me.

"We should do it."

"What?" I asked, leaning back a bit.

"We should take her in." He affirmed. "We are her only family, and everyone deserves to be with their family."

I looked to Ashton with eyes wide and jaw dropped, and he was looking at Ender the same way.

"Ender, are you sure?" Ashton asked and Ender nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Do you know anything about her, Car?"

I gulped. "Mhmm, her name is Gracie and she's four years old."

"When would she be coming to live with us?" His eyes were shining now, he was excited.

"I don't know, I'd have to ask when I call social services."

"Can we do it now? Please?!" He grinned up at me.

"I- uh...yeah. Yeah, let's do it." I said, a meek smile starting to brew on my face.

"Are we going to do it?" Ender gasped happily.

"I guess we are." I laughed lightly and he leaned up to throw his arms around my neck.

"Car, we're gonna have another person in our family!"

"Yeah, we are." I closed my eyes as I hugged him to me.

Everything was about to change.

--

Surprise!!!

I thought really long and hard about this change in the story plot and ultimately its going to add a whole other level to the story that I feel it needs.

So don't hate me just yet! Wait for the next chapters because i'm sure you'll fall in love with this new addition (:

Anyways, as always, vote and comment if you'd like, and I'll have next part up in a few!

Much love, xx -M