Boundless

Pain flurried around behind the backs of Charlotte's brown eyes by the time she'd completed the massive pile of paperwork that she had been provided with earlier that morning, and somehow, during the madness of it all, managed to paper cut her middle finger.

The agent that sat before her dug hastily into the drawer behind her desk, producing a bandage in the blink of an eye.

"Here ya go miss," she said politely, her wrinkly hand shaking as she held the package in midair. "I know how painful those rascals can be, I've had one on my hand everyday for the last forty years."

Charlotte smiled, her other fingers grasping beneath the cut to clench the blood flow until she cleaned it with an alcohol pad. She unpackaged the small rounded plastic with ease, having done it for her students so often, and smoothed the edges down gently. "Thank you."

"Now, you say you taught Arden?" The woman inquired, pushing her glasses further onto her slender nose with a painted finger.

Charlotte nodded, straightening her back slightly. "Yes ma'am, I was his teacher up until everything happened with his uncle and me. I've spent the better part of the last few months thinking over this decision, since it's life changing for the both of us, and I feel that I could provide him with the love and care he needs- that he deserves."

Agent Hess nodded, her long graying hair swayed with the motion of her head, nearly reaching her shoulders. "He does deserve it. I knew from the moment we placed him with his uncle it wasn't a fit. He just wasn't ready for the responsibility."

"I agree." Charlotte fought the urge to tell her how she truly felt about Mr. Jones, about how much she loathed the man's existence, but refrained quite professionally and responded with a firm and simple nod. "What do you think my chances of getting him are?"

"To be honest, it's a fifty-fifty sort of deal. In a few weeks we'll send an agent by to survey your home and further interview you. After that we'll ask you to come back to the department for more paperwork," she smiled sympathetically. "But all in all, Miss Morgan, I think you have a fair chance. I can see your passion for this child. I've seen the same look in some of the best adoptive parents we've had."

"You have no idea how much that means," Charlotte's eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall, so she sniffed and blinked slowly. "Thank you."



Later that afternoon, as Charlotte painted her toes a bright red, Kelly strolled through the door a package bared in his large hands, a large smile on his handsome face. He walked over to greet her with a tender kiss to the top of her head while she wrapped her arms around his middle.

She loved the way he felt against her, soft and firm all at the same time. Like if the world was coming to an end, she'd be okay with it as long as he wrapped her in his warm embrace. She felt his chest rumble with a chuckle as he tightened his grip around her, rubbing her upper back in soft circles.

"Hey, baby," he said.

She said nothing, only hugged him closer to her body, and rubbed her cheek against his firm chest lovingly. "I missed you," she said quietly.

"I missed you, too." He stood there, reveling in the feel of his girl's arms wrapped around him, for a moment, before he made a small sound in the back of his throat. "Oh yeah, before I forget, this came for you."

Charlotte stepped back and her eyes found his immediately. "What is this?"

"Well, I dropped by your house to check on everything and fond this in your mailbox. Did you have a birthday without me knowing it, Morgan? Cause if you did I'm going to feel like the worst boyfriend in history for not finding out sooner."

Charlotte's eyebrows knit together as she twisted her face in thought. "No, my birthday isn't until next month."

She was truly stumped when it came to the occasion for which she should receive a gift. So without another thought she leaned forward and opened the package, her hands a bit unsteady. With ease, she pulled the top half of the box off, spewing a sound Kelly could only describe as a squeal as a wave of happiness washed over her.

"Oh my God," she whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth. "I can't believe this!"

Her hands made quick work of scouring through the contents, pushing each small trinket aside until she found what she knew would be concealed beneath it all.

"Uh, Charlotte?" Kelly questioned curiously.

"He kept it!" She turned to him with tear filled eyes, holding up a small rock. "You wanna see it?"

He stepped closer and bent at the waist to get a better look. He cleared his throat softly and look at her with a hint of uncertainty crossing his brow. "It's a rock, Charlie."

"It's not just a rock," she exclaimed with wide eyes, holding it closer to him. "When we were kids me and my brother would go out and see who could find the prettiest rock on our property. When I was nine, my brother was eight, he found the most interesting looking rock I'd ever seen and for my next birthday he had it wrapped in my favorite color wrapping paper with a big white bow on top, told me since I liked it so much I should have it."

Kelly's eyes softened with her admission.

"The day he signed up for the Marines I slipped it into his uniform, in one of the pockets on his chest for good luck." When she blinked a single tear strayed from her eye, sliding down her face and off of her chin. "He told me when his tour was over he'd send it back to me."

She rolled the small stone between her fingers with a sob.

"I wrote him the other day and told him I was stuck with a decision, and I asked him what he thought I should do. I guess this is his way of telling me to do it." She turned to Kelly with a watery smile, unable to fight the smile from her face. "I went to the DCFS today. I applied to adopt Arden."

Kelly sat stone still, face a mix of unreadable emotions, his eyes trained on the woman that sat beside him. "W-Wow, Charlie, that's great."

Charlotte nodded happily, leaning over to lock her arms around his neck. "I know. I've been thinking about it a lot and I feel like it's the right thing for me to do."

Kelly nodded and held her close. "Then you should. I support you one-hundred percent, baby."

Charlotte burrowed into his arms, her face against his neck. She littered kisses along his jawline, ending just behind his ear, his favorite spot to be lavished on. She ended with a soft, supple kiss on his lips before taking his hand in both of her own, staring at him with pure, unadulterated joy.

He had never felt more love for anyone in his life.