Beast and the Harlot

Zack and I entered the room. I tightened my grip on Zacky's hand as I looked up. Detective Brown was sitting at a desk with a young girl. The resemblance of her and me was uncanny. She looked like me, but smaller and with me natural hair color, a very light brown.

"Skylar. Glad you could make it." Detective Brown said smiling and taking my hand. "Zacky, good to see you too." He added taking Zacky's hand in a hand-shake. I looked at the ground. The tears were at the brim of my eyes. I was afraid they'd fall if I looked up.

"Sky, babe, you OK?" Zack asked.

I looked up, but not at him. I was looking at her. I let the tears fall, sobbing. "She, she looks so much like me." I whispered so no one else could hear.

"If it is OK with all of you, I have a meeting I have to go to."

The three of us nodded and he left the room.

"Babe, please sit. Your shaking." Zacky said, leading me to the chair that was previously occupied by Detective Brown. I sat and Zacky sat on the chair's arm. I looked up ather my daughter. She was crying too. I got up and walked over to her. I took her in my arms in a hug, adding to the sentimental moment. I felt arms around me too and looked. Zacky joined. I laughed and so did my daughter. "Group hug!" Zacky yelled.

We broke apart and looked at each other in silence.

"My name's Amanda." She said looking up at me and Zack.

"Well, I know you won't want to call me mom, well at least not yet, maybe one day you will, but my name is Skylar, and this," I said pointing to Zack, "is my fiance` Zacky."

"Hi Amanda, maybe one day you'll call me dad too." Zacky said with a smile.

"That'd be kinda cool actually. Zacky Vengeance as my father." She said looking at us and smiling.

"Ah, so you do know who I am." Zack looked at her.

"Of course I do. And you," She said pointing to me, "were in the Beast and the Harlot video. And you're going to be in that new vampire movie. All of my friends are talking about it."

"Yeah, but that doesn't matter. At home, we're normal people. Well, as normal as one can be when you have friends like ours." I said laughing, "I want to know more about you, tell me about yourself."

She sighed and looked at me. "There's not all that much to tell. I'm only thirteen, not much has happened in my life yet."

"Really? I highly doubt that. Here I'll give you a question." Zacky said smiling. "Favorite band?"

"Oh, that's between Avenged and Guns N' Roses."

"Matt would be ecstatic about that answer. He loves GNR. How about favorite movie?" I asked.

"Well, I'd have to say anything made by Tim Burton. That man is a genius. Creepy, but a genius none the less."

Zacky and I laughed. "How about favorite thing to do?" Zacky asked. I am truly glad that he is being so accepting to this.

"I really want to be able to say play some form of instrument, but I can't play any, so I'd have to say skate boarding."

"Hmm, Zacky and I will have to change that."

"What do you mean?" She asked looking into my eyes.

"I mean Zacky and I are going to have to teach you some instruments."

"Really?" She asked excitedly.

"Of course." Zacky said smiling. He's gonna make a good dad.

The door opened and Detective Brown walked in as we talked about our favorite places to be.

"How's everything going."

"Fantastic." The three of us said together, causing us to laugh.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. Do you two want to move Amanda in as soon as possible?"

"Of course, as long as it's OK with her." I said looking at Zacky, he had a wide grin on his face, the kind that looks like nothing could take it off.

"It's perfect for me." She said. "How soon can I move in?" She asked. Zack and I laughed at her question.

"Today if you want to." Zacky said.

"Really? Let's go!" Amanda said jumping out of her seat.

"Wait. We have some paper work to do first." Detective Brown said grabbing a file off the desk.

The paper work took about an hour to fill out. It explained that there will be a visit from the state once every other month for one year to make sure that things go well. It also said about the rights of a guardian and a minor. The second that papers were done, we ran out of the door and to Zacky's car.

Amanda stopped ten feet away from our car.

"Amanda? Honey are you OK?" I asked her.

"That's your car?"

Zacky laughed. "Actually that's my car. Her car is even better than mine." We laughed as she started to move forward. She got in and we drove off.

"So, Amanda, I think we need to go shopping. Get you some new clothes and furniture. Maybe some paint for your room. What do you say?" Zack asked looking in the rear view at her.

"We don't have too. I'll be fine with whatever you give me."

"Nope, the room will fit you, and you probably need cooler clothes for the California heat." He said laughing. "Plus, I like to spend money on people I care about."

Amanda smiled and looked at me. "I really don't want money spent on me."

I giggled. "Girlie, now that you live with us, you better get used to it. Zacky likes to give his money away. And I want to make sure that my daughter has everything that she could ever want." I said smiling. I looked at her and saw a tear slide down her cheek. "Oh, don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, you didn't. It's just, well, I never thought I'd meet you. I knew I was adopted, but I never would have guessed that my mother would be amazing and engaged to a great guy. I'm just happy that it was you two and not someone else." She smiled when she finished and Zack and I smiled back.

"Well, let's get shopping." Zacky said as we pulled into Home Depot. Paint was first on our list. Amanda picked out black and lime green paint and then we went to Piere 1. We purchased a lot of furniture that was to be delivered in a week. Our final stop was the mall. We bought her everything that she liked and stuff that she looked at, but wouldn't ask for because it was 'too expensive'/ Zacky laughed at that one.

We got home and Amanda was in awe at what the house looked like. She finally settled down and we showed her her room. She was amazed at that too. Zacky and I talked it over with her. We decided that she'd meet everyone in two days, after my mother got into town. She was overly excited for that too.