Adopted

Chapter 1

"Daddy, please...stop!"

"This is what your ass gets! You're the reason why she left me, so keep crying. That'll remind you of what you took from me!"

"I'm sorry daddy please! Ah, I'm sorry!"

Another smack vibrated through the small, dirty house. A five year old blonde boy, tears streaming down his face cried out each time the belt came down on his small body. He always thought, after each beating he would be treated to ice cream and an apology for being so hard; but in reality, he would be beaten more and more.

He was thrown on the wood floor and the man walked to the kitchen for a fresh beer to celebrate his sick malevolence. Ventus crawled slowly back to his very small room but not before a few more abusive comments from his father.

"She should have left one of your brothers instead! Cloud would have been much more useful than you!"

Ventus barely remembers Cloud; he was three the last time he visited; but everyday he wishes that he would take him away from his father and that he could live with him, his mom and this other brother. His father always mentioned Cloud's name after each beating, but he never mentioned the other one's. He was always a mystery. He doesn't remember his mom either, she had left him just after Ven was born but was apparently not quick enough to save all three of them. So here he was, in the grubbiest city, living in the grubbiest apartment with the grubbiest dad.

Ventus wrapped the sheets around his small five year old body and looked outside the small window he had. He loved the stars, they helped him think and keep calm. Each time he looks at them he remembers Pinocchio and the magical song Jiminy sings. Every time he looked up, he sang the song softly to himself so as not to wake his dad up and at the very end he would make a wish.

"...When you Wish Upon a Star your Dream...comes...true," Ventus closed his eyes, "I wish that I was wi-"

The ring of the doorbell sounded through the house, interrupting him mid-wish. Ventus frowned, it was probably another one of the drunk jerks his dad calls friends. They were almost as bad as him, slapping his head and kicking him whenever his father wasn't around. And when he was, he laughed and told him to stop crying about everything and walk it off.

Ventus quickly made his wish before snuggling into the creaky bed. As he was about to go off into dreaming his bedroom door was kicked open and a woman hurriedly walked towards him. She kneeled to his level and hugged his little head tightly, "It's okay, it's all over."

And as quickly as he made his wish, he was carried out of his room, out of the home and in a silver car with the woman. He saw before they drove off, his father escorted out with handcuffs into a police car; with a look of deep anger as he yelled loud enough for Ven to hear even after they left the street.

Ventus sat in a comfy black chair at the orphanage, he had been there for a month and already somebody had taken an interest in taking him into their home. He wondered if it was Cloud, had he finally found him? Would he get to meet his mom and brother? As he asked himself these questions, the door opened and three people stepped in. The first was a tall man with spiked up brown hair.

Ventus looked at him curiously, "Cloud?"

The man chuckled, opening the door for the two ladies walking inside, "No, my name's Terra."

One of the ladies, Ms. Kiki ushered the couple to sit on either side of him, "Ventus, this is the family I was talking about. This is Aqua and Terra has already introduced himself."

Ventus looked at them shyly, cowering a bit into his chair. Aqua chuckled, "Don't worry we don't bite," she ruffled his golden hair.

"I'll give you three a moment to get to know each other while I go get his files," Announced Ms. Kiki, leaving the room briskly.

Terra grinned down at the nervous boy, "So how old are ya, Ven?"

Ventus looked at him confused, "Ven?"

"It's a nickname. You know, it's like Ventus but shorter!"

Ventus pondered a moment before breaking into a smile, "Ven... I like it."

Terra smiled and petted him, "So Ven, how old are you?"

"I'm five!"

"And about to turn six next month!" commented Ms. Kiki, entering the room once more, a folder in one hand.

Aqua gasped happily, "So he's going to have his sixth birthday with us?"

"You're taking me?" Ventus asked, a bit shocked.

The blue haired woman nodded her head, "Of course we are!"

Terra took a form from Ms. Kiki, "You're going to be part of our family."

"Mom, We're going!" Ven called out as Terra grabbed his keys from on top of the piano.

Aqua rushed in, two sacks of lunch in on hand and a camera in the other, "I want to get a picture! It's your first day at highschool Ven and we want to remember the hour just before our little boy became a man!"

"Mom," Ventus whined, "We're gonna be late!"

Aqua chuckled, handing them both their food before taking a quick shot of the two. She kissed Ventus on the forehead and Terra on the lips as she said goodbye and have fun.