Adopted by Dan and Phil (editing in process)

5

PHIL'S POV:

"She's perfect!" I argued to Dan as we stood in the empty room next to Clara's. It was cold in there and all that was in it was a jack-in-the-box which made the whole room a lot creepier.

"I think so too, but she's deaf! Can we trust ourselves to take care of someone who won't be able to hear a car coming when she's crossing the road, or has to read our lips just to know that breakfast is ready?"

Dan had good points, but I knew that Clara was supposed to come home with us. It was destiny.

I gave Dan the saddest, puppy dog eyes I had and waited, staring. I saw him fighting his brain and his heart, going back and forth, back and forth, until, crack, he blinked.

"Ok, ok!" He laughed, "Let's do this, Phil. Youtube challenge accepted."

>•<

EMILY'S POV:

I tried not to run up to them as they exited the room, but I had waited so long for this moment, please say yes, please!

Dan smiled when he saw how desperate I looked as I cleared my throat, "So? What is your decision?" I asked as confidently as I could.

"So, um, do we take her now, or..." Phil said.

It took me about a second to realize what he said and then another to realize what it meant. "Yes, yes! Um, yeah, yeah, I'll tell her to start- or do you want to tell her the news? Oh, um, let me get the papers and, um, excuse me." I rushed downstairs to the office in a whirlwind of words and prayed to God that they had made sense of what I was trying to say.

>•<

CLARA'S POV:

It was taking too long. They had left. I waited for Emmi to come in with the sad news and then she'd get some of the Little Debbies that she hid in her room and we'd talk about how miserable life was and then I would go to sleep.
I closed my eyes thinking about it. Wow, with all the excitement about Dan and Phil and stuff, I hadn't realized how tired I was...

I was just getting to sleep when I felt somebody patting my arm. I opened my eyes, thinking it was Emily, and nearly screamed when I saw a strange face looking at me.
Oh. It was Phil.

Wait? What? Hadn't they left already?

"Hey, Clara," Phil said, "Start packing your things, we're your new foster parents!"

That time I did scream. Inside me. My head screamed so loud I thought my insides would fall out.

Even though it was just for a couple months, I wouldn't have to see my stupid room in that stupid orphanage.

Two months away from Mrs. Greene, away from Isabelle!

I sat up as fast as I could and got out my suitcase and started packing my clothes and art supplies.
That was pretty much it. I didn't have a phone or computer, Emily lets me use hers though, and I don't wear that much makeup. 1 because no one would get it for me and 2 because when Emily did get me some, Isabelle did everything in her power to make me feel like a miserable, ugly, idiot.

I followed Dan and Phil downstairs to the front desk. Where I gave Emily the biggest hug ever and said goodbye.

                                                                                            >•<

DAN'S POV:

Signing the foster care papers was extremely surreal. I looked at Clara and couldn't believe it.
Just two weeks ago, Phil showed me that youtube challenge video and now we were technically parents to one of the sweetest kids I'd ever met.

"Here we go," I thought, "We're actually doing this?"

We walked her to the car where Clara immediately fell asleep once she was buckled in. She looked like a fairytale character. So beautiful and peaceful with her eyes closed and her marmalade hair falling ever so slightly over her face.

We got in the car and drove back home.

>•<

PHIL'S POV:

The first thing I did when I got into the car was log onto Twitter. I decided to play with our fans a bit and quoted Cat's tweet about the foster care video by saying simply: 'CHALLENGE ACCEPTED'

I enjoyed the reply's it got like, 'WHAt DoES THiS MeaN!!!' and ' PhAN!'

Some people got it saying: 'Does this mean you adopted a child?' others were completely off: 'omg guys! It means Cat is pregnant!'

I finally had to exit Twitter because the reply's were coming in like crazy.

The second thing i did when I got in the car was look up the word 'Welcome' in sign language. I made up my mind that I wanted to learn so I could talk to Clara.

I also looked up latest teen girl trends. Maybe it was stupid, but I wanted to know what sort of things Dan and I would be dealing with.
I laughed when it mentioned Youtubers. She would certainly see plenty of those.