To the Moon and Back (MJ fanfic)

New Rhodes Ahead

I knew what it felt like to know that in nine months time you'd have a baby on the way. That soon you'd have a bundle of joy laying in your arms looking up at you as if you had all the answers in the world.

Adopting a child was much more different. You didn't know what to expect, or who. Was I excited? Yes. But under the circumstances it almost felt like there was no time to be.

Henry was a child who had just lost his Mother - and by the sounds of it, she was the only person that he had. He didn't know Richard, or Vivian. Caroline was his best friend and only family and now... she was gone. Just like that.

"He's broken right now." Michael said sadly. "No child should ever feel like that."

He was now stepping into an entirely new life, with the death of his Mother quite literally fresh in his mind. He was grieving a loss.

None of us had never met him up until this point, and I would had been lying if I were to say I wasn't curious about the little boy who I had been thinking about none stop. Kate had to keep reminding me that he was our little brother after all. He wasn't a stranger - yet at the same time that was exactly what he was.

"He has to share traits with us in some way." She said in a hopeful voice.

"Maybe." I'd reply.

"He is our little brother." She sang.

"Is it weird that I keep forgetting that?" I felt horrible before the words even left my mouth.

"No, not really." She consoled. "It is a bit different. I mean we didn't even know he existed until a few months ago, let alone did we ever believe you'd be adopting him."

I nodded, putting one earring on. We stood in Kate and Dans room, looking into the mirror as we got ready.

"Are you nervous?"

"I don't really know." I looked up, catching her eyes. "I think I'm in shock."

"You're going to do great." She promised.

"You don't know that." I sighed. "I've never had to deal with loss... God, Kate, we lived such a sheltered life."

"It'll be different. Definitely." She agreed. "And it'll be hard. But think of Henry. You're helping him more than you know."

"Yeah." I agreed. "That's a good way to think of it."

~

Not 24 hours after his Mothers death, all of the paperwork was signed and we were about to officially meet Henry. The newest audition to our family.

Michael and I sat Liam down and tired to explain the best we could about what was going on. I couldn't imagine how all of this was in his eyes, but did our best to tell him what was going on and a little bit about the boy that would now be living with us.

"We're going to have a new little big living with us, Blessing." Michael explained to him. "And we want you to be nice. Okay?"

"Like a brother?" Liam tilted his head.

Michael and I shared a look. We didn't even have an answer for that yet. He would technically be Liam's uncle.

"...Almost." Michael conceded. "We would like for you to love him like one. And we want you to look out for him, okay?"

"Why?" He asked curiously. "Doesn't he have his own Mommy and Daddy to live with?" He asked in the most innocent of ways. He wasn't being selfish or sarcastic, he was genuinely curious. Because in his little world everyone had a Mommy and Daddy like he did.