Chase gave another cautious glance around, still fastened to Agnes. He saw no marked police cars, no Townsends, no Miss Valerie. He did, however, spy Miss Gemma, who was leaning against a car and clinging to the arm of a man. The detective. Chase's stomach hit the pavement, and he winced, momentarily taken by the impulse to bolt, but Miss Gemma's gaze held him still. The moment that they locked eyes, the guidance counselor was upon them. Chase partially burrowed his face against Agnes's arm, hesitant and shy.

>> "Hi Chase."

"Hi, Miss Gemma," Chase replied politely, barely lifting his face as he turned his gaze towards her. He was still expecting his parents to hop out from behind the building at any given moment.

>> "I'm sorry we scared you. I should have talked to you sooner... I just wanted to see how things work out. It was my fault, and I apologize for that."

Chase nodded slowly, wordlessly. Solid black eyes came into view as Chase looked up. He mopped at his eyes, and gave an unconvincing, "It's okay."

>> "I talked to your parents and your social worker. They all agree the Mansion is the best place for you, but you need a legal guardian to stay. Someone to look after you. Because I want you to stay with us, I told them I would adopt you. That way, you could stay with me, and live in the mansion. And you don't have to go back home."

Chase stared, and stared. As Miss Gemma spoke, Chase looked only at Miss Gemma. He loosened his hold on Agnes's arm, before releasing her arm altogether. You would have to be completely heartless to lie about such a thing to the face of a child. To hear such words from Gemma's mouth, and to be looking her in the eyes whilst she spoke, made all of the difference.

>> "So... that's all I could do. If it is okay with you. You can come home with us."

That's all that she could do? If that was okay with him? As if adopting Chase were some small favor, as if Chase wanted to return to an abusive home. As Miss Gemma spoke, Chase's mistrust seemed even more and more misplaced, almost silly. Since the day that Gemma had found him, she'd cared for Chase. She cared enough for him to even adopt him. To think that Chase would have a home where he felt safe, to think that he would have a mother who loved him regardless of who or what he was.

A look of unconfined relief and happiness in its purest form touched Chases' features, but he also looked stunned. That was far more trouble than he was worth, and he didn't know how to react. How could he show how grateful he was? Chase forgot his fear, and let himself give-in to trust. His body moved mechanically away from Agnes's side, and the eight-year-old soon found himself closing the distance between himself and Miss Gemma.

He wrapped his bony arms around her, hugging the guidance counselor to the best of his ability. He seemed to have forgotten how to speak, even with his face burrowed in her shirt. Chase lifted his rosy-hued, purple gaze obviously searching for the right words, but his word failed him. Happy tears arose instead, and Chase smiled apologetically at the guidance counselor, surrendering to his relief. For this moment, Chase only had eyes for Miss Gemma, and those standing by slipped out of his realm of focus.

Finally, he found his voice, after tucking his head down once again, "I would love to have you as a mama-" he paused, to make sure that these words were really leaving his mouth, "-I want to stay here, with you, at Xavier's. Please." He wanted to be happy, wanted to never again return to Syracuse or fall under his parents' influence. He wanted to stay with Miss Gemma.

Gemma didn't even realize she had been holding her breath until Chase hugged her, and she let out a sigh of relief. Her muscles relaxed after the tension of waiting and worrying; she smiled a bright smile, hugging him back.
Everything was well with the world.

>>"I would love to have you as a mama- -I want to stay here, with you, at Xavier's. Please."

Well, it looked like she was going to have another son. And she was perfectly fine with that.

Chase hugged her, and she hugged him back, smiling at the others before she turned her attention back to the boy.

"I'd be happy if you did." she nodded, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead "Come on, let's go home."