This is my first attempt at fanfiction so bear with me, I am also not a very confident writer so fingers crossed this is okay to read. Another point, I am from New Zealand so I might have a few aspects incorrect. Anyway hope you enjoy! Please review and comment. It's quite a long first chapter, setting the scene.

Charlie POV

I awoke to my alarm, it was 4:45 in the morning, A sigh escapes my lips as I turn the alarm off, I breathe through my nose and scrunch up my face a little as the stale smell of the damp room fills my nostrils, the best way to describe the stench would be wet socks that have been lying around for weeks, when I first got to this house I would gag each time I walked into the room but I guess over time it becomes almost familiar. I open my eyes to the cream coloured roof before I slowly sit up and gaze around the room that is currently mine, the room consists of an old bed that has probably been sitting in this room for years, along with the only other item of furniture, an empty bookshelf that has a thick layer of dust resting on the top. I have been sleeping in this room for three months now, I have stopped trying to make a room feel personal as I know it will not be long before I am waking up somewhere else.

Quietly I move from the bed, I have to get up early in this house because Shaun, my current foster father leaves for work at 6:30 and he expects me to have some sort of breakfast and a packed lunch ready for him before he walks out the door. I actually enjoy getting up at this time, it almost feels as though I have the house to myself, apart from the subtle sound of Shaun sleeping from his room at the end of the hallway. I get myself changed, I only have a duffel bag of clothes, so there are not many options to choose from, I put on a pair of faded blue skinny jeans, a black ribbed singlet and then throw my dark grey sweatshirt over the top. I let out another sigh as I get myself prepared to walk from the bedroom to the kitchen, it's not a long walk but I have had to learn every creak or sound the floor makes beneath my feet. Shaun does not like to be woken up before his alarm starts to chime at 5:45, I have learnt this the hard way.

Slowly I make my way into the kitchen and close the hallway door behind me, any way to hide noise the better. Opening the fridge, I grab out some ham, a bag of packaged salad and a half loaf of bread from the pantry, my stomach lets out a loud grumble as I notice 'my' food has still yet to be restocked. It has been eight days since I have last taken a proper bite of food, I have had sneaky bites of food from the fridge but I have to be careful because I know if Shaun caught on he would make me very aware of how I am not entitled to 'his' food. In the past I have tried to remind Shaun to pick up some food but my question is always met with an angry response about how I am an ungrateful nag just like his horrid ex-wife. I should be use to the amount of insults I have had in my thirteen years but each time a different adult sends one my way I get a small stabbing feeling within my body, I have tried to shut it off but sometimes it will come out of nowhere and I don't have time to pre-empt my emotions. Shaun is not too horrible though; I have learnt to keep to myself and not ask him questions, if I obey his rules, he will usually just leave me alone. Eight days is the longest Shaun has gone without feeding me though, sure I have gone longer in other houses but for this home it's the longest, over the past two weeks Shaun has been coming home from work reeking of beer and usually heads straight to his bedroom, he doesn't appear again until the morning. At first, I enjoyed the fact I didn't have him watching me each evening and avoiding having to cook him dinner was nice but as the hunger really started to set in, I began feeling desperate to ask about when he is going to buy some food for me to eat. I will try to ask him before he leaves for work this morning, I am hoping I will catch him in a good mood but since that has only happened once or twice since I have been here I am almost certain that will not be the case and I will be met with a bunch of insults and a door slam.

I look over at the clock on the oven 5:28; "shit" I whisper to myself I have been lost in my own hunger and thoughts resulting in me being behind in the morning routine. I quickly throw all the sandwich ingredients on to the bench and open the cutlery drawer to grab out a knife, I have the knife in my hand and I make my way back to the bench, my hand is shaking as I know I have to speed my way through the rest of the morning before Shaun wakes. I place the knife on the bench to grab some bread, I must not have been paying attention to where the knife was placed as before I know it, I hear the sound of metal falling onto hard wooden floors, my eyes automatically open wide. "Please, please, please don't wake up" I cross my fingers and whisper to myself, but within a few seconds I hear the dreadful sound of Shaun's voice making its way down the hallway…

Stef POV

I groan as my 5:30am alarm starts to ring through the room, quickly I place my hand over to the side table to find the button to turn off the alarm, once the beeping has stopped I slowly open my eyes, it has just started to get light so I can just make out my wife sleeping beside me. She must sense that I am watching her because I see a small smile appear on her lips, "Good morning" she says to me. I give her a kiss on the forehead "Good morning my love, I am going to jump in the shower and then start breakfast for the kids" I say as I pull back the duvet, stand up and then make my way into the master bathroom. I cannot help smiling as I look back at my wife resting in bed, how did I get so lucky I think to myself before I jump into the shower.

Fifteen minutes later I have made my way down to the kitchen and I have just poured myself a mug of coffee, I grab out some boxes of cereal, milk and juice for the kids to have for breakfast and then I place myself at the end of the table embracing the quiet before the morning rush begins.

It's not long before I hear the footsteps above my head, the kids must be getting ready for their first day back at school for the year. Seconds later the shower is running, that would be my son Jesus, smart boy he is getting in before his other siblings. Listening up I hear footsteps making their way to the bathroom, very loud angry footsteps, here we go I think to myself; a small smile appears on my lips. "JESUS!" I hear Mariana yell as she is slamming on the bathroom door. In a house of two adults and five teenagers it really pays to set an early alarm if you want to have time to shower in the morning. I look up from my coffee as I hear footsteps coming down the stairs, Lena walks around the corner with a smile on her face "And we are back in action for the school year" she laughs as she makes her way over to the coffee machine. "I heard Mariana from down here, how dare Jesus stop her from looking her best for the start of the year" I say with a smile, Lena smiles back at me "She was not impressed with getting booted down the shower queue that's for sure", "some days I truly feel like we are from an episode of the brady bunch my love" I laugh before I take another sip of my coffee.

Slowly the kids start to make their way down to the kitchen, Jude comes first with a big smile on his face "Good Morning!" he almost yells, he has a spring to his step and I know he is ecstatic to be heading back to school. "Good morning love" I say as he walks over to give Lena and I a hug "Excited to get back to school?", "YES!" he replies, " I cannot wait to see Connor; we are in two of the same classes this semester!" I love to see how happy my youngest is, he has come such a long way from the shy boy we adopted two years ago, "That's great sweets, I will be picking you up from school today as Mama has a meeting, you can tell me all about how your first day back goes". "Sounds good Mom" Jude says as he pours himself a bowl of cornflakes. A smile instantly appears on my face as I look over at Lena who is also smiling, I do not know if this giddy feeling I get when he calls me Mom will ever stop.

My eyes shoot over to Jesus and Brandon making their way into the kitchen "Morning Moms" they say at the same time, "Morning loves" I smile over to them. Brandon sits down to dish up some breakfast and Jesus heads over to the shelf in the corner of the kitchen to grab his medicine out of the basket "Looking forward to the first day back?" I ask, directing the question at both of my sons. I receive a shrug from Jesus who has just popped his tablet into his mouth and is currently gulping down a glass of juice Lena had just handed him. Brandon seems a little bit more enthused but all I receive is a "Yeah", I smirk Brandon has never been much of a morning person so I know not to take offence from his lack of communication. "Are the girls on their way down yet?" not directing my question at anyone in particular, Jesus replies with a snicker "Mariana is probably still being grumpy over not beating me to the shower and Callie was still in bed last I saw". Sighing I stand up and make my way to the bottom of the stairs "CALLIE! MARIANA!, you are going to be late for the first day", "Coming Mom" Mariana yells down as she quickly makes her way down the stairs, I noticed the wet hair and a look of frustration is clear on her face. "Jesus stole the first shower and took way longer then he needed too, he did that on purpose, I am so not happy Mom, he is such an ass" she states as she struts past me, "Language my love and good morning to you too" I yell behind her, oh the joys of having teenage girls, I shake my head with a small smirk on my face. Callie makes her way down after I yell up to her a few more times, she looks like she has literally just rolled out of bed "Morning Slug-a-Bug, you running on holiday time this morning?", Callie gives me a smile "Morning" I sneak in a kiss to her forehead as she slumps her way past me and heads towards the kitchen with the rest of the family.

I head back into the kitchen behind Callie, sitting between Lena and Jesus, grabbing myself a bowl I pour myself some muesli and milk. There's not a lot of chatter going around the table this morning, I notice Mariana occasionally giving Jesus a glare with which she receives a laugh or poke of the tongue. I smile to myself as I watch my wonderful family together, I appreciate every moment we share, even simple moments like this where we are just doing everyday life, I am so lucky to share my love with these seven amazing humans.

Let me know if you would be interested in me continuing this story, In future chapters I will do deeper into Charlie's life, past and present. I will also have Charlie meeting the fosters, I haven't quite figured out how that meeting is going to happen just yet but any opinions are welcome.