A/N: Hey everyone! I really have to apologize on my long break from New Girl! I'm actually working on the update, but I've just had horrible writer's block lately. I've really been wanting to start a new story though, and this came to my mind. I'll just warn you all now, I really like writing Dark Tate, therefore, in future chapters there will be some dark themes. The first couple will be timid, however. Thanks to all who read and review my stories & I promise I'm going to get the update for New Girl up as soon as possible. I hope you all enjoy this new story. :)

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The small golden-haired girl sat anxiously on the couch in the living room of her home. Her large, round eyes watched as her parents paced around the living room and kitchen, feeling just as impatient as she was. The pair had smiles on their faces; they were thrilled about today. Violet, on the other hand, was feeling uncertain. The twelve-year-old's hands fumbled around in her lap nervously. She had been an only child up until today. Her parents were taking in a foster child. After her mother's miscarriage last year, even little Violet knew that her parents were feeling unfulfilled. They loved Violet dearly, but they had always wanted another child, and after fair warnings from Vivien's doctor that it was extremely unlikely that she would ever be pregnant again, they decided they wanted to bring a child that needed a good family into their home.

Violet was pulled from her thoughts when she felt the couch sink slightly next to her under the weight of her mother. Vivien reached up and ran her palm gently along Violet's hair, a smile lighting up her face. "It's going to be like having a big brother," Vivien told Violet reassuringly. Violet's face was expressionless, but she forced a small smile for her mother; she knew that this was going to make her parents happy, and she believed they deserved it after what they had gone through.

There was a nearly audible intake of breaths in the room at the sound of the doorbell ringing. Violet watched her mother's eyes dart across the room to meet Ben's and they both smiled at each other and then Violet. Vivien stood up from the couch and moved over to Ben before they quickly made their way to the front door, opening it with huge smiles on their faces. Violet stood up silently, moving so that she could see everyone in the foyer but she remained behind the wall slightly so they wouldn't notice her right away.

She watched as her parents moved back from the door, allowing a social worker inside, followed closely by a boy. She squinted her eyes slightly to get a better look at him. He looked a little older than she, mostly by his height. Her eyes moved to the adults, seeing them exchanging words and greeting the young boy. They had met him only a couple times before this, and they told Violet that he was sweet but very quiet and they hoped she would get along well with him. Violet fit the same description, so she thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Her eyes fell to the boy whose head was covered in a mess of blonde curls. She bit her lip in concentration, watching his facial expressions as he talked to her parents. He had a smile that would light up any room and it was emphasized by his dimples. After a moment, her parents continued talking to the social worker and the boy began looking around the house. It was only a short minute before his eyes found Violet's gaze, and she felt her breath hitch when she realized she had been caught. From where she stood, his eyes appeared intensely dark, but had a certain light in them. He sent her a goofy smile, and she moved back around the wall a bit more. Her cheeks tinted pink from embarrassment.

"Violet?" she heard her mother's voice from a few feet away and she sighed quietly, her head tilting up when her mother peered around the corner. "Come on," Vivien smiled, grabbing her daughter's hand and tugging her gently along. Violet kept her eyes on the ground as they got closer to the boy. "Violet, this is Tate. He's going to be staying with us for a while," Ben introduced the two. Violet finally lifted her gaze to the boy, and his eyes were even darker up close.

"Hi," Tate spoke first, sending her the same goofy smile. He reached out a hand, gesturing for her to shake it. She bit her lip, contemplating for a moment before placing her tiny hand in his. His grasp was warm. "Hi," she returned quietly, dropping her gaze and her hand after a moment. She remained at her mother's side as she exchanged a few final words with the social worker before she left, leaving Tate standing there with a bag over his shoulder.

"Tate, come on, I'll show you to your room," Ben exclaimed gleefully, gesturing for the boy to follow him. The two males left the room. Vivien knelt down and touched Violet's face gently. "He seems nice, doesn't he? Aren't you excited?" Vivien asked hopefully. Violet just nodded a few times and Vivien kissed her cheek. "How old is he?" Violet asked timidly, crossing her arms loosely over her middle. "He just turned fifteen," Vivien told her. "Wanna help me get dinner started?" she continued, and Violet smiled a bit, nodding quickly. The two made their way into the kitchen to begin preparing something for everyone to eat.

"I hope this is alright for you," Ben told Tate as they entered the bedroom at the end of the hallway. It already held many of Tate's things and was arranged for him. Ben and Vivien had put a lot of care and thought into it, hoping it would make him feel at home. "It's really nice," Tate told him, sliding his bag off of his arm and placing it next to some of his other things. He was only around half a foot shorter than Ben, even at this age. Tate sent him a smile. Ben returned it and released a breath. "Well, I think Vivien and Violet were starting dinner. I'm going to see if they need any help. Make yourself at home, Tate. Come down whenever you're ready," Ben spoke as he took a few steps towards the door. "Thanks," Tate nodded.

Tate wasn't exactly sure how to feel about this whole situation. The Harmons seemed very friendly and welcoming, which was something he was extremely unfamiliar with. His previous family, his birth mother, was the complete opposite of those descriptions, and he honestly wasn't sure how he would handle it. He had dealt with the verbal, and on certain occasions, physical abuse at his original home, and he had already been shaped into the person he was. He knelt onto the floor and pulled out a notebook that was badly damaged. He flipped it open to a random blank page and dug around for a pencil. He turned the notebook sideways and scribbled a word across it: Taint.

It was the only word that could come to his mind at this moment. He was tainted, and he was sure it was all he would do to the Harmon family.