Maple Grove was a beacon of peace just outside the city limits. A wide estate that held several houses, some occupied, some not. And for the first time in a long time, the Grangers had welcomed another family onto their soil. While Johnny had helped with most of the heavier stuff that morning, Liv had begun to cart their boxed up possessions from Luks to their chosen house while he was at work, kept amused by the wild playfulness that Bella showed as she raced around and around the house, through the little garden, and out onto the grassway to ambush Jon while he was walking Cosmo. Someone, at least, already felt at home on the Grove, and though it would take a while to be settled in and completely at home, Liv thought she could be very happy here herself.

Of course, that depended on whether or not she ever managed to get the tape off this particular box. She let out a huff of breath, scowling at it and its Johnny scrawl of "Soft stuff - bedroom". Brushing her hair out of her eyes, she chuckled to herself. "If all that's in here is clothes," she wondered aloud, "why is it taped up so tight only Houdini can get into it?"

It was the third time in less than two years that the two of them were moving. The first time it was into a beat-up apartment they transformed into a home with the help of a little paint and some T.L.C. The second time was into the condo Jon had bestowed on his P.A. and her boyfriend, much to their shock and surprise. They had been happy in both the apartment and the condo, but neither place had really felt like home, nor were they really conducive to having a family. It was why Jon and Vicki had moved back to Maple Grove to begin with, and now Johnny and Liv were following suit.

It was obvious that at least one member of their family already felt at home there. Bella had already made friends with Cosmo and was having the time of her life exploring the house and the grounds nearby, no longer confined by the four walls of their condo. Johnny was late coming home that night, but he'd called to explain that something had come up at work and would explain when he got home. Liv would know that the only thing that would keep Johnny from coming home from work on time was if he was still needed in some way. He took great pride in his position with the fire brigade and drew joy from the ability to help those less fortunate than himself.

So, when he finally walked in the door that evening, he looked tired, but with an almost excited air about him. "Honey, I'm home!" he called as he pushed into the house they'd been offered on the grounds of Maple Grove.

"Could that be my marauding husband at last?" she called back from the master bedroom upstairs, moving to the hall to lean over the bannister and look down at him. Just in time to see Bella come flying in through the back door and pounce on Johnny, somehow endeavoring to show her master just how happy she was with her new home. "Close the doors, don't let her out again!"

"It is I, fair maiden," Johnny called back from the first floor, laughing as he was pounced on by Bella. "I'm glad to see you, too, girl!" he greeted her in return, rubbing her ears. They really did need to start training her properly, but he couldn't bear to scold her. "Livvie says no more running around today. You'll just have to wait 'til tomorrow." He gave her one last rub before moving to the front door to shut it for the evening.

Bella barked happily, turning in time to see Liv run down the stairs and close the back door before she could get out again. "Come on, daft dog," she grinned down at the Beauceron fondly. "Dinner, kitchen. And you," she added, reaching out to tug Johnny close and kiss him. "Pizza, oven."

"Mmm," he replied, savoring that kiss a moment, his arms going around her. Thankfully, he'd showered at the fire station and no longer smelled like smoke and sulfur. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?" he asked, twirling her around and dipping her as he kissed her.

She giggled, more than happy to be twirled and dipped, curling her arms around his neck to answer his kiss tenderly. "Not since this morning," she teased softly, kissing the tip of his nose. "I love you, too, in case you'd forgotten."

"I didn't forget, but I never get tired of hearing it," he replied, kissing her again, very nearly losing his balance and tumbling with her onto the floor before regaining his balance and pulling her back to her feet.

Liv squeaked with laughter as he wobbled, swept back up onto her feet just in time. From the kitchen came a loud bark of discontent. "Oh, listen to her," she laughed. "Anyone would think I'd promised to feed her. Come on, sweetheart, and you can tell me what?s got you all fizzy and excited."

"Does it show?" he asked with a smirk, and why wouldn't he be excited" He had an amazing wife, a job he loved, a dog who adored him, friends and family who loved him, a roof over his head, food on the table, clothes on his back, and the possibility of making a very big difference in the life of a needy child. "It was really nice of Humphrey and Jon to let us move in here on such short notice," he remarked as he led her toward the kitchen, her hand in his.

It was Liv's turn to smirk as she followed him along, touching her lips off his shoulder. "Jon might be regretting it - I think Bella may have pushed him into a pond a few hours ago," she giggled quietly, hugging Johnny's arm affectionately. "She's been running around like a loon all afternoon. Haven't you, Bells?" The dog barked once again, and Liv rolled her eyes, reaching for the dog biscuits. "Yes, yes, all right, I'm getting there."

Johnny laughed at the bit about Jon, hoping her boss wouldn't hold it against them, though he suspected if anyone was accustomed to canine antics, it was Cosmo's master. "I thought she'd like it here. There's lots of room to run, and she can keep Cosmo company." Though they really did need to get her into a training school before she ended up running the roost. Johnny let go of Liv so she could feed Bella while he checked on the pizza. "So, how was your day?" he asked, as nonchalantly as possible.

"I've been unpacking mystery boxes," she told her husband cheerfully, bending to fill Bella's bowl and get out of the way as their exuberant dog buried her nose in her dinner. "I think most of the kitchen is done, and I made the bed, so we have somewhere to sleep. Everything else? I haven't the faintest idea." She chuckled, leaning a hip against the counter. "How was your day, busy man' Is everything all right?"

"She's just a kid, Liv. I don't know much about her, but it isn't her fault." He knew they would have to find out more about Felicity and get to know her better before they made their final decision about fostering or even adopting her, but first things first. "It's almost like....like fate dropped her into our laps or something." He couldn't deny that the timing was ironic. "Are you sure that's something Jon would want to get involved in?" he asked, finally taking a bite of his pizza, not worry about it getting cold. Food rarely got cold when Johnny Storm was around.

"It's worth pitching it to him," she shrugged lightly. "Even if he's not interested, he'll know someone who is. There are a lot of problems in Rhy'Din that don't get solved, simply because no one knows about them. Like this one." She took a sip of her juice, rubbing her fingers through her hair. "You said this started up for her when she hit puberty' How long ago was that?"

"I don't know. Not long, I think. A few months. She said this isn't the first time it's happened, but it was the worst. She set her bedroom on fire. If I hadn't gotten there when I did, the whole building might have gone up." He glanced at his pizza thoughtfully again. "You should have seen her, Liv. She was terrified."

"Bloody hell. But she responded to you? She calmed down and let you help her?" It might have seemed as though they were going over what had already been said, but Liv wanted Johnny to realize that he had helped this lost little teen on their first meeting.

He nodded his head. "I think so. I mean, she calmed down a little and I managed to get her to put out the flames. All she needs is to learn control." Which was, admittedly, easier said than done, but he thought that if he could do it, so could she. No one had been more rebellious or more of a hothead than he had. "I don't like the idea of her being all alone." They both knew what that felt like, to one degree or other, and his heart went out to the girl.

"No, I don't like it either," his wife agreed with him, chewing her lip as she added an extra slice to his plate. Her appetite was never as big as his. "We should take Bella along tomorrow as well. Because if it turns out that Felicity and I get along, I will tell her that we're going to apply to foster her then and there, and it's best she meets Bella before I do that. She'll need something to hold onto in that clinical place you described to me."

"That's a good idea," he agreed. He couldn't imagine anyone resisting Bella's charms, and if she got upset, Bella would know how to cheer her up. "Do you think she might be the one, Liv?" he asked, arching his brows curiously. He believed there was a child out there somewhere that was meant for them, but he hadn't expected things to move as quickly as they had.

"Let's take it one day at a time," Liv told him gently. She knew Johnny too well to try and tell him not to get his hopes up, because he already had. "If this step goes well, then we move onto the next one. But I think that if we can make a comfortable safe home for a teenager with fire-starting problems, then nothing else will be that much of a challenge."

Except for having a child of their own, but maybe Sue and Lucy were right. Even if they could have a child of their own someday, was there anything more noble or more meaningful than providing a safe, loving, happy home for a child who had none" And there was no one better equipped to do that than Johnny and Liv, who had known what it was like to be orphaned and alone. "One day at a time," he agreed, feeling more hopeful than he had earlier, though he didn't want to get too far ahead of himself. Fortunately for Johnny, he had Liv to keep him grounded.

"So ....I suppose we should go in the morning tomorrow," Liv mused, eying him with half a smile. "Because if we're going to go through with this, we have a bedroom to kit out for a teenaged girl who just burned everything she owns."

Johnny chuckled, for the first time since he'd told her the news. "Aren't you the one who just said one day at a time?" he teased, reaching over to link his fingers with hers, despite not having finished his pizza yet. "You're the best, Livvie. I don't know what I'd do without you. She's gonna love you."

"Oh, shush, I'm being practical and hopeful," she laughed, sticking her tongue out at him as he curled his fingers between her own. She smiled at his encouraging prediction. "I hope so. It sounds like she needs us."

"I can't think of anyone who could help her more than we could," he remarked in agreement. He hadn't met anyone in Rhy'Din who had the same abilities with fire that he and Felicity seemed to share, though he was sure they were out there somewhere. Tomorrow, they would find out more. Tomorrow, they would get to know her better. Tomorrow, they would decide whether or not to welcome her into their home, but as far as Johnny was concerned, he had already decided. No matter whether they decided to foster Felicity or not, Johnny was bound and determined to do whatever he could to help her. He might be the only one in all of Rhy'Din who could.

((Parenting a teen firestarter" This should be fun. Humungus uberlicious thanks to Johnny's player!))