> "Okay, I'll take Alex." Julia agreed tugging gently on his hand to start
> down the stairs "Of course I'll probably be calling you with her roping me
> into swinging by a store, but I'll take her."
>
> When they reached the bottom of the stairs she stopped and turned toward
him
> again, squeezing his hand "And despite the way I jumped earlier... I do
know
> that you have all of our best interests in mind. I think it's the thought
> of someone abusing a child that..."
>
> She let that trail off with a sigh, knowing she would have gone ballistic
if
> it had been their own child involved. Julia hoped Derek realized where
her
> reaction had come from and stepped up to him, hugging him as she admitted
> quietly "I hope we never have to deal with that. Not with Amelia."
>
> Or any of their children, she thought, wondering how she was so sure that
> Amelia wouldn't be an only child.
>
"So do I," Derek replied soflty returning her hug. "And Julia, it's not
that I don't feel for Amber...what happened to her is horrible and should
never have happened. But if none of the other adults there was able to
help....I just can't send more people in unprepared for what they will be
dealing with." He smiled slightly and shrugged, "Alex will always be Alex,
I would never expect less of her."
