Adopted by Mean Girls

Scatter Like Mice From a Jungle Cat

**Grey's POV**

Comet would be watching the show for the first time tonight and Tina would be with her. Everyone backstage loved Comet and was working extra hard to make sure that everything was perfect for her. I didn't think I had ever seen the prop masters working that hard to make sure everything was in place. Erika and Taylor were especially jumpy as Erika already saw Comet like a daughter and whenever Erika was jumpy Taylor was also. I think we did well. I texted Comet during intermission and she had nothing but positive things to say about the show. 

After the show, Erika, Taylor, and I went down to the stage door crowd together and talked with fans until we heard a scream. The crowd parted and Comet was running toward us. She scrambled over the barricade and hid behind me as an angry-looking woman marched right up and yelled at her.

"...You have no right to be there! Crazy kid, you should go back to your father!"

"Isn't your father in jail?" I whispered to her.

"Mmm," Comet mumbled and I took her hand.

"Hey!" Erika interrupted the woman's screaming, "I'm going to have to ask you to stop yelling at her."

"That is my daughter! You have no right to talk to me like that," she shouted back.

Somehow, Erika kept her cool, much unlike me because I was about ready to bite the woman's head off. Taylor came to my side and put a hand on my arm.

"Comet has told me that you gave up parental rights when you and her father got a divorce," Erika said, "You have no hold over her."

"Who are you to tell me what hold I have over my daughter!"

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Erika offered the woman her hand, "My name is Erika Henningsen, Comet's foster mother."

Comet's mother looked about ready to explode and whispers had started around the fans gathered when Erika declared that she had a foster daughter. Erika turned around and walked back to Taylor, me, and Comet.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Erika asked Comet, "Did she hurt you?"

"N-no," Comet stammered, but we saw her tears.

"Can you guys wrap up out here?" Erika wrapped her arm around Comet's shoulders

"Go," I nodded and guarded the two of them against prying eyes as they went back into the theatre while Taylor addressed the crowd.

"We're so sorry, everyone," Taylor shouted, "We appreciate you all coming out tonight and we wish that we could spend more time talking to you all, but-"

"But," I jumped in, "We take care of our own first."

Taylor and I went back into the theatre and found Erika and Comet on the Cady bed. Comet was curled up against Erika, crying into her chest as Erika rubbed her back with Barrett sitting cross-legged in the corner of the mattress. As we got closer, I could hear Erika singing softly and quickly recognized the song as Meadowlark from The Baker's Wife.

"You're okay," I climbed up onto the bed with them, "Don't worry. She can't hurt you anymore."

Erika gave me a small smile but kept singing. When the song was over, she simply restarted. Soon, Comet was asleep and we all climbed down off the platform.

"It's a wonder that Comet isn't more damaged," I whispered to Taylor, Barrett, Kyle, and Erika, "Her mom is a mess."

"Definitely 'mom of the year'," Taylor scoffed.

"She doesn't deserve family like that," Barrett looked up at the bed where Comet was fast asleep.

"No one does," I agreed.

"We need to help her," Erika shook her head, "I don't care what it takes, we need to. We all love Comet, so let's prove it to her."

"What do you propose?" Taylor crossed her arms.

Erika met each of our gazes and blinked, "Adoption."

Sorry, this one was a little shorter than all the rest. I promise that the drama will start to pick up soon!