Kayden Smith let out another sigh as he continued to stare dejectedly out the second story window.

He honestly wasn't surprised. Not anymore.

He silently watched as a couple in their mid-thirties left the building with a bounce in their step.

How he longed to be the reason for their happiness.

In a burst of energy, the bedroom door was thrown open, startling Kayden and the eight other children in the room, the oldest being Kayden at sixteen.

A young boy around the age of seven appeared seconds later, a huge grin on his face. His bright blonde hair and sweet blue eyes only added to his adorable kid self.

"They want me, Kayden!" The little boy shrieked in happiness. "They want me!"

Kayden forced his sour thoughts away and smiled at Eric. "I knew they would, silly."

The little boy's smile faded a bit when a sudden thought struck him. "Why didn't they want you?"

Pain pierced Kayden's heart as he fought to hide his tears. "I'm getting old, little man. No one wants a moody teenager."

"But that's not fair!" Eric shrieked, tears starting to stream down his face. "You've been here the longest!"

Kayden bit back a sigh. It was true. He'd been at the orphanage since he was six.

Ten years.

"It's okay, really." Kayden tried to reassure the little boy. "I wouldn't have fit in with them. I'm glad they chose you."

"Honest?"

"Honest." Kayden replied in a gentle voice. "Now, go get ready. I'm sure they went through the adoption process a while ago so they should be back for you soon."

Eric's face beamed. "Mrs. Laje said I was lucky to have such a quick adoption process...I'm leaving later tonight!"

Kayden's heart deflated just a bit. Sure, he was happy for the little guy...but he was also sad to say goodbye to the only person he could call a friend.

Eric had arrived two years ago and immediately took to Kayden. Often sneaking into the older boy's bed after having a nightmare. Soon, over time, Kayden stopped treating Eric like a child. He taught him how to read and write and think through problems rather than jumping to conclusions.

Kayden was really going to miss him.

A few hours later, Kayden was suddenly saying goodbye to Eric. They had talked away the hours which flew by much too quickly for the older boy's liking.

There were tears in the young boy's eyes but they quickly disappeared when he left with his new family, still too young to understand that he probably wouldn't see Kayden again.

Finally letting out a sigh, Kayden allowed his tears to fall.

Tonight would be the night he left. He honestly didn't know why he was never chosen. His short black hair and strange eyes weren't that repulsive. Sure, he had one blue eye and one green eye...but that didn't label him as a bad person.

He looked out the window and cried as Eric was taken away to his new home.

Eric's parents had been murdered right outside their home. There hadn't been any other family member alive that could take him in so he was brought to Mrs. Laje in the hopes he would eventually find a better home.

Kayden absentmindedly touched the puckered scar on his chest, wishing for the comforting arms of another.

He had a dream. A dream to be in a position to adopt as many unwanted children as possible while providing a safe home for them.

***

A few hours after curfew, Kayden snuck out of the orphange into the cold december night. Snow had started falling from the still bright sky, causing a smile to form on Kayden's mouth.

He loved winter.

However, his sudden freedom came to a crashing hault when he ran into a man carrying a steaming cup of coffee.

"Whoa there, lad. Slow down a bit," the man exclaimed in a warm, fatherly sounding voice.

Kayden glanced up in surprise when he met warm brown eyes. Without warning, he burst into tears and clung on to the older man like his life depended on it.

The forty year old man abandoned any attempt at cleaning his clothes as he wrapped protective arms around Kayden. "Shh...it'll be okay. Let me take you home." The boy didn't look much older than fifteen.

Sobs tore their way free from Kayden's throat at hearing his words. Something inside him broke. "I-I—don't hav—a—ome..."

The man glanced up at the orphanage as understanding filled his eyes. A sudden thought struck him. "What would you say to me giving you a home?"

Kayden pulled back in surprise as he met the older man's kind gaze.

"My wife and I have been trying for years to have a child. We even bought a big house when we married for the sole purpose of raising a family. I don't see any difference in adopting you." The man explained with shining eyes. "Is it too late to speak with your ward?"

Kayden blinked back tears, trying hard to squash his sudden hope. "But...don't you need to interview me?"

The man smiled and shook his head. "You aren't furniture or a future employee of mine. I'd like for you to join my family if you'd like. You don't even have to call us mom and dad."

It might have sounded like a strange thing to suddenly get the idea to adopt a complete stranger. But it wasn't something the man took lightly. He and his wife had been talking for months now about adopting. He didn't see why their future son couldn't be a teenager.

Kayden let out a tiny smile before hugging the man once more. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

The man hugged him back. "My name is Roth and my wife's name is Susan. I'm sure she'll love you no matter what."

Ten Years Later

Kayden Smith (he had declined changing his last name for personal reasons) let out a glorious sigh as he shut down his computer and pushed away from his desk.

He was a healthy twenty-six year old still living at home but that didn't bother him. His mother and father had only been in his life for a mere decade and that felt much too short for Kayden.

Besides, he was slowly becoming a successful business man and was glad he had the luxury of working from home most days.

And it helped that he had two younger sisters to spoil.

Angela and Sam weren't blood related but they were a package deal. At the ages of eight and five, Kayden and his parents automatically fell in love with them. And they were extremely pleased to see the strong bond between the young girls.

The adoption process went smoothly and the two girls had been living with them for little over a month now.

Little did Kayden know that his life was about to change...