"I'm not, and I think it's more likely to backfire than just telling them."

He nods.  "I can let you handle the explanations if you want."

"Having an adult they can go to might help but I should probably sit them down this evening to explain, yeah."

"I wish you luck."

"Thanks."

He nods.  "Of course.  I'm going to get in touch with my police contact, and you should probably get ready for your next classes, if you are to keep up appearances."

"Yeah. Might be best..."

The rest of the day passes uneventfully.

Kaylee finds Nausicaa on the bus home.  "If you want I can come over with my parents when you talk to your foster parents?  So there's more people in the know there than just you."

"That might help a lot, yeah, I don't know how seriously they'll take me."

"I can tell my parents to head over whenever you want."

"They usually get back around five-thirty..."

"I can have my folks bring over dinner," she suggests, laughing weakly.

"Might get it to go over easier, yeah."

She puts an arm around Nausicaa's shoulder.  "Worried about how they'll take it?"

"Kind of, yeah. I mean - what if they decide to stop fostering me, and I get shipped off to another city?"

"It's really awful that they can just - decide to do that to you.  I get why, but."

"...Yeah. I'll be eighteen soon enough, but..."

"Hopefully my parents can talk them into keeping you around, if they need to."

"Hopefully, yeah. Thanks."

“Of course.”

"You're a good friend, Kaylee."

Blush.  "Thanks.  You're pretty great too, Nausicaa."

"We make quite a pair, then."

And onwards to home.

Kaylee fills her parents in as soon as she gets home.

"...so we're bringing Nausicaa's parents into the fold," she finishes, "and she thinks it would go better if there were some more adults there who could corroborate her story.  Everyone should be safe but we have to do it fast, like tonight - "

Rob nods, and starts work on a nice portable casserole which will hopefully help ease the foster parents' initiation, and that evening they all three show up at Nausicaa's house.

Nausicaa's pacing. Her parents have been home only thirty minutes. Luckily there were no ambushes. She opens the door in a rush (after checking who it is), and welcomes them inside, bouncing.