This time when Annie began to cry, it was silent. She didn't sob or sniffle, but tears escaped from the sides of her eyes and she couldn't seem to stop them.

If he's not my dad... then I'm alone here.

"Then he doesn't really love me," She said after a minute. "He can't. Not like family does. Not like -"

Her lip quivered and Annie felt numb. She closed her eyes at the stinging of her face and couldn't bear to open them again.

"I want to go home," She managed to say with a quiver.