the only exception

 Phoebe shifted slightly as she woke, the murmured voices around her halting. She hadn't even remembered falling asleep, but as she slowly woke up she realized she must've passed out at some point. She lifted her head from Hayley's shoulder and saw Taylor had arrived home and was offering her a small smile.

"You okay, kid?"

Phoebe nodded, sitting up more, "Yeah... Sorry you had to come home early."

"Your mom called right as I was thinking about heading this way anything," he shrugged, "Nothing to be sorry about."

The teen nodded, wiping at her eyes that felt extremely puffy from both the crying and the nap.

"Okay, so," Hayley started, her voice holding a bit of nerves, "We have some things to talk about."

Phoebe's eyes widened slightly, looking over at the singer. Her first thought was that they'd finally gotten that dreaded call from Murphy saying Phoebe had to pack her bags. Hayley, however, noticed this and quickly shook her head.

"It's nothing bad, I promise." She assured before glancing over at Taylor with a nervous smile, "Well, I hope not, at least."

"What is it?" Phoebe asked hesitantly, looking back and forth between the two adults.

"Well," Hayley started, "I need you to be completely, absolutely, one-hundred-percent honest when I ask you these questions okay? Don't worry about hurting our feelings. This is about you and what you want."

"Okay..." Phoebe mumbled slowly, still looking nervously between the two adults.

"Do you want to, or do you ever think you will want to move in with your birth parents?" Hayley asked, making Phoebe's face scrunch up.

"No, definitely not. I've told you-"

"I know, I know," Hayley nodded. "Do you wanna live here?"

Phoebe's frown deepened, "I already am."

Taylor grinned, "well, yes."

"What I mean is do you want to live here with absolutely no chance of you getting taken away or having to leave?" Hayley cleared up, her nerves growing more and more by the second.

Phoebe nodded slightly, once again remembering the reality that she really could get taken away at any second. "They could though," the teen mumbled, "Take me, I mean."

"I know, honey." Hayley sighed, looking over at Taylor for support.

"Let's just get to the point." Taylor decided, seemingly equally as nervous, but a hint of excitement laced in with it.

"Which is?" Phoebe asked slowly, looking back and forth between the two adults.

Hayley tilted her head at Taylor, "go get it."

"Get what?" Phoebe asked, watching as Taylor made his way over to the christmas tree and began digging through the presents in the back.

"Oh my gosh, you guys got me a passport so I can flee the country and start a new life under a pseudonym in Greece?" Phoebe exclaimed, trying to get some of her nervous energy out with jokes, "You shouldn't have!"

Hayley and Taylor laughed as he finally dug the flat present out from under the tree, walking back over to the couch.

"Can't believe we didn't think of that, what a waste." Taylor sighed dramatically before smiling and handing her the wrapped gift, "I hope what it really is is equally as exciting to you."

"But it's okay if it's not," Hayley told her, "remember, this is all about you and what you want."

"Okay..." Phoebe mumbled, "Can I open it?"