Boston: Age Fourteen
"Go, go, go," Emma chants as she pushes Regina down the alleyway.
The blonde peeks over her shoulder and giggles as she watches the cops run right passed the entryway to their dark alley. The light from their flashlights beaming everywhere but in the girl's direction, sending another wave of euphoria to tingle through Emma's limbs.
"You're insane Emma," Regina whispers as she hops onto the chain link fence. She tightens her grip around the cool metal because fear has officially consumed her and caused sweaty palms. "You're worse now than when we were five!"
Emma laughs carelessly as she jumps onto the fence next to her long lost friend. "Sssshhhhh, you're gonna get us caught."
Emma begins climbing the fence, higher and higher until she straddles the top pole. She watches through a broad smile as Regina makes her way up. Emma stretches out her hand for assistance, but Regina rolls her eyes and continues her journey. The brunette finally reaches the top and sits across from the blonde she missed so much. The look in Emma's green eyes is enough to calm Regina's erratic heartbeat from fear.
"You call me insane, you have another awesome foster home that wants to adopt you, yet again and you refuse," Emma implies hoping to receive an actual answer from the brunette as to why she keeps declining.
Regina pouts those full lips that automatically make Emma melt. Fourteen years old and Emma is starting to understand that she feels something different for Regina than she does with most and it's most certainly not in a family loving kind of way.
"Look Emma, I just...I hate how much we are torn apart. You know if I would have accepted any of those families in the past, that would've been the end of our friendship," Regina tries to reason with her friend.
"Oh come on, you've been gone this last time for two years! At least you would've had a nice stable home," Emma scoffs hating the fact that Regina doesn't acknowledge how lucky she truly is. Emma wishes every night upon a star that someone, somewhere would bring her home.
The blonde rolls her eyes having enough of this repetitious conversation and begins to descend from the fence, fully annoyed. "So are we done talking Emma?" Regina snips with sarcasm lacing her words, but Emma refuses to reply.
Emma hops down far too soon, creating a sensation of a thousands needles jabbing into her feet as she connects with the pavement. She ignores the pain though and shoves her hands into her zip up and walks away, needing to put some space between her and Regina.
"Emma," Regina softly calls when she notices her friend is leaving her behind. She hastily climbs down the fence and hops off just as the blonde did moments ago. "Emma," Regina calls out again as she picks up her pace to catch her grumpy friend. "Emma talk to me," the brunette demands as she grip Emma's hoodie and whips her around, harsher than she intended.
"Why?" Emma barks startling Regina in the process. "You don't get it, you never do," the blonde snaps and shrugs her friend away. Emma has officially lost her adrenaline high and has slipped into moody teenager mode.
"Then please explain it to me. You were just all giddy from your petty theft and now you're all moody."
Emma takes a step forward, meeting her friend's sorrowful gaze. Regina is absolutely clueless to her friend's sudden mood swing. The brunette searches green irises for an answer, but she comes up empty handed.
They are hidden in the shadows of their cruel world. Just Emma and Regina, sandwiched between two brick buildings, staring intently into one another's eyes. Exactly what both teenagers have missed so much since this last separation.
"Regina you don't understand how lucky you are. I would give anything to have a family accept me, but you toss it away every chance you get."
"Tell me you wouldn't do the same if you were in my shoes. Tell me Emma, tell me how you would so easily walk away from me to have parents," Regina commands as her patience wears thin.
The brunette holds her breath, because she can't stand to hear Emma say that she could so carelessly abandon her. For nine years, every decision Regina has made was for Emma. Her number one. Her only constant in her life. If Emma doesn't reciprocate the same feelings, it would crush Regina's heart and soul.
"That's not fair," Emma huffs as she angrily spins around and stomps away.
Regina squeezes her eyes shut and exhales a shaky breath. Once she regains her composure, she takes off jogging after the disgruntle blonde.
"Emma talk to me," Regina pleads as she slows down her pace to even out with her friend.
"I'm so done with this Regina. I just watched another kid get adopted," Emma harshly replies as her anger burns hot and consumes her words.
Regina is so stunned her feet stop moving. She cannot fathom how Emma is never picked. To Regina, Emma is the most adorable, kind hearted person to ever grace this planet. She's respectful and minds her own business, what sane adult wouldn't want her?
"I-I'm so sorry Emma," Regina stutters forcing Emma's feet to stop walking away.
Emma can hear the break in her friend's voice, she knows Regina's genuinely upset. She hates seeing Regina this way, so she caves. Emma relaxes her tone and does her best to calm herself before she speaks again.
"It's not your fault," Emma shuffles her feet toward Regina. Nervous, anxious, terrified of what's to fall from her lips again, knowing damn well Regina will reject it. "I'm running away. No one will ever adopt me. I'm too old and soon I'll age out of the system."
"Em, you're fourteen. You have plenty of time," Regina implores sympathetically, but the blonde refuses to listen.
"Regina listen to me, you need to allow this family to adopt you, the...Millers?" Emma stumbles on the name and looks to Regina for guidance.
"The Mills," Regina softly replies as she hangs her head in shame, knowing her friend is one hundred percent correct on the circumstance.
"Right. The Mills." Emma grips her friend's biceps and ducks her head to meet Regina's eyes, suddenly the taller of the two. "You have to go."
Regina nods along as tears rapidly fill her eyes. She knows Emma is stubborn and there's no changing her mind now. This might be her last chance at a family and maybe she can convince this family to take in Emma as well. She just cannot stomach the thought of losing Emma once again.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Minnesota: Three months later
"It's a shame you can't stay Emma," Ingrid sulks with a glint of humor glistening in her crystal blue eyes. She pauses, patiently waiting for Emma to make her decision.
"Maybe...I can hang around...just one more day," Emma sternly states as she hikes up her backpack upon her shoulder.
Emma's new foster guardian, Ingrid, smiles gratefully. The young girl can practically see the weight lifting from the older woman's shoulders. There's a moment of silence before Ingrid sips her hot cocoa and glances back at Emma.
"Would you like to talk about why you ran away and inevitably ended your free for all here?"
Green eyes dart all around the dark living room as Emma tries to decide if she should divulge in her past. She shifts her weight awkwardly between each foot, noting how her backpack seems to have gained an extra twenty pounds.
Something about Ingrid feels safe to Emma. She doesn't understand why and she truthfully couldn't explain, even if she wanted too. Emma just feels a connection, a warm sensation filling her broken heart.
"You can continue to stand there awkwardly, it doesn't bother me. I'm quite cozy here on my couch with my blanket," Ingrid mocks playfully, earning herself a dramatic eye roll from the young teen.
"Whatever," Emma mumbles as she trudges toward the couch and plops down, tucking her backpack securely between her legs.
Neither blonde says a word through the silence of the night. A few crickets sing outside as Emma's eyes drift around the room, clearly avoiding eye contact. Ingrid smiles triumphantly knowing she saved Emma from wandering the streets alone and contently sips her hot chocolate.
"I don't know if you are aware," Ingrid begins and leans forward with a small smirk. Emma just glares, making sure her mask is firmly set in place. "...I actually enjoy the silence. I have a household of rambunctious children and most of my day is consisted of dreaming of this peaceful moment."
The older woman smiles proudly and leans back into the comfort of her couch. Emma's thin lips twist as she tries to fight against all her natural instincts to smile. So instead, she rolls her eyes.
"I can do this all day, I didn't speak from ages three to five," Emma deadpans and leans back into her side of the couch, challenging the new woman.
A sparkle of amusement dances in those bright blue eyes. Ingrid smiles enthusiastically from the spunky teen as she keeps a close eye on her.
"May I ask you about Lily?" Ingrid questions as she shifts to face Emma a little better.
"There's nothing to say," Emma shrugs and nervously picks at the hem of her shirt. The two remain silent as they both ponder where to go from here. Ingrid allows Emma her time and space to gather her thoughts and to decide if she wants to trust the older woman. Emma sighs heavily as her head falls back to rest against the couch. Her eyes flutter closed so she can pretend it's Regina she's speaking to. "It's not what you think. I was hungry so I stole a box of pop tarts. Lily intervened so I didn't get caught, which I would have." Emma sighs again, finally allowing herself to relax a little more. "Anyway, she claimed she was on the run from a bad foster home, but she wasn't. I thought we were breaking and entering but we were really staying at her family's summer home. Her dad handed me over to the cops and then I was sent here. End of story. She's not important."
"Is there anyone of importance in your life?" Ingrid tentatively inquires, terrified she might scare the young girl away.
Emma's nose crinkles as Regina flashes across her mind. Her heart races a little faster but there's a heavy weight to the organ. Reminding her that Regina's no longer with her. She misses her best friend more than anything in this world.
"Regina," Emma utters to herself, still unsure how much she trusts Ingrid.
"Regina?" Ingrid questions in confusion.
"Uh yeah...she's from a home I was in. We actually ended up in a few homes together. She was adopted a few months ago," Emma admits with her heavy heart weighing her down.
She has to fight every urge rippling through her body not to pull out her baby blanket and cuddle the damn thing like a baby. It's the only thing she has that reminds her of Regina. The ache in her heart is too painful, so instead she brings her knees to her chest and presses firmly against herself.
"Emma, if you ever miss Regina, I would be more than happy to bring you for a visit," Ingrid offers because the pain radiating off of the teen is far too much to ignore.
"She's...she's all the way back in Boston...I..." the young girl begins stuttering prompting Ingrid to reach across the couch for comfort.
She rests her hand upon Emma's jean clad knee and smiles sincerely. Emma wants to push her hand away, she wants to ignore that look of pity that she despises so much, but then again her hand feels warm...comforting even.
"I wouldn't mind taking a trip to Boston, I think we would have a lovely time. If you wouldn't mind showing me around that is," Ingrid innocently requests finally breaking through Emma's last wall of protection.
"I can definitely agree to that."
~~~~~~~~~
The middle of the night means nothing in a big city just as this one. There's enough light illuminating from the light posts, billboards and the clutter of buildings that create New York City.
Emma watches with bright eyes as the city dances with vibrant colors and whips passed her. She's enthralled with the busy buzz of commotion to pay much consideration to her boyfriend, who is desperate for her attention.
"Ems," his thick fingers squeeze her thigh coaxing the blonde to turn toward his puppy dog eyes. "You sure you trust August?"
"Of course I do," her response was far too much of a reflex. She pauses and breathes out a heavy sigh. "I mean, not really...but he wouldn't lie about Regina. She's in trouble, I saw it in his eyes."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Neal desperately attempts again to persuade his girlfriend into abandoning this half ass plan.
Emma shifts in her seat to face her boyfriend, who has officially ruined her moment of peace while she was lost in all that is New York City.
"Why do you hate him so much? You've met him like one time..." Emma's words die on her tongue as her mind wanders to her past, making sure they only met one time.
"I just do. He's shady," Neal replies but to Emma that's hardly an answer.
"Tell me why you think that," the blonde demands as she leans a little further into the center console, staring intently into the side of her boyfriend's head.
Neal switches on his turn signal and slowly turns into a gas station, ignoring Emma's plea and following August's lead. He tosses the car into park and sighs with nothing but anguish.
"Go grab yourself some snacks," Neal leans over and pulls a crinkled twenty dollar bill out of his pocket. "I'm going to fill up."
"This conversation isn't over," Emma sternly states as she snatches the cash from Neal's hand. Her boyfriend doesn't respond as they both exit the vehicle and venture their separate ways.
Emma rushes inside, not wanting to delay their trip any longer and risk Regina's life. She strolls the aisles collecting over priced bags of chips along with a bag of mini donuts. She makes her way over to the refrigerator and claims a water and a Mountain Dew to keep Neal awake.
Emma claims her spot behind an older gentleman who is literally counting his pennies out for the cashier. Emma rolls her eyes away from the older gentleman, stumbling upon an altercation outside. She watches through the window as Neal and August argue while they pump their gas.
Neal's face in pinched together while August constantly rolls his eyes and nods furiously. Emma's heart begins to race wondering what they could possibly be arguing about within the five minute span that she left them alone. Neal's hand comes flying out to gesture something while August shakes his head.
Count your pennies faster!
Emma taps her foot furiously as she anxiously awaits for this man to finish. She needs to intervene before anything too drastic happens. Besides Neal and Emma are the last people that need to draw attention to themselves with their past.
Then, Emma watches as in three short strides Neal is in front of her estranged friend. Her boyfriend balls August's leather jacket into his fists and slams August against his own car.
"Shit," Emma mumbles to herself and takes off running toward the two idiots. She pushes her shoulder against the door, and dashes out into the cool midnight air. "What the hell is the matter with you too!" Emma bellows but both men ignore her.
Neal is too lost in his rage that he can't even hear Emma's cries. He yanks August closer and slams him right back into his car.
"What aren't you telling us?" Neal screams into August's face.
"Neal!" Emma yells as she balances everything in her arms to one side. With her now free hand she grips his sweatshirt and tugs with enough force to break his trance. "Neal let him go!"
"Ma'am! Ma'am!" An unfamiliar voice is calling out but the trio completely ignore the other frantic calls.
"Emma, he's lying! He's not being honest. He knows something and I want to know before we are in too deep," Neal growls as he slams August against the car again creating an awful sounds that informs everyone that August is probably in pain.
Emma's friend remains cool, impassive, as he glares at Neal in defiance. He won't crack, he won't mutter one word that Neal is trying to shake out of him like a rag doll.
"Neal just let him go," Emma pleads as the men stare at one another in challenge.
"Ma'am!" An older gentleman calls once again but this time he places his hand on Emma's shoulder, startling the blonde. "You didn't pay for this!"
Emma turns her attention to the distraught cashier, she glances at the items in her hand and just now comprehends that she ran out without paying. She was just too concerned with August and Neal to even think about her actions logically.
"I'm so sorry sir. I didn't mean it, I swear," Emma pouts and flashes her most innocent puppy dog eyes. "Here," she pulls out the money Neal gave her earlier. "Take it, it's more than enough. I apologize. I was just trying to break up this fight."
The cashier plucks the bill from Emma's fingers and glares at the woman in disbelief. He eyes the two men in disgust before meeting Emma's eyes once more.
"Get your friends out of here before I call the cops," he threatens in a low growl, sending a cold chill to run down Emma's spine.
"Yes sir, I promise. We are leaving," she pledges as she tugs on Neal's sweatshirt, forcing her boyfriend to release August.
The cashier stomps away with a close eye on the three strangers. He doesn't like them one bit and he most certainly doesn't trust them.
"Shall we get a move on," August suggests through a smirk as though nothing inappropriate just occurred.
"You smug son of a bitch-"
"Neal," Emma exasperates and pushes all her almost stolen goods into his chest. Instinctively Neal accepts the item but resumes glaring at the asshole before him. "Let's go! Regina is in danger and you two are out here, drawing attention to see whose biceps are bigger. You're both idiots!"
"Emma," Neal begins to argue because he knows something is off with her friend.
"What Neal?" Emma snaps as her voice rises and her breathing becomes labored. She's becoming more and more furious by the second. "What could have possibly happened between you two to cause this much childish drama. Grow the fuck up! Both of you!"
Neal softens like a kicked puppy from Emma's voice alone. He inhales sharply and turns his attention toward August once more. He leans forward causing August's back to bend over the car once more.
"If this is one of your games, I will rip you limb from limb," Neal vows in a husky whisper, causing the other man to flinch the slightest bit.
Emma rolls her eyes and glances back at the gas station attendant. He's taunting Emma, waving his phone in the air, provoking the fear to rise within once again. She offers a weak smile before she turns around to the two imbeciles and pushes her boyfriend toward their little bug.
"Let's get a move on! Regina's in trouble," she yells, narrowing her eyes at August before she climbs into her car. Once both car doors slam shut with obvious fury Emma begins her rant. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Nothing," Neal scoffs as he turns the key in the ignition and grips the steering wheel with all his might.
"Bullshit, nothing. What is it?" Emma commands an explanation, but her boyfriend is already shutting down before her very eyes.
"I said nothing. Now let's drop it!"