Hey everybody! I'm sorry it took so long to write this chapter, but I wasn't inspired for a while, and then I didn't have time…anyway, it's here now!
I hope you enjoy!
-Jade
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except Emily, any of her friends, her mother…anyone you don't recognize, I probably own them.
Emily walked down the street with Joey and D.J., looking back at her friends every few minutes until they were out of sight. Then she sighed and turned around, continuing to walk.
D.J. was watching her. "Emily…what do you like about living on the streets?"
Emily sighed again, a sigh of resignation and defeat. She opened her mouth to explain, but was surprised to find that no words came out. After attempting it two more times, she simply shook her head and began walking faster.
D.J. was thoroughly confused by now. What could be so wonderful about living on the streets? No warm bed, no true family, no guarantee that you would have food to eat…it seemed to be a horrible life. What had kept Emily from immediately agreeing to go home with them?
"Freedom." Emily murmured. D.J. was startled, and wondered if she had uttered her question aloud. But Emily didn't seem to be talking to them.
"Freedom?" Joey questioned. Emily nodded.
"When you're out on the streets, no one tells you what to do. Even if someone does give you an order, you don't actually have to follow it. You can go where you want, do what you want- be who you want."
"You knew you wouldn't get complete freedom living with us." D.J. pointed out. "But you still came."
Emily smiled a very small smile that seemed fragile and weak. "Yes, I know that. But I also know that freedom isn't everything. I know that if I live with you, I will have a bed, good food, and a family. A real family…I've never had one before."
"What about before your mother died? Didn't you have a real family then?" Joey asked.
"I had a family, yes, but it wasn't a whole one. I didn't have a father, or any siblings. I didn't even have a pet."
"You and your mother loved each other, though, didn't you? Isn't that what a family is?" D.J. said.
Emily nodded. "You're right, that is a family, but I always wanted something more. And now, I will have a father- a real father."
"And two younger brothers." D.J. added.
The girl's smile grew larger, and for the first time since her mother died, there was true happiness in her eyes.
"Yes. Two younger brothers."
They didn't speak for the rest of the way home, and they arrived soon. Everyone ran to them as they entered the house, asking where Emily was. Then they noticed the girl standing silently next to D.J.
Becky immediately began fussing over her. "Are you okay, Emily? Are you hurt?"
Emily wriggled out of her aunt's grasp. "Becky, I'm fine. No need to worry about me."
Becky gazed nervously at her niece. "But I was worried, Emily…why did you run away like that?"
Emily shrugged and flopped down on the couch. "I don't know. I didn't feel like anyone actually wanted me here."
Becky's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Emily…" She couldn't finish her sentence. She just wrapped her arms around the girl and held her as tight as she could.
"Emily, we're sorry that we made you feel like that." D.J. apologized.
"Yeah, Emily- you're always wanted here." Danny added.
The teen pulled herself out of Becky's embrace. "Really?" She asked, a small smile brightening her face.
"Yes!" The family spoke all at once, and as Emily grinned, they all fell into a huge group hug.
"Well, Emily, this is your room." Jesse told her, showing her the spare room in the attic.
"It's…nice…" Emily replied, in an unconvincing tone.
The room was very small, more like a large closet than a bedroom. There was some meaningless junk stacked up in the corners- lamps, old clothes, and several dozen cardboard boxes.
"We'll clear out all this stuff and paint the walls…put in a nice bed and some other furniture…it'll be great." Jesse tried fruitlessly to convince Emily.
"Where do I sleep until we get a bed in?" Emily asked, examining the room with obvious disgust.
Jesse walked over to the other side of the room and unfolded a cot that had been leaning against the wall. He coughed as dust flew out of it.
"Right here." He said, patting the cot and smiling at Emily.
She raised an eyebrow. "Here?" Joining him by the makeshift bed, she eyed the filthy blanket folded on top. "On this?"
"Yes, is there a problem?" Jesse met her eyes and they both started laughing. They laughed so hard that they ended up rolling around the ground.
Becky walked in and surveyed the scene. "What did I miss?"
Jesse and Emily looked at each other again and decided not to explain, because neither of them knew why they were laughing.
Becky smiled. "Anyway, Emily, I've got your backpack here." She raised the backpack in the air and handed it over to her niece.
"Thanks, Becky." Emily took the backpack and then looked around the room. "Okay…let's fix this place up."
Well, I hope you all liked that chapter! Now you can wait several more months for the next update! LOL!
-Jade