Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer. The plot of this Fanfic belongs to me.

BPOV

1

"Sue said you have to give me five dollars," says Emmett.

The wind pulls the door shut behind me and I bolt it for good measure. Take off my coat and boots and let my school bag fall to the floor. Drop my keys on the side table.

Emmett trails after me as I head into the kitchen. I pull out a bag of frozen fries and a box of fish fingers. A pan of oil is set on the stove to heat and I wash my hands at the sink. Emmett sits at the table; his feet swing and his face settles in the cradle of his folded arms.

"Sue said –"

"Don't call her that."

"But that's her name."

"You have to call her 'Mom'."

"But she's not my mom!"

I slit the bag of fries and empty a quarter of it into the pan. That's enough for Em and me. I add five fish fingers – three for him and two for me. They crisp and brown almost immediately. I drain them on a sheet of newspaper and they're transferred to a plate.

A minute of blessed silence and then –

"Can I have five dollars? I wanna get some chips from the corner store," Emmett says. His feet swing vigorously under the table, like it's a sport. His socks are odd, faded. The oil crackles and I drain the fries, put them on a plate. Set them in front of Em. He eats with his fingers; no salt or ketchup. I steal a fry and turn to head upstairs.

Emmett whines: "Wait, Bee, I want water!"

I turn slowly and fill a glass with water. Set it carefully beside his plate and watch as he takes a tiny sip. I make it as far as the door before he says, "Bee, I want more fries."

His plate is almost full. The kitchen is warm and quiet. The rest of the house is cool, silent. Empty but for Sue's sleeping form upstairs.

"Finish those first." I head into the entryway, grab my bag, bring it to the kitchen. My books fan out on the wood across from Em. He sees the papers, the textbooks and pens rolling towards him. He smiles happily and begins to eat with gusto, safe in the knowledge that I haven't left him. That I haven't reassured him with a plate of food and a promise to be back in a second, I just need to check on the baby, only to walk out the front door with a pre-packed bag and a child, never to be seen again. I think of our mom.

Outside, it begins to rain.

First fanfic, short chapters, confusing storyline.

Ready?