Kellan groaned in pain as her knee hit the asphalt as she tripped over the curb. Ignoring a man who offered her his hand, she stood up and continued to run down the lamp lit streets. It was a dreary, cold morning in London but that didn't matter to Kellan. Right now she was trying to make it to King's Cross station to board a train to Edinburgh. If she could just make it there before her mother and step-father realized she wasn't in bed.

It wasn't that her family treated her badly; it was that she had always felt invisible or unwanted. When she was young she had lived with her father, Allistor, and mother, Emma, who were not married at the time, in Edinburgh. But when she had turned four Kellan's mother had taken her away from Scotland and had moved to London without ever giving a reason. Soon after she had married Jonathon Smith, and they had moved in with him and his son Marcus who was only a year older than Kellan.

Though Kellan could barely remember her father now at age sixteen, she had always had this feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was like a string had been tied around her waist and was constantly pulling at her. It whispered, 'Edinburgh… Edinburgh…' Why Edinburgh she would never know but after years of ignoring the call she had finally given in. However when she had told her mother where she wished to go Emma's face had grown pale, and she had warned her daughter never to bring it up again.

Kellan had then made up her mind with or without her mother's blessing she would go.

Of course she could have picked a better time than late October to leave. All the same she had packed a bag with two spare sets of cloths, about three days' worth of food, and all of her money (about 500 US dollars).

Her goal, get to Edinburgh and find her father. Even if he didn't want her at least she would finally fulfill her wanting.

She rounded the corner of the street that led where the Station was and slowed down to a brisk walk. No need to raise suspicions. As she moved to the platform where she knew the train would be she pulled out her ticket that she had been smart enough to buy beforehand. She boarded the train just as it began to pull away from the station.

Not many people were on the train, but she still chose to sit across from a middle aged women and her daughter. It would be five to six hours before she reached her destination and she wanted to not feel so alone.

"Hello there," the women said gently as her daughter just nodded.

"'ello."

"Are you traveling alone this morning?"

"Aye," Kellan said. Another thing Emma couldn't stand; the fact that her daughter had never lost that accent.

"Really…"

Kellan didn't like that tone so she quickly said, "Am ur meeting my Da in Edinburgh. Where ye be off to?"

"We are traveling to Edinburgh as well for a business trip… Well I am Eve here is just keeping me company." The girl gave Kellan a polite nod before turning her attention back to the window.

A comfortable silence fell over the travelers as Kellan leaned her forehead onto the cool glass of the window. The soft noise of the train caused her eye lids to flutter before sleep over took her.

A gentle shake woke Kellan from her slumber. "We've just entered Scotland, child, if you wish to see," the woman said with a smile. Stretching Kellan gazed out the window and felt her heart leap at the sight. There was the rolling green hills she could remember from her childhood and that sweet smelling air that made her heart leap with joy.

"30 minutes to New Castle, 30 minutes to New Castle," a voice over the intercom said.

"That would be the stop, maybe you'll be on our next train." Kellan gave the two a soft smile before continuing to gaze out the window in wonder.

When they finally made it to New Castle Kellan waved goodbye to the two women and found a bench to sit at while waiting for her next train. By now her mother would have noticed she was gone, so she flipped up the hood of her green hoodie up to hide hair.

She would have tied it back but her hair always seemed to have a mind of its own, and liked to twist around to frame her face giving her a wild look. She had inherited her fiery hair color and green eyes from her father, and it drove her mother insane. In fact Kellan and Emma had gotten into a fight just that week over the fact that she should dye her hair dark brown to fit in with the rest of the family. Kellan would have rather died.

The sound of a low male voice caught Kellan's attention as she munched on an apple she had packed. "Yes I'm here to find a young woman of sixteen named Kellan Smith, yet another runaway." She froze and slowly turned her head to see two police officers talking to each other. "Her mother said she would probably try to reach Edinburgh. Why any child would want to run there is lost on me."

'No…'

Then the sound of a train caught her attention and she silently cheered as her train pulled into the station. Standing up not to quickly she made her way to the train as she pulled out her ticket. Kellan could feel the police officers eyes on her back, but she kept moving not daring to look behind her. As she boarded the train she found a window seat and pulled out her sketch journal. Pulling down on her hood one more time, Kellan began to draw trying to look as harmless as possible.

"Excuse me, miss."

Kellan looked up but still kept her eyes shadowed under her hood. The one of the police officers stood over her with a suspicious look.

"You wouldn't happen to be Miss Kellan Smith would you?"

"No," Kellan said.

"Really, now? Because we are currently looking for a girl your age who we think is running away to Edinburgh."

"Well, am no Kellan Smith. Am ur… Flanna Taylor, and a need to go to Edinburgh to meet up with my family." Seeing the man's disbelieving face she held out her ticket, "If ah was a runaway why would I buy a ticket and not just stowaway?"

Snatching her ticket the police officer looked at her then the ticket. Handing it back to her he warned, "I will be watching you," before walking away. Letting out a sigh of relief Kellan continued to sketch the Scottish country side as the train gave a lurch and pulled away from the station.

"Passengers we have reached our destination of Edinburgh, if you would please take you luggage…" Kellan closed her sketch book with a snap and hastily put it in her bag. Slinging it over one shoulder she quickly raced off of the train and out into the crowd. In the back of her mind she could hear the officer calling after her, but for some reason that didn't matter anymore.

She raced into the streets of Edinburgh with a pounding heart. Kellan could feel every street, person, building in the capital. The towering castles, the bustling stores, and more than anything else the pride that flowed through the people. Their pride which she now felt deep within her veins. The calling that she had heard before grew stronger now as the earth seemed to call out, 'Edinburgh, wee Edinburgh.'

Kellan smiled, "I'm back."

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