Running. That's all I've been doing for the last year. That's all I can do until I age out of the system, just 4 months to go. I continue to walk down a long road seemingly in the middle of no where. I've been walking for what feels like forever but is in reality it's only been around 5 hours give or take. the sun is going down, but I can't stop. If I stop I'll get caught. They found me in Boston and it was getting more and more regular that I'd see police so I had to run. Again.

I keep walking. It's been almost 4 hours and I see a faint light in the distance. I head towards it and see figures in the distance beside a car. I walk in to the woods, just far enough in to not get caught. I keep walking, careful not to make a noise, until I'm in ear shot. I listen in on them.

"What do you mean she is untouchable? I hired you to get her out of the way! If you can't do that by publicly outing her secrets then do it another way." A man in a black suit said. He has short black salt and pepper hair.

"Do you mean...KILL...her?" A man with silver hair which looks to be dyed says.

"Are you deaf? I said do it another way, or in other words WHAT EVER IT TAKES. Just get her out of the way." The older guy said, taking a step closer to the younger man.

"I won't kill her, or anybody else. I refuse!" the silver haired man also took a step closer.

Without warning the younger man was swung into the car with a gun to his head. "Listen here Tramp, if you want your precious Lady widowed and your kids orphaned, then keep sizing yourself up, because you're heading the right way. Now get out of here and don't ever try to back out again. You don't have a choice in the matter, your kids will starve without my money." he backed away and smirked evilly, "You got away with it this time, you DON'T want to find out what happens the next time."

The older guy gets in his car and drives towards the town and the younger one starts to walk in the same direction. muttering under his breath. Holy fucking potato, what did I just hear. I stumble trying to get out of the woods and the guy turns around at lightning speed. He runs towards me and I curl up into a ball waiting for the impact, only to feel no pain. I glance up and see him holding out his hand. I don't take it and haul myself off the floor and brush off the gravel and stones. I brace myself to start running when he says, "Are you hurt?", I blink and shake my head.

"Why haven't you killed me yet? I mean I think we both now that I heard that whole conversation about you killing-" he cuts me off.

"Then you also know that I don't want to kill anybody, let alone an obvious teenage runaway."

"I-"

"Relax. I was once too, tramp is what they call me. whats your name?"

"Erm, my name is- my name is A-Alex" I lied.

"Well, Alex, you're going to do something for me."

"Oh yeah, what makes you think that?"

"Because I could call my boss and tell him we had an uninvited guest at our meeting. He wouldn't mind taking out a teenage runaway if he thinks they're a threat to his plans." I read his face and underneath his tough exterior I can see his fear towards his 'boss' and I know he's serious, he continues, "I can give you a home until you're 18, all you have to do is go back to school. We have a deal?"

I nod vigorously, all I need to do is go to school for a few months, then when I'm 18 I can get out of here, I'll be free, "Deal, but you're my protection until I'm 18, even if this whole 'situation' isn't over, I'm out of here. Got it?"

"Yeah kid, I 'got' it.", he gives me a dopey grin and motions for me to follow him towards town, which looks to be a 30 or 40 minute walk down a straight never ending road, "Alex, lets go meet the family."

Good going Emma, you may become a suspect in a murder case if this goes wrong. We enter the town 37 minutes later. Another 16 minutes later we're sat in 'Tramps' sitting room he gave me a glass of water and a portion of his wife's left over spaghetti from their dinner yesterday. His wife enters the room and pulls Tramp into a hug, "Travis, please don't do that again. I thought you were dead." so that's his real name.

"It takes more then a silly ol' meeting with a psycho to take out the infamous Tramp, you know that."

She looks at me and pulls out of the hug,"Who's this?" she looks between me and Tramp.

"That's why I asked you to come down here. Lady, this is Alex. She's going to help me with my...'case'. He doesn't want me to get dirt on Mills anymore, he wants me to 'take care' of her." Tramp says as Lady gasps.

"Travis, no you can not-"

"I'm not, I could never. But I can't let him down so I am taking Alex in, and in return, she is going to buy me time to figure out a way to get him off my case." He looks at me, "Here's the plan. My target is Regina Mills. she is a teacher at the local High School, you will do what ever is necessary to be where ever she is. Tutoring, detentions, stealing her diary and turning up where ever she goes. He won't expect me to kill her with an audience member, so that's exactly what you're going to be."

I looks at him, "Sooo, you want me to be a pain in the ass AND a teacher's pet at the same time?" I raise my eyebrow at him.

"Yes, from now on you'll be known as Alex Dawson, Lady's niece who came to live with us from Florida because your mom can't handle your behavioural problems any longer."

I nod taking everything in slowly, "Yeah, I got it. Be a pain in the ass that is obsessed with a teacher. That is a great plan Tramp. People are going to think I'm insane but okay I'd buy it."

"Awesome, I'll arrange it with the school, I'll personally ask for you to be put in Mill's homeroom, English and Psychology."

"Wont that look suspicious?" lady asks as I add a 'she's got a point' face to make it obvious.

"Henry Mills her little brother is in those classes and he comes to the garage all the time to try to help out. I'll just say that I want her in as many classes with him as possible." He says as though it's the most obvious plan in the world. I take a deep breath I hope that's going to work, "Anyway time for bed, Alex for now you can sleep in our room, there's a spare mattress in there for when the kids sneak into our room at night. It's currently unoccupied and the kids are fast asleep now so you can take it. You can take it until we can set up the garage or the study as your room."

So that's chapter 1. review if you enjoy or if you have any criticism for me.

Aster.