A/N: Unlike the other story, this is all in Edmund's POV. Enjoy.
I own nothing.
I was sitting in the classroom at the Saint Elizabeth Orphanage for children, trying my best to pay attention to the lesson. However, my mind kept wandering to the fact that in about thirty minutes, Linda was going to come and cart me off to another foster home; another family who supposedly "wanted me".
"Edmund Miller!" I snapped my head forward, looking at Mrs. Macready, the teacher who was hired out to teach the poor, unfortunate orphans who have nowhere else to go.
"Yes ma'am." I answered obediently. She just glared at me.
"Why are you staring at the clock and not paying attention to the lesson?" Everyone turned to look at me, and I just shot her a smirk. I was leaving in twenty five minutes.
"What you're teaching isn't that interesting." There was a collective gasp and Mrs. Macrabby just stared at me like a fish out of water, before pointing at the door.
"Out." I stood up, grabbed my books and walked out of the door with a cheeky grin. I decided to wait in the dorm until Linda got here, which was in ten minutes. I walked into the dorm and flopped on my bed, before Anne came in and sat beside me.
"I heard what you said in class. That was amazing!" I grinned at her as she scooted closer.
"Well, I figure I'm leaving today, might as well have some fun with it." She gave a tiny pout, before lying down on the bed beside me.
"I think I'm gonna miss you." I didn't say anything, just wrapped my arm around her waist. I wasn't going to lie and say I would miss her as well, because I honestly wouldn't, but I guess she took that as enough of an answer, because she turned in my arms and pressed her lips to mine. I dominated the kiss, running my hands up her stomach, as her hand grabbed my shoulder, pulling me closer.
It was about to get really good, when the dorm door slammed open and the heels of the nun's sensible shoes got closer to my bunk. She saw us lying on the bed together, our lips swollen from the impressive make-out session we had just enjoyed.
"Edmund Miller, for the sake of your soul, I hope you get adopted soon." I just grinned cheekily at her, untangling myself from Anne.
"I take it Linda is here?" The nun gave a small growl, grabbing my arm and yanking me down the distance of the dorm, barely giving me time to grab my duffel bag.
When we reached the front desk, the nun who had dragged me the length of the building shoved me at Linda, so I stumbled and almost fell down. Linda took one good look at me, before shaking her head and turning back to the paperwork she was filling out.
"Don't bother changing the guardian on this one. I'm not going to fill out the paperwork, only for him to be back in two days." I turned and glared at her, hoping I had some effect on her evil, evil heart.
"The confidence you have in me touches my defective heart." I told her, in an extremely sarcastic tone. Linda pinched me from behind.
"I extend my kindness to those who want to accept God, not those who take advantage of young girls in the bunk room." Instead of responding, telling her that Anne was the one who came on to me, I just glared at her. I'll let the nuns think crap about me, doesn't matter, but Anne cares what people think of her.
"Let's go Edmund." Linda said, pulling me, much gentler than the nun, toward the front door.
Once I was comfortably in the front of the car, with my duffle thrown in the back, I turned to Linda, "So you know that I wasn't trying to take advantage of any young girls, right?" She gave a sigh as she moved to turn out of the city.
"Yes, I know, but would it kill you to try and behave for this family?" Linda asked, glancing quickly at me. I grabbed my chest in fake agony.
"I'm dying!" Linda didn't think this was funny, and proved it by thumping me on the forehead. I rubbed the spot with a scowl on my face, "So who is this family?"
"Digory and Polly Kirke. They're an older couple from Felimath."
"Felimath? As in where Susan used to live Felimath?" I asked with an incredulous look on my face. Hadn't we tried the hoity toity type, they sent me back with one look. Damn nun is gonna be right!
"Yes, they run a horse ranch and needed someone who could help around the ranch, and be independent because they're a little too old to be raising a six-year-old." I laughed a little, "What's so funny?"
"Well, just the other day you told me my maturity level was that of a four-year-old." I laughed again, "Do they know they're getting a fourteen-year-old toddler?" Linda laughed and I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window.
"Some facts I left out when I was finding a family." I laughed and yawned, before falling into a deep sleep.
Three hours later, Linda was shaking me trying to wake me up.
"Wake up Edmund!" She said with a particularly hard shove, "We're almost there." I heaved a sigh, sitting up and blinking blearily.
"Do I really have to do this?" Linda turned and looked at me funny, "She was right. Two days, at most." Linda sighed, grabbing my hand.
"Give them a chance Edmund, they might surprise you." I felt my temper start to rise, trying to control it like the anger management lady at the hospital taught me.
"I gave people a chance three failed adoptions ago, my faith is dwindling." My tone was biting and snarky, but I wasn't raging yet. Linda squeezed my hand tightly and I pulled away, rolling the window down to get some fresh air, doing my deep breaths, until the thoughts of the day that Linda told me she was trying to adopt me popped into my head. That's when I snapped, "YOU SAID YOU WANTED ME!" Linda pulled her car over to the side of the road, trying to pull me in for a hug, but I just shrugged her off.
"I do want you Edmund." I turned and glared at her.
"YEAH, IT SURE SEEMS LIKE IT!" I started to hyperventilate. Linda grabbed my shoulders, whispering calming words that I barely heard, I was too concentrated on slowing my breathing. Once I had managed to get my breath to a relatively normal level, Linda started to wipe the sweat off of my face. I barely noticed I had started to cry, something I hadn't done since I was seven and Susan was adopted and I was left alone in the home, "I don't want to be given back again. I hate not being wanted." Linda pulled me into a hug that, although I didn't return it, I allowed, "Even children's homes don't want me."
"I do want you, but the state won't let me adopt you. I can't get emotionally involved with a case." She whispered in my ear, rubbing circles on my back. I nodded, my breathing completely normal and my sobs died down. Linda reached into her purse, which was more like a small suitcase, and pulled out several wet wipes, handing them to me, "Get yourself cleaned up." She told me gently, leaning back over to the driver's side and starting the car again. I brushed my hair out of my face, using the wet wipes to dry my eyes and wipe the tear tracks and sweat marks off of my cheeks. Before pulling back onto the country road, Linda leaned over and kissed the top of my head. I gave her a small smile, hoping it would suffice for a thank you.