A/N: So this is a one-shot broken into three (maybe four) parts. Hope you enjoy (well...it's kinda sad so...enjoy is used lightly)...and don't forget to leave a review!

New York

"Rose, how much longer until we can take a rest?"

"We're almost there, Liss. It's like another block or two away."

"You've been saying that for the last four blocks," Lissa mumbled before hesitantly continuing. "Rose...I'm hungry."

"They'll have food there, I promise. We'll make it before dinner ends."

"No Rose...hungry," emphasize the blonde. The brunette's steps faltered as realization hit, but when they continued they had a new sense of determination in them.

A block or two later…

"How can I help you girls?" asked the lady behind the reception desks.

"Um...do you have any um...rooms left? Or a bed?" Rose asked, unsure of what the right phrasing was since this was their first time.

Rose what if they don't have any left? Lissa asked in her mind. They had discovered a while ago that Rose could read Lissa's thoughts, feel her emotions when they were heightened, but Lissa couldn't read Rose's mind.

Rose shot her best friend a sympathetic look that also told her that everything was going to be ok.

"We do have a room left, but it only has one bed and it's a twin."

"That's fine," Rose said, relieved at their stroke of luck. "We'll take it."

"Ok then. Sign in here and go to the kitchen, they might still have dinner out. If not there is someone there packing things up so you can ask if they have anything left."

"Ok thanks." The lady gave them a map and explained the rules of the shelter. It's only for one night, the showers have a timer, and even though they have the room to themselves, the doors are to remain unlocked and there is always the possibility of room changing.

As they walked to the kitchen they stopped at their room and closed the door. Rose sat on the bed and swept her hair to one side and craned her head to expose her neck better. Lissa sat down next to her. She barred her fangs and leaned in, her teeth piercing Rose's soft neck and releasing the high-inducing endorphins while Lissa fed enough to last another three days but not too much to risk Rose's health. When she was finished she laid Rose down and went to the kitchen to get food. Even though it was only six, the kitchen had in fact finished serving dinner but still had some out. Lissa was able to get enough for her and Rose without getting a plate that looked too big for her. As she walked back to the room one she overheard some girls talking about a movie night going on in a few hours. Hopefully Rose is awake enough so we can join, she thought as she realized how long it's been since they've had a fun night.

They've been on the run for a month. Before they broke out of the academy, they had transferred Lissa's money to a different account so no one would notice when they withdrew from it. When they left, they had taken out a few thousand so they could grab flight tickets for New York. When they got to NYC, they came across an elderly couple that lived alone in a house with an extra room. Lissa compelled them to never enter that room and until today they had lived there, going to the local high school (where they had compelled administration to let them enroll). However, this afternoon when they were walking back to their room they noticed a car in the driveway and when they peeked inside they noticed the couple's child had come over, luggages were by the door. After rushingly gathering their few belongings, they realized they didn't have enough money to get a plane or train ride to another destination, so they decided to stay the night at Lost Girls Shelter for Teenage Girls, figure out where they want to go next, and go to the bank tomorrow to get the money they needed.

When Rose woke up, she was starving and ate most of the food that Lissa brought. At the mention of movie night, her mood perked up and agreed to go. But first thing first, where were they going to fly off to next?

California was Rose's vote while Maine was Lissa's. Neither would chose anything in the middle, Lissa suggested Washington next and Rose suggested Georgia. They made up their minds. Maine, then Georgia, and then California, and then Washington. Deciding to only take out five hundred dollars, the girls freshened up a bit and left to go watch whatever movie was on.

Out of movies like the enchanting Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the twistingly comedic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the action packed Fantastic four, and suspenseful House of Wax, the movie that won was the goofy classic Clueless. Nothing can beat Cher and her friends and their funny high school adventures. After a night of laughs and recites, the shelter had some late night snacks out for the girls. After grabbing some cookies and milk, Rose and Lissa started talking with some girls, one girl left a mark.

"Cute shoes! Where did you get them," said this short, blonde girl. She looked like she was somewhere about 10 years old. She had this haunted look in her eyes, like she was afraid of something. Her cheeks gaunt, that once were full with smiles and joy, now took in amazement Lissa's glittery flats, a keepsake from her time at the Academy since they were the pair of shoes she had on the night they left but were in a condition that they still looked good as new

"Umm actually I don't know," Lissa said. "They were a gift actually."

"Oh," said the little girl, extending her hand as she introduced herself. "I'm Lita by the way."

"Lissa," she said with a small laugh. "And this is my best friend Rose." Rose extended her hand with a smile. Both friends couldn't help but realize that this poor little girl looked like an unnurture version of Lissa, with darker hair and a loss of innocence Lissa had only recently departed with as well, and it tugged their hearts to see her in this shelter.

"How old are you?" Rose asked, wondering why she was here.

"12…"

"12?! Why aren't you home?" Lissa asked, appalled.

"This is my home," Lita said, looking down as the pain crept back in her. It's been a year since she left but the pain hurts just as much as it did when she left. Lissa and Rose took her into their room for privacy as she told them her story. "My dad left before I was born….and my mom...my mom was used drugs. All I can remember is that she was never home, when she wasn't working I assume she was off at some crack house. I remember feeling like there was a part of me that I didn't know about, like there was something to me that I had yet to discover. I still feel that way, but I've learned to deal with and to do things to define myself how I want to be known as, makes sense?" She pauses as Rose and Lissa nod their heads. "I don't know which I prefer though, here getting high out of house or in the kitchen. I mean, why would you do that in front of your child? Just thinking about it makes me shiver. But the worst part were her 'boyfriends' they always would come in laughing, looking like a drugged up happy couple. I'd stay in my room, doing homework or just drawing, anything really to keep myself busy. And then I would hear shouting, and then footsteps, and then my door would open. I would try to fight him off, but he would just beat me. I would call out to my mom and say 'ouch'….but no one would come and so I would just turn and look at my wall and try not to think about it." Lissa and Rose gasped when they understood what she meant.

"Where was your mom?" Rose asked, sensing how uncomfortable Lissa was to ask herself.

"Knocked out on the couch," Lita said, the hurt and blame evident in her voice. "When he would leave and my mom would wake up, I tried to telling her but she wouldn't listen. She wouldn't believe me, or worse she'd blame me, saying I'm trying to take away her happiness." The tears streaming down her face as she continued. "I felt so alone, my mom left me to face the world on my own. My home was really a living hell, I couldn't stay there. So…one of the days she was gone, I grabbed my clothes and packed. I ran away and never looked up."

"Oh my god," Rose said in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry," Lissa said, pulling her into a hug.

With a small smile, Lita waved it off. "It's been 3 years, and every time I share my story it hurts like when I lived it, but afterwards I feel better because I got out of there. I may not live in better home, but I'm around people that can relate to me and that take care of me, I'm happy and I'm in a healthy, loving environment. It's everything my old house wasn't." Lissa and Rose nod their heads in understanding. "So what brings you guys here?"

Lissa looks down at her hands, slightly ashamed for what led them here, while Rose fidgets in uncomfortableness. "Lissa's different from our peers and we're scared of what happens if they found out, so we ran away from our boarding school. Lissa's parents died and I never met my dad and my mom's never around. We came to New York and came here for the night until we can find a way to get to Maine." Rose says, being evasive with the situation.

"Oh," Lita said, her lips forming the "o" shape for emphasis. "Well you should see if they have a Lost Girls in Maine. Oh! Write to me, I'll still be here." She genuinely smiled at them.

"We'll do that," Rose said with a chuckle. Lita then got up and bade the girls good night, wishing them a safe trip and the three girls promising to keep in touch.

"Rose…"

"Lissa, Don't go there. We did what we had to do to keep you safe, just like Lita did what she had to do to safe herself."

"But Rose, we don't even know for sure how the academy would have reacted. Maybe they would have found a way to work with my abilities."

"No Lissa. They would have sent you to a psych ward or used you like a lab rat. I'm your Guardian and I did what I thought - and still think - is in your best interest."

"Can we…" Lissa began as she and Rose go into bed.

"No! No. Way. Look, I get it, you feel bad for her. But we can't take her with us while we're on the run. It's too risky. Plus, you heard her, she's made a home here, we can't take her away from that. Liss," Rose said cutting off her best friends thoughts. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we'll go to the bank and head off to Maine. We'll send Lita a postcard or something."

"Fine. Maybe we can ask if there is a Lost Girls in Maine before we leave, it felt nice not having to compel our way into here."

"I know. We will. Goodnight, Lissa."

"Good night, Rose."

A/N: up next...MAINE! Let's see who they run into there, and what their story is... ciao!