Okay I first posted this story yesterday, and there were a few things that needed addressed. I am aware that it is against the guidelines to include real people in a story but this is not the only fic that does. If you don't like it then don't read it. Thanks.
"Hey Mum, I'm home!" I call shutting the front door behind me, before walking into the kitchen where she is emptying the dishwasher. I walk over to the fridge and start moving the contents around. "Mum, do we have any more Dr. Pepper left?" I ask turning to face her.
"Under the bottles of water in that draw." She points at the draw at the bottom of the fridge. I turn back to the fridge, pull open the draw and rummage through it until I find what I'm looking for. Holding it in one hand, I close the draw and shut the fridge door. "Got it."
"Good time with your Dad and Steph?"
"Yeah, I guess so." I say leaning against the side and taking a drink from my bottle.
"Yeah, I know. I'm gonna go upstairs."
"Okay, and India?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you hand in your reply slip for parents evening tomorrow?"
"Yeah, this morning."
"Good, six o'clock right?"
"Yep." I answer pushing myself away from the side and heading out of the room. I walk upstairs into my bedroom and dump my bags on the floor before going over to my bed. I kick off my trainers once I sit down and pull off my coat. I exit the room and pull the door, so that it's almost shut, and then make my way back down stairs. "Mum, I'm gonna have a quick shower, are there some towels in the cuboard?."
"Yeah,don't be long though, I have a shift at the café tonight." She answers looking up at me from the sofa. "Okay." I then head back upstairs and into the bathroom.
Half an hour later and Mum's gone, leaving just me in the house. I decide to make myself something to eat, so I once again go into the kitchen, this time to the freezer, and get a readymade serving of macaroni cheese out. I place it in the microwave and set it off for three and a half minutes, while it is cooking, I run upstairs to get my Dr. Pepper then I head back downstairs into the kitchen. I grab a tray and a fork just as the microwave beeps signalling my food is ready, so I place them down and remove it from inside. I put it on the tray and head into the living room. Just as I am about to sit down, there is a loud knock on the door. I place the tray down on the sofa and race to the door so it doesn't wake Emma up. I pull it open to reveal two police officers. "Hello, we're looking for a Miss India James, is this the correct address?"
"Yeah, that's me can I help you?"
"Can we speak with your guardians please?"
"I just live with my Mum and she's working."
"Can we come in India?"
"Uh, yeah sure, the living rooms that way." I step to the side allowing them room to come in, they head in the direction of the living room and after closing the door, I follow. I take the tray from the sofa and move it onto the coffee table.
"Okay, shoot." I say gesturing for them to start speaking. The officer closest to me cleared her throat before sitting down opposite me on the sofa. "Would we be right to believe that your mother is a Ms. Kathryn James and your father is a Mr. Michael James?"
"Yes."
"And your father lives... At The Castle Inn. Which is located opposite the school?"
"Yes, but what has that got it do with anything? Why are you here?"
"We've been assigned to your case."
"What case? What are you talking about?"
"Twelve years ago there was a woman who was holidaying in London with her child, while she was on a break from her job. While she was on holiday her child was taken away from her. And we have reason to believe that the people that took the child were in fact your parents."
"So that means... That I... No."
"Yes India, I'm afraid so. We need you to gather your things and come with us."
"No, I-I can't. You're lying. It can't be true. Mum and dad would never do anything like that."
"We're very sorry however it is the truth. Now please go and get your things."
"No you're wrong, you're lying!" I yell starting to panic. "Calm down Miss James."
"Please. They can't have, they wouldn't."
"Shh. Shh. Calm down. You need to talk to us for us to help you." The female officer says standing in front of me, placing her hands on my shoulders. I take a few deep breaths before regaining control over myself. "Okay now India, I need you to get your things together. Can you show me where your room is?" I nod and take a step back, gesture for her to follow me and head upstairs. Once we reach the top, I push open my bedroom door. I move to stand next to the bed and wait for her to say something.
"Do you have a suitcase?" I nod slowly. "It's on top of the wardrobe." I answer and she moves to lift it down, placing it on the bed shortly after. " I need to have a word with my co-worker downstairs. Are you okay to start getting ready?" I nod giving her a watery smile and she smiles back before turning and exiting the room. When she's gone, I open my suitcase and empty out the bags from my Dad's. I start by putting some of my favourite shoes in, followed by some clothes and pyjamas. I then throw in a bunch of underwear, bras and socks, a blanket from when I was little, a picture of me with my Mum and Dad and one of me and my boyfriend, Tom. My phone charger and my laptop along with some books and my iPod. I look around my room to see if there any more of my belongings to pack just now and as I turn to grab some more of my things, my phone buzzes. I reach for it and unlock it, Mum. Warning me not to eat the leftovers in the fridge because she wants them when she gets in. And I don't know how to reply, I mean do I tell her the police are taking me away or just leave her oblivious. I decide to leave it for now and text her later, I put it on silent and then place it face down on my bed. Just as I move to more clothes, there is a knock on the door and the female officer walks in smiling softly. "Are you almost ready?"
I nod. "Yeah."
"Good. What time does your mother usually return from work?"
"It ranges between half seven and eight."
"Well then we better get a move on, do you need a hand?"
"No thank you. I'm okay."
"Alright. Have you had any contact with either of your parents since we arrived?"
"My mum text me, but I didn't reply because I didn't know what to say." I reply sadly.
"What did she say?"
"Nothing really, she was just checking up on me like she does whenever she goes to work." I lie shrugging.
"I need you to reply like you usually would, like everything is fine. It's important that we get you out of here before she returns."
"Why? She would never do anything to hurt me."
"Maybe so. But that's not a risk we can take."
I nod once again and turn back to my suitcase. I start folding the clothes, placing them on top of my photos, then I turn and grab my overnight bag and put it on my bed next to the suitcase. "Where are we going?" I ask wondering what's going to happen. "Well until everything is sorted out, you will be staying in a hotel about forty-five minutes away that we often place children in."
"H-how long will I be there?"
"I'm not sure just now, it all depends on the way things go." I nod.
"What about the rest of my things?"
"We'll come back for them in a few days, so make sure to just bring essentials."
"Will everything fit in the car?"
"We came in a van because we knew you would need to bring a lot of your things."
"Oh, okay. I'm just going to get some stuff from the bathroom I won't be long." She then nods and I leave the room and go into the bathroom. I grab a toiletry bag, close the lid on the toilet and place it on top. I get my toothbrush, toothpaste, my shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, my make up and make up remover. Then once I have everything out the bathroom, I go into Mums room and take one of the tops she wears the most and spray some of her favourite perfume over it. Then I go back to my bedroom and put that stuff in the case, I also add my straighteners, hair dryer, hairbrush and other hair accessories along with some jewellery.
Fifteen minutes later and we are downstairs again waiting by the door. The two police officers are going back and forward to the car with our stuff, while I stand just inside the house. "Ready?" The male officer asks and I nod. We head up the path and over to the police car and he opens the door for me. "Wait." I jump back out of the car. "I need my headphones."
"Okay, where are they?" He sighs impatiently. "They're in my Mums car over there, I know where the keys are."
"Okay go on. Get the keys and then get them." I head back over to the house and go in before quickly returning with the keys. I go over to Mum's car to get my headphones coming back soon after re-locking the car. "I'll just put this last bag in and then you can get in." He says. I turn hearing someone calling my name. "Indie!" He yells running towards us. "Indie, what's going on?" He says when he reaches me.
"We need to go now." The male officer interrupts before I can answer so I turn to face him. "Please. Just give me five minutes. Please." I ask and he nods clearly annoyed. We move slightly away from the car to get some privacy before starting to speak. "Talk to me Ind." He says softly. "Why are the police here? Where are you going?"
"They're taking me away." I say finally letting out my tears and he pulls me into his arms. "What are you talking about? Taking you where?"
"I don't know exactly, I just know that we're going to stay at a hotel about three-quarters of an hour away."
"Why? When will you be back?"
"Mum and Dad they did something, something really bad Tom. I don't think they'll let me come back." I cry harder now realising there's a good chance I won't see him again for a while. "Hey, it's gonna be okay." He whispers into my hair. "You can't know that. Tom, I-"
"India, we need to go." One of the officers calls over, I turn and nod before looking back at Tom to find him staring down at me. "I need to go." I say barely above a whisper.
I kiss his cheek and then pull away, I stay put for another minute while he hugs me again. He kisses my forehead and whispers goodbye again, then I turn away and start heading over to the van. "Ready?" The female officer asks and I nod. "Wait!" I hear Tom shout as he runs over to us. I spin round to face him and he grips my free hand. "Let me come with you." I stand there shocked not knowing what to say. "Excuse me sir but India is leaving now." I hear one of the officers say and I snap out of my daze. "No, please. Let him come too, please." I beg. "I'm sorry India but your friend here is in no way related to the situation and we can't just take him. I'm sure he has parents here that will not want him to go."
"My parents couldn't care less quite frankly. I was sixteen four months ago and applied for emancipation as soon as I could. They didn't even put up a fight, they were happy to see me go. So they're really not an issue." He adds.
"If he can't come then I'm not coming either. Please let him."
The female officer sighs before saying. "Fine. Okay. But we need to go now, your Mum will be back soon."
"Great." I smile victoriously, "Then we can go." I walk over to the back door of the van, before climbing into the middle of the back seat, since there is a bag on one of the seats, soon followed by Tom. Once my belt's on I lean my head against Tom's chest and he puts his arm around my shoulders. "Don't you need any stuff?" I whisper softly.
"It doesn't matter I can always buy some stuff and come back for more in a few days or something." He shrugs and I nod trying to stifle a yawn, which I fail at because he notices and pulls me closer to him. "Sleep Indie, I've got you. I'll wake you if anyone needs you." I nod and close my eyes allowing the darkness to claim me.
"Indie... Indie." I wake to Tom shaking me lightly and calling my name, I sit up slightly and see that we're parked outside a hotel. "We're here, we need to get out now."
"Where did the police go?"
"They're taking the last of the stuff in, they told me to wake you." I nod and Tom gets out of the van and waits for me to get out. He then wraps his arm around my shoulders, steering me inside. Once we are inside we are lead up to our room on the third floor. When we get inside I move over to the sofa on the other side of the room where Tom and the police officers are sitting. I sit down next to Tom and take a deep breath. "What happens now?" I ask tiredly.
"Well, DI Simons is going back to the station, and I will be in room 109 across the hall." The female officer answers. "You guys get some sleep and then we will talk again in the morning." She finishes as her and DI Simons stand and leave the room. "Have you eaten yet Ind?" Tom asks looking at me. "I was going to, then the police came so I didn't get the chance. But I'm not really hungry anymore."
"You should eat something though."
"Please Tom, not now."
"Okay."
"I'm gonna go down to reception, I need something to drink ."
"I'll come with you, I'm wanted to buy something to drink for later anyways." I nod standing up again.
A few minutes later and we are downstairs heading over to the main desk, and there is a woman arguing with a receptionist. "I need to see her, you can't stop me!" She yells. "I'm sorry Miss but you can't, that information is private." The receptionist replies calmly. As we get closer, the woman's face comes into view. "Oh my god Tom! That's Jennifer Morrison! She's amazing!" I exclaim loud enough for the woman to turn around to face us, she smiles briefly before turning back to the receptionist and lowering her voice slightly. After a few minutes, she moves away to make a call and we step forward to ask about finding a vending machine or something. They tell us where the closest one is, and I head over to some chairs to wait for Tom to come back from a vending machine with some drinks. Though when he comes back, he doesn't have any drinks and he's not alone. There standing next to him is Jennifer Morrison and I am left speechless, frozen in my seat. I stand slowly opening and closing my mouth a few times. "H-hi, y-you're J-Jennifer Morrison." I stumble.
"Yeah. I am." She chuckles. "Your boyfriend here told me you're a fan of mine." She says and I nod vigorously. "Yes of course, you're amazing." She laughs again, oh my god, I'm in heaven. This is amazing. "Okay so we know who I am, but what are your names?"
"Oh right, sorry. This is Tom and I'm Indie." I say and she looks conflicted for a minute, but just as she opens her mouth to speak, another voice interrupts. "India, you need to go back upstairs, you're supposed to be in your room. Tom. Will you take them back upstairs please?" It's the female officer, she's now standing beside me trying to usher me back upstairs. "Wait. Just give me a minute, please." I answer.
"No, you need to go now. Go on."
"You don't understand! This is Jennifer Morrison! She's my favourite actress; I had a poster of her in my bedroom back at home. Please!" I beg. "You've already made me leave my Mum and Dad, please just let me speak to her."
"India. You know why we brought you here; your parents are bad people. They're not even your biological parents; it wasn't safe to leave you there. I'm sure you'll see Miss Morrison another time, upstairs now." She replies calmly.
"You can't know that, it's impossible to know that. I'm fourteen, I can't afford to go to the meet and greet things." I say desperately, the officer turns to face Jennifer and holds a hand up to me to stop me from speaking. "Miss Morrison, will you please tell India that you will be around the hotel for a few more days." She says and Jennifer turns to me.
"It's true, I will be here for a while, I don't know how long it will be. Can I talk to you for a minute, um..." She says gesturing at the officer to tell her, her name. "DI Matthews."
"Right. Well can we talk over there please." She says and DI Matthews follows her over to the other side of the reception.
Jennifer's P.O.V
"How can I help you." DI Matthews asks once we are across the room from the kids I just met. "That girl over there..." I trail off unsure of how to finish my sentence. "India?" She replies and I nod. "Why is she here? She said something about you taking her away from her parents, what did she mean? Who is she?"
"I'm assuming you already know the answer to that, who she is I mean."
I look at her confused. "I know who you are Miss Morrison, and why you're at this hotel right now. I am aware of the situation with your daughter and I am also one of the officers working on her case."
"Is she..."
"Yes. India is your daughter."
"Then why can't she speak to me? Why does she have to go upstairs?"
"Before India can find out who you are, we need to thoroughly assess the situation. Think about it, if you had just found out that the people you thought were your parents your whole life, had taken you from your real family and on top of that, you were being taken away from your home, your school, your friends, all the people you love... India needs eased in to this."
"So when will she find out then?"
"We will most likely gradually tell her little things until she knows everything, but until then she will be staying here."
"Can I still see her?"
"In a few days maybe, but at the minute, it's probably best if you keep your distance..."
"But..."
"Miss Morrison, you need to understand that we are talking about a living, breathing fourteen year old girl. A girl that up until about an hour ago, thought she knew who her parents are. You just need to be patient. Do you understand?"
"Yes." I answer sadly.
"Good. Now, I suggest you get some rest yourself, I need to make sure that India is in her room."
"Can I at least walk up there with you guys, just this once."
"Fine, let's go." We turn and head back over to where Indie was waiting to find the boy she was with, Tom I think was his name. "Tom, where's India?" DI Matthews asks once we get to him. "She went to get something to drink. She won't be long." He answers putting his hands in his pockets. "How old are you then?"
"Sixteen." Just then Indie comes back holding two bottles of Dr. Pepper, two bottles of diet coke and two bottles of water. "Here, let me help you." I say taking three of the bottles from her. She smiles up at me with a shy thank you. "Right let's go." DI Matthews says ushering the kids towards the elevator. Once we get upstairs, I realise that I'm actually staying in the room to the left of Indie's. Tom unlocks the door of their room and takes the drinks off me and Indie and puts them on top of a desk. He removes his jacket and puts it on the back of a chair. "Thanks for talking to me, and um, helping me carry the bottles. I'm sorry for taking up your time, I know you probably had better things to do." Indie says shyly and I smile at her. "Really, it's no trouble. I enjoyed talking to you. What makes you think I had better things to do?"
"Well maybe not better, other. Which was probably still better." She answers.
"What?"
"You looked busy before... downstairs I mean." I look at her puzzled and she comes towards me and whispers in my ear. "When you were shouting at that man at reception." My mind flooded with the realisation of the fact that she had heard me yelling. "Oh, right. I'm sorry you heard that."
"It's fine, it's not like it's any of my business anyway. But for the record, whoever the "she" is that you wanted to see, I'm sure you'll see her soon. I mean who wouldn't want to talk to you or spend time with you? You're so cool." She says out loud this time and without even thinking about it I move forward and pull her into my arms, embracing her in a hug. She stands there awkwardly, not knowing what to do and it breaks my heart. It shouldn't be like this, she's my daughter not some complete stranger. She pulls away and I turn my head away to wipe my tears away so she doesn't see. She turns to DI Matthews. "Is there a DVD player in there?" She asks and the officer replies with a nod. She then turns to me hesitantly. "It's okay, go." I say and she nods. "Goodnight Indie."
"Uh, yeah, um goodnight." She replies before turning to Tom, who goes in the room puts a DVD in the player and goes to sit on the bed. "Wait, you're staying in the same room?" I ask thinking about the fact that she is fourteen. "Yeah, why?" She answers defensively. "No reason, um, I'll let you go now." I say and I turn and head to my room next door, practically slamming it behind me. Once inside, I break down. So I fling myself down on the bed and pull one of Indie's teddies from before she was taken, to my chest and just cry.