This is AU. You can guess where it will go, it just might take a little time to get there. This is set in the time between college and university.

Emily

"Emily wake up." Why was Katie in my dream trying to get me to wake up?

"Emily Wake Up!" I turned my head and looked at the clock, 2:47 am.

"Go away Katie, I am sleeping"

"Where is your phone?"

"Use your own phone, some, where, else!" I turned my back to her hoping she would take the hint.

"Where is your phone?" No such luck. Katie on a mission, no stopping until she gets what she is after.

"Pocket of my blue jacket, I think. Can I go back to sleep?"

I hear her search through the jackets hung behind the door and then the thump of a small object hitting the floor. Damn she could be a little more careful with my stuff... The sound of her stiletto heal smashing the glass face of the phone had me awake. I bounced to a sitting position giving her a death stare that would have killed most mortals. On her it had no effect.

"What the fuck is your problem? I just got that phone! You are buying me a new one as soon as the sun comes up!"

"Now that I have your attention we need to talk." All the intensity and drive was gone from her voice. "I, well we have a problem."

I made her explain it to me four times, three different ways, and after an additional ten minute Q&A I think I had the just of the situation. Her current ex-boyfriend was the scum that scum wiped off their shoes, and she was guilty by association. And the unfortunate part I played was by being her twin I looked a lot like her. 'Thanks Katie.' I think that will be my new mantra.

Joel had the 'Katie Fitch Trifecta', nice clothes, nice car, good in bed. Her rating not mine, I was so glad at that moment I liked girls. I am sure not all males are as bad as Joel but he was bring the average way down. Sure he had lots of time and money to spend on Katie, but that was because he was running drugs. And he and his mate Trevor thought it would be OK to skim a little of the top and deal it on the side. The higher ups had come to town to discuses corporate loyalty, Trevor had turned up dead and is girl Sara was missing. And Joel assumed he and Katie were next on the meet and great list.

"So go to the police."

"With what 'I think my boyfriend might be a drug dealer and bad men might be after us'? I don't have enough to get them picked up, if I even knew who they were, which I don't. And then I would be a snitch and a bigger target."

"Have you got a better idea?"

"Mom and Dad said we could take a gap year and travel, sounds like a good time to start."

"Run away?" I asked in disbelief.

"Travel."

"Last I checked that cost money." She picked up her clutch from her bed and dropped a not very small wad of cash in my lap. "What the f..."

"About four thousand," she replied before I could curse again.

"Drug money?"

"Most likely. I made Joel give me some travel money. There should be enough for both of us to go far away." She reached into her clutch again and dropped her cell phone in my lap. It was in no better shape then mine. "Get a new phone when you get where you are going. Disposable with a new number." Kate had watched the Bourne series last week, and must have been taking notes. OK I watched with her, Julia Stiles has a great smile. "We tell no one where we are going, we go our separate ways and meet up in a month."

"OK supper spy, how do we do that if we can't contact each other?"

"You remember the hotel we had tea at on our 10th birthday?"

"The Empress Hotel in Victoria Canada."

"I'll meet you in front on the water side on the 17th of next month, for afternoon tea."

I stood up hugged her, and we each started packing. Thanks Katie, for thinking about both of us.

At 3:55 am we were both in the kitchen dressed in traveling clothes with backpacks loaded and ready to go.

Katie trying to be the big sister, "You have your passport, cash, anything else you might need?"

"Yes, do you?"

"Yes. Lets go."

We snuck out the back door, through the garden, through the neighbor's garden and onto the next street over. The walk to the rail station took about 45 minutes. I don't think we heard or saw another car or person. Katie went up and purchased tickets to London while I hung back and watched for suspicious looking types. You know, anyone more suspicious looking then us.

We found seats in the first car of the train and sat several rows apart with the idea we could make a scene if someone approached the other. I had just about decided we were being overly paranoid about the whole affair. Other then the engineer (I hoped), the conductor, Katie and I every one else on the train was asleep before the wheals started moving and didn't stir until we reached Kings Cross.

Katie picked up a Bristol paper from the news stand and found a story on one of the inside pages. A young woman matching Sara's description had been found yesterday afternoon floating face down in a park pond. Katie leaned in close and in twin speak whispered "I am going to Canada, you go to America. See you on the 17th. I will get word to Mom, Dad and James in Edinburgh."

I answered her in our private language "Thanks Katie." It really was becoming a mantra. "Be careful. I love you."

"Love you too." She turned and walked away, not looking back.

This was not my first trip to London, but this time felt different. It wasn't like getting on the train and going to a concert, or on a shopping trip. This was being away from home, in a foreign place. The first thing was how to get out of here. Buying a ticket on line was not going to work if I was paying in cash, and I needed a destination. That was a good place to start, where would I like to go. Los Angeles or San Francisco were both good west cost options, easy destinations. But Seattle had always been on my travel list and it was close to Victoria, so Seattle it was.

With that settled I felt a little better. As I walked through the station I passed a news stand. A copy of Heat and a packet of Garibaldi biscuits for the plane trip and I was starting to enjoy my adventure. The next stop was for coffee and a pastry and I was ready to search for a travel agent.

I walked in the door of the agency and should have turned and walked back out. It was not a welcoming 'hello how can I help you?' but a sideways glance over the top of her romance novel as she sized me up.

"Yes?" came the voice from behind the book as she read the next paragraph.

"Do you sell airline tickets from this office?"

And the demeanor changed, "Why yes. What can I help you with?" She showed me a number of flight options and booked me a ticket on a non stop over night flight. She was a little taken back by the cash sale but I assured her it all came out of my money jar on my desk and that I had been saving for a long time. She helped me through the Visa Waver Program, and assured me I should be able to travel today. All was good until she realized I was not going to purchase any hotel or upgrades and then it was back to her book. In the end she got her commission and I got my ticket, and I had about 10 hours to get to the airport.

I wandered a bit aimlessly, until I stopped for some reason in front of a beauty salon and stared at the window. The little "should I vs. I shouldn't" debate went on in my head for a moment. The final vote was yes and I went in the door. The welcome was much warmer then the last stop. "What can we do for you today?"

"I am going on holiday and want to do something fun and different with my hair."

"Of course love, right this way. What were you thinking, cut, color or both?"

I sat my backpack in the corner and followed her to the chair. Sitting down and staring my self in the mirror "Red. Bright red."

I took one last look in the mirror. Gone was Katie's little shadow along with the brown hair. The girl looking back had sass and looked ready for an adventure. I thanked the stylist one last time and headed out the door. I had thought about this "adventure thing" a lot since 4 am. I had wanted to take a gap and travel, but I also thought I would be traveling with my sister. Heading out by one's self was a little scary. At the same time there were parts of this adventure I was looking forward too. I got to choose what I wanted to do, instead of Katie making the decisions. And a break from Mandy was also high on the list. She had been fun to go to parties with, hold hands with and even kiss once or twice. But she wanted to do more and I didn't. It wasn't the nicest way to leave. In fact it was pretty rotten on my part, but so far she had not taken any of my hints. Katie braking my phone avoided all the calls and texts wanting to know where I was and when I was coming back. OK this one was deserved, 'Thanks Katie.'

A few hours later I was sitting in a middle seat in a 747 bound for Seattle and for at least a month or two a new life. To my left the open window seat, to my right between me and the aisle was an over weight 40 something business man who did not want to be traveling but was more then happy to chat up the young red head sitting in my seat. Someone save me please. As if on queue a voice in the aisle said "I think that is my seat."

I had not been looking that direction both for fear of encouraging Mr Friendly and that someone even worse would sit in the other seat. I looked towards the voice and found the most beautiful deep blue eyes. The short blond hair and lovely face just completed the package. Some how I lost all control, and was unable to look away, form words, move out of her way and for a moment breathe. I must have regained some ability to speak, although I wish a hadn't, because I was sure I herd myself say aloud "Thanks Katie."

Let me know what you think. Would you read the next chapter? Thank you to those that read and reviewed my last piece.