Wow... it's been so long... pretty sad when I have to go back and read my own story so that I can remember what I wrote. If you want to know why I've been gone, well I'm going to say life happened. I'm a junior in high school now so things a really crazy. But here it is. Won't be amazing because honestly I've kind of forgotten where I was going with this. But don't worry. I should know what I'm doing. Thank you all for the kind reviews that I've gotten. I just thought to check today and you guys have kept my spirits up for writing. Thank you all so much for your support! This is for you :) PS.. I know I had a picture and name change but please know that it IS still me.


With the noise downstairs and his father's booming voice echoing throughout the house every time he spoke, it was no surprise that Tancred woke up. He rubbed his eyes of sleep as a gentle breeze swept through his corn yellow hair, and looked at his alarm clock by his bedside. It was almost five o'clock in the morning.

Tancred, accepting his fate, got up out of bed and crept down the stairs to see what all the fuss was about. His mother was in the kitchen making three cups of tea while his father paced the floor in a fervent manner. The house was tidy thanks to his mother but his father still sent gusts throughout the kitchen and living room, making things flutter upwards.

"Having company, are we?" Tancred asked his mother. Mrs. Torosson gave her son a nod and said, "There's been some trouble in town. Mr. Yewbeam called. Apparently some broke into Ingledew's. Ms. Ingledew was put in the hospital for injury and Emma barely escaped with her life."

Tancred felt a panic rise in his chest. "Are they okay?" he asked, panicked.

"Calm down, they're fine," said his mother, handing him a cup of steaming tea. "Emma isn't safe, so Mr. Yewbeam has asked us to take care of her. He figures that no one would come for her here. They are on their way right now. Is that alright?"

Tancred looked at his mother in surprise. "You mean Emma will stay here? With us? For how long?"

"As long as it takes," answered his father. Mr. Torosson finally halted his frantic pacing a sat down on the sofa. Mrs. Torosson accompanied him, bringing him a cup of tea as well.

Tancred had many concerns flurrying in his mind. He couldn't help but worry for Emma. Of course she would be safe here but there was no way that he could guarantee it. And if anything DID happen to her... well, he wouldn't be able to stand himself.

To think that all of this was happening so quickly. Break-outs and break-ins, people attacking and Emma on the run, all for what? What did she matter to them? Why was she important to them? And an even more important question, to whom was she so important. It didn't make any sense.

After about five minutes of intense silence, save for his father's rain and wind outside, they heard a car pull into the driveway. Tancred's mother sighed tiredly and said, "That'll be them I suppose." Slipping on a pair of shoes she stepped out into the cold of the night with her husband and son following close behind.

"Mr. Yewbeam!" boomed Mr. Torosson. The dark form of Paton Yewbeam emerged from the car and opened the door for Emma.

"Safe drive, I hope," called out Mrs. Torosson going out to meet them.

"Safe enough," said Mr. Yewbeam. "Though could've done with a bit nicer weather," he said with a smile. Tancred's father grinned. "Couldn't make it easy on anyone. Especially anyone trying to follow you."

"My thanks," said Mr. Yewbeam in a more serious tone. "And I am most appreciative for you taking Emma in. Especially at such short notice." Mrs. Torosson nodded.

"Anything for her. And for you lot. Pity about Julia though. Is she alright?"

"Well enough. I'll be off for her as soon as Emma is settled in," he said sadly.

"Let us take care of Emma. You need to be there with Julia. Thank you Paton. She'll be safe here. Now go. Julia needs you. And remember to get some rest," Mrs. Torosson urged.

Paton let them take Emma inside, then drove off to the hospital.

"Goodness you looked exhausted. How are you feeling dear? Tancred, take her things to the guest room won't you?" Mrs. Torosson lead Emma into the living room and sat her down on the sofa with a blanket and a hot cup of tea. Emma just stared at the floor completely exhausted and worn out. Eventually, she found her voice.

"Th-thank you. For everything," she spoke very quietly.

"Of course dear. Anything for you. And besides, this is the safest place for you to be."

Emma smiled weakly. "So I've heard." There was an awkward silence, Emma sipping her tea trying to regain feeling in her toes from the cold and being cooped up in a car. Exhaustion was setting in though and she felt her eyelids falling.

"Is Tancred here?" she asked suddenly. Mrs. Torosson looked at her in slight surprise.

"Yes," she answered. "He was taking your things up into your room. He should be done by now though. I guess he must've gone up into his room and gone back to sleep. Actually, you should probably do the same. It's almost five. You should get some more sleep before day break. Come, I'll show you to your room." Mrs. Torosson got up and led Emma up the stairs into the upstairs hallway and to a dark room on the left. Mr. Torosson stayed downstairs and presumably went to sleep his and his wife's room. Tancred's mother showed Emma up to her room and then bid her good night.

Emma laid her bag on the floor and looked around at the small room. It was quaint with a triangular window that gave her a view to the front yard and driveway. The bed was pushed up against the same wall as the door, opposite of the window. Next to it there was a little wooden nightstand with a metal lamp and an alarm clock. It was definitely an attic room. But it was hers and was good enough.


"BREAKFAST TIME! UP BOYS!"

Emma was startled awake by the big voice of Mrs. Torosson. She laid her head back on to her pillow with her heart feeling like it was going to explode from the scare.

"I guess when you live in the same house as a weather monger, you learn how to be louder," she muttered to herself. She heard quick feet pound their way past her down and down the stairs. Must've been Tancred.

Daylight fluttered it's way in through her window giving the little room a warm glow. Emma saw that her black alarm clock glowed with the time reading 9:30 am. Not a terrible time to be up but she still felt exhausted. She crawled out of the twin size bed and pulled on a sweat shirt. Though it looked warm, she felt very cold.

The downstairs was a flurry of food and wind. Tancred was already munching on bacon and eggs, hair blowing in the breezes while his mom and dad finished getting food. Emma walked down the last couple of steps and stood there awkwardly not knowing where to go or sit.

"Oh good morning, Emma dear!" said Mrs. Torosson. "So sorry to have woken you like that. It's just that, what with these heavy sleepers, it's difficult to get them up in the morning. Breakfast?" she indicated with her spatula. Emma nodded and said thank you.

"Take a seat. I'll get you something," she smiled. Emma returned the smile uncomfortably. There was an awkward tension in the air, like no one knew exactly what to do or say. Mr. Torosson would be off to work soon, and then it would just be her, Tancred and his mother. She sat close to Tancred and the table in the dining room off to the left of the kitchen. She could tell that he had stiffened slightly but she choose to pretend it didn't happen. Once Emma had her plate of breakfast, she resigned to sitting in silence, eating her bacon and eggs in what she felt like was as much of an isolated loneliness and when she was at the Moon's.

"So," said Mrs. Torosson. "How are you? Any different since leaving?" Of course she was asking if Emma remembered anything yet, although everything was still a great mystery to her. She also felt a strong irritation rise up in her, but she fought it down. There was no reason to become upset.

"Well, I got to sleep in for once. I'm not up making breakfast," she joked, albeit stiffly.

"Did they often have you make breakfast?"

"I generally did all of the cooking. And cleaning. You could almost say, I was the maid of the house."

Mrs. Torosson looked at her, shocked. "ALL of it? That's terrible! Why would they make you do that?" she inquired. Emma had to ponder that for a moment. She hadn't really thought much of it. Sure she hated it with every bone in her being, but it was just the way life was for her.

"I suppose because they didn't want me in the first place. Aunt Julia said that it wasn't the first time that I had been to the Moon's. And I guess after getting rid of me the first time, they weren't expecting to have me again. What better way to make use of it than to turn a child into a maid? At least I was worth something to them in that respect," answered Emma bitterly. She was surprised at the anger and resentment in her tone though. She had never spoke of them to another person before.

"Well, I know for certain that your friends were surprised to see you the way you were this time, weren't you Tancred?" Mrs. Torosson provoked. Tancred looked up surprise, almost in a way like he had been hoping he wouldn't have to speak.

"Um, yes. Yes we were," he said quietly. Then he turned back to his egg that had gushed open with yoke. Up until this point, Tancred hadn't said a word to Emma, a fact she felt slightly hurt about. Mrs. Torosson made a funny sound in the back of her throat which made Tancred look up at her again.

"Why don't you tell her about it, while I clean up breakfast," said his mother, her expression letting him know that he didn't have a choice. He looked down sheepishly while she picked up the empty plates and went out of sight into the kitchen.

Tancred and Emma sat in an awkward silence barely able to look at each other, another fact that frustrated Emma. For the past day or two (has it only been that long?) he had been kind and open to her, but now was silent and isolated himself from her. What had changed?

...Other than the fact that she was now temporarily living with him. She supposed that was probably it. Emma figured that he was probably feeling awkward about having a girl who used to be one of his good friends now living in his house. It made sense... kind of.

Emma cleared her throat uneasily.

"So... what was it your mom wanted you to tell me?" Emma inquired. Tancred, who had been staring at his goop of egg intensely, was startled back into reality by the question.

"What?" He looked at her for what seemed like the first time since she arrived.

"What was it your mother wanted you to tell me?" she asked again.

"Oh..." His eyebrows furrowed. "Just that... when we first found you, you were in a trance. You were unsure of yourself and seemed to be more asleep than awake. It was because you were hypnotized. But this time, you're not. You're different. It's not the same as before. Your memories are just... gone. So we're going to have to find some other ways to get it back."

Emma frowned. "I see. And how are you all going to do that?" she asked. Tancred averted his gaze once more.

"Well, it won't be easy. But we'll do what we can."

Tancred got up from the table to put his dishes in the sink. He turned on the water and started scrubbing the breakfast plates with a seemingly enthusiastic intensity. Emma slithered up behind him with her dishes and put them in the sink where he was standing. As she got close, they brushed up and Tancred immediately stiffened.

"Tancred?" He flinched. Emma found herself become irritated.

"Tancred, why are you so skittish around me? Do I scare you for some reason?" she asked giving a weak laugh. He continued to rub soap in a thick lather on a blue plate.

"Of course not. I'm fine," he stated uncomfortably.

"Then what is your problem?" she asked irritated. He stopped and took the time to look her in the eyes. The intensity of his look surprised her so much that she took a step back. His electric blue eyes stormed into hers as if trying desperately to find something that just wasn't there. It shocked her. ( AN: I couldn't help myself. XD)

"Emma... things are difficult right now. I know you don't remember anything, but I don't think you realize the difficulty it puts on everyone else," he said kindly, but sadly.

"Well it's not MY fault!" she suddenly shouted in anger.

"I know it's not," he consoled with a sad smile. He pulled his hands out of the sink and dried them on a red towel that lay on the counter beside him.

"None of it is your fault. And we all want to help. But it's hard, because none of us know how to do it. None of us know what to do. And THAT'S the part that makes this difficult. The uncertainty of what to do and what caused this. So I'm sorry that I'm acting so distant. I'm just... trying not to put the burden on you."

Emma stood there, in the still and empty kitchen feeling so lost and so lonely. The sense of isolation in this mess filled her entire body with a sense of hopelessness.

"I... don't know what to do, Tancred. I don't know what to do." She started to cry. Small tears that started to shake her being.

"No, no no no no, please don't cry. I'm sorry, so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry," Tancred said a little panicky. He pulled her to him, in a tight hug. They stood there in the kitchen with his arms around her and his head resting on hers while she cried onto his chest.

And despite the despair, and loneliness that consumed her, she felt safe for the first time in years. For the first time, she felt like nothing could get her, and that no matter what would come, in that moment, she felt safe and comforted. Like nothing could hurt her. Because standing there, with Tancred holding her, she felt like there was someone out there who truly cared.


Okay so not exactly what I expected to happen, but I guess it works. I feel really rusty trying to type this out so I'm sorry for any mistakes or awkward sentences. Please help me figure out how to get back into this. I'm going to do my best to keep up with this, so let's keep doing this together people. You all do so much for me. Thanks for reading! :)