Mia was snoozing on her stomach peacefully when she felt a small body crawling on her back, "Ally what is it?"
"I'm not Ally" Noah replied.
"Noah" Mia shifted her head as memories from last night came back, "i'm sleeping dude, I told you to stay on your side of the bed."
"Not sleeping anymore" Noah said with a grin.
"Huh, hey" Mia started giggling as Noah's tiny fingers tickled her neck, "Noah" Mia squealed with a grin, "what are you doing?"
"This is the deal, you and me go back to mommy or you'll be tickled for the rest of your life."
"What hey hey" Mia giggled again as Noah's fingers tried to find a opening, "do you think tickling me is going to get you and me back home."
"You do that to mom when you want stuff."
Mia sighed, "oh man Meredith's right, I am a bad influence."
"What?"
"Never mind you know" Mia laughed as Noah tried to tickle her neck again, "that's a good deal little dude but I got a better one, how about" Mia's eyes twinkled, "I will eat you for my breakfast."
Noah laughed loudly as Mia grasped his little hands, "and problem solved" Mia said as she opened her mouth wide and moved Noah's hands to her mouth. Noah squealed as Mia let go of his hands, he jumped from the bed and ran to the bathroom as Mia got up with a smile and followed him, "mmmm this chase is making me hungry." Mia grinned as she opened the white door it had been a long time since she had played with Noah like this, "its time for me to eat."
Noah jumped out from behind the door and evaded Mia's dancing fingers which tried to grab him as he leaped on to the bed and burrowed under the covers as a smiling Mia dashed to the bed and gently pinned his midsection before lifting up the quilt to look at his feet, "ah little toes, yummy." Noah laughed loudly as Mia grasped his small ankles, opened her mouth wide and made silly biting noises in the air before blowing a raspberry on one of Noah's soles as Noah squealed. Mia playfully let him go allowing him to dart further underneath the covers before she went round to the other side and waited for him to crawl out before she let out a rahhh and Noah squealed and laughed loudly as Mia gently picked him up and put him on the bed. She pinned his arms and used her teeth to lift up his shirt, "breakfast is served" she said in her deep monster voice. Mia put her mouth to Noah's belly making snuffling noises and blowing air as Noah laughed his head off "mmmm yum yum yum." Mia blew raspberries on Noah's belly as Noah laughed loudly and cackled like a crazed hyena.
"Feed" Mia said as she blew a long loud raspberry into Noah's bellybutton as Noah cackled some more before he wriggled out of Mia's grip and jumped on Mia and tried blowing raspberries on Mia as Mia said with a grin, "oh no, oh no, Noah's eating me" as Noah giggled and Mia grinned, "I better eat him first." Noah laughed loudly again as Mia lifted him back to the bed and ran her fingers up and down Noah's torso tickling his ribs and tickling his back prompting Noah to arch his back giving Mia a rounded belly perfect for raspberries which Mia was happy to deliver, this went on for a while before Mia looked up and looked at the clock by the bed, "yeah we should call it quits."
Noah grinned "but you haven't eaten me yet."
"Well if I keep belly farting you" Mia said as she chuckled, "you could wet yourself and no offence dude but you taste like socks and I think you need a bath."
"A bath" Noah said as she grinned, "baths are fun."
"Yeah, baths are fun" Mia sniffed her pajama top, "I stink a bit to."
"We both stink" Noah said.
"Okay well" Mia waved her arm to the door, "ladies first."
"You're a lady not me."
"Really" Mia smirked, "your hair is getting very long just like a lady."
Noah stuck out his tongue and smiled as Mia grinned and tickled his armpits as Noah wriggled and giggled, "Mia are you going to have a bath to?"
"Ah nah" Mia said, "i'm cool."
"But you stink."
"Oh thanks very much" Mia said with a grin as Noah giggled, "okay, i'll have a bath later when your finished."
"Then can we go home?"
Mia shook her head as they walked into the bathroom, "we're getting you home dude remember."
"How do I get home?"
"Well, we'll find a policeman and then they will help you get home."
"Will they help you get home to?"
"Noah dude," Mia sat down on the edge of the tub to look into Noah's eyes, "remember what I said last night?"
Noah nodded, "the bad guys."
"Yes, the bad guys will hurt you and your family if I go home with you that's why I'm staying here."
"Oh" Noah whispered.
"Also if I went home with you, your mom would go ape and she would ground me for life. I wouldn't even be allowed to go outside" Mia smiled as she thought about it, "she would trap me in my room like one of those people in a stalker movie and I would be bored to death, so your heading home and i'm staying put."
"Oh."
"And the police" Mia continued, "would think that I had kidnapped you so they'll be angry with me as well."
"Did you kidnap me?"
"No I didn't kidnap you, remember you followed me when I ran away, that's technically not kidnapping."
"Are police looking for you?"
"Yeah probably, they're probably looking for both of us. I mean your mom has probably called every cop in America by now and they're looking for us to send you home."
"Oh" Noah said looking a bit confused.
"Yep" Mia said scratching her scalp, "ah I know this is all very confusing but when your older you'll understand."
"How old?"
"Um I don't know, you are pretty smart so maybe in a few years, well come on" Mia said looking at the bathroom clock, "two zip, time to strip."
"Huh?"
"Um" Mia pondered a simpler way of saying it, "ok just yeah, take off your clothes, get in the bath, wash yourself, you know get clean."
"Can you help me" Noah said as he lifted his arms up.
"Yeah ok just" Mia helped Noah take off his shirt, "um, look i've never washed a kid before so you know, just get in the tub and fresh yourself."
"Mia you don't make sense sometimes."
"Take the rest of your clothes off and" Mia turned away as Noah took off his pants, "get in the tub and i'm not going to see you in the nude until your in the tub."
"Okay."
"Okay" Mia looked into the cupboard, "I guess" Mia kept her hand over her eyes and felt around for the taps to turn them on, "I oh yeah we need like bubble mixture." Mia looked in the bathroom cupboard and spotting a bottle with bubbles she squirted it into the tub, "I think this is bubble bath mixture."
A few minutes later Mia was looking at a big mass of bubbles and Noah submerged, "cool, your looking good so yeah, I guess you just wash yourself."
"Shampoo please" Noah said. Mia handed Noah the shampoo bottle and Noah looked at it and raised the bottle back to Mia who raised an eyebrow, "you can't do this by yourself?"
Noah shook his head, "don't like doing it by myself."
"Oh yeah" Mia muttered, "cause it stings your eyes, I get ya, cool okay, well um close your eyes." Mia squirted some shampoo in her hand and rubbed it in Noah's head, "okay now take a deep breath and dive under." Noah complied and dove his face under the water, "okay" Mia put down the bottle, "what do you know I am actually pretty good at this, I wonder why Meredith didn't get me to do this when I was babysitting the two little badgers. "Noah" Mia turned her eyes back to the tub and seeing a mass of water she called out, "Noah" in a panic as she put her arms under the water and lifted Noah up, "Noah, fuck dude you trying to drown yourself?"
Noah gave Mia a wide grin, "got ya."
Mia took a deep breath to steady her racing nerves, "you trying to scare me?"
"Yeah" Noah said as he giggled.
"Yeah" Mia said grinning, "yeah yeah" Noah giggled and Mia leaned in and planted a raspberry on Noah's neck as Noah squealed. "Arrgh" Mia spat, "you taste like bubbles, come on dude time to get out."
Noah looked at his soap covered arms, "i'm not pruny yet."
"Your pruny enough dude and we only have until like ten o clock otherwise we'll have to pay extra and we don't have the cash."
Noah moved to the other side of the tub, "you can bath with me."
"Ah dude" Mia muttered, "look you're a dude, i'm a chick we're not related and I got boobs so we can't do that its just not cool."
"Oh."
"Here's a towel" Mia closed her eyes, "i'll just be out here giving you privacy."
"Time to get out, help me please."
"Yeah oh um" Mia shut her eyes as Noah blinked in confusion, "do you have shampoo in your eyes?"
"No I just don't like looking at naked kids" Mia replied, "its just weird."
Mia lifted Noah out by the armpits and wrapped him in a towel, "okay just go out there and get dressed, i'll be in the bath."
A few minutes later Mia was in the tub when she heard a loud "Mia."
"What's up" Mia called back.
"Where are the clean undies?"
"We don't have any" Mia said, "somehow when I was planning on leaving by myself I forgot to pack clean undies for little boys."
"I can't get dressed without clean undies."
"Yes you can" Mia sighed.
"Mom says i'm not allowed."
"Well your mom's not here so i'm in charge."
"Mia" Noah whined.
"Fuck" Mia whispered to herself, "Meredith has this boy trained like a secret agent."
"Mia" Noah called out again.
"Dude your going back home soon then you can have all the clean undies your little heart desires, just put on the undies you had on before."
"Mia these undies smell."
"Yeah" Mia looked at the bathroom ceiling wishing for peace and quiet, "of course they do cause you were wearing them yesterday."
"They're wet."
"They're, oh bugger" Mia moaned, "its your sweat, my bad, I shouldn't have tickled you so much this morning. Sorry dude just wear your pants without underpants."
"But mummy said I can only wear clean underpants."
"Dude please" Mia sighed, "just go commando if you have to."
"What's going commando?"
"Somebody shoot me" Mia muttered to herself before she said, "commando is wearing your pants without underpants."
"Is that allowed?"
"Yes" Mia groaned.
"Sorry."
"No its ok" Mia called out, "just yeah we'll get you some undies today okay."
"Ok, Mia" Noah called out.
"What" Mia grumbled.
Noah poked his face through the doorway, "nothing" he said as he grinned as Mia sighed and chuckled in frustration. Mia put shampoo in her hair and closing her eyes she was starting to relax when Noah came straight into the bathroom, "Mia."
"Dude dude" Mia covered herself with her arms and submerged herself into the water, "dude i'm nude, seeing someone in the nude is rude."
"I was nude before" Noah said, "you saw me."
"Well I didn't see your junk."
"I got junk?
"I mean, look I had my eyes shut and anyway you're a dude" Mia turned her face so her eyes were just above the tub looking at Noah "and i'm a chick so its different."
Noah turned his head in confusion, "you don't have feathers."
"I'm not that kind of chick, what's up?"
"How does the tv work?"
"With the remote" Mia waved her soap covered fingers at Noah.
"Where's the remote?"
"Look" Mia sighed, "i'll be out of here in a minute can you wait."
"Sorry" Noah whispered.
"No" Mia poked her face up and gave Noah a warm smile, "i'm sorry, i'm going to try not to be so grumpy anymore okay."
"Why are you grumpy?"
"Cause at the moment life is a bitch."
"What's a bitch?"
"Ah, its just, you know what its better you don't know the answer to that question, could you head out so you don't see me nude."
"Ok" Noah said as Mia grabbed a towel and got out of the tub. Mia quickly got dressed and headed out, she looked at the clock and seeing they had a hour left she took a breath and turned on the tv. Mia found a kids channel for Noah to watch and retreated to her bed to look at her phone thankful for the fact that she had changed her number yesterday. Mia imaged looking at her phone screen and seeing Meredith making dozens of missed calls and leaving messages and closing her eyes trying to get those painful thoughts to leave her she tried to think of a plan for how to get to the place where she would have the opportunity to get by while at the same time trying to get Noah to go home without her. It sounded so simple but she had tried to do this yesterday and she hadn't been successful.
"Mia" Noah said interrupting her thoughts, "are we going to find the police."
"Yep, we'll go and find the police."
Noah rolled around on the bed and on Mia as Mia chuckled, "roly poly careful you don't roll off the bed."
"I won't."
Mia closed her eyes for a while before she opened them again and looked at the clock, "okay we should get going, we need to get breakfast."
Noah giggled and Mia smirked, "I mean we'll eat something other than you for breakfast."
Noah went to the door and Mia doing one final check to make sure they didn't leave anything behind headed out with Noah. "Okay, I know you like bacon and eggs, so we'll see if we can find somewhere that has that."
"Cool" Noah said as he dashed to the top of the stairs and looked back, "come on slowpoke."
Mia closed the door and put the key in her pocket, "not all of us are as fast as you buddy, could you wait for me."
"Where's the breakfast."
"I guess" Mia said as she went downstairs and put the key on the reception desk, "we find a cafe or something, well its New York, there must be a hundred breakfast joints."
Noah looked around and saw a security guard, "Mia is that a policeman?"
"Ah" Mia looked at the guard, "no but a good guess."
"Can they get the policemen?"
"I don't know" Mia said absent minded, "probably."
"Policeman will get us home?"
"They'll yeah they'll" Mia looked around, "where's the bloody bus timetable information."
Noah grinned and started to yell, "help me, help me."
Mia snapped her face to Noah like she had been hit by a electric shock, "what are you doing?"
"Get the police" Noah called out, "get the police."
"Dude dude" Mia grabbed Noah who struggled as a dozen people turned to look in their direction, "will you calm down."
"Get the police" Noah called out loudly, "she's um, she's kidnapped me get the police."
"Noah Noah" Mia tried to restrain a struggling Noah, "wait, wait you can't yell out like this, why are you asking to call the police?"
"To get us home."
"Dude" Mia said turning beet red as people started whispering to each other, "everyone's staring, look this isn't going to get us home."
"Yes it will, you just said it would."
"No I meant getting the police will just get you home."
"The police will get us both home" Noah said with excitement "and you'll be grounded for life and never run away ever again."
"Ah" Mia whispered with a crimson face as a hotel clerk walked over to them, "is there a problem here miss?"
"No just ignore him" Mia said as she wrapped her arms around Noah, "he's a little kid who's gone nuts."
"She's nuts" Noah said loudly when he released his mouth from Mia's hands.
"I'm not nuts, could you" Mia hissed as she raised a finger "excuse us while I talk with my um ah full of jellybeans little brother."
Mia lead Noah over to a corner, "Noah."
"I know" Noah said with a big smile, "i'm your pretend little brother, until I get you home and i'll be your real little brother."
Mia rolled her eyes and collapsed to her knees, "for the love of all that's hot and holy dude I can't go home with you."
"Yes you can" Noah said as his hands patted Mia's knees, "you will be grounded." Noah looked at the crowd, "she kidnapped me" Noah called out loudly as he turned his face, "call the police."
"Noah, Noah, come on" Mia felt her heart frantically racing, "will you stop saying that, do you really want me to be grounded for life?"
Noah nodded, "its for your own good."
"Oh" Mia exclaimed, "thanks very much, you want your mum to lock me away for the rest of my life."
"Yes" Noah nodded with a cheerful smile "but i'll still visit you when your grounded."
"Your house is not a prison Noah, i'm not going to be your mum's prisoner."
Mia looked at the hotel clerk talking to security and picking up the phone. "Oh shit" Mia said, "ok kid you stay here and have a nice life take care." Mia bolted out of the hotel and took off the down the street. Mia ran and hid in a alleyway, she hid behind a dustbin and sat down by the brick wall for a while hidden behind boxes and buried her face in her hands, "okay, its okay, its okay, I shouldn't have taken off like that and I wish I could have said a proper goodbye but don't worry Mia Noah's safe."
"Am I safe?"
Mia groaned silently before she turned her head slowly to look at Noah standing beside her, "Noah."
"Mia" Noah replied as he came closer to Mia.
"Noah" Mia stared at the little boy, "how do you keep finding where I am?"
"I'm the champion at school of hide and seek, come on" Noah grabbed Mia's hand, "its time to go home where you can be grounded for life."
"Noah" Mia said loudly, "have you not been listening to me, I can't go home with you because the bad guys will get you."
"It's ok" Noah grinned, "i'll protect you from the bad guys."
"Christ no no, your five years old, I got to protect you from the bad guys."
Noah continued to grin, "cause your my big sister."
"I'm not your big sister dude" Mia whispered, "god why is everyone in your family so nuts."
"I like nuts."
"See this is what I mean, your the only five year old I know that likes nuts."
"Are we going to find the police now?"
"If I do" Mia muttered, "will you promise to stay with the police."
"Will you stay with the police to?"
"I can't go home mate okay, please just lets you get home so we can go on with our lives."
Noah shook his head, "i'm staying with you until you come home."
Mia sat down on a crate and put her face back in her hands.
"Mia are you sick?"
Mia removed her hands from her face and looked at Noah for a long time before she slowly blew out air between her lips, "i'm being hunted by crazy nice kid."
Noah titled his head to the side, "whose crazy nice kid?"
"You are" Mia said loudly.
"I am" Noah said as his eyes grew wide.
"Yes" Mia stared at Noah in frustration, "the son of crazy nice lady, crazy nice kid, your abnormally nice just like your mum."
Noah blinked looking confused for a moment and then he smiled widely before climbing on the boxes next to Mia to give her a hug, "I love you Mia."
"Kid" Mia moaned and closed her eyes before she lifted Noah off her, "your to much, let just find a bus."
"Why are we finding a bus?"
"You never stop asking questions, we're going to find a friend of mine he's going to hook us up."
"Hook us up?"
"You know" Mia muttered, "give us cash, the goods so we can get food and undies for you because that's what you love."
"I love undies."
"Yeah cool i'm glad you do" Mia's thoughts whirled around in his head, and then I got to find someway to get Noah home without me.
Mia took out her phone and opened up a app to help her find where she needed to go, "we'll get some breakfast first" Mia said as she read the app on her phone.
"Cool."
Mia walked with Noah out into the street and she looked at the little boy for a while before saying softly "and Noah."
"Yes" Noah said looking up at Mia.
Mia smiled warmly at him, "I love you to."
Noah smiled and hugged Mia's legs, Mia smiled back and rubbed his back with her hand before she took his little hand in hers and walked with him to their next destination.
Hours later Mia got off the bus and Noah scrunched up his nose as a foul smell hit him, "where are we?"
"This is a friend of mine's place" Mia said as he walked into a alley with Noah, "we're going to crash here for the night."
"Crash means sleeping right Mia."
"Yep" Mia nodded, "your a good student, i'm teaching you well."
They walked into the alley until they came to a gloomy looking door and after Mia knocked on it a gangly looking young man with a gloomy thin face slowly answered it, "sup Spider" Mia greeted him.
"Yeah, hey Mia, took you long enough" the man named Spider replied before he turned his face up seeing who was beside Mia, "who's the rugrat."
"This is Noah" Mia said putting her hand on Noah's shoulder, "don't worry he's a good kid."
"You didn't say you were bringing a squirt."
"Hey stop calling him names" Mia answered back, "it wasn't part of the plan, now are you gonna let us in." Spider let out a heavy breathing noise and walked inside, Mia wandered into the living room with Noah holding onto her hand tightly to find several people drinking and smoking, "hey this is Mia and what's the shrimp's name again."
"Noah" Mia said with venom in her breath, "speaking of we did a lot of walking, is there somewhere back there we can crash."
"Yeah" Spider said pointing at the back, "fuck off back there and than come out for a smoke."
Mia wandered into the back room with Noah and after putting her bag down she cursed, there was a small bed in the corner, grimy walls covered with spiders and a ceiling that Mia knew would make Meredith throw a fit. Noah looked around and Mia looked at him in sympathy, "I know what your thinking this place stinks."
"Um."
"Its ok, I know your abnormally nice but you can say it."
"This place stinks."
"At a boy" Mia put her hands on his shoulders, "we're not going to be here for long, i'm going to chat with the creeps, can you wait here for a bit."
"Okay, Mia they're using smoky stuff that makes you die."
"Yeah I know" Mia nodded, "this place isn't ideal but don't worry, its going to be okay."
Mia walked out and closed the door, she wandered over to the residents one of them a girl with red hair named Mandy handed her a pack of cigarettes, "here."
"Yeah" Mia threw up her hands, "actually I quit."
"You quit?"
"Well yeah" Mia casually said, "I did my foster carer's a doctor she made me quit."
"Oh your foster carer made you quit and you actually listen to a foster carer."
"Yeah I do" Mia said with challenging eyes "and Noah hates smoking as well, i'm trying to be a better influence on him so I ain't smoking. You got a problem with that bitch."
"No" Mandy shrugged, "if you want to be like that."
"Hey" Mia said angrily, "I don't fucking care what you think about me."
"She's not here, who cares what the ankle biter thinks, have a fag."
"No i'm not going to do it and it would make Noah upset, i'm not going to do it."
"What's he doing here anyway" one of the men named Ian said, "this ain't a brat hangout."
"Look" Mia spun her head around, "he followed me when I was leaving."
"Well ain't that cute."
"I'm going to get the police to get him tomorrow, can he just stay here for tonight."
Scooter stood up, "the police, what the hell are you on."
Mia turned to look at him, "they're not going to come here to get him fuckwit, i'm going to trick him and get him to the police station."
"You didn't think of doing that before?"
"Don't you think I tried doing that already Ben, he's a smart kid, tricking him is harder than it looks."
"So what's your plan for tricking him tomorrow?"
"I'll blindfold him and tie him to a lamppost outside the police station."
"That's more like the Mia we know."
"Yeah" Mia said bitterly.
"Yeah well" Spider said, "if he is so smart what if he leads the police back to us."
"He won't, he's five, don't worry he doesn't remember arseholes."
"But he's fond of you" Beth said, "so I bet he'll remember you."
"Once I tie him up and leave him he'll hate me and once he's home he'll forgot about me" Mia said feeling a sour feeling as she said those words.
"Who else knows that your here?"
"Just whoever you told."
"Right so yeah fine" Spider said, "he can stay here tonight, just get him out of here tomorrow we're not a daycare service."
"Have a drink" a girl named Molly said holding out a bottle.
"I'm just going to check on Noah before I get wasted." Mia walked back into the room where Noah was standing in the middle like a obedient dog awaiting orders, "okay dude I know its a bit early but could you go to bed."
Noah nodded, "ok i'm tired."
"Yeah" Mia said as Noah yawned loudly, "your tired."
Noah settled himself onto a mattress, "okay i'll be back in a little while."
Noah nodded silently and Mia bent down and kissed his cheek, "its going to be okay."
Noah nodded again and closed his eyes, Mia patted his shoulder with her hand before she closed the door and walked into the bathroom. She picked up a pack of cigarettes that was lying by the sink and remembering the long discussion/argument she had with Meredith about smoking she put the cigarette pack back down, "I didn't think I would ever be here doing this stuff ever again."
"Hey babe."
"Hey yourself" Mia said as she turned around to see her old boyfriend Billy looking at her.
"So you do remember me."
Mia wrapped her arms around his nick, "I never forget a cute face."
"Yeah so you didn't forget were we were the last time we saw each other."
"I sure do, I remember" Mia kissed his lips, we didn't finish what we started did we."
"Yeah why don't we continue" Mia grinned and started snogging him, "your hot, your so hot."
"Yeah" Mia replied, "you want to get these pants off."
Mia and Billy wandered to the next bedroom and than Mia frowned, "hang on."
"What" Billy said looking annoyed.
"The noise, its so loud" Mia broke apart from Billy, "hang on." Mia walked into the living room, "hey can you keep the noise down."
"Why" Beth said.
"There's a little kid trying to sleep."
"Like I said" Spider muttered unpleasantly, "this ain't a daycare service."
"Yeah don't worry" a woman named Monica said, "he's still asleep, he's quite cute ain't he, you ever think about selling him?"
"Watch it" Mia said looking very hostile.
"Whoa whoa" Monica said, "chill just kidding."
Mia turned down the volume, "hey."
"Grow up, hold on, I got to check on Noah."
Mia walked into the room to find Noah tossing and turning on the mattress, "hey buddy how you doing."
Noah rubbed his eyes, "I can't sleep."
"Yeah sorry dude, i've turned down the music."
Noah moaned and covered his ears with his hands, "its loud again."
Mia's face twisted in annoyance, "i'm going to fix it" Mia walked back into the living room and she pulled out the power cord to the boom box, "hey hey Mia what are you doing?"
"Do you never fucking listen" Mia shouted, "there's a little kid trying to sleep, keep the music off its shit music anyway. Its just one song that sings the same stupid line over and over."
"What the hell happened to you" Ben said.
"What do you mean what the hell happened to me" Mia replied.
"You used to come in to a room ready to party, you would crack open booze, turn up the music and not give a shit about anything."
"Well shows you how much I changed since the days we were hanging out."
"This foster carer has brainwashed you."
"Oh yeah really, those foster carers and yeah its carers have been great to me so if they brainwashed me i'm glad they did."
"You grown soft."
"Maybe I have" Mia said with fire in her eyes, "or maybe you just need to get a fucking conscious."
"Maybe you should go somewhere else" Spider hissed.
"Well maybe I will" Mia walked back into the room and picked up her bag, "come on Noah we're going."
"Going where?" Noah as he got up.
"I'm going to get us into a hotel, don't worry" Mia put the bag on her back and picked up Noah in her arms.
"Hey babe" Billy said grabbing Mia's arm, "listen."
"Listen to this" Mia pulled her arm away, "i'm not your babe, lets go Noah."
Mia walked with Noah until they were out of the alleyway and into a street where there were lots of people, Mia turned to Noah, "i'm sorry I brought you to that rats nest, you know I used to be a lot like them."
"You were?"
"Yeah" Mia bantered "and in some ways I still am but your mum helped me to be a better person" Mia rubbed Noah's head "and so did you."
"I did?"
"Yeah cause your a very special boy."
Noah smiled sheepishly and Mia smirked, "you don't know what i'm talking about do you?"
Noah scratched his head, "not a clue."
Mia chuckled and hugged Noah to her, "your a very funny kid, okay time to get cash."
"Ching ching" Noah said rubbing his fingers as Mia nodded, Meredith is going to have a little gangster on her hands by the time I get Noah home.
Elsewhere in Seattle Meredith had spent the last hour packing a suitcase, she checked for the tenth time that the plane tickets were in the zip pocket of her blouse and a moment later Derek came into the room holding a phone. "That was the police, there were reports of a young girl and a little boy in a hotel room in New York matching Mia and Noah's description having a argument this morning, the little boy was shouting call the police she's kidnapped me."
Meredith ran to Derek, "are they there now" she whispered with held breath.
Derek sadly shook his head, "the young girl took off running and the little boy quickly followed. Someone went out looking for them and saw them getting on a bus, the bus left before the person could stop it."
"So Noah really has been following Mia."
Derek nodded, "is it wrong to say that in a way I am very proud of him."
Meredith despite herself gave a small smile before she looked through her suitcase and checked herself over, "okay ready to go."
"Ready" Derek replied as he adjusted the straps to the bag on his back, "lets go get our kids."
"Derek, I don't know how we're going to convince both of them to come home. Noah won't want to leave without Mia and Mia-"
"We'll convince Mia to come home" Derek said, "we'll tell her everything is going to be okay and nothing is going to happen to any of us if she comes home."
"Its not going to be that simple" Meredith looked at Derek with emotion brimming eyes, "you know how stubborn she is."
"I know" Derek said softly, "we're going to find a way."
"Derek I have to ask you, knowing what we found, reading the note that Mia was sent, are you still happy for Mia to live here?"
"Yes" Derek said strongly, "and if any scumbag so much as comes here to hurt anyone I will stop them."
Meredith wrapped her arms around Derek's neck and kissed him, "we both will." Meredith walked into the kitchen, "okay Cristina um, we really appreciate you staying here with Ally."
"Well about that" Cristina said as Ally came walking into view and Derek bent down, "Ally you be a good girl for Cristina, remember what we talked about, we don't know when we will be back but we'll be back as soon as we can."
Ally nodded and ran upstairs, Derek looked at Meredith, "I think she's angry."
"Derek."
"Okay" Derek said confused, "she doesn't look angry but well she has been surprising me a lot lately with her behavior."
Ally came down a minute later carrying a suitcase, "Ally what are you doing?" Derek said.
"I'm not staying here" Ally said.
"Ally."
"I'm going with you to rescue Noah" Ally said "and to give my big sister a big kick up the but."
"Ally listen" Derek said, "slow down, okay i'm guessing you want to give Mia a kick up the but because she left with Noah"
"She ran away and kidnapped Noah, that's what you said."
"Ally, I was wrong when Mia left, Noah followed Mia. Mia didn't want Noah to go with her she wanted Noah to stay here where he would be safe."
"Oh" Ally said slowly, "so she isn't a kidnapper."
"No Ally cat" Meredith said warmly, "Mia is not a kidnapper, she's just a big kid who did something she thought was the right thing to do when it wasn't the right thing to do, you understand?"
"I think so."
"Good and we're going to find her to talk to her about it and take her home."
"Okay" Ally picked up the suitcase, "daddy, Meredith lets go."
"Ally" Derek said.
"I'm going to."
"Ally no" Derek said firmly, "you can't come with us."
"Yes I am."
"She's as stubborn as her sister" Derek muttered to Meredith.
"Ally" Meredith said, "if you go with us you could get lost, New York is a very big place and we're already looking for two lost kids. If you get lost to we'll have to look for you as well."
"How are you going to find Mia and Noah if New York is so big?"
"Well we have ideas."
"Like what?"
"Okay" Derek said as he looked at his watch worried that he and Meredith would miss their flight, "Ally we've only got plane tickets for two people."
"More people can find lost people better daddy."
"Ally" Meredith said, "I know you want to help that's why we need you to stay here."
"Why?"
"Because Mia might decide to bring Noah back, or the policeman will find Noah and Mia and bring them back and we need you to welcome them home."
"And if they come home" Ally said excitedly, "I stop them from leaving and lock them up."
"No."
"Oh I just lock Mia up?"
Derek looked at Meredith, "why does everyone think we're going to lock Mia up?"
Meredith chewed her lip, "probably because last night I said loudly over the phone hoping Mia would hear me that when she comes home i'm going to lock her away for weeks. That wasn't the right thing for me to do."
"Yes that's right Meredith" Ally said loudly, "lock her away with bars on the door or something like that."
"Ally" Meredith said, "we're not locking Mia up, you don't stop people leaving by locking them up."
"You do if they're in prison."
"Well this isn't a prison."
"We can make it a prison."
"Well honey" Meredith whispered, "making homes like prisons isn't how you stop people from leaving."
"How do you stop them?"
"You show the people" Derek said, "how much you love them that's how you stop people from leaving."
"Oh" Ally nodded, "okay."
"We'll do that with Mia when we get Mia and Noah home."
"Okay, good luck."
"We'll be home soon" Meredith said giving Ally a hug and kissing her forehead, she nodded to Cristina who nodded back before she walked outside the house. A moment later Derek after saying goodbye to Ally followed, "you forget something?"
"What you said before" Meredith said kissing his lips, "about how you stop people from leaving, that was very well put."
"Thanks" Derek said looking pleased with himself, "I thought that was the right answer."
Meanwhile in New York Mia stood with Noah in a dark alleyway, she looked at Noah as she reached into her bag and put on a dark hoody and a mask to hide her face, "can you see my face?"
"No" Noah shook his head, "Mia why are you wearing a mask when its not Halloween?"
"I know its not Halloween dude, this is just part of my plan to get cash."
"Cash?"
"Yep cash, you know" Mia made a motion with her fingers, "ching ching."
"Ching ching" Noah nodded.
Mia nodded, "okay so i'm going to need you to stay here."
"Stay here?"
"Yes stay here and i'm going to get us some money."
"Are you being tricky again?"
"No i'm not being tricky."
"Please don't leave."
"Noah" Mia put her hand on her shoulder, "I would never leave you alone in the middle of a dark alleyway like this, I promise I will be back."
"Okay" Noah said quietly.
"Okay, i'll be right back kiddo."
Noah looked up at Mia with eyes glowing with tears, "Mia, your the best pretend big sister ever."
Mia felt happy tears of her own coming to her eyes, "yeah your the best pretend little brother ever" Mia put a hand on Noah's head, "okay i've got to get to work."
Mia put on her mask and walking down the street she found a ally outside a movie theater, Mia went into it hid behind the bin and waited for people to approach before she reached into her pocket, jumped out and pointed the gun at three people who jumped back with their hands up, "right give me your money."
"Okay" a woman said with fear shining on her face, "we don't want any trouble."
"Now" Mia said loudly shaking the gun, the woman threw her wallet and Mia caught it.
"Right" Mia pointed the gun at the other person, "you your money."
"No" the other woman said.
"Give me your fucking wallet" Mia shouted.
"What are you doing" the other woman said in a panic, "give her the wallet."
"No" the woman said calmly as she walked up and quickly grabbed and wrestled the gun out of Mia's hand, "this is a toy gun" the first woman said as she held the toy in one hand and pointing at it with the finger on her other hand, "see."
Mia stood still and quickly turned around and bolted "hey get back here, she's got my wallet." the first woman said.
Mia ran and feeling the other woman catching up to her she panicked. "Look" Mia turned around and threw the wallet at her, "here's your wallet just leave me alone." Mia stumbled on the pavement and next thing she found a pair of arms clutching her midsection wrestling her to the ground, she was quickly turned around and with a cry of fear she felt her mask getting pulled off. Mia looked at the face smiling above her and getting a good look at it she moaned quietly, "oh no, not you."
"Its been a while how have you been" Amelia said with a smile.
"You know this kid" the other woman said catching up.
"Yeah don't worry" Amelia said cheerfully to her friends Mary and Chris, "she's just my niece, my happy eccentric niece."
"No I'm not" Mia said bitterly as she struggled against Amelia's grip, "get off me, let me go."
"So you right to handle this" Mary said, "cause we can call the police."
"No" Amelia smiled as Mia continued to struggle, "I think we can manage, i'll take her to my place."
"No call the police" Mia pleaded to Mary.
"What" Chris said.
"I rather them then her" Mia said nodding in Amelia's direction.
"No she doesn't know what she's saying" Amelia smirked, "we have lots of fun don't we."
"No we don't" Mia groaned.
"Well we um" Mary said as she picked up her wallet, "will leave it with you."
"Yep" Chris said with a nod, "we'll see you tomorrow for lunch."
"Sure thing, see you at the usual spot."
Mary and Chris walked away and Amelia chuckled as she looked at Mia's face, "get the fuck off me will you."
"Sure if you say please."
"No."
"Come on, its a lovely word that everyone likes to hear."
"Fine please" Mia hissed.
Amelia stood up and Mia got to her feet, Mia turned to run and Amelia quickly blocked her way, "you know that i'm faster and stronger than you kid so you can't run away from me that easily."
Mia twisted her lips as Amelia chuckled, "so what brings you to New York, are you back to stealing things and sleeping on rocks?"
"No i'm, just look" Mia said frantically, "Noah's over there."
"Noah?"
"Yeah you know Meredith's kid, he's waiting for me in an ally can I go get him."
Amelia raised an eyebrow, "how do I know your telling the truth?"
"Just come on, I swear" Mia said, "he's over there."
"How about I walk with you to where Noah is."
"Whatever can we just go before some murderer gets to him first."
Mia ran to the ally with Amelia following suit, Noah looked up, "Amelia" Noah ran into Amelia's arms, "hey trooper" Amelia pulled back and looked at him, "your looking tired and hungry."
"That's cause he is tired and hungry you moron" Mia muttered.
"And is that why your out trying to steal people's wallets?" Mia groaned as Noah stared at Mia in shock, "Mia" Noah grabbed Mia's arm, "stealing is bad."
"I had to little dude" Mia said, "you needed a place to stay and you needed food in your tummy and well underpants, that's why I tried to steal and yeah I got apprehended by her."
"Appre what"
"Um, oh never mind I can't keep explaining everything about everything to you all the time, i'm no teacher."
"Stealing is bad."
"Yes I know its bad" Mia sighed, "your mum has told me that a million times."
"Well I'll tell you what" Amelia said rubbing her hands together, "since you kids need a place to stay how about you both come and spend the night at my place. As a added bonus you will get food in your belly."
Mia pulled a face, "I rather starve and sleep in a swamp."
"Well" Amelia looked around, "I don't see any swamps around here, looks like your stuck coming home with me."
"Mia" Noah took Amelia's hand, "come on lets go with Amelia."
"Ok" Mia sighed as she looked at Noah extending his other hand to her, "i'll go but only because Noah wants to" she said as she took Noah's hand.
Amelia lead them to a nearby sandwich shop, "can I order two large chicken subs."
"Don't want it" Mia muttered.
"Your not a fan of chicken?"
"I don't want something to eat."
"What really?"
"I'm not hungry" Mia said as her belly gave a loud grumble.
"Yeah" Amelia nodded with amusement, "sure."
"Just arrrgh, fine, okay buy me something."
"You know manners can go a long way."
"Yeah and my foot can go a long way up your ass."
"Oh really" Amelia smiled apologetically to a nervous girl around Mia's age behind the counter, "sorry about this."
"Well she's the one's who fucking with me, you know why I am even saying this to you" Mia said loudly to the poor girl, "your my age and you look like a dork, i'm going to sit down over there."
"Did you want anything to eat sweetheart?" Amelia called out after her.
"Yeah fine please" Mia said as she slumped down in a booth.
Amelia laughed, "I miss this" she said to Noah, "okay three chicken subs please and take no notice of my niece's uncouth behavior."
Amelia handed a sandwich to Mia who roughly took the sandwich and took three big bites, "i'm going to the toilet."
"Sure" Amelia said as she gave Noah a sandwich, Mia got up and she went to the counter, the girl looked at her nervously as Mia made a time out gesture with her hands. "Hey sorry for what I said before, i'm just having a shit night and you seriously look really cool and" Mia heard loud laughter from behind and she glared backwards at Amelia, "what the fuck are you looking at?"
"Nothing" Amelia said with a innocent I didn't do anything wrong gesture with her hands.
"Just fuck" Mia said throwing her arms to the air as she stormed to the bathroom with a dozen diners looking in her direction. Noah looked at Amelia, "don't worry Amelia, Mia's always grumpy but she is nice at the same time."
Amelia nodded with a wide smirk.
A hour later they arrived at Amelia's house, Mia looked around and muttered sarcastically, "wow what a really nice place."
"So" Amelia's eyes twinkled with mirth, "that's why you robbed it last year."
"Oh" Mia said dramatically, "could you just let that go."
Amelia smirked some more, "i'll set up the spare bed and then you two need to tell me why you ran away from home."
"You got like a mattress or a couch for me or something, Noah has been sleeping on me for several nights. I'm starting to feel like i've just given birth to him."
"Well there is a couch in the living room."
"Yeah cool" Mia muttered, "i'll take that."
Amelia lead them to the living room and walking to the kitchen she came back five minutes later with some hot chocolate which Noah took eagerly, "so kids what brings you to New York?"
"You brought us to this house" Noah said.
Amelia looked sideways at Noah, "she means why did we leave home and come to New York."
"Oh Mia ran away" Noah said excitedly, "and I went to hunt her and i'm going to bring her back home."
"Really" Amelia said as she looked at Mia's scowling mug.
"And Mia ran away" Noah said excitedly, "so bad people wouldn't hurt our family but i'm going to bring Mia home and she's going to be grounded forever when she is locked up in mommy's house."
"Right" Amelia said hiding her grin with her hand as she looked at the adjust look on Mia's face.
"And my mommy wants to adopt Mia."
"Okay that's enough" Mia said loudly, "can we just drink this ah, whatever it is."
"Hot chocolate."
"Really, oh its nice, I mean can we just drink it please."
"Of course" Amelia said, "than we can listen to more stories" Mia grumbled as Amelia went to the kitchen to get out a packet of biscuits, "don't go anywhere."
"Mia" Noah said softly taking Mia's hand.
"Yeah"
"Are you mad at me?"
Mia shook her head, "i'm not mad at you" Mia kissed Noah's forehead, "I just want things to be ok that's all." Noah nodded as Amelia came back and handed them some biscuits and water, "Amelia guess what, when mommy adopts Mia she is going to be my big sister." Mia sighed loudly as Noah smiled and looked at her. Mia continued to look at him as Noah giggled, "i'm going to eat you" Noah giggled louder as Mia grinned, "I promise I'm going to eat you and I think I am going to start with this little melon head so it doesn't tell Amelia any more of our secrets." Noah laughed as Mia tickled him and opened her mouth wide making funny noises.
Amelia smiled at the interaction, "so we've heard from Noah, Mia care to tell me why you ran away?"
"No chance in hell" Mia said.
"Okay, well in that case i'll set up the couch, feel free to crash or you can watch tv in here. I'll be in my room reading a book."
Mia raised an eyebrow, "what just like that your leaving."
"Yeah."
"Wait, you got something up your sleeve."
"Do I?"
"Yeah your the evil genius."
"Am I?"
"What the fuck?"
"Goodnight."
Mia watched her close the door, "that was weird."
"Tired" Noah said yawning. Mia nodded, "okay lets get you to bed." Amelia walked with Noah to the guest room and Noah climbed into the bed, "stay please."
"Okay" Mia said sitting on the bed putting a hand on Noah's blanket covered tummy, "i'll stay here until you fall asleep."
Mia leaned back on the bed and blinked as a range of thoughts went through her head then she felt her energy leaving her from several days of travel, stress and poor sleep. Hour later Mia woke up and blinked, she grabbed her bag from the corner, opened the door and looking back at Noah sleeping like a log she kissed her fingers and gently placed them on Noah's shoulder. Mia closed the bedroom door and softly walked to the front door, her hand turned the knob and she tried to pull. Mia looked at the locks blocking her exit and she cursed softly. Mia heard a light coming on and she turned around and saw Amelia grinning widely in a chair with her fingers linked and her thumbs tapping each other, "where do you think your going little soul?"
Mia sighed she pulled on the lock and grumbled, "open the door."
"No" Amelia replied.
"Open the fucking door" Mia hissed, "or I will fuck you up."
"Wow" Amelia smirked, "such language for such a pleasant young lady."
"Let me fucking go."
"Your going to look for a swamp to sleep in?"
"It would be better than staying here with you" Mia said in a hostile voice, "you want me to fuck you up."
"Let me say it in Spanish no."
Mia pulled on the door and groaned as Amelia watched her, "now what are you doing?" as Mia ran to the nearest window and pulled on it, "what the fuck there's locks everywhere."
"Everywhere in this house" Amelia waved her hands around her.
"What" Mia looked around wildly, "you just bring kids home and trap them in the house."
"Well" Amelia said with a face that mimicked the expression the cat who had gotten the cream, "out of all the kids who come here you're the first one i've ever trapped, most of the other kids who come here a.k.a my other nieces and nephews don't want to run away in the middle of the night."
Mia picked up a bat, "what are you doing with that" Amelia said.
"I'm going to break the window if you don't let me go."
"Well the windows are reinforced" Amelia crossed her arms, "so you can try if you like."
"Your bluffing."
"Try it and find out."
Mia swung at a window and the bat bounced back and hit her in the shoulder, "ow, fuck."
"You want an ice pack" Amelia giggled.
"No" Mia hobbled around in pain, "I don't want a fucking ice pack, why the fuck are the windows reinforced?"
"Well" Amelia said with a wicked expression, "ever since a certain youth broke into my house last year I upped up the security in my house."
"Oh haha" Mia climbed up on the kitchen benches and started pulling on the locked window handles as hard as she could groaning in frustration as Amelia laughed, "this is not funny." Mia hissed as she pulled again and losing her grip she rolled off the bench and fell down with a loud ow as Amelia let out a loud laugh, Mia got to her feet, "stop fucking laughing, its not funny."
"Depends if your the one watching, well continue to try and escape please, its very amusing."
"No i'm not fucking continuing let me the fuck go" Mia darted to the chimney and tried to climb up it, Amelia laughed loudly clutching her chest as she watched Mia's legs flailing around.
"Hey santa claus" Amelia grinned, "your meant to come down the chimney not go up it."
Mia coughed as soot hit her face, she fell down to the bottom and slapped her face to try and get the soot off and coughed as Amelia stood there laughing her head off, "stop laughing" she shouted to Amelia.
"I can't help it" Amelia said as she doubled over, "I should have gotten this on video, hang on I'll get my phone" Amelia pulled out her camera phone, "ok now continue."
"Right" Mia said as her face twisted in anger, she picked up the bat again, "that's it, i'm pissed now."
"Oh no" Amelia said in a mocking voice as her grin grew wider, "your pissed."
Mia swung the bat in the air, "let me go or i'll seriously fuck you up."
"No you won't" Amelia smirked.
"I will" Mia said twisting her face in anger, "I'll fucking hit you."
"Okay" Amelia shrugged, "go ahead."
Mia waved the bat in the air trying to look intimidating before she cried out in frustration and dropped the bat, "fuck" Mia groaned as the bat hit her foot.
"Are you ready to talk?"
"Fuck off" Mia said, "stop laughing at me."
"Or" Amelia chuckled, "do you want to take a shower your covered in chimney soot."
"Just let me go."
Mia darted from room to room, "looking for a escape hatch my dear?"
"Where are the keys?"
"Somewhere around here" Amelia said.
Mia came back into the living room, "I bet they're in your boobs."
"Kid" Amelia looked at her bemused, "my keys are not in my boobs."
"Well prove it."
"How would I do that."
"Well do this" Mia wriggled her own chest with her arms flailing about in front of Amelia, "I bet I hear a jingle."
Amelia chuckled, "you are…. the craziest kid i've ever met."
"Yeah" Mia nodded "and you're a bitch so stop fucking with me and give me the keys."
"No your covered in soot so get cleaned up."
"I fucking won't" Mia said as she stormed to the bathroom to wash her face.
Amelia shook her head spouting a evil grin as she wandered and looked into the guest room at Noah who was still passed out, "you do sleep like the dead." She walked back into the kitchen and hearing her phone buzzing, she looked at the number and picked it up, "hey bro."
"Amelia" Derek said, "hey um, look I um."
"Slow down, what's going on."
"Its Mia she's run away with Noah and we think they've gone to the city."
"My goodness" Amelia said feigning surprise.
"I know its, we don't know where they are but we have called the police and they're looking for them. If the police find them then I have asked them to contact you and my mum."
"Okay and you want me to go and pick them up when the police find them."
"Yes please, if you can."
"Do you know why they ran away."
"Its Mia she received..."
"What, what did she receive?"
"I'll send you photos, it would be much easier to explain."
Amelia looked at the photos and feeling a deep sadness coming over her, "if I see them or hear anything i'll let you know."
"Thank you."
"They're going to be okay Derek, keep believing that."
Amelia walked up the stairs and heard deep breathing coming from inside the bathroom, she knocked on the door, "you doing alright kid."
"Yeah fantastic" Mia said sarcastically, "i'll be a lot better if you let me go."
"I know why you ran away."
"You do?"
"Yeah I do."
Amelia opened the door looking livid, "did you call the doc, if you talked to the doc and told her where I am I will seriously kill you"
"I talked with Derek, I haven't told him where you are or that your with me."
Amelia's face softened, "I don't get it, why aren't you dobbing me in?"
"Can you and I have a chat?"
Mia looked bewildered, "first of all" Amelia said opening her arms up, "bring it in."
"No" Mia hissed.
"Come on" Amelia said gesturing Mia to come closer with her fingers.
"No fuck off, i'm not hugging you."
"Come on" Amelia said looking at Mia shaking her head and fighting back tears, "you look like your crying a river inside and you need a hug."
"No I don't need a hug, I need keys."
"Come here and give me a hug."
"No, your the last person on earth I would hug, scratch that your the last person in history I would ever hug including Hitler."
"Mia, I know your not very fond of me but I like you and I want to help you."
"Why" Mia said before she pointed and scowled "and don't make a niece joke."
"Okay I like you because well first of all your very entertaining." Amelia giggled seeing the look on Mia's face "and second of all I think deep down underneath all the swearing and the unconvincing tough girl act you try and put on there's a very sensitive kind girl who is just thirsty for love and acceptance that's what I think."
"Oh" Mia made a loud long farting noise with her tongue as Amelia smiled, "see this is what I mean about being entertaining, wait" Amelia said as Mia suddenly charged into her, "what are you doing."
"Getting the keys off you" Mia replied as her hands rampaged through Amelia's pockets.
"They're not on me."
Mia cried out in frustration and started punching Amelia. Amelia took hold of Mia's wrists and Mia let out a sob, her muscles weakened and she started to whimper and put her face on Amelia's shoulder as Amelia drew her arms around to embrace her, "there you go, there you go."
Mia cried quietly as Amelia hugged her, "its ok, let it out."
"Everything is so fucked up."
"I know, I know it is."
Mia took several deep breaths and let out a loud sob, "I don't want them to hurt my family."
"They're not going to hurt them, no one is going to hurt your family."
Mia shook her head, "you don't know what they do, they hurt people, they'll hurt them if i'm with them."
"Mia I don't know these people but I've met people like them and I don't think you running away is going to stop them. Its not fair on you if you have to leave your home and the people who love you for them."
Mia looked at the floor and wiped the tears from her cheeks, "what are you going to do, are you going to tell them that i'm here?"
"We can talk about what we're going to do tomorrow don't worry about it now."
"Okay" Mia whispered sniffing loudly and wiping her eyes.
"You feeling better."
"A bit."
Amelia gave a small smile and patted Mia's shoulder, "there's nothing like a hug from your auntie."
Mia let out a deep breath, "I hate you so much."
"Yes" Amelia's smile grew wider, "I know you do, come on lets watch a movie."
Mia slowly nodded and walked downstairs to the living room, "okay pick something to watch."
"You like this?"
"Yeah" Amelia said as she looked at the film Mia choose, "that's a good film, i've seen it a few times."
"I've seen it five times" Mia said with a grin.
"Well we'll watch it now and I will have seen it five times."
They started watching the movie and Mia said quietly, "Amelia."
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry for breaking into your house last year" Mia said softly "and tying you up and torturing you to find out where your valuables were."
Amelia nodded, "i'm surprised you didn't try and do that to find out where the keys are."
"Well" Mia chuckled "after you carried me into Meredith's house on Christmas day I thought trying to torture you would have been like suicide."
Amelia nodded smirking as Mia looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "your not going to tickle me again are you?"
"No kid, I had my revenge on Christmas remember."
"You only tickled me for a few seconds on Christmas."
"That's true" Amelia said smiling "and you did tickle torture me for a lot longer than that."
"Oh" Mia raised her hands, "you want to go do you."
"Well if you insist."
Mia opened her mouth and grinned, "you know what I better not" she said as she chuckled with Amelia.
"Hey um can I ask you something?"
"Yeah" Mia said turning sideways.
"Does Meredith really want to adopt you?"
"No" Mia snorted, "she just wants to keep me prisoner and try and get some adopting kids records prize or something."
"Of course" Amelia said and after a few minutes she said, "you called Derek and Meredith your family to me before."
Mia's face grew serious and then downcast as she closed her eyes, "they're the closest thing i've ever had to a real family."
"Derek told me you grew up in a orphanage."
"And then I met my family, my aunt and uncle adopted me and I wish they never did."
"Then you ran away."
"And I wanted to take away Ally from Meredith and Derek."
"And then you didn't."
Mia put down her glass of coco, "do you know my entire fucking life story or something?"
"I'm sorry, I have a sticky beak."
Mia's eyes softened, "sorry."
Amelia put her hand on Mia's knee, "you deserve to be happy you know."
"Meredith has said that to me once or twice, or more."
"Did you believe her?"
"Don't you already know."
"If you could wish how you want your life to be, what would you want it to look like?"
"I think I, I want to tell Meredith and Derek" Amelia said, "what I want face to face."
"You know" Amelia said, "that time when you and those other youths broke in, tied me up and tried to think of ways to get me to confess where the valuables were. I think you suggested the brushes because you didn't want me to be cut with knives like another kid suggested."
"Well I, I didn't like it when, the first time they did it and I watched." Mia looked at Amelia, "listen i'm really sorry, you've helped me out twice and all i've done is be well..."
"Amusing?"
"I was going to say something along the lines of a real shithead."
"Well you kind of saved me from potentially bleeding to death and I wanted to call the police on you when we first met."
"You didn't though."
"No I didn't so thank you, when you and I met again on Christmas I should have realised that."
"Those valuables, I can replace them you know, eventually, when I get a job."
"You know the insurance company sorted it out and after that night I decided to switch from hair brushes to combs"
Mia laughed with Amelia, "can I go to bed."
"Sure" Amelia said, "i'll turn the tv off, goodnight." Mia got up and walked around the couch before she walked back and gave Amelia a hug, Amelia smiled and hugged her back before Mia walked out of the room.
Amelia woke up the next morning and walked downstairs to the living room, "rise and shine, kiddo."
Amelia looked around her, "Mia." Amelia walked to the bathroom, "hey how do you like your pancakes, I got some choc chips we can use." Amelia looked into the bathroom and with a twinge of fear she ran to her bedroom and found the safe open, "oh no" she said as she ran to the safe and read a note which read two words bye Amelia, "smart kid she guessed my combination." Amelia ran downstairs, "I knew having my brothers birth date as my code was a mistake." Amelia opened the front door and looked around, "damn it."