Ten (Five years old)

The first week of school would more than likely end in misery. That was what Emily kept telling herself. She used to read stories on the Kelvin of how kids in schools on Earth were often tormented because they'd grown up surrounded by aliens for most of their lives. She knew she wouldn't be much better. Not only had she grown up on ships for the first four years of her life, but she also had unusual abilities that would make anyone cringe. McCoy might have grown to accept her for who she was, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that other students wouldn't feel the same way. She was worried over how they would react to meeting her for the first time.

As they waited outside at the school bus stop early in the morning, Emily found herself standing close to Coulson. He wanted to be there on the first day of school to see her off. She was touched by his devotion and the fact that he was willing to take time off for her. McCoy's mother was also there with them, but his father had work to finish at the local hospital. So it was the four of them and a group of other kids of varying ages living nearby waiting at the bus stop. None of the other kids had paid her any mind, but she noticed McCoy talking to a group of boys that were around their age. She swallowed hard after realizing he wanted nothing to do with her.

Things didn't get any better when the bus finally arrived. She was forced to the back of the bus along with a group of rowdy kids who already knew each other. McCoy already seemed to have close friends and was sitting with a group of them near the front. She couldn't bring herself to look at anyone or talk to anyone as she sat alone. Her heart was racing with renewed dread when the bus finally pulled into the schoolyard.

The school itself was huge compared to what she was used to. Hannah had only ever taken her to smaller places where they could shop for clothing or other material needed for school. She was already feeling overwhelmed with the amount of space students had to walk around, but things got even worse when everyone was herded into different rooms known as 'classrooms'. Each class consisted of thirty kids or more, with two teachers for each class. She noticed with a start there was a lack of aliens in each class… mostly humans attended this school, which only added to her laundry list of complaints. Though she was relieved to see McCoy sitting at a desk not far from her.

Introductions came and went quickly. However, when she was next in line to introduce herself, she couldn't bring herself to speak. All eyes were on her, every judging gaze fixated on the fact that she was trembling. And all at once, memories of her time on the bridge of the Kelvin suddenly came rushing back. Then came the rumors that quickly followed. Emily hadn't missed the fact that the students seemed to have their own cliques and groups to hang out with. McCoy was no exception to that rule, and that hurt more than she would ever admit out loud.

"I heard about her… didn't she and her father come from some big city?"

She flinched when she heard one of the kids bring up a topic that seemed to become popular among her peers. Emily's heart sank even further when she spotted McCoy sitting among the students that were talking about herself and Coulson. A lump formed in the back of her throat when she realized he wasn't even looking at her.

"She froze up completely during introductions. Looks like she'll last about five days."

"I'd say less if we have our way."

Emily let out a heavy sigh as she finally reached McCoy at recess. Apparently kids were expected to act like kids around the playground. But she knew better than to expect that sort of outcome. Most of them had either ignored her presence entirely or looked at her as though she was a freak. She found herself wishing that someone would say something to her face than keep to themselves. But the moment she reached McCoy was when she immediately regretted it.

"Leonard, I—"

"Do I know you?" McCoy suddenly cut her off before she could finish.

Emily's jaw clenched when she realized too late what was happening. The other kids standing around him were boys around the same age. Every one of them looked annoyed with her sudden presence. She couldn't help but flinch under their questioning gazes. Even McCoy was a part of them, and he rolled his eyes in exasperation as the other boys looked at him questioningly.

"Leonard? I didn't know anyone called ya by your full name," one of the boys laughed.

"Look, just go away, okay?" he finally said, looking more than annoyed at being called out.

She couldn't help but look between the boys as understanding dawned on her. The man's words from the facility suddenly came rushing back: 'Eventually, everyone will leave you'. Her eyes narrowed with renewed fury as she finally tore her glare away from McCoy, knowing full-well he wouldn't ever see her as anything more than a freak after this.

.

.

As the first week went by, her behavior had changed dramatically. She reverted back to speaking only when she was spoken to, refusing to open herself up to anyone. A couple of kids had tried talking to her at the lunch hall when she sat alone. It seemed as though any time someone tried getting close, she pushed them away. She didn't want to face the same pain she'd faced when she realized McCoy wanted nothing to do with her. It only reminded her of the way her parents had abandoned her, and of how she'd lost everything not so long ago. She was defensive around teachers who tried reasoning with her whenever they brought up something that wasn't right. Some of them had filed reports on her, and of course the few who saw her intelligence as nothing more than that favored her. That only seemed to give the other kids more of a reason to torment her.

Emily was only just beginning to realize how alone she really was. Coulson was really the only person she opened to, and even that was few and in between. He hadn't missed how her behavior seemed to fall back to the way she was before he adopted her. She knew he was likely worried about it, but he hadn't been able to say anything since he was constantly on call for missions.

She wondered if McCoy had ever felt guilty for pushing her away the way he had. She knew in the back of her mind that he never really cared. It had just been a show, after all. She focused more on controlling her emotions and maintaining a mask of calm around anyone who tried getting to know her. She was beginning to understand that if she stood out, it would only drawl their attention and make things worse.

She tried pushing the thoughts aside as she focused on the classes looming ahead. By the time week number three had rolled around the corner, she became known as the outcast. It wasn't entirely surprising that most of the students began isolating her. After pushing anyone who tried getting to know her away, she doubted any of them would ever understand what she had been through. She tried putting her trust in McCoy, but that only ended in misery.

It was also around the third week that Emily found herself sitting alone in the back of the bus again. She pulled out her data PADD as she listened to the other kids talk excitedly about how their day had gone. She was hardly aware of the fact that McCoy had been glancing back at her every now and then. What bothered her more than anything else was the fact that he'd been completely oblivious to all of it. He acted as though she didn't exist at school… and she realized with a start that she was angrier with him than hurt. She shook her head at the thought of what would happen if she actually had a friend.

The term 'friend' just wasn't part of her vocabulary. She realized that the sooner she accepted that notion, the better off everyone would be. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the moment she reached a news broadcast.

She remembered hearing stories of how Captain George Kirk had gone with the Kelvin. She remembered McCoy discovering that she was also involved with the incident. What she didn't remember was that her parents had also been involved with the incident, but not in a way that she expected.

'It has been two years since the Kelvin incident. Since then Starfleet has regulated that families are no longer allowed to work aboard Starships for long-term missions. The risks are too dangerous, as was proven when the late Captain Kirk was lost to the Kelvin, along with four-year-old Emily Hayes. The Hayes family has since then recovered from the incident and moved on, with a new daughter…'

Emily's heart nearly skipped a beat as realization dawned on her. The first time she heard her mother and father complain about her, it was because they said they never wanted a child of their own. She'd known at the time that it was more than likely because she had been a surprise baby. What annoyed her the most though was the fact that they had been happy to get rid of her. Then to see images of said family with a newborn infant left her stomach churning with dread.

Something stirred deep within her chest. While a part of her would always be grateful that Coulson adopted her, she was still resentful towards her parents for all but abandoning her. She should have known better than to think that her life would be any different once Coulson brought her home with him.

It wasn't until hearing the screech of tires that Emily finally glanced up. She hadn't realized until then that the lights were flickering on and off. Or that everyone was staring at her. Everyone that was except for McCoy. His face was set with a look of what she could only describe as guilt… or annoyance. More like annoyance since she was interfering with his life.

A lump formed in the back of her throat as she threw the data PADD onto the seat and tore from the aisle of the bus, ignoring the incredulous glares that followed. She wasn't in any hurry to face them again. Hell, she was more than happy to get away from them and the rest of this world. Once she was free of the bus and the crowd of kids surrounding her, she tore into the nearby street leading back to her familiar place.

So much for finding a place where I belong, she thought bitterly.

.

.

"Leo, have you seen Emily?" McCoy flinched when his mother addressed him.

He'd known nothing good would come out of her escaping from the bus. More so when he found her data PADD sitting on the seat where she had been sitting. He'd also known that he wasn't much better than the other kids for pushing her away the way he had. After everything she had been through, the least she deserved was a friend. But school had always been a different ballpark. He knew going into it that he would likely have other friends to hang out with. She had always been nothing more than someone to hang out with during the summer. At least… that was what he wanted to believe.

"Not since this morning," he admitted after realizing she was waiting for an answer.

"Phil's been asking if she stopped by our place after school, but I haven't seen her either," his mother let out a tired sigh.

Guilt stabbed him in the chest as realization dawned on him. On any normal occasion if Coulson wasn't back she would have stopped by their place. She had been doing so since school started, though McCoy hadn't been the only one to notice how closed off she was around everyone. His stomach twisted in a knot when he understood the gravity of the situation. She'd left the bus before it reached their stop. He wasn't even sure if she'd known where she was going at the time she left, and the bus driver hadn't had the chance to stop her. The only thing he had been aware of was the fact that everyone else had been laughing when she left.

He tried pushing those thoughts aside and instead focused on finishing what was left of his homework. Contrary to popular belief, Emily had been right about him being smart. He preferred doing his work during classes when no one was paying attention. It gave him time to goof off when he got home or hang out with friends at school during recess. Though that hadn't stopped him from thinking back to the way Emily had been treated during school.

Another hour of this went by when he finally spotted his mother talking to a brunette woman standing out in the front yard. McCoy's brows furrowed together with worry when he realized something was wrong. He'd seen that woman before. She was the same woman who was usually talking to Coulson whenever he and Emily spent the night together at their place.

A lump formed in the back of his throat as he set aside the last of his homework – thankfully it was finished by then – and left before his mother could figure out what he was up to. His father was working later hours at the hospital, and that gave him the chance to slip away unnoticed. Of course, it helped knowing that he knew the property like the back of his hand.

With a heavy sigh, McCoy began his search by heading for the last bus stop she was at. That was miles away from their property. He knew she would have likely wandered after running from the station. After everything she had been through, it was a wonder she hadn't tried running more often. He knew she was a flight risk from the way his father had described her. And he supposed that was why his parents had trusted him enough to keep an eye on her at school. And he realized with a start that that was why he felt so guilty. He'd pushed her away during recess and even lunch; the other kids had seen her as nothing more than a freak or an outcast… and in some ways, she was both. That didn't make his behavior any better.

It wasn't until the sun began setting that he really started to worry. He hadn't found her like he hoped. By the time he got back home his father was back from work, along with Coulson. It didn't take long for him to guess that they were also looking for her. His gut wrenched once more as realization struck him. She didn't want to be found. And he realized with a start that that hurt more than he wanted to admit out loud.

"I'm gonna keep looking tonight… maybe she ran off into the woods thinking we wouldn't look there," Coulson let out a sigh of frustration as he paced back and forth.

"Leo, did she give you any idea as to where she might have run off to?" his father suddenly turned and looked at him after noticing he was watching them anxiously.

All at once, the guilt from earlier suddenly came rushing back. McCoy swallowed hard and pulled out the data PADD she'd left on the bus. It was still on the page she was last looking at. He hadn't realized until looking at the page himself that it was explaining what happened after the Kelvin incident. The teachers had talked about it in school for a week. He'd seen the way she seemed to shrink further into herself as the teachers went into detail of what happened and what led to further safety regulations as a result.

"They were talking about the Kelvin incident before we got back," he explained warily. He knew he would likely be scolded regardless of what he said for pushing her away. "I guess she must've looked it up for herself to see what the other survivors were up to."

He flinched when Coulson's eyes narrowed with fury. The Kelvin incident was still a sensitive topic around her. Not that McCoy couldn't blame her for feeling the way she did.

"It must have triggered another panic attack," Coulson muttered under his breath.

McCoy watched warily as Coulson finally turned and headed in the direction of the woods. His father looked more concerned than anything else after realizing he hadn't been there when she ran. He'd been sitting with his friends at the time, but it was only until then that he immediately regretted his earlier behavior.

"I thought you were with her?" his father asked after turning to face him.

"We uh… I was hanging out with my friends," he admitted with a sheepish look.

"And isn't Emily your friend?" His father crossed his arms and gave him a dubious look. When McCoy didn't answer, his father let out a sigh of his own and shook his head in disbelief. "Leo, I thought we raised you better than this. You of all people should know you can have more than one friend in school. And if those kids don't see it that way, then obviously they aren't good friends."

Heat immediately rose to his cheeks when he realized what his father was implying. He hadn't exactly been a good friend to her those first couple of weeks. He knew his father was right… as much as he hated to admit it, he knew he would have his work cut out for him if Coulson was able to find Emily.

Of course, the situation hadn't gotten much better when Coulson returned later that evening with little to no sign of Emily. McCoy's gut wrenched when realization struck him hard. By the time school started again the other kids had resumed classes as though nothing happened. But McCoy hadn't missed how a couple of kids began asking where she disappeared to.

By the time day number four rolled around the corner, everyone had begun worrying. He knew Coulson hadn't lost hope in looking for her. The man was every bit as worried about her as his parents had been. McCoy had only just returned home from school when he saw that everyone was gathered in the living area. If his mother and that brunette from earlier counted as everyone.

"Did you find her?" he asked anxiously.

The brunette who had been talking to his mother looked down at him in annoyance. One warning look from his mother was all it took for her to regain her composure.

"We have, but she's being stabilized as we speak," she replied in a tone that suggested she wasn't sure how to deal with kids his age.

"Your father and Phil spent most of the night looking for her," his mother explained after shooting the woman a strange look. McCoy's gut wrenched when he caught the look sweeping across his mother's face. A combination of worry, concern and something else was eating away at her. "She's in pretty rough shape, but she's safe now."

Guilt stabbed him in the chest as he realized what his mother meant by that. He tried pushing those thoughts aside as he stumbled up the stairs, ignoring the warning looks that followed. He wasn't sure why, but he had to see just how bad it was. He knew his father wouldn't likely tell him, and Coulson would likely be angrier than happy that she was back.

But as soon as he reached the room she normally stayed in when she spent the night, the breath was suddenly knocked out of his lungs.

She looked like a mess from what he could see. Deep, purple and blue bruises covered her skin. She was unconscious, though that was probably a good thing for her sake. McCoy swallowed hard as realization struck him in the chest. He wasn't sure how she had gotten so badly hurt, but he had a feeling those wounds weren't self-inflicted. And something told him that she wouldn't be in any hurry to explain where they came from.