1910

"Estelle!"

The weather, with the bright sun high up in the sky and a slight breeze filling the air, had formed the most perfect summers' day for exploring. Taking full advantage, in the bottom of the cottage's back garden, a little girl was emerging from the bushes, her ears pricking at the sound of her name and her stomach rumbling at the hope of baked goods awaiting her arrival.

Kicking her boot covered feet through the slightly longer grass around the side of her home she appeared from where she may or may not have been spending her morning climbing trees and digging for worms to keep as pets. She plastered a sweet smile onto her lips, a smudge decorating her left cheekbone, when she spotted her mother standing at the front gate, making her way over with her dirty hands hidden behind her back.

"Brush your skirt down," Rita King said with a tut and an arch to her eyebrows as she crouched down in front of her daughter, licking her thumb to wipe away the smudge decorating her pale complexion "Have you been trying to climb that tree again?"

Estelle couldn't stop the grin coming to her lips as she shook her head, the dark curls escaping her hair band bouncing around her face "No," she lied but a giggle left her as her mother poked her stomach teasingly.

"Come with me," she said as she straightened up properly and held her hand out, letting out a little laugh when she spotted the dirt on Estelle's "Rosemary has come over to say hi," she said squeezing the small hand held in hers as her shorter strides hurried to keep up.

With her nose wrinkling up in confusion Estelle wondered why the fact that their next door neighbour had popped over was such a big deal. Rosemary always came over to visit...and she usually brought chocolate or cake…

Rethinking her decision she quickly came to the conclusion that Rosemary being there possibly was a big thing.

"Hello," she said putting on her sweetest smile as her free hand raised to wave enthusiastically over to the rosy cheeked, friendly looking woman standing in their gateway. The nicer she was, the sweeter her smile, the bigger the piece of cake she usually received.

"Hello sweet Estelle," Rosemary greeted. There was something different about her, she seemed almost nervous being there with her plastered on smile and odd way of speaking "I have a little favour to ask you is that alright?"

That was when she noticed that Rosemary hadn't come over alone. Stood, hiding slightly, behind her was a boy Estelle assumed was her own age. His dark eyes were wide and his skin pale as he took in his surroundings.

"This is Henry, he could do with a friend," the small boy was coaxed out from his hiding place and Estelle made sure to smile extra sweetly when she saw the scared look on his face "Henry. This is Estelle."

His eyebrows shot up but he seemed to relax at the sight of someone his own age as a smile lit up his face "Hi Essie."

She didn't bother to correct him before she replied "Hi Henry," and held her hand out for him to take "You wanna see my worms?"

1922

"You're here already!"

Though her tone was chipper and bright Henry's features stayed deadpan as he turned around to face her. His hands were tucked deep into his pockets and his dark hair ruffled in the wind.

She thought about asking him what was wrong but the nagging doubt in the back of her mind told her to mind her own business. Henry had become a lot more closed off to her in recent years and, although it hurt, she knew that if she respected his privacy he'd come around in the end. He always did.

"I brought us something to eat," she said holding up the brown bag clutched in her hand before she flopped down onto the grass and tucked her legs beneath herself.

"I'm leaving Essie."

Her breath caught in her throat at the sound of his voice but she continued unwrapping the sandwiches in her bag "I-it's just cheese, it is the maids day off and you know I'm no good at making my way around the kitchen, but I thought you wouldn't mind that."

"Estelle."

Her eyes slowly glanced up to where he was now crouching in front of her and she shook her head, "You're not, not yet," she said in a small and disbelieving tone "You can't because...because it isn't our birthdays for a few weeks!"

He winced apologetically as he pushed himself backward so that he too was sitting on the grass "I can't wait any longer," he explained bowing his head "You know that I'm fostered. That - that Rosemary isn't my real mother?"

"Of course," Stella answered with a nod as she absently tugged on the grass by her side "I remember the day you arrived here like it was yesterday."

Henry's mouth curled upwards in an amused smirk "When you asked if I wanted to see the worms you kept as pets?"

Her eyes narrowed as she threw her handful of grass at him "And what wonderful pets they were! Didn't have to feed them or clean up after them or anything!" she said raising her chin before she let out a giggle at the bemused look on his face "You thought they were the bees knees if I remember correctly!"

"Hm, I don't think you are remembering correctly," he said grinning across to her as she stretched one of her legs out and kicked the bottom of his boot.

Her heart lifted as their eyes met but soon crashed right back down when he wiped the smile from his lips and all went back to being too serious "A man came around earlier," he began his explanation "He was dressed in a suit with a flat cap, from the big city."

"I heard," she mumbled in reply. The arrival of the man had caused a lot of whispers with the others in the village and her mother had been worried something had happened with Henry and Rosemary's relationship. Stella had seen him out of her bedroom window, stalking away from Henry's home toward his fancy motor car with his hands tucked deep into the pockets of his long coat "I was concerned about you."

He reached over to take her hand and she allowed herself to feel the tingle in her skin that she usually squashed down whenever he got too close "After he left, my mother explained that she thinks he's my cousin. He gave me a card with my biological mother's details on it," he continued pulling a small rectangular piece of card from his pocket with his free hand.

Stella shook her head once more "We said we would wait," she said in a shaky tone. Ever since the two of them were old enough to dream of London, Birmingham and any of the other big cities they could travel to away from their small village they had promised one another they would give it their best shot.

As soon as they turned eighteen.

"I need to do this," he said with a sigh as his thumb rubbed gently along her knuckles.

"Just a few more weeks," she repeated in a small voice. He would actually be eighteen only a day before she would be and they had always planned on leaving the village behind together. The city they would head toward had never been set in stone but they had always thought they'd have time to decide.

His hand moved from hers to cup the side of her face, this time his thumb gently running along her cheekbone, and his lips pursed together almost nervously "I can't wait," he said in a whisper "Not with this. I've always wanted, needed, this," he continued as she leaned against the palm of his hand "I won't be gone for long! You won't even get a chance to miss me, I'll be right back ready for our birthdays and ready to plan our futures."

"But-"

"I just need to see her Essie."

Taking in a deep breath she stared into his dark, almost pleading, eyes as she nodded her head "But you'll come back?

"Right back," he confirmed in a promising tone. Pulling his hand away he got to his feet then held it down to help her up "Surely you'll be thankful for the peace and quiet?"

Her eyes raised to the sky for a couple of seconds before she reached out to squeeze his arm "And are you sure you will be okay going alone?" she asked. There would be no way on earth that she would be ready to go yet and she was pretty sure, by the way he was telling her, he needed to do this journey by himself.

Though he was nodding his head there was a tentative look about his person "I'll be fine," he said as he took in a deep breath "Hey I did find out that my name isn't Henry."

Stella's eyes became wide and she reached up to brush his hair from his forehead "Well what is it?"

"Michael," he replied reaching up and clutching onto his suspenders in a pose "Michael Gray."

She took a step away from him and regarded him through narrowed eyes as she crossed her arms loosely over her stomach and tilted her head to one side "I can see it," she confirmed with a nod "Will you take that name?"

"I don't know," he replied as he gestured for her to walk with him "I would like to but I suppose that will depend on how my visit goes. I was taken from her because she was unable to cope, she may not even want to see me."

"She'd be out of her mind if that was the case," Stella said defiantly and he let out a laugh as he slung his arm around her shoulders "I'm being serious," she added as she jabbed her elbow into his side.

"I know that's why you're so funny," he replied squeezing her close to his side.

"So when do you leave?" she asked as her head leaned down against his shoulder while they walked through the fields and back to their houses.

"Tomorrow," he answered and she pulled away from him quickly to look up to him in shock "I think it would be better if I get it over with," he rushed his explanation as she took a further step back away from him "I will be leaving early so…"

"So this is goodbye," she finished off from him, blinking back tears burning her eyes when he nodded his head in confirmation.

He sent her a tight lipped, almost forced, smile as he raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders "I wanted to explain to you properly before I left," he said rubbing a hand down his face "I am going to be right back."

"I know," she said with a watery chuckle, a blush crossing her cheekbones when she reached up to wipe a stray tear off her skin. Her voice trembled as she continued "This is just so much! I'm worried."

There was a grin, one she recognised and one she loved, on his face as he crossed over to where she was standing and pulled her into a tight hug "I will be fine," he insisted against her hair before he pressed a kiss to her temple "Not only am I unsure about how the meeting will go but we have a plan. A plan I intend to stick to."

She nodded as she pressed her face into his chest, gripping him closely to her as she breathed him in "Take good care of yourself," she said in a muffled tone "And try not to be gone for too long."

"I will be right back," he said as he pulled away from her and placed his hands on her shoulders, stooping down so he was able to look her in the eyes. A sad smile came to his face as her eyes filled with tears, his right hand reached up to cradle the side of her face just as he leaned down to press a kiss against her lips "I promise."

My anxiety when I post a new fic just goes into overdrive. Hope you all like the beginnings of Stella's story! Obviously this is just an introduction to her and her relationship with Michael before he goes off to meet the Shelbys, I'm not sure when he didn't end up with Rosemary but I wanted them to have met when they were younger at the same time as having him be in the care system for a certain amount of time.

You can also catch more of her on my tumblr - sgtbuckyybarnes :)

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