Jennifer shivered as her friend pulled her through the busy city streets, her wet dress plastered to her tiny body. Emily had grabbed a big blanket, meant for Ms. Higgins' bed, and quickly wrapped it around their bodies once they made it down the fire escape. "Emily, it's really cold."

The older girl nodded her head, finally sitting them down between two big grabage cans. "I know." She pressed a gentle kiss to the blonde's head before handing her a new dress and a sweater. "Change into those."

Jennifer's brow furrowed, taking the clothing from her friend's hand. "Where did you get these?"

Emily smiled. "I took it from the dirty pile. I hid it with the blanket so Ms. Higgins couldn't see them. Lucky I didn't drop em'."

The nine year old smiled wide before pressing a huge kiss to her friend's lips. "Thank you!"

Emily's eyes widened in surprise, watching the young blond quickly strip out of her wet clothes and into the dry ones. No one had ever kissed her before. Well, Dennis had tried once, but she had quickly turned her head so he had gotten her cheek instead. She had seen her brother kiss one of the girls in the orphanage, Marissa was her name, and they had done it more than once. But when Emily had asked him about it, curious to an extent about why they did it, Ashton had blown her off, telling her she was too young to understand.

Jennifer sat back down beside her new friend and smiled, moving the ebony hair from her eyes. "You ok?"

Emily bit her lip before she nodded.

The blond slowly moved to sit in front of the older girl, her crystal eyes looking into the midnight ones that stared back at her. "Did you bring one for you?"

The ten year old slowly nodded her head, grabbing the oversized sweatshirt beside her.

Jennifer quickly stood and helped the older girl up onto her feet. She took the sweatshirt from the brunette and waited until the other girl was completely undressed, only in her underwear, before helping slip the large sweatshirt over her friend's head. "Good?"

Emily smiled. "Yeah, thank you." She shifted slightly at the uncomfortable feeling of her wet undies riding up.

"What's wrong?"

Emily slowly shook her head before reaching down, hooking her thumbs in the soaking underwear and pulling them down her legs.

Jennifer's blue eyes widened as she watched her friend throw the butterfly undies into the trashcan. "What are you doing?"

"Can't walk around with wet underwear, Jenny. I could catch a cold."

The blond shifted slightly, feeling her own underwear stick to her body. "Should I take mine off too?"

The ten year old quickly nodded, kneeling before the younger orphan and letting her brace herself on her shoulders before she reached up under the blonde's dress and freed her from the wet material. "There you go."

Jennifer smiled to her friend, watching happily as she threw the scrap into the garbage. "Thank you!"

Emily quickly sat back down on the ground and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, holding it open so the younger girl could squeeze in beside her. "You hungry?"

The nine year old vigorously nodded her head.

Emily reached behind the garbage pail beside her and stuck her hand into a small, crinkled paper bag and pulled out two small oranges. "Here you go."

"How'd you know those were here?"

The brunette girl gently shrugged her shoulders, her small fingers peeling at the skin of the orange. "I ran away twice before and this is where I came. I brought some food just in case I did it again."

Jennifer watched as her friend brought the orange up to her mouth and bit into it. "Can I ask you something, Emily?"

The ten year old quickly nodded her head. "Ok."

Jennifer softly bit down into her lip, her fingers dancing lightly over the orange in her hands. "How long have you lived in the orphanage?"

Emily's small body vibrated with a heavy laugh. "Too long."

"Has it always been so bad?"

The brunette stilled slightly, thinking for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't think so. It was ok until I turned five. That's when Ms. Higgins made me start working."

Jennifer slowly nodded. "Can I ask another question?"

Emily smiled before snuggling closer to her friend. "Go ahead."

The blond looked to the girl at her side, setting her chin on the brunette's head that lay on her shoulder. "Was this the first time Dennis did that?"

The older orphan froze, her eyes casting down to the orange in her hand. "No."

"When was the first time?"

Emily's small fingers ripped off a piece of her orange before bringing it to her mouth. "When I was eight. I was in the bath with Missy, and right when she left he came in." She kept her eyes downcast as she shrugged. "He didn't touch me or nothing. Just watched me wash up, ya' know?"

Jennifer pressed a kiss to her friend's head. "I'm sorry."

Emily felt her chin tremble, her face hiding in the crook of the younger girl's neck. "He comes into my dreams."

"Was he there last night?" The blond smiled when Emily shook her head. "Then I'll sleep with you every night."

The older orphan sniffled against her friend's shoulder. "Promise?"

Jennifer smiled wide. "Promise."