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Chapter Thirty-Five: Emily's Fairytale

A/N: Hey everyone! I know it's been a while for this story. I will be updating it more though. Promise. Enjoy!

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost

Emily woke up and rolled over. She smiled as Justin kissed her nose. "Morning."

"Morning Lovely." Justin stretched and wrapped an arm around her. "I could lay here all day."

"Well that's good for you, but some of us have to go to work."

"Hey, I have to work too."

"Then maybe laying here all day wouldn't be the best idea."

"Yeah, I guess. Whose turn is it to make breakfast?"

"Yours."

"Ah. I'll get that going then, shall I?"

"You should."

Justin sighed and kissed her again. "Ok." He groaned as he threw the blankets off and sat up. Emily admired him as he stretched his arms over his head and stretched his back. He got up and tussled his blonde hair. He left the bedroom and Emily sighed. She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest briefly. She looked at the window and heard the rain pounding on it.

"Mm. Looks like rain." She threw the blanket aside and got up. The bedroom she now shared with Justin was a good sized one. She went to the dresser and grabbed some clothes. She made her way to the bathroom. In the kitchen she could hear Justin banging around in the kitchen. There was a crash and he swore. Emily giggle and closed the bathroom door.

After her shower, and once she was dressed in her work uniform, Emily brushed her hair. She put it back in a ponytail and smiled.

"Emmy!" Justin yelled. "Breakfast!"

Emily laughed and opened the door. She skipped to the kitchen in their small house and stick her head in. "How many times have I told you not to call me Emmy?"

"Um...many times."

Emily chuckled and went over to the stove. She wrapped her arms around him. "Mm. Are you you driving me to work?"

"I would, but I have to be at the Richards' farm to help with their horses."

"In the rain?"

"Yes in the rain," he said, kissing the top of her head. "And you have to get going, or you'll be later for work."

"That's true," Emily moaned. Justin handed her a plate and she took it. She went and sat down at the table, thinking about her day. She needed to stop by Serena's apartment and grab something from her before work. And she would need to not be late for work at the same time. But before work is the only time I can catch Serena, Emily thought to herself. She ate her omelette thinking. I'm sure I'll have time. Justin sat at the table next to her with his own food a few minutes later.

"Don't forget," he told her. "We need milk as long as you're in the city."

"I don't see why I always have to get the milk."

"Because it's cheaper in the city," he said. "Besides, I always have to get the eggs."

"Only because the Johonsons give them to you for free."

"Hey, if their chickens lay a lot of eggs, it's not really my fault."

Emily laughed and took the last few bites of her omelette. "Ok, well if I'm driving myself I need to get going. I have to stop by Serena's before I head to work." She got up and put her plate in the sink. "You're doing the dishes by the way."

Justin made a face. "Why?!"

"Because you won't drive me to work." She went into the living room and grabbed her purse and sweater. She pulled her sweater on and grabbed her keys off a side table. She took one more look around the small home. The house she shared with Justin was small, but cozy. It was sitting on a piece of land that he'd inherited. Emily went back into the kitchen and found Justin washing the dishes. She leaned on the counter, smiling. "See? It's not that bad?"

"Oh really?" Justin picked up his hands, which were filled with soapy water, and threw them at his girlfriend.

"Justin!" Emily laughed, jumping back. "You're going to soak my work clothes!" He simply smiled and got bubbles on his hands. He suddenly thrust his hands out and smeared bubbles on the side of Emily's face. She shrieked and he wrapped his arms around her, spreading them down her back. "Justin!" Emily gasped. She tried to squirm out of his grasp, but once she was turned around he simply picked her up. He spun her around and she laughed. "Put me down!" He set her down and Emily turned to face him. "Was that my punishment for making you do the dishes?"

"Maybe." He tilted his head down and kissed her. "Maybe not."

Emily giggled. "I have to go. I'm going to be late."

"Ok. Drive safe, ok?"

"I will. I'll see you later tonight."

"Yup. I'm making hamburgers."

"Mm. Yum. I'll see you later."

"Wait." He grabbed her hand again and pulled her close. He kissed her again. "Bye."

"Bye. Love you."

"Love you more."

Emily left the house and headed for her car. It wasn't anything special. A used, yellow car. But it ran fine, and it was hers. She got in and started it up. The rain was coming down pretty hard. "Hope I'm not late," she muttered. Working at a daycare was far from glamorous. But it was works and Mia had helped her get the job. She drove down the winding driveway and headed out towards the city.

-Samurai Ranger Life-

Emily decided to try and catch Serena after work and instead headed straight to her job. She parked in the parking lot and ran to the front door. She walked inside and headed for the room where she worked. She opened the door and was greeted by screaming three, four, and five year olds.

"Miss. Emamy!" one of the girls yelled running up to her. "Miss. Emamy!"

"One minute," Emily told her, heading for the cabinet where she kept her stuff. It was up high where little reaching hands couldn't get it. She turned around and crouched down. "Ok, what is it?"

"It's wainin'!"

"I know it is."

"Miss. Emily!" a boy said, running up to her. "Can we play in the mud? Please?!"

"No James," she laughed. "I don't think your parents would like that."

"But I wanna play outside!"

"I know you do, but we can find lots of fun stuff to do inside too."

"Like what?!"

Emily glanced up and saw the teacher she assisted, Brynn, was stopping two kids from arguing over a toy. Brynn spotted Emily and gave her a meaningful look. Keeping twelve kids occupied without being able to take them outside was going to be a challenge.

Arts and crafts lasted thirty minutes, with all the kids making butterflies out of papaw,r and then decorating them with stickers, scribbles, and glitter. Emily ended up with glitter in her hair and on her shirt. She stopped by Brynn real quick as they set up the next activity. "Whose idea was it again to let them play with glitter."

"Hey, it kept them occupied, didn't it?" Brynn replied.

Music time lasted a little longer. But that wasn't exactly a great thing, because high pitched mini xylophones and plastic drums weren't exactly fun to listen too. Emily sat with the kids on the circle rug, getting them to sing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". The first one went over well, and before she knew it, all twelve kids were happily hitting away at their instruments and singing. They soon mastered "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and were begging Emily to teach the another song.

"Um...let me think...how about "Pop Goes The Weasel?" So she taught them that, and then "Ring Around The Rosie". The latter led to them eventually getting up and doing the little dance; complete with all of them falling down at the end.

"Ok kids," Brynn smiled. "Snack time."

They all got up and ran to the tables. They sat down and ate their animal crackers and drank their juice while Emily put the musical instruments away. "That went well," she remarked to Brynn.

"Only because they love you, and your music," Brynn smiled. "I'm thinking next we should have some free play time. And then story time. And then it should be lunch time."

"Sounds good."

Free play time turned out to be Emily playing dolls with some of the little girls. They all laughed and giggled as they dressed the plastic dolls.

"I likes this one," one of them said, picking up a naked doll with brown hair. "Her hair is pretty."

"This one's prettier!" another girl argued.

"Is not!"

"Is to!"

"Is not!"

"Is to!"

"Girls!" Emily interjected, trying to quickly end the argument. "They're both beautiful."

"But mine is the princess!" one if them said.

"No mine is!" the other little girl argued.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Hey!" Emily interrupted again. "They can both be princesses."

"Really?"

"Of course. Every little girl can be a princess." Free play time continued without much incident after that. One boy decided he was going to steal the dolls from the girls, but soon found out that they didn't like that very much. They chased him off, but luckily it was story time. The little kids all gathered in a circle as Brynn selected a book. Emily had to pull tow boys apart as they tried to bite each other. If life is a fairytale, mine is an interesting one indeed, she thought.

The kids managed to sit through story time with little to no incidents. Emily did have to place herself between two kids who decided that pulling each other's hair was a fun activity. She looked around at all the kids, mostly listening with rapt attention. It amazed her that their little minds could both latch themselves onto a simple story, yet remain slightly distracted by playing with their shoes and the rug at the same time. Story time ended and Byrnn stood up. She motioned or Emily to follow her and she complied.

"I'm going to get the lunches. I'll be right back."

"Ok," Emily nodded. As Brynn left she turned to kids and smiled. "Alright guys, let's go get yourselves cleaned up for lunch time."

The children all raced to the sink as Emily turned the water on. Gently, she helped them stand on the step-stool and reach into the water. She would squirt a small amount of soap onto their hands, then help them rub them together under the water. She smiled at how soft and small their hands were. When one person was done she would give them a paper towel and send them off. She helped all twelve kids wash their hands and only got some water splashed on her in the process. Ten minutes later, Brynn returned with a tray full of brown paper bags.

"Lunch time kiddos!" she said as she shut the door with her foot. The kids all rushed to their tables, which had been sufficiently wiped down after arts-and-crafts, pounding their hands on the table. "Hey!" Brynn yelled. "Everyone behave." She and Emily passed out the lunches, getting a 'thank you' from each child. Eventually they were able to sit down at their 'teacher' table, that was thankfully more than a foot off the ground, and took the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from their own brown paper bags. "We're halfway through the day."

"Thankfully," Emily replied. She took a bite and nodded. "We will survive the rainy day."

"I hope so. Can you believe this weather? The news said it's only supposed to get worse too."

"Drive home should be fun."

"Be careful when you're driving. The roads should probably be pretty bad."

"Definitely." They heard someone screech and Brynn put her sandwich down.

"I'll handle this one."

"Sounds like a plan." Emily continued to eat her lunch as Byrnn handled the two boys who'd decided that smearing their sandwiches on a girl sitting between them. She sipped her little carton of milk absentmindedly. I really need to go see Serena after work. I have to get those papers from her in I'm going to register for fall classes. She smiled, feeling the usual bubbles of excitement at the thought of her future college career.

Brynn returned and sat down again. "Ok. Another crisis averted."

"That's good."

"Only like four of five more hours."

Emily nodded. "We can make it until then."

"God I hope so.

-Samurai Ranger Life-

After work, Emily went to go see Serena. She'd had to stay later than expected and the rain was coming down even harder now. She squealed a little as she ran up to the entrance of her sister's apartment building. She ran for her, but got no reply. "Ugh!" she grained, stamping her foot. "Come on Serena!" She rang again, but still got no reply. She shook her head and ran back to her car. She sighed as she headed back out of the city. She squinted and frowned at the lack of visibility. "Where is all this rain coming from?!" she demanded. "Some fairy tale, am I right?"

She laughed at her own joke and saw light suddenly seem to appear in front of her. Next thing she knew she heard a loud screech and a loud crunching sound. Her car spun around and flipped over off on the side of the road. Emily was unconscious and still with most of the front of the car condensed around her. The road outside was still as rain continued to pour down.