I'm sorry about the long wait. Here is the first real chapter (and chapter at all) in months. I hope you had a good summer and I hope you'll like this chapter.

Thanks to x snow-pony x and guest for reviewing.

Guest: There are a few Johnny/ Emma moments in the prequels for this 'when life changes' and 'when the past catches up'. And Johnny might turn up later into this story. Sorry this wasn't what you expected. If you want to read something Johnny/OC then that's the thing in my other story 'the moment I needed the most'.

Enjoy!

"Emma." I didn't know anything else from the world outside before someone shook my shoulder and spoke my name- it felt as ten seconds after I had laid down to sleep. "Emma."

"Mhm."

"Emma. Can you wake up?" I forced my eyes open and glanced upwards to whoever was talking to me. Mike? Damn it. I had overslept. "Don't worry you haven't overslept. But you need to come with me."

Drowsily, I sat up and looked towards the clock. Three a.m. Why would Mike be here already? And wake me up on top of it all?

"Come with me." Mike said and walked out of the staff bedroom before I had the chance to ask what he was going to do. I forced myself to stand up and follow him. But what I for sure hadn't expected was for seven of the children (Marley, Ashton, Qwyn, Tracie, Peityn, Marty and Jim) to sit in the couch right by the stairs while Mike looked sternly from one to the other.

"Jim called me to come here. These other six have been out playing football since you fell asleep." He explained to me first and then turned to the kids. "Do you have any idea of what could have happened?" Mike glanced over the group. "There's a great big road right behind the garden. What would have happened if one of you got in it in the dark?"

"There are no cars at night Mike." Marley was bright red. I could see she knew she had done things wrong, she had done all along. But she didn't want to admit she knew. "Not out here. And there's a whole big bunch of trees…" Mike looked sternly at her and she silent then. "We just wanted to have some fun. Qwyn and Ashton and I and…"

"…And if it had been only you three then I could have taken it. But you got along Tracie, Marty and Peityn too- some of the youngest in this house. What would you have done if they had gotten hurt somehow? It doesn't matter if there are cars involved or not. What would you have done? Especially you Qwyn. You're the oldest one here. You should have known better."

Nobody said anything and the only sound heard was Mike panting while he looked from one to the other. The seconds seemed endless while he calmed down and drew a deep sigh.

"Go off to bed. I'll think of something. You will not get away with this. Off to bed- all of you. And no stomping or slamming doors or you'll wake the whole house up. Bed, now!" At last they stood up and first Qwyn and then the others one after one stood up to go to bed. Well- that was everybody except for Ashton who still sat in her corner of the sofa, that bad-hair-day- beanie as usual pulled over her ears, and looking down on her hands as if she had never seen them before. "You too Ashton. Bed!" She didn't move. "What?" No answer and Mike was getting annoyed. "Ashton? What?"

I don't think he was even noticing it himself. But in the beat with his spoken words he threw his hand out to the side and towards Ashton. And there… reaction!

"No." Ashton whimpered and pulled her hands up in front of her face. "Please. Don't hurt me. I'll do anything as you don't hurt me."

"Ashton." I could almost hear the way Mike's heart melted in his voice when he sat down next to Ashton. "I will think of something, you will not get away with this. But I, or Emma, or Luce, or George will never ever hurt you physically…." He carefully reached for her hand and stroke it with his thumb.

"…Look at me." Ashton carefully looked up and right into Mike's eyes. "Never. I promise you. And if anybody else does I want you to come to me with it."

"I know…" Ashton almost whispered. "Only… you were… are… so, so angry." Mike gave a deep sigh. "There are… I just… I know but I just get a feeling that this time… this time." Mike smiled slightly and rubbed her hand over again.

"Well… 'this time' won't ever be a time. No matter how angry I am. Now. You too, go to bed." Ashton nodded, then crawled past Mike and hurried up the stairs without saying goodnight. "Stuff like that we see way too often Emma." He sighed and laid down on the sofa. "I can't understand how someone would treat a child so to that point. I'm staying here tonight. You can go back to bed. See you in the morning."

"See you in the morning." The thought hit me I might want to let dad take the bed in the staff bedroom and I the couch- but since I knew he would never accept that I just saved time with going right upstairs and to the bedroom. Where I just fell onto the bed- but realized that by now I was way too awake to fall asleep right away.

I didn't fall asleep until almost six in the morning. Only laid and tried to zone away, but as soon as I closed my eyes there were one scenario after the other of someone being hit by a car, falling down from a tree. Someone kicking that damn soccer ball in someone's head- everything that could possibly have gone wrong tonight. While I was in charge of it. And even though none of it had happened, it almost had me hyperventilating.

"You six who was out tonight." Mike was up the latest in the morning. "Not you Jim. And Emma. Come with me into the office please."

I glanced to Jim. He was at the edge of the table so everybody who were coming with me and Mike had to walk him. And if it had been so that glares could kill it wouldn't have been much left of the curly-haired boy.

I felt bad for him though while I walked after Mike and the kids. He had only done what was right. And as a care worker I'd have to make sure he was rewarded for him. The six that walked into the office now did only have themselves to blame for what they had gotten into.

Qwyn, Marley and Ashton sat down in the sofa by the window, Qwyn took Peityn on his lap and Ashton took Tracie. Marty was too big to sit on Marley- or any of their laps so he stayed standing by the arm support of the sofa not to be in the way of anybody while I and Mike stayed standing in front of them. The while seemed endless while I waited for Mike to say something.

"First, you're all grounded."

"You can't ground us during the holidays."

"Oh yes Marley. I can. Watch me." Mike fizzled back- almost meanly. "And I haven't finished. You're all without TV. You may use your cellphones but I want your laptops- Qwyn's, Marley's and Ashton's. You three…" He turned to the younger three. "…Are on washing up duty after every meal. And this will go on until you find some way to show that I can trust you all again. Am I making myself clear?"

I and Mike and it seemed all the others waited for a reply. After all he had asked a question- but all the six that knew exactly what they had done wrong. But nobody said a word and I could almost hear the way anger built up in Mike. Before he made his voice heard again- even more angry and fizzling this time. But still no shouting.

"Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes Mike."

"Yes Mike."

"Can we leave now?"

The only two that had answered for real were Ashton and Peityn. And that last question came from Marley. I waited for Mike to say something. Surely he wouldn't just leave it be right now. But he only glanced from one to the other for a few seconds (that seemed endlessly long) and then nodded to the door.

The children didn't seem like they could have waited for the moment they'd be able to leave. And soon the door had closed behind Qwyn and Mike slumped heavily down into his desk chair while I sunk down into the sofa.

"Aren't you taking this a bit too far?" I asked when Mike put his head in his hands and sighed. "They were only having a bit of fun after all. And nobody was hurt."

"Somebody could have been hurt. And if they would, what would they have done? You were sleeping and neither or nor or the other adults were here. I think it would have taken quite a bit before they would have told someone if somebody was hurt because they knew they were going to get in trouble. And in the middle of the night on top of it all. I feel lucky Jim saw then and decided to call me…" Mike leaned back. "..And don't question this if you please." Ill leaned back

"I won't." I stood up and pretended not to know he didn't want it question because he was too insecure about it. But after all he had been a care worker for years and years and I only for a month. "I'm sorry about tonight. I wish Jim would have just come to me instead of calling you up." Mike looked up on me with his head still leaned back and seemed like he wanted to say something.

"I'm not sorry." He said at last. "Jim knew exactly what he was doing and I think telling you would have meant keeping it secret. Am I right?" I shrugged- maybe. "Probably. Anyway, you're going to have to learn how to do things like these. You're forgetting I've been where you are- I know it's hard and you feel terrible only for what I have done now. But they need to learn what is okay and what is not."

"I know Mike." I replied and grabbed my bag from the floor. "And for all those times I'm not going to say it. Thank you, I know you're only trying to help and I know I'll need it. George will be here in half an hour or so. I'm going home. Goodnight… morning I mean." With that I left the room, and before anyone would have the time to catch me- I left the whole house.

"Hey Emma." George was actually right outside. "Had a good night?" I shrugged. "Well, I'm here a bit early. Do you want a ride home?"

"Actually that would be nice." I smiled at him and without further investigation I walked around the car and to the shotgun seat. "Thank you… God I want a driver's license too."

George didn't reply to that. He only smiled while he got into his driver's seat and started the engine. But by the time we were out on the road he wasn't smiling anymore, and I had a good feeling why.

"Were the children up tonight with something Marley got for her birthday?"

"How did you guess?"

"Well… When I had been here for a couple of month's it was Brielle's birthday…" George gave a deep sigh. "And let's not talk more about that. But I have a feeling I should say, for getting through tonight. Well done Emma Peterson."

I couldn't help but laugh at George's stupid humor. But those next few days there actually wasn't much to laugh about. Those next few days must have been the saddest days off school the dumping ground had ever seen. The six that had been out at night were angry at Mike for the punishment and bored about ninety nine percent of the time. They were all angry with Jim for 'snitching'. And Jim was upset I was afraid the stress would cause another seizure for him. Shawn was most of the time locked up in his room with homework, and David stated at every single meal (the only times Shawn came out of his room) how boring Shawn had gotten. Which only ended up with David moving rooms (He moved in with Wheezy) because Shawn was too annoyed with David when it was them sharing.

The rain was constantly pouring down, if you stepped outside for as much as two and a half seconds you were soaking when you came inside again. And everybody stuck inside only brought everybody's mood down even more. And soon everyone were in fights with everyone. And everybody were angry.

"EMMA." It was Friday, one of the last days of the holidays, night and everybody had been fighting all day when I heard Tracie's voice all through the house and hurried to the point where it was coming right on top of the stairs. "Emma. Emily have taken all my favorite pairs of jeans and she won't give them back. I bet she needs the fabric and is going to cut them into pieces."

I frowned, it didn't sound like something Emily would do.

"You just wait here Tracie." I patted her shoulder. "I'll go and talk to Emily and clear this up. And I'm pretty sure Emily wouldn't do that so don't you worry. If she does I'll buy you new jeans. Emily." I knocked on the door to Emily's room and opened the door. "Tracie said she's angry with you for taking all of her favorite pairs of jeans. I have some trouble believing in that. So can you explain this to me?" Emily smiled slightly, then nodded to the sewing machine on her desk and I noticed the big piece of fabric in her lap along with a scissor and some needles- and Tracie's pants. "Thought so! Just watch out so you don't cut in the covers instead of that now when you sit on the bed."

"Don't worry Emma." Emily laughed slightly and I sat down in her desk chair. "We rarely had many pieces of furniture so this is how I've always done it. I'm always careful. Tracie likes Snoopy don't she?" She nodded to the fabric she was going to patch Tracie's jeans with- grey with a Snoopy pattern. "And I told her I was doing it. It needed to be done, they have holes everywhere so it was either this or throw them all away."

"Well. Don't mind about Tracie then. I'll go and talk to her to clear this up. But I'd suggest you make up your mind to keep all this in your room…" I looked around on the mess of thread, fabric, scissors and needles. Along with the sewing machine on the desk. "Don't worry Emily. I trust you. By the way. I noticed a shirt of Marley's had a hole in it the other day. I can go and check with her if she'll let you fix that one too. Would you like to do that? I bet she wouldn't mind Snoopy on her clothes either."

"Yes that would be great." Emily smiled back at me. "I like sewing so the more the merrier. I have saved up some of my allowance. Do you think Mike will let me go into town some day and buy more fabric and threads and things? I'm almost out of almost everything. And by the time I'm finished with Tracie's clothes… well. How on earth do you think she manages to make so many holes in just a few pieces of clothing?"

"I have no idea." I turned to the door again. "I'll go ask Marley and then bring the shirt here if you… Whoa Mike. Don't scare me like that." As I closed the door to Emily's room with one hand I held the other one over my heart and chest after Mike scared me half to death with only standing right outside the corner.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you like that. I just wanted to tell you I heard all of that with Tracie." Mike assured me and patted my shoulder. "Like other things- misunderstandings does happen all the time. So great work with handling it so calmly instead of getting stressed up. But of course I knew you could handle it without anyone fighting even more- that's why I didn't step in. But if you want to, while you go talk to Marley I can tell Tracie what's going on. I think she does know actually- it's just that they are very…" He seemed to be searching for the right words.

"Angry, annoyed, looking for attention, bothered… etc. etc. etc. etc?"

"Something like that." I and Mike turned in each direction. "You go ask Marley about that shirt. I'll go talk to Tracie."

"Marley?" I knocked on the door and opened. "I was meaning to ask you… oh…" I stopped in the middle of the sentence when I saw what she had done. At least she wasn't in trouble this time. But at least twenty cameras of different kinds laid spread over the bed sheet. "Whoa. Are all of these yours?"

"Yeah. Well. I've got to come up with something to do until school starts or whatever. So I figured I might want to go through and try all different ones before Monday. Anyway, my parents were photographers so… I had loads of different cameras when they… well, you know. Smile." I raised an eyebrow when she lifted one and shot a photo of me. "Well… you could at least do as you're told. Anyway, I like having loads of different cameras for taking different pictures. Sometimes the newest aren't actually the best. And blurry too sometimes has its charm… Well. I'm going to have to take a lot of photos. I'm going to be a photographer and take loads of different pictures. Of different people and different places and…. What?"

"Different people." I echoed barely out loud. "I've got it… Wait here Marley I'm going to have to go and fix something. You just wait here and I…." Without another explanation I almost ran down the stairs. "Mike. Do we have water balloons?" He looked back to me, tiredly. "You'll see why. Do we have water balloons? And water guns? And buckets. Do we? Especially balloons and water guns?" Mike raised an eyebrow.

"Do I even want to know what you want to use them for?"

"You'll see. Do we have them?"

"We kind have them lying around as then we'll spend every other day cleaning up after them. But there are loads of things in the cupboard to the left in the staff bedroom. But… Heck. I don't think anything can get worse around here right now. Do what you have to."

I didn't let wait for it. I picked up everything I could find that would make anything good, and filled everything with freezing cold water (that would work a whole lot better than if it was warmer) and put it all right outside the door in the backyard.

"Marley." At last I came back to Marley's room. "Have you got a camera that will be okay with shooting pictures out in the rain?" Marley nodded and reached for one. "Take that and then come outside. KIDS." I shouted at the top of my lungs. "MIKE. OUTSIDE, BACK YARD, ALL OF YOU. NOW. YOU TOO VIOLET."

And then…

"I know you're all angry and annoyed with each other and. You just want to punch and scream and hurt someone as badly as possible. Well, you can't all do that. But I fixed with some water balloons and water guns and even full buckets with water. So now off you go and get it on the one you're the most angry with- and no hitting with the water guns or throwing a balloon okay? But anything apart from that… three, two, one, go."

Everybody had kind of frozen where they stood. Then at last Peityn was the first to break from the group and grabbed the biggest water gun. Then before anyone had the chance to understand who she was going to. She looked to the one by the edge and spurted a thick line of freezing cold water right in the face of him.

"YOU'RE A SNITCH JIM HARROW."

"I was only doing what I needed to." Jim tried to wipe his face with his sleeve but it didn't help much. His shirt was as wet and as freezing too. "You're not supposed to be out at night." At this, Marley and Tracie grabbed each water balloon and threw right on him. "AH. Why are everybody teaming up towards me?"

That seemed to set something off, because it was only a split second before David stepped forward and grabbed a water balloon from the big basket with them and then turned to… well… surprise, surprise!

"You're boring Shawn Teddie. You were never boring before."

David threw the water balloon right on the older boy. It exploded over the front of his shirt and Shawn heavily breathed in when he felt the freezing cold water through his shirt. Shawn himself didn't seem so sure what to do.

Without another word Marley stepped to the whole bucket with balloons and threw it right on Violet. She didn't say a word before she said anything- but we all knew what it was for.

"AAAH." Violet screamed at the top of her lungs. "I HATE YOU MARLENA DRAKE. I HATE YOU." Violet herself decided on payback, grabbed a balloon herself and threw it at Marley- and there was a war broken out totally.

One scream after the other was sounding over the backyard and the neighborhood. Let's just hope nobody called the police for children abuse… But I took a step back and watched it all. And couldn't help but smile when I saw Marley running around with a water resistant camera photographing everybody and everything.

"This will make some great pictures won't it?" I asked Mike when he came to stand by me. "And…" I couldn't help but laugh. "I guess the punishment is over and done. After all…" I glanced to Ella and Tracie whose screams were mixed with loud laughing while they ran around aiming with water balloons at each other. Mike nodded. "You were never able to punish everybody for real."

"They haven't shown me I will be able to trust them." Mike sighed deeply. "I'll still need them to do that or I don't know what to do. But what's going on now kind of gives me a feeling of hope that wasn't there before. And I can't punish them forever. Although Emma." Mike changed the subject on purpose. "Why did you use cold water? We have already got tons of that in this rain. Now everybody are going to catch a cold."

"I'll go inside and make some hot chocolate before they finish. You and George make sure they get into other warmer- and dry clothes right away. Then they can all have each warm shower before bed. If they make it short. We can use the one in the staff bathroom too so it will be a bit quicker." I drew my breath in finally. "You learn such things as how you get warm and stay away from colds when you're from Sweden. We do have really cold winters you know. And one learns after a thousand mistakes. I'll go inside and make that chocolate." Mike seemed to want to give me a round of applause with that look on his face. "What?"

"Well done Emma Peterson."

Random fact

I do have to admit that mentions of Sweden are usually my favorite parts of the chapter they're in. Just as well when Emma mentions that when you're from Sweden you kind of learn how to fight the cold… I have lived where I live all my life and do know how. But still I keep on making the same mistakes every year. Enough about that.

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