Adopted by Scarlett Johansson

chapter fourty one - los angeles

The moon was high in the sky, following the car back home and illuminating everything around them. Streetlights on the highway flashed past the car window - making it look like fairy lights strung throughout the night sky. Gentle wind catching the telephone wires, swaying them slightly in the cold winters night. Wrapping a blanket around their shoulders and feeling the warmth spread through them, Maddie's head drooped onto willows shoulder as she lulled into a peaceful sleep. Loki, curled up on Maddies lap, gave a small mew and stretched slightly before burrowing into the blanket and following in suit of sleep.

With the children asleep, Scarlett, Lizzie and Chris started to talk about the severity of the whole situation. They knew they'd need to get lawyers involved and even maybe the police, but they'd definitely need lawyers for Willow, considering she wasn't necessarily legally with them. Soft hushed voices carried through the car and soon enough they were out the hills surrounding their home city and Los Angeles was nestled below them. The soft glow of light from the houses and neighbourhood welcomed them warmly back home as the car drove off the highway and into their neighbourhood. Familiar houses passed the window as Maddie and Willow gently stirred, feeling the car slow down and park up outside Scarletts house.
"Thank you so much for driving, honestly we wouldn't be anywhere without you right now" Scarlett thanked Chris.
"Scar...you know you don't need to thank me. I'd do this everyday for you and mads."
"I know but thank you"
"And Lizzie...thank you for coming with us. We've definitely grown...closer in the last few days" Lizzie and Scarlett caught each other eyes and smirked before Scarlett reluctantly tore her eyes off Lizzie and focused on Maddie and Willow.
"Chris are you going to stay tonight?"
"I mean I don't mind. My house is only a five minutes drive and I haven't seen dodger but if there's enough room then if I can..."
"Of course they'll be enough room!" Lizzie whispered (trying not to wake Maddie up yet) "me and scar will be sleeping together and even with willow here, it will still leave many free bedrooms."
"Oh really? Us two will be sleeping together?"
"Yes we will be" Scarlett rose her eyebrows slightly at Lizzie's boldness but tried to hide her complete shock.
"Okay so apparently we will be sleeping together so of course you can stay, but for now we have more pressing issues than sleeping arrangements."
The trio glanced over to the sleeping pair wrapped around each other with moonlight dancing angelically across their faces and Loki curled up between them.
"Do we have to wake them?" Lizzie whined. "They look so peaceful"
"Cmon we need to unless they want to wake up incredibly uncomfortable"
Scarlett quietly opened her door - being hit with the cool winter air - and made her way round to Maddie's door.

"Hey Maddie, willow. we're home guys" Scarlett gently shook Maddie shoulder and lifted Loki into his carrier, handing the house keys and the cat to Chris. "Guys..." Maddie eventually stirred, opening her eyes slowly and taking in her surrounding.
"Mhmm are we home"
"Yes honey we are. I'm going to need you to get the car and head inside yeah?"
"...yeah m'okay" she said with a yawn as she gently nudged willow and whispered for her to get up.
Luckily, Chris had gone ahead and opened the front door and Lizzie had grabbed the girls bags - laying them down at the foot of Maddie's bed, so when the girls came in, they could go straight to bed.

Climbing out of the car, Willow was a bit shocked at the colder air and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. After trying not to hit her head on the car on the way out, she finally looked up and took in her surroundings. Tall, dark palm trees stooped over the roads and houses, producing a thick canopy in some places. The air seemed crisper than Utah and everything seemed more green - even if it was midnight and it was all very dark. Willow could hear distance traffic in the distance that wasn't actually annoying but more comforting and an occasional dog bark or bird chirp. The grass lining the sidewalk was filled with the sound of grasshoppers, mixing in with the other noises creating a harmony of gently soft sounds.

Realising Maddie had already started to walk inside, Willow hastily sped after her and Scarlett gazed softly at her and gave her a welcoming small before following her inside and shutting the door behind them.
Once inside the warm house Maddie - who was practically still asleep - immediately said goodnight to Scarlett before heading straight to bed, selfishly not even thinking about Willow. However, Willow didn't even notice that Maddie had gone to bed, instead she was standing in the archway connecting the hall and the living area absolutely gobsmacked. The thing is, Willow wasn't shocked at the size of the house, the Fredricksons house had been a lot bigger than this but the actually house itself. The house looked like it had actually been lived in. Pictures adorned the walls, comforters and cushions were flung across the sofa, looking like someone had just gotten up, the fridge had magnets stuck all over it and there was a semi-fresh bunch of flowers sat upon the kitchen island. It looked like someone actually had a home here. In Utah, the house had been big and there were constantly people everywhere but it always seemed very surgical and rigid. No colours accept for pastel coloured fake flowers or little images on the plates and saucers. No personalised pictures hung on the wall and especially no fridge magnets documenting any past travels.
"Hey sweetheart are you okay?" Willow was snapped out of her admiration by Lizzie's soft voice.
"Yeah...Im all good"
"Is something the matter?"
"No don't worry just....the house actually looks like someone lives here"
"Is that not what all houses looks like?....."
"Not at all. There's a house. And then there's a home...this is a home. Utah was a house."
Lizzie immediately understood what she meant and she felt a pang at her heart strings. Growing up with two older sisters, an older brother and two younger half siblings, the houses had always been filled with energy and joy, her mums and dads. Lizzie couldn't even imagine a life without family around her.

"Hey guys....everything okay over here?" Scarlett carefully edged over to Lizzie and Willow who were gazing off into the distance.
"Ah yep, all good babe I was just talking to Willow. Where will she sleep tonight?"
"I was thinking with Maddie actually? Unless that seems weird"
"Not at all, i can sleep with Maddie no worries" Willow chirped.
"Cool, prefect actually and if you stay another night we can set you up your own room"
"That sounds thank you so much"
"No worries at all! Let me show you where her room is"