Runaway Train

T/W: mentions of self harm, underage sex, drugs, alcohol, thoughts of suicide, More to be added later in following chapters as needed. Story is my idea enabled by Sarah ( @Sarah11650 on fanfiction.net) who helps bring this story to life. Will be crossposted on the following sites under the following usernames:

AO3: Stephanie_M

Fanfiction: StephanieMS

Can also find more information about me or how to connect to us please visit my profile on fanfiction.net. Everything is there.

November 1993

Chapter One

Little Girl Lost

It's pouring rain on a cold New York night in November. The park is empty as even the occasional drifter has fled in search of shelter. A loud crack of thunder booms, and a flash of lightning illuminates the tiny brunette girl curled up on the park bench.

She had run away. Again. Only this time she knew she couldn't go back. She couldn't go anywhere. Her mother had hit her limit finding more Oxy in her jacket pocket, and there was no amount of pleading and explaining that would make her listen when she swore they weren't hers. She had left in just her zip up hoodie, trying to prove a point at the time by not taking the jacket with her.

She regretted that now as she lost feeling in her fingers and toes and realized she was completely soaked from head to toe. Cowering on the park bench she considered her limited options. Her sisters were out; they would probably try to have her arrested for drug possession. And Derek? He didn't want anything to do with her; not since she'd crashed his car a few weeks back while she was still using.

Her frail body shook violently in the cold and a small part of her wished she had taken the drugs; at least then she would be a different kind of numb. But she was sober now and it didn't matter. She figured she probably deserved what was happening to her. This was her karma for the mistakes she'd made, and she knew she had to accept it. There was nothing else she could do.

Minutes or maybe hours later, she can't tell, she's abruptly shaken awake. Before she can stop herself she bursts into tears realizing it is the police. They ask her what her name is and where her home is.

"Amelia Shepherd."

She rasps out, before blurting out Mark's address, hoping that her other big brother might take pity on her and let her hide out with him for a while. Just until she has another plan.

Half asleep, dressed in only a pair of loose grey sweatpants, a young twenty-something Mark Sloan stumbles to his door, rubbing his face and yawning loudly. He opens it just as he hears another knock and his eyes grow wide at the sight of the police at his door at 3AM.

Before he can process that alarming detail, his shock shifts to worry as he catches a glimpse of the small, drenched figure standing at their side.

"Oh kiddo, what did you do this time?" Mark asks softly, directing all of his attention to her. She refuses to lift her gaze from the hallway floor and stares intently at her soaked converse sneakers.

"We found her sleeping on a park bench and she gave us this address." One of the officers explains. "Is she your kid?" He asks skeptically, taking note of Mark's age.

Mark pulls the young teenager into his arms, wrapping her trembling body in a hug.

"Yeah, I'm her brother. She goes to the park and calls me to pick her up when she has a bad day. I was asleep and I missed her calls. I'm sure she tried to wait for me or to wait out the rain and ended up falling asleep." He explained.