//Clipped wings// Mama Emma///

///✿Chapter 4 ✿///

Finally, the woman turned around. Her green eyes were like shining. precious emeralds as they settled on his. Her face was sharper, her lips fuller, her hair longer. But there was no mistaking that smile, even if it was obscured by tears running down her face. 

It was her. There wasn't a single day that she hadn't been on his mind.  This was Emma, his Emma. 

Norman almost didn't register her barreling into him and throwing her arms around his neck. He just barely caught her, nearly losing his footing in the process. Although if they had tumbled to the ground, he was sure he wouldn't have cared. Not when he had Emma in his arms. 

"Norman" sobbed Emma into his chest. He wondered if she could hear his heart pounding against it. His arms went to encircle her, but he hesitated. How many years had he spent dreaming that Emma was alive somewhere? That she had escaped from the demons before they had a chance to eat her? How many times had those dreams bled into reality, making him see, hear, feel someone that wasn't there? What if this was another trick of his mind? But a hand settled on his shoulder. He turned to see Ray, as steady as he had become, standing there. Grounding him as usual. This is real his dark eyes seemed to say.

 'She's real" and Norman trusted Ray more than anyone in the world. So he allowed himself to embrace this ghost from his past, this reanimated holder of his heart. He held her as tightly as he could, unwilling to let her slip away again. "Emma" he breathed against her soft curls. His own tears finally made themselves known. The eleven-year-old boy who had died with her suddenly twitched back to life as he allowed himself to cry for the first time since that night. "I-I can't believe it" he murmured, gently cradling the back of her head. "H-How?" 

"Im so glad you're alive" said Emma, ignoring his question. But Norman didn't mind that much. It didn't matter why or how she was alive. It didn't  matter that she was wearing that god for saken uniform. What mattered is that she was here, in his arms. He was content with that, just for now. 

When Emma did introduce them to the children, they responded with excitement."You're so tall" one boy exclaimed, extending her arm. He looked at Norman with bewilderment, as if he couldn't  comprehend that a person could grow to be so lengthy.

 Emma gave him a similar look. "You are," she agreed, pouting a bit as she glanced at Ray. "Why are you both so much taller than me?" Ray snickered at her. "Genetics" he teased and for once, it was her to smack him on the head. And Norman didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

He hadn't seen Ray this at ease in years. Or maybe ever, now that he thought about it. And Emma- Emma was here with them. That was all he could ever want from her. A girl with dark hair tugged at Emma's dress. "Mama" she said. Her eyes were sharp with an intelligence that caused Norman to pay a little more attention to her. He would bet anything he owned that she was the top Scorer in this house. "It's going to be time for the tests soon. Shouldn't we get ready?" Emma smiled down at the girl with so much love and affection it made his heart swell. "Not today, Yelena" she answered. She addressed the group as a whole and they looked at her immediately. 

"Everyone, I have an announcement" Her green eyes swept across the room, catching his. He winked and she smiled. 

"Today, you'll all be leaving Grace Field. "

Chaos erupted. 

" Leaving? Why?"

" I dont wanna leave!"

 "Are we all getting adopted?"

 But the girl, Yelena, remained calm through it all. "Does this have to do with Jason still being here?" 

All the children went quiet. Emma beamed down at her, pride evident on her face. "A bit" she admitted. "l would like for you all to pack your things. Yelena, Tyler, Annie, would you help the little ones?"The boy from earlier and a little blond girl saluted and did as they were told. 

Yelena regarded Emma for a moment, then him, Ray, and Alicia. "Okay" she finally agreed, walking away. 

The four of them were left alone. Emma's calm facade finally slipped as she slumped into the sofa. "That girl" she stated, clearly haggard. Is way too smart Norman couldn't help but laugh. "She did seem sharp, he agreed. "Is she the top scorer?" Emma nodded. "Isabella wanted me to-" She stopped herself, looking down at her joined hands. 

"Well, that doesn't matter now" His fist curled at the mention of their former caretaker. Norman hated Isabella, he wasn't afraid to admit it either. He had hated her upon discovering what their perfect lives really were and his hatred had flamed the day she had taken Emma from him. "Emma" interrupted Ray before Norman could get too lost within himself. His voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "What happened that night?" Emma's eyes lowered as she was drawn back into the night she had been prepared to die. "She wouldn't let me die, was all she said. And although Norman wanted the entire story, he didn't want to upset her. Not today when he had just gotten her back. So instead, he took her hand. "I'm so glad that I get to see you again" he told her. Her own expression softened as her fingers intertwined with his. From the corner of his eye, Norman eyed Ray who was watching them with a rare smile on his face. Maybe he couldn't be too annoyed that his brother had changed the changed the plan.

 Maybe, for once, things had turned out better than even he could have foreseen. 

This proposed a problem. 

 There was a bomb attached to Emma's heart, the same as all the other Mothers and Sisters. True, they had overtaken Headquarters, but the Ratri clan was conniving. Who was to say that the moment she stepped into an undesignated area, her heart wouldn't explode?

 No, they had to get that thing out of her. It was too much of a risk to attempt to transport her off of Grace Field without removing it.

Norman wouldn't risk her life, not again.

 "You should leave me here" Emma quietly proposed a few days after their reunion. Alicia had long since returned to the Hideout with the children, leaving the three of them alone in the enormous house.

 "I know your plans are important. I don't want to delay your mission".

 Ray promptly whacked her on the head. "Shut up you moron" he snapped. 

Words:- 1133

A.N- Sorry for not writing the chapter. I am having exams, that was fucking boring and yeah if anyone want to make any suggestions please do..... I would appreciate that very much (✿◕ᴗ◕✿)