LABYRINTH | Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

37 | suck it up, princess.

Scarlett

An hour and a half. That's how long it took for me to finally get out of Manhattan and back home after the photoshoot.
I opened up the front gate with the key I keep up on my dashboard, and as I pulled my car in, my eyes were drawn to the body leaning against one of the pillars attached to said gate.

Due to the fact it's the middle of winter it's completely dark out by a quarter to eight, I'm unable to make out who it is, hence me turning the engine off and stepping out.

As I slowly approach, they lift their head from their knees and a pair of big green eyes meet mine. "Kenz?" I frown, quickening my steps as I crouch down in front of her and cup her tear stained cheeks in my palms. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

She seems just as utterly confused by my question, slowly looking around at her surroundings. "I don't know."

"You don't know? Do you remember how you got here?" I question, keeping my voice gentle.

It takes her several moments to respond as she continues to search the street with her eyes before they focus on something behind my head. Keeping my hands gently placed on her cheeks, I turn my gaze and notice the yellow cab I seemed to have missed whilst driving in.

"You took a cab?" I look back to my daughter.

She nods.

"Why is it still here?"

"Money," she explains, her breath heavy.

I nod. "Alright, come on."
Standing myself back, I grab ahold of her hands and pull her up with me. Her lack of wanting to move makes it a lot harder, but I eventually manage and get a good grasp around her waist so she's not able to stumble over.

Whatever she's on is not OxyContin. Her behaviour is different and as much as I want to knock some sense into her right now and figure out what the hell she was thinking, I need to make sure she's okay first.

I go back to my car and reach for my bag and purse before walking across the street with her attached to my side to pay the cab driver.

"Here," the man passes me a bottle of pills, "they fell out of her pocket and I didn't think it was a good idea to give them back given her state."

The expression on my face quickly turns to a one of fear as my eyes blow wide after reading the label.

"Thank you," I say to the driver. With a single nod, he sends me a small smile before driving off.

"Give them to me," Kenzie speaks, head slumped against my shoulder as she reaches out an arm and attempts to take the bottle from me.

I ignore her, walking the two of us back across the street and up to the front door.

"They're mine," she groans, evidently becoming more frustrated at her lack of success. Her body and mind don't seem to be working in correlation with one another at the moment.

I turn the keys in the door and push it open.

"I swear, if you don't give them back to me I'll—"

"You'll what? Because I'm pretty certain if I let go of you right now, you'd fall over. You're so damn lucky you're not lying in a hospital bed."