Emily I'm Sorry; Yellowjackets

twenty-five.

(Emily I'm Sorry)
ACT ONE — CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.

1996

Emily was falling in love.

You could see it on her face, the thing between her and Natalie, was becoming so much more. It wasn't just a smile, when she stole glances at the bleached blonde, Emily's whole face lit up.

Natalie and Emily were constantly sneaking away from the group, stealing moments and kisses. Quite honestly the Jensen girl wouldn't have it any other way.

When Taissa brought up the idea of going out in search of help, Natalie's heart sank...because Emily would always be the one to want to help. It was almost like the girl didn't know how to be selfish without feeling an immense amount of guilt.

"Tai, everyone thinks this is a bad idea," Van spoke gently.

"Well, we have to do something." Taissa sighed, her eyes catching Emily's, she could tell that the blonde agreed.

"We're starving. There's nothing to hunt." She pointed out, Emily's eyes dropped to the ground, a slight pang of guilt filling her.

"The animals might be migrating," Misty suggested quietly.

"Probably why the only game we've seen for weeks was the one sick deer." Taissa continued, "And it's just going to keep getting colder."

Emily gently squeezed Natalie's hand, unsure if she was looking to comfort the other girl or herself.

"And not an 'I better put on a coat' cold. We're talking dying feels like falling asleep cold."

The Jensen girl winced just thinking about it, she could almost feel the cold eating away at them before it had even arrived.

Laura Lee looked in Lottie's direction, "What do you think Lottie?"

There was a silent pause before the Matthews girl replied, "I don't know."

Ash who was otherwise very quiet, laid a comforting hand on top of Lottie's hand.

"Look guys," Taissa started again, "Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome but, I'm going."

"You know you can't just take stuff with you, like food and supplies. That's not up to you."

Shauna was taken aback by the statement, "Well we can't just send her out there with nothing." 

"Guys! This is insane. We don't know where we are, just that we're surrounded by big ass mountains. What are you now Edmund fucking Hillary?" Van questioned.

"Who?" Mari glanced at Van, and the teenager just rolled her eyes, not caring to explain.

"Like I said, we're not on an island." Taissa Reiterated, "If we go south we've got to run into something eventually, a road, a town, anything!"

"No," Natalie shook her head, "You can't take the rifle. I am all for what you're trying to do, Tai, but the gun has to stay."

"Okay, fine. I could bring some of the stuff we don't use every day. One of the axes, the compass..."

"There's a flare gun in the dead guy's plane," Jackie suggested.

"Do not tell me that you of all people, is on board with this." Van shook her head, completely outdone by Jackie's agreement, the same Jackie who seemed to put hardly any effort into doing the things that kept them all alive.

"What she's saying makes sense." Jackie sighed, "I mean if she's willing to go, then..."

Emily's gaze found Taissa's eyes, non-verbally asking her if she was entirely sure about this. Unsurprisingly the other teenager gave her a short nod in reply.

"What if you're wrong?" Laura Lee spoke up, "What if there's just nothing."

"I don't know." she sighed, her eyes wandering around the group.

"You do know."

"Yeah," Taissa agreed softly, "If I'm wrong I'll die out there."

"Jesus Christ," Emily murmured, a wave of nausea washing over her, and Natalie gently rubbed her back.

"I'm leaving in an hour."

"You can't go," Natalie quipped standing in front of the attics entrance.

"Nat..." Emily looked up from where she was seemingly packing. The last thing she wanted to do was leave the girl that she might just love...but she also wanted to do what was right for the group.

"You can't go because I think I'm falling in love with you, and a part of me hopes you're also in love with me." Natalie nervously several feet away from the other blonde, yet still Emily's eyes snapped over to her the moment the phrase left her lips.

It took Emily a minute to process what the other teenager said, "You're in love with me?" she breathed.

Natalie opened her mouth to say something, but then hesitated, settling for a nod.

A smile broke out on Emily's face, She stood up crossing the room, swiftly closing the space between her and Natalie. The kiss was longer than usual, both girls savoring the moment with all they had.

The Jensen girl could get completely lost in moments like these, genuinely never wanting them to end.

Natalie broke the kiss, reopening her eyes, "I guess that means you love me too?"

Emily laughed, her face still only inches from Natalie's, "You guess? Of course, it does Nat, How could I not love you?"

Natalie smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from the other girl's cheek, "So you'll stay...right?"

"I'll stay." Emily paused, "I'll always stay, no matter what. We're in this for the long run, Scatorrcio."

Natalie laughed, unwrapping one of her arms from Emily, to hold up her pinky,  "Pinky promise?"

Emily scoffed, but still looped her pinky around Natalie's, "Pinky promise."

Dirt smushed underneath Emily's feet as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, Natalie spoke a quiet goodbye to Taissa, and the next thing she knew it was her turn. 

Emily sighed softly, stepping closer to the other teenager, "I really don't want you to go," she whispered wrapping her arms around Taissa.

"But I understand why you have to." Emily released Taissa her hands lingering on her shoulders, "Be safe, okay?"

"Yeah," Taissa agreed giving Emily's hand one last squeeze.

"Also," she stepped closer so they were the only two that would hear, "Tell Natalie, if she breaks your heart, I will beat her ass."

Emily laughed, "I'll pass the message along."

It wasn't exactly a good feeling, saying goodbye, but she still forced a smile, in hopes that this could save them all. The blonde stepped into Van's embrace next, "Make sure Tai, doesn't do anything stupid?"

A quiet laugh escaped the redhead's lips, "Yeah, I think I can at least try to do that."

Emily stepped back, returning to Natalie's side, a small watery smile on her face.

"Wait!" Misty called out, running out of the cabin, Emily muttered a quiet, 'Oh god.' rubbing her forehead. 

Emily's face scrunched up a bit, as Misty said her goodbyes to Coach Ben, She wasn't entirely understanding of whatever that situation was...but quite frankly she didn't want to know.

Once Misty and Coach parted ways, Taissa released a long sigh, being the first one to walk away from the group. 

It was goodbye...for now.