CALAMITY (h.s)

THIRTEEN.

THIRTEEN. || WHITE LIGHTER.

A few days had passed since Emaline and Harry's conversation in the library. They've been traveling north; stopping in every minuet city or town Emaline could remember living in.

Emaline was starting to get used to the routine of it all. Stop at an old home, search it (if possible), be questioned, then move on.

That doesn't mean that it wasn't emotionally taxing. Taking a literal trip down memory lane. Reliving every trauma she'd ever experienced day in and day out.

The longer the trip went on, and the more houses she visited; the more angry she became with Luca. Her desire to protect him is fading. She couldn't logically defend him for much longer.

As she explained to the group different stories of her childhood, she realized she was never truly protected by Luca. Physical protection, maybe. But emotional protection, was another story.

The harbored anger that she held for Luca only grew with each pit stop.

Somewhere along the way, Harry made an executive decision to upgrade their vehicle to a large RV. However, four security vans traveled with them at all times.

The group was used to traveling for work, but it wasn't usually a concise trip across the USA. Needless to say, everybody was starting to feel the effects of sleeping in tightly cramped vans.

Harry also started to realize that Emaline was more cooperative when she was not only comfortable, but well rested. 

Even with Emaline cooperating better now, there has still been no progress made on the note. Ever since Liam told Harry about the definite break in at Emaline's apartment, Harry was hesitant to spend too much of the group's energy working on it.

He worried the note was not written by or for Luca; but a note that was planted there by the Clifton family.

It was still dark outside as the early morning approached. After hours of pestering, Jo finally agreed to rest and let Niall drive for the rest of the ride. They only had about two hours left until they arrived at their destination in Maine.

Jo quietly shuffled herself into her shared bed with Emaline.

Upon the minimal body contact, Emaline wakes up with a gasp. Emaline had constantly been on edge since leaving New York. She practically slept with one eye open.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Jo whispered to Emaline.

Emaline shook her head, gently stepping over Jo to get out of the bed, "Not your fault."

Emaline tiptoed to the small bathroom, not wanting to wake up Louis, Liam or Harry.

Liam was awake and alert most of the time, so Emaline never fully felt like she had alone time when they were in the RV. She hadn't had a proper moment alone for too long now.

She took a deep breath, staring back her reflection in the mirror. Emaline was dreading the trip to Maine. They barely lived there a month, but Emaline remembers that month being tumultuous.

She was 15 or so at the time. She no longer had a veil covering her view. The rose colored glasses had been off for a while by then, but she was finally old enough to truly understand the nature of her situation.

Emaline turned the sink faucet to the right, splashing herself with cold water. She stood, wet face, over the sink with her eyes closed. Mentally, she prepared for the day ahead of her.

No amount of deep breathing and cold water could stop the tears from streaming down her face.

It had been such a heavy week and she rarely got the chance to be alone in this stupid RV. She felt like she was watching a compilation of all the memories she's tried so hard to forget.