I look out the window tiredly, leaning my head on the side of the car. The sky was slowly filling with color as the sun rose. "So you're gonna take the next exit. It's a straight shot." Chubs says, which I had no idea where we were, nor did I care. I was woken up when Chubs and Ruby found the key to finding the camp.

EDO was a radio frequency, which I guess she could pull off being a green after all. "Got it." Liam's voice was ridiculously low, I glance over at him but he was checking if anyone was behind us. He did that a lot, i'd lost count of how many times i'd seen him do it.

But I guess it made sense, I mean no one else should be on the roads with us. Ruby said something that I didn't quite catch, but when I looked behind to look at them all I saw a grinning Chubs "To your house." he told her, she looked at him with her mouth wide open, she was definitely surprised, "We're taking you home.".

I look over to Liam and he smiles at me, I smile back before turning away and back to the window. "Take a nap, we have a few hours." he speaks up, which I don't respond as I pile my blanket on my shoulder and between the door and my head.

_______________________________

A hand shakes me awake and I burst up. "Woah hey. Relax." Liam calms me down, I look over to him and take a deep breath shakily. "We're here." he nods towards the window where I see we are under a bridge.

I remove the crumpled blanket and hop out of Betty. I wait for Zu and Chubs as I see Ruby walk around ten feet away before stopping. "Are you sure about this?" Liam questions, I look over him, he was leaning on the front of Betty. I was on the other side of the hood.

"Yeah." Ruby says, not very confidently as she turns around. She begins to walk a few steps back to us, she scoffs lightly as she realizes she's lying "No.".

Liam drops his head, not feeling great at her response. Zu walks towards Ruby, hugging her side. It was quiet for a few moments before they separate and Zu walks back over to Chubs and I. "So if your parents are there, I guess.... I guess this is it." Liam shrugs, moving from his position on the car.

"Yeah I guess we'll see." Ruby murmurs, Liam goes over to her and fixes the strings of her thin hoodie and her collar.

"Don't take any candy from strangers." He gives her a look as he says it, giving her a knowing smile.

There was no way I couldn't say it. "Don't climb into strangers van." I tell her before going over to her and hugging her, I whisper in her ear "Be careful. The League isn't going to give up looking for you and they will look here. You can find me near Salem, the League doesn't go there anymore.". Home is where every runaway child wants to go, some are just stupid enough to do it. I was smart enough to not go to my home, but across the state.

But if I had a choice, I would go home too. I separate from her and head back to Zu, slinging my arm around her shoulder as she wraps her arms around my waist. "Thank you." Ruby looks to Liam, then the rest of us.

I catch her eye though, giving her a nod. She waves hesitantly before we watch her walk away. Zu let's go of me and we head over to Liam. He wraps his arm around her and they lean into each other, I hold Zu's glove clad hand.

We stay there for a few minutes before Liam spoke up "Why don't you guys go explore for a bit? We can wait to see if they were there.". I look over at him, analysing him for a second before I squeeze Zu's hand.

"Yeah, i'm sure we can climb a few trees or something." I look down to Zu, then glance to Chubs and give him a look.

He seems to get what I'm trying to say. "Oh uh yeah. Climbing trees. Not very healthy for the trees but-" I elbow him, making him cough slightly, Zu looks at him and he mutters "Allergies.".

He gives me an annoyed glare as soon as she turns away. "Let's go." I clap my hands together once, entertaining my fingers before raising them over my head to stretch. I release them before heading off to the forest, I walk with Zu and Chubs, climbing trees and imitating monkeys.

We keep walking and I twirl Zu as we enter a field that held Liam and Ruby. Liam's back was facing us and he was standing ten feet away and slowly walking backwards from Ruby. He must be heading towards the car, I see him point at her lazily and something about twinkies and we head towards them.

"Twinkies? Yum." I grin, causing Liam to spin around, I stop as I look at Liam and our eyes catch.

He did not expect us to be here. "Yeah in fact why don't you guys go get the food ready?" Liam nods towards Zu who was on my left and Chubs on my right, he turns to Ruby as well.

"You guys aren't coming?" Ruby questions, glancing between us which I raise an eyebrow at Liam. Zu and Chubs had already left, Zu racing in front of Chubs as he ran after her.

"We'll be right there." Liam tells her, and she walks away as she looks at the toy on a chain in her hands. I watch her leave before slowly spinning on my heels until I face Liam.

I cock my head curiously as I raise my brow, "What's up?" I question as I slide my hands into my back pockets.

"What did you tell Ruby before she left?" he questioned, his chest sinking in as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

My mind races as I furrow my eyebrows. I stumbled for an answer before telling him "Where to find me if something went wrong.". I mean it was kind of true?

He pauses for a moment before asking "Where to find you? Where were you gonna be?". He licks his lips as he steps closer, gesturing towards the directions the van and others were in, "Are you leaving us?".

I bite my cheek before breathing in and letting out a chuckle "I- I plan to leave. Yes. I don't want to go to Slip Kids camp." I admit, shaking my head defeatedly.

"Why? Wait- Were you gonna tell us or just slip out while we were asleep? I mean you didn't tell us you weren't coming." he accuses, obviously angry and hurt. Well I was just gonna slip out because I wasn't good at goodbyes. "You know what I don't wanna know." He says quietly after a moment, I wasn't sure I wanted to answer.

"Let's get to the others. We can drop you off wherever you want.". He walks past me, I barely move as I had barely said anything and I just felt defeated.

But I couldn't let it end like this so I call out. "I was gonna slip out." I mean I didn't know how to tell him everything. He stopped walking but didn't bother to turn around. "I didn't think I could look you all in the face and say goodbye." I admit, which he now turned around.

He pointed a finger at me, shrugging as he threw his arms up. "No one wants to say goodbye. But at least we would know if you care because you're pretty hard to read." He shook his head, disbelief covering his face.

I had never wanted to hurt them. I hadn't meant to get so attached to this group of kids that now were like family. However I knew I would hate Slip kids camp, even if he didn't know about me, someone else probably did. I was fairly well known by anyone who knew the league.

"Of course I care. Maybe that's why it's better that I leave. I guess I am the cliche girl from movies who does this kind of stuff." I shrug, knowing I usually hated that girl. That stupid, stupid girl.

He walks towards me a little bit. But he stopped, only a foot away as he towered over me. I wasn't short, he was just ridiculously tall. "I know you're trouble, it follows you apparently. But I also think that you're worth it." He stares down at me, and I didn't know what to say to that.

I really was trouble, and it would follow me to the camp and they didn't need that. Someone could recognize me and know what I can do. I mean quite a few of my trainee's got free from the League, often with my help.

I see him lean down, but I was mostly watching his light blue eyes. They always seemed cloudy, even though he as a person saw through everything, even me.

That was the reason I couldn't hurt him. I couldn't fake myself near him, so I knew I'd have to leave before he and Zu, all of them get hurt. I look away, and he stops short of what would have been our first kiss, my first kiss.

He sighs, taking a step back before saying "One of these days, I'm gonna figure you out. And when I do, you'll stay with us. But for now, it is Twinkie time.". A smile makes its way to my lips, before he gestures for me to follow him "Come on.". I catch up to him, pushing his arm slightly and he pushes me right back.

We end up racing a bit and catch up to Ruby. But to be fair, she wasn't walking very fast, more of gazing at the forest and stumbling everywhere.

It was good to be free.