[b]Saturday, Aug 5, 2017 [/b]

The journey in the moving car had gone quiet a long time before they reached the house, Isla's eyes burned with tears and Adam felt uncomfortable for being the cause of them but had no idea what to say or do to make it up to her.

[i]
"I don't see why we're going to all this effort anyway."
"It's to keep you safe."
"Safe from what? They already got what they want."
"Not even close."
"Please, why would they want a kid?"
"Aside the leverage at having two Miller's hostage you mean? You saw their face, their unlikely to let you live for that."
"And moving out here is supposed to keep me safe? That idiot agent is going to be coming to this new place isn't she? They'll find us and they'll finish it. I don't even care anymore."
[b]screeeeeeechhhhh[/b]
The tires of the car ground to a halt, the handbrake went on and Adam whirled on the sulking teen, his eyes blazing angrily; she'd always hated that look. Grabbing her by the arms he forced her to face him, "You're so selfish! I get it your mum is dead, it's awful, your father, who knows. So you what? Give up? You sulk like a petulant brat and just wait for them to turn up? They nearly killed you back at the house, they won't hesitate to it again but perhaps instead of your mum getting shot it will be me. Will that make you happy? Is that what it'll take to get you out of this stupid pity party? She was your mum and he's your dad but they're my friends!" Seeing the tears in her eyes and realising he was both shaking and yelling her let her go and continued their journey.
[/i]

It had been hard for Adam too, he'd lost people before but this had been different and personal. He'd left the army so he didn't have to see people he cared for die anymore. When he saw the gun pointed at Sammy he was certain his heart was going to give out on him then and there. She meant everything to him, he'd only been part of the family for five years but Joshua had treated him like family and not the hired muscle, Ceila would laugh and joke with him all the time and even buy him little presents and Samantha? She was his favourite, she was so bubbly and full of life, a little rude at times but she never meant to be. She always drew pictures of him that made him look like the hulk but as she grew out of childhood and into adolescence the fun had stopped and they talked about things more. Losing Ceila had broken his heart and Joshua's kidnap had him hit the bottle pretty hard, it was StClaire that reminded him he had to man up and look after Samantha. The agent had intended to put her with a foster family on the other side of the world, he couldn't have that. 

They pulled up outside the place and climbed out of the car. It wasn't a bad house to look at she supposed. A garage and a drive way and a small patch of front lawn. "It'll need rebedding." She muttered, wiping her eyes with her thumb. "Of course Isla." She cringed, she wasn't fond of that name yet, it felt like a lie but she shivered faintly to rid herself of the unpleasant feeling. "I don't know what I'd do... if I lost you too." She stated quietly before taking her bag inside to look around. The rooms were spacious and the hardwood floors made it feel comfortable. There was an old fashioned fireplace in one side of the living room and it opened up on an open plan dining room and the doors that lead to the back yard. A room the opposite side of the hall was the kitchen, which had a door leading into the garage and a laundry room further down. Up the stairs were the three bedrooms, she was told to dump her bag in the one she wanted as hers. She chose the one looking over the front yard, it was bigger and had more shape to it. Not to mention the built in wardrobe which might serve her purpose for clothes and survival if needs be. Shaking her head she dropped her bag on the window sill and retreated, checking out the bathrooms before heading back out to meet her 'uncle'. 

She was about to speak to him when she saw the boy across the street, the [i]thwack[/i] of the ball bouncing off his head made her wince in empathy but then giggle for the first time in what had to be a month. She hid it behind good manners, a hand in front of her mouth and an apologetic sparkle to her eyes. He waved, his cheeks a faint hint of red, so she lifted her hand and waved back, offering as kind a smile as she could muster at the time. Adam called her and she turned to face him, something quiet was said between them before she was asked to direct the movers and disappeared back inside. 

Adam glanced over to the boy with the ball and for a long moment just looked at him. Then he too disappeared inside. 

It was nearly dinnertime before the movers left and the new tenants were able to get the car into the drive and then the garage. The lights coming on one by one in the house as they settled in for the evening. In truth Isla was pretty efficient, if they were going to live here they weren't living in boxes. So the important rooms, the bathroom, kitchen and living room were fully unpacked and ready to receive guests, she'd even put down a plush rug in the living area and got Adam to set up the TV and organise for the internet to be installed on Monday. The bedrooms though and the assorted miscellaneous stuff; which was in the garage at the moment, were left in boxes. 

However, as prepared as they had been they hadn't done any grocery shopping and so, after rummaging through the phone book they managed to find a pizza place and place an order. 

Isla had changed, the chill in the air; or perhaps in her mind, had her putting on a thick jumper made of soft wool and hanging passed the knuckles on her hands and over the tops of her thighs. She'd put on a pair of jeggings too and thick fluffy socks that kept her feet warm in the house. "I'll wait for the pizza uncle Adam." She called, attempting to get used to the sound of the name on her tongue. So, with the porch light on she sat at the front door, listening to the sounds of the neighbourhood and waiting for their delivery.