.Finally a Mother.

.One.

**TRIGGER WARNING - foster care, sexual abuse, physical abuse, self harming, eating disorders, missing child**

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*Emily's house*

Emily and her foster daughter Eva are eating dinner together. Emily spots a few fresh cuts on the inside of Eva's left wrist. Eva sees Emily looking at her wrist and pulls her sleeve down further, covering the marks.

"Hey Eva, can I ask you something?" Prentiss questions.

"You just did, didn't you?" Eva replies with a hint of snark in her attitude.

"Ha, I guess you're right, I did. Um, I was just wondering how you're feeling. If you're comfortable here...with me." Emily looked at Eva's dinner plate still full with food.

"I'm grateful, if that's what you mean. I'm not getting beat yet, you've given me a bed, and I have food if I want it. So that's all great. But no. I'm not comfortable." Eva answered, more honestly than Emily was expecting.

"Thank you for being honest with me. Also, I will NEVER hurt you. I'm not one of those people. I believe in nurture and love. Not physical punishment. I would never..." Emily trailed off, fighting back her tears. Eva noticed how upset Emily got when talking about abuse. She had wondered if Emily had been abused by someone from her past. If she had been, they at least had something in common. She's a very observant little girl. Eva sat there, unsure of how to respond to Emily's emotions. Suddenly Emily started speaking again, "I'm sorry, I know you don't know me well enough to trust me, but I am here for you. To protect you. I never want anything bad to happen to you. I want you to feel safe here, around me."

"Tell me something that will help me trust you then." Eva bluntly told Emily. Emily looked at the young girl furrowing her brow with a bit of confusion behind her eyes. "Tell me about when you were abused." Eva said.

"What...I....I...I wasn't..." Emily stuttered. She had a look of panic on her face, which Eva noted in her mind.

"Cut the crap and be honest with me Emily. You want me to trust you, right? Then be honest with me. We have something in common. Just tell me." Eva insisted. Emily licked her bottom lip and stared straight ahead before blinking her tears away and looking at Eva.

"It started when I was three years old. My mother was an Ambassador so she wasn't around much. No one else knows this about me. No one, not even my partner," Emily stopped to look at the floor and catch her breath before continuing. "My father was not a nice man. He beat me all the time to keep me quiet about the other abuse. It lasted for 14 years. The beatings were daily but the other abuse was only once a week. So compared to how it could have been, I was lucky." Emily stopped and looked at Eva. She noticed a tear streak down Eva's cheek. Emily cupped the little girl's face in her hands and wiped away her tears.

"I'm so sorry Emily. I never meant for..." Eva started to apologize but was cut off by Emily.

"Don't apologize. I want you to know that you can trust me. I love you Eva, as uncomfortable as that makes you. I do love you and want you to feel safe here." Emily said, still holding Eva's face. "Why don't you get ready for bed, and I'll clean up dinner." Emily suggested. Much to Emily's surprise Eva nodded and stood up to give Emily a hug. Emily was shocked but squeezed Eva gently, showing her comfort. Eva then headed down the hall to her bedroom. Emily gathered the dishes and loaded the dishwasher so she could start it. With the dishwasher running Emily was headed to her room to change into her pajamas. "Hey, do you wanna watch a movie on the couch before bed?" Emily hollered as she passed Eva's room.

"Sure! I'll be right out." Eva hollered back enthusiastically. Five, ten, then fifteen minutes had passed and still no sign of Eva. Emily was starting to worry, but she didn't want Eva to feel rushed.

"What movie do you wanna watch?" Emily hollered from the living room. There was no answer. Emily's concern grew. She got up from the couch and walked to Eva's bedroom door. She knocked on the door with no answer. "Eva? Are you okay in there?" Emily's voice louder than necessary. "Eva, can I come in?" She hesitated remembering that the social worker had expressed not violating Eva's privacy in order to gain her trust. "Eva, this isn't funny, I'm coming in!" Emily announced. When Emily opened Eva's bedroom door, she nearly fainted. The window was wide open and there was no sign of Eva.

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Word count: 814