I ran as fast as I could up to the guest room that James had put me in and debated for a second if I should grab my duffle or not. I decided to leave it for now, since it would probably only slow down my escape. I quickly grabbed my purse off the bed and made a dash back down the stairs. I could still hear arguing coming from the kitchen.

Running out the front door at that moment I was glad that I had pursued my dream of being a soccer player. I had runners legs, while my brother had skaters legs. Though I knew if he really wanted to he could catch up to me, if he had been chasing after me and not arguing with his wife.

When I got what I deemed a safe distance from James house. I slowed to a walk and was slightly disheartened that James hadn't followed after me. I wondered if he even realized I was gone yet. I pulled my iPhone from my purse and clicked on the special app on my phone to make a call. A friend of one of my teammates had made it for me. I thought about calling Sid and seeing if he could help me out, but than realized he didn't have a car here. And he was the reason I was stuck here in the first place and probably wouldn't have helped me, even if he could. I ended up calling a cab to come and get me. While waiting for the cab I hopped on my passbook app and booked the next flight out of Ohio.

I wasn't going back home to LA just yet. Firstly because when James figured out I was gone that would be the first place he looked, or had someone looked. No I was headed back to the next best place that I considered like home for a few days. I hopped in the cab as soon as it came and got me. I was glad the cabbie didn't seem interested in making small talk. I paid the cab fare with the last of the cash I had in my wallet and walked into the airport.

I quickly got checked in at the check in desk and made my way through the terminal to my gate. Again thankful that I had been able to take care of everything over my phone. As I sat down on one of the hard chairs, I could only hope I would make it out of here before James came looking for me here. It wasn't like my brother was stupid, in fact he was very smart and if I was him this would be the first place I would look for someone. If I happened to be looking for someone.

I looked up at the TV's hanging on the walls to distract myself from my thoughts. Fail, someone had the channel turned onto ESPN and even though the sound was relatively low it was obvious they were talking about the Blue Jackets and Penguins game for the next night, as Sid's face was plastered all over the TV screen. 'Geez there's no escaping them' I thought sarcastically rolling my eyes.

I turned my eyes to look out the large airport windows watching the planes arriving and taking off. Finally my flight arrived and I was able to board. I finally released a breath I didn't even realize I had been holding when the plane had taken off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as the plane had landed I rented a car and started making the drive to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Bloomfield Hills held so many good and bad memories for me. It was the place that James, Asher and I had been raised by our grandfather, after our parents abandoned us with him. It was also the place where we meet Jack, Mitch, Nicole, and Jamie.

Also if you wanted to find the best cheese bread in the world this was the place. Also if you wanted to satisfy a sweet tooth you could find the best fudge on Mackinac Island.

But before I headed to grandfathers I needed to make a stop in Detroit. It was an important stop and it was something I had been avoiding for the past seven years. Now that I had made the effort to come here, I knew I couldn't avoid it anymore. Before I headed to 'Thornlea' house.

Driving through Downtown Detroit I finally pulled up in front of the Rehabitation Center and took a deep breath. I gathered up my nerves before I lost them and got out of the car, walking up to the center. I made my way in and went up to the information desk. After several minutes of convincing the lady behind the desk that I indeed know the person I needed to see. I got the information I needed and headed up to the fourth floor. I rubbed at my throat as I made my way to the room that they were in.

'What am I doing here? I shouldn't be here' I thought to myself.

"You must be Emmerson," a nurse said coming up to me, as I stood there debating weather or not to go in.

I looked over at her in shock and nodded.

"They said you would be coming at some point and time. Although we just didn't realize it would be seven years later," the nurse said chuckling.

"Well they've been waiting for you for awhile now. Don't make them wait any longer," the nurse said, giving me a little shove towards the door. Realizing I wasn't making a move in either direction to enter or leave.

"They'll be glad to see you," she said honestly, giving me a reassuring smile and than walked away.

Gathering my nerves again I took a deep breath and slowly opened the door to the room and walked in, closing the door behind me. The first thing I noticed was in was it semi-dark in the room, I could hear the volume on a TV playing lowly. Looking around the room it wasn't anything special, it looked like your typical hospital room. Except this one looked lived in, like for the past seven years.

I made my way slowly more into the room and stood a few feet from the bed. Taking in the person laying in the bed I couldn't help but feel my eyes tear up again. I wiped ruffly at them with the back of my hand. I hated crying and I had been crying way too much in the last few hours. The person laying there had their head turned away from me, but I knew that they knew I was there. Taking in there appearance I could help but cringe. Their skin was pale and they looked helpless, I couldn't help but feel like it was all my fault they were there.

"So you finally decided to come visit me?" The person asked, not looking at me.

My gaze snapped up to theirs finding them studying me.

"Emmerson?" They said.

"Sid called and said you were probably headed this way. You know you have James and Jack and Sid extremely worried about you. Emmerson please say something," they said.

"I-I-I'm so sorry, so very sorry Mitch," I croaked, brokenly.

"Hey, hey why don't you sit down. You look like your going to pass out or something. It's still me, I'm still the same Mitch you grew up with," Mitch replied, with a smile.

I shakily sat down in the chair next to his bed and started shaking my head in denial.

"No your not the same person I grew up with. And it's all my fault," my voice said raspily.

"Hey I am the same person. I just can't get up and walk out of here," Mitch said jokingly.

"That's not funny Mitch," I snapped lowly.

"No I suppose it's not. But I've come to terms with it and accepted the truth," Mitch replied, a small frown forming on his face.

"I-I can't..... I can't be here.... I'm sorry I have to go.... It's all my fault... Again I'm so sorry Mitch," I croaked, starting to panic again and shakily stood up to leave.

"Emmerson it's not your fault. And you can't keep running off," Mitch snapped.

"I-I'm not running off," I whispered.

"Yes you are," Mitch snapped. "For some reason you can't face the truth. I heard how everyone just wants to help you and you won't accept their help. Emmerson you run off every time. Just like today you ran from Nicole's and James," Mitch sighed.

"It's all my fault. I should be here and not you," I croaked, the tears breaking loose.

"Emmerson NOT YOUR FAULT," Mitch snapped, angrily.

"Yes it is," I replied, shaking my head.

"Emmerson come here," Mitch said softening his tone, and reaching for my hand.

I stepped closer to the bed and took hold of his hand.

"Emmerson, Emmerson, Emmerson," Mitch sighed. "It's not your fault and you need to stop blaming yourself. I know you better than the back of my own hand. And I know the reason you haven't come to see me these past seven years is because you blame yourself. But you have to stop. It's time to stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault Emmerz," Mitch said, softly squeezing my hand.

"It is," I whispered.

"No it's not and I don't know why everyone let you take the blame. It's time for you to tell the truth," Mitch replied.

"Yeah Emmerz it's time the truth was told," someone said behind me, as two hands landed on each shoulder.

I turned my head and found Sid and Jack and James all standing there looking at me.

"We knew we'd find you here," Sid answered the unasked question in my eyes.