"My own girl," Rose said, a smile on her face as she walked into the kitchen. "Are you really...?"

Ida nodded, and with no other words said between them, Rose rushed at her, hugging her fiercely.

This was what she had dreamed of forever.

Too bad it was going to have to be kept secret, buried deep enough so that no one could see it.

But right now, Rose buried herself further into Ida's, her mother's, arms, and smiled.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Rose also needed to see Will, rather urgently, but she wanted to spend time with her mother, and so threw herself into her kitchen duties with way more verve than usual, trying to get closer to Ida.

Problem was, Sheila was also there, doing her best, which often outshone Rose's.

"All done, Ida," she said, holding up a tray of buns, ready to be baked.

"Perfect!" Ida smiled.

"And me!" Rose added, handing Ida her tray, which was considerably more messy.

"Well," Ida smiled. "Who fancies learning how to make a plaited bloomer, for Matron's lunch?"

"I do!" Sheila shouted before Rose got a word in. "Teach me, Ida!"

"How about I teach you both?" Ida smiled.

"There'll be no need for that."

Cook was walking through the kitchen door, hauling a load of baskets and a suitcase with her. She was dressed for work.

"Cook..." Ida sounded surprised. "You're all better, then?"

"My hands are, but my poor feet..." Cook sighed. "Bunions. I'm a martyr to em. I take it these two've been helping in my absence?"

"Yes," Ida smiled over at the two. "And they've not put a foot wrong."

"Well, you can be on your way," said Cook to Rose and Sheila.

"What? Not on kitchen duty?" Sheila asked.

"Never?!" Rose was even more shocked. That- that mean she couldn't see Ida-

"We might need an extra hand here," Ida said, trying to save it. "You're only just back, you need to take it easy."

"One of them can stay," Cook decided, turning to the two girls. "You'll do."

Her hand was pointed at Sheila.

"You, get back to scrubbing floors," Cook told Rose.

"What? No! I-I need to stay!" Rose protested.

"You heard what Cook said," Ida walked forward. "Go on."

Rose gave her a look of slight disappointment but also understanding as she left.

Typical.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"Ida!"

Rose had snuck back down to the kitchen corridor and was just waiting for a chance for her mother to pass by.

And, just by chance, she had.

Ida turned, whispering urgently. "Rose!"

"I snuck out from the privy," Rose smiled.

"You can't!" Ida whispered.

"I just had to see you!" Rose grinned.

"No one can know who I am, Rose!" Ida advanced towards her. "I'm not even married, I'm not allowed to claim you! If they find out, I'll be out on the streets again!"

"I'm sorry," Rose said. "I just-"

"You have to go, now," Ida warned her.

"Well, meet me later, then, in the tower!" Rose said. "You locked the hatch so you can unlock it!"

"Ida! Get a move on!" Cook's voice resounded from the kitchens.

"Coming!" Ida shouted back, turning to Rose. "Rose, please!"

"I'll sneak out next lesson," Rose told her. "Just promise you'll try."

"What are you doing, Ida?!"

"I promise," Ida whispered to her. "Now go!"

Rose ran off with a smile on her face, watching as her mother disappeared round the corner.

She smiled even wider at that thought.

Her mother.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Winterson was assigning everyone rooms to clean by the time Rose ran down the corridor to her.

She raised her eyebrows as if to say why are you late?

"Sorry, nurse," Rose said.

Winterson just handed her a brush. "You can go in there."

So Rose took the brush and headed into the dorm...

Where she saw Harriet, smiling at her, making and sorting beds. She was back in her foundling uniform.

Rose looked to Winterson, who offered her a smile, and ran at Harriet.

"Harriet!"

"Rose!"

The two friends hugged warmly and Rose grinned.

Having friends was amazing. Losing them was terrible.

But finding them again? That was the best.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

As Rose and Harriet set to work on scrubbing the dorm floor, Blanche walked into the room.

"Well, if it isn't Harriet."

Rose was just about to speak but her friend got in first.

"We don't need your help," Harriet snapped.

"I just came to say welcome back," Blanche explained.

"Well there, you said it, now stay out of our way," Harriet continued. "Go back to being Matron's snitch."

Rose followed Harriet as they both made their way to the door-

"Wait," Blanche stopped them. "Matron thinks Mathias snuck out yesterday, to see you, and she sent me to get proof."

Rose had been told by Harriet of Mathias sneaking into the Asquith's to see her, but she wasn't letting that on to Blanche.

"And why are you telling us?" She demanded.

Blanche smirked. "Matron can't win all the time."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

The plan was for Blanche, who was at the art fair, to tell Mathias things that happened, so he could prove to Matron that he hadn't snuck out.

So whilst Blanche snuck into the boys' wing, Rose and Harriet went to lessons.

"Well look who it is," Sheila said loudly as the two walked in and sat down. "What happened, did you smash the china?"

"Or put salt in the sugar bowl?" Elizabeth laughed.

"So much for perfect Harriet."

"She's still better than you and if you don't watch out, she might bag herself a cushy kitchen job!" Rose snapped.

"Your job," nodded Harriet.

"You won't, Ida wouldn't let you," Sheila stood up.

So did Rose. "Cook could be persuaded."

She marched straight up to Sheila, faces inches from each other's as she yelled. "Your time's UP, ORMSBY!"

"Rose! Sheila! Stop that at once, please!" Nurse Winterson shouted from the doorway.

Rose suddenly saw an opportunity to get out of this class. "It wasn't Sheila, nurse, it was us!"

"Sorry, nurse," Harriet said as she caught on.

"Hmmm," Macclesfield, who was also at the door, said. "Well, if you're that sorry, you can clean out the storeroom. Come."

So Rose and Harriet got out.

Amazing.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

They got taken to the very messy storeroom and marched inside.

"Right!" Macclesfield shouted. "Boxes tidied, shelves dusted, and make sure you get into all those corners."

"Yes, nurse," the two said in a monotone.

"I shall be back in an hour," Macclesfield informed them, before leaving and closing the door behind her.

As her footsteps echoed down the hall, Harriet looked at Rose. "What's going on?"

"Harriet," Rose couldn't contain her excitement. "I found her!"

"Found who?"

"My mother!" Rose bounced on the balls of her feet. "It's Ida!"

Harriet gasped. "Ida?!"

The two friends both collapsed into another hug, grinning widely.

"I have to see her! Well, and Will," Rose grinned, cheeks going red. "You'll never guess what happened with him..."

So she told Harriet the story of her and Will, talking through a tench door, having not actually seen each other since.

"Aw, Rose, that's adorable!" Harriet smiled after she had been told the whole story.

"I know, I have to see them both," smiled Rose.

Harriet grinned, pushing Rose towards the door. "Go!"

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Will was scrubbing floors when Rose got to him, sighing heavily and looking annoyed.

She snuck up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned round, gasping at first but then seeing Rose standing there.

"How did you-?"

"How'd you think?" Rose smiled at him, cheeks alight with a blush. "So... was I dreaming back there, or did you say you loved me?"

Will stood up, and the last thing she saw was his grin as he engulfed her in his arms, hugging her tightly, whispering. "Definitely dreaming."

Rose giggled, feeling that stomach sensation again.

As they pulled apart, there was a small moment where their faces became closer. Closer than they had ever been before.

Taking a leap of faith, Will leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her lightly. Rose had never kissed someone before, and neither had Will, but to both of them, who had been unknowingly wishing for this for the past two years, it felt like the best thing in the world.

Rose was certain she had never felt as happy as she did when she pulled away, and saw his face, smiling back at her.

"I was so scared back there," Will admitted. "When Macclesfield said she was putting you in the tench..."

"I got out alive," Rose smiled slightly. "After a small bit of help, of course."

"Really? Who from?" Will raised his eyebrows.

"Just some boy who told me he loved me, and gave me some big declaration to prove it," Rose shrugged. "It was awful-"

"Hey!" Will said, making them both giggle.

"Will? You'd better be cleaning in there!"

Will sighed. "I better get back to this, but... I'll see you soon?"

Rose smiled. "Hopefully."

As she left him, she almost regretted it.

But she had to move fast. Half an hour was almost up.

And in the tower, her mother awaited.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

When Rose got up to the tower, Ida was already there, smiling as she ascended into it.

They ran at each other without saying anything, hugging again. Rose would never get used to the feeling. She felt love when she was in Will's arms, but in Ida's she felt... she felt a mother's love.

Something she had never had.

There were tears in both of their eyes as they pulled back, Ida pulling her hands up to cup Rose's cheeks. "Oh!" She hugged her again as she did, not seeming to ever want to let her go.

"You were my world," Ida said, once they were sitting down. "A tiny little thing. With a small fluff of that enchanting brown hair. I never wanted to let you go, you know that?"

Rose nodded.

"And I tried my hardest but-"

"I know!" Rose said quickly. "If you had the chance, you wouldn't've brought me here."

"All them years," Ida shook her head tearily. "I can never get them back. You learning to walk, your first words..."

"So, think about the years ahead!" Rose grinned excitedly. "Now we're together- we can leave here-!"

She had jumped to her feet in excitement but Ida was just chuckling. "Not until you're older, we can't! You're under the hospital's care! They'd bring you back and lock me up!"

Rose sighed, sitting down. "We'll wait, then."

Ida smiled down at her.

"Your eyes look so fiery when you're excited," she smiled. "They're like little jewels. Emerald, that's what I called you."

Rose smiled. "Emerald..."

"But you're Rose to me now," Ida smiled. "And you always will be."

Rose smiled. "Oh, wait!"

She went over to the hollow seat and got her journals out from under them.

"Your journals!" Grinned Ida.

"Yeah, I write everything in here," Rose smiled. "I even wrote about you. Well... about what I thought my mother would be like."

She stopped for a second to get her penny with the heart hole out, and held it up.

Then Ida did something unexpected, and from her pocket, pulled out her own penny.

"Me too."

Rose grinned.

"But we have to keep this a secret!" Ida said, hiding her penny once more.

Rose sighed. "But... I don't want to go back."

"Well, you have to!" Ida smiled. "And I have to fetch Cook's ointment! Come on."

Rose smiled warmly as she followed her mother from the tower.

She would never get used to that.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

She got to the storeroom just in time, Harriet handing her a brush before Macclesfield came in.

"Right! Let's see if this place passes muster, then!"

She got in, walking in a small circle around them before saying. "Back to your dorms."

"Yes, nurse."

The two furiously tried to fight the smiles on their faces as they headed back.

They had never been so happy at the foundling hospital before.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Of course, happiness like that was only temporary.

Rose and Harriet were chatting and laughing on Rose's bed when Will burst into the dorm.

"Rose!"

Rose stood up at her name. Will looked frantic and he was panting, but he managed to shout.

"It's Ida! Matron knows everything!"

Rose's eyes widened like saucepans and before she knew it she was running out the dorm, downstairs and into the yard.

"IDA!" She screamed. Her just-healed throat was ripping again but she didn't care. "IDA!"

She ran further, seeing Mr Cranbourne, Ida in his grip, pulling her towards the gates.

There was a whole crowd of boys and girls in the yard, but Rose was at the front of them, screaming and kicking.

She was crying now, but sobbing as Ida turned round, digging her heels into the gravel and shouting. "ROSE!"

"IDA!" Rose tried to run further but was stopped by Matron, who shoved her back roughly. "SHE'S MY MOTHER!"

"Rules are rules, Green!" Matron shouted venemously in her ear.

"Please, Nurse!" A hysterical Rose appealed to Nurses Winterson and Macclesfield, who she knew couldn't do anything without risk of being fired.

"NOOOOO!"

She saw her mother plead with Mr Cranbourne, but it didn't work. She was shoved out of the gates and escorted by the gatekeeper at they were locked behind her.

"Rose! Please!"

"IDA!" Rose kicked and struggled at Matron's hole, but it didn't budge.

"IDA! NO, PLEASE! IDA-!"

"She's gone!" Matron silenced her, but she was still crying as she got banished from the woman's harsh grip, stumbling a little before a pair of arms wrapped around her. Will.

"We'll remember this," Mathias told the nurses and Cranbourne and Matron as he joined hands in a line with all the foundlings, even Vince and Judd and Sheila and Elizabeth.

Will let go of Rose briefly to let her face Matron, still breathing raggedy and crying, tears staining her face.

"I will find my mother again," she vowed. "This isn't over."

But it felt like that, as she took Will's hand and they followed the others inside.

It felt like that, even as she heard hue quiet reassurances in her ear.

Ida was gone.

Her mother was gone.

But she did know one thing.

She was willing to do anything to get her back.