Rose and Will had slept side by side on a spare sheet on the floor that night, hands still intertwined.

Rose awoke first, though, to the sound of a door being opened.

She gasped as she looked up, seeing a man enter the house.

"Will! Will!" She shouted, shaking the boy until he awoke.

"Rose..." he murmured blearily as Rose hurriedly pointed to the man, waking Sissy up too.

When the girl awoke, she sighed. "It's alright, it's just my father."

The man didn't appear to have heard any of this, stumbling to the chair and sitting down in it, his head lolling to the side and his eyes unfocused as his weak hands dropped the metal cup he was holding.

Lil awoke at the clanging sound of the cup and started to cough. "Is he back, Sissy?"

"Shh, Lil, go back to sleep," Sissy said to the small girl.

"I can't," Lil cried.

From what Rose could work out, Sissy and Lil's father was an alcoholic, and obviously didn't care for them as he should. So Sissy had to rely on flower selling for money and something to ear.

As Lil continued to cough, it became apparent that she was sick, and Sissy sighed and said. "It's alright, have some water."

Rose sat with Will, his hand on her knee and his other arm round her waist, as Lil drank and lay down.

Rose gave Will a smile before leaning out of his embrace and lying in front of Sissy and stroking Lil's hair.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl who wasn't too well," she began softly. "But in her mind she could go anywhere she wanted."

A smile relaxed onto Lil's face and she looked up at Rose admiringly.

"Right now, she was off on a beautiful ship, sailing to a far-off land, with the warm sun on her face, and the wind blowing through her hair," Rose continued, still stroking the little girl's hair.

As Lil closed her eyes, Rose sat up, pressing her lips together as Will slotted his arm back round her waist, pulling her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, smiling slightly.

She hated to admit that he had been right.

But she was really glad he was with her.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

The next morning, with Sissy and Lil's father still passed out in the chair, Rose, Will and Sissy got up, eating what food there was and trying to comfort Lil, who was still rosy cheeked and coughing.

"If we're ill in the foundling hospital, we get sent to the infirmary," Rose explained to Sissy.

"Doctors cost money," her new friend told her miserably.

"Sissy says we can't afford it," Lil said weakly, coughing. "I wish my mother could look after me."

Will, who was sitting next to Rose, put a hand on her thigh and gave her a look of warning, but Rose gave him a comforting one back in return.

"I wish I could bring her back from heaven," Lil continued to wail. "I miss her."

"And she misses you, too," Rose got up from her chair and sat down next to Lil. "And she'll look down on you, with her beautiful white angel wings."

She put a hand on Lil's shoulder, but the girl only said. "I'll be an angel soon, too."

"That's enough now, Lil," Sissy came over, a small smile on her face. "I'll bring back warm potatoes, if I earn enough."

Rose helped Lil get back into bed and pulled the covers over her, then stood up, going back over to Will, who offered her only a slight smile.

"Best be moving, then," said Sissy, interrupting their moment. "Sound of the church bells, near the city, and she can see the river, too?"

"Yeah, that's what it said in the letter," Rose nodded. She had realised last night that she had lost Ida's letter, which meant that she couldn't keep it, but she had basically memorised it anyway, and had told Sissy and Will the contents last night.

"We need the Ludgate Workhouse, then," explained Sissy. "It's not that far from here, you're in luck."

Rose and Will shared a grin at this.

As they left, Rose said to the small girl in the bed. "Get well, Lil."

Lil smiled back.

"Good luck, Rose, Will."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

They got to the Ludgate Workhouse in around an hour, and the gatekeeper was only too happy to speak to them.

"So who're you looking for then?" He asked them, getting his list out.

"Her name's Ida Battersea, she's my mother," Rose explained.

"That name's familiar," said the gatekeeper, flicking through papers. "Ida Battersea..."

"Told you this was the place!" Sissy grinned.

"What? She's here?" Will was also grinning, in anticipation.

"She was," the gatekeeper shrugged. "Left for dutiful employment yesterday."

"What? No, she can't have!" Rose protested as the man walked out of his stall and round, so he was now out on the streets, facing them.

"Afraid so," he said. "That's why I know the name, my good lady wife helped arrange it-"

But thanks to the kindness of the gatekeeper's wife...

"-A well-to-do house up in Highgate somewhere-"

...I hope to move on from here.

"Highgate? Where's that?" Rose demanded.

"It's fine, I know," Sissy sighed.

"Right," Rose said. "So, whereabouts in Highgate? Do you have Ida's address?"

"Oh, don't have details like that, I'm afraid," the man shrugged. "No one tells me nothing."

"Then get your wife and ask her!" Rose snapped.

"Has anyone told you that you look prettier when you're angry?" The gatekeeper smiles.

"Leave her alone!" Will snarled angrily as Rose clenched her fists.

"Thanks anyway," Sissy sighed.

"Well, best of luck to you," shrugged the man as he walked off. "She's a nice lady, Ida - from what I remember anyways..."

Rose rolled her eyes. "How are we supposed to find her now?"

"Well, you two could help me sell a few flowers," suggested Sissy. "We'll save up for the omnibus."

"We can't take your money! You need that for Lil!" Rose objected.

"Well, you'd best sell triple, then."

Rose sighed as the girl walked off, looking at Will.

"Well, we do need money, and there's not a lot more we can do for it," shrugged Will. "So I vote we do it."

Rose pressed her lips together.

Will grinned back at her. "Has anyone told you that you look prettier when you're angry-?"

"Shut up, Will."

Will chuckled as they walked after Sissy.

"Okay."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Rose was not the best flower seller.

"Posy for you, sir?" She asked, heading up to a random man.

"No, go away!"

"Oi, no need to be rude!" Rose hollered up the street.

Will, who was selling matches across the street at Sissy's command, walked over to her, chuckling.

"It would be fine if they just took the stupid flowers," she muttered to him.

"You alright, Rose?" Sissy asked, coming over.

"Sissy, I'm no good at this!" Rose complained as Will went over to sell another set of matches to another man.

"You spun our Lil a good tale," shrugged Sissy. "Why not do the same thing for selling posies?"

She had nothing to lose.

"Erm- posy for you, madam?" She went up to another woman. "Er- they bring love, and luck too - a lady in the circus taught me that."

And, low and behold, the woman took a bunch of posies, depositing the money they cost into Rose's basket.

As Rose got her first payment, she exchanged an excited look with Will across the street.

They were doing it. They were actually doing it!

"Posies!" Sissy called loudly to all near bypassers.

"And nosegays!" Rose joined in.

"Posies and nosegays!"

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Not before long, Rose had a whole stack of customers.

"The red bring true love, whilst the pretty pink bring untold fortune," she told a man and his lady as they walked over to her. They ended up buying two bunches.

As she, Sissy and Will met up in the middle of the street, she put another coin into her basket, and Sissy grinned.

"This way you two'll soon have enough for the omnibus!"

"Posies and nosegays!" Rose yelled down the street, smile on her face.

"Beautiful flowers!" Sissy joined in, as Will went and met with another couple-

"Rose, Will, quick!"

Next thing Rose knew, a bunch of the gang that had stole her money yesterday was chasing the three of them, and they were running down the street, all tangles of limbs as they tried to get away.

"What did that lot want with me this time?" Rose demanded as they got down a long set of steps, finally getting away.

"Who cares?" Sissy said fiercely, checking the surrounding area. "All clear."

This street had much less people on it, but Rose, Will and Sissy set to selling, Rose yelling. "Come get your flowers! Posies and nosegays!"

"Excuse me!"

An older woman across the street, wearing a smart hat and dress and shawl, was calling Rose over.

"Young lady."

"Care for some flowers, miss?" Rose smiled.

She walked forward, saying. "Tell me what you have."

"Well, these little ones bring youth and prosperity, not that you need it," Rose smiled. "A lady in the circus taught me all about flowers. That's where I used to live."

"A circus?" The woman asked, as Sissy and Will came over. "How intriguing."

"I was happy at the circus, but then a cruel harridan called Bertha Bottomsup came and snatched me away," Rose was letting her mouth speak before her brain thought here, but she didn't much care.

"Such a fascinating tale, it's almost beyond belief, and I should know," said the woman. "I'm a writer myself."

Rose heard Will gasp and she asked enthusiastically. "A real writer?"

"Yes," the woman smiled. "In fact, I'd like to hear more about your life, for a story I'm working on."

"Sissy! Will!" Rose beckoned them closer.

"What's all this about?" Sissy asked.

"My name is Miss Sarah Smith," said she.

"And I'm Emerald, Emerald Battersea," Rose said eagerly. That name... it sounded so good on her.

"Emerald what?" Sissy raised her eyebrows.

"And this is William, and this is Sissy," Rose pointed to each the boy and the girl in turn.

"Then why don't you all tell me all about yourselves?" Miss Smith smiled. "I'll give you a penny for your time."

"A penny to talk?" Sissy was entranced.

"We'll soon have enough to get to Highgate!" Rose grinned. "That's where my mother's in service," she explained to Miss Smith. "Her name's Ida."

Miss Smith smiled down at them.

And Rose didn't suspect anything at all.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

She and Miss Smith sat on a bench, Will and Sissy standing behind her.

"Sissy's little sister's poorly, they can't even afford a proper meal, let alone a doctor," explained Rose. "So Lil just lies there, in the cold and dark. And once Sissy's sold her posies that's where she calls home - a horrible room with no one to care for her."

"Have you quite finished?" Sissy scoffed behind her.

"Sissy, it's not right!" Rose turned to face her and then back to Miss Smith.

"Indeed it isn't," said Miss Smith. "I work closely with a charity which runs a refuge for girls like you, Sissy."

"Me?" Sissy frowned. "I don't need help. I look after my family."

"But who looks after you?" Miss Smith countered, looking through her bag and pulling out a card, handing it to Sissy. "Come to this address at any time, my dear. We can feed you, clothe you, and teach you. All children should be cared for."

Sissy took the card and asked. "Why are you giving this to just me, when? Why not them?" She gestured to Rose and Will.

"I'll look after them, too," Miss Smith said, looking to Rose. "You would make an excellent writer."

"I write my own journals," Rose smiled. "Or, at least, I did before I ran away, but that's another story."

"And one I'd quite like to hear," said Miss Smith. "For I rather suspect that the story you told me before is fiction, from beginning to end."

Rose's body froze. "What do you mean?"

"She means she knows you're telling a pack of lies!" Sissy made Rose turn round, and lock eyes with Will, who looked apprehensive.

Miss Smith put a soft hand on Rose's chin. "It's Rose, isn't it? Rose Green. Not Emerald. And that is Will."

"How do you know that?" Rose frowned, shaking her head.

"I recognised you by your foundling uniform at once," Miss Smith disclosed. "I'm the new governor of the hospital."

The Asquith's had gone on a business trip to America last month, leaving a gap in the hospital governors where Lady Asquith had been. Clearly, Miss Smith was her replacement.

Rose felt Will take her hand numbly, but all she could say was. "You tricked me."

"The police are looking for you two, Rose, Will," Miss Smith nodded to them both in turn. "You don't belong here."

Rose shook her head, standing up and gripping Will's hand tighter. "No! We're not going back there, and you can't make us!"

They took off running, but didn't get far before two of Mr Grace's gang stopped them. Rose's breath hitched as they turned, but another two blocked their way. They ran forward to see a man with a moustache in a suit and top hat, glaring at the two-

"ROSE GREEN! WILL BURTON!"

A police officer yelling their names at the top of his voice made all the gang members, as well as the man with the moustache in the suit, run. This left a clear path from the constable to the two runaway foundlings.

"Don't be alarmed, my dears," Miss Smith said as she stood up from the bench.

"You heard what Rose said," Will's voice was loud, but comforting to Rose. "We're not going back!"

"I know you don't wanna go back, but Miss Smith is right," said Sissy, standing beside the new governor. "Think about it, Will, Rose. You can't sell my matches and flowers forever. And the streets aren't a place for a boy and girl like you."

"They're right," the constable said loudly behind Sissy and Miss Smith. "You can go the easy way, in the carriage with Miss Smith, or the hard way, walking back with me."

Miss Smith added. "Both lead back to the foundling hospital."

As she and the constable started to talk, Rose and Will turned to Sissy.

"Use this to get Lil a doctor," Rose said, as she and Will gave Sissy all the change they got from their selling endeavours. "And look after yourself."

Sissy smiled. "Bye, Rose. Bye, Will."

"Bye, Sissy," they both said, smiling slightly.

As they walked off, Sissy yelled after them. "See ya around, Emerald and William!"

Will chuckled slightly as he squeezed Rose's hand, helping her climb into the carriage before getting in after her.

"I am sorry, my dears, but there are some rules which must be obeyed, for your own safety," said Miss Smith on the ride back.

"But we won't be safe there!" Will protested. "Matron'll switch us in and out the tench for the rest of our lives!"

"Then she'll send Will off into the army and me to a mill somewhere," Rose added. "I'd never see him or Ida again."

She and Will shared a miserable look as the carriage trundled on.

They knew what came next, of course.

And not just a punishment.

Their separation.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

As the carriage rode in past the gates, Rose turned to begging.

"Please, Miss Smith, let us go!"

"Finding your mother could ruin everything," Miss Smith warned.

"But she sent me a letter! She wants to be with me!" Rose fought back.

"If her employers found out she had an illegitimate child, she would lose her job," Miss Smith told Rose.

"Please, Miss Smith, please!" Will said. "Just let us go, now! I can take care of Rose, we'll be fine!"

Miss Smith turned to Will. "They told me you would fight for her, but you both have to listen to me. This is where you belong, and this is where you must return."

As the carriage doors were opened, Miss Smith got out, but Will waited a few seconds before turning to Rose and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

"I'll stay with you forever, you understand?" He told her.

Rose nodded as he got out the carriage, reaching out a hand to help her out. She didn't take it, though, and began to get out herself.

Will chuckled.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Knock, knock

"Come in!"

Rose shuddered at the sound of Matron's voice, and tried to disguise it as a shiver as she and Will entered the office, Miss Smith and Nurse Winterson in front of them.

"Our worries are over, Matron," said Winterson.

"Please excuse us unannounced, Matron," said Miss Smith.

Matron seemed surprised. "Wherever were they found? Not in the hands of a street gang, I hope."

"Matron..." Miss Smith approached the desk, sitting down in one of the seats in front of them. "Far worse."

"Worse?" Matron frowned.

What? Rose avoided eye contact with Will as she wondered where Miss Smith was heading.

"Never in my life have I seen children held in such shocking circumstances," Miss Smith continued.

Matron looked so shocked that Rise decided to risk eye contact with Will, looking to see him and seeing that he was just as confused as she was.

"Once Rose and Will realised that Rose's mother was no longer in the workhouse, they, of course, planned to return," Miss Smith lied. "They wandered back through Regent's Park, and there they were captured by a band of Brigands, who smuggled them into an attic, where they intended to ship them overseas."

Rose and Will, obviously, had to make this seem convincing, so looked down, both trying to seem scared and unable to speak about their terrible experience.

"I see," nodded Matron.

"I heard their screams among the slum dwellings and I rescued them," explained Miss Smith. "They begged to be brought back, Matron. They were most afraid."

Matron raised her eyebrows at Rose.

"Scared for my life, Matron," Rose put on her best act, gripping Will's hand.

"And two children who have suffered such trauma, mustn't be confined," explained Miss Smith. "Or left alone in the dark. Punishment is not the way forward."

"Punishment?" Matron appeared calm but Rose could tell she was dying. "Never."

Will gave Rose's hand a small squeeze, and they looked at each other.

"Nurse Winterson, get these two clean and then send them back to their dorms," Matron ordered.

So, as Matron spoke some more with Miss Smith, Nurse Winterson ushered Rose and Will from the room.

A very relieved Rose and Will.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"Nurse, please can we talk for a few minutes, just before going back?" Will begged Winterson once both of then were washed and dried.

Winterson sighed, then said. "Two minutes."

As soon as she left, Will rushed at Rose and wrapped her in a hug so tight it squeezed most of the air out of her. But Rose didn't mind. She would need this when he was gone, when they were separated once more, and to remember what his body felt like, pressed against hers, and how his heartbeat picked up and how he pressed small kisses to her hair and-

"Listen," Will said, as he pulled back. "I haven't told you this in a while, but I need you to remember that I love you."

Rose smiled slightly. "I love you too."

Now, she and Will had only kissed a few times, but this time felt like the first again as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, giving her a feeling she knew she would remember when she had to go back to the dorm.

They kissed for at least thirty seconds before pulling apart, Will smiling down at her. "Nothing can change that, okay? I'll still love you, no matter what."

"Right back at ya," Rose smirked to him. "Listen, Will-"

The sound of the door opening signified that their time was up, so Rose just said. "It doesn't matter, it's fine."

Will gave her a knowing look as Winterson came in with Matron and Miss Smith.

"Nurse Winterson, take Will to his class, we will escort Rose," Matron said, referring to Rose by her first name, but obviously just for Miss Smith.

This was about the hundredth time Will had grabbed her hand, just for a moment, and squeezed it, in these past few days, but this was the one she would remember.

And she convinced herself that it was the one who gave her most comfort.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"Rose!"

Harriet and Blanche (who had longsince proven herself a friend) both gasped as Rose showed face in class, walking round the seats and seeing Elizabeth had been put in her place, so having to stand behind a seat in the front row instead.

She didn't fail to notice that Sheila was alone at her bench.

"Girls, settle down, I will be back in a moment," Matron said, her and Miss Smith exiting.

As soon as the door closed, Harriet, Blanche and Elizabeth surrounded Rose.

"Well, did you find her?" Blanche asked.

"I can't believe you took Will with you!" Harriet scoffed, hugging her best friend tightly. "Tell us everything!"

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked.

Rose frowned at her. "Elizabeth, don't be nice to me. It doesn't suit you."

Elizabeth actually seemed put out by this, but it didn't last. Sheila came over, grabbed her arm, and snapped. "Don't worry Green, now you're back we'll be just as mean as ever!"

She pulled Elizabeth back over to her desk, Rose rolling her eyes before saying to Harriet. "Will caught up with me after I said goodbye to you, and-"

The door slammed open and Matron appeared, alone. Rose rushed back to her place at the front, despite there being a free place beside Harriet for her, which she would be taking tomorrow.

"Welcome back, Rose," Matron said with some feigned kindness. "I'm so pleased that you're here. So I can keep my eye on you. You'll be safe with me."

No she would not.

In fact, she had never felt less safe.