EMMY

          Emmy was sat at a register at the little store she worked at. The store sold jewellery that was made by the owner of the store, she was young, not much older than Emmy. Emmy thought of her as a friend, "Emmy why are you still here? you were meant to go on a break and hour ago?" Saph poked her head out of her office, looking at Emmy with a questioning expression written on her face.

Emmy chuckled lightly and stood up straight "i was going to go, but then customers started to come and you looked busy and i felt bad-" Emmy started rambling, her movement animated as she spoke, Saph snickered and shook her head "well i appreciate it, but next time i'm doing something, don't worry about me being busy, just let me know your going on break." Saph reassured and pat Emmy's shoulder as she walked past her.

Emmy stood there awkwardly, causing Saph to give her a weird look "go!" she made a 'shoo' expression with her hands, Emmy laughed and quickly shuffled out of the store. As she walked through the lanes she had picked up a few groceries, Saph always let Emmy have an hour break so usually Emmy would pick up a few necessities for her and Caspian.

There apartment was quite close to where Emmy worked so it wasn't a long walk. When Emmy arrived she quickly unlocked the door, stepping inside and making sure to lock the door behind her, trying to open the door a few times to make sure no one could actually get in.

She walked to the kitchen counter and placed the bag down. She leaned her side onto the counter with her arms crossed, looking around the apartment. The wall above the couch filled with all of River's drawings, drawings Emmy had to beg River to do. The dent in the hallway after River and Caspian were wrestling but tripped over each other.

An apartment that came to them broken and cold, but was filled with laughter, warmth and growth. The happiest memories that were created with three struggling teenagers who were clinging onto each other, three teenagers who were each others life line. Promises that were never kept, words that faded as time went on and they all changed, lies that ruined everything, stupid mistakes that could've been avoided if Emmy weren't so selfish...

Emmy tried her hardest to stay optimistic, to stay strong and have hope that one day... she could explain to River, properly, why she did what she did. But deep down... Emmy knew that there was nothing she could ever say or do, that would make River forgive her. And Emmy knew she had no reason too. But in the most selfish way, Emmy just wanted her best friend back...

Emmy shook her head as if she could shake her thoughts away, she quickly put away the food and stared at the un-opened letter on the counter, she sighed before reaching for it and opening it. The letter contained a warning that her and Caspian would be kicked out by the following week if they didn't pay rent. Emmy dropped the letter and dragged her hands down her face out of stress.

Her and Caspian were just barely affording everything, there was a lot of nights where the two just didn't eat, they were both taking in more hours and second jobs but without River, they were really struggling. River was the only one who had a job that paid well.

Caspian didn't know about the warnings yet... Emmy was trying to figure something out so they wouldn't lose their home but would still have some money left for basic necessities. Whilst River and Caspian weren't afraid to steal what they needed, Emmy had always been against it. She thought it was wrong, she would always tell River and Caspian that they shouldn't steal from others who were struggling to live, just like them. But then River and Caspian would say that they had to do what they had to do in order to survive, that all those people would do the same as well.

Emmy heard a soft knock on the front door, cutting off her endless thoughts, she knew that it wasn't Caspian because he had keys and would just walk in. Emmy quietly walked to the door and looked through the peep hole to see who was there. To her surprise, it was River... she was stood at the front door, holding something in her hand firmly, shuffling her feet and chewing her lip raw.

Emmy opened the door, causing River to look up at Emmy. River awkwardly stared at her before holding out a letter for Emmy to take. Emmy took it, not knowing what it contained. "What is it" Emmy questioned with her face scrunched up "open it" River said quietly, looking back down at her feet.

Emmy opened the letter and her eyes widened seeing that it was filled with money. Emmy instantly sealed it shut and firmly placed it on River's chest. "No." Emmy said firmly, River sighed, already knowing Emmy was going to refuse it. "Just take it Emmy." River said softly. "No! i'm not taking your money. You need it" Emmy refused.

"Emmy just take it, i'm fine. I don't need it, but i know you and Casp do" River tried to give Emmy the letter again. "I don't know why you came here River. You should've known that i wouldn't take it" Emmy crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Please Em..." River pleaded softly, Emmy's heart stung at the nickname. "No" Emmy shook her head "I know that you haven't paid the rent yet" River told her, Emmy looked at River with wide eyes. "So please... just take it. I don't want to worry about you and Caspian being kicked out. My rents paid, i have food. I'm ok. So just take it" River tried to give it to Emmy once again.

Emmy looked at River, she contemplated whether she should take the money. She took one last look at River before caving in, she sighed and reluctantly took the money. She frowned as she looked River whose lips twitched up into a barely noticeable smile, Emmy's face softened and she looked down at her feet "thank you" Emmy said sincerely.

River just nodded her head "i'm gonna go now" River said awkwardly, Emmy nodded her head and gave her a small smile. "Bye" Emmy's voice was soft and quiet "bye" River said before turning around and walking away. Emmy sighed and closed the door, making sure to lock it again.

She leaned her back onto the door and put her face in her hands, dragging them down her face before finally deciding to get over herself, she made a sandwich and left the apartment with it, heading back to work, taking bites of the food as she walked back.

Once she arrived she went to the counter straight away, sitting down and putting elbows on the desk, tiredly resting her face in her hands. Surprisingly her work was one of the very few places that no one could really steal from, the reason being that Saph's brother worked there as a guard, he was extremely tall and muscular. He made sure that no one was going out with something they didn't pay for.

It's one of the reasons Emmy felt so safe working there, Saph's brother, Atlas, looked extremely intimidating but on the inside he was the sweetest person you could meet. Atlas had Emmy's back.

The day went by slow, customers were rude and in a hurry, Emmy was welcoming and her sweet, dimpled smile never faulted despite their bad attitude. Once Emmy was back home she had instantly had a shower and collapsed onto her bed, letting sleep take over. Completely oblivious to her surroundings and the sound of Caspian returning home.

The two hadn't been seeing each other much, Caspian had informed her that him and River had made up and he was spending his off days with her. Emmy was glad that River let him back into her life. She knew that Caspian had really needed River, they were a twin flame, they shared an inseparable bond that couldn't be broken.

Emmy knew it was cruel for them to be apart from each other. Caspian always made sure to tell all about it though... he told her that River was taking care of a little boy named Rio. Caspian rambled on about how Rio was such a great and strong kid, he had the best humour but wasn't afraid to point out the truth. He'd told her that Powder was in River's life, and that, when she was around Powder was a whole different person. She wasn't Jinx, she was Powder.

Emmy's guy twisted at his words, and not because she was in love with River. Because she was terrified that something would happen to her, Emmy knew her past, she helped River out of a lot of things. She didn't want River to fall back into her old habits and fall under the wrong people's hands, leaving Jinx clueless and not trust River anymore.

It was clear that River and Jinx were in love with each other, ever since they were kids. But for whatever reason... it was obvious to everyone but them...  Emmy just hoped that River would be ok, she wished her the best. Even if it meant having Jinx her life, despite knowing who she had become.

But that didn't stop Emmy from wishing River didn't hate her, even if River wasn't aware of it, Emmy had been protecting her for years. Her and Caspian shielded her, it hurt them so much every time they saw River getting taken advantage of at her weakest mental state.

—————

"there you go beautiful, have another drink, try to relax..." Imogen whispered seductively into River's ear. Slowly pouring the liquid down River's throat herself. Ignoring the way River weakly tried to turn her head and raise her hand to push the cup away from her. Imogen noticed this but ignored it.

She put the empty cup down and slid her self on top of River's lap. She put her hand at the back of River's head, lifting her head up so she could see her face.

"You don't look good River, are you sure you want to be here?" Imogen's eyebrows furrowed together in faux concern. "You can't be made at me though... you told me earlier that you wanted me. I thought you would stop leading me on... it's hurting me so much" Imogen's words were calculated and planned.

"Sorry" River muttered with an ashamed expression, Imogen sighed and grabbed another two  drink's from behind her, giving River one and handing it to her, "to forgiveness then!" Imogen said with a cheery smile. River threw back the drink, regret filling her body instantly, stuck in her own self-hatred.

It was as if her body had a mind of its own, River didn't feel like herself, She didn't feel in control of what she was doing. Emmy watched River with a smirk and started to kiss River's neck. "Imogen stop" River said desperately, although her voice was quiet and timid. "If you want me to stop so bad then stop me, you're strong" Imogen smirked mischievously.

River tried to lift her hand up but it didn't move, she tried to lift her head but it stayed put, she tried standing up but her body stayed unmoving. River's eyes widened as she realised. "come on River..." Imogen started to grind herself on River's lap, stop me..." she whispered into River's ear, knowing that she couldn't.

River was confused, she had absolutely no control over her body, she couldn't move no matter how much she focused and tried, but she could feel everything... she could feel Imogen leaving hickey's on her neck, she could fell Imogen stand up and started to rake her clothes off... she could feel Imogen's hand travel from her lips down to between her legs. River wanted it to stop.

But eventually, whatever she was given at made her pass out, leaving her limp on a couch with Imogen taking her own clothes off and start to grind on River's lap once again, grabbing Rivers limp hand and guide it down her body where it felt good.

"River" Caspian barged into Imogen's private room in the brothel, his eyes were wild and panicked, he was panting and his face was instantly red with anger. He stormed over to Imogen and picked her up by the shoulder's like she was nothing, he slammed her body against the wall before carelessly dropping her and punching her in the face relentlessly.

He was completely blinded with rage, that was until Emmy barged in panicking and saw Caspian punching Imogen and River naked and unconscious on the lounge. "Caspian!" he screamed out to him, making Caspian pause with his fist in the air, realising what was happening.

He shot up and looked at Emmy, he quickly grabbed two blankets and wrapped them fully around River's body, trying to not look at her whilst he did it. He picked up River's limp body and rushed back to the apartment with River in his arms. Emmy following him whilst holding onto River's wrist, the feeling of her pulse being the only thing grounding Emmy.

Emmy opened the door for Caspian and watched as he gently placed Rover down onto her bed, the two stared at her, stuck in there places as they realised what had happened, Emmy covered her mouth with her hand as tears stung her eyes.

Caspian and Emmy walked out of River's room, closing the door behind them and sitting on the couch. They didn't speak, or even look at each other. They just sat there stiff, in complete shock of what had happened. They always swore to protect each other, but they had failed...

Emmy spent every second by River's side, her fingers on River's pulse to make sure she was alive.

When River woke up, she was confused, numb... she didn't shower, she didn't eat, but she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember what happened but she could remember how she felt. She remembered being panicked, she remembered saying stop but it kept on happening, she remembered not being able to move and she remembered telling herself my hat she was probably just being dramatic.

So when River asked them what had actually happened and who had done it, Emmy and Caspian's face drained and terror filled their stomach. They decided to not tell River what had actually happened, they knew that she would spiral and get worse again.

But River spiralled anyways; she kept on remembering little details about what happened, it would come to her in her dreams, until everything was clear. Except one thing, she couldn't remember who had done it.

She was determined to know, so she went to the one person she always went to in order find out what happened, Imogen. Once Imogen had seen River she ran up to her and hugged her, she started to sob uncontrollably and told River that a random person had drugged her drink, that they started to take advantage of her and once Imogen found her she k ew she wouldn't be able to do anything so she got Emmy and Caspian as fast as she could.

River had no choice but to believe what Imogen was feeding her, River was completely clueless. Everything had worked out just the way Imogen had wanted. So River kept on going back to her in secret. Deciding to hide it from Emmy and Caspian as they would always fight about Imogen, they begged and begged for River to never see her again.

They finally revealed to River what had actually happened, that the person doing it to her was Imogen. But River didn't believe them, all because Imogen had placed the blame on a random women and placed the poison she had drugged River with, in the innocent women's purse, she manipulated River into thinking that she was the culprit.

She had River wrapped around her finger and she loved every second of it. Emmy and Caspian would fight with River constantly, each day when River would come back home with hickey's littered all over her body and was completely shit faced. They were left in despair, it felt as if helping River was a dead end, wasted energy.

But Emmy didn't stop, not for one moment. She was ready to risk their friendship if it meant that River would finally open her eyes and choose better for herself.

she never did though...

—————

Emmy had woken up from Caspian gently shaking her, Emmy's eyes fluttered open, when she saw Caspian she instantly smiled up at him, she reached out her hands and pulled Caspian down so she could hug him. Emmy's love language had always been physical touch, it was something that she had always needed whenever she was feeling a strong emotion.

River had never been one to enjoy it but it was something she learnt to tolerate for Emmy, she knew how much it meant to her so she pushed her awkwardness and the feeling of being uncomfortable away, and would occasionally let Emmy hug her her hold her hand because she knew that she needed it.

Whilst with Caspian he never minded it, he would always embrace Emmy with a warm hug whenever he'd return home, he'd let her hold his hand if she was nervous or upset, he'd let her rest her head on his shoulder if she was tired, he'd let her hold his arm when they walked through crowded areas.

Caspian chuckled when Emmy instantly hugged him, he sat on the edge of the bed and effortlessly picked Emmy's body up so she was sitting up and firmly wrapped his arms around her waist.

"i've missed you" Emmy admitted, Caspian smiled "we live together" he knitted his eyebrows together, "i still missed you" Emmy responded "yeah yeah, I missed you too" Caspian laughed softly. Caspian let go of Emmy and looked at her, her hair was messy and wild, but despite her tired look she was still smiling widely at Caspian, her dimples popping.

Just happy that she was finally with Caspian, "where have you been?" Emmy asked although she already knew where "um, with River and Rio" Caspian scratched the back of his neck, feeling bad about Emmy and River's current situation, at Caspian's words Emmy's facial expression dimmed slightly.

"How are they" Emmy asked softly "River's ok, she is really great with Rio and i can tell she loves having him around, but... i'm a bit worried for her though, she hasn't been really eating." Caspian admitted with a dim expression "have you tried to talk to her" Emmy asked softly, Caspian laughed lightly "when has River ever listened to us" He cocked his head and smirked, causing Emmy to laugh as well.

"I'll talk to her though" Caspian said, Emmy nodded her head "so how is Rio?" Emmy asked him, "uh he's good, i think? the only thing is he never really opens up..." Caspian frowned "he probably just needs time, he went through a lot. He's not going to just get over that in a day" Emmy comforted, putting her hand on his shoulder whilst rubbing his shoulder with her thumb, Caspian smiling gently at her.

"thanks Em" he said softly "you look tired" Emmy noticed, "i am" Caspian admitted, "guess i'll just have to have a nap with youuu" Caspian dragged his 'u' as he flopped on top of her, pushing her upper body back down onto the bed.

"alright well move over cause you heavy"

authors note
i'm sorry that this chapter took a little longgg and i'm sorry that the end is rushed and bad but i hope that you still enjoyed reading this chapter x
as always tell me your theories, what you think about the characters and if you want more different pov's, i'm always up for suggestions about this story!