welcome to the family [eminem]

Chapter Two

*LEILA'S P.O.V.*

It's been two weeks since I escaped from the hell hole I once called 'home', and damn I was loving it. There wasn't much to do though, being homeless and broke sure does suck, especially when in New York City with so much things to do and buy.

I occasionally found a few quarters on the sidewalk, or even better; dollars; that is, if I was lucky. I used the amount of money to buy food, mostly cheaper stuff like candy or even sometimes bread just to keep me from starving to death.

I was in the same clothes since I left, and yeah that seems pretty gross. I'm not going to lie, it was.

I blended in with the crowds of New York City. I must'v'e walked every sidewalk, since everywhere I traveled looked familiar.

I turned to the sidewalk that led off to TImes Square. That was the only place I haven't  been in; I've been too scared to go in there. Just in case Dad was there, I pulled the hood of my worn out sweatshirt up. My neck started to sweat, well obviously, it was ninety degree weather up. People gave me odd looks as I walked looking like it was winter, but I just ignored the looks.

I was too busy fantasizing in my own world to notice the mobs of screaming people pushing past me. It wasn't just a few people, it was hundreds, maybe thousands, all running in the same direction. I ignored them and looked away at the road. Cars flew by, leaving smoke and tire tracks on the pavement.

I shook my head. Some people seriously need to remember where they're driving in.

I stared off into space, closing everything around me. I only focused on the road. As I was walking, I saw a little girl; she had to be at least seven or eight years old; get shoved into the road by the crowds. The girl froze like a deer in headlights, then tipped her head up a little bit to see the monstrous twelve-wheeler truck come at her.

I noticed how all the people were just casually walking by, as if there wasn't a little girl about to get smashed by a truck. I heard a few screams, but the voices were muffled. I wanted to do something. I wanted to run out and push her out of the way, so the truck doesn't hit anyone at all, but I couldn't. Damn it, Leila, yes you could!

Without thinking, I ran out into the road causing mad loud beeps and horns honking, but I didn't care. I needed to save this little girl. Just as the truck was about to strike, I pushed the girl out of the way. Then, all I could remember were the cries and screams of people, and falling into darkness.

---

*MARSHALL'S P.O.V.*

"LANIE!", I screamed over the crowd. I couldn't find her anywhere between the mobs of people. I went into panic mode, my daughter is gone. She could be anywhere in New York City right now, and I needed to find her. I threw people out of the way, getting replies of curse words and such, but I didn't care now. I needed to find her.

"ALAINA, WHERE ARE YOU? LANIE?", I called again, squirming between the crowd on the sidewalk. I was surprised I didn't get noticed yet, I didn't have a disguise on or bodyguards with me.

I made my way between the maze of people until I hit the end of the sidewalk. There she was, Lanie, MY adopted daughter, frozen in the center of the street. I gulped, and slowly looked up to see the truck coming at my little girl. "No, no no no no no SOMEBODY HELP HER!", I screamed at the top of my lungs. Tears stung my eyes as I tried to move my feet, but I couldn't. My legs were like jelly glued to the ground. Some father I am, the ONE day I take my daughter to New York City by ourselves she gets stuck in the road, about to die.

Over the loud screams that came out of my mouth, the truck's engine got louder and louder, meaning it was speeding up. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the inpact of Lanie and the truck, but when I opened my eyes, she was right next to me.

Tears were streaming down both our faces as she clung to my leg. But how? How did she manage to move?

"Da.. Daddy.", she whispered up to me. My eyes refused to meet the truck that was now stopped, for all I know I'd beat that fucking driver to hell.

"The girl, she pushed me out of th- the way.", she stuttered and slowly brought her hand up and pointed at the road. I slowly looked to where her finger was pointing at, and I swear I almost fainted.

Paramedics. Paramedics surrounding the area, and all I saw was a girl's face, she looked about sixteen, maybe seventeen, unconcious. My first thought - She's dead. She's fucking dead.

The paramedics shook her violently, and I held back the urges to go and strangle them. How can they deal with the girl so violently, she's obviously dead. I thought it without a care in the world.

"They need to save her dad.", Lanie whispered, her blonde hair stuck to her face from the tears.

Then, everything explained itself.

That teenage girl, she risked her life for the sake of Lanie's, she ran in front of that truck just to keep Lanie safe and let her face the danger.

She saved my daughter.

I grabbed a random stranger and grabbed his shoulders. "Please.", I cried, "Please watch my daughter." The guy nodded and I thanked him, and latched Lanie against him. I ran into the street, not caring about the horns honking in my direction, not caring about the swears that were being sent to me. I ran to the paramedics, the girl. I shoved them out of the way and knelt down. My pants would definately be stained with blood. Marshall that doesn't matter right now.

I cupped the girl's bloody face gently, wiping the dirt away. I took in every feature on her, what she was wearing, what she looked like. She was stunning, long black hair that now stuck up in every direction. But her clothes; oh her clothes. I'm not the one to judge, but she looked like she had a hard life, maybe she's homeless? There weren't any signs of worried parents around.

Tears rolled down my face as I placed my hands on her shoulders. "Please.. please wake up.", I said gently, shaking her softly. "Please...", I whispered, then placed her back on the ground. I stood up and brushed off my jeans. A hand touched my shoulder. I whirled around only to see a paramedic, who looked actually afraid of me.

"Sir, I'm afraid you're going to have to leave the area.", he said shakily. removing his hand and avoiding eye contact. However, my eyes burned into his. How could I just 'leave the area'? This is a hero, I thought. This is my daughter's life saver.

"No.", I said firmly. The guy tensed up, but soon calmed. That's what I thought.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "We have to take her to the hospital, Mr. ...."

"Mathers.", I finished for him. He nodded. "Well, I'm going with you. Lanie, c'mere.", I called to my daughter who was standing frightened with the stranger. She trotted over and gripped my hand. I mouthed a 'thank you' to the stranger.

"Mr. Mathers, you can't - "

Anger was bubbling and soon boiled over. I hated to be told what to do. Only my mother could, but she's not even a mother anyway, I hate her.

I gripped the collar of his shirt and lifted him a tad off the ground. The other doctors stared at me like I was crazy, while Lanie just hid behind my leg.

"I am going.", I said through my gritted teeth. He nodded weakly and I put him down. He immediantly ran to the ambulance. I smirked.

"C'mon Lan", I said to my daughter, and she giggled. I lifted her up under her arms and carried her to the Range Rover we came in.