1. shimmer (a taylor swift au)

-chapter twenty seven-

Guilt settled in Ellie's stomach the moment she said the word Mom. Of course that's what she wanted to call her, that's what felt right. It felt right in her heart... but she also knew that her biological mother had just... died. Ellie didn't even really know how to feel. How was she supposed to feel? Her birth mother was dead and her father was... who knew where he was?
"Eloise?" A voice came over to her. It was Kate. Ellie didn't think she could forgive the woman for taking her away from Taylor. For walking out of that house and leaving her there. The woman who hadn't even checked the house, hadn't even made sure Ellie had food and a bed and all the necessities that a kid needed. Kate had left her, and she'd walked out that door. Ellie hadn't even heard from the woman in the four days she'd been there. No one had even thought to check on her.

She glanced up, but then shoved her face back into Taylor's chest. This was the woman who had told her that her parents were safe, that they had changed. They hadn't changed. In fact, they'd been worse. They'd been colder than ever before. Ellie had tried to tell her, tried to say that she knew them and that they hadn't changed. But no one had listened.
The little girl felt Taylor tense up beneath her.
"We really want to get you to a hospital right now," Kate told her slowly.

Ellie didn't want to speak to her. She didn't even want to look at her. It had been these people that had assured her that being with her biological parents would be better than living with Taylor. It had been these people that made her come back here. Ellie realised that maybe if she'd never come back, her mother would be alive. She didn't love her mother, and she didn't know why she felt so... twisted on the inside. Why she was guilty and her tummy was sore and it was all just so overwhelming.
"We've got an ambulance here for you."
"She's not going anywhere with any of you." Taylor told Kate, and Ellie appreciated the way that her favourite grownup squeezed her a little tighter. The way that Taylor stood up for her, the way that she was angry.
"You assured me, and promised me that this was best. If I hadn't had my team involved in this every single day for the past seven months..." Taylor shook her head. "She could have been the one being carried out in a body bag."

Taylor glared at the woman. She usually didn't allow herself to get angry like this. Certainly not in the middle of the street with everyone around to watch. But not when Ellie was involved. This had been the woman who had made Taylor sign all the papers, the woman who had taken her away. Ripped Ellie from her arms, and forced her back into a home where she was not loved.
There was a part of her that couldn't find forgiveness in that. Ellie had been taken from the life that she'd loved so much and forced back into the life that had done nothing but traumatise her. Taylor didn't mind having to pick up the pieces, but she'd prefer that Ellie was never broken in the first place.

Kate seemed unsure of what to say, or how to react. Taylor had been angry before, but this level of rage that was flooding through her veins was unlike anything else.
"Taylor," Kate began, hesitant. It seemed as if she was realising just how much power that Taylor had. Taylor could take her to court for this, Taylor could end her career. She'd never hear the end of it - if she'd screwed over Taylor's kid. She knew what happened to people who messed with Taylor Swift.

How many other kids might get sent back to their birth parents when it clearly wasn't the safest place for them? How many other kids had gone back and been treated worse? How many other kids didn't have a Taylor that was fighting behind the scenes to bring her child back? Money wasn't an issue for Taylor - she'd go to the ends of the earth to bring her child back. And she'd done exactly that. She'd fought and she'd argued with her lawyer and she'd refused to stop looking for reasons to gain the girl's freedom, even when he'd tried telling her that it was useless and it might be a lost cause.

Taylor had absolutely refused to give up, because she knew that her parents would have done worse than abuse their daughter... and they had. Taylor wished that she'd been there for Ellie's sister, too. She wished that she hadn't been too late. She wished that she'd been there in time to help Ellie's sister, no matter how long ago it might have been.
"We made what we believed was the right decision." Kate stuttered. "It's clear that we were wrong, and I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it, when it's your job to make sure they're safe," Taylor glared at her. "Sorry doesn't cut it. It is your job to make sure kids are safe, and that they are growing up in homes that love them. There were too many red flags and it seemed as though every single one of them was ignored. But even more than that, Ellie was telling you all of that but you didn't even stop to listen."
Taylor stood up, Ellie in her arms. Taylor never wanted to let go of her again. From the way that the little girl was clutching onto her, Ellie was feeling the same way.
"I'll take her to the hospital. My legal team will be in contact with you within the next hour. Because I will not let you do this to another child, Kate."