(Was gonna upload this tomorrow but I'd have to wait until night so have it now. Next probably comes out Sunday)

The two snuck out after (y/n)'s mother had passed out drunk. They took the food (y/n) had bought as well as some of (y/n)'s other essentials, they then got into the car before driving away.

An hour later the car was parked in the parking lot for a nearby hotel. "We'll be spending the night here" Nico spoke as she and the boy both walked away from the car and towards the entrance to the hotel.

"How do you have the money for this place yet you guys don't have a car?" (Y/n) slid his car keys into his pocket as his head filled itself with second thoughts on running away. Sure he lived in an abusive home but it was still his home.

"We had a car. It blew up" Nico shrugged as if she hadn't said anything unusual.

"And you think I'm safer with you guys?" (Y/n) muttered as the two walked towards the elevator.

"Don't worry your pretty little head" Nico spoke with a teasing smirk. "I'll protect you" they entered the elevator and Nico pressed the button for the third floor and the doors closed. "I think you'll like the team"

(Y/n) shrugged in response as the elevator started going up. The two waited for the door to slide open.

Less than a minute later the two were exiting the elevator and Nico was walking towards their hotel room, (y/n) close behind her.

"I'm back!" Nico knocked on the door to their room only for it to be opened quickly by Molly.

Molly quickly noticed (y/n) and smiled at him awkwardly. "Why's Scarface here?"

"A question I continue to ask myself" (y/n) muttered as Nico rolled her eyes.

"He's a Runaway now" Nico replied before pushing past Molly and into the room. (y/n) followed Nico inside and looked around the room. They both placed the bags they were holding near the entrance to the room. "(Y/n) this is Karolina,-"

(Y/n) looked at the blonde girl Nico was looking at. "It's nice to meet you" Karolina smiled at him and he quickly smiled back.

"Nice to meet you too" (y/n) replied.

"-Gert and Chase,-" (y/n) glanced at the purple haired girl sitting next to the brown haired boy on the bed.

"Hey" The couple both said at once, the only difference being that chase nodded at (y/n).

"Hi" (y/n) replied before noticing Nico staring under the second bed.

"-And finally this is Old Lace" (y/n) watched with wide eyes as a dinosaur popped its head out from under the bed.

"Uh..." (y/n) was stunned for a moment until Nico's snickering brought him out of it. "Hi" he waved at Old Lace. The dinosaur roared something and went back under the bed.

"Anyways guys (y/n)'s gonna be joining us" Nico quickly alike causing everyone to look up at her.

"We don't even know anything about him" Chase was quick to point out.

"Yeah" Gert agreed. "And you didn't even ask the rest of us"

"He's joining us" Nico reiterated slowly. "Besides Molly likes him"

Everyone turned to Molly and she shrugged as she sat down on the couch. "He's fine. I don't dislike him"

"See?" Nico smiled before looking at Karolina for help.

"I say we give him a shot" Karolina quickly spoke when she noticed Nico's look. "He looks..." Karolina seemed to be trying to find the right words as she looked at his bruised face. "... like he's had a rough life. We all know how hard that can be"

"Guess you two are outvoted" Nico smirked before grabbing (y/n)'s arm and pulling him over to the window. The boy tensed at the touch but quickly relaxed. "You can use my sleeping bag for the night" she grabbed her bag and pulled the sleeping bag out before putting it down below the windowsill.

"We'll buy you your own in the morning" Karolina added in from the other side of the room. Nico nodded in agreement.

"Works for me" (y/n) nodded as he sat down on the sleeping bag and leaned against the wall. "Thank you Nico" she smiled and nodded before turning around and walking away.

(Y/n) got into the sleeping bag and closed his eyes. It had been weeks since he had gotten a good nights sleep so he was unconscious in seconds.

Nico smiled as she watched (y/n) lay asleep from the rooms second bed. It was the first time she had seen him actually looking comfortable.

Nico felt the bed shift a bit as Karolina sat down beside her. "So what's with him? You're the last person I'd expect to bring home a stray" Nico turned to look at Karolina and considered her options.

She decided to tell the truth.

"I've been having nightmares most days the past few months" Nico whispered so nobody else in the room would overhear it. Karolina frowned and put a hand on Nico's. "Night after night of seeing Amy laying dead on her bed. Until today I thought it was meaningless" she glanced over at (y/n). "Then we saw him at the store. His mother beats him, like ours used to"

Karolina nodded. "And now he reminds you of Amy?"

"I suppose so" Nico shrugged. "I was thinking more along the lines of maybe my dreams were some sort of warning. I failed Amy, so I save (y/n). It wouldn't be the strangest thing my magic has done"

"You didn't fail Amy" Karolina shook her head. "You were a kid, you had no way of knowing what she would do"

Nico sighed. "Either way, my point is I'm hoping that by bringing him with us I've done something to stop him from ever winding up like Amy"

Karolina nodded in understanding before getting off the bed. "I'm sure you have Nico" she nodded before walking over to her sleeping bag.

Nico smiled as she closed her eyes and began drifting off.

Word count: 1036