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It was the really early morning, so early it was still pitch black outside, of September twelfth when Nova Bates had had enough. Enough of being in this horrible cult called ❛Sisterhood of Shadows❜ a cult she shouldn't have joined.

She was so stupid; why runaway from home and join a cult that claims to save and protect all runaway girls looking for a home.

Nova scoffed at the thought. Save and protect my ass. More like beat and torture and starve these runaway little girls with only one meal every two days, for years without letting them go.

She had to escape. And it was today. While everyone was still asleep.

She had to run.

She already had her shoes on and her old black dress, not caring to grab any of the belongings she had in this horrid place. She only raided everyone's wallets or purses for money, knowing she'd need it.

This place had made her see things. Things partially created from all the hallucinogens and torture they did to the girl. But she has her friends. Her Wonderland friends. They help protect her too. They helped her know when was best to run.

It was time.

So here Nova Bates was, sneaking through the surprisingly unlocked escape hatch hidden in the basement of the old asylum-like compound. She climbed through the hatch, closing it behind her as she climbed down the ladder.

Once her feet hit the floor of the tunnels she did the only thing she knew how to do; she ran.

She ran as fast as her feet could take her, trying to make it through the dimly lit tunnels to the end, this is the way the Cult Leader Aileen led the group of runaways into the compound.

Nova knew these tunnels like the back of her hand because Cheshire had an eidetic memory, making up for Nova's scatterbrained memory. At least one of her personalities could remember.

After what feels like forever she sees the ladder out of here and she prayed the outside was unlocked. Nova quickly climbs the ladder, taking a deep breath before shoving on the hatch, sighing in relief when it opens.

The girl climbs out and shuts it behind her, coming out into a forest. She stopped and tried to listen for the road or any signs of civilization before running. Finally she hears something to her right and she prays it's a road.

So here she was, running again, running for her life, running for her freedom. With tree limbs and branches smacking her in the face, cutting her arms and legs and ripping her already tattered black dress more.

But she knew she would be dead if she got caught. She knew what happened to the other girls. So she didn't stop to breathe, she just kept running. She couldn't get caught.

She sees the end of the tree line and the ghost of a smile pulls onto Nova's lips. This could be it. She could be free.

Nova broke out of the trees. It was a road. She chose to follow it, hoping to find a town soon. Or some place to hide. So she continued to run down the road hoping for anything so she could get far away from this place.

Suddenly a black SUV comes driving down the street and she waves her arms, trying to get them to stop shouting "Hey! Help me please!"

They stopped. They actually stopped!

Nova ran over to the now opened passenger door, looking at the brown haired man in a suit as he looks at the shaken girl in front of him.

"Woah what happened to you?" The older man asked her, sounding stern yet his voice calmed her.

"I-I uh, I got lost hiking in the woods I've been lost all night could you possibly give me a ride into the nearest town sir?" Nova politely asks the man, noticing his badge in the console. Thank christ it was some form of police officer and not some creep.

The look on the mans face showed he didn't quite believe her story, but he wanted to help her nonetheless.

"Of course I can, get in the closest town is Las Vegas, which is where I was heading. It's probably a three hour drive from here is that okay?" He says to the girl now climbing into the SUV.

She closes the door behind her and puts her seatbelt on, looking over at him "Yes sir it is, I actually live in Vegas I just couldn't remember quite where I got lost at" she chuckles nervously.

"Please, call me Aaron. What's your name?" Aaron asks her. Little did the girl know that this was the Aaron Hotchner of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit.

"My name is Nova, Nova Bates. It's nice to meet you Aaron." Nova says with a smile as Hotch started to continue the drive towards Vegas.

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The sun has just started to rise and she knew it must be around six in the morning. Nova wonders what this man was doing coming to Las Vegas so early. But she didn't mind because he had saved her.

Nova looks out the window in awe, watching the sun rise as the town of Las Vegas comes into view. She smiles a smile so big that she can't remember how long it's been since she smiled this big.

Once they cross the Las Vegas town line and all the buildings come into view Agent Hotchner speaks up to the girl "Where do you need me to drop you off at?"

"U-Uhm, maybe just some cheap hotel somewhere? I just need somewhere I can clean up and change and rest my head for awhile." She replies, not once taking her eyes off the sunrise outside the window.

"That's fine, there's a Motel Six not far into town how does that sound?" Aaron asks, watching the girl as she admires the sunrise. Almost as if she hadn't seen one in a long time.

"Wherever is fine really, I'm not picky. Thank you so much for the ride Aaron. Can I pay you for the inconvenience?" Nova asks, turning to face him finally.

"It's no inconvenience! You don't have to pay me, I'm an FBI agent, it's kind of my job to help everyone I can. Even with something as little as this." The agent says, smiling the first smile she's seen him smile, breaking his stern pokerface.

"W-Well okay sir! Thank you so much I really appreciate all of your help." She says with a smile on her face.

"You're very welcome Miss Bates. Have a nice day." Aaron replies as the girl steps out of the SUV, shutting the passenger door behind her.

Nova quickly scurries into the lobby of the Motel Six, noticing that the agent made sure she was safely in before he drove off to his own destination.

The girl walks up to the desk and sees the desk clerk, reading his name tag seeing that his name was Adam.

"How may I help you miss?" He asks as she makes it to the desk.

"U-Uhm I need a room for two nights." She quickly says, wanting so badly to go shower and maybe take a nap.

"Alright that will be one hundred and three dollars and fifty-four cents." He says.

Nova quickly hands him the money, waiting until he gave her the key then she smiles, "Thank you Adam."

"You're welcome Miss, enjoy your stay." he says as the girl scurries off to her room.

Her brown eyes are scanning over at the numbers on the doors before she sees the room numbered sixty-four quickly unlocking it with her key and walking in, relocking the door behind her.

Nova then pulls off her shoes tossing them to the side as she went and started the shower, stripping off her dress and climbing into the shower. It's been so long since she's had a proper shower.

She doesn't know how long has passed since she got in the shower because she lost track of time, so she quickly dries off and wraps her towel around her still wet hair and one around her body.

Once she leaves the bathroom she huffs quietly, hating that she has to put that dirty torn dress back on. But it's all she has. So she puts it back on as well as her shoes and decides that she needs to walk around Vegas to find a place to buy new clothes.

After awhile of walking around the Las Vegas Boulevard she finds a Macy's clothing store, quickly running into it and searching for new clothes, shoes, socks, underwear and even a few new bras.

Nova finally gets to the cash register after picking out a good ten outfits and a backpack big enough to put them all in, paying quickly before she walks back towards her little motel room.

Finally back in her room she takes her torn dirty clothes off, changing her undergarments before pulling a pair of comfortable black cotton shorts and a gray and black striped t-shirt onto her body.

A small quiet yawn leaves Nova's lips and she decides she would be safe enough to sleep here, there's no way they could find her. She was three hours away already and she was on foot they'd never believe she made it this far. They thought she was weak.

Well they were wrong.

One day the girl knew she'd find a way to get that horrible place shut down, she just didn't know how.

So until then, she shoves her new unworn clothes into her backpack, zipping it up before sitting it on top of the dresser as she goes back to the bed and climbs under the warm covers leaving the little lamp beside her on so it wasn't pitch black. Nova hates the dark.

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Woop! Nova Escaped!

So this is the first chapter of
Tea Cup finally finished.
I'm excited to continue
this story now that I've
completed my other
book Maybe Someday.

I plan on updating this
book every week or as
frequently as I want to
because I may choose
to update this book a
lot quicker than that
it just depends on how
I feel. But until then I
hope you enjoy this
first chapter!