She struggled in the choke hold, which wasn't getting any looser, gasping for as much air as her lungs could grasp onto, coughing multiple times. She wanted to scream for help, but she couldn't, she didn't want to waste any more oxygen than she already had been and her weak figure didn't help at all

"Nor-ma-n, p-lease- it h- hurt-s" she choked out, using up most of her air and inevitably passing tf out

{~'∆*∆'~}

Emma awoke in her room, coughing up a lung. She opened her eyes and saw her father and few other people hovering over her

"Oh, thank God, you're awake" Peter huffed, clearly relieved "are you okay, Emma?"

"Yes, I am, father.. What happened..?" She asked, balancing herself out so she wouldn't fall over from all the dizziness

"22194.." Peter began, but that was all that she needed for everything to come flooding back like a tsunami

"Wait, where is he?" Emma asked

"He's still in his room" Peter answered "why?"

"Pardon me, father, I'll be back" Emma said before jumping out of bed and ran like hell to Norman's room. She hurriedly scanned the keycard and rushed in to see Norman sitting on the ground, lost in thought

"Emma..?" Norman snapped out of his mind

"Norman..." Emma said quietly, running and literally tackling the boy who had legit attacked her and berating him with hugs and tears

"Emma, why-" Emma grabbed Norman's face

"Are you okay? What happened? What happened after I passed out? Did they do anything to you? Did father do anything to you?" Emma asked hastily

"I- I- uh" Norman stuttered

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god" she whispered silently as tears fell down her face and pulled his head closer to her chest as Norman just accepted that she wouldn't let go and hugged her back

"I'm sorry..." He muttered regretfully

"Don't be. Its not your fault" Emma broke her bear hug to look him in the eye

"Is it?" Norman sighed as he looked away in guilt

"Hey. Hey, look at me" Emma used her hand to direct his gaze on hers "its not your fault, okay, Jack Frost?" She smiled playfully

"okay, okay" Norman laughed lightly

"Emma" Peter's voiced called out from the door, making her immediately stand up and turned to face her father

"Yes, father..?" Emma murmured anxiously. Peter looked at her with this stare, making her know what he meant with a simple glare. She put her head down shamefully. She turned her head to the side to face Norman, and gave him an apologetic look

"Don't forget what we talked about, Emma" Peter sighed

"I understand, father..." Emma said

"Go back to your room" Peter demanded. Emma walked over to the door and went back to her living quarters. When she got back, she sat on her bed as tears started to fall again. The ginger haired girl wiped her face and saw the black of her mascara mixed with the salty tears. Emma turned and looked at the paper cup on her bedside table

"I'm sorry, Norman..." She weeped as more tears ran down her pale face like the midsummer rain and buried her face in her pillow and cried as if her heart would break, and, in a way, it did, for she knew that he would receive a punishment for attacking her "its all my fault..."

{~'∆*∆'~}

Emma woke up after God knows how long she was asleep

"Oh, dear, what time is it?" She whispered frantically and looked at her clock. 3:45 AM. She hurriedly, but silently, snuck out and made her way to the cells. She walked over to the experiments she spoke to a while before, who were still awake for some reason

"Hey" Emma whispered

"Huh..?" The boy, who was in the middle of a migraine, turned towards her

"Here. I brought you some more medication. The ones that help with the migraines" she muttered as she pulled her hand out of her sleeve and showed them the pill bottle

"Thank you..." The brunette girl thanked as she took the small bottle in her hand and gave some to the boy

"I have to go, stay strong, 'kay?" Emma murmured before getting up and walking away. She speed walked as quietly as she could back to her room and went under her bed. The girl took the small flashlight in her pocket and re-read the files in her teddy bear. Who knew she was clinically dead? Probably her father, maybe a few scientists. After a while, Emma heard footsteps outside and peeked her head out of her hiding place and saw the clock read 6:08 AM

"Oh, fuck" Emma cussed and went back into bed and pretended to sleep

"Emma? Are you awake?" Peter knocked and asked

"Y- yes, father" she replied

"Get ready, I have something planned for today" the man said from the other side of the door

"Okay, father" Emma responded and got back up. She grabbed whatever the hell looked good and put it on

"Meh. This'll be fine" she sighed exhaustedly. She stepped out of her room and searched for her father and, after a while of looking, she found him near the exit

"Oh, Emma, there you are" Peter smiled coolly

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, father, I didn't know where you were" Emma apologized

"Don't be" he assured "anyways, do you know what day it is?"

 "Tuesday?" Emma said

"August 22nd" Peter answered. Emma was taken off guard, remembering the special day "its your birthday"

"Oh, and so it seems" she said awkwardly

"I wanted your 13th birthday to be memorable, since every other you've had have been uneventful" Peter commented "so, I've decided to bring you outside for the first time" and at her father's words, Emma's eyes widened in excitement

"Really?" Emma exclaimed, not noticing how she broke character for a moment, making her father laugh lightly

"Its been a while since I've seen you this excited, Emma" Peter said

"O-oh, sorry, father" Emma apologized again

"You don't need to be" he assured again

"But, I've a request" Emma murmured nervously "can... Can Norman come along?" Her ask made Peter's expression a little shocked for a split second before he recollected himself

"Emma.. Do I need to remind you of our conversation for a third time?" Peter asked

"Oh no, its not like that, father, I just.. He'll die soon enough already and I wanted the short time he has on Earth to at least be as up to par as possible" Emma explained "after all, mental health plays an important role in the nutrients of the brain"

"Okay, okay, fine. We can bring him along.. But you mustn't be alone with him, I don't want another.. Incident to occur" Peter sighed

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, break my promise, tell a lie, save my friend though, maybe it's 'bye.'" Emma promised as she dragged her hand over her chest in an X shape

"You don't have to go that far" Peter smiled light heartedly