Watching Elizabeth wander from shop to shop with wide eyed wonder, as if she viewed the world and it’s profits in a whole new and beautiful way. Or so, that’s how he saw it. 

In reality, Elizabeth was excited to have more than two shirts and two pairs of pants, she was excited to fawn over nice clothing and trinkets, she was excited to appear as, normal. As she thought, she was far from normal.

In their mutual joy, Grohm’s face suddenly dropped. The feeling of a phone buzzing in his pocket plaguing his revere. His hands not able to move, his arms suddenly feeling sore from the weight of his own actions manifesting in bags of clothing and items, shoes even. His face twisted, he finally exhaled and set an arm of bags down to rummage through his pocket.

Michael Anderson, was calling him.

For a moment he felt a jilt of excitement, his heart catching in his throat. That was until he remembered exactly why he offered his personal phone number. For emergencies. Suddenly he felt a sense of dread, his expression becoming rather dark and serious in a matter of moments.

“Hello Michael.” Grohm’s voice cracked.

“Where are you.” Michael’s voice was stern, forward.

“Vancouver, is something the matter?”

“Wanna tell me why Elizabeth’s missing?” His voice came off as more rude and cold over the phone.

“She needed things for her room. Something you were supposed to supply about an hour ago.” This wasn’t an emergency, Grohm thought he should be relieved, and yet, he wasn’t. Some part of him had hoped he was in a situation so dire, so troubling that Michael needed him in that moment.

But no.

He simply wanted to know where Elizabeth was. Though, he was relieved that at least he would be a rather decent guardian.

“I was in the hospital. Now where are you.” Michael stood in the parking lot, a hand on his hip and his brows furrowed. Thinking about it, saying Hospital and not saying Check up made it sound much more dire and worrisome than it actually was.

“We are in Vancouver, I just told you.” Grohm grumbled out. “I thought it was an emergency, Michael.” 

“I think this is a pretty good reason to call.” His voice progressed into growls and hisses as he spoke through his teeth. 

“An emergency isn’t-”

“Fuck emergencies, where are you.” 

Grohm stood there, in the strip mall with an arm full of bags and more set beside him, in complete shock. Michael’s voice went low and gravled through the words that came out. Grohm cleared his throat and blinked, hoping his surprise would flee from his face before Elizabeth waltzed out from the shop he found himself standing by. 

However, before Grohm could really answer, he heard Michael curse. The sound of panicked fumbling and fabric cutting the phone. And then, there was nothing. 

“I think I’m done.” Elizabeth approached with a bright smile. Stationeries, clothing, personal hygiene, Grohm made sure to cover it all. For a moment Elizabeth wondered what it would mean for him to take guardianship. However, this was enough for her. He was an outside breath, he was the alternative and the escape next to Cali and Margot. 

“Is everything okay?” Elizabeth tilted her head, staring at the furrowed and bow browed expression Grohm had plastered and painted on his face.

He cleared his throat, blinking, and inhaling. “Yes, I am alright Elizabeth- We must be going if you’re all done. I don’t think Michael would want you to stay out too-”

Before he could finish, his phone had begun ringing. Hanes, this time. He frowned with a sigh.

“Yes what is it.” Grohm had grown rather impatient.

As Elizabeth stood in front of him, about a foot away, she quickly grew uneasy. Watching Grohm’s face get dark in a way she wasn’t used to. Bad news? Hopefully bad news, nothing dire, surely, she thought. 

“Is…Everything fine now?” She muttered.

Grohm exhaled, feeling his lungs fully deflate as he prepared himself for what he would be walking into.

“I fear, Elizabeth, that you’re far from a normal life.” His eyes held a somber glaze, it was subtle and barely noticeable, but it was there if you knew where to look.