Emily Andersen

Disclaimer: While place descriptions and news events may coincide with the real world, all characters and the plot are fictional.
Category:Character
Category:EWN
== Biography ==
=== Early Years ===
Emily Jane Andersen was born in about 2017 to a hardworking family in the coastal town of Coos Bay, SW Oregon. Her father drives a fork lift for the Port Authority. Her mother is mostly a stay-at-home mom, although she sometimes works night shifts cleaning commercial buildings if the family need extra money.
Emily describes Coos Bay as a hard-working, fist-fighting, blue-collar working port, not a tourist town. When Eugene Cathcart punches Emily in January 2021, she punches him back with a right hook that knocks him to the ground. She says she learned to throw a punch in Coos Bay. "It's not for sissies."
As a pre-teen, Emily enrols in an after-school ballet program. When she has a significant growth spurt at 13-years-old, she overhears she has become 'too big' to dance. Not realizing that her height, rather than her weight, is the concern, she drastically reduces her calorie intake, and increases her exercise. When she is diagnosed with exercise-based anorexia, her family stops her dancing but continues to allow her to exercise, as 'it's healthy'.
When she finishes high school, she gains a scholarship which stipulates that she has to go to Portland State University, and attend the modern dance series of performances each year. It pays for tuition, books, room and board. She also has to see a doctor every six months, and send a report back every Spring to her high school counselor, who forwards it to the scholarship's benefactor.
Emily left Coos Bay with two suitcases and a box of things to set up a dorm room.
=== Education ===
Emily started at Portland State University as a freshman in Fall Term 2015. 
In Winter 2020, she is approaching the end of her fifth year as an undergraduate, majoring in Media Studies. 
===== Book 1: Stories We Tell =====
Ryan recalls Emily has previously declared a major in History and had a brief time in English - but hadn't been impressed with the "old fools" in the faculty there.
==== Book 2: Choose ====
Emily says she has a journalism major. In Fall 2020, she has an 8am history class on Mondays.
=== Eyewitness News ===
Emily joins Eyewitness News in Spring 2017, is assigned to the same team as Cage and Ryan in the News 101 class to brainstorm story ideas, and they became an inseparable team. As a reporter she covered the Faculty Senate for years, and has also covered the Provost's office. Ryan appointed her news editor in Fall Term 2019.
The EWN faculty advisor, John Cooper, considers her an outstanding editor, and expects Emily to run The Oregonian in the future.
==== Book 1: Stories We Tell ====
Emily ensures the newsroom and staff comply with COVID guidelines, including wearing masks, social distancing, using hand cleaner, and using wipes to clean all surfaces that might spread the virus.
On Friday May 22, 2020, Emily notices the EWN staff are tired and depressed. so she announces that a party will be held in the Crow's Nest that night.
The following afternoon, Emily is the first to arrive at the newsroom, followed by Ryan Matthews. Ryan tells her of the discussion early that morning about EWN going to a full-year broadcast. Ryan's not sure he's strong enough to lead the change but Emily reminds him EWN currently has the best leadership team she's ever seen there. She asks about Ben's availability over summer break as he will be needed if they decide to expand the TV broadcast.
On Monday afternoon, Jun 1, 2020, Will Bristol lets Emily know that Trump is reported to have been calling governors of several state, including Oregon, telling them that they need to crack down on protestors, calling them 'domestic terrorists' - Will is concerned about the escalation of force. When Emily arrives at EWN, Ryan is in his office, and she tells him that the mayor has asked the governor to send in the National Guard. When Ryan argues with Cage about returning to the protest after the 10pm broadcast, Emily asks "Are we journalists, or aren't we?"
After Ryan is called in by the Provost on Thursday afternoon, Emily and Cage follow him to the Provost's office, but don't arrive in time to join the meeting. Emily and Cage eavesdrop on the meeting together using the intercom on the secretary's desk. When the meeting ends, Emily quickly shuts off the intercom and joins Cage in the center of the outer office. Ryan is aware they have listening in to the meeting, and as they head back to EWN, he asks if they questions? Emily says that she's naturally curious, but she can live without answers.
==== Book 2: Choose ====
At 4pm on Monday October 12, 2020, Emily is editing copy in the newsroom when Sarah King comes in. Emily is incredulous that Sarah wants to be a copy-editor, and asks when she can start. Sarah says she can start immediately. Emily asks about Sarah's use of forearm crutches, assuming it's a temporary medical condition. Sarah tells Emily of her injury while in the Army. Emily gives her paperwork to complete, then gives her a sit-down 'tour' of EWN.
Later that evening, Emily is watching the video feed of the protests, making story assignments for the News 101 group the following day, and reading J.J.'s article. She introduces Sarah to Ryan and Cage. At midnight, Cage asks Ryan walk Sarah and Emily to the nearby TriMet station.
Emily arrives by bus at EWN the following afternoon to find Sarah waiting for the elevator. Emily offers to unlock it at the top and send it down. but Sarah says she can manage the stairs up. They climb the stairs slowly together. Sarah asks Emily about the faint smell of pepper spray near the front counter that hadn't been there when she left the previous night. When Turk comes down in the elevator to use the bathroom, Sarah recognizes him as being an independent journalist that she follows. Emily tells her of the Crow's Nest, and how the EWN editors decided to extend sanctuary to independent journalists. Turk tells Emily that Carroll is in rough shape physically, and nearly hysterical at the thought of leaving. Jake and the Witch want to go home, but Turk needs to stay with Carroll. Emily offers to walk Jake and the Witch out, and get food for Turk and Carroll. Sarah joins Turk in the elevator and they go up to the Crow's Nest together. Shortly afterwards, Jake and the Witch take the elevator down to Emily.
At 3pm, Emily introduces Sarah to the News 101 class, and invites Sarah to share what she had noticed about the students' articles the previous day. Emily then does a brief workshop on using quotes, mentions positives she noticed, and gives kudos to J.J., telling the other students to read his article online, before warning them not to go to the protests after curfew. She tells J.J. to find Cage, who has asked for J.J. to be on his team of videographers. The other students murmur in awe. Emily hands out story assignments, and tells the class that further assignments will be in their email. The class leave, except for J.J. who asks where to find Cage. Emily and Sarah ask him about the protests, and he wonders what outcome the protesters are hoping for? Cage comes in and gives him that question as a story assignment. J.J. asks for a camera, but Emily says it will just get in his way.Sarah asks Cage what he knows about Carroll's arrest the previous summer. He tells them that Carroll had been one of the people grabbed by mysterious federal agents and taken to an undisclosed location, questioned, and then released the next day, with no charges pressed. Emily is horrified when Sarah tells them that during Carroll's 'missing' 24hrs, they were tortured. Sarah tells them about her own experience with PTSD, and warns them she may have panic attacks herself.
On Wednesday afternoon, J.J. asks Emily if anyone has interviewed police officers about the protests. Emily notices he appears anxious and says that police have orders not to talk to media individually, and the PPB spokesperson just gives out an official line. J.J. appears relieved. when she assigns him to work on EWN archives to create a timeline of events, both for himself and their readers. Emily goes to talk to Cage near the equipment closet, and asks if anything happened to JJ the previous night at the protest, because JJ seemed upset and had asked if EWN had ever written about what the police think. Cage said he has asked police for their stories, but none will answer. Emily tells Cage that J.J. seemed almost relived to work on a timeline article, and Cage is surprised - J.J. has been pretty enthusiastic. Emily asks about Carroll, and Cage shares his worry. Emily is concerned about all of the independents, and about Cage too. He teases her he'll always be back with the story at 11pm. 
On Thursday evening, Emily is pleased with J.J.'s latest article, and sends him to show his photos to Joe Castro. At the 8pm editors' meeting in Ryan's office, Sarah shares J.J.'s info with Ryan, Cage, Emily, Lam, Joe, and Sam. No one has concerns other than for J.J.'s mental health. When Cage returns to the newsroom later, he asks Emily who their best reporter is for public records etc. Emily suggests Will Bristol and offers to call him in.
Will, Cage, Emily and Ryan meet in the EIC's office to talk about Carroll's story. He asks to speak to Turk and Carroll, and Ryan defers to Emily to decide if Will can be trusted with the new use for the Crow's Nest.
When a group of men claiming to be police arrive around midnight wanting to search the building, Emily calls Prof. Cooper, who says not to let them in, he will call an attorney and come down. Ryan talks to the men over the intercom, refusing to allow them entry without a warrant. When Prof Cooper calls Emily back, she tells him Ryan will meet them at the corner.
At 9am on Friday. Emily is just leaving EWN as Will Bristol arrives. He tells her the plates show the vehicle is owned by a woman in Molalla. Emily tells him to keep digging, she doesn't think Carroll gets much wrong. Emily says she'll be back at 6pm after eating, sleeping and taking a shower. in the meantime Will should read Carroll's Twitter feed. She reminds Will that Molalla was where a sheriff deputy was suspended for pushing antifa hysteria during wildfires.
That evening, J.J. asks Will and Emily what they know about police departments, and the differences between various law enforcement agencies. Will's article had been about the PPB, but the linked video was of the Clackamas County sheriff's deputies with Proud Boys, and that was wrong. Emily said the video was handy, and others do it too. Emily teaches J.J. to edit the news-feed for Twitter posts. Turk and Carroll arrive at EWN to say that Sarah Gilligan will speak on stage downtown at 9pm. Emily says they need video, and J.J. is the only videographer who is not at the Loft party. Emily tells him to return at 10pm so he can edit the clip to go live by the end of the broadcast. Turk assures Emily he will bring J.J. back safe. Emily gives J.J. her rules: Stay safe, get the story, and get back. J.J. leaves with Turk and Carroll, and Emily lets Ben know that they will have late video from the protest.
When J.J, Carroll and Turk return later, Emily tells J.J. he has a five-minute timeslot for his story, and Ben will need it in 20minutes. When Ben heads to the Loft, she asks him to let Cage know that J.J. did a good job. She will stay to hear what's going on with Carroll, then head home and be back around 4pm the following day. Carroll passes their phone to Emily, and she looks at the six photos that had been DM'd to Carroll's Twitter account. Carroll says they or their mother will send them to the DA, but Carroll wants to make them public. If they're in the public domain, they can't be used as blackmail. Carroll asks Emily if EWN will do it? She says it's Ryan's call, but it can be the first order of business at the editor's meeting at 4pm the following day. Carroll and Turk agree to return for the meeting.
On Saturday afternoon, Emily picks up Sarah and they go in to EWN together. Emily wants to check the news feeds, but also get all the gossip on Ryan's party. Sarah says she met Robert, and only the young can have that kind of stamina. Robert's older than Sarah expected, but he has a new Prince Albert piercing and all the women on the sports staff wanted to see if it 'increased pleasure'. Emily is shocked. J.J arrives and Emily stations him at the door to let people in, but only those he knows personally - if he doesn't know them, he is to call Emily on the intercom and let her check. When the meeting starts, Ryan runs through minor agenda items smoothly, then introduces discussion on the protests, the attempted raid, and what happens next. Cage and Emily update everyone. After viewing the 6 photos sent to Carroll, Emily suggests that the photos and full story be placed on the EWN website, edited only to protect Carroll, and with warning labels.
Cage brings Sarah into EWN on Tuesday, October 20, and she and Emily commiserate on copy-editing. Teresa Valdez comes up in the elevator with her son Rafael. Teresa asks if Ryan is there, and Emily tells her Ryan is now EIC and in his office. Emily escorts her to the seating area in the newsroom, and calls out to Ryan to let him know Teresa is there. He comes out to see her, telling Teresa he has missed her. She hands Emily a large bag, then holds Rafael out to Ryan, telling him Rafael is his son. She says she left three years earlier because some of her family are not legal residents, and she was needed at home. ICE had come for her family, for her father and grandfather, and now they are coming for her. Rafael is an American citizen, so she is leaving him with Ryan for safety. She says goodbye to Rafael and leaves. Emily takes Rafael so Ryan can follow Teresa, and while he looks, she tells Sarah about Teresa. Ryan returns when he can't find her.
==== Book 3: Don't Go ====
When Teresa Valdez leaves Rafael with Ryan on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, Emily tells Ryan he needs to answer three questions:
# What does he want?
# What's best for Rafael in the short and long term?
# How can they find and help Teresa?
Cage says he and Sarah are going to dinner with his parents to talk about J.J., who is due to be released the next day. He suggests Emily, Ryan and Rafael join them. Emily asks how J.J. and Sarah are doing, She is furious with J.J.'s father, and can't fathom him shooting his own son. Cage says Sarah's doctor has her on some strong medications that apparently have some weird side effects, so she can't live by herself for a while. She can't use her crutches until the muscle spasms in her back and shoulders stop. Although she's in serious pain. she's determined to keep working. Cage says they need to go - it's after 5pm and his mom is putting food on the table at 6pm. Emily demurs but Ryan says he needs her there - Miguel and Will can run the newsroom for the evening. Cage calls Will, Miguel and Ben into the EIC's office, then steps out to call his mother. When Lam Deng arrives, Emily call him in to join them. She tells him she will return later that night, and can edit whatever Will doesn't get to. Ryan says Emily can ride with him, then realizes he doesn't have a car seat for Rafael. Emily says they can stop at Target on the way back, and get whatever Mrs Washington says they need. In the meantime, she will sit in the back seat with Rafael, and strap them both in. As they leave, Emily asks Ryan what language Rafael speaks. Ryan asks him his age in both English and Spanish, and he responds to the Spanish.
Cage, Sarah, Emily, Ryan and Rafael join Clyde and Martha Washington for dinner at 6pm at the Portsmouth parsonage. Rev Clyde asks about J.J.'s PSU classes, and EWN participation. Emily said she's had J.J. do stories other than reporting the protests, and he was happy to do them. So if J.J.'s story assignments are set by her instead of Cage, he may not feel he has something to prove. Mrs Washington asks about J.J.'s classes, Emily feels J.J. might feel better with a regular schedule to occupy his time. After dinner, Emily offers to help with the dishes, but Mrs Washington says it's Clyde's turn to clean the kitchen. As they are leaving, Emily gets a text from Miguel, saying that EWN received a call from ICE looking for Teresa. Ryan tells her to call Professor Cooper, and ask him to call the Provost. Ryan wants the Provost at EWN for a conversation that night, as ICE could jeopardize the future of a lot of PSU students, and possibly PSU itself.
On returning to EWN at 9pm, Ryan leaves Emily to run the newsroom, while he talks to Prof Cooper and Provost McShane in the conference room on the ground floor.
Before the editors meeting the following day, Emily tells Cage and Sarah she's worried about J.J. and Carroll. Cage says it's their business. Ryan arrives saying he needs to meet with Cage and Emily, and asks Sarah and Lam to hold down the fort and to send in Will when he arrives. He tells Cage and Emily about the car the previous night, and that he's concerned it's ICE. Will arrives and Ryan asks if Miguel gave him the photo of the vehicle plates from the previous night. Will says the number on the plate was clear, but the report came back as blocked. Will thinks it's the feds, as his friend who works for Campus Security is spooked. His gut feeling is that it's ICE. Emily notices Ryan has a migraine, and he needs to go home while he can still drive. Ryan says he wants to read Teresa's papers, then lock them up in the office before he leaves. Emily returns and tells him she'll drive him home, he can catch the bus in the following day. She also tells him to figure out who will be Rafael's guardian, if something should happen to Ryan. When they arrive at the Portsmouth parsonage, she tells him to contact Dr Clarke first thing, he needs to be in top form, and she has a bad feeling about all this. She helps him out of the car and to the front door, which is opened by Rev Washington, who supports Ryan and wishes her a safe journey home.
Emily returns to EWN that evening after taking Ryan home, sees that Sarah is flagging and has Corey come to get her. Emily is worried about the medication Sarah is on, and the side effects it might cause. Cage returns from the ICE protest at 11pm. Cage had interviewed some of the protesters about agents tearing down students' posters from the adjoining school fence. The protesters plan to meet on Saturday to make new posters. Cage says before he records them doing that, EWN needs to decide if they will cover that protest. Lam asks why wouldn't they, when they've been covering the BLM protests downtown. Emily replies that Ryan had made the argument to PSU administration that downtown was 'in their neighborhood', but the ICE facility is further out. Joanna Montgomery says ICE is closer to PSU than the Moda Center sports arena on the other side of the river, and they cover all PSU sports played there. Lam says that EWN prides itself on its diversity, but they are much more diverse than Portland is. Cage agrees Portland is very white, and Oregon is very very white, and has a racist history. Lam says before EWN takes on ICE, they need to make sure their own staff is protected from push-back. Bianca says she has a friend who was adopted from China as a baby, and ICE is deporting her as her parents had never applied for her citizenship. Her parents are going to China with her so they can apply for her citizenship from there, as you have to be outside the country to apply. Bianca would like to do her story, but until then hadn't really thought of it as news. Emily says she'll talk to Ryan about it, but thinks Cage should cover the poster making.
Emily arrives at EWN at 11:30am on Thursday with nachos, just as Ryan finishes reading Teresa's journal. He gives the journal to Emily to take home and read. They talk about Teresa's situation, then Emily asks about whether EWN can go after the ICE story, or if they have vulnerable staff to protect. Ryan assures her that the payroll list is solid within the constraints of student privacy. He offers to send out a general staff alert before the ICE story is run. Emily tells him of Joanna's response to the question of whether ICE was in their neighborhood. Ryan leaves to go to his appointment with Dr Clarke at OHSU. When Ryan doesn't return as expected, she asks Cage to go up to OHSU to check on him.
On Monday, October 26, 2020 Emily has a weird call from Professor Ian Black about 3pm, and calls Ryan as she thinks he should know. Emily tells him Black wants to know if Ryan has assigned the 'feature piece' he'd discussed with Ryan. Emily told him Ryan had not talked to her about a feature, but she finds a press release about Black's new book, and says she will assigning a reporter to interview him about it. She said Black got hostile, saying Ryan should know better than to play games with him. Ryan asks Emily for the title of the book, and she says 'Fertility Symbols in Pre-Colonial Mexico'. Ryan asks her to send someone to University Relations for a review copy, and then to go to Ryan's computer, search for 'fertility', and email him the file as an attachment. Emily says she'll send J.J. for the book, then he can take it home to Ryan that night. Ryan says if Black calls again, to refer him to Ryan. Emily says Bianca has turned in her first immigration piece with her friend who is being deported to China, and is calling the series 'Faces of Immigration'. Bianca wants approval to interview Miguel, and Ryan tells her to go ahead.
Ryan arrives at EWN at 4pm on Tuesday, October 27, after nearly being run off the road on the way down from OHSU. Emily, Will, and Cage follow him into his office to ask what happened. Ryan gives Will a thumb-drive with a copy of the plagiarism complaint he filed with the Provost that morning, and says that his resignation as EIC is also on the drive, together with a recommendation to the Media Board that Cage and Emily be appointed jointly to finish out Ryan's term of office. Their protests draw in Sarah, Ben and Lam. Ryan says he has to take Teresa to Mexico, and with luck will be back for graduation in Spring. Cage agrees he'll work with Emily but only as interim EIC, and then Emily can run for EIC the following year.
9pm: The Media Board convenes a special session at 9pm that night and approves Emily Andersen and Cage Washington as joint acting Editors-in-Chief.
Emily had insisted on retaining her news editor desk, leaving Cage to take the EIC's office. On Thursday, November 5, Emily calls him out, laughing and waving a postcard from Ryan and Teresa in Mexico to say they were married.
==== Book 4: Hold Me ====
* With Ryan gone, EWN needs to reshuffle management. Emily is continuing to hold the news editor role, though Will Bristol is now assistant news editor. 
* Tuesday December 1, 2020
** 10:30am?: Sarah receives a call from Gregory Washington who tells her one of his ad reps tested positive. She knocks on Emily's bedroom door, apologizes for interrupting, tells them about the call and says they need to talk about quarantine. Emily asks who it is, and Sarah says his name in one she doesn't know - Brandon Childers. Gregory had told her that Brandon hadn't felt well the day before, so Gregory sent him to the Campus Health Service. He was kept overnight, and the test result given today. Cage realizes that if Gregory was exposed, so were his wife and son, and their parents. Cage says they need to contact Professor Cooper, and have Corey set up a Zoom meeting for all department heads and Cooper. They also need to notify Provost McShane, and the head of Campus Health Services if he's can join them. Sarah says she'll get Corey started, but Cage needs to call Gregory. Emily says she will head over to EWN to shut everything down, and send everything remote. She asks Sarah to tell Corey she needs him. Emily's first call is to Ben Waters, the station manager.
** 11:45am: Cage calls Emily as she walks to EWN to tell her what he knows so far: about the basketball team; no tests; an idiotic Health Services director.
** Noon: Emily arrives at the EWN building and goes to the newsroom. She recalls that the News 101 class is due that afternoon, so first thing will be to email them all and cancel the class. Ben Waters is present, as well as Lam Deng, Will Bristol, Miguel Garcia and J.J. Emily exasperatedly tells them it was supposed to be a Zoom meeting, and Ben replies that they can Zoom right there. Emily tells them they have a positive COVID test on staff, so they need to think about how to contain it. But more than that, they need to discuss how to cover it, because she thinks it's going to be bad. She relays Cage's briefing to the staff, and asks who covered the tournament, and if anyone has heard from Joanna. Ben says that Joanna covered it, and she's not answering her phone. Emily says they need to do a wellness check on her, and asks if sports posted copy the previous night. Will checks the website and says it was updated at midnight. There wasn't much as it was a Monday night, so just a new lead story and a new column. Emily asks Ben how they track down Joanna's roommates to do a wellness check. Ben snickers he doesn't know Joanna as well as Robert Smithson does, but she tells him to make some calls. She asks Will to find the Health Services director and find out what the plan is. Gossip says there is no plan, and the provost is angry as they've had 10 months to prepare. Emily has J.J., who reported on sports in high school, to take a camera over to the gym and see what they know, as apparently the outbreak started with the tournament in Boise. Bianca Parks arrives and asks why PSU were playing basketball in Boise during a pandemic? Emily tells her that's a good question and to find the answer. Ben returns from his office, saying Joanna has been at the Health Clinic since updating the EWN website the night before, when she started showing symptoms - she's still waiting to be tested. Emily asks about the rest of the sports staff. Ben says Joanna filed from home, and they used footage from the Boise game as B-roll for the news broadcast. He doesn't think any sports reporters were at EWN during the broadcast. Bianca agrees she hadn't seen any sportswriters the previous night. Emily tells Ben to track them all down and then call Joanna back and get the name of every person she's been in contact with since the Boise trip two days before. They'll do their own contact tracing, as rumor is that Campus Health Services may not consider it a priority. Emily asks Lam if he should be there, with teenage children at home, and Lam says they're on deadline and he doesn't have the page-design software at home. He hasn't had contact with anyone from sports or advertising, but will go home as soon as he's finished. J.J. calls Emily to say the gym is a madhouse, much worse than they've allowed anyone to know. He thinks that there's a coach on a respirator in Boise, who didn't even make the flight home. Emily wonders if Portland took it to Boise, or if Boise gave it to them. J.J. says he overheard a PSU coach shouting over the phone to a coach in Boise that they gave it to Portland. Emily asks if they're testing the players, and J.J. says he heard they tested them that morning, which is why they were all in the gym - but about a third of them weren't wearing masks, saying why bother? Emily tells him to take one more walk through to see what he hears, and then return to EWN, but shower, change his clothes, and clean his equipment before entering the newsroom. The nurse from Health Services uses the intercom at the front door, saying she's there to administer tests. Emily buzzes her in, telling her to use the door to her right and ask for Gregory. Ben returns to say that all of Joanna's roommates are accounted for, and none have symptoms. Health Services have told them to self-quarantine at home. He's also found all the sportswriters, but the sports copy-editor is at the clinic. She hadn't gone to the game, so must have caught it from Joanna since she returned home. He has a list of everyone that Joanna interacted with then the past 48hrs. Ben suggests they do a special newscast at 6pm, and do on-the-hour updates to give out info on what people need to know. With PSU students scattered over four counties, there could be a hundred students positive and not know. Public access will be delighted to have free public service announcements produced and broadcast. The nurse buzzes the intercom from downstairs saying there is one more person there who is symptomatic, and they are taking her over to the clinic. The test results will be available the next day, and the staff need some place to quarantine until then. Emily agrees they can provide that. She asks Corey if his Loft-mates can scrounge stuff for them, so they can change the Crow's Nest into a quarantine hotel. They'll need beds, or at least mattresses, cheap bedding, sanitary supplies, cheap sweats. Corey says he'll talk to Kevin, when do they need it by? Emily says she's afraid they're already too late. Emily goes to the EIC's office and calls Gregory, asking if he's okay? He tells her he can't go home, he could be contagious and not know it. She asks how many need to be quarantined, and he says four. He has spoken to the bookkeeper and she's okay so far. She tells him to meet her at the elevator. She takes it down, collects him, then takes it up to the third floor. There she pulls out her keys and unlocks the back door of the elevator, which opens to a wall of cardboard boxes. She grins and slides along the side with Gregory following until they reach a wide-open loft space the size of the newsroom below. She tells him of its previous uses, first as a party space, and later as a sanctuary for the independent journalists. Emily says Corey has his loft-mates on scrounging duty, and Gregory says he's sure they can refurbish the place faster than a rent-to-own could. She warns him there are no bathrooms on the third level, so anyone staying will have to use the 2nd level bathrooms and showers. She takes him back down to the ground floor then returns to the newsroom. When she sees the time, she freaks about the News 101 class, but Will says he took care of it, sending out an email, followed up with a text, telling them all to leave campus and go home. Lam says Emily can tell Sarah that everything is queued for her to check, and he will come in the next day to lay it out. She asks him if he remembers Bill the Copy-Editor God? Lam says they should do that whole routine for Sarah sometime, when things get back to normal, as she'd get a kick out of it. Emily says Sarah would find it her due, the gods of copy-editing know these things. As he leaves, she tells him to be near a phone at 4pm, as they really are going to have Zoom staff meetings.
** 3:30pm: Will Bristol tells Emily to call up The Oregonian's online daily COVID briefing, which shows increasing numbers since the previous Thursday. She logs in to lead the Zoom meeting, with Corey managing the tech stuff for it. Once all the department heads have joined, she has Corey add in Prof Cooper and Provost McShane. She informs them of the numbers from The Oregonian but says she doesn't know how many are PSU students. She gives the floor to McShane, who says they don't know either, but PSU had gone back to a residential campus as of 8am that day. About 2000 students showed up in person and were sent home, but online classes attendance was only 80% leaving about 3000 students unaccounted for. Of the 424 people who travelled to Boise, 240 have tested positive, and there are at least 45 reported second-generation positives. Emily says that includes their ad rep Brandon, and the sports copyeditor, and she tells McShane that a second ad rep had tested positive, apparently being infected by Brandon. McShane says it's traveling fast, and Will says it may be a mutated strain. Ben asks if PSU took the virus to Boise, or if their team was infected after arriving. McShane says the assistant coaches are arguing about it - the senior coach is in ICU in Boise. Emily says they can provide quarantine for their own staff, and have decided to broadcast on-the-hour updates over the Public Access channel, as well as adding a 6pm news broadcast to keep people informed. Their intent is to inform and help calm people. Emily says that if The Oregonian's numbers are correct, the outbreak started in Portland on Thanksgiving Day, so why did the team go to Boise for the weekend tournament? McShane replies that some influential members of the Alumni Association Board went to the PSU president and threatened to withdraw funding for the athletics program if the teams were not allow to continue competing. Unaware of the outbreak, President Byrd overruled McShane and allowed the team to compete. Cage asks why McShane is being very open with them, and McShane says that as of 3pm he became acting president of PSU, as the president was on a respirator at OHSU. Will presses McShane to answer Ben's question about the source of the outbreak, and McShane reluctantly says there was a party. The teams were all supposed to be quarantined for 14days before tournaments, and the 0PSU team had been in quarantine since the start of the season. But there was a party for the teams and cheerleaders of 8 schools, which may have been a superspreader event. Or it could have started at the Boise Booster Club event for all the visiting club members and team coaches, though McShane says he doesn't want to be quoted on that. Ben asks what other schools are reporting, and McShane says about the same as PSU, not counting fans who traveled independently. PSU had one plane with university people - staff, coaches, players, media etc. The alumni chartered a second plane. There were 7000 people at the final game. butMcShane says he had been told that no fans would attend, it was supposed to be virtual fans only. Cage asks if there's anything else McShane can tell them, or that he'd like EWN to relay to viewers. McShane says: stay calm; stay home; call a health service if symptoms appear; quarantine in place until experiencing breathing distress. Sarah asks about options for students in the residence halls that will be closing in 12 days. McShane swears and says he'll get them answers on that, he has health professionals at OHSU who will work with them to get out solid information. Cage thanks him, and McShane leaves the meeting. Cage asks Cooper if he has anything to add, and he says they know where to find him for help, and he's not going anywhere. He also leaves the meeting, and Corey confirms it's only staff remaining. Emily asks Ben why he's going so hard after the story. He replies that he talked to Carrie, Joanna's roommate, just before the meeting and Joanna is really sick and has been taken to OHSU. Carrie said Joanna wanted her to pursue the story. She went to OHSU with Joanna and told them she was Joanna's domestic partner. They tested Carrie and she's positive and is in the bed next to Joanna's. So he re-checked with the other sports staff, and they've all become symptomatic. His voice breaks as he says he stepped up and asked, because Joanna wanted it asked. Corey shuts down the virtual meeting, saying people should be allowed to cry in private.
** 5:30pm: Emily receives a FaceTime call from Ryan Matthews saying he had just read the EWN website and asking about the staff. Emily tells him the entire sports staff are out, and Joanna is at OHSU. He says he wishes he was there to help, but even if he wanted to he couldn't. Mexico has all but stopped flights from the US, so very few flights back out. Emily suggests he could be EIC remotely, but Ryan says that wouldn't work, and they can't change back now. He can't think of two better people to get EWN through the outbreak than Cage and her, but he will always be available to listen. They talk about personal matters before Ryan ends the call. Cage arrives with food sent by Sarah - they guess it's some sort of Afghani street food - then goes upstairs to talk to Kevin Tighe. Emily tells J.J. to liaise with the independent journalists downtown and let them know what's happening with the Crow's Next and that they're welcome to come to the newsroom if they're exposed or get sick or just need a safe space. He should get some film while he's there. Miguel says Jason and Karin are at the Health Clinic, and say it's a madhouse, no one seems to be in charge. Emily tells J.J. to stay at the Goose Hollow apartment that night, as he can't return to Portsmouth til they're sure Gregory didn't expose everyone at dinner the evening before. Emily asks Will if they can have the News 101 class do contact tracing, as interviewing practice. Will says he can set that up, but Emily asks who else is available with the skills and patience? Will suggest Blair Williams, and calls her. Emily looks for Cage, who is talking to Ben, and tells him it's time to go home. 
* Wednesday December 2, 2020
** 3pm: Emily arrives at the newsroom to the scent of pizza, and Will looking grim while reading The Oregonian's daily COVID briefing which shows high infection rates in the teen and 20-29 age groups. Emily tells him to get a list of possible stories together and the reporters he wants them assigned to. Will tells her he wants to do a story on the OHSU campus the following day to show how a normal health clinic should look. He doesn't think people understand just what a mess the PSU clinic is. Emily says she read his stories and watched the news the previous night, but asks him to explain what's not been understood. Will says people are waiting in an enclosed space for hours to be tested, even when it's obvious that some people there are sick, so attending the clinic is likely to increase the chance of infection. They don't have enough tests, so they're only testing people with symptoms. Emily asks why the clinic isn't referring students to the hospitals, if they can't cope. Will says the clinic is part of Student Affairs, and funded by a dedicated student fee which acts like insurance. So, if the clinic refers a student to another provider, the clinic has to pay for the care and they will only do it for ICU cases. Most of the younger students would be covered by their parent's health insurance, but no one is telling them to use that to go to the hospitals for help. Emily says then EWN will. Will warns her of likely administrative push-back from VP Benjamin Davis, and Emily says she doesn't care. She directs Will to tell PSU students what they need to do to protect themselves, and asks why the Health Service director is still in charge. Will says that the man isn't a medical professional but has a doctorate in student affairs management, however no one else in Student Affairs appears to want the job and they feel he's better than nothing. Emily tells him to delegate out the other stories but save that one for himself - she wants a story list from him in under 25 minutes.
** 3:30pm: Emily joins the group of 4 alumni in discussion with Ben and Cage. Cage briefs her on their plans, and she repeats her discussion with Will.
** 4pm: Emily chairs the editors' Zoom meeting, which includes Dr McShane and various alumni. Doug presents the offer from Hewlett Packard's civic engagement office, to underwrite expanded programming at EWN in order to reach the 20 to 30-year-old market segment. Corey asks about how much expansion is being considered, and Ben replies that it will be 24/7 on television, radio, and internet. Cage gives examples of possible formats. Doug says that they need two things from McShane: help with the legal and financial aspects of the contract, and approval for the supply of a mid-afternoon meal for staff and those quarantining onsite. McShane asks Emily for further information on the quarantine aspect. Emily reminds him that the previous day they had requested a nurse to test staff - the EWN sports and advertising staff are all sick, and others have been exposed and have nowhere to go. She reveals that EWN has had access to the university storage on the 3rd floor through the flow-through elevator door for 4 years, and a space about 30ft deep has been used for a variety of purposes. Most recently, it has been used to create a quarantine space in consultation with the clinic nurse. McShane is incredulous that this has been achieved in the past 48hours, but Cage assures him that it has been done with the help of of alumni. McShane tells them that in 48hours they have been able to do more than the Health Center has done in 9 months, and asks for a tour that evening. Emily also tells McShane that they are using their News101 students to do contact tracing, using one of the experienced reporters to mentor the class in interviewing techniques. They contact their own staff, but other names are sent to the Health Center for follow up. Emily asks Will to describe his findings on Health Center funding, and on students' alternate health cover through their parents' insurance plans. McShane informs them that the residence halls will remain open over the Christmas break for those who need to stay, and that PSU is also looking at opening some of their excess residential capacity to the homeless as part of their own civic engagement. McShane leaves the Zoom meeting, and they move on to discuss the expansion to 24/7 coverage. Corey asks to start, as he is the only IT person at EWN, and doesn't even have a trained backup yet. Ange offers to help as backup. Corey initially looks doubtful, but when Cage assures him that Ange set up the Geek Room and runs his own software company, Corey welcomes him back to the Geek staff. Emily closes the meeting at around 5:30pm after increasingly technical discussion, telling Sam he also needs backup. Karen, the alumnus, offers to help, as she did Sam's job in the past. 
*
== Physical Appearance ==
At 23-years-old in 2020, Emily is a long-legged, agile woman. She moves gracefully, as though dancing across a room. 
She is 5-foot-9 and very slim, with dark, almost black, hair and big blue eyes - a startling combination. Her hair is cut short and framed around her face. She is a good-looking woman, but does little to call attention to it generally wearing no makeup. 
Emily wears plain clothing, like a long white t-shirt with black leggings and sneakers.
Before the 2020 COVID outbreak, her routine included a morning run of about 5 miles and a daily gym workout. If the gym is closed, she adds a couple of miles to her runs. 
== Personality ==
=== Book 1: Stories We Tell ===
* Emily sees herself as the audience for the 'crazy people' at EWN, rather than a participant. Drama is not her thing. She doesn't talk about herself.
* She is curious about many things, and has questions. After joining EWN, for the first time, all her questions were valued. Emily doesn't mean to be rude, she just wants to know.
* While she loves to dance, she declines any invitation.
* Emily has an unconscious habit of tapping her teeth when a pencil while thinking.
* She often uses the military phrase 'see the hill, take the hill'. Another one is: "It's a mystery."
=== Book 2: Choose ===
* Sarah thinks Emily is a gorgeous, smart, funny woman.
=== Book 3: Don't Go ===
* Ryan credits Emily with keeping COVID out of the newsroom - 'for such a kind person, she could be a tyrant about safety protocols'. He thinks that for sheer stubbornness she had no equal, that she has a whacky sense of humor, and is unflappable.
*
== Health: Activity-Based Anorexia ==
==== Book 4: Hold Me ====
In Emily's family, dancing is something you do on Friday or Saturday nights at a bar to a jukebox, not while sweeping the kitchen or making your bed. But when she went to school, her teacher notices Emily danced all the time, and the teacher encouraged her. Emily got involved in an after-school program that taught ballet, and loved it. She was eligible for a scholarship, so her parents allowed it, even though it was inconvenient for them. They wanted her to be happy. On her 12th birthday, she had chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting.
But when Emily reached 13-years-old, she grew taller - to 5' 9" - and she heard whispers that it was a shame that she was so big. Such promise, but too big for ballet. Emily didn't realize they meant her height, she thought they meant she was fat. So she stopped eating cake, counted calories, and made sure she exercised enough to burn off the calories she ate. She fasted, tried everything, but still they said she was too big for ballet. 
When Emily fainted at dance practice, she weighed only 100 pounds. But when the doctor suggested she eat more, she became hysterical because she was too fat, and she wouldn't be able to dance. Her parents stopped her dancing, and made her eat, but she just increased her running - her parents thought the exercise was good for her. She was diagnosed with activity-based anorexia.
Emily has irregular menses, and takes a birth control pill regularly. Sarah speculates that Emily has never gone through puberty, and is still anorexic. Cage is concerned that Emily may never be able to have children unless her anorexia is addressed.
On January 11, 2021 Cage goes with her to a first appointment with Dr Mandy Smith at the women's clinic on Lovejoy St. Dr Smith was recommended by Kristy Gomez. Dr Smith takes initial measurements and does a blood test. Although Emily still considers herself as a few pounds overweight, Emily's body fat is very low at 8%, she is nearly 40 pounds underweight for her height; and she is probably incapable of pregnancy. She will need therapy to change her self-image. In the meantime, she needs to trust Cage and her doctor instead of a mirror. Dr Smith refers her to a nutritionist in the same clinic, to map out an eating plan. The goal will be for Emily to gain 2 pounds per week. The dietician will also provide an exercise plan, to reduce Emily's current regime. If Emily doesn't address her anorexia, her bones will become increasingly fragile, she will have gum and teeth problems at an early age, and her body will age more rapidly. She is likely to develop osteoporosis by the age of 30, and eventually damage her organs. Pregnancy will not be possible. As Emily's goal is to have a baby, it's vital to start the changes in lifestyle as early as possible. 
On Jan 12, 2021 Cage takes Emily has her first appointment with her nutritionist, Judy Mason at the women's clinic. Ms Mason is in her 60s, with short gray hair. Ms Mason praises Emily for returning - many anorexics don't. Emily is asked to keep a food and exercise journal for the next week. The only weigh-in is to be at the clinic each week. The diet plan is for 1000 calories - most women trying to lose weight would find it too restrictive, but it's far more than Emily is used to. Her exercise is restricted to 3 miles, 3 times a week, and a strength workout twice a week. Cage will need to double-check any diet exchanges, to ensure the calories are similar. The diet is generic for the first week, but will be adjusted in following weeks as Emily's food preferences become known. Each week, Emily is to have one dessert. 
== Relationships ==
=== Family ===
Emily doesn't have much in common with her family since leaving Coos Bay. Although she knows she's loved by them, she rarely goes home even to visit. Before she left home, her mother used to say Emily asked too many questions. "Always with the questions!"
=== Sarah King & Cage Washington ===
==== Book 2: Choose ====
Alone together in the EWN newsroom on Saturday October 16, Sarah tells Emily she's amazing and gently kisses her. Emily doesn't resist, but gives only a hint of response. Sarah isn't sure if that meant consent, so she moves back and asks if it's Emily's first. Emily says not her first kiss, but first kiss with a woman. Cage overhears them as he arrives and says that he'd wondered why Emily never noticed he was interested in her, and turns to go. Emily stops him, and said that he'd never said anything about being interested, never asked her out, how was she supposed to know? Cage says if Emily was gay, she could have told him, Sarah doesn't hide it. Emily denies she's gay, and says she's not anything other than herself. Cage says if Emily's not sure if she's straight or gay, she needs a comparison - and he gently kisses her, deepening it as she responds. He says for Emily to tell him what she decided, and goes out for a walk. Sarah says the kiss looked hot, and Emily asks if she's a voyeur. Sarah says everyone's a voyeur - that's why people watch romantic movies and read romance novels. People watch and are turned on by watching. While Sarah is gay, Cage is a fine looking man, and she can appreciate that even if she's not into men. Emily is speechless and goes out for a walk. Turk and Carroll arrive and say to Sarah that's quite a little drama the 3 of them have going on. Cage returns, and is teased by Turk for having a crush for 4 years. Cage says that Emily is his friend - sex is easy to find, but he didn't want to make things awkward with a friend who might not be interested. He asks Sarah if she thinks Emily is gay, and Sarah says she doesn't know - she's not sure Emily knows. Sarah asks Turk and Carroll, and Turk says they got the distinct impression that Emily is unclear about her sexuality but they don't thinks she's gay, per se. 
==== Book 3: Don't Go ====
On Sunday afternoon, November 15, 2020 Cage wheels Sarah's chair into the EWN elevator. Sarah asks if he knows what Emily wants to talk about, but Cage shakes his head. Emily had asked them both to meet her at EWN but hadn't said why. Ryan's absence had increased the burden on them all, and they haven't had the time or energy to deal with personal things. Emily is waiting for them in the living area with sandwiches. Sarah asks if this is the lunch they had talked about. Emily says that they asked her to let them know when she knew what she wanted. Sarah asks if Emily knows what she wants. Emily says to Sarah that she wants her. Cage gets up to leave, saying she's being cruel, but Emily says she's not finished, she wants him too. Cage asks what that means, and Emily says she loves them both, and wants them both, and doesn't want to have to choose between them. She wants them to live together, sleep together, have sex together, and she thinks the two of them want that too. She sees Cage care for Sarah, and thinks there's a reason Sarah doesn't want to move back to her room in the residence hall. Sarah asks Emily if she's sure, as people could get hurt otherwise. Cage suggests that he evict Corey, as the Loft is looking for a roommate. Rule One for their relationship will be no talking to others, as then his family will know and there goes Thanksgiving dinner. Emily says she likes Martha's turkey, and would miss dinner with them. Cage says then the story is that Corey is leaving, and Emily wants to be closer to the office. Sarah says that's her story and she's sticking to it. Cage kisses Emily thoroughly, and then kisses Sarah thoroughly too. 
==== Book 4: Hold Me ====
* Tuesday December 1, 2020
** 10am: On the first morning the three of them are in their apartment together, no one is speaking or making eye contact. Cage grins, saying he's living every man's fantasy, and all he's got out of it is a good cup of coffee. Sarah laughs, but Emily tears up and runs to her bedroom, slamming the door shut. Sarah quietly asks if he knows Emily's story, and he shakes his head. She tells him he broke it, so he has to fix it, and moves into the living room. Cage takes his coffee and taps on Emily's door, opening it before she can tell him to go away. She is face down on her perfectly-made bed, shaking. He puts his coffee on the night-stand and gently rubs her back, the way he might soothe a child. NO demands - just touch. Emily apologizes, but Cage says he obviously touched a nerve but doesn't know what it was he said. He says they've been friends for four years, and he knows nothing about her past, her family, about who she is outside the newsroom. He knows her humor, her giggle, loves that she asks questions all the time, her patience with newbies, her commitment to good journalism and EWN. He's watched her learn, grown and flourish, and loves all of it. Yet he doesn't feel he knows her at all. He suggests that every morning over coffee, she tells them one story about growing up, something she wants to do, something no one else knows about her. They have all the time in the world, and Sarah can tell a story too, and so will he.
** 6pm: During Ryan's FaceTime call, he how things are working out between her and Cage, and she tells him she has moved in with him - and with Sarah. Ryan laughs and asks how there can be a ménage à trois at EWN without him? He hands off the phone to Teresa while he tries to stop laughing. Emily and Teresa chat for a few minutes before Ryan returns to ask how Emily, Cage and Sarah are doing. Emily tells him she thinks she made a mistake, and she doesn't know how to move forward. She had a meltdown that morning because Cage made a joke at breakfast. Ryan says his therapist said something he found helpful: that you can connect to other people in non-sexual ways; that touch is important, but can be hugs, a massage. He suggests she start by hugging: hugging her partners in the morning, when they leave, when they arrive home and before they go to bed. Give a massage or ask for one. He asks what she really wants. Emily says she wants to be able to open up to her partners, to be intimate with them, and to make them happy. Cage had suggested that each morning at breakfast she tell them some story about herself, as he knows nothing about her past. Ryan says Cage is very smart about people, and suggests that when she gets home that night, she tells them why she doesn't dance anymore. She moves like a dancer, he can almost hear the music, but she no longer dances, even when they've dragged her out to a club. But Cage's timing is off, breakfast is no time for night owls to share revelations.
** 8:30pm: Emily and Cage arrive home to find Sarah seated on the couch working on her laptop. Emily tells them that Ryan called. Sarah asks what he had to say, and Cage asks hopefully if he's coming back. Emily gives them Ryan's news, then tells them that she loves them both so much, but is terrified that she'll f*ck things up. Cage picks her up, and sits with her on the couch beside Sarah. Emily says that was part of Ryan's advice, then tells them the rest. She tells them why she no longer dances, and of her teenage diagnosis of activity-based anorexia. When Emily falls asleep, Cage carries her to bed and tells her the next story will be from him. She asks him to tell of his first time with a girl.
* Wednesday December 2, 2020 - 10am: After Cage and J.J. leave, Emily suggests they have a daytime slumber party. Sarah goes to her room, and Emily brings in their laptops. Emily ask Sarah about her health - Sarah is hurting more than she should, and the chair was only supposed to be fore a few days. Sarah says the pain meds stopped working so she took more of them, and now has to wean herself off them before her doctor will prescribe something new. Instead of suppressing the pain, the meds had been suppressing healing, and the withdrawal is giving muscle spasms that the pain meds were supposed to prevent. Her doctor wanted to admit her to the VA hospital for monitoring, but the COVID surge hit the VA rehab center on the previous Saturday, and only the new admittances are for life-or-death emergencies. Sarah is concerned that reducing the medication will leave her bed-ridden. Emily assures her that she and Cage are there to help.
---
On January 11, 2021, Cage asks Emily to marry him. The engagement ring is a simple dark-gold band with a heart made of wings etched on it. 
=== Friends ===
Emily considers Ryan Matthews and Cage Washington to be her best friends since the three of them met in News 101 in Spring 2015. Since meeting Cage, Emily attends Christmas services each year at Rev. Washington's Baptist church in Portsmouth OR.
== Residences ==
=== Studio on West Burnside ===
==== Book 1: Stories We Tell ====
Emily lives in a small, second-floor studio apartment on West Burnside St, near NW 18th Avenue and close to the Fred Meyer grocery store. It has 10ft high ceilings with crown molding, but it's not really much bigger than a 10ft cube, with a small kitchen and even smaller bathroom. No one has been in it besides Emily since Cage and Ryan helped her move in during 2018.
=== Apartment at Goose Hollow ===
===== Book 4: Hold Me =====
* Tuesday December 1, 2020 - 10am: There are logistics issues with moving. First Corey has to be moved out to the Loft and his room needs to be cleaned to Sarah's satisfaction before Emily moves in. Emily was able to give her 20-day notice and only pay rent on her studio apartment until December 5. Cage borrowed a pickup from one of his father's parishioners for the Thanksgiving weekend [November 28-29], and with the help of a lot of the newsroom staff they got everyone shuffled around.
== Vehicles ==
Emily drives a Volkswagen Beetle, the original kind.