Sísele finished making breakfast by the time Victor, Darcy and Emily came home. She served herself and Catherine and told Victor and Darcy to serve themselves.

Victor carried Emily up the stairs to her bed. The Tylenol was still working.

"What happened?" Catherine asked Darcy.

Darcy sighed. "They said she's anemic with growing pains. But we made a big enough stink that they're going to check for arthritis. Wait to see the doctor tomorrow and hopefully he'll have the results."

"Sit down." Catherine patted the stool next to her.

Darcy sat down, exhausted, she rested her head on her arm.

"Darcy, your mom has been trying to tell you something about Emily. But it seems you're not getting the message." Catherine said as gently as possible.

Darcy picked her head up and frowned.

"She tell you that you were sick when you were small?"

"Yeah, that's when mom gave me this." Darcy answered. She grabbed at the necklace Sísele gave her.

"Ok. Well, did she tell you your blood was sick?"

Darcy nodded.

"Okay." Catherine breathed. "So you heard her. Can you please make sure to tell your doctor?"

Darcy nodded again. "Yes I was already planning on telling him. Do you know what I had?"

"No. I'm sorry. Your mom has difficulty with big words."

Darcy nodded. She knew. Darcy sighed as she thought about the doctor's appointment. She wanted to be clear on what she was going to say.

"What's going on?" Victor asked. He walked into the kitchen. "Everyone's so quiet."

"Shit!" Darcy said.

"What?" Victor asked.

"Have to call work. I'm not going in today." Darcy concluded. She pulled out her phone and dialled.

Victor nodded. "I'll try to get some hours in. Emily's home, she's ok. You need some rest." Victor said. And with that, he turned and ran up the stairs.

There was a knock at the door. Catherine got up to answer it.

"This is Darcy Conners. I'm calling in sick today. Thank you." Darcy said on the phone. She hung up. She frowned when she heard a strange voice at the door.

"Darcy?" Catherine called.

Darcy turned to look. The blood drained from her face. Her chest felt too restricted to breathe. She could feel her heart pounding.

"Darcy Conners?" A man stood by her door with a member of the RCMP. "My name's Collin Djecklin. I'm a social worker with MCFD. Where's your husband?"

Darcy was gasping for air. "H-h-he's upstairs." She stammered. "What's going on? What is this?"

"Where's Emily?" Collin Djeckers asked.

"Upstairs. Tell me what this is!" Darcy demanded.

The RCMP officer stepped forward. "Is your husband with your daughter?" He placed his hand on his weapon.

"No! He's changing to go to work. We just got back from the hospital!" Darcy a voice raised.

"Can you call him down, please?" The officer asked sternly.

Darcy didn't move.

Catherine turned around and called Victor down.

"What is going on here?!" Darcy demanded again.

Victor came down the stairs. He stopped halfway when he seen the officer at the door.

The officer kept his hand on his weapon and used his free hand to gesture. "Step down here, please, sir."

Victor walked down the rest of the way, slowly. His chest started to heave. He felt his body get weak.

"Don't move, please. We need to ask you some questions." The officer said.

"Stop!" Darcy yelled. "What is going on?!" Her voice quietened and cracked. She was starting to cry.

"We received a report of child abuse in your home." Collin Djeckers announced to Darcy.

Darcy stumbled back. She was lightheaded. "What?" She asked through heavy breathing. She shook her head. "No. That can't be. We're not hurting Emily."

"The report said that Emily has some serious bruising. A hand print on her arm."

Darcy shook her head.

"No! That wasn't us!" Victor defended. "We didn't do that! We explained to the doctors at the hospital how she got her bruises. Call the school. They'll tell you. They were there when she gave herself that bruise." Victor was scrambling.

Collin Djeckers looked blankly at Victor. "You mean to tell me that a thirteen year old girl has the strength to give herself a bruise as bad as I heard it to be?"

"I know it sounds crazy. I thought someone hurt her too. Until she showed me how easy she bruises now." Victor tried to stay calm.

"We came here to arrest you Mr. Conners." Collin Djeckers explained. "And to remove Emily from this home. She can stay with a relative as we conduct our investigation."

Darcy collapsed into the counter. She was sobbing.

Sísele stood and gaped at the men by the door.

Catherine covered her mouth with her hands and gasped while tears streamed down her cheeks.

Victor was struggling to swallow. He felt his throat swell shut. He gasped for air and nearly fell over. "I didn't hurt her! Please! Talk to her. Go ask her yourself. BEFORE taking her anywhere. Please!" Victor begged.

Collin Djeckers stood silently for a moment, staring at Victor. He sighed and gave a short nod. "Alright. I will speak with her alone. Neither of you are allowed in the room. Do you understand?" He asked assertively.

Darcy cried and nodded her head.

Victor nodded his head vigorously. "Can I go sit down while you speak to her?"

The officer nodded.

Victor walked over to Darcy and tried to hold her up. "It's ok, Darcy. He's going to talk to her and Emily will show him just like she showed us." He tried to reassure her.

Darcy couldn't hold herself up anymore. Victor moved her to a stool and sat her in it.

Sísele ran around the counter to sit next to Darcy.

"Mom? Can you show Mr. Djeckers Emily's room please?" Victor tried to sound calm, but the quiver in his throat betrayed him.

Catherine nodded and started up the stairs. Collin Djeckers followed close behind.

Darcy was gasping for air at the counter.

"Try to shettle Darshy." Sísele said. She rubbed Darcy's arms. "You're no good to anyone if you faint."

Darcy acted like she didn't hear her mother. She tried to settle her breathing.

Victor held Darcy's hands. He tried to stay calm for Darcy. He was certain that they'd find nothing and leave. But there was no telling what the social worker would do. He hoped and prayed that Emily was well enough by now to defend her family.

Catherine came back downstairs. "Emily needs a drink of water. She's awake, scared but willing to speak." She said. She rushed into the kitchen.

"Hello, Emily. My name is Collin Djeckers. I'm a social worker from MCFD." He introduced. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick." Emily answered.

"Are you ok to talk?"

"I have to be. I'm not going anywhere. You're not taking me from here. So ask whatever you want to ask." Emily said. She tried to sit up in bed. It took a lot of energy to move but she managed to pull herself up to lean against the wall. Her breathing was laboured and her colour was pale.

"May I sit down?"

"Are you going to be long?" Emily tried to give an attitude but she was too tired. She sounded breathy instead.

"I may." He answered.

"Then you may as well." Emily said. She waved her hand toward her chair at her desk.

Collin Djeckers looked at it. He looked at Emily and smiled. He walked over and turned the chair around before sitting down. "You can call me Collin."

"Why? Because you want to be friends?" Emily shook her head. "What do you want?"

There was a knock at the door. It opened slowly and Catherine's head appeared. "I'm sorry for the interruption. I brought water for Emily." She said. She scurried into the room and gave Emily the glass.

"Thank you Gramma." Emily said. She weakly took the glass, nearly dropping it.

Catherine helped to catch it and assisted Emily with taking a drink. She placed the glass on her nightstand before leaving the room.

"I can see that you're not feeling well. Do you know what you have? Is it the flu?" Collin asked.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I don't know. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow."

There was an awkward silence.

"How's school going for ya?" Collin asked.

"Fine. When I'm there." Emily grumbled.

"Yeah, you've been to the hospital a few times this last week, haven't you?"

"Is that a crime?" Emily asked. "You want to blame my parents for getting me medical treatment?"

Collin fell silent again. "No." He spit out. "I just want an understanding of what's going on with you. I want to make sure that you're ok. And I want to help you."

Emily scoffed and shook her head. "There's nothing to save me from here!"

"Where's you get that bruise, Emily?"

"Me."

"It's ok, Emily. You can tell me. No one's going to hurt you here."

"Of course not! My parents don't hurt me! I did this to myself!" Emily tried to tell. She found herself too weak.

"Why would you hurt yourself like that?" Collin asked. He sounded like he was trying to challenge her. Trip her up so that she would admit to being beaten. "That's a pretty bad bruise. Can you tell me how you managed to bruise yourself like that?"

"I grabbed my arm and squeezed!" Emily managed to give attitude this time.

"Why?"

"To make a point."

"To who? Your dad?"

"No! My mom!"

Collin fell silent again.

Emily sighed. She noticed Collins body stiffen. "I'm sick. I don't feel good." She started to explain. "I was crying at school because of it. I wanted to come home. One of my teachers rubbed my back. I ended up bruising. She didn't hurt me. But I bruised."

Collins body started to drop a bit.

"When mom came to get me, she was ready to get mad. But I told her she didn't hurt me. Mom didn't believe me so I showed her."

"And that's when you grabbed yourself." Collin concluded.

Emily nodded.

"I still don't see how you could've bruised yourself like that." Collin shook his head. "I'm here to protect you from any harm. I will have your Gramma come up her to help you pack a bag...."

"Why?!" Emily yelled.

"You're going to stay with a relative until this gets cleared up." Collin tried to smile reassuringly.

Emily shook her head. "I can clear it up right now!" She yelled. She grabbed her unbruised arm and gave it a little squeeze.

Collin stood up. He looked at her and gave a small sigh. He felt bad. Here was Emily, laid up in bed, sick, and she's getting hurt by her parents. They thought it was Victor but now, after talking with Emily, he decides he would have to investigate Darcy as well.

Emily let her arm go and another handprint was left.

Collin stopped breathing. His mouth dropped. "How did that....what did you......how...." He stammered.

"See?!" Emily hollered. "I did it. There's something wrong with me! My parents are trying to help me find out what! They've been freaking out about this the whole time trying to figure out what's wrong. They don't know. In and out of the hospital. Demanding that the doctors run more tests! And instead of getting answers, we get you!!" Emily threw her blankets off.

"I'm sorry you're not feeling well." Collin managed to say. He looked at the fresh bruise Emily gave herself and looked at the other one. They looked alike.

"I'm not leaving here! You can't take me! You can't prove my parents are hurting me cuz they're NOT!" Emily said angrily. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Stay in bed, Emily." Collin tried. "You're not looking well."

"You wanted me to have a bag packed! Now you want me to stay in bed! Obviously there's nothing going on! Why don't you just leave? Go talk to my teachers at school. They'll be there in ten minutes. Ask them. They'll tell you the same thing I did!" Emily stood up. She wobbled. Her legs were hurting. Her head spun.

"Ok, Emily. I will go speak with your teachers. But I'd like you to get back into bed. You're losing colour as we speak." Colling held out his hand to stop Emily from moving.

"I'm staying here!" Emily demanded.

Collin nodded. "Ok. I will speak to my supervisor about that. I can clearly see that you bruised yourself. This one looks just like that one. But we have. Child protection file open. We have to follow through with an investigation."

"So what does that mean for me?" Emily asked, wobbling on her feet.

"It means, I will try to delay taking you to a relatives house. I will go speak to your teachers at school. And I will call my supervisor." He gave a short nod. "Then I will come back and talk to your parents."

Emily started to feel weaker. "Ok." She whispered.

"Please, lay down. I can see that you're very sick. You just came back from the hospital?"

Emily sat on her bed. She nodded.

"Why would they send you home?"

"Why would you come here thinking I'm being abused?" She asked.

Collin didn't answer. He made his way to the door. "After seeing that, Emily, I will do my best to get this file closed. And I will try to help your parents get you the medical help you need." He promised. He walked out the door.

Emily shook her head. She blinked a few times. Tears fell down her face. She used a lot of energy and was starting to feel the pain from it, both emotionally and physically. Her room kept spinning, faster and faster. An ache developed behind her eyes and her limbs went cold. The room.....dark.