I looked at my splint as the nurse pulled it on. I had fractured my arm, the hairline crack seemed like nothing on the X-ray, but the swelling said otherwise so until further noticed I was in a black wrist splint.

"Kinda suits you." Zak teased as I sat on the bed kicking my legs freely. A movement done by Avari but it seemed I had began doing it some time ago to make the time pass quicker.

"I'll take your word on that." I replied wiping my face as a tear fell.

"Is it still hurting after morphine?" Zak asked pulling his seat closer to the bed.

"N-no. It's just you."

"Me?"

I nodded "I knew I wasn't going to see you until things got really bad. I guess they are now." I replied lifting my splinted hand.

"Oh sweetie."

"I bet you think I'm a bad mom right? Doing all this?" I asked.

He shook his head defiantly.

"No way. Not at all. It's in your nature. How could I think bad of you when you're doing everything you can?" He asked.

"But it's still not enough. She is still screaming and drawing these God awful things." I replied pulling a picture from my pocket.

Zak's fingers plucked it from my hand and unfolded it delicately before frowning. "This is the goat one?" He asked.

I nodded. "I know, I know what it is."

He looked back at the photo before looking at my arm. "She knew something was going to happen."

"W-what?" I stuttered.

"The goat man. He has a splint on. Look." He turned the photo showing me a black squared off arm with pink fingers poking from the end.

My heart sank as it indeed looked like a splint I had on.

"How has this come about Scarlett?" He asked.

"I- she was always different. I know everyone says that but it felt like it. She... she used to talk to someone all the time and last year I found her in the attic of the old house we were staying at. There was no way she could reach the lock to the door but she got up there... I found her playing with a board."

Zak's face turned serious "What kind of board?"

"Not a monopoly one. She said the little girl told her to move it around.. The planchette. She didn't understand what she was doing. But said she was learnings to count, the board was counting down.. She thought she was learning." My heart ached. "She didn't understand that she was releasing a demon or whatever is terrorising her." I answered holding my head.

I could remember the day, I had only left her for a few moments to get the phone.

"And where's the board now?" Zak asked sitting closer.

"It got broke...."

"How?"

"I don't know how. But I found it tore in half, Avari said the girl did it. But we all know what takes the form of a child."

"A demon." He concluded making me nod. "So this demon, turned into a child, befriended Ava and broke the board?"

"I guess.. But now she is screaming in her sleep and can't settle unles-" I fell quiet.

"Unless what?"

"Nothin' it's not important."

"I beg to differ. Unless what?" He asked me again.

"U... Unless she's on consecrated ground."

"Consecrated? Like blessed holy ground? Like a church?"

I pushed my mouth to the side. "Why do you think I put her in the car? It's the only way.."

He rubbed his hand over his face "Jesus Christ, how long has this been happening? The car?"

"Nearly a year.."

His eyes doubled "A year?!"

"Don't shout!" I hissed making him settle.

"A year!" He whispered harshly.

"Yes! I know it's bad don't keep repeating it! I tried to find different ways, ways that don't involve some priest putting her underwater, she would freak out. I can't have her like that! Others suggest beating it out of her! What the f-!" I paused taking a breath realising I was getting louder. "I know this is bad. Do not judge me on this."

Zak shook his head and took out his phone. "W-who are you ringing?" I asked.

"Cece to make sure everything is okay, then I'm going to ring around my contacts and find a bishop. You should have came to me sooner! You know I'd have sorted this!"

I scoffed "Do me a favour."

"You don't change do you? Still as stubborn as ever thinking you can take on the world. News flash Scarlett, the world is a lot bigger than you." He growled walking out the small room.

I knew it was bad, seriously bad but I don't understand how having a go at me would help matters! He was the one who changed his number, I tried to reach out through Nick. It's not my fault he was poaching behind their backs! And Aaron was probably the most public on with snapchat but he never answered the flaming thing!

I sank back against wall, I understood why Zak was upset.. He hated anything, humans, spirits or demons picking on children and women. I'd seen a few episodes where you see the fuse in him switch and he loses his cool.

This was one of those times.

******

"Mommy!" Ava yelled running at me as I stood in Zak's lounge.

"Hey darling! Did you have fun?" I asked kneeling down to kissing her forehead.

"Yeah! Gracie went swimming! She has a pool! Her own pool mommy! Look!"

I stood up as Ava dragged me to the window poking at the glass to show me the pool. I laughed softly seeing a hot tub and swimming pool, but I had no intentions on telling her that she was wrong. So as of now? Gracie had her own pool.

"She has been an angel. We stopped off and got pizza, I hope that was okay?" Cece asked looking a little worried.

I gasped playfully at Avari who looked at me for a response to if it was the right thing to do or not. "Pizza?! You little monkey, what did you have?" I grinned.

Her face lit up as she began explaining her double pepperoni pizza telling me that there was little sausage slices too.

"Well what do you say to Cece?"

"Thank you Cece!" She smiled playing with Zak's rosary. "Mommy can I go see Gracie again?"

"Sure thing sweetie." I replied letting her run back into the garden.

"Here." Zak spoke for the first time since the hospital, I opened my hand out to 2 rosaries and a medallion.

"Make sure you both wear at least one, it should subside until we can get someone here." He answered.

"Okay."

"In the mean time, I want you both staying here." He continued.

"W-what? No, no I can't-"

"I'm not letting you leave this house to sleep in a car with your daughter. It's beyond my nature, now she has an attachment Scarlett. A demonic one. That can do God only knows what.. Do you really want to risk her opening the car door or window and getting out?"

I sank onto the couch watching her giggling in the garden. I shook my head "I- I never thought of that. Oh my god, I've been putting her in all this time." I whispered pressing my hand to my lips at the thought.

So much could have happened?! She could have been all alone in Vegas, she could have been taken! By anyone!

"You can't think of everything, you look exhausted. When was the last time you got any sleep? A full nights sleep I mean? Undisturbed. A month?"

I shifted on the couch avoiding his eyes.

"Two months?"

"T-three."

"Three months?! Jes-"

"Three years.." I mumbled.

I looked up as Cece sat at my side giving me a sympathetic look. "I- I'm okay though. I mean, I'm coping. It just, it got me today that's all."

"Now is the time to let someone else help. If not only me then Zak too, Scarlett, Avari is really intelligent. You've done a fantastic job, nobody is saying you haven't." Cece soothed.

"But I had her in the car, Zak said she could have got out and got hurt? What if she did and someone had taken her?" I asked.

"But they haven't, and they didn't. Now you are aware, do you really want to risk it?" Cece replied.

I shook my head instantly.

"So you'll stay, Zak's room has been blessed. Nothing can go in.."

I looked at Zak who's jaw was ridged looking at us.

"W-what about you? Where would you sleep?"

"I've got 4 other bedrooms to chose from." He replied looking back at Avari.

"O-okay. Okay we will stay if that's alright? But only because it's best for her." I answered.

"You are just as important as Ava in this. She needs you on top form. Plus I think Gracie has taken a shine to her."

"I know, she loves dogs."

"Great. Well I'll go and make the bed up. Maybe you could write me a list of things, food items and toiletries that you both might need?" Cece questioned.

I nodded "I can go home and g-"

"No. No you don't step foot back in that house. Got it?" Zak asked abruptly.

I wiped my tears "Okay."

Cece got up and headed off into his house leaving myself and Zak alone. He sat down opposite me still watching Ava and Gracie.

"They are going to be as thick as thieves." He smiled.

I agreed "Guess Peanut has been replaced."

As I said that I noticed a toy stuffed under Ava's arm being thrown around as she ran after Gracie making Zak chuckle "Oh I don't think Peanut has been replaced just yet."