Zak stood in his museum rubbing the tension in his forehead whilst looking at the regulations plans for his museum.

When he considered the museum, he thought it would be an amazing opportunity to show case his haunted collection which he had been collecting as a child. Not to be buried in rules of what can be presented and what can't.

"You're kidding, I mean. We have just got the plans finalised?" He stressed to his assistant Cece.

She nodded disappointedly "I've tried to negotiate but they won't budge. I've spoke with mi-" Cece paused as screaming had filled the museum. Zak shot her a look before rushing out the room to see where it was coming from.

"HELP ME!" A voice yelled.

Zak raced through the corridors until he stumbled upon a woman cradling her screaming child.

"You're not suppose to be in he-"

Her head snapped up making Zak's eyes widen instantly.

"Scarlett?!"

"I need your help! Please! I don't trust anyone else!" She cried.

Zak went to her aid immediately to look at the little girl in her arms. "I-is she your daughter?"

Scarlett nodded.

"What's her name?" He asked.

"A-Avari. Ava for short Zak she keeps seeing things." Scarlett stressed.

"Things as in..."

"Paranormal! I- I didn't know where else to go! But this time I saw it to!"

"Okay.. Avari? I'm Zak." He spoke over her crying.

"No! No he will take me away! Mommy no!" She cried clinging into Scarlett.

"I'm not taking you anywhere pumpkin, look." Zak held his hands up looking at the long black hair.

Avari's cries stopped momentarily at the faint sound of clinking. Zak noticed it instantly and whistled for Gracie who bolted to his side instantly.

"Avari, this is Gracie. You like dogs right? You got a toy one. What's it's name?"

Avari shook her head.

"Sweetie look. She's so cute." Scarlett spoke with tears in her eyes.

Avari moved slowly looking at Zak before shooting back to Scarlett's neck to hide. Zak smiled gently "Scarlett she is beautiful."

"I- I need a chain. A black onyx anything. She won't move until I ha-"

Zak pulled off his rosary instantly and handed it to her.

"It's black onyx and a blessed rosary." He informed her as Scarlett silently thanked him and put it on Avari.

"It's okay. I got one see, look. Nothing can touch you with this."

Zak watched as Ava registered the chain before it tightened around her neck. After a few minutes she slowly moved from Scarlett's neck to look around.

Zak smiled seeing her little face again and the chain wrapped around her hand.

"Hi there." He spoke gently.

"If you're a baddie. My mommy will hurt you." She warned making him chuckle.

"Oh I have no doubt about that. I'm Zak." He held his hand out causing Avari to frown.

"I'm Ava." She answered turning his hand flat and slapping her hand down on his for a quick low 5 before bringing her hand back quickly.

"Okay, well this is Cece. She is my assistant. And this is my dog Gracie." Zak explained petting Gracie's fur.

"Peanut." Avari answered showing him her toy wolf.

"Peanut? I like that name, what about you Gracie?" Zak asked making her grumble and shift on her bum to wag her tail.

Avari giggled as Gracie approached her to sniff her face. The whiskers tickling her gently.

"Mommy that doggy sniffed me."

"Did she?" Scarlett asked.

Zak watched on as Scarlett pushed Avari's hair back and kissed her head gently lathering her in attention.

"Are you okay?" She whispered to her.

The little girl nodded rubbing her eyes.

"How about your arm?" Scarlett asked.

"Hurts."

"Okay sweetie. Let's take a look."

Zak twisted his head to see red finger marks on her wrist. Scarlett frowned hard at them before kissing them better and holding Avari to her chest. He watched Scarlett push kisses into Ava's hair before she relaxed her grip.

Zak shifted on his knees looking between the pair. "Scarlett, where have you been?" He asked.

Cece noticed the shift in Scarlett's eyes.
"I know, let's go play in the back garden, I know Gracie has a ball out there. We can play fetch with Gracie." Cece smiled.

"No." Scarlett answered shooting a look to Cece.

"I trust her with my life." Zak spoke sensing her uneasiness.

Scarlett's eyes flicked between them before she nodded "O-only if she feels up to it. She gets tired quick though." Scarlett replied looking to Cece.

"Okay. Avari? Would you like to come with me?"

Avari looked up at her mom before nodding slipping off her lap and taking Cece's hand carefully.

"The white lady likes you." Avari smiled making Cece blink.

"What white lady?" Zak asked.

Avari paused wondering if she said something wrong before smiling at a space beside Zak. "The lady said you put too much g- garnic? Gar-"

"Garlic." Scarlett corrected.

"Yeah, you put.. too much of what mommy said on your pizza. Your gran stopped you. You felt her." Avari answered before toddling off with Cece leaving Zak speechless on the floor.

"I- how the hell did... She just saw my Gran?!" He asked Scarlett who stood up and followed her daughter a safe distance.

"So I don't need to question if you believe us then?" Scarlett sighed.

Zak got up and followed them also before standing beside Scarlett as they watched Avari play with Gracie.

He looked at Scarlett taking in the dark circles under her eyes, her brown hair was longer than the last time he saw her.

"Where've you been?" He asked softly.

Scarlett turned and socked him in the shoulder in anger. "Owh? What was that for!"

"Where have I been?! Where the hell have you been?! I tried calling you, messaging, I've been around your house which isn't even your house, I went to the loft apartment and that's not yours either. I tried fucking tweeting! But you never answered!" She shouted hitting his chest with her fists.

"Okay! Okay! Damn I'm sorry.. I-"

"A whole fucking year I've looked for you, waited to see your stupid face and the first question you ask is where have I been?!"

Zak looked away from her eyes. "I needed to get out of the house."

"No shit! What the hell takes so long to open a museum?!" She snapped.

He laughed "Tell me about it. I've got planning officers breathing down my ne- you don't really care."

"No I don't! Damn it Zak! And what the fuck is up with Nick? He wouldn't even let me speak before he told me never to call again and hung up?!"

Zak's jaw clenched.

"Have you two fallen out again?" She asked.

"No, try he was poaching locations behind our backs for his new show." Zak bit making Scarlett blink.

"Oh."

"Yeah. So not only did he break a contract, he also broke trust and a friendship because he was so damn selfish. The channel fired his ass." He replied turning back to Avari as she raced down the length of the museum grounds with Gracie. The episode earlier seemed to have been forgotten about.

"She's beautiful Scar..." He said and meaning it.

"Thank you."

"Her father?" He asked looking to her.

She scoffed. "Went AWOL as soon as he heard. His said that he didn't want her. That I should find a clinic." She answered.

Zak's face twisted "You'd never do that."

"Exactly." Scarlett replied smiling softly as Avari rolled on the grass with Gracie.

"I- I went home.. The answer to your question. I needed to get out of Vegas. You know how this place gets. I got my life on track." She answered.

His lips twitched with amusement as he watched her twist her fingers thinking that not much had changed with Scarlett.

"How long has this been happening?" He asked.

"Too long. She's just a child Zak. She doesn't understand why monsters are trying to hurt her."

Zak touched Scarlett's arm causing her to hiss. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. I-"

"What's happened to your arm?" He asked turning her to face him.

"Something may have happened at home. It's fine probably just bruised, I waited too long I know but it's getting too strong." She replied.

"What is?" He asked.

"Whatever's at the house. It's marked her and I almost die-.." she trailed off looking away from his eyes.

"Tell me everything. Now." He ordered as they both took a seat on a set of chairs.

As Scarlett relayed the story of her little girl, Zak helped her take off the hoody she has on to inspect her arm.

"Uh, Scar, that doesn't look like bruising. That looks like a break. You must be in agony?" He frowned as she gave him a pained smile.

"My baby is my priority," she whispered "You have to help her."

"That's it, I'm taking you to hospital first." He answered.

"No! No. I can't have them poking their noses in! They will take her from me!" She cried.

"Hey? Why would they do that?" He asked as Scarlett broke down.

"B-because we can't stay in the house. W-we sleep in the car, it's not ideal but I can't afford hotel rooms every night. She is comfortable, I make sure of that... It- This is how bad it is now. The school had to ring me because she had an episode today. The things she is drawing Zak. They scare me, what's it like for her?" She asked.

"What kind of things?"

"A goat man, animals with different heads. Big black monsters with red eyes. I'm not an idiot, it's all demonic. I've tried everything! Blessing, salts, prayers, Sage, I've been to the church right to the backward hicks! I can't have them submerge her in a lake. I can't do it!"

"Hey, hey hey." He whispered bringing her into his shoulder as she cried. "It's okay, I'll sort it. That won't happen. How did you do that to your arm?"

Scarlett pulled away to see his face. "It was like that film, the true story one. Uh- Haunting in Connecticut? I think it's that, the shower curtain wrapped around me, I almost suffocated but I fell and tore a hole in it. The bathroom door slammed shut too and I don't so shut doors Zak, not when I know Ava is like this, I can't."

"Okay." He whispered rubbing her back gently. "Okay, first you're gonna have to trust me. I mean really trust me? Because I need to take you to a hospital, they need to fix up that arm. So either you bring Ava with us? Or she stays with Cece and Gracie?"

He watched as fear filled her eyes at the decision. "Cece looks after me when I get in a bad way. She will understand Ava. I promise you, no harm will come of her. If you don't want her to stay here then I can get Cece to take her to my house? It's blessed. Nothing is there."

Scarlett shifted at the idea before standing up to look at Avari. "You promise. Cause if any-"

"It won't. Trust me, you can do that right?" He asked. Scarlett looked up to him with uncertainty.

"Scar, I'm probably the only one who can help her now.."

Looking at Avari first Scarlett nodded gently.

"Okay, let's go and explain the plan. Then if Avari wants to come too, then we can take her. But something tells me that Gracie is going to win." He smiled as they exited the room.