"Hi, Scarlett."

The new mother could not believe her eyes at the ghost on her porch, one that her tormented her daydreams for endless months had now materialised in flesh, blood and sweet perfume on the doorstep.

In her arms, she cradled the 2 month old baby girl - bundled tightly in some warm blankets, kept safely from the cruelty of the unstable world in her mother's arms.

Through the creases of soft white cotton, Verity could make out the strawberry blonde tufts of hair.

"Verity- what... what are you doing here." Where there was once warmth in Scarlett's voice, there now lay undeniable nervousness and apprehension, her words delivered on a wavering tone.

"I thought you had left London after... what had happened." She added afterwards, adjusting her tight hold on her baby.

"I'm back, my clinic is up and running again after a series of events I really don't have the time to recount." The psychologist sighed, peering over Scarlett's shoulder and into the hallway - which was illuminated in soft golden lamplight.

"Is Arthur in?" Verity asked plainly, the simple question all but having Scarlett's nerves on high.

The dark haired singer clutched her daughter tightly, taking a hesitant breath.

"No. He's out with Eli." She replied quickly, tone rushed and panic - but mostly, evasive sounding. "What is it you want, Verity?" She then pressed, shifting her weight onto the other foot as the two women exchanged a rather distant and cold look at one another.

"May I come in? I think it's better if we don't talk out here." The psychologist added, with a more gentle tone to at least let Scarlett know she wasn't here with a poisonous agenda for revenge.

Scarlett looked back into the hallway, and stepped aside - allowing Verity inside as the singer checked the coast was indeed clear, before following her former best friend inside the smart London Town House.

Verity walked some paces into the hall, politely standing aside as she waited for Scarlett to close the front door.

Things hadn't changed all too much since Verity was last here, aside from the signs of new life. Peeping into the living room from her current vantage point, Verity could see the Moses basket in the front room.

It was strange how all the circumstances surrounding their lives had changed, how close they had been and now how they couldn't be any further apart.

"Would you like some tea?" Scarlett asked, although Verity could sense there was little intention in her words. She was purely being polite.

"No, thank you Scarlett. I don't plan on staying." Verity replied, offering a wry smile. "Congratulations, by the way. What's her name?"

The formalities felt so strange in the atmosphere where things were clearly far from fine.

"Emily." Scarlett replied with a weak smile, rocking the baby softly in her arms as she pulled the blanket down a little so Verity could see the child a little better.

From what she could see, there wasn't much of Scarlett in this babe. It was as if it had sapped all of Arthur's genes - in her ginger-ish hair and overly fair skin. Verity silently prayed the little girl didn't get her father's attitude.

"She's very cute." Verity confessed, her eyes straying up to Scarlett's again as the psychologist's glance took a more serious turn. "...But I think we both know I didn't come here to coo at the baby and make amends."

Scarlett swallowed a very obvious feeling lump in her throat, steadying the dizzying feeling within her head.

"Then you better tell me why you're here." She answered coolly, adjusting the baby to rest over her shoulder slightly. The two women locked themselves in a pressured exchange of stares, a stark contrast to the warm smiles they once shared.

"I had a visit from Mr Valentine." Verity began, directly and unshakeably, "he's been threatening me. He knows that I know about what the pair of you did to the Eden Club." She explained, seeing a ghostly look of shock slowly engulfing Scarlett's expression.

The demon that just wouldn't seem to leave the American alone.

"Scarlett you need to tell Arthur what happened. Break away from Eli for good. If Arthur knows then he won't have any reason to be around that snake and keep wasting his time and energy in his stupid club."

Scarlett, horrified, shook her head - her eyes falling to the floor as tears began to form steadily.

"I- I can't..." she began, her voice thickening with sadness. The singer eventually looked up, that doe-eyes vulnerability to her expression.

"Do you know what Arthur would do if he found out? I would probably lose Emily... he'd throw me out on the street." Her breaths were quickening. "Eli... he's a bastard, but he keeps us comfortable."

Verity sighed heavily, carefully planning her approach.

"This has gone past my own selfish worries now, Scarlett." The psychologist advised, "Eli has threatened me, my sister and my nephew.. who is a child, just like Emily." Verity gestured to the tiny baby in the American's arms.

"You can't let Eli have this hold over you anymore, once Arthur knows the truth then you can both be free." Verity felt a certain futility rising in the atmosphere as her former best friend tore into the living room, setting Emily down carefully in the Moses basket as the baby girl grizzled quietly to herself.

"Verity - you don't understand!" Scarlett hissed as she turned back to the hallway, the primal fear that engulfed her eyes was harrowing.

"I tell Arthur about what I asked Eli to do to the Eden... I will lose everything." She cried, "I love Arthur, and I don't want to destroy what we have."

"Then we're at a crossroads." Verity replied bleakly, "because I'm not willing to let my sister or nephew come to any harm at that idiot's hands."

Trembling on the spot, Scarlett brushed some hair out of her face - her big brown eyes swollen with tears.

"Eli is stronger than us, Verity." She tried to say, "he knows too much. Sees too much. Even if we tried to hurt him, he'd come back ten times stronger." She pleaded, reaching out and taking Verity's hands tightly. The gesture, encompassed with all its desperation, took Verity by surprise.

"Please, Verity - I am begging you. Get your family somewhere safe. Leave this stupid fucking city and let that rat be." She insisted, sniffling frantically, "he's not worth all the pain."

For a moment, with all the crazed despair embodied in Scarlett's hickory eyes - Verity pondered the idea of fleeing once again. Retreating somewhere else, starting afresh with her family and leaving this rat infested city to it's king - Eli Valentine.

But she wasn't about the run anymore.

Verity gently let go of Scarlett's hands, shaking her head defiantly. The gesture alone sparked panic in Scarlett's face.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett. But I'm tired of running." She explained, stepping back towards the front door. "I think it's time someone put Eli in his place, don't you?"

The psychologist laid her hand on the door handle, listening to the sob of anguish coming from her former colleague.

"I am begging you Verity... don't do this."

Verity kept her eyes fixated on the door, chewing her lip apprehensively.

Scarlett sounded so full of anxiety, a confident woman broken down to a mere fragment of her former self.

That, in itself, was a reason she had to do this. Even if Scarlett didn't want her to, it was what was right.

"I'm sorry." Verity apologised, taking her leave as the sounds of the city filled her ears - exiting the house before any other thoughts could tie her down and convince her not to do this.

She wasn't about to let some other man run her out of town, certainly not.

Especially not the likes of Eli fucking Valentine.

—

A/N: sorry this is another short one! But at least I'm updating lmao

See you all soon

PS ended all u conspiracy confide theorists who were like 'ITS ELI'S BABY' I love reading your comments it gives me life