The birds echoed quietly in the trees and he closed the car door. His feet carried him up the porch and he quietly knocked on the door. It swung open and revealed a dark kitchen. He quickly mounted the stairs and stopped at the cracked door. Slowly he pushed it open and found the room deserted except for her curled up form.

She sat with her head burrowed into her knees, shaking with mute tears. He knelt at her side and brushed her hair from her face. Slowly he found her eyes and she lifted her head. No words broke the silence. He knew what had happened after he had left.

Then he scooped her up in his arms and carried her downstairs. He took her outside and sat her in the car. Quietly he pulled out of the drive and onto the road. When he glanced at her, he found her face stained from the tears and her eyes hollow and grayish underneath from the lack of sleep. His right hand found her left hand and he slowly intertwined them.

He felt her eyes look at him and he said, "We're almost there."

Silence fell over them once more. They passed the center of the city and moved to the northern suburbs. He pulled into the driveway of his grandmother's house. It was a two-story brick-sided home. Silently he turned the engine off and got out.

As he walked around the side of the car, he remembered that they had no extra clothes packed. With a deep breath, he opened the door and helped Faith onto her feet. She wavered and he immediately scooped her up into his arms. Her head fell onto his shoulder and he carried her to the door. When he pushed the door open, his grandmother looked up at him from her rocking chair and a look of shock covered her gentle face.

She was on her feet immediately and said, "Take her to her room. I'll call for the doctor."

He watched her run into the kitchen and then he moved to the room under the stairwell. It was his mother's old room and now would be theirs. Gently he placed her on the bed and slid the covers up to her waist. He knew that the doctor would want her to be stripped down to little clothing, but he knew she'd kill anyone who tried. His hands tucked the covers up to her chest and he kissed her forehead before exiting the room.

As he closed the door, his grandmother looked at him and he moved upstairs. He went into his office and sat down at his desk. A pad of legal paper and a pen waited for him. He flipped on an overhead light and picked up the pen. Words covered the page as he wrote.

PGS