The Believer. (Book 2.)

Back Home.

We arrive back in Vegas and step into our home. Zak smiles down at me. As I close the door, Zak picks me up pinning me against the door.I wrap my legs around his waist and he lavishes me with kisses. We stay in this raw moment for a minute when there came a noise behind us. We turn to see Nancy. Zak pretty much drops me.

"MOM! Sorry, I forgot you were here, where are Phil and Skye?" Zak asks.

"They are in the garden."

"Mom, I'm so sorry." Zak apologises.

"It's ok Son. I'm preparing dinner, we are having beef stew, Tiger you wanna help me?" She asks.

"Sure." I smile.

"Zak go say hi to your brother and sister." Nancy says. Zak kisses me and leaves the house to go play in the garden with his siblings. I can see the garden from the kitchen window and when Zak walks into garden, the children are so happy to see them, and he beams with joy. He crouches down to their level and they collide into him with a hug. He closes his eyes tight and holds them so closely. I can't help but imagine him holding his own children like this one day. I can visibly see Zak getting emotional. He looks up towards the window, almost like he knows I'm watching. He and I look at one another and he tilts his head with a look of sadness.

"What do you think? You think he's cut out to be a dad." I hear Nancy says.

"Without a doubt!" I say instantly. I look down at my feet and debate telling her about the twins. "What's wrong?" She asks. I'm silent for a moment. "TigerLilly!" She raises her voice. I look up at her. "Oh my god. Are you pregnant?" She asks.

"No... but I was." I say looking down.

"What!" She asks in shock. Just then Zak comes back in, his mom turns to face him.

"What?" He asks its a look of confusion.

"Family talk, now!" She bellows. She leans out the window to let Phil and Skye know she's going upstairs. She storms into our room. And we follow like scolded children and sit on the bed. "Out with it." She says.

"With what mom?"

"You were pregnant." She says. Zak turns to me with slight annoyance and disappointment. "No no don't look at her look at me..." Zak turns to his mom. "...why wouldn't you tell me? And why are you not pregnant now? If you felt like you couldn't take care of them I would have helped you know I would." She rambles.

"We lost them Nance." I lower my head and Zak puts his head in his hands. Her face falls some more.

"How?" She asks, breathless. Zak and I look at one another. And she sighs. "How?" She asks again a little more shaky.

"It was my fault..." Zak starts. I look at him with sadness. "...when she told me she was pregnant... I erm... I walked out on her. I just left. I went to a bar... that's where I first met Holly..." he says, disappointed in himself. "... when I came back, I saw Tige..." he bursts into tears and I try not to cry, putting my hand around my throat. "...dangling from the beam in the kitchen..." Nancy puts her hand around her mouth and tears dwelling in her eyes. "...I tried my best to stop her from dying mom. But ultimately in doing so I ended up killing my children." Zak buries his head in his hands in emotional pain. He then flops his head into my lap, and he wails. A sound I have never heard leave him mouth. Je slides off the bed onto his knees in front of me wrapping his arms around my abdominal area and resting his head on my stomach. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry baby." Hearing his sorrow, I break. I lift his face up to meet my eyes.

"It's ok. Zak. I don't blame you for what happened."

"You don't?"

"Of curse not." I cry.

"Mom..." he hold out his arm for her to join. She is quick to join. "... I'm not a bad person for that am I?"

"No baby." She says placing her hand on his head. We all collect in a hug when we hear.

"Mom." We turn to see Skye and Phil.

"Hey guys come here. She opens her arms out to the circle. And they run into the embrace. And we hug them.

"You guys know I love you right?" Zak asks.
The children nod. They then wrap their arms around Zak as if they know. I smile at Nancy and we smile down at the love between the siblings.

Hours later, we are all sat around the table, eating a wonderful stew that Nancy had made.

"This is amazing Mom, thank you." Zak says. He tucks into the dumpling. "Mmm Tige. These dumplings are amazing."

"How do you know Tige made them?" Nance smiles.

"Mom. I know when my wife dumplings are in my mouth."

"Excuse me." Both me and Nance smile.

"Oh god!" Zak realises what he said and we all have a chuckle. Zak places his hand on my thigh and we look at one another with loving smiles.

"What is the plan for work?" Nancy asks.

"Back to the museums for now, but there is a place I want to investigate soon." Zak says, continuing to stuff his face. As we are enjoying the meal there came a noise from the kitchen. All the dogs stand to attention. Growling.
Zak and I look at one another and I turn to the children.

"Hey guys. I have an idea, in the room, upstairs, there is some candy and chocolates. But their hidden. How about you and Nana see if you can find it." I smile. They beam a huge smile and we look at Nancy seriously. She takes them upstairs.

"Ghost go see." I say and she runs into the kitchen. But doesn't raise any alarms. Zak and I, with the rest of the pack go inside. And see it empty. Zak and I look at one another and around the kitchen. And there is nothing.

"What moved?" Zak asks. I look around. And find one of the plastic cups the children have been using for squash is on the floor. I bend down to pick it up when I turn around, it was like that scene from insidious when bam it's behind him. For a second. There is a man stood behind Zak and I jump out of my skin,throwing the cup in the direction of the apparition. Zak ducking just in time.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

"What did you see?"

"A...A man standing there." I say.

"Behind me?" Zak asks. I nod my head. "What did he look like?" Zak asks.

"I dunno, dark hair, moustache, and big glasses." I explain.

"What did you say?" Zak says. He then goes to into the front room to grab his phone. Scrolling through some photos, he stops at one and shows me.

"That's HIM! That's the man I saw!" I exclaim. I look more closely at the picture. "Wait! Is this you?" I ask pointing to the boy in the pink shorts. Zak nods his head.

"The man in the photo, that's my dad." Zak says. He lowers his phone and tears begin to dwell in his eyes, I step over to him and slide my hands under him. He throws his arms around me and rests his chin on the top of my head taking a deep breath.