AN: Just a new one I'm starting. Not sure about it, so tell me what you think (:

Mollie had been thrown carelessly into the cupboard when the banging on the door had started. She had managed to crawl to the back, hiding behind a pile of discarded coats. Now her unusual purple eyes were staring at the door, her ears straining for a noise, for something. Before there had been screaming. Shouting. Banging. But now everything was silent and she didn't like it but she couldn't leave. Not until Joe came back. That's what he had told her and then she had been shoved into the dark place. The words had been stammered quickly and desperately but she had understood. She always understood Joe. But now Joe had gone, disappeared. He would have come for her, should have, to tell her it was okay and give her a hug. This silence she was now faced with hung over her like a dark cloud, imposing and threatening her every move. She shuffled forward, her heart beating loudly in her chest, so hard she fretted if might leap out and splatter on the ground in front of her. But it didn't and carefully she pressed her ear against the hard wood, listening intently for any kind of sound.

'You found her yet?' A voice sounded from just behind the door.

She flinched back, her eyes wide and confused. That wasn't Joe. Where was he? Why had he left her all alone? He had promised he never would. Promised she would be safe. She pressed back against the wall of the cupboard, her palms flat against the wood as if trying to push her way out. The wall quivered and plaster dropped down into her hair but it stopped as soon as it started and everything fell silent again. She waited with baited breath, as if it was a game of hide and seek.

'Check the cupboard.' The same voice said and then there were footsteps. Heavy, threatening footsteps, heading straight for Mollie's hiding place.

The door swung open, casting a bright light into the dingy cupboard and blinding the girl. A tall silhouette loomed over her and she whimpered, hiding her face in her knees; opting for the 'if I can't see you, you can't see me', effect. It wasn't Joe. Her own brother would have taken her in his arms and comforted her. He wouldn't do this to her, scare her. But the stranger didn't appear to be doing anything; he just stayed there, peering in at her. She opened one eye and looked up at him before gasping and ducking away again.

'Hey there, little girl,' he said, his voice different from the one earlier. 'C'mon out, we won't hurt you, we have cookies and sweets and puppies and rainbows.'

'Shut up, Wade, you're scaring her.' A new voice snapped and Mollie curled up tightly.

'No I'm not, see it's fine! It's you that's scaring it, with your stupid hat.' The man called Wade replied and he crawled further into the cupboard. 'I don't know why you're making me go near it.'

'She's not an it.'

Wade ignored his teammate and grinned widely at Mollie. She looked at him and he looked at her. A walky talky on his belt crackled to life and they both jumped.

You got her?

'Aye, aye, captain.' Wade responded cheerfully and reached for Mollie.

He didn't get within an inch of the girl before he was knocked off his feet and thrown into the far wall. His back cracked as it hit a couple of photographs and he dropped to the floor, staring into the cupboard, his jaw hanging open. The owner of the unseen voice gazed at her with obvious disbelief before he glanced over his shoulder and smirked at Wade.

'Guess the first time you get rejected by a girl always hits home the hardest.' He chuckled, his brown eyes sparkling. He turned back to Mollie who had started to shake. 'It's okay, honey, ignore him,' he smiled and held out his hand. 'C'mon, we're not gonna' hurt you.' He winced at his words but the lie went undetected and she shuffled forwards cautiously.

'Where's Joe?' She whispered once they were out of the cupboard.

John glanced at Wade who shrugged his shoulders, discreetly wiping the blood from his blade. 'Joe's…not here right now,' John told her. 'We're taking care of you until he gets back.' Mollie seemed to accept this and slipped her hand into John's, he stiffened but the girl didn't notice. She needed to feel safe, she needed Joe but Joe had gone and immediately all her trust was transferred to this man.

Outside a truck was waiting and John lifted the girl inside it. She sat still as he strapped her into the seat. He was amazed by how cooperative she was, how quiet. He wondered if she knew just how powerful she was and what she could to them within the blink of an eye. It just made him feel guiltier about where they were taking her and what would happen. She was young, younger than any of the others by far but Stryker had been adamant about capturing her, and he hadn't told them the full extent of her power but it was pretty obvious. John closed the door with a click and then hopped into the driver's seat beside Wade.

'Shouldn't we, yknow,' Wade mimed shooting a gun. 'She might turn demon child on us.'

'Wade, she's eight.' John rolled his eyes, turning the truck round a sharp corner and stepping on the gas. The vehicle shot forwards onto the highway.

'So? She attacked me! I'll do it if you're too scared.'

John glanced in the rearview mirror. 'She's asleep now. Just leave her.' He said. He was never one to encourage violence, especially on an eight-year-old girl.

Norah had managed to get an earlier shift at work so she would be back in time to make Mollie's birthday cake. The wind buffeted her as she fiddled with keys, finally she got the right one in the lock and the door swung open. The woman threw the keys into a bowl on the table and hung her coat up. Shaking her dyed brown hair from its bun she walked into the kitchen, slamming the cupboard door on the way.

'Mollie?' She called, dumping her shopping on the kitchen table. 'Joe? C'mon guys, we're meant to be making a cake.' She rolled her eyes and stood at the bottom of the stairs. 'If you don't come down now I won't let you lick the bowl out.' She called, smiling to herself. A flutter of panic settled in her chest when all she heard was silence but she shoved it aside and with a determined frown, bounded up the stairs.

All of the doors were closed, Mollie's bright pink one that Joe had painted stood out like a sore thumb. Cautiously, Norah approached it and gently turned the doorknob, letting it swing open on it's open. The room was empty. A breath she hadn't realised she had been holding was let loose and she turned to go back downstairs when something caught her eye. The wardrobe door was open a crack and Norah smiled; they were hiding from her. She stood in the middle of the room and turned around dramatically.

'I wonder where Joe and Mollie are.' She said loudly, listening intently for a muffled giggle. 'Maybe, they're under the bed,' she said but instead of going to the bed she tiptoed over to the wardrobe and without hesitation, flung the doors open. 'Found you!' She cried. But what she expected and what she found were two very different stories. For a blood covered body fell from where it had been leaning on the door and landed on top of her.

Norah screamed. She screamed and screamed and screamed. She screamed until her throat was sore and all that came out was a hoarse choking sound. She scrambled from the room, shaking and whimpering.

'Joe.' She muttered to herself. 'Joe's dead.' She dived for the phone frantically, dialing the emergency services with shaky fingers.

'Hello, please state your emergency.' The woman answered.

'He's dead…please,' Norah sobbed. 'My boyfriend – he's been killed.'

'Madam, please calm down,' the operator said calmly. 'Where are you now?'

Norah ran her hand through her hair, her eyes darting around wildly. 'Home, I'm at home, please, he's dead.'

'Madam, I need to know your address. Where do you live?' Norah stammered her address out, sinking to the carpet in a fit of sobs. 'You need to calm down,' the operator continued. 'Is there anyone else with you?'

Her eyes flew open. 'Mollie.' She breathed.

'Excuse me?'

'Mollie! A little girl, sh-she's eight. She's gone. Oh my God.' Norah moaned frantically.

'Madam, stay where you are. The police and ambulance services are on their way.'

Norah stayed on the phone until they got there and then she was taken to the police car by two detectives. The house was roped off as a crime scene and Joe's body wheeled away. Norah sat in the back of the car, watching the lights flash by as they drove to the station. Her fingernails had been bitten down to the stubs and her leg jittered up and down nervously. At the station they gave her a cup of coffee before she was directed into a questioning room.

'Why do you need to question me?' She had cried. 'You should be out looking for her! She's a little girl for Christ's sake.'

Detective Davids, a tall somber man with a hairless face had told her to calm down and they were doing everything they could. His partner, Hamilton, was younger and straighter to the point. They sat across the table from her, scrutinizing her with their emotionless faces.

'Right,' Hamilton began. 'How did you find your Mr Nash?'

Norah swallowed, tears brimming her grey eyes. 'He was in – in the wardrobe, in Mollie's room. I thought they were playing but he was…dead.'

'Do you know anyone who would want Mr Nash dead, Norah?' His dark eyes were cold, deadly serious, Norah found it hard to look at them.

'Of course not.' She choked back a sob. 'He was a lovely man, friends with everyone.' It was obvious she was finding it hard to hold herself together. Hamilton had seen it happen many a time. Witnesses breaking down before his eyes.

The young man cleared his throat. 'Norah, is there any reason Mollie would run away from home?'

Norah stared at him and her lips parted. 'What are you saying?' She whispered.

'We need to know everything about her, Miss Hadfield, please, I'm not insinuating anything at this present time.'

'No, Mollie was happy, she was, I swear.' Norah sniffed. 'It was her birthday. We were going to make a cake…' Her voice trailed off.

Hamilton nodded and folded his papers up. 'You can go now, Miss Hadfield, we'll arrange for you to be dropped off at home. Will you be available for questioning tomorrow?'

Norah nodded, wiping her nose with a tissue. 'Yes, please, just find her.'

'We'll get your little girl back, miss.' Davids said and smiled thinly.