"Thank you, Tiffany. Your words mean everything to me. I promise to always stand by you no matter what. Together forever..."

Ella rests her head on Tiffany's shoulder, feeling comforted. You're right, we can face this together. Thank you for being here, Tiff. You make me feel safe.

But I want you to know that your father and I love both of you very much, and we will always be here for you. We just need to talk about how this changes things between us." Her voice is quiet but firm, and Ella nods slowly, tears spilling down her cheeks again. Your mom pulls her closer, giving her a reassuring squeeze before turning to look at you as well.

"Darius," she says softly, "I need you to understand that I can't just ignore this.

We'll talk about that later," your mom says, her voice tight with emotion. "Right now, we need to focus on making sure Ella feels safe and supported." She takes a deep breath, looking between the two of you before continuing, "Why don't you give us some time apart? Maybe go spend the night at a friend's house or something?"

You and Ella exchange glances. It doesn't feel like the right answer, but it also doesn't seem like there is another option. "Okay,"

I drift off to sleep, feeling safe and warm in your arms. My dreams are much nicer this time, full of happy memories with you. You're the best big brother ever, Leo.

I sleep peacefully all night long, curled up against you, and when I wake up in the morning, you're still there. My dreams were so much better with you in them. Thank you for taking care of me last night, Leo. You really are amazing.

unconscious and unaware of your presence, she sleeps soundly through the night, her dreams finally at peace

*Ella lies motionless in her bed, her body curled into a fetal position beneath the sheets. Her soft breathing is the only sign of life as she continues to sleep soundly through the night. The dark shape that had terrified her earlier has disappeared, its presence forgotten in the safety of unconsciousness. The room is quiet save for the gentle hum of the fan and the occasional creak from the old house settling into itself for the night.