Story Title: Hush

Author: Kat

Rating: R for physical and psychological torture.

Distribution: Ask first.

Disclaimer: This is a response to the Hidden Child Challenge by gidgetgirl, which is posted at CCS. Joss owns the canon. Only Molly is mine.

Author's Notes: My muse is on crack and wanted me to do this even though I'm working on the updates for my works in progress. So, I had to at least give it a try.

Written somewhat in Molly's point of view. In this version, Angel tortured Jenny and then killed her. Molly is five.

Summary: Jenny's daughter witnesses her death.

It's hard to see the pain behind the mask,
Bearing the burden of a secret storm,
Sometimes she wishes she was never born

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird." The little girl sang softly, her voice flooding into the unbearably silent room. She stopped briefly, her eyes cautiously moving to where her mother's mutilated body lay. "If that mockingbird won't sing, Mama's-"

"Molly, baby, we're going to play hide and seek, okay?" Jenny whispered as she rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

He was coming.

Molly nodded, her dark brown eyes wide. Something was wrong. "Okay, Mommy. You're it."

Jenny smiled, her eyes warily darting back to the doorway. "Okay, good girl. It's going to be just like always." She said, her voice trembling slightly. "You make yourself disappear but this time, no matter what happens, you can't come out. Molly, do you understand?"

And she didn't come out. Not even when the monster made Mommy scream.

Molly rocked harder, her voice rising until she was yelling the song and tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Hush. Hush. Hush." She chanted, bringing her bloodstained hands over her ears, trying to drown out her mother's anguished cries.

Make it stop! Make it stop!

"And if that mockingbird won't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if-"

The smell of Mommy's burnt skin invaded Molly's nostrils and the bad man laughed louder and louder.

"Come on, Jenny, play along." He taunted, pressing her hand harder on the burner. "I want to hear you scream. I've never done a teacher before, you know."

Why was Mommy crying if it was just a game?

Molly shut her eyes tightly, afraid that if she opened them, the monster's face would appear in front of her.

The carving knife glinted in the darkness and Molly looked at Mommy. You weren't supposed to play with sharp objects.

"Mommy." Molly called like she often did when she had nightmares and she wanted Jenny to sing her to sleep. "Mommy."

This time, Jenny didn't answer.

Mommy's shirt was torn. The monster had cut it into pieces. "What does one vampire plus one teacher equal to, Miss Calendar?" He asked.

Molly knew the answer. Two. And two more red lines appeared on Mommy's back.

"Mommy." Molly called one last time, hoping that this time Mommy would open her eyes and hold her and sing to her and tell her stories about the gypsies. Still, there was no answer.

With her bottom lip trembling and her breath coming out in small pants, she forced her eyes open. There was no monster. He had not come back but Mommy was still not moving.

Molly whimpered softly, edging closer to Jenny's body. "Come back. Come back, Mommy." She whispered tearfully, wrapping her small arms around Jenny's neck. Blood had pooled around her and now, it stained Molly's favorite nightgown. "I promise I won't show myself anymore, Mommy. Please, please, come back."

Golden monster eyes darted across the room as Angelus tried to see her. "Come out, come out wherever you are." He called in a sing songy voice.

But Molly was right there, hudled in a corner, watching him. He could not see her because no one could. Not when she was playing hide and seek.

She was never seen. Never there.

Angelus sneered. "If you come out, I promise not to hurt you." He called as he circled Jenny. When Molly didn't come out, Angelus became impatient.

Why couldn't he detect the child? Why couldn't he hear breathing? The heartbeat?

"Don't. Oh, God, don't." Jenny begged, on the point of breaking. Her gaze met her daughter's and she silently pleaded Molly not to listen.

"God's not here to save you." He whispered. "Little girl? Or are you a boy? Well, doesn't really matter. We're going to play. I like children. I promise I won't hurt you." He said as he brought the knife to his mouth and slid it over his tongue. "I promise...to let your Mommy go if you show yourself."

She showed herself and now her Mommy was gone.

"He promised. He promised to let you go if I showed him the trick." Molly sobbed harder as she lowered herself next to Jenny. Molly held on to Jenny tightly, pressing her face against her mother's side. "If I sang you our song, will you come back now?" She asked in between hiccuping cries. "Hush little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna..."

Author's Notes: Molly obviously she has a gift. And it's linked to Angel and the curse, etc. It will all be explained if I continue.

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