Sorry for the delay but the past couple of weeks have been a bear. Life just won't play fair. Its ironic that I'm writing a story about a father dealing with losing hi family when my best friend is dealing with losing her father, a man I grew up with. THanksgiving kinda sucked because I saw him for what may be the last time. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to cherish your love ones.

Okay enough of that...back to the story. I hope you are all still with me. I had to rewrite chapter nine so this chapter would make sense. Please let me know what you all think. THe reviews and feedback will help brighten my mood. Thanks for all you still hanging in there. I am working on the next chapter can't say when it will be posted but I will try to get up soon.

Chapter Ten

Phillip came home in a good mood. He was coming home to his family and they were all safe and healthy. Thinking about the things he and his son use to do together he was looking forward to doing those things again with him. Starting small, he would ask his son to help him bring in the groceries. Knowing that this would be the first time he had been outside the house since he came home he thought it would be a good test of how integrated he was with his family.

He walked in the house and saw his son playing cards with his grandfather. "Son, I need you to help me bring the bags in the house."

"Yes father." Automatically Phillip Jr. put his cards down and went to help his father without much thought. He stopped after taking only a few steps realizing what he was asked to do. "You want me to go… outside… with you?" There was genuine fear on his face.

Hearing his question got the attention of the others in the room. Emily and Harry both looked on at the interaction with a great deal of interest. She wondered what he had done to get father to allow him to go outside and what she would have to do to get him to allow her to go outside.

Answering his question in as casual a manner as he could, he simply stated, "Yes son, I need your help to bring in the groceries from the car."

"Is it safe to go outside?"

"As long as you are with me you will be safe," he said a little louder than was necessary so the rest of the family was sure to hear him.

Phillip Jr. just stood there unsure what to do.

Emily decided to take advantage of the opportunity to try to go outside. Emily had been mindlessly flipping through the magazines that were on the coffee table in the great room after the movie was over when she heard the two men talking in the entryway. She had been thinking about what Harry had said earlier about father sending her away if she was not better. But she was feeling better now and thought maybe this could be a way she could prove it to him. This could also be a way to look for her blonde angel.

She walked over to where Phillip Jr. was standing. "Father, maybe if I go with Phillip and help bring in the groceries we will be even safer with you. It may make Phillip feel more comfortable," Emily happily offered.

Phillip wasn't sure how to take her offer to help. This was a sudden turn around… a little too sudden. He needed more observation to make sure she was truly better.

Phillip had a full smile across his face watching his daughter behave like she always has. "Thank you Claire. But I would like your brother to help bring the groceries in. You and your brother can put them away in the kitchen." By his tone of voice and serious look on his face, she knew that any more protest would make him angry.

Phillip went over to his son and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder purposefully guiding him to the front door and out to the car as Emily stood in the entryway watching. The young man stiffly walked with his father outside. Because he had not been outside in a long time the bright sun hurt his eyes. He squinted as he used his hand to shield his eyes.

"Come on son and help me bring these bags in the house," Phillip said gesturing toward the car that was parked in the drive that was in the front of the stairs leading to the front door.

Phillip Jr. quickly went down the stairs to the car anxiously looking around him not sure what to expect. He had a fear that danger could jump out him at any moment. He tried to load up as many bags as his arms could hold so he could quickly go back in the house.

Sensing the boy's discomfort he tried to engage him in casual conversation as they unloaded the car. Phillip inquired, "What did you and the family do while I was gone?"

Nervously he replied, "Tammy and Bea made brownies and everyone watched movies. Claire even came out of her room and watched the movie with us."

He smiled at him while he helped him load his arms with the groceries. "That's great son."

"Father, what are we going to do today? It doesn't seem so bad to be outside. There doesn't seem to be any dangers around the house. Maybe it would be safe if we went outside together. Maybe someday we could go to other places once we get used to being safe outside here. I know you say that you want us to stay close to home to be safe but will there be a time when we can leave?"

Phillip was unsure how to take his son's questions about leaving the house. He did not talk about leaving the family which made him feel confident that he was loyal to the family. "I know it seems at time that staying home is boring but I need to make sure you are all healthy and safe. And the only way I can do that is to keep you all close to me away from the dangers of the outside world."

"Grandpa, Uncle Harry and Claire had to leave for a while, was that because they were sick? Now that they are back, that means that they are all better now. Right?" Phillip Jr. looked at his father as he balanced the bags in his arms.

"Yes son, I believe they are all better now."

"Will that mean that everyone will be able to go out into the world together and stay safe?" he questioned as he shifted the bags angling for a better grip.

"That is the hope son. That is the hope. Let's get these bags in the house. I want to try your sisters' brownies, that is if you saved me any," the man said with a soft chuckle.

Phillip Jr. followed his father into the house where Emily stood impatiently waiting in the entryway more to find out what it was like outside than wanting to help with the groceries. Taking the bags from Phillip's arms she followed Phillip Jr. into the kitchen they heard Phillip say to their backs, "Put the barbeque in the oven and we will eat soon."

After his two older children disappeared into the kitchen he turned to his two youngest daughters and said with a smile, "Your brother said you made some brownies with your mother. Are they for dessert or to enjoy right now?"

Bea smiled at her father and quietly said, "Mother said to wait until after we eat dinner but I guess you can have one if you want."

Cupping her cheek he smiled. "I think your mother is right. We should enjoy them after dinner."

While in the kitchen, Emily took the opportunity to talk to the young man who was supposedly her brother. "Phillip…wait you go by the name of PJ. Right?"

He just stared at her as if he didn't understand the question.

Not getting a response she continued on with what she was saying. "How was it outside? Was it dangerous like father said it was?"

"It was scary but I felt safe with father."

"What did you see outside? Do you think that father will allow us to go outside of the house?"

"I don't know. I asked him but he wants to protect from the dangers of the world. He didn't say yes," he answered as he put the groceries away.

"But he didn't say no either." As she was putting away the can goods she asked him with her back to him, "Is there anybody that you would like to see?"

Quickly putting away the groceries in his hands he turned to face her as he quietly whispered, "You shouldn't talk about stuff like that. Father would be very angry."

"I don't understand why it's wrong to go outside the house and talk to other people," she said as she turned and moved closer to the scared man.

"Father is trying to keep us safe." He looked at her conspiratorially. "Father just told me that now that grandpa, Uncle Harry and you are better, he can consider thinking about allowing the family to go outside. But you shouldn't talk about it or he may change his mind."

Emily stood up straight as she looked at him and nodded her head. She felt a glimmer of hope that she could find her blonde angel. If father allowed them to leave she could find her and bring her back to the family so she could be with her forever.

As they were standing looking at each other they didn't notice the man that walked into the kitchen watching them.

"What are you two talking about?" Phillip asked with concern.

They both turned in surprise toward the voice. Phillip Jr. tried not to show his fear behind his surprise. He was lucky he had just picked up a box of gingersnap cookies. "I know mother said we were going to have the brownies for dessert but I couldn't resist the gingersnaps."

"PJ was trying to talk me into having some with him. Sorry father," Emily said in a pitiful voice continuing the story that he started in hopes that father would not be angry with them.

He looked at his son and daughter for a few moments with a stern expression on his face making them both nervous. He was trying to decide if what they were saying was the truth but the looks on their faces was just like when he would catch conspiring to do something they shouldn't do that he burst out in a jolly laugh feeling better that he had his children back.

"I should have known not to let you two work together to put the groceries away. Your brother is always trying to get you to go along with his schemes." He walked over to his son and put out his hand for the box of cookies. Once it was placed in his hand he opened the box and offered them both a cookie, and said with a wink, "Don't tell your mother or your sisters. Or there will be hell to pay."

All three laughed as they enjoyed their cookie. Phillip Jr. and Emily sighed quietly in relief that he had not heard them talking.

Handing the box of cookies back to Emily he directed, "Put these away with the rest of the groceries." He then walked out of the room with a big smile on his face.

"That was close. You need to be more careful," Phillip Jr. said in a serious whisper to his sister.

"I'm sorry PJ. I didn't mean to cause any trouble and risk father sending me away or anyone else. I just would really like to go outside." She looked at him fondly and gave him a smile. "Do you want another cookie before I put them away?"

He shook his head and gave her a small nervous smile before returning to the task of putting the groceries away.

Phillip walked into the great room happy that he had his family back. They were beginning to act as they once had. Claire even seemed better. He was glad that he would not have to send her away as he first had feared. Making sure that his family understood how unsafe and dangerous the outside world was for the family was his main priority. With the questions that his son asked and Claire being so anxious to go outside to help with the groceries he had to think of a way to make sure they understood the risks.

While the family was busy occupying themselves before dinner, he went into the basement where he had his recording equipment set up. He would make everyone a CD explaining how unsafe it was outside and that they needed to trust him to make sure they stayed safe. They would listen to it tonight before they went to bed.

(AfterfinishingtheCDshespottedhorseshoeandvolleyballequipmentstoredinthecornerofthebasement.Maybeifallgoeswelltonightandtomorrowtheycouldgooutsideinthebackyardandplaygamesandhaveapicnic.)

That night after dinner the family played several games together. Phillip was overjoyed that he had his family was together and were getting along so well. All of his plans were paying off. After what had happened to his family he would do anything to make sure that they stayed as happy and safe as they were right now.

After they had finished playing the group game he watched as his family split into smaller groups. His younger girls were looking at fashion magazines with their mother, Harry was playing cards with their father and Claire and Phillip Jr. were playing a game of checkers. After feeling comfortable about they were all talking about he went over and joined his father and brother in their card game.

When Phillip joined the two older men, Emily leaned in closer to her brother and quietly whispered, "Do you think he will let us go outside tomorrow?"

Phillip Jr. looked cautiously over to where the male elders were playing card and seeing that they were involved in their game and conversation he responded to his sister. "He looks like he is in a good mood and we have not done anything to upset him, so it could happen."

"Where do you think he will let us go? I think he still thinks it's not safe for us so we probably may just get to go outside," Emily proposed.

"I'm not sure what is so unsafe outside but father is always making sure that we are safe. I have trouble remembering what is outside. It was very bright outside when I helped father with the groceries. I just see what it's like from the movies we watch," Phillip Jr. said as he moved a red checker piece.

As Emily jumped his checker piece, she casually said, "I think I use to live somewhere else before I came home."

"I wish I could remember living somewhere else. I hope that I…we probably shouldn't be talking about this stuff. Do you know how to play chess? I think I know how to play." Phillip was fingering a checker piece as he looked off into space.

As she looked at him she got a flash of a memory playing chess with another young male that she assumed she was friends with. She remembered his smile when he beat her at the game. In the same memory there was also the vision of her blonde angel smiling at both of them as they played the game. But before she could get too deep in the memory the voice of her father interrupted her thoughts.

"Would you look at the time everyone, it's getting late and we all need our sleep. I made CDs for everyone to listen tonight before you go to sleep. Oh and remember to take your vitamins because I don't want any of you getting sick. I have plans for us all tomorrow." Phillip made sure that he had everyone's attention as he spoke. They were all conditioned to follow his instructions.

"What are we going to do tomorrow father?" Bea asked.

"It's a surprise pumpkin. Go get ready for bed and you'll find out in the morning," he responded. "Now here are your vitamins." He handed each member of his family a small white pill ensuring they each swallowed it. After they took the pill he handed them their CD and wished them a good night before sending them to bed.

Before Emily left for her room she turned to face Phillip looking at the CD in her hand. "What kind of vitamin did we take? I didn't recognize it. What's on the CD?"

Walking over to her he lightly cupped her cheek and gave her a fatherly smile. "It's just a multivitamin. The CD is just something to help everyone relax. That answer your questions sweetheart?"

She looked at him for several long moments not sure if it answered her questions but she wasn't sure what would really answer her questions. She wanted to ask him if she could find Jennifer but she didn't want to anger him and cause him to send her away. She decided that she would wait and hold onto the image of her blonde angel as she went to sleep.

"Yes father," she simply replied and turned to go to her bedroom.

Phillip went through the house making sure everything was locked up and secure. He then went to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of the twenty year old scotch that he was given when he became head of his department. He sat in the large wingback chair that faced the fireplace as he swirled the amber liquid in the glass watching the fire reflect against the liquid and glass. He normally wouldn't drink but he felt that he had much to celebrate. As he sipped his drink a big smile appeared on his face as he thought about having his family back all together.

Imagining all the plans he had for his family now that he had them back he was caught off guard by an insidious thought that crept into his mind of seven coffins lined up ready to be buried deep into the earth. He remembered wanting to fall into the plot that his darling Sally was to be placed in. The thought of not having her and the rest of his family had killed him all because he was so dedicated to his job and had to fly back early from the family vacation. Taking a hearty swig of his drink he vowed that he would do anything to never let anything come before his family again or harm them. As the dark thoughts intermingled with the thoughts of his current family he finished the rest of his scotch in his glass and poured another four fingers of the liquor.

He slightly swayed as he went down the hall to check on his family to make sure that they were listening to the CD. He was happy to see that they were sleep as the CD played on. The pill that they had taken was a light sedative combined with another drug that would have them all soundly sleeping making them more malleable to his message as they reached a deep REM state.

When he reached Emily's room she was asleep but it was evident that she had been thrashing around and somehow knocked the headphones off. He walked in a replaced the headphones so she could listen to the remainder of the CD. He pulled the blankets up over her before he left the room.

After a few minutes, Emily begin to move around again swiping her arm over her head removing the annoying pressure from her head as she kicked the blankets off her legs. The only thing her subconscious remembered was, "…people are dangerous, especially the ones you don't know. You have to trust the family to protect you. You can't…"

Once the noise in her ears had stopped, Emily begin to dream about a beautiful smile on her angelic blonde. The smile was just for her and she felt safe in its radiance. A few seconds later the dream morphed into the blonde being attacked by a faceless demon with a gun pointed at the head of Jennifer and she could get to her in time to protect her. Then father was there and was able to save her before the demon was able to fire the gun.