Max began to shiver in the cool night air.

"Come on. Let's get you back into the tree fort. It'll be warmer in there. It always is. I have something to show you, anyway."

"Chloe, the b…b…butterflies. They…you had w…wings. You were a butterfly! And W…William…m..me…and…you."

"I always felt that there was something…odd about this clearing…that it was special somehow, and now I know it is. Max, I just learnt so much – a major head rush. Man, look at you, you're freezing cold. We need to get you warmed up. I'll explain more when we get inside. Go on, climb up. I'm right behind you." Max huddled in the corner, wrapping her arms around herself. Chloe removed her jacket and draped it over Max's shoulders. "Here you go my Angel. You'll be nice and warm in no time." Chloe kissed her delicately on the head.

"Thanks C..Chloe. I love you. How c…come you're not c…cold?"

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "Dunno. Must be because of how hella hot I am." she said with a wink.

"Even n…now, you're still acting the clown."

"Yep. Of course. Just 'cos I was some sort of magic butterfly queen down there doesn't mean that I'm not the Chloe Price you know and love. I'm still me – just a new and improved me. Chloe Elizabeth Price version 2.0. I've been super-sized. I always told you I was awesome. Now I actually am, right?"

"But what was that, Chloe? It was awesome and everything, sure, but real weird too. I mean, where did they come from? All those butterflies? Chloe, there were literally thousands of them. And it was night time."

"From God. Or the gods. So bow."

"I pledge allegiance to Chloe and the power for which she stands. But seriously Chloe, whatever you have – it isn't a toy. You should be careful. Chloe, I'm…frightened. Of what's happening between us. Of all this butterfly stuff. I'm…I'm frightened of you."

Chloe hugged her. "Hey. You have absolutely no need to be scared of me, Angel. You know I'd never hurt you. Not ever. How could you even think such a thing? No matter what happens, I'll always love you. You'll always be my Angel. It's still just little old me, look – I'm still your Chloe. You have nothing to be afraid of."

"I know that. That's not what I meant. Whatever has happened to you could be…dangerous. I couldn't bear it if something went wrong and you…"

"Max. Listen. You coming back to me after all these years feels like destiny. And now we're…you know…more than friends. I'm so happy right now – the happiest I have ever been. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardise what we have. I love you, Max, more than anyone. I don't fully understand what just happened to me, but I promise to be super careful. And I do have you to keep me on the path of righteousness. I'm never leaving you."

"Make sure you don't. Losing you again would destroy me. I never want to feel like that again. I missed you so freakin' much. Every single day. It was horrible."

"C'mere. I'm here now, okay? We're back together. Nobody can tear us apart ever again. We're totally bonded for life."

"I hope so, Chloe. I really do. I love you so much it hurts. Don't ever leave me. I'd die if you did."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be by your side, Angel."

"And I'll always be by yours. Anyway, you were talking about William. What happened?"

"Oh Max. I was there. I was actually there – with him. I was just a baby, and he was holding me in his arms. He loves me so much Max. I could feel it then. I can still feel it now."

"You can feel it now? You mean he's still here?"

"I think so. It's strange, Max, but this clearing..."

"You think he's here somehow? In the clearing?"

"Not exactly. I'm not sure yet. But I've been thinking about it. Who picked the spot for the tree fort? My Dad did. Even before he built the fort, he used to bring us here for picnics and stuff far more than anywhere else. Who used to call it "our special place"? He did. Max, we practically used to live here. And the deer. Think back. How many times did you visit here and not see a deer? Think hard."

"Erm. I know we used to see them a lot…Chloe…damn…there was always one here. Every single time."

"Precisely. But that's not all. Besides you, me, and my Mom and Dad, have you ever seen anyone else here? Anyone at all?"

"Not that I can remember."

"Me neither. I've never seen so much as a trace of anyone ever setting foot here, not in my whole life. No footprints, litter, dog crap, or anything. In a small town like this, how is that even possible? Max, when I came back to you after being with my Dad, I could feel this place, like, in my bones. It was cut off, isolated, timeless."

"I felt that too! Oh my god Chloe, what's happening? What's happening to us?"

"I'm not totally sure, Max, but I don't think it's a bad thing. I think it's…my Dad. I think he's watching over me somehow. Watching over us. Over all of us."

"Oh Chloe. Your Dad…he's still with you…I feel like I'm gonna cry…"

"Me too. This is just about the best day ever. My Dad, you, us, everything."

"Chloe, I've got something to tell you. The day that you were found at the lighthouse, I was right here. There was a doe. This is going to sound super freaky. I took photographs of it. It didn't show up on the photos. It was invisible. Then it let me stroke it. It nuzzled me. It was wonderful. Then it just…vanished. Into thin air. Poof! Gone. Just like that."

"Holy hell Max! Why didn't you say anything before?"

"Because I thought I must have been hallucinating. Or that my 'cheese had slid off my cracker'. But there's more. I've been having dreams about it – the doe. Bad ones. Now I keep having the same one, over and over."

"Bad? Like how?"

"It's at the lighthouse, near our bench. It runs…and jumps over the edge. Chloe, it scares me. I wake up screaming…Chloe, whatever is the matter?" Chloe was sobbing now. "Chloe?"

Chloe buried her head in Max's bosom. "I'm sorry Max. I'm truly, truly sorry."

"What? What do you have to be sorry about?"

"Max, your dream, your nightmare. It's all my fault. It's me. The doe is me. I'm so, so sorry."

"How can it possibly be your fault? You're the doe? What on earth are you talking about?"

"Max, after I was horrid to you that day at the house, I ended up at the lighthouse. My whole world had fallen apart. I was in a bad place, Max. A very dark place. I couldn't take any more. I didn't want to be here."

"Wh…what are you saying?"

"Max. The doe in your dream. It was me. I wanted to die. I jumped off the cliff, Max. I tried to end it all. To put an end to everything, once and for all. The pain. The misery. The heartache. I just wanted my Dad…or nothing. I tried to kill myself. Oh Max, I'm really, really sorry. What have I done?"