Later that night Tessa, Tess, Monica, Andrew and Zoë made their way back home. Zoë was exhausted and had fallen asleep sometime earlier, she lye sleeping peacefully in her father's arms. Tessa, also quite tired but nowhere near exhaustion rested her head on her father's shoulder. Andrew was worried, but he did not want Zoë or Tessa to see that. He too had noticed that Zoë had had two to three near death experiences within the past three days. He wondered weather or not he should consider the house across the street being blown up a direct threat to Zoë, but in a way, wasn't it a threat to all of them? He contemplated talking to Monica about all of this. She was his wife; he had too, besides he was quite sure that she had already put this all together anyhow.

When they pulled up to their street the car stopped, Andrew leaned forward. A plethora of flashing lights lye before them. Caution tape and police cars blocked the street. Monica saw Gloria and Adam sitting in their car, and she got out and went to talk to them.

Tess went to go talk to one of the police officers to find out what had happened. Andrew stayed with the girls. Tessa opened her eyes. Andrew sincerely hoped that Zoë wouldn't, whatever this was; at least Tessa was old enough to understand it, most likely anyhow.

"Dad?" She yawned. "What's going on, where are we?"

"Well, we were going home, but the street is blocked off." Tessa looked from the street to Zoë and from Zoë to their Father.

"Oh, no, it couldn't be..."

"Tessa, please I know what you are thinking, I've been thinking it too. Please don't say anything, I don't want Zoë to have any idea of what is going on."

"I understand. You were trying to hide it from me when the thing with the play happened, weren't you?"

"Yes, yes we were."

"Dad."

"Yes."

"I'm scared."

....................................

"What's going on?" Monica asked as she climbed into the back of Adam and Gloria's car.

"A double homicide." Gloria said as she ate.

At that moment, Monica would have to have admitted that she was slightly jealous of her friend. After all she was really, really hungry.

"Do you want some?" Gloria asked handing her the box of crackers.

"Sure I'd love some, I'm famished." She admitted, only taking a few crackers. "So, how do you know that it's a double homicide, have they told you?"

"No," Adam said, "Um, I, I was there."

"Oh." Monica nodded. "Do you know when they will let us back in?"

"I talked to the police. They said they'd be finished around eleven or so. How's Zoe?"

"She broke her arm, she has a cast."

"Well, at least we can sign it later." This made Gloria and Monica laugh.

"That's true. How are you feeling Gloria?"

"Much better today. But still not good."

"Well, that's good. I'm starting to feel a bit awful myself, may I please have another cracker?"

"Sure," she said, handing her the box once again. "Adam, what time is it?"

"Ten twenty-six."

"Great, thirty-four minutes!"

"That is if they are done by that time, or if they let us in at all."

"Well, what if they don't?" His wife asked.

"Yeah, what will happen?" Their friend interjected. "None of us have had dinner yet. Tessa and I didn't even have lunch. Not even a little snack! I don't even know if Zoe or Andrew have eaten!"

"Going without dinner is pretty bad. I don't even need to eat and I don't like to miss dinner." Adam admitted.

"Adam, try missing dinner when you're pregnant."

"Yeah." Monica agreed.

.........................................

"Oy vey!" Tess sighed as she got back into the car.

"What?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah, what happened?" Tessa interjected.

"Well, there was a double homicide. The police aren't going to let us back into the house until eleven or so, if they let us in at all"

"What are we going to do if they won't let us in?"

"Well Cherub," Tess began to answser Tessa's question, "if they don't we'll have to go to a hotel. But I think that they will."

"Good." Andrew sighed.

..............................................

When they finally got back into the house they were thankful that Zoe was still asleep. The first thing that Andrew did was put Zoe to bed. They weren't going to tell her about any of this if they could help it. Meanwhile, Tess went to make a late dinner. Gloria sat down and decided that she had enough time to read War and Peace before dinner. Adam and Tessa sat with her watching her in amazement, after all she could read at the speed of light! Monica went upstairs with Andrew to tuck Zoe in.

"Andrew," Monica said as she closed the door. "We need to talk."

"I was just about to say the same thing."

"Well remember when I told you I was pregnant, I said I could feel there was something wrong, and I thought that it had to do with Zoe's nightmares. And then after that all this stuff started happening to her..."

"Monica, don't say anymore. I get what you are trying to say and, well you know how I feel. Tonight might not have had anything to do with us, but it still could count. What can we do? What are we supposed to do now?" Both of them glanced heavenward. They looked at each other, got on their knees and prayed together.

The next morning was a freezing cold, snowy morning. Monica and Andrew awoke to a knock on their door. Tessa came in and sat in the edge of their bed.

"We need to talk." She told them.

"Is this about what I think it's about?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah. Listen, um haven't you noticed that it seems that someone might be, that Zoe...."

"Shu!! Don't say it! We know, we know!" Monica told her. "We are just trying to figure out what we should do. I think that we should watch her closely, even closer than we have been and try to give it a few more days before we leave."

"Ok. To be honest, I am scared for all of us now. Which house was..."

"Ask Adam, he was the Angel of Death there last night."

"That makes sense." Tessa said as she turned to leave.

"Wait." Monica stopped her. "How is Zoe?"

"Well. It's a blessing that it is her left arm and not her right. But she was kind of uncomfortable last night, tossing and turning in her sleep. She didn't wake up though. As of now she's still asleep."