Adeline fell back against her bedroom door, exhaling heavily with eyes closed. Home, finally. This however, did little to ease the dread she felt. She knew that she couldn't avoid Credence forever, cursing herself for the lack of her ability to hide her expressions. He'd known immediately that she knew, and now here she was, stuck in quite possibly the worst dilemma she could think of.

She picked up a silver comb from her dresser and pulled it through her hair a bit rougher than needed, curls fluffing out. Eventually with some hapless hope, Credence would forget about her ever having seen what she did.

She laughed.

Knock. Knock.

She looked at her door cautiously, Mr. Nickels not waiting for an answer before he was pushing the door open.

"Nickels,"

Her stomach turned. "Yes, daddy?"

He leaned against the doorframe, standing with a hand on his hip and the other stroking his beard slowly. "That Credence boy seemed in a mighty hurry to catch you alone earlier."

She looked away, back into the mirror, brushing her long hair over her shoulder so that he wouldn't be able to see the ashamed blush creeping into her cheeks. She knew what she was being accused of.

"Oh, Daddy, don't be so silly" She tried to say as casually as she could, looking at him with upturned eyebrows, heart thudding, trying hard to still be his little girl. But she had grown up a long time ago.

"No, I'm not being silly in the slightest. I got my eye on you, understand? Ain't nothin' funny goin' on."

"Daddy, the Credence boy...He's kind is all," She could hear the pleading in her own voice, though she didn't sense any trouble. And she knew trouble. "I didn't do nothin', I promise. I...I think he wanted to help with the laundry is all. He's the thoughtful type is all, I can tell."

He studied her carefully before sighing, dropping his head in seeming defeat. "I want to trust you, Adeline, I do."

"Then trust me daddy," She couldn't stop herself from giving a little stomp of her foot for emphasis. "I'm not like Mother, Daddy, I'm not. Have I ever been?"

He inhaled deeply, seeming to take consideration. Finally he dipped his head to leave, hands on his hips.

"I just want to keep it that way, Adeline. You're all I got." He said quietly as he walked away, leaving Adeline to look back into her mirror sadly, tears stinging her eyes.

When she picked her comb back up, her hands shook slightly. He meant well. But how long had it been now? Since he last raised a hand to her?

Sometimes she felt like she were getting through to him, but their relationship had permanently been damaged when her mother left...Was driven off.

Beginning to comb her hair again, she thought back to when she was just a little bit, crawling into daddy's lap to pull a carrot off his plate. Mother sat beside him with the warmest of a look in her eyes. Had that been the last time she had seen her?

She kneeled down, pulling a small wind up record player from under her dresser. Sitting on her bed, she wound it up and Beethoven's

Clair De Lune drifted out softly while she filled her tub with water.

Her mind drifted back to Credence. The night she had helped him, she wanted to ease his spirit, but now here she was leaving the poor boy to wallow in dread. A wizard in a Salemer church. How ironic. And how dangerous. If Daddy found out, he'd have his head.

She sunk chin deep into the hot water and exhaled the day. Her hands covered her eyes, feeling the full weight of guilt on her shoulders, having left him. Was he not treated bad enough already? Did he not have enough misery? Was that kind of her at all? Certainly not.

"I will go to him tomorrow," She whispered, "When father is away and we can speak freely."

She recalled Chastity saying that Credence would be at the butcher on Rex Street the following morning, to gather meat for the weeks meals as he often did.

The next morning she carefully peered in through the Butcher shop window, heart thudding in anticipation. Cheeks turning bright red in anxiety, standing vivid against the emerald dress that draped over her.

What would she even tell him? Inside the shop, the butcher was wrapping a ham up in white paper, passing it over the counter to Credence. Be good now, Credence, you mustn't use magic in front of anyone. She scoffed at herself, as if that wasn't something he already knew.

When he exited he seemed so downcast, avoiding anyone's eye with shoulders hunched forward to appear small and she a stab of guilt, misery radiate from him in waves. Hurriedly, she grabbed his shoulder. He turned, so frightened he dropped the wrapped ham straight on the ground.

"Credence," her voice wavered. They both went for the package at the same time, knocking heads in the process. She winced at the pain in her forehead, holding his ham under her arm. "Listen, about the other day, I'm awfully sorry about..."

Her voice trailed off, realizing his attention was fixed intently over her shoulder. He looked at her only when she stopped talking. Then he looked back over her shoulder, and looked back at her as if torn on two different directions and something of utmost importance.

With furrowed brows she tried to find whatever was stealing his attention but the path was deserted other than a few people walking and a paper boy calling out on the corner. She narrowed her eyes, feeling just the slightest bit insulted. What could possibly be more important?

An apologetic expression crossed his face.

"I have to go, I'm sorry." Was all he said, avoiding her gaze as he began to walk away.

Adeline pouted, glancing at her watch. Two hours to go... Credence rounded the corner and vanish, deep curiosity tugging her skirts. It would be real quick, wouldn't it?

"...Oh, I shouldn't."

She began walking the other direction, headed home. Then stopped abruptly and turned the other direction after him.

When she rounded the corner she found him walking straight into the alley that sat between a lawyer's building and a bakery. Adeline blinked. Did he need legal advice? A cake, perhaps?

Her hand clenched the strap of her purse tightly, peering around the corner of the building. Her jaw dropped.

A tall, handsome man with peppered hair stood cupping Credence's face lovingly, pressing his forehead to his, talking quietly, intently. Credence's own face hidden, though one hand floated near the man's hand as if he might decide to touch it at any moment.

Wide eyed, she pulled herself back around the corner. A love affair?

She began walking away so quickly that she bumped into the shoulder of a passerby, who cursed at her. She looked back at the man stupidly as she walked away quickly, knuckles white with their grip on her purse strap.

Author's Note:
If you've enjoyed the story so far, please consider leaving a nice review with your thoughts :) I would be thrilled