A/N Hey guys. FYI this chapter sucks. I think the sickness is clouding my head. R & R!

"Tell the Devil that he can go back from where he came."

-Brandon Flowers, Crossfire

I raced into the house, my blood pumping through my veins as if they were about to explode out of me.

"VIOLET!" I yelled loudly, spinning around in circles,"VIOLET! MOM! VIVIEN! ANYONE!"

Why was I panicking like this?

I ran into the kitchen, hoping to find Moira, but I didn't. Where was everyone? Without thinking I ran downstairs into the basement, making sure I yelled at Thaddeus to stay away before I descended the last step. The dim light clicked to life when I flipped the switch and I felt my breathing become denser.

"Tate?"

But there was no answer.

"Fuck," I swore more loudly than I had anticipated, and found myself face to face with Travis.

"Woah, what's the big emergency?" I could make out his movie-star smile in the faint light.

"Oh Travis," I exhaled,"Its just you. Where is everyone?"

He shrugged slightly, running his fingers through his dark brown hair.

"I never know what's going on here."

I liked Travis, but the dim-wittedness he exampled was kind of sad. I frowned and rubbed my arms, trying to keep warm, the coldness of the basement still taking me by surprise. And then like some sort of muse came over me, I realized it then.

"Travis, you lived with Constance right?"

He tilted his head slightly and sat down on a nearby chair, overlooking me.

"Yea, why?"

I pulled up another chair so that I was facing him completely.

"I need your help. "

He didn't respond, only stood still, fixated on me as if unsure how to proceed with the conversation so I continued on.

"What do you know about that kid living with Constance?"

I saw him become suddenly uneasy,"What about him?"

"Travis, please don't bullshit me. I know you don't want to spend eternity here. Please, if you help me, I can fix everything, but I need you to tell me about that kid. Whatever relationship you had with Constance doesn't matter anymore. That kid is the only thing she cares about."

He raised his eyebrow,"Why are you so concerned about him?"

I starred straight into his dark eyes before responding to him.

"You know why."

He removed himself from the chair and began pacing slowly.

"All I know is probably as much as you know. The baby was suppose to be Nora's but everyone was after the twins. One died and one didn't. Nora got the dead one, well since it died here it isn't really dead, and then Constance got the other one."

He stopped pacing and looked up at me as I stood. I wasn't sure how my face looked at that moment, but I was certain it wasn't one of complete joy.

"But- how did she get it?" I asked confused,"How did no one see her take it?"

Travis fidgeted in place again,"Well she didn't steal it right away."

My eyes remained locked on his,"I don't understand."

"Jesus," A girlish voice said sarcastically from the shadows,"I thought you knew everything."

I watched as a slim girl with long auburn hair appeared in front of me, her vicious green eyes just visible. I didn't like the energy she gave off, instantly telling me that she was not one of the good ones in the house. I felt my mind take her in, images of her death coming into focus. I almost felt bad for her. But apparently murder and betrayal had made her bitter. I glared at her as she starred daggers at me, comprehending that she was manipulative bitch.

"Hey Hayden,"Travis said unenthusiastically and backing away slightly so that he wasn't in between us.

It was like a punch to the stomach as I looked from Travis then back to her. I had wondered why I hadn't met Ben's murderer before now. And there she stood, a sinister smirk plastered on her face which caused my fists to clench.

"So, you're the bitch that's responsible for Ben's death," I spat at her and she laughed.

"I didn't lay a finger on him."

"You might as well have," I retorted, fuming.

She began to circle me while she talked as if she was a cat ready to pounce on its prey at any moment. I watched as Travis remained hidden nearby like some pussy.

"I'm sorry we haven't met sooner. I've just been so busy."

I snorted,"Cut the bullshit. What do you want?"

She stopped circling me and leaned up against the wall, her eyes never leaving mine.

What is it about being dead that makes me so horny?

The words flooded into my mind and I shook my head violently.

Quit it. I'm in love.

I shook my head again, the new words fresh in place of the previous ones.

"Going crazy?" Hayden pressed playfully,"Don't worry; sooner or later it will kill you."

"Shut up slut," I growled in a tone that was unlike my own,"If you know something then tell me. I'm not playing games."

She huffed loudly,"You already know what that child is so what exactly are you trying to figure out? Yes, Constance planned all along to steal the baby, but so did everyone else. I just got it first after I had Ben hanged. Then that bitch came and stole him from me, thanks to you Travis," She spat at him although she clearly missed.

I looked over at him, some sort of guilt plastered on his face.

"Travis? Is this true? You gave Constance the baby ?"

I waited, hoping it wasn't true, only to see him nod. Sweet Travis. Had he simply been blinded by his own needs? Did he really think Constance would be a good mother to this child or would stay with him? It was Travis after all. Maybe he hadn't even known at the time what it was.

"I didn't know," he replied quickly as if reading my mind,"I didn't know what it was until that lady came and we heard her talking to Constance when she was trying to banish Chad and Patrick. I just knew Hayden couldn't have it. Constance wanted to be a mother again. I thought it would be alright."

I froze,"Wait? What lady? You mean no one else in the house knows what that baby is except you two?"

I faced Hayden as she played with a strand of hair seductivly,"Well, and Tate."

I massaged my head, the burden on my shoulders becoming even more heavy. So Violet and the others didn't even know about Michael. They had no idea the danger lurking right next door.

But Tate knew. He knew and he didn't tell me.

Even if I could get close enough to kill this baby, how did I rid of it?

I have people who can help.

I removed my fingers from my temples and faced forward again. Of course. That lady I had seen in my vision. The lady Travis had heard Constance talking to. She knew everything. A way to kill it. I had to find her. If she was a medium then mom would know. Someone here had to know her personally.

Violet

Her name leaked into my head like melted ice.

"You can't kill it. You'll die before you even get near it,"Hayden sneered and I began to walk away, not even acknowledging Travis as my foot hit the bottom step.

"You think you can save us! You really think Tate gives a shit about you? Your nothing!" Hayden yelled loudly after me, the psychotic nature of her voice visible,"You'll end up here just like the rest of us! You hear me bitch!"

I turned to her, no emotion visible on my own face as I met her rage.

"I hear you Hayden. But just so you know, when I do save everyone in this house, your going straight to hell. In that case, you might as well just stay here. You did this to yourself."

And I trodded up the steps quickly, locking the door behind me, leaning on it for a moment to catch my breath. Before I walked away I could of sworn I heard Hayden crying.

I felt myself slam against the wall, a cold hand over my mouth keeping me from screaming. I looked up only to find my assailant to be Tate. He lowered his hand from my mouth and smiled as if it had been funny.

"What the fuck Tate," I snapped, pushing him slightly,"That wasn't funny. And where the hell have you been?"

"I'm sorry," he purred, inching closer to my neck. I could feel his breath on me and it gave me goosebumps,"I didn't mean to scare you."

He traced his fingers on my bare skin and I felt my judgement become clouded. I wanted so desperately to tell him to stop, but it felt so nice to have him touch me this way.

"Why did you go over there?" he finally asked, pulling away to look at me.

The question, although I knew it was coming, took me off guard. I had been so entranced by the moment; the feel of him. But he had kept something from me. Something dark and it flooded into my mind making me overcome his touch.

"Tate, what do you know about the baby Constance took? Michael?"

I felt him pull away from me and I instantly regretted it. I felt his eyes meet mine and the chill that overtook my body frightened me. I tried to read him, to understand the look he was giving me, but I couldn't place it. He looked scared and almost worried that I knew something. Something he hadn't anticipated, but I just poured my eyes back into his, demanding an answer. I needed the truth. At least, what I didn't know already.

"You shouldn't listen to stories, Azura," he said firmly causing me to stare at him blankly.

"It isn't a story! You knew what it was! You knew what it was and you let Constance get away with it!"

I was once again shocked by the loudness of my voice, I had never thought it would hurt so much to yell at Tate face on. I felt myself beginning to crumble in front of him, the desire to wipe all of this away ungraspable. He just looked at me, nothing but an intense stare that made my bones freeze.

"I tried to save it. I did. But, I couldn't."

I could hear his voice quaver as he spoke and all I wanted to do was kiss him and tell him how much he was destroying me at the same time. I wanted to hit him and hold him close to me and tell him how much I wished I could run away with him. I wanted to tell him how much I wanted everything to be normal and to go back and change the past, even if it meant he would end up with Violet. This was not a life.

"You should have tried harder," I snapped, not looking at him, but I knew it had set him off because the next thing I knew he slammed his fist against the wall pushing me flat against it. My eyes averted back to his and they were cold. The blue swimming in a dark vast sea of endlessness. The tears finally visible.

"I never wanted this. I never wanted this life for anyone. I never wanted it for you."

Seconds of silence went by before I finally found myself push past him, my feet carrying me as far away from him as possible. Of all the things I had expected in my life, I had never thought falling in love with a dead person to be one of them. I had never intended to remain trapped somewhere surrounded by so much suffering. I had wanted so much more for myself, to put my mistakes behind me, but the loses just kept coming. Losing Violet was the next strike in my heart. How much more could I take? Ever since I came here it was as if something took hold of the reins and brought out things in me I had tried so hard to control. I was never this weak. Maybe now I knew why it was so easy for Violet to cut. Maybe I had let Violet down. Maybe she would still be alive if I had been here. What if everything I knew, everything that mattered, was all a lie? I thought about what Hayden had said about Tate not caring about me, sick at myself for even thinking she was right. I felt Tate in my blood. I could taste him in my mouth. He loved me. Didn't he?

I slammed my bedroom door closed and leaned my head on it, trying to remember any part of me that made sense. When I turned around however, I was greeted by Violet, a somber look glazing her face as she spoke. The air became ten degrees colder.

"We need to talk."

It is the essence of evil