A/N: As always, thanks to Starrylizard for the beta read, all mistakes left behind are my own creation:) This part will have a bit more scenes taken straight from the show, I hope you won't mind, but I wanted to add just a little something to them. Enjoy and let me know what you think:)

The moment Tomas' feet touched the pier, it was as if he was somewhere else. Harper, Rose and Marcus vanished in a mist, the boat they came with turned into a small rowing boat on an empty and deadly still lake. Tomas froze, the memories of the dream slowly creeping back to him. But just when there was a figure stepping out of the mist, the captain of the boat passed by Tomas and suddenly everything was back to normal.

Tomas frowned, trying to make sense of what just happened, but by the time he took a step forward even the last memory vanished leaving him only with the familiar feeling of unease and dread. Tomas swallowed, taking in his surroundings with suspicion, before following Marcus and the girls to the parked car.

"You all right?" Marcus asked him when they were putting Harper's luggage in the back of the car. Tomas nodded, although it left a bad taste in his mouth. He never lied to Marcus, not willfully. Even if he tried, he couldn't... the older man saw right through him and spending the last six months in such close quarters only gave them a deeper insight into the other's behavior and secret tells.

That's why Marcus gave him an annoyed look that clearly said 'I don't believe you, but I'll let you pretend five more minutes'.

Tomas sighed, feeling equal part relieved and grateful not to have to explain something he didn't understand himself. At least not until they were out of Harper and Rose's earshot.

"Later," he muttered and Marcus acquiesced. Maybe later Tomas would know what to tell him.

The ride to the house didn't take so long and they met only one car on their way. It seemed to be in a rather isolated part of the island.

"There's not that many people here, huh?" Harper asked with some worry and pushed closer to Marcus. They were sitting in the back of the car while Rose was driving and Tomas sat on the passenger seat. The seating was chosen by Harper, who grabbed Marcus's hand the moment they reached the car and gave him a pleading look he couldn't say no to. No one protested. Tomas was watching the road and trying to shake off the feeling of foreboding just as a residue of the last few days. Harper was fine, she definitely wasn't the possessed girl Tomas had thought her to be.

Tomas thought that maybe this feeling was just the paranoia caused by the phone call with Olivia, his worry over bringing this whole church conspiracy to his sister's doorstep. She didn't deserve it, Luis didn't deserve it. Tomas would have to find a way to keep tabs on her one way or other, without direct contact. Just the thought of it made his head hurt.

The car jumped a bit as they ran over a rock and Tomas was pulled out of his thoughts. They saw the house and several children playing outside and the car came to a stop.

Marcus stepped out first, followed by a slightly reluctant Harper. Rose quickly whisked her away, making the introductions while Marcus and Tomas stepped to the back of the car to take out the luggage. Suddenly Marcus froze, looking into the trees with a frown. Tomas followed his look but all he saw were several huge spider webs. It wasn't a pretty sight, but Tomas was a city boy and this didn't look out of place to him. However, he knew webs caught Marcus' attention for some reason. He didn't have the time to ask about it though, because the foster father was heading towards them.

"And here you are, Harper's heroes."

Tomas looked at the ground, shaking his head.

"We're not heroes," he protested slightly.

"Don't listen to him, I am," Marcus said with a smirk.

"I knew it," Andy said with a pointed finger and laughed, then pointed them towards the house with a smile.

"Come on inside."

Marcus grabbed Harper's luggage and walked next to Andy, joking lightly. Tomas reluctantly followed, each step feeling as if it were bringing him closer to danger... he just didn't know it yet.

Once Harper was introduced to all members of the family, they let her settle down in her new room with Verity. Andy offered to show them both around the garden and Marcus accepted the offer, hitting it off with the younger man almost instantly. Tomas felt a little like a third wheel and decided to stay inside to keep an eye on Harper. Marcus just shrugged and followed Andy out the door. Tomas walked around the house, feeling a bit like an intruder, but he had this need to make sure Harper would be okay. He knew he was being overprotective, but ever since this morning, every time he looked at Harper he just had a feeling that he failed her and the nagging guilt made his stomach ache. So he walked up the stairs and peered inside the room, feeling relief when he saw Harper talking to Verity, both girls smiling and chatting calmly.

Maybe it would all be okay, Tomas thought. He stepped back from the door, not wanting to disturb the girls, when he felt coldness rush through him. A picture on the wall started shaking and Tomas felt as if his legs turned into lead. Swallowing, feeling a sense of déjà vu, he stepped towards the picture. The shaking stopped but he knew it wasn't over. There was a slight creak and sound of softsteps behind him and Tomas felt fear gripping his insides.

He felt a presence and it wasn't a friendly one. Slowly, oh so slowly, Tomas turned, but the hall was empty. He could still hear the girls talking in the next room. Everything seemed to be alright... everything but the door to the attic, which was slightly ajar. Tomas was sure that it was closed only a few seconds earlier. He threw a look at Harper's room then stepped towards the open door. He felt the coldness hitting his face, the warning of something dangerous, but he also felt the lure of curiosity pulling him towards the stairs to the attic. Something was there, waiting for him. Tomas touched the door and was about to take a step, when he heard a sound behind him.

The strange urge was gone, momentarily broken by the presence of another. Tomas turned and looked at the boy, one of the older ones.

"Father?"

"Tomas," Tomas introduced himself and the boy did the same.

"Shelby."

"Hi."

"Uh, you should know, I'm a believer," Shelby started a bit nervously. Tomas nodded with a smile, his head still somewhere else, his mind wondering about what happened just a minute earlier, but his focus was quickly pulled back towards the boy. "Not like catholic or anything, but... no offense."

"No, no... we are all searching for the same answers," Tomas said, trying to relax the boy. It seemed like he had something important on his mind and Tomas was instantly reminded of his parishioners and taking confessions. He fell back into the role with ease and was ready to listen.

"What can I do for you?"

Something was obviously troubling the boy, as he was choosing his words carefully.

"Why are you guys here?"

Tomas frowned. Not so much about the question, more about the tone of it.

"We wanted to make sure Harper is okay," he replied carefully.

"And... is that the only reason?"

"What other reason would there be?" Tomas slowly asked, his own voice a bit guarded. He was trying not to show the sudden worry and concern, trying to ignore the urge to just grab Harper and Marcus and leave this island behind.

Shelby was about to answer, when Rose walked up the stairs and interrupted them.

"Father Tomas?"

"It was good to meet you, father," Shelby said, his face closing off as he beat a hasty retreat, leaving behind a puzzled priest.

"Father Marcus is looking for you," Rose said and Tomas simply nodded. There was something going on and he didn't have a good feeling about it, not at all. Now he just needed to somehow convince Marcus of it.

"I think she'll be happy here," Marcus said when he walked up to him. Tomas nodded, but he looked troubled.

"You all right?" Marcus frowned and Tomas bit his lip, wondering if he should speak up or not. Just a few days back he thought he could trust his instincts, but now he wasn't sure. Still, it was better to speak up and let Marcus decide whether they should investigate or not.

"One of the older kids was trying to tell me something... I think there's something wrong here.

"I feel it," he added, worried how that may sound but unable to stop himself.

"You feel what?" Marcus asked, looking skeptical, but at the same time Tomas noticed that he didn't instantly laugh it off or tell him he was just being paranoid.

"I thought I was wrong about Harper," Tomas shook his head and bit his lip. "But now I don't know."

He didn't think Harper was possessed, but there was this creepy feeling that someone or something was watching them, even this moment. Ever since stepping onto the island, Tomas was hit by a strong feeling of déjà vu, along with foreboding and he couldn't ignore it, not after spending several months on the road with Marcus, training to be an exorcist.

"Well I guess I can have a look around," Marcus said and Tomas looked at him with surprise. He was prepared to hear Marcus tell him this was all just in his head, that he was acting crazy and overprotective. To hear the older man acquiesce so easily told Tomas that he wasn't the only one having these feelings.

"Do you think I might be right?" he asked with curiosity and watched as Marcus shrugged his shoulder, looking as if he had no care in the world.

"Like I said this morning, we have nowhere else to be until Bennett calls. There's plenty of time before today's last ferry leaves the island."

At Tomas' disbelieving look, Marcus smirked and slapped him on a shoulder.

"I'd rather look around and make sure everything is alright, than have you moping around the motel room wondering if we should've left Harper here alone," Marcus said."I'm gonna get some air and you can socialize with the kids."

Before Tomas could think about a protest or try to go with him, Marcus left the house. Tomas looked around the empty foyer and, with a sigh, went to look around the house. Maybe he could find Shelby and the boy would tell him what was on his mind before Rose interrupted them. He stepped towards the staircase and paused. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and a shiver ran down his spine. He looked up the stairs, expecting to see someone watching him, but there was no one.

Marcus walked around the house, back to the garden where he saw the first dead crow. The behavior of the birds wasn't normal, he knew that, but that wasn't the only reason why he didn't tell Tomas to just ignore his feelings and head back to the motel. Whether Marcus liked it or not, Tomas had a knack for finding trouble. He was like a magnet for it,and he usually had good instincts, albeit if he often acted rashly on them.

Marcus couldn't hear God, not anymore, but Tomas hadn't yet lost the connection, or at least he hadn't lost his faith. And Marcus had to admit that what happened last night - the nightmare or vision which Tomas said he didn't remember - creeped him out. It was as if something was trying to keep them there... as if they were led to this island. And Marcus couldn't ignore the signs... he noticed Tomas freezing up during their walk from the boat, just as he noticed the nervous look on his face. Tomas would never be a good poker player... he wore his heart on his face, or rather in his eyes. Marcus often worried that the demons might use it against him one day, but there was really nothing he could change about it, other than try and teach Tomas to build up the walls to protect his innermost thoughts and feelings.

Marcus was lost in his thoughts and didn't even realize where his feet were taking him, but he soon found that he was going the right way. There were stone stairs leading down towards a rocky beach and there were also dead crows trailing the path. And a gray haired man poking at something that was decidedly dead and out of place.

"Thank you again. I promise you, Harper will be in good hands here," Rose told Tomas as he was picking up his jacket. Marcus was still out and about, but Tomas didn't want to linger any more. He could wait on him outside or meet up by the pier. Tomas felt like a good walk would help clear his head anyway.

"It seems like a lovely family," Tomas responded, trying to quell his own doubts. Someone was walking quickly down the stairs and Tomas looked up to see an excited Andy.

"Hey, father, don't go just yet, you should be here for this." Andy stopped and motioned for both Tomas and Rose to follow him. "We got a little ritual. Come on."

Rose and Tomas exchanged curious looks and followed him up the stairs.

"All right, we're all here," Andy clapped his hands. "Are you ready?" he asked and Tomas took in the scene. All the children were standing in the hallway of the first floor. Caleb was holding a paper platter with red dye and Harper was nervously pushing her hand into it.

"Wherever you like," Andy pointed to the wall and Tomas frowned, trying to see what was going on. He took a step closer and his eyes widened, just as his stomach dropped to the floor. There were several handprints on the wall, Harper's red one joining them in a macabre display.

Andy cheered and the kids clapped.

"Hey, now you're family," Andy said, a friendly arm around Harper's shoulder. "No matter what happens, you'll always have a home here. Okay?"

Harper looked up at him sheepishly and nodded. Andy smiled at his family and the children started to talk, Verity leading Harper to the bathroom to wash away the paint from her hand, while Caleb was trying to get some of the red dye on Truck. They moved past Tomas, but he stood stock still, unaware.

He didn't hear the laughter, didn't notice the movement. All he could see were the colorful handprints on the wall of a long forgotten church... Cindy's church. All he could hear was the crying of children as the woman rose from the mud... the faceless girl standing on the road in front of Harper's house, turning toward him and pulling him deeper into the madness of his own mind.

He didn't see the young girl that everyone but Andy seemed to ignore, glaring at him hatefully, but he felt cold sweat breaking out all over his body as that little girl brushed past him towards the stairs. There were images in his head he couldn't discern, but he felt the fear and pain. Oh, so much pain, coming from within these walls, from the island itself.

Tomas swallowed, feeling his knees go weak and his head ready to explode, when there was a warm hand on his arm and suddenly he was back in the house, staring into a pair of concerned eyes.

"Father Tomas?" Rose asked and Tomas blinked, as if woken up from a bad dream.

"Yeah?"

"Are you all right? You look a bit... pale," Rose said, trying to be nice, though it was a clear understatement. Tomas' face was white as a sheet and the bruise on his temple shined vividly. He was swaying on his feet and Rose instinctively squeezed his arm, offering some support.

"I'm... I'm fine, thank you, Rose," he said and tried for a smile, but it came out wrong. Thankfully, the children were gone from the hall along with Andy, though it just gave Tomas a clearer view at the handprints on the wall.

"I think I should go now," he muttered and quickly headed for the stairs, grateful for the solid wooden banister. He wanted to be out of this house, off this island. He needed to talk to Marcus, to make some sense of what just happened, but above all else, he needed his brain to stop messing with him.

Rose obviously wasn't very convinced with his act, because once they reached the hall she put a halting hand on his shoulder.

"Father Tomas, you really don't look good. Maybe you'd like to sit down or drink some water?" she offered and Tomas hesitated. He needed to call Marcus and find out where he was. He also needed a moment to shake off the shock and stop the world from spinning.

"A glass of water sounds lovely," he said and Rose gave him a relieved smile. While she left for the kitchen, Tomas leaned against the wall and pulled out his phone.

Marcus picked up on third ring and Tomas felt instant relief upon hearing the older man's voice.

"Where are you?" Tomas asked without preamble, happy his voice wasn't shaking.

"I took a little detour. I can be at the house or at the pier in about 15 minutes."

"Good. Head for the pier... I'm leaving too."

Something in his voice must've given him away, because there was a slight hesitation then Marcus asked: "You all right?"

Tomas sighed, starting to hate that question. He rubbed at his right eye, giving a slight shake of head, even though he knew Marcus couldn't see it.

"Yeah, I... I'm fine. We need to talk."

"Tomas." There was a warning tone and Tomas could imagine the look on Marcus face that said 'Don't lie to me'. "Do you need me to come to the house?"

"No!" Tomas said a bit too quickly. He didn't want to wait around a minute longer. "I'm already on my way out. No sense in waiting around. I'll meet you there, yeah?"

Tomas ended the call as soon as he heard a mutter of consent. Rose was back and handing him a blissfully cold glass of water.

"Thank you," Tomas took it and drank the water, feeling a bit better instantly. Or maybe it was just the thought of leaving the house.

"I heard the end of your call. So father Marcus isn't coming back?"

"No, he'll meet me at the pier. Thank you, Rose, for taking care of Harper. I should really go now."

"Wait," Rose grabbed her coat and the car keys. "The least I can do is drop you off. You still look a bit shaky, I'd rather not tell Harper that one of her rescuers got lost on the island and needed rescuing himself," Rose added with a smile and Tomas couldn't say anything to that.

"I wouldn't want that either. The ride would be... appreciated," he acquiesced and followed Rose out to the car, breathing more easily the second he stepped out of the house.

The ride was short and he didn't really have time to think about what happened, because Rose kept him talking about everything and nothing, probably hoping he wouldn't get sick in the car or something. Tomas had to admit it worked, though now his gut churned uncomfortably.

When they reached the pier, Marcus was already there, leaning against one of the wooden pylons, arms crossed on his chest, face turned towards the setting sun. He looked back when he heard the car and Tomas could see the curious frown on his face.

"Thanks again for the ride, Rose. We'll be staying in town for a few days, so if Harper needs anything... just call."

"Of course. Take care, father," she said with a smile and waved at Marcus, then turned the car back towards the house. Tomas slowly headed to Marcus who was watching him curiously.

"What happened?" Marcus asked without preamble and pushed away from the pylon. He gave Tomas a once over and noted the pale skin, but his partner seemed to be otherwise unharmed. Still, something must've happened for the strange phone call to take place.

"I'd rather talk about it at the motel," Tomas hedged, hoping to gain more time, but Marcus shook his head.

"Too bad. The ferry left a few minutes ago, the next one won't be here for at least an hour. Plenty of time for you to talk."

Tomas looked around, the pier and the water making him nervous and jittery. He didn't like this place, didn't want to stay there and wait, not now when his mind was in such turmoil. Something on his face must've shown his feelings, because Marcus' behavior suddenly changed. He put his arm over Tomas' shoulder and turned him away from the pier, towards a small pub that was maybe a hundred yards farther down the shore.

"Let's get a cold one first, I'm parched," Marcus said easily, his voice softer than before.

They each grabbed a pint and sat down, backs turned towards the water and the setting sun. It was getting dark fast and Tomas leaned his elbows on the table and hid his face in his palms, letting out a tired sigh. Marcus took a swallow of his beer, watching him, waiting.

"You know if you want me to feel sorry for you, you should start talking. This silent and suffering crap doesn't work on me."

Tomas couldn't stop the snort, but he didn't look up.

"I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm just trying to figure it out," he muttered and Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"Figure out what?"

"What..." Tomas shook his head and straightened up, looking straight at Marcus. "What does Cindy have in common with Harper."

Marcus paused with the beer halfway to his mouth.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, sounding just a bit annoyed.

Tomas rubbed at his eyes, trying to push back the headache and the images. It was as if they were fighting for his attention and he didn't have the energy for either of them.

"Tomas?" Marcus reached out and even through the jacket Tomas felt as if the touch grounded him.

"Before I left the house... Andy called me up for this ceremony..." Tomas described the ritual with the paint, but his voice hitched when he came to the part with the handprints. He felt slightly ill at the memory, Harper's last, bloody red handprint shining like a damn sign.

"I already saw those handprints... when I was in Cindy's head... with the demon. They were on the wall of the church. It didn't make any sense at the time, but now..."

'Now it makes even less sense,' Marcus thought, puzzling over this latest development.

"I don't understand this, Marcus. What does it mean? Are the demons communicating? Or is it a sign from God that we're supposed to help this family?"

Marcus shook his head, feeling a stirring of anger deep inside. He swallowed down half the glass of beer, knowing full well that he barely ate anything, but not caring a bit. He wanted to silence the sudden doubts that were whirling inside his head. Was it God who sent those images to Tomas after all? If so, why? Why was it Tomas and not Marcus? What did he do so bad that God decided to leave him?

On the other hand, what if this was the work of those damn demons and they were just luring Tomas into a trap... how the hell was he supposed to help him? Without God on his side, Marcus felt useless, impotent. It didn't help that Tomas seemed to be so set on the idea that all these visions were a gift, rather than a damn curse.

Feeling rather sorry for himself and the beer giving him just the right buzz, Marcus felt his walls slowly coming down. So when he heard Tomas say 'Those handprints, they have to be a sign,' in a voice tinged with desperation and hands clasped like in a prayer, Marcus couldn't stop his doubts coming to the surface.

"Yeah, but from what?" he asked, staring at his almost empty glass, watching the line left behind from the foam as if it could show him the answer.

"Or who?" Tomas corrected, still not ready to admit that the visions were anything but God's work. Maybe because the only other alternative was scaring him to death.

Marcus didn't deign the question worth a response. He already said what he thought and if Tomas didn't want to listen, then so be it. He was still staring into his glass, as if it was holding all the life's answers, when Tomas let out a shaky sigh.

"They're in my head, Marcus, I don't want them here," he choked out and Marcus looked up, feeling a twinge of sympathy for his partner. He reached out and ran his hand over the back of Tomas' neck in silent support.

"I don't understand."

"Maybe you're not meant to," Marcus said slowly, realizing that he was probably slightly drunk, still not used to the alcohol after over 40 years of abstinence.

"Do you think God led us here?" Tomas asked, looking at him with hope. Marcus wanted to give him an answer that would calm him down, that could keep him focused on the job, but the last few days, hell, the last few months left a mark on him. The talk with Peter, however short it was, also let Marcus realize the depth of his doubts. Marcus couldn't stop the words that followed, tinged with jealousy and despair.

"If he did, he led you, cause he's not talking to me. I haven't felt him for weeks. No. Months. I can't remember a time when he wasn't there," not once since he turned twelve and looked at His face. "Even when the words are flowing through me, I don't..." Marcus bit his lip, shaking his head in pain at the loss. "...feel his touch," he finished, almost in disbelief. "Or hear his voice."

"Well, maybe you're not listening," Tomas said, trying to be helpful and Marcus smirked, finally looking up from his beer, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Tell you what. Next time you have a chat with the creator, can you ask Him where the hell he's been?" He drank down the rest of the beer, trying to chase away the taste of bitterness. It obviously didn't work, as Tomas, poor good Tomas, plagued by visions and signs tried to offer his own comfort.

"Are you all right?" The younger man asked, reaching out and touching Marcus' arm with the same concern Marcus had shown him a minute ago. Marcus' lips twitched in an imitation of a smile, more reminiscent of a grimace as he leaned back on the chair and brushed the taste of the beer off his mouth, looking for the right words, any words really.

"I'm an empty pitcher," he said, almost spitting the last word. And bless Tomas' soul; he looked at him with such confusion Marcus almost felt like laughing. He didn't though, just drummed his fingers on his leg, feeling jittery.

"Pitcher? Like a... baseball pitcher?" Tomas frowned. Marcus shook his head, not feeling the humor of the situation.

"Water pitcher," he spoke, looking into the darkness, feeling it growing inside him. "His grace travels through me, becomes form, becomes word, becomes power. That's how it's always been." Marcus looked aside, towards the water, as if in shame. "Except lately."

"Now everything's rushing out and nothing's coming back. And the last of it leaves when the words..." Marcus took in a shaky breath, "...run dry." And here it was, the fear that was plaguing him for the last few months, out in the open.

Tomas leaned over, eyes wide and voice irritatingly reassuring as he said: "IF the words run dry, I'll be there."

Marcus looked at him as if he was just hit by a sudden realization.

"We're partners," Tomas added, hoping to help, but instead Marcus felt a cold shiver run down his spine, reminded of the demon's words – 'He doesn't need you'.

"Maybe God didn't send me a partner..." His lip twitched as he looked into Tomas' eyes. "Maybe he sent me a replacement."

Tomas looked away, troubled and Marcus sighed. This wasn't the time for self pity.

"But there's work to do here," he said, to himself as well as to Tomas. "There may be something very wrong on this island." His voice regained strength and Tomas perked up.

"So you trust me?" he asked, sounding surprised and hopeful at the same time and Marcus knew he had to make one thing clear.

"You believe in God, Tomas. I believe in you. Apart from that..." Marcus reached for the glass and took the last sip of his beer. "I haven't got the foggiest."