A/N: Another story finished. Another one will be started on Friday and I am really looking forward to that one so keep an eye out, thank you once again for alll the support!

Chapter Eighteen

Winning

Now Esmerelda had her magic back things were looking up for her. She was still in the hospital and she had still not being told when she will be allowed to go home but she overall felt brighter. Her gran could not be by her side the whole time though, she had a lot to sort out. She needed to sort out a house for her and the girls, the Hallow mansion was much to large for children so she was trying to decide whether to move them elsewhere or just make the house smaller.

Now that Mr and Mrs Hallow were in prison, the house no longer belonged to them so Josephine was in charge of deciding what to do with it. It was a long process, but she had time before the girls finished for the summer to sort it out.

Esmerelda looked at the bowl in front of her amazed for a few moments. It was a week later and she had just finished a whole bowl of soup. For the first time in many months she had finished a meal and not only had she finshed it, she had rather enjoyed it, when the nurse came back to collect her bowl she smiled happily.

"Well done" she told the girl and Esmerelda smiled, knowing finally, she was getting better. Josephine was thrilled when she came to visit and she told her what she had done. The woman hugged her tightly so proud of her eldest granddaughter.

"I am going to be okay aren't I?" Esmerelda said finally believing it and the old woman nodded and hugged her, loss for words.

Ethel and Sybil were equally thrilled about Esmerelda starting to get better and hugged her that night when they visited. Josephine was happy to see all three of her girls genuinely smiling for once and was happy she had news to share.

"I have brought a house for us, four bedrooms so you can all have your own room still but not as large as your mansion, about forty minutes away from the mansion" Josephine told them hoping none of the girls were upset because it was a downgrade.

"YES!" Ethel said and Josephine looked at her curiously.

"Our own house was so big, if I wanted to find Esmie and Sybil I sometimes had to search for half an hour, and it was cold and dreary, I am glad I can find them easier" Ethel admitted not upset because she honestly thought their old home was to big. Maybe if there was more of them, like five or six girls instead of three, but it was just impractical for Esmerelda, Ethel and Sybil.

"She is right, I felt like I was doing a marathon sometimes at home" Sybil admitted and Josephine laughed with agreement.

"It still needs decorating, but you all can help with that" the woman told them thinking it would be fun to do it together, it would be their home too, they had to feel a part of it.

"I can't wait to get out of here and do just that" Esmerelda told the woman who smiled knowing it was going to be soon, she would be out soon.

Josephine was right. Esmerelda was released from hospital a week later, she had being in there for her lack of eating but now she was eating enough she could go home. The house was still in a state of being finished but there was already beds in the rooms, so she had somewhere to sleep.

"It will look more like a home and less like a building site soon" Josphine told her granddaughter who looked around the new house curiously.

"I know, but I like it already" Esmerelda said thinking it was the perfect size and it already felt more homely than the mansion did, she could not wait to see the finished result.

"Lunch?" Josephine asked her. Esmerelda had been worried once she got home she would not want to eat anymore, but she nodded and smiled and when Josephine brought her a cheese sandwich, she tucked in realising she was hungry, the woman smiled at her with tears in her eyes.

"What?" Esmerelda asked wondering why she was teary.

"I am just so happy darling, you are eating again, I am so happy you are better" she told the blonde as she hugged her and Esmerelda cuddled into her, thinking how nice it felt to have someone look after her for a change.

It was actually fun getting the house ready though. They decked the place in purple, the families favourite colour, with comfy cream sofas and photo frames of the girls throughout the years that were framed lovingly and placed on the wall. Something they never had back at their old home.

The sisters had a fun time during that summer painting the walls. Josephine could do it with magic but that took away the fun of getting messy and it was an activity the girls spent hours doing and giggling because they couldn't reach a spot.

"There is more paint on you lot than there is on the walls!" Josephine said when she came to check on them.

"Oops" Syvol said giggling as she looked at her sisters knowing they would all need a shower when they had finished.

One day Josephine went out with Ethel. She was secretive about where they were going, even Ethel didn't know. Esmerelda and Sybil was confused and a little hurt that their grandmother was playing favourites when that was where their troubles had been for so long, when they returned a few hours later though Ethel didn't look happy.

"What happened?" Esmerelda asked as she noticed Ethel sigh.

"I took Ethel to the doctor, I am sorry I didn't tell you but I didn't want to worry you, you thought she had gotten worse so I wanted to get her checked, she still has depression and it has gotten worse" Josephine explained. Neither sister was surprised by that revelation that it had gotten worse but all their anger evaporated then as they were worried about their sister.

"I was going to take you too Esmie but you seem to be going uphill and there was only one appointment, I can always make one for you if you need it" Josephine said and Esmerelda nodded thinking it wise to get checked out as she was not one hundred percent better. It might be wise to get Sybil seen too, just to be on the safe side.

"I think it will be wise to check but I am glad you took Ethel first, was she given medication?" Esmerelda asked hoping she had been as she remembered how much it had helped her previously.

"Yes" Josephine said glad their parents were gone and couldn't get rid of the pills again.

"I don't know if I will ever get better though, it has plagued me for so long" Ethel said sadly. She was ashamed about her mental health and in all honestly fed up of it. It had been so many years she had just gotten used to dealing with it as best as she could, she couldn't imagine life with a clear mind.

Esmerelda looked at her little sister sadly. She knew how she felt, in her darkest hours she had felt like she would never get better either so she rubbed her sisters shoulder and smiled at her.

"It will get better, it gets easier I promise, plus you are not alone, you have me and gran and Sybil to help you, you won't be by yourself" Esmerelda told her before hugging her knowing Ethel would struggle as she had but she believed she would improve with the love and support she will receive.

Ethel wasn't sure if she was right but she hugged back, remaining optimistic.

It took most of the summer holidays but finally the place was finished. The family stood back and admired their decorating and smiled, finally their home was complete. It was cosy and homey, something all three girls needed badly.

Esmerelda lay in bed that night just thinking. She didn't self-harm anymore, she was eating normally. She had gotten her magic back and her mental health was on the mend. Her toxic parents were gone from her and her sisters lives and they were living with the grandma they adored and equally adored them and she was able to be with her sisters all day, which was just the way she liked it.

She was happy. For the first time since this nightmare started she was truly happy and not just living because she had to but because she wanted to, if someone had told her at the start she would be happy she would of not believed them.

She knew it was still going to be difficult. She wasn't fully healed and never would be, in the back of her mind she would always have that dark side waiting to take over again had she knew Ethel needed her now because it was still plaguing her but she knew one thing.

They would be fine.

All of them would be fine and the darkness that was in her life was drifting slowly away and for once she was looking forward to the future. She would be back at Cackles with her sisters in a few weeks and no longer felt like she was having withdrawal symptoms. Agatha Cackle's hold over her and her sisters was loosening and as time went by it would be gone completely from their lives. They had finally won and it felt amazing.

With these thoughts she smiled to herself and then turned of her lamp before putting her head on the pillow and falling asleep, sleeping soundly and peacefully in her new home, feeling safe, lucky and loved.