Sorry it took a while, but here it is: chapter 8 :D Updates should be slightly quicker now since it's half term :) Please review and i hope you like it :)

Saffron's POV

Uriel was perfect. I loved him so much already. So much that it scared me a little. I thought that my soulfinder would run a mile with Tazzy declaring that he was her father in the first 2 minutes of meeting him. He seemed to be taking the fact that I have kids quite well.

After putting the kids to bed, Uri and I collapse onto the bed, exhausted. I turn my head to see Uri staring at the ceiling with a huge grin on his face.

'What are you smiling about?' I ask, leaning on his chest so I can stare down at his face.

'I'm just happy. I don't think I've ever been this happy.' Uriel smiled.

'You don't mind…that I have kids do you?' I ask, worried.

'Of course not, sweetheart. I love your kids. You're my family now.' He says, staring into my eyes.

'I love you.' I say quietly, resting my head against his chest. 'Is that weird? That I love you and I haven't even known you for a whole day?' I laugh nervously.

'I think it's the most natural thing in the world. I love you too, Saff.'

'I'm exhausted.' I yawn against his chest after a while.

'Go put you pyjamas on.'

'I don't have any.'

'You can wear one of my t-shirts.' Uriel smiled and walked over to his suitcase where he hadn't yet unpacked. He held it up against me.

'Might be a little big. You're tiny!' He chuckled, handing me the t-shirt. I stare at him raising my eyebrows slightly.

'What?' He frowns

'Gentlemen turn around, or so I've heard.' I say as Uriel blushes red and turns to face the wall.

I quickly tug of my top and pull Uri's top over my head. It almost reaches my knees it's so big.

'Are you decent?' Uri asks, still facing the wall.

To answer his question, I reach up on tiptoes to put my hands around his neck to turn him around and kiss me. Uri folds his arms around my body, lifting my legs and wrapping them around his waist so he can carry me to the bed. We kiss until we both run out of breath and are forced to move apart.

'You're so amazing.' Uriel murmurs against my ear before yawning.

'And you're so tired.' I laugh and snuggle down under the covers. Although this is such a big bed, much bigger than the one at home, me and Uri sleep right in the centre, cuddled up to each other; my body fits around his like a missing jigsaw piece to a puzzle. It's ironic that I spend most nights wishing there was more space on the bed with Taz and Jos but with Uri, I wouldn't mind if it was the smallest bed in the world. Not long after, I can hear Uri's soft and gentle snores beside me and I am soon to follow.

Uriel's POV

I was standing in the middle of a zoo. I had no recollection of how or why I ended up here; all I knew was that I was at this zoo. I tried desperately to look for Saff but the zoo was so crowded, I kept getting hit by visitors. Mary was at the zoo too. She was standing next to the giraffes, holding Gerald. I could hear Saff calling my name although it seemed to be coming from all directions. Occasionally I would spot her curly hair in the midst of the crowd but as soon as I pushed my way through to her, she was gone.

After making many wrong turns, I found myself getting away from the crowds of people to a more peaceful part of the zoo. The trees rustled gently in the breeze and the long grass sway from side to side. It was calm and tranquil here so I decided to have a break and sit in the long grass with the sun warming the skin of my face.

Suddenly, something taps me on the shoulder. I turn round to see who it is, only to find that it's a lion. I panic and stumble backwards; trying not to make any sudden movements encase it snaps and bites my head off. Then I notice that the lion isn't making any attempt to kill me. In fact, it's crying. I felt myself strangely warming towards this large creature and cautiously step closer towards it. I slowly reach my hand out towards its forehead so I could gently stroke its mane. After a while, I reach down and hug the lion, growing more confident by the fact that it hasn't killed me yet. The lion doesn't hug back; it sobs and thrashes from left to right in fear.

Something hits my face, waking me up abruptly. Saff is crying in her sleep, twisting and turning, desperate to escape her nightmare.

'Saff! Saff wake up!' I whisper, gently shaking her shoulders.

She opens her eyes in a panic and struggles to get out of my grasp.

'No. Please. I don't want to do this anymore.' She sobs, moving away from me.

I turn the bedside lamp on so she can see that it's me and that I'm not going to hurt her. As soon as she realises who I am, she stops struggling and cries against my bare chest. I hold her against me, gently rocking her like I would do a child, murmuring soothing things.

'Are you okay now, sweetheart?' I ask softly as her crying slows down. She nods in reply.

'Look, I know you're keeping secrets from me Saff. Please, let me help you. I can help you but only if you let me in. Show me what you're scared of.' I say, remembering back at her house when she used her gift on me to stop me from asking questions.

'No. Not your gift. You'll see too much. I don't want you to see everything.' Saff whispers.

'Tell me then. Please Saff, I can help you.' I plead, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

'You might not like me if I tell you.'

'Saffron. I love you. I would never ever judge you. You could tell me anything and I would not think badly of you.' I say defiantly, lifting her chin so she can look into my eyes so she knows I'm telling the truth.

'Okay.' She whispers, unsurely.

'Start with the person you thought you saw by your house.'

Saff hesitated before saying 'I thought I saw my uncle.'

'And that would be bad?'

'Very bad. He…is not very nice.' She says carefully.

'Not very nice to you? Did he hurt you?' I guess.

'Yes. But it was okay because I ran away from him when I got pregnant with Jos. I didn't think he would be able to find me here.'

'Are you sure it was him?'

'No. Maybe I just imagined it. I don't know.'

'I promise Saff, I will always keep you safe. No one will hurt you ever again.' I murmur, rubbing her back reassuringly.

'Thanks Uri.'

I pause before saying 'when I woke you up, you said that you didn't want to do this anymore. What did you mean?' Saff hesitated and looked away.

'Please, you can trust me sweetheart.' I say grabbing hold of her hand.

'I-I thought you were…someone else.'

'Who?'

'I don't know. Just a man.' She says. Another silent tear slips down her cheek.

'It frightened you.'

'Please, you have to understand, I had no choice. After I gave birth to Jos, I couldn't afford to look after him. We had no food. All the food I could afford I gave to Jos.' she starts. I rub the back of her hand encouragingly.

'But it wasn't enough. I had to pay rent so-so I…I sold myself.' She says quietly.

'For sex?' I ask calmly although deep down, I was angry: angry at the men who used her like some piece of meat, angry at myself for not being there for her. If Jos was 10 then she would have only have been 14 or 15 at the time and that thought made me sick.

Saff nods and looks away with shame.

'You're angry.' She says quietly.

'No! No sweetheart. I'm not angry at you. I'll never be angry at you. I'm angry at myself. I just wish I could have been there for you.' I say, holding her close to my chest. 'I promise Saff that I will look after you from now on. You and the kids. You don't need to worry about money or anything ever again.' I say truthfully.

'I love you Uri.' She whispers.

'I love you too Saff. Always.'

I tuck Saff up under to duvet quilt and sit up next to her, stroking her hair.

'I don't think I can sleep.' She murmurs. I sit up and reach for my flute in its case on the window sill.

'What's that?' Saff asks curiously.

'A flute. Close your eyes, I'll play something for you to sleep.'

I play quietly, a slow and soothing tune: a lullaby to help her sleep easy. My fingers move naturally over the flute to play smooth, beautiful notes, each one forming part of the song. When I play my flute, it's almost like I can relive the past. The music transfers me to another time completely. I'm remembering back when I was a child and I had to play a solo performance for the school music and when I finished, the whole hall roared with applaud.

Victor's voice suddenly burst into my head, jolting me out of my nostalgia. I put the flute to one side only to see Saffron, fast asleep.

'Look, I know you're some kind of genius, Uri, but is it really necessary to practice at two in the morning?'

'Sorry Vic. Saff was scared. She had a bad dream.' I say, not wanting to tell Vic Saff's secrets.

'Is she okay?'

'She's asleep now.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

'It's not my place to say. That's Saff's business. Thanks for offering though.'

'Anytime, man.'

'Night Vic.'