Police sirens and flashing ambulance lights were the last thing he expected to see when driving up to their home. The day after his return and confrontation with Hayley, he had offered to pick up Abigail from school. Police were everywhere but the paramedics were standing in front of their vehicle; not inside and not with any patient, which Eliot knew was bad news. He pulled the car onto the nature strip.

"Abby stay in the car do you hear me?" he said to her and she nodded fearfully. He got out of the car and ran inside, ignoring the yells and warnings of the officers standing guard. He only stopped when he saw Hayley lying dead on the kitchen floor, a gunshot wound in her side.

"What happened?" he yelled as he grabbed the nearest officer and slammed him against a wall.

"Sir, just calm down," he said.

"Don't tell me to calm down! She is dead!" He shoved the man again, released him, and then proceeded to punch the wall behind him with all of his might. "What happened?" he asked again, feigning calm.

"We don't know for sure, but we think it was a burglar. She normally does the school run at this time yes? The perpetrator probably staked out the house and assumed she wouldn't be home. I'm sorry sir."

He walked back out to the car ten minutes later, carrying a bag of his and Abby's clothing. The police had asked him questions, which he couldn't answer; 'does she have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt her?' No one, he thought, everyone loves, loved her.

"Where's ma?" Abby asked.

"How do you feel about staying in hotel?" he asked ignoring the question.

"Why?"

"Just because," he said under his breath, but he knew the answer; he never wanted to step foot in that house again.

At the hotel, Eliot sat her down on the bed; she was smiling and Eliot knew that with his next few words, that smile would be wiped away. "Darlin' do you remember when ma' and I took you to church?" she nodded "And they talked about heaven?" she nodded again.

"People go there when they fall asleep but can't wake up."

"That's right. And when someone goes to heaven, they don't leave us. They're always here," he pointed at his chest. She nodded again and he took a deep breath. "Well something happened to your mother and uh. Well she's up in heaven now."

The funeral was a few days later and Eliot was dreading it; not only would it make things painfully real for Abby but it meant family, and he was not on good terms with most of his family.

'I'm sorry for your loss' was what people, most of them strangers, had said but the words meant nothing to him. Abby spent the whole day clinging to his side and normally this would drive him crazy -even though he loved her with all of his heart- but today he enjoyed it; it felt comforting.

"Eliot," a voice yelled out after the service; unfortunately, he recognised it.

"Steven," he said sternly. "Didn't think you'd turn up."

The man ignored his braisen comment. "I'm sorry Eliot. She really was a fantastic woman and I wish things had turned out differently." The statement made Eliot sneer. "Burglar wasn't it?" He looked down, seeing movement behind Eliot's leg. "This must be Ally," he said.

"Abby," he corrected. "I think you should leave Steven."

"Look Eliot, I'm sorry."
"Leave!" Eliot interrupted and the man turned and walked away.

"Who was that?" Abby asked.

"Just one of ma's old friends." He said as he tousled her hair.

"My goodness she's grown," said a tough southern voice from behind them. Eliot turned.

"Abby, say hello to your grandfather," he said to the girl.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"Honey, why don't you go find Mrs. Blane for me okay?" Elliot said to her and she ran off, unenthusiastically into the crowd.

"What's going to happen with her?" Hayley's father asked.

"What do you mean what's going to happen to her?" Eliot asked angrily. "She's staying with me."
"Eliot, don't get me wrong, I'm sure you're fantastic with her but with your uh, line of work, do you really think it's appropriate to raise a child alone?"

"I think I'll do fine."
"Why doesn't she come stay with us?"
"With you?" Eliot laughed. " And divorced, drunk Jonny down in the basement? Hell no!"

"Listen Eliot we can provide stability where you can't"

"You never even wanted anything to do with that girl up until now! And unless she decides otherwise, you ain't going to!" He shoved past the man and walked towards Abby. "Come on honey, we're leaving."
"Where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here," he muttered under his breath.

He wasn't sure how but, somehow, they ended up at the zoo. They wondered around for what seemed hours, looking at the different lions, monkeys, zebras and all sorts of exotic animals, wandering around carelessly in their cages and pens.

They were an odd sight; Eliot in his formal uniform, Abby in a black, frilly dress sitting upon shoulders, but neither of them cared. It was just a relief to actually have some fun.

He strained under her weight a little -she was getting to the age where she was almost too big for him to carry- but he didn't care. After all that had happened, if she needed to sit upon his shoulders to feel happy, safe or any sort of arrangement of good feelings, who was Eliot to deny her that.

"What's your favourite animal?" She asked him.

"What's yours?" He asked in response.

"I asked first," she retorted and he paused for a moment and thought.

"I like the wolf."

"Why?"

"Just because," he replied but thruthfully, there was something familiar about them; they liked company but they also liked being left alone. They were calm, but if provoked they could be deadly, they would do anything to protect their pack and they were mysterious. "What about you?" He asked.

"Mmm, elephants."

"Oh?"

"They're smart and they love eachother alot," she said and Eliot turned around. "But we haven't seen the lions yet!"

"I know, we're going back to the elephants."

"Why?"

"You'll see," he responded.

Back at the elephants pen, Eliot placed the girl back on the ground. "Wait here for a sec will ya?" He asked and she nodded. He walked over to the pen and beckoned the elephant keeper over. Finally, after a few minutes of sweet talking, guilt tripping and giving over an impressive amount of cash, the keeper unlocked the gate and Eliot beckoned Abby over.

"I get to pet it?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Sure thing darlin'" he said, taking her hand as they walked over to the tall, wise creature.

"Would you like to feed her?" the keeper asked the child.

"Yes!" she said and the keeper handed her an orange, showing her how to present the animal the food.

"What's her name?" Abby asked.

"Glinda."

"Like the nice witch from the Wizard of Oz!" she said, then turned to Eliot. "Can you lift me up?" she asked an he picked her up, his arms hugging around her waist, so she was eye to eye with the elphant and she petted it on its head.

"What's going to happen to me?" she asked as they left the elephant enclosure. Eliot gestured her to sit down on a nearby bench and then took a seat next to her.

"Whatcha mean darlin'?"

"Well," she said quietly, "Ma's gone now. Who's gonna take care of me when you go away? Are you gonna send me to live with Pa?"

Eliot sighed. "No way you're going to live with your grandfather. Ever. And I don't know sweetheart, but we'll figure something out, we always do." The girl looked unconvinced, prompting Eliot to stand and kneel in front of her, their eyes level. "Do you remember how we used to have to move house a lot?" She nodded.

"I had to change schools and make new friends. Are we gonna have to do that again?" she asked and Eliot rubbed his face.

"Probably, but that's not what I'm trying to say. The reason your ma and I had to move house is because we had no money and that was hard but it didn't matter 'cus we had eachother and, eventually, things got better. I got a better job, we got more money and we didn't have to move."

"So?"

"So, things will be hard Abby, but they'll be okay because I will always be here to protect you, because that's my job. And things will get better, you understand?"

"But mama's gone," she said sadly.

"I know."

"Is she happy?"

"She's happy and sad."

"Why?"

"She's happy because heaven is a happy place. She's sad because she doesn't get to hold you anymore and tell you she loves you and she's sad that you're sad. So that's why you have to remember that she's always with you and that she loves you."

"So, should I stop being sad?"

"No, its okay to be sad for a little while, but not for too long. It's also okay to be happy though as well." A tear welled in Eliot's eye; the first tear he had let fall in a long, long time.

"Don't cry," the girl said, a statement which surprised Eliot.

"Why not darlin'?"

"Because you still have me," she said and Eliot smiled, scooping the girl up onto his lap.

"A gift from God y'are darlin'," he said, meaning it fully.

"So, you promise everything is gonna be okay?"

"I promise."

AN- Again, sorry for the unpredictable updating-ness. Everything is chaotic at the moment.

Thanks to those who are reviewing, please keep it up.

Next chapter should be up fairly soon as it is written and edited.

Also, would you be interested in a sequel? I know you actually don't know how it ends yet, but i finished writing last night and believe there's room for more. Opinions?

Ta.