Selwyn tucked the little girl in, despite her heavyset eyes, she was fighting sleep.

" You are staying? Yes?"

" I said I would my sweet. Out there, just on the sofa"

"You promise?" His heart broke for his precious grandchild. He knew that the fear of losing those around her was normal, or so they've been told, but it was still difficult to witness.

" I do. And if for any reason I have to leave before breakfast, I'll wake you up so you know"

She nodded content with her grandfathers word. Snuggling down deep into her comfortable mattress, she slowly drifted off to the sound of her loved ones moving around the house.

Fear! Fear, anguish and the unbearable sense of loss.

Kitty sat bolt upright, a thick film of sweat clung to her brow. Heart pounding, terror rising she just managed to hold back the first building sob. She held the moment and gave yourself time to take in the room, her in her room at grandmere and mamans house. She felt her heart rate slow. It hadn't been a nightmare that woken her, not per se. But an overwhelming sense of terror. The Feeling had died down, but the underlying worry still had hold. In silent practised movements, she crossed her small room and dug her necessary item from the back of her sock drawer. Holding it firmly in her palm, she made her way through the living room silently, so not to wake her Granda, and slipped into her grandmeres room. A sliver of light broke into the darkened room through small gap in the curtains. Kitty paused a moment to watch as it cast a relaxed brightness over her grandmothers face. They're tucked up in bed. She looked so calm, too calm? With careful steps, she made her way to the bed, gently placing her hand to Catherine's face and watched intently as the small mirror began to mist up with each breath. Kitty gave a sigh of relief. Backing from the room, she made her way to her mamans room and repeated the process before going back to the sofa with her grandfather peacefully lay. The third and final time that night she held the mirror to his face, just to be sure he was still living. The weight of the world lifted from her shoulders is the cloud formed on the glassy surface. She knew she could rest easy now in trudged off back to bed. In her relief, she failed to see him open an I watch her as she slunk off back to bed. And it was a lucky thing to is the aged man couldn't hide the anguish and turmoil as a protest what he just seen. The burden he bore grew heavier still, as he spent the remainder of the night wide-awake and tormented.

Kitty returned to school, an important event for all, as it signalled a return to something normal. It was 15 days as a tragic event and normality had become a must. It was Richard would've wanted.

Camille loaded her daughter onto the school bus. She was touched by the reception the girl received from her friends. She knew her child would be supported with these children around her. As the bus pulled off she felt the full crash of emotion. Richard would never again wave Kitty off. Life would now be full of these moments she realised. Head held high. She made her way to work. Life had to carry on for them all.

Days slipped by. Kitty grew stronger and firmer as each one passed being supported and maintained by those around her. She'd found her daddy's memorial particularly difficult yet incredibly enlightening. The sheer number of people who wanted to pay their respects. She briefly wondered why they didn't return to England for the funeral, but never asked. She is not the emotional energy for such discussions. Her mother and grandparents would have their reasons and she trusted them implicitly.

Little over a month of the Kitty's return to school a new cloud descended on the island. Not the child knew it at first. Had a big and normally enough. Breakfast with her mother and grandmother followed by a mad dash to the school bus pick up point. She spent the day in lessons surrounded by her close-knit friendship group. Benny, Junior, and the twins, Delroy and Darlene. They made the mission to be there for their friend all in all a good day. She had descended the bus steps with a cheery wave to everyone and a smile on her face, this wasn't yet an every day occurrence, but it got more common day by day. The smile however, was short lived. In its place was no small amount of confusion. There was no one there waiting for her. She's never in her whole life not been met of the school bus. In the beginning, it was a childminder or daddy. And in recent years, either her parents, grandparents, her aunt Juliet or one of her uncles. But there was no one. No one at all. She forced down the irrational panic.

"I'm almost 8" She told herself " I can do this" Pulling her school bag higher on her back she set off on the short 10 minute walk. Logically, she understood that there would be a reason for their absence, but that didn't automatically mean it was something awful. Maybe they just lost track of time. She nodded politely those who acknowledged her as she went home by as soon enough, the bar honed into sight.

"You have no right, no right at all!" The agitation and borderline fury in Camille's voice, court kitties attention immediately. She made her way to the decking.

"No right!? We are her family" The crisp English accent was one she only properly remembered from a phone line. What on earth was Grandmother Poole doing here? She felt herself slow and chose to hang back, partially hidden in the dim shadows. She pushed herself up against the wall and she sent out a small prayer, begging not to be spotted. Adults were crafty, if they knew she was there they'd never tell her what was going on. And it was about her she knew it.

"Family?! You didn't even tell us when the funeral was so she could say goodbye. Do you even know the meaning of the word family? You never bothered with her before why bother now?" Kitty listened as her mother is anger exploded out.

"Ah ahh, calm Cami." Catherine interjected, trying to see her daughter " This has been so hard on us all" Kitty couldn't see, but she'd have put money on grandmere now turning to English relatives " Losing your son, I am so sorry. And it is wonderful that you now want to forge a relationship with your granddaughter. She needs all who love her to work together in support"

A man scoffing caught her attention "We are taking Caitlyn back with us and that's final!"

Every internal alarm bell, she had went off of simultaneously. Her? Returning to England? Away from her family? Her friends? Absolutely not a desperate anger grow within her.

" YOU CERTAINLY ARE NOT!" The small child stormed towards the small huddle "I'M NOT GOING NOWHWERE WIT YOU! DADDY MEANT TO RAISE ME HERE, SO HERE I STAY!"

"Kitty!" Camille and Catherine spun around.

"Really now, Caitlyn" Grandfather Poole muttered in disgust.

"YA WANT TO TAKE ME? IT'LL BE KICKIN AND SCREAMIN!" And with that yelling, she turned and fled.

She didn't look back and ran full tilt until she was sure she was lost in the crowd. But what to do? Where to go? Not to Bennys. With all his brothers never be able to hide her. Not Junior either. His father was a preacher, she knew he would hate to lie for her to keep her hidden. Although she was sure he would if he asked. But she couldn't put him in that position. What about the twins? Yeah! Their parents owned a large hotel and spa. The twins could hide her for a lifetime.

'Mind you' she thought ' if I go missing, maman, my uncles and Humphrey were bound to come looking. I can't ask my friends to lie to the police.'

Out of ideas, she dropped her bag and sat on the soft sand.

" Daddy would know what to do" she muttered to self, then, realising the stupidity of the statement she puffed out a sad little laugh. Rising back up she decided to let her legs do the choosing with no destination in mind, she set off.

It shouldn't have surprised her when she finally recognised where her feet had led. She'd been walking for a couple of hours, this way, and that. She was almost relieved when the shack came into view. Tired, and for the first time in her life, feeling quite alone. She plonked herself on the well worn steps.

"Everyone is looking for you" His voice made her jump out of her skin "Are you alright?" Kindness and genuine concern filled the man's words, but he came and sat beside her.

"Are...are they really mad? I…. I just needed space" She felt his eyes on her, but she couldn't meet his gaze.

When he stood up silently, and returned his shack, it surprised her. She sat stock still and listened to the sounds of him moving around indoors. After a time he returned to the Veranda phone to his ear.

" Yes Catherine, yes… No, she's fine, I promise…. Exhausted more than anything I'd say….. uh huh….. Yes… look she can stay here….. yes, you sort it out there… what's that?…. Oh my! Yes, I see. Errrr, so yes. Tell Camille and try to relax…. I'll bring her along tomorrow morning, alright? Goodbye, Catherine" And away went the phone. Kitty finally looked at the man she was thinking of, in that moment, as her saviour.

"Are you alright? Sleeping in your old room?" All she could do was nod dumbly. He once again sat down beside her. "Look, we won't talk about what happened today. But I can't spend the whole evening in silence either. So, for now, let's forget the upset of the day and just have a fun time" He bumped his shoulder to hers " I'll even crack out the snakes and ladders" the girl barked out a small, but honest laugh.

"Definitely detective, definitely"

The sun fell and rose again. The new day was bright and warm, and for Kitty, filled with dread. She sat the the old table, watching the waves gently lap at the beach spread out before them.

"Thank you detective inspector. I... thank you. For everything." She looked up at him as he took the now empty breakfast plate from her.

"No thanks necessary Kitty, I assure you. I'll walk you back to your..." But he was cut off by the clear sound on a car door slamming and a voice calling out

"Detective Inspector? Kitty?" Kitty felt herself sink deeper into her seat, never in her life had she been so nervous at seeing her Granda as she was now. Well maybe once, but that was a lifetime ago.

"Out here sir"

And round the corner emerged the very man. "Thank you, for finding her, keeping her safe" Selwyns voice was unnaturally quiet though soaked with sincerity. "I think it best if we return to the bar. The others all agreed to meet there this morning"

Humphrey simply nodded his agreement as he helped Kitty to her feet.

"I'll see you later? Won't I?" The girl asked.

"Of course, I'll come see you after work"

A surge of affection ran through the child as she looked at the strange, bumbling man. In a sudden rush she launched herself at him and hugged him around his middle.

"Thank you detective"

In silence the two walked to the car. As kitty climbed in and clipped her seatbelt in place her she worried on the lecture she was to receive. As they pulled out onto the road she could no longer contain herself

"Granda I'm so sorry, i know I shouldn't have gone. I'm really really sorry"

He looked across at her, she was fighting so hard to hold back the tears.

"I'm not angry at you Kitty. WE aren't angry." He took a moment to consider his next words carefully " We understand why you ran. But you need to promise never to do so again. We were all so very worried! The relief we felt when that call came in that you'd been found" he took a deep breath.

"They said they were going to take me..."

"But they can't. Your fathers will is ironclad. It states that you are to stay with Camille. And if anything had happened to her too you'd have come to Catherine and myself" He took his eyes of the road a moment to see the surprise on her face " Kitty your father was determined for you to be raised here on the island. With your family" The dam burst, the tears spilled, her relief was palpable.

They sat outside the closed bar a few minutes, giving the girl the time she needed to collect herself. Crying stopped, breathing returned to normal, the two climes from the car and Hand in hand they silently entered.

They could hear the raised voices from within, so made their way over to them. Neither were noticed as the four others were in the midst of a blazing argument.

"Well if you think that we'll continue paying for that school now my son has passed, you are insane"

"We don't need your money!" Catherine had finally lost her temper with the uptight creatures.

"I can take care of my daughter just fine, without any input from you, thank you very much!"

The Pooles scoffed "On your wage? Paying for a privet school?! I hardly think so"

"You seem to be under the mistaken impression" Selwyns voice boomed as he entered the conversation "that I would allow my granddaughters education to suffer. That just because her own flesh and blood choose to abandon her when she needed them most, that her real family would do the same. This is St Marie, here we look after our own!"