A/N: This chapter turned out wayyy longer than I intended it to, but oh wells... Definitely grab yourself a drink and snacc for this one ^u^ Hope you guys enjoy!

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Meanwhile, inside the walls...

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A pair of dark eyes glanced over Aurora's sleeping form, refusing to look away as they took in everything about her. She's beautiful... Brahms thought to himself, extremely happy with his choice. The man behind the wall watched the blankets covering the small woman rise and fall, waiting until she was in a deep state of sleep before he retreated to his own area.

Once back in his hidden room, he pulled out something he'd taken from her bags... Some kind of small glass vial. He'd only had a moment to search, so once he'd found this item of interest he'd scurried off again, retreating to the safety of the walls with his new treasure. As Brahms turned the small cylinder around his his hands he noticed there was a cap, instantly pulling it off before a wonderful smell enveloped his senses.

It was better than anything he'd experienced in a long time... The pleasing floral combination in the perfume actually bringing back memories of his time outside these walls, before everything had gotten so twisted. The man took another deep breath, inhaling the aroma while thinking about Aurora again...

"I think she'll be a good Nanny..." Brahms whispered to himself, hoping that would be the case. So far she'd done everything right. Everything that was required to keep him happy anyway.

His new nanny was beautiful and extremely polite, treating his parents with respect as well as showing compassion towards little Brahms, the doll version of himself, in the few moments they'd been forced to interact. Even with his own mother treating the woman rather rudely, Aurora had shown her nothing but kindness in return... That thought making the real Brahms grin. She certainly was very patient.

She even brought art supplies! Brahms remembered excitedly, thinking back to a few of the things he'd seen while watching her unpack. He closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath while trying to calm himself, almost too worked up to sleep at the thought of what tomorrow would bring. I just hope she follows the rules... Brahms thought, beginning to drift off slowly as he hugged his pillow closer.

I really don't want to have to punish her...

...

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The next morning...

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Aurora awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside her window, blinking tiredly as the clock on the wall chimed 7 times. Perfect... She yawned, stretching a bit before climbing out of bed. I actually have a little time to get ready...

She grabbed a simple outfit from the dresser, disappearing into the bathroom quickly before pulling it on.

Just a pair of black pants and a cozy sweater... A look she was typically seen sporting. Aurora brushed her hair next, working out all the knots and tangles that had formed while she slept, eventually deciding to let the long dark locks flow freely. A few splashes of cool water against her face later, and she was done. Ready for the day and ready to go wake up Brahms as she knew it was just about time for their routine to begin...

She grabbed the piece of paper Mrs. Heelshire had given her yesterday, reading over the list once more while slipping her shoes on. She was determined to follow the woman's rules, no matter how strange they seemed. After all, that was what she was being paid to do... So it would only be right to keep to her word.

Let's get to it...

Aurora stepped out into the hallway, stretching a bit more and enjoying the way the morning light illuminated everything around her. It made the house seem less foreboding for some reason, giving the woman at least one reason to feel more at ease. She walked a few doors down from her own bedroom before arriving at Brahms', giving the closed door a slight tap before nearly slapping herself.

Heh, what if he answered? Aurora's inner voice joked, rolling her eyes as she pushed the door open. I'd straight up have a heart attack...

Thankfully, just as she expected, the doll was still in it's bed... Tucked in snuggly from the night before. She stepped forward, pulling the cover back gently before speaking.

"Good morning Brahms... Time to start the day~"

...

After she'd gotten the doll dressed and ready for the day, Aurora carried him into the kitchen, seating him carefully in one of chairs just as she'd seen Mrs. Heelshire do. She hummed to herself while looking through the fridge, checking out what was available as she decided on some breakfast.

"How about... Toast?" Aurora suggested, honestly not feeling that hungry herself.

Even so, she gathered some butter and jam before placing two pieces of bread into the toaster, crisping them up nicely while grabbing an apple from nearby. She peeled and sliced the fruit while waiting on the toast, finally applying the toppings to the finished product before putting everything on a small plate.

"There." Aurora said proudly, placing the food in front of Brahms with a smile. "Bon appetite."

She sighed, knowing she should eat something herself, but eventually deciding on another cup of tea. And maybe one bite of Brahms' toast...

Since he doesn't seem that hungry either... The woman mused, figuring that if she was going to go through the trouble of doing all this, she might as well amuse herself while she was at it.

Alright, what's next...

...

Aurora went about her day with Brahms, taking the doll along with her from room to room as she did everything his mother had instructed. Music, lessons, reading out loud... Before she knew it, it was already past noon and time for lunch, the reminder coming from her own stomach as it growled lightly.

"Hmm, we'll have to pick this up again tomorrow..." She said, reverting back to her quieter voice while placing the book she'd been holding down. "It's lunch time. And I'm actually pretty hungry..." She chuckled, picking up Brahms as she thought about some recipes.

"I'll have to look through the pantry, but hmm..." Aurora went on, very immersed in her own conversation while pushing the kitchen door open with her back. "I wonder if I could make some curry..."

"Curry...?"

"Eeee!"

The small woman's feet left the ground completely as she jumped, spinning around instantly as her eyes landed on someone new. The man in question seemed just as shocked, quickly holding his hands up defensively as he spoke.

"Sorry! I... I, honest to God, did not mean to scare you..." He stuttered, smiling awkwardly before extending his hand. "I'm Malcolm... The grocery boy, er, man... Grocery man..." He corrected, making Aurora laugh while relaxing slightly. "I mean, I actually own the shop if you want to get technical but, ah... Nice to meet you, Miss...?"

"Aurora," Said woman answered, grasping his hand lightly as she introduced herself. "Aurora Baker. It's nice to meet you too."

She let out the breath she'd been holding, moving to set the doll in her arms down nearby. I guess I should've known he'd have a key... Aurora realized, cursing internally as she knew he'd heard her talking to herself as she'd come into the kitchen. Wonderful...

She watched the man bring a few more boxes in through the backdoor, placing them on the counter before beginning to unload the crates.

"So... You're here for the Nanny job..." He said, glancing over at the doll breifly before directing his attention towards Aurora again. "I do hope he's been behaving well for you."

Her eyes narrowed in mock anger for a moment before laughing along with Malcolm, making some more small talk as the man continued to unpack. Aurora started cooking lunch for herself and Brahms as she chatted, eventually offering the other man a plate too as he accepted. Both Heelshire employees sat down at the large dinner table, along with the doll, enjoying the food in peaceful silence for a time. Aurora finished her portion before sliding her plate away, grabbing the pack of gum she had stashed in her pocket before taking a piece out and unwrapping it.

"So you're American, yeah?" Malcolm asked, glancing up from his meal as the woman across the table nodded. "Hmm, let me guess....... California?"

"Heh, no... Montana." Aurora replied, popping the minty treat into her mouth before chewing.

"Really? I'm usually so good at these things..." The man insisted, putting down his fork before folding his hands in front of himself. "I've got a touch of the gift you know..."

"The gift?" Aurora repeated, tilting her head curiously.

"Psychic, clairvoyant, whatever you want to call it... I had a grandmother who read tea leaves, my mother read palms, so..." Malcolm went on, rambling a bit as he chuckled.

"Okay... What do you read?" Aurora pressed, smiling slightly while feeling very intrigued.

"Me...?"

"Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"...Chewing gum."

Aurora exhaled in a silent laughter before shaking her head, glancing back towards Malcolm as his expression remained serious.

"Okay..." The woman chuckled, standing up from her seat while starting to clean up. Is everyone in this country a little bit strange? Aurora wondered, grabbing the portion of food she'd set out for Brahms and placing it into a nearby container. I don't want to make assumptions about English people, but right now we're 3 for 3...

"We don't get to choose our gifts Miss Baker," Malcolm chuckled, bringing his empty plate over before setting it in the sink. "Now then, if you'll allow me..." He said, holding his hand out expectantly while glancing towards said woman's lips with a smirk. "Come on now, don't be shy."

"A-Allow you to...?" Aurora stuttered, wondering how far the man was planning on taking this joke. She could appreciate the compliment of being flirted with, but this was a little getting a little too weird for her tastes...

"Yes, I'm going to read your gum." Malcolm stated, his gaze never leaving her own. "I'm a professional... Trust me."

Aurora sighed after a few seconds, laughing at the absurdity of the situation before taking the gum she'd just been chewing out. "Okay..." She mumbled, dropping the slightly deformed piece of white into Malcolm's palm. "Let's see what my future holds..."

"Right, hmm... Let's see here..." Malcolm grinned before clearing his throat, becoming more serious as he performed his reading. "Interesting teeth marks..." He commented, making the woman in front of him giggle as he took a closer look. "Ah, I see... I see that you're a writer... And....... It looks like you've come here to be inspired by the English countryside... To get away from all the hustle and bustle of your life back in the US of A." He concluded, looking up confidently as Aurora smirked.

"I mean, you're close but... I wouldn't call it accurate." She teased, walking over towards the freezer before placing the leftovers from lunch inside. "If I had paid for your services, I'd want my money back right now." Aurora added, raising a brow as Malcolm laughed.

"Ouch. Merciless..." He said, throwing a hand over his heart dramatically. "How about one more try? Just one."

"Fine," She agreed, knowing that she didn't really have anything better to do right now. "For reals this time." Aurora added, sticking her tongue out playfully while watching Malcolm resume his psychic persona.

"Ahh, okay, okay... I see where we went wrong now." He spoke, raising his dark brows in realization as he stared at the gum. "It's very obvious now..." The man stated, his voice dropping lower as he frowned. "I see a dark past... On the run from someone now, are we?" He questioned, glancing back up as Aurora's heart instantly sank. "That what it looks like..."

She felt a chill rush down her spine as she remained silent, not quite knowing how to respond. Difficult memeories flashed through her mind while she attempted to push them down, shaking her head breifly and taking the gum from Malcolm's palm before walking away.

"I'll throw it away now..." Aurora mumbled, tossing the used piece into the trash as the man watched, wondering why on Earth he'd even said something that depressing...

"I'm afraid that was my best attempt at flirting..." He admitted, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, completely aware of the woman's change in demeanor. "I don't know if you can believe it or not but, I'm actually considered charming in this country..." He chuckled, grabbing the now empty grocery crates from nearby.

"It's okay..." She replied, sending the man a forced smile before moving to pick up Brahms.

"It's amazing any of us manage to procreate at all really..." Malcolm rambled, heading towards the door slowly as his eyes flickered from Aurora to the doll and back.

"..."

"Right, well... It's been lovely meeting you Miss Baker," Malcolm said finally, hoping he hadn't upset her too much as he opened the door. "I'll be seeing you next week, for the delivery again..."

"Good to meet you too Malcolm," Aurora said, smiling back seriously this time before giving the man a little wave. "I'll see you next week. And thank you."

The man nodded before slipping out the backdoor, closing it behind himself and leaving the woman alone yet again. The sound of his vehicle pulling away became fainter as she relaxed fully, some of her muscles still clenched tightly from the mentions of her past...

Maybe Malcolm does have the gift... Aurora thought to herself, holding the doll a bit closer as she exited the kitchen. Even if his methods are a bit unconventional...

She stepped down the hallways lightly, heading towards her next chore while letting her mind wander. I hope I wasn't rude... Maybe I should be nicer next time he... 

Aurora stopped suddenly, cursing her own forgetfullness at times while remembering what she had intially wanted to ask the man. I got so distracted by his weird gum reading that I completely forgot to ask him about what the hell is going on here! Dammit!!