A/N: I'VE BEEN INSPIRED TO WORK ON THIS STORY AGAIN PEEPS o(*￣▽￣*)ブ So expect some more updates coming very soon! Big thank you to everyone reading/reviewing and commenting....... I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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A couple of days passed as Aurora continued to follow the rules the Heelshires had set, now feeling somewhat uneasy in the house after her new found discovery...

Even after she'd had her experience in the kitchen, the spirit had remained somewhat elusive... Leaving the woman with only silence and her own thoughts to keep her company as she went about her chores. Aurora noticed that as long as she kept up with the doll's schedule, everything remained quiet in the house... Peaceful even...

She'd also been making sure to take care of herself now. Eating regularly, though still somewhat small meals while trying to maintain some sense of normality.

I can't believe I'm doing all this... Aurora's inner voice grumbled, carrying little Brahms through the manor's hallways as she sighed. But it's not like I have a choice....... What the hell am I going to say to Malcolm when he gets here? She wondered, knowing that she had to at least inquire about his knowledge on all the strangeness here.

Hopefully he does know something...

...

Meanwhile, behind the walls...

...

Brahms relaxed as he watched his nanny through one of his peepholes, seeing her tiny form retreating towards the kitchen in order to make another meal for the doll...

He headed back to his own area in the mansion silently, flicking his overhead lights on as a dim glow lit up his small room. The large man took a seat on his bed before sighing, quickly grabbing an item of clothing that he'd stolen when Aurora wasn't looking. Brahms hugged the woman's sweater close to himself before giving the fabric a deep sniff, immediately imagining what holding her in it would be like...

I'm so glad she didn't leave... He thought, taking another long inhale as Aurora's wonderful scent seeped through his mask.

I know she'll be happy here if I show her how good I can be...

...

A little while later...

...

Malcolm arrived with the groceries on time as usual, unloading them all and putting things away as Aurora waited nearby. She tried to figure out how to word the questions she so desperately wanted to ask, hoping that she wasn't about to sound like some heartless, prying asshole while questioning this family's clearly painful history...

"Everything alright?" Malcolm asked, apparently noticing the awkwardness. "I hope you're not too overwhelmed out here all by yourself..."

"Oh, yeah... I'm fine..." Aurora lied, snapping herself out of the trance she was in.

"Good... Oh!" Malcolm paused, reaching into his jacket pocket and digging around for a second. "Here's this... Your first weeks pay," He went on, pulling an envelope out before handing it over. "For a job well done."

"Thank you... But," Aurora paused for a moment, considering how to word this exactly. "I have to ask-"

"Yes, I am single." Malcolm answered quickly, cutting her off and sending a cheesy smile her way before speaking again. "Hard to believe it, I know... But yeah."

Aurora rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head at the man's constant antics before getting back to more important matters. She sent Malcolm a more concerned look, hoping he would see where she was going with this...

"...What's the story with the doll?"

"Ya."

A heavy sigh filled the air as Aurora waited, counting the seconds before she heard the man across from her finally speak. "Come on. Let's go for a little walk..."

Malcolm led the woman out the kitchen's backdoor, towards the gardens and eventually past them as she followed along. Both of them eventually stopping in front of a small gravestone...

Aurora's heart began to ache while reading the text, 'Brahms Heelshire, 1983 - 1991' etched deeply into the face of it.

"There was a fire....... Brahms didn't make it out." Malcolm explained, placing his hands in his pockets as he eyed up the grave. "Such a tragedy... And the doll turned up not long after that..."

Aurora remained silent as she listened, staring at the small grave sadly. The unbearable thought of losing a child seeped into her mind slowly, making the woman's heart ache for the Heelshire's as she'd already assumed some sort of tragedy was responsible for the loss of their son. And now she knew...

Good Lord... That's so terrible... She thought, empathizing immediately while remembering her own past.

"I know this must seem strange... It is bloody strange," Malcolm corrected himself, opening his eyes widely while simultaneously drawing in a deep breath. "It's all harmless... A way to cope," He added quickly, truly hoping that the woman wasn't so put off by all this that she'd choose to leave. "I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a child..."

Aurora continued to stare at the small grave, lost in her own thoughts about that very topic...

"So he died 20 years ago..." She commented, doing the math quickly before glancing over at the man standing beside her. "He'd be about your age now....... So they've been like this for 20 years?!" She hissed, truly shocked at how long all this had been going on.

"Mmhmm..." Malcolm hummed, thinking back on what he did know. "And they've been looking for a Nanny for the last year." He commented, remembering some stories he'd heard while having a few drinks with friends. The man placed his hands in his pockets, adjusting his stance briefly before turning his full attention to Aurora once more...

"You're probably going mad in this house, aren't you?" He asked, raising a brow and plastering on a flirtatious front. "It might be good for you to get out... I can show you the world famous local manor....... I mean I know technically you're not supposed to leave Brahms but..." Malcom paused, sending Aurora a wink before continuing. "I won't tell if you won't."

"I... Uh..." Aurora looked away momentarily, stumbling over her words as she tried to let the man down gently. "I just got out of a... Thing..."

"This is not a thing... I assure you."

"..."

A gentle smile appeared on Malcolm's face as he noticed the woman's obvious unease. Even though he did want to get to know Aurora better, he decided to let the idea of a night out on the town with her rest for now. After all, he didn't want to come off like some annoying creep when she clearly wasn't interested...

Maybe American women are just different... The man thought, blinking a few times as he mulled the sudden realization over. Hmmm...

"I appreciate the offer Malcolm, I really do," The woman across from him added, truly meaning those words as she continued. "But I'm just going through a lot right now and..." Aurora trailed off briefly, racking her brain for any excuse that didn't seem off putting or rude.

"I just don't want to be bad company either..." She added, hoping Malcolm would take the hint.

"Hey, no worries... I totally get it." Said man replied, sending Aurora a genuine grin before turning back towards the manor. "You just tell me when you're ready and I'll show you all this small town's got to offer! It's really not a lot to be honest, but I love it." He went on, making Aurora giggle as she caught up with him. She smiled back, nodding happily as the two of them walked back up the path. She felt instantly more relieved, definitely considering Malcolm more of a friend now that she knew she could trust him. That was truly what she needed in these trying times...

I'm glad Malcolm is so understanding... Aurora thought, almost getting emotional over their completely average conversation. It's a nice change from....... The dark haired woman stopped her own train of thought as she shook her head, attempting to push the sad comparison away.

It's a nice change from what I had been dealing with... That's for sure...

Now back in the Heelshire's kitchen Aurora headed towards the counter, leaning against the sturdy surface while Malcolm gathered his things. The delivery man nodded politely before heading towards the door, swinging it open and stepping through the worn wooden frame just as Aurora's curiosity got the better of her.

"...Malcolm?"

"Yeah?"

"The Heelshires never mentioned anything else strange?" She asked timidly, honestly hating to pry, but unable to stop herself. "Anything..." Aurora paused, picking at the sleeves of her sweater nervously while attempting to find the right words.

"Anything stranger than what you've already witnessed...?" Malcolm supplied, tilting his head curiously as he hoped the woman was teasing him. "Probably not. Though I will give you a ring if I think of anything... That help?"

"Yes... Thanks Malcolm." Aurora answered, not truly satisfied but at a dead end it seemed. "I'll see you next week."

The man in question nodded, sending a quick wink her way before leaving. "Next week it is Miss Baker."

And with that he was gone. Closing the door behind him as his footsteps and eventually the sounds of his car faded away into the distance, leaving Aurora alone again. Though Aurora knew better. She knew she wasn't alone anymore in the Heelshire mansion...

...

A/N: I'm sorry there were hardly any Brahms moments in this chapter (#｀-_ゝ-) Obviously he doesn't play a huge part in the story at this point, but hang in there because ADORABLE BRAHMS MOMENTS ARE COMING 🚨I REPEAT, ADORABLE BRAHMS MOMENTS ARE INCOMING 🚨🚨🚨 I have lotsssss planned for these two heheheueuhue ✪ ω ✪