A/N: Here's chapter 6. Enjoy, people.

"This plan won't work," Julian declared, "I'm sure of it."

"Well, I didn't hear you come up with any bright ideas when we were discussing it," Iris snapped, drumming her fingers on the dining table. "Is it time yet?"

"At least wait until dessert's been served." Elijah smiled. "Don't worry, everything will go smoothly."

"Iris! Would you like ice cream with your brownie?" Lisa called from the kitchen.

"No, thank you!" Iris responded, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.

Oscar stared at her in disbelief. "No ice cream with your brownie?"

"Can you guys focus?" Damien snapped. He exhaled into his closed fists while his body shook eugh nerves. "Dad's in his office so we have to get this right."

"Okay, come and take your food!" Lisa shouted.

Iris exchanged looks with the boys. Now.

She stood beside Oscar and Damien, the latter's athleticism determined them best for the task. When they approached the doorway, she caught a whiff of the brownie which made her mouth salivate. Fuck the plan, let's just eat good food.

Damien lightly tapped the small of Oscar's back.

Oscar stiffened and pressed his forehead with his fingers. He clamped his fingers over his mouth and forced his eyes to roll to the back of his head while slouching over.

"Oscar?" Lisa asked, alarmed. She dropped the ice cream scooper and approached him, brown eyes scanning over him in concern. "What's wrong?"

"I don't—" Oscar's eyes flicked to the steaming bowls and hesitated. Iris gave him a warning glare over Lisa's shoulders and he groaned loader. "Mum, I don't feel very well..."

"Oh, do you think it was something you ate?" Lisa asked, wrapping her arm around Oscar and putting his weight on her.

"Dad!" Brandon wailed, "Oscar's really hurt!"

Iris resisted the urge to roll her eyes. At least he's putting his GCSE Drama skills to good use.

A nearby slam and a thundering of footsteps followed, then David appeared with flushed cheeks and wide, panicked eyes. "What's going on? How did he get hurt?"

Let's go, Iris mouthed at Elijah, stepping back from the chaos. She shouted something incomprehensible with a vague reference to medicine and speed-walked down the corridor, Elijah right behind.

"I convinced the security to cut the feed for the next ten minutes," Elijah muttered as they approached David's office door.

"How did you manage that?"

"Said you wanted to plan a surprise for him. You know... part of the whole 'estranged daughter coming home' thing."

Iris scowled and bit her tongue, practically lunging for the silver laptop on the desk. She hated this house, her so-called father, and this stupid, stupid, room where she discovered why she and her mother had been forced out of their home. But now was not the time for her anger.

Once I find my mother's killer, she vowed, opening the laptop. I'll leave this family behind forever.

"Password protected," she announced, turning to Elijah. "Any idea what he would use?"

Elijah hummed and stared at the valley scene on the lockscreen, a frown drifting across his forehead.

Iris' irritation grew and she fought the rising panic bubbling in her throat. "Any day now."

"Places," he said, "Dad likes to use important places for passwords. Streaming services are the city of the hospital you, me, and the other two were born in. His email is the place he met Mum— and uh, by that I mean Lisa." He flinched and scratched the back of his head.

Iris ignored his hesitancy. "Okay, so what could his laptop password be? Maybe the city of his university?"

Elijah typed it in. Wrong password.

"City he grew up in?" she suggested, desperation leaking into her voice.

Wrong again.

Unless... A bolt of coldness shot through her. She paused, dread prickling in the pit of her stomach, then typed in a name. One her mother had spoken about in the past with glazed eyes and soft smile.

Password correct.

"That's amazing!" Elijah's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What did you put in?"

"Doesn't matter," she responded gruffly, pushing the device towards him. "Forward the email that Agent sent to David, then delete the history and other stuff like Oscar's friend suggested. I'll keep watch."

The clacking of Elijah's fast fingers against the plastic keys filled the growing silence. Iris leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms and glaring at the long corridor. A hundred thoughts crashed around in her mind like the bumper cars she used to love at fair trips with Harry.

This is exhausting. She leaned her head back and sighed. I want to go home.

"Done!" Elijah positioned the laptop exactly how they'd found it and checked his watch. "One minute left, let's go."

Iris nodded and they ran down the hallway and turned into the kitchen. Her heart thrummed in her ears and she took a steadying breath, hoping the adults wouldn't be able to sense her excitement.

Oscar was laying in his mother's arms like an ailing Victorian child unsure if he would survive the winter. Somehow, he'd managed to work up a slight sweat and clutched his stomach with a weak groan. Lisa was holding him close and Iris felt a twinge of regret at the pure fear in her eyes. Perhaps we should've chosen a less extreme method.

Will looked at Iris and subtly rolled his eyes. "Oscar, are you feeling better now?"

"No— wait." Oscar tilted his head at Elijah and, when he nodded, leapt to his feet. "I'm actually feeling a lot better now!"

"Are you sure?" David asked, resting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Let's go to A&E just to be safe."

"No, I'm really fine." Oscar did a couple jumping jacks and squats. He eyed the bowls on the counter and tottered a little. "Actually, maybe some ice cream and brownie might make me feel better?"

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I'm looking forward to sharing the next few chapters... hopefully the pace will pick up quite a bit (plus some heartbreak as always) 👀

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)