It was perfect. Slightly overgrown and needing a bit of fixing, but obviously nobody lived here anymore. Although the twins questioned if it was ok at first, I explained nobody wanted it anymore, so it would be ok to live here. In fact, if anyone ever came back for it, they would likely thank us for fixing the house up for them, in exchange for living here until then.

After thinking for a moment, cute frowns on their faces, they jumped up and ran inside to explore and claim a room as their own. All I could do was smile and gently shake my head. Children were so quick to get used to new situations.

And so began a group effort, mostly mine, to clean the house and make it presentable to Shina. After all, I couldn't leave her waiting much longer.

It was getting hard to keep hiding the cuts on my skin.

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I had managed to spend three days cleaning before I couldn't take it anymore. I needed my Shina! Taking the children with me, I did the only thing I could think of and put them into the car, carefully driving into a place I had sworn never to return to.

I just hope they would agree to this. After all, I wouldn't be much of a father if I couldn't find someone to watch my children while I went to get their mother back.

Even if I did hate that old man.

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"Yes Grandfather, I know that this is not how I should have come back to visit you. I have no other choice, you are the only one I could ask to watch them." I bowed my head, hating the feeling of acting submissive to such a man.

"Very well, just make sure you are back soon. I'm getting far too old to be taking care of small children for long." He grumbled the words at me, waving his hand to tell me to hurry on my way.

"Thank you Grandfather. I will be back as soon as I can with their mother." I turned and began hurrying from the house, eager to go and bring my Shina safely home with me.

"I've been wondering how long I would have to wait until you gave me children to spoil."

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It had taken another three days before I had my chance. Three days of waiting, of watching every movement they made, of planning out for every possible event. Three days of seeing that bastard act like he had the right to touch her, to hold her, to love her.

I'd had to wait until nearly an hour past midnight before I was able to sneak inside, her bedroom light finally having turned off an hour before. It was the best chance I would have since Elijah had left earlier with the police, likely to check on the bait I had left for them earlier in the day.

Carefully, I entered the house and gently shut the door behind me.

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It was a shame I'd had to use the chloroform. I'd hoped we would be able to talk on the drive home but it seemed that she was far too distraught to understand I was here to rescue her. Perhaps it was like in one of those books I had read once while studying. Stockholm Syndrome I think it was called?

I couldn't blame her if that was the case, since she had been held by him for so many years. And she had likely been doing her best to keep our children safe too. I would have to test her reactions once she woke up again and see if that might be the case.

If so, I would have to take things very carefully with her. I didn't want to damage her after all. She had already been through so much. But at least now she would be able to be with us again, me and our children. The twins would be so happy. They would be so happy to play with her again.

And once she was better, perhaps she would be willing to play with me too.