Polly's uncle was shaking, but he was also grinning in his office. Polly sat in a spinning chair, her eyes resting on Gryphon, who sat in the corner. A cigarette dangled from his mouth, but it wasn't yet lit. Her uncle didn't allow smoking in his office.

"I can't believe we did it," Polly mused, almost in shock. What shocked her the most was definitely seeing Kenzie there, wielding more than one gun, looking in charge of the situation. And she was even more shocked to find out her role in the whole scenario: she was Elliott Cole's sister.

Keith Chambers was Elliott's sad father, who was upset at the fact that he never got to meet his child. And Mary was the woman he loved, the woman he let manipulate him, and the woman that ruined his chances of ever getting to know Elliott.

"I know. And better yet, Mary Cole is finally in jail, along with Keith Chambers. Assassin extrodanare." Keith Chambers had been a hard case to crack; his new identities made him hard to catch, but they finally did.

Polly felt antsy. She wanted to talk to Kenzie, and she wanted to talk to Gryphon. She was aching to make sure everyone was alright, including Elliott, whom she didn't even know. But the thought of the boy made her squirm with the fear that he and his siblings were not alright.

"Polly, will you walk me out?" Gryphon asked, purposefully dragging her from the office. He wanted to talk to the blonde, but he wanted to do so in private, and he wanted to make sure she was safe with her uncle.

Polly agreed, jumping out of the office chair. She saluted her uncle, then closed the heavy door behind her. Gryphon was paces in front of her, moving quickly down the hallway. He didn't need her help navigating the place, so Polly knew what his motives were.

When they reached the entrance, he turned to her, his eyes drawn. He looked nervous and worried, but so was Polly. It came with being abused and living with the real fear that darkness was around the corner. A life the both of them knew quite well. Too well.

"Tell me you're safe," he said in one breath, his voice clearly worried. His hands found her upper arms, which was a protective gesture. One Gryphon was surprised he was using on the girl he barely knew.

It didn't matter, though. Her experiences, her past, made her family to him.

Polly nodded. "Yeah, I am. I am safe. My uncle and my aunt are great people."

Gryphon let out a sigh of relief for her. When he closed his eyes, he could again picture a younger Polly, trapped in the same Hell he had been trapped in. A situation neither child asked for, but received.

"Tanner is looking for you, you know," he bent his head to look into her eyes, "he's here and he wants you back."

Polly leaned her forehead against his, placing her trust in his care, which she didn't do so readily. If it wasn't for his past, she wouldn't have cared for him.

"I know. I've seen him. It's complicated."

Gryphon pulled back. "You've seen him? When? How are you still here?"

Polly pulled out of his grasp all together, her body shaking. "He said he wanted to talk, that was all. And for some reason, he's been quiet. Really quiet. But my uncle, he knows. And I'm safe."

Of course, Polly had no idea about whether or not she was safe. Her words were merely used to put Gryphon at ease, for he seemed more worried than her. "How did you know he was here?"

Gryphon stuffed his hands in his pockets, his head bent. "I saw him too. He came to see me, to ask about you. I told him I had no idea where you were, but here you are. So close to him. It worries me, Polly. Tanner had such an infatuation with you. Like no other 'camper' he had."

Polly cringed at his name, feeling hatred in her bones. "I know. It's because he thinks he's in love with me. What a load of bull."

Polly crossed her arms over her penguin-print shirt. She was remembering the first encounter with him, when she found out all about his relationship with Minny. Minny. She wanted to tell him all about Kenzie, and all about everything she'd just learned, but she knew she couldn't confide in him. The Cole case was confidential. It didn't stop her from wishing.

"You need to be careful, Polly. He's dangerous."

Her eyes flashed. "You don't think I know that?" What she wanted to tell him was that she had a lot more to deal with than Tanner Higgins and his return. She had so much more to deal with, including her stalker who left her gifts in her locker.

Her uncle rounded the corner. "Polly, we're going home. Say bye to your... friend."

Her uncle knew nothing about Gryphon or his relationship with his niece, but he didn't particularly like it. He knew Polly was her own person, with her own opinions and choices, but it didn't ease his growing concern for the girl and the troubles that followed her.

Gryphon was nothing more than a stranger that could very well hurt Polly if she wasn't careful.

Polly nodded to her uncle, then leaned into Gryphon's ear and whispered something he couldn't hear. When she leaned away, she kissed his cheek, then turned, trudging towards the exit. Her uncle gave Gryphon a look, then followed Polly out to his car.

Polly wanted nothing more than to call Kenzie. She wanted to make sure the purple haired girl was alright, because Kenzie talked a big game, but Polly knew best that outward appearances meant nothing.

When she settled into the leather seat of her uncle's car, she closed her eyes. "I can't believe it's over. Will Elliott and his brothers be safe?"

Her uncle started the car. "You mean, Elliott and her brothers."

Polly's head whipped to her uncle. "What?"

Her uncle backed out of the parking lot and pulled onto the road, his hand fiddling with the knob on the radio, messing around with the station. As if he was avoiding the question. "You heard right. Elliott is a girl."

Polly shook her head. "No, the file clearly listed Elliott as MALE. I saw it with my own two eyes, uncle."

She turned the music off completely. "Uncle?"

"Elliott's mother forced her to dress and act as a boy. To my knowledge, Elliott's been forced to be a boy since she was a toddler. But Elliott was born female. I heard it all from Keith, so the knowledge could be fake, but I have a feeling he's telling the truth."

Polly's mouth dropped open. "Abused and forced to be someone you're not? Elliott certainly had a worse childhood than mine."

"Don't say that, Polly. Don't put down your own childhood like that, because you have every reason to be mad." And then, her uncle's voice softened. "You know, you can tell me about it, if you wish. When you moved in, your aunt and I wanted to ask, but we were afraid of overstepping boundaries."

Polly twisted her hands in her lap, tears rushing to her eyes unwillingly. "Why didn't mom and dad come for me?"

It was a question Polly had always wanted to asked, but felt that she couldn't. As if mentioning her parents was taboo.

"Your mother was always a very particular child. It's why, when we grew older, I distanced myself. It's why you never knew who we were growing up. I wanted nothing to do with my sister, or the man she married. Both were racist and homophobic, as you very well know. And both harbored such hatred for everyone. I couldn't stand it, dealing with such nasty people."

Polly kept her head ducked. All of these things she knew; her parents were hateful people. They went to church and looked down upon others. They went shopping and spat at the homeless. Anyone below them was considered trash.

"Honestly Polly, your parents know nothing of your release from that death camp. We're the ones who talked to Dr. Higgins' father. He released you with no problem, and we took you in. Your parents still think you're there, in that camp. And I'm quite sure this is all very illegal, Polly. We aren't technically supposed to have you. Your parents are still your legal guardians, and if you wish to return to them, you may do so."

Polly felt frozen in place. She felt words dry in her mouth, as if she didn't know how to react to the news.

She wasn't particularly upset; she had always hated her parents. They reminded her of villains in children's books. They were hateful and hurtful, and hadn't minded one bit when sending her to the camp for gays, knowing that she would be tortured there.

No, she didn't want to go back with them. Not one bit.

"Why didn't you call the police on Dr. Higgins? Isn't what he's doing illegal?"

He uncle was quiet, and they pulled into the driveway. The car sat on the pavement, still running, and her uncle didn't move to turn the car off. The question caught him off guard, but it was a fair question to ask, because she was right.

"Polly, you must understand that if I turn him in, you'll be placed back with your mother and father. Also, you must know that he is very protected. Each parent signs paperwork that claims Dr. Higgins can do whatever method possible to heal their children. Including torture. And even you, little Polly, you signed paperwork signing yourself off to him. Agreeing that any method used is consented. Now, if you're consenting to abuse, what can be done? You let him touch you when you signed all the right paper work."

Polly's mouth dried. "There's nothing that can be done?"

Polly's uncle shut off the car. "We have people researching him. Finding ways to get him. Tanner is a smart man, and his father is even smarter. We aren't dealing with two men who are clumsy and ignorant."

Polly stepped out of the car, her body numb. "Nothing you can do? Nothing?"

"Polly, we'll get him. One way or another, we'll get him in jail, just like we got Keith Chambers today."

Polly nodded, but she wasn't so sure she felt as confident as her uncle. If her uncle was telling the truth, then perhaps Tanner could be running around forever, doing exactly what he did to her. And the thought terrified her.

* * *

Hello my skeleton children!

Isn't this just dandy? The Skeleton Boy and The Devil Child have come together so seamlessly! But don't you worry, this story isn't done yet. The timeline stretches further than TSB.

Happy reading, and I love you all. XOXO

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