Mia was brought into the master bedroom. She refused to sleep anywhere else that night. She curled up in the center of Dante's massive bed, right between Dante and Clara.

The adrenaline had faded, leaving a quiet, intimate silence in the room.

"La-la?" Mia whispered into the darkness.

"Yes, little bird?" Clara replied softly.

"The bad lady tried to hurt me. Like my first mommy." Mia's voice was small, filled with trauma that no five-year-old should carry. "Are you going to go away to heaven too?"

Clara felt a tear slide down her cheek. She reached across the blankets, her hand finding Mia's. "No, baby. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here."

"Can you stay forever?" Mia asked. "Can you be my new mommy?"

Clara’s heart stopped. She didn't know what to say. She looked up and met Dante's gaze over Mia's head. The moonlight caught the fierce, protective gleam in his eyes.

Dante reached out, his large hand covering both Mia's and Clara's. "I think that's a wonderful idea," he said softly.