Author's note: All right, this is kind of strange - don't really know what to make of it. Let me know what you think about it...
Angel
"A missing girl. White, five years old, long dark hair, blue eyes. Yeah. Her name's Isabel Jane. No, Jane's the surname. We believe she's been kidnapped. No ransom demand yet. Keep us posted. Thanks."
Cho hung up the phone with a sigh. "Sac PD are searching for her. They'll call if they get anything."
"Thank you, Cho."
"You should go home, boss – get some rest."
"I can't."
The Asian man gave her an understanding look. "You can sleep here in your office then. I'll wake you up as soon as we find something."
"Alright."
Somewhat unwillingly Teresa curled up on her couch and finally allowed weariness to overcome her. She needed a clear mind if she wanted to find her daughter.
...
Jane was still sitting on his old leather couch – staring with unseeing eyes at the empty teacup he held in his hands. He hadn't uttered a single word since the moment his daughter had been missing.
The same words kept on playing again and again in his mind.
It's happening once more. My daughter. I'll never see her again.
It's my fault, and my fault only.
"Jane."
As she got no reaction at all Grace sat down next to him and placed an hand on her friend's arm.
"We're going to find her. Do you hear me?"
The ghost of a smile touched Jane's lips. "That's very kind of you, Grace."
"It's the truth."
"The past is repeating itself. I must be cursed, or something like that."
"Jane, stop it. Red John is dead. What happened today is none of you fault."
"Yeah. Sure."
The redheaded agent sighed again as she retreated to her desk. She couldn't blame Jane for losing it – not when the life of his precious child was at stake.
Yet she knew that they needed his help now more than ever before…
...
The little girl huddled up in a corner of the dark run-down basement. She felt cold and scared – and utterly lonely.
Well, mom and dad were going to find her very soon. They had to find her.
They were cops, after all – weren't they?
"Don't worry. It's going to be alright."
Startled she looked around. She hadn't expected another child to be there.
The other girl came out of the shadows and stepped closer to her. Oddly enough she was smiling – a smile that somehow looked familiar to Isabel.
"Who are you?"
"Doesn't matter."
The nameless child sat down beside her and gently squeezed her hand.
"You know, mommy's an agent. And daddy… well, he's something of the kind too. They're going to save us."
"I know."
Isabel frowned. "How can you possibly know that?"
"Doesn't matter."
They were silent for a while. At length tears began trickling down Isabel's cheeks.
"I miss my daddy."
A wistful smile showed on the mysterious girl's face. "Me too."
Isabel suddenly felt the need to explain. "I miss mommy as well, but…"
"I know."
A slender arm went around Isabel's shoulders. "You're not alone. I'm here with you."
Isabel Jane hid her face against her newfound friend's chest and slowly drifted towards sleep.
...
When they broke into the basement they found little Isabel peacefully sleeping on the floor.
Teresa immediately kneeled and wrapped her arms around her most beloved daughter – holding her as tightly as she had never done before.
"Thank God we've found you…"
The little girl slowly opened her eyes – a warm smile lighting up her face as she recognized her own mother.
"Mommy."
"I'm here, sweetheart. We've caught the bad man. You're safe now."
"Where's daddy?"
"He's outside, waiting for you. You know, he's the one that guessed who the bad man was – and where he must have hidden you."
"Daddy's always so smart."
"Yeah. But don't tell him too often, okay?"
As she noticed the tall man standing beside her mother Isabel offered him a smile as well.
"Hi, Wayne. Thanks for coming."
"You're welcome, kiddo. We'd better get out now, boss."
"Fine. Let's go."
...
Jane welcomed them into his arms as soon as they stepped outside the building – the first light of dawn already showing in the sky.
He pecked his wife gratefully on the brow, then took his little girl and hugged her tightly.
"Love you, daddy."
"I love you too, honey. I'm so glad to see you again."
Tears of joy were running freely from his eyes as he kissed his daughter again and again.
"Where's the other girl?"
Both her parents stared at Isabel uncomprehendingly.
"There wasn't any other girl, sweetheart."
"Yes, there was. I saw her."
Teresa walked away briefly in order to talk to her team. When she came back she was shaking her head.
"There's no one else inside that basement. We've searched it carefully, believe me."
"But I saw her!"
Her father gently stroked her hair. "Maybe you had a dream, that's all."
"I couldn't sleep until she came to me. I've seen her, daddy – as I see you now."
"The cops would have found her, darling. They say you were alone down there."
"She was there! She wouldn't say her name, but she was very kind to me. Said that everything was going to be alright."
"Isabel, honey…"
"No, mommy! I wasn't dreaming! She was more or less my age, had golden curls and blue eyes – just like mine."
Jane and Teresa exchanged an astounded glance. Suddenly their daughter's tale kind of made sense.
Looked like her elder sister had come to comfort Isabel somehow.
Someday they might even show her a snapshot of Charlotte and tell her the whole story. Now they just needed to get home and forget about this nightmare.
They were still together, and that was all that mattered right now.