L - Looking like Lions, an agents of s.h.i.e.l.d. fanfic

L – Looking Like Lions

"Are you sure about this…I mean really sure?" Melinda raised her eyebrows as she stowed items in a bright pink duffle bag.

"Dios mio," Elena laughed. "It's only a few hours, Melinda. Relax, she will be fine."

Melinda rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It's not her I'm worried about." She chuckled.

"What? You think we cannot handle one little girl. This is not the first time I have cared for a child, my friend." Elena assured her.

"I understand that, Elena, but none of them were Skye and she is a whole different ball game." Melinda remarked over her shoulder as she pulled a small bottle of juice from the refrigerator and twisted off the top. She poured it into a larger bottle that already held a measured amount of water. "Remember, half water/half juice or you'll spend more time in the restroom that the exhibits."

"I know, I know. The little one cannot have one hundred percent juice, ice cream is a no-no, and nothing green. Aye, yi, yi, ¿Qué pasa con ese pequeño y el color verde?" Elena laughed as she crossed her arms over her chest and watched Melinda continue packing the small bag. "We are going for the afternoon, not for what's left of the month."

"Hmmm," Melinda raised one brow. "Three changes and at least one extra pair of sneakers is traveling light, a full pack of wipies should last all afternoon, two bottles of diluted juice and a pack of goldfish crackers that should get you through the car ride." She stopped and looked past Elena to the kitchen window facing the driveway. "Did Phil get her seat for Mack? I better be sure it's installed right or she'll have herself out of it before you get to the end of the driveway." She set a small carton of cheesy fish crackers on the table and started for the door.

Elena cut her off, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Mack took care of that." She smiled and tried to stifle a laugh. "You are una mamá muy nerviosa." The woman tugged her friend back to the table and pulled out a chair. After pushing the woman into it, she sat next to her and took both Melinda's hands in hers. Elena smiled at the questioning glare that met her. "You and Phil have not had one hour of time to spend together in all the months since you are parents. Even mama and papa need a little break, so let me and Mack help. Jemma and Fitz will be with the club for science at the museums all day and Trip is camping with the church group, let us take the little one for a few hours while you…" She stopped and smiled with a little wink.

Melinda shook her head as she pulled her hands away and swiped at her friend. "Right, we'll probably sleep all afternoon…can you say exhaustion?" She jested.

Elena laughed. "Que resa! I have seen you awake for days and no problems…but, it is your time to do as you please." She wriggled her eyebrows a few times. "So you will do what pleases you, yes?"

"Momma!"

Anything Melinda might have wanted to say was silenced as Skye raced into the room. She turned in her chair just in time to catch her little girl as she bounced into her mother's arms.

"I have pancakes, momma?" Skye smiled as she held Melinda's cheeks with both hands.

Melinda reached up and took the little girl's wrists, gently sliding her hands away. "I wondered when my baobei would be hungry. I thought you forgot about breakfast." She leaned forward causing Skye to lean back and giggle as she tipped off her mother's lap. Melinda touched her forehead to the little girl's then pulled her back to sit straddled on her knees.

"I no foeget, momma. I playeded witta eggos a couple whiles." Skye's eyebrows rose as she slid backward to her feet and pulled at Melinda's hand. "Comma me and see I builded fer a efalent. Hees inna hows." She tugged until her mother stood and allowed herself to be lead toward the family room. Skye stopped in the doorway, dropped her mother's hand and marched back to Elena who had turned to watch the action. She stopped in front of the woman and placed her hands on her hips.

Elena covered her mouth to hide her grin. She cast a quick glance at Melinda before turning her attention back to the small powerhouse that stood before her.

Skye waited a moment then bounced her hands, palms up, in front of her. "Why you non't comin, Oyo?" She reached out and took Elena by the hand, tugging the same way she had done with her mother. "Mon, Oyo, mon," she tugged and turned toward her mother. "You see a hows I makeded."

Elena stood and allowed herself to be yanked along, stopped for a moment for Skye to latch on to Melinda and pull her toward the goal as well.

Skye stood next to Mack's car with her arms folded across her chest, her bottom lip in a fine pout. "I no wanna sitna droller. I no is a baby." She stomped her little white sneaker on the back top. "I big. I walk ona mine footses."

Mack smiled and looked down on the little protester for a second before he squatted down to her level. He kept one hand on the umbrella stroller he had pulled from the car. "You know, Tremors, this park is pretty big and there's a lot of walking to do. You might get awful tired."

Skye pulled her arms tighter and shook her head as she turned from the man. "I no is ty-red, Mack. I sleepeded inna car a long times. I wakeded now." She insisted.

Mack looked up at Elena who stood behind the little girl watching him try to negotiate. She had her own arms over her chest but smirked with amusement rather than resentment. He waited for her to help then rubbed his forehead when he realized he was on his own.

"Look, baby girl, look at your little legs, how are you going to keep up with us?" He slapped a hand on his thigh.

Skye pursed her lips and looked at the large man's legs then swung around without moving her arms to look at Elena's. She swung back and stomped her foot again. "Mine legs is bigger to me. I walk a big girl."

Mack let out a long breath. "Well, I guess we'll put your backpack and bag in the stroller and you can just walk along with us then, but," he shook his head as he stood and look into the distance. "I'm not carrying you, Tremors. You're on your own."

Skye dropped her arms as a wide smile covered her face and she took a step toward the entrance to the large zoo. Elena caught her arm.

"Not so fast, mommi, you want to walk? Da me tu mano, ahora." Elena put out her hand and waited for Skye to comply. When she didn't and the pout started again, the woman wobbled her hand toward the little girl and raised one eyebrow. "Maybe you need to sit in the car to think about it."

Skye scrunched up her face looking from Mack to Elena then back. "I hoed you hand, O-yo." The little girl took Elena's hand and waited for Mack to place the bags in the basket of the stroller.

The small group ambled across the parking lot and stood in line at the ticket booth. Skye pointed at the pictures on the large posters that lined the entranceway and asked repeatedly why they couldn't just go in and what were they waiting for and how long would it take. She smiled at a girl no older than she was who sat in a stroller and smiled back. She puffed up her chest to show she did not need such a babyish thing.

A small boy stood in front of Skye staring up at Mack with his mouth agape. He looked down at the little girl standing with her tiny hand in the big man's paw. "You're daddy's a giant." The little boy stated in a hushed voice.

Skye giggled as she twirled in a circle without losing her grip. "Him non't be my daddy. Him be mine Mack and him no is a giant." She stopped her pirouette and stared up at her large friend. "Him just be up the sky." She held her free hand as high as she could while standing on tiptoe.

The line moved forward admitting the little boy and his family through the turnstiles a moment before Mack, Elena and Skye did the same.

"We see a taygers, Oyo?" Skye asked as she skipped between the couple, holding both their hands. There had been little problem with her walking to keep up with the adults while they in turn found it a bit more difficult keeping her in check.

Skye rarely walked, anywhere. She hopped and skipped, twirled and wriggled but mostly she ran. Luckily Mack's long stride matched her little chugging legs and Elena pushed on but it was exhausting. Finally the group stopped and sat on a large bench. Mack pulled a squirming Skye on to his lap and waited for her to calm before addressing the situation.

"We non't needa sit, Mack. I no is tie-red." Skye rocked side to side as she tried to pry the large hands apart that encircled her middle.

"We do need to talk, chiquita." Elena informed the little girl, tapping her lightly on top of the head with one finger.

"You need to slow down, Tremors." Mack laughed. "There's no race. The animals will wait for us."

"You telled me no bees a slope oke, Mack. I makes mine legses go big like a yous." Skye explained, emphasizing with her palms up in front of her

Mack shook his head and turned away to hide his smile, unable to respond to the little girl's logic.

"That does not mean you must run so fast, pequena." Elena explained. "If you cannot stay walk with us, I will put you in that stroller." The woman nodded toward the item in question. "Do you hear me?"

Skye pouted for a moment before leaning back against Mack's large chest. "You telled me not be slow and you telled me not be faster. How I go, Oyo?" She raised her eyebrows and waited for the woman's reply.

"I think you will hold my hand and Mack's hand. We will walk together." Elena informed her.

"Then we see a taygers?" Skye inquired already pushing off Mack's lap.

The man stood, taking Skye's hand before she had a chance to take a step. Elena quickly grabbed the other and pushed the stroller with her free hand.

"Now we see the taygers!" Mack laughed and pointed in the direction they needed to take.

By lunchtime, the small group had seen tigers, lions, polar bears, gibbons, the reptile house where Skye was not impressed by the 'wrong' eyes of the snakes and lizards, made four trips to the restrooms, stopped at every water fountain for two or three drinks, fed the fish and avoided the petting zoo (Skye's aversion to the goat's eyes had her posted outside the gate shaking her head rapidly).

The group sat at a picnic table under a large umbrella. Skye actually knelt in order to reach the straw of her pink lemonade. Finding it impossible to take a sip without tipping the cup the little girl resorted to standing, then leaning onto the table top on both hands. Mack wrapped an arm around her for support before Elena had a chance to scold her for standing.

Skye plopped down on Mack's lap and peeled back her hotdog bun like a banana before taking a bite of the meat within. "I like a kepsit to my dog dog. No onna bun juss onna pelate." She tapped her finger on the paper plate that held her food then stopped and stared at the few French fries Elena had placed there. "Oyo, fish fives no is apposa bees gareen." She pushed the plate away and took a second bite of her hot dog.

Mack pulled the plate back and examined the fries. The tip of one slice showed a hint of green below the fried surface. He picked it from the others and wrapped it in one of the many napkins on the table. "That's just a spot that wasn't ripe, Tremors."

"I non't like a sn't ripe when it bees gareen. Kay, Mack?" The little girl leaned her head back and spoke to the man's chin. "We see Dunny? Him live a wit hees famaly atta zoo. Miss Pani telled me. I no cry acuz him bees happy."

Mack looked at Elena who shrugged her shoulders. "Dunny?" the woman repeated.

"Who's Dunny?" Mack asked as he helped Skye to take a sip of her drink.

She swallowed and picked up a napkin to swipe across her lips. "No Dunny," she corrected. "Dun – eeee." The little girl stressed both syllables.

"Dun E?" Mack repeated.

Skye shook her head and let out a frustrated breath. "DUN NEE," she said loud and slow. "Him bees a kanarude. Him haffa go a zoo acuz him bees no hetty. A doc-or tell Miss Pani him getted sick if him lives inna a gas houz."

Mack shook his head as he looked at Elena. She blew out a breath with puffed cheeks. "Hablo español y ingles. No hablo 'Skye'."

"Solo Skye habla Skye y solo Fitz puede traducir." Mack laughed as he squirted a blob of ketchup onto Skye's plate.

"Fitz is no heore." Skye commented, rubbing the tip of her 'peeled' hot dog into the red condiment. She squirmed a bit on Mack's lap before dropping her half eaten sandwich. "Oyo, I needa pee-pee faster on now." She turned and slid to the ground already running for the restroom she had used earlier. Elena was up and after her but still a few steps behind, grabbing the pink duffle from the stroller as she passed.

A few minutes later the girl's rejoined Mack at the table. Skye sported a new outfit complete with a change of shoes. She walked slowly next to Elena staring at the ground and holding tightly to the woman's hand. The little girl stopped at Mack's side keeping her eyes to tips of her pink sparkly sneakers. Elena slipped the duffle from her shoulder, placing it back in the stroller's basket. She threw Mack a pouty face and tossed her chin toward Skye with a wink.

"I no maked it." Skye shook her downcast head. "Duìbùqǐ, Mack." She sniffled in the language her mother used with her. "I no drinks no more pinkanade. It goes to pee pee too much."

Mack rubbed a finger under his nose to hide his chuckle and scooped the contrite little girl into his arms. "Don't worry, baby girl." He held her upright on his lap, wrapping his large arms around the back of her legs for support. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. "Accidents happen and hey, you get a whole new look. You are really workin' those sneakers and the lights…" He wriggled his eyebrows causing Skye to giggle. He kissed her forehead and set her on the ground as he stood. "How 'bout you sit with Yoyo and finish your hot dog. I'll be right back."

"Where you go, Mack?" Skye inquired taking his hand to stop him.

Elena gently took the hand in her own and pulled the little girl onto her lap. "Mack doesn't have another outfit, pequeña." She smiled as the large man headed for the restrooms.

Mack lifted Skye allowing her to see over the barrier into the enclosure that housed several very large kangaroos. He and Elena had deduced that the little girl was referring to the animals with her fractured vocabulary and 'kanarude'. The large man reasoned that there was more than likely a kids' cartoon or some story with an animal named Dunny and that was probably what she wanted to see. He held her high enough to view all of the large and small marsupials.

"Do you see your friend, mommi?" Elena smiled up at the little girl in the man's arms.

Skye furrowed her brow. "Darenen and Shessie no live inna zoo, Oyo." She shook her head at the silliness of the woman's statement.

Elena looked at Mack's smirk and shrugged her cheek. "Maybe Dunny is not here today." She mumbled to the man hoping the child did not hear.

The little girl peered down at Elena. "Dunny no bees wit them big oneses. Him bees too liddle. Them squish him with thems bigga foots." She shook her palms in the air to make a point.

Mack set the little girl on the ground. Skye placed her hands on the pickets of the fence and peered through it while the adults spoke above her.

"So much for the kangaroo idea," Elena sighed as she leaned on her elbows atop the fence.

"Yeah, well she agreed with me when I asked if she meant kangaroo." Mack shook his head and watched the animals hopping across the large enclosure. "Whadya call those little ones, wall a something." He pondered.

"Wallabies," Elena breathed.

"Wallaby," Mack repeated. "Doesn't sound anything like a kangaroo or kanarude." He shrugged. "Maybe we ought to start watching those cartoon channels if we're gonna help with this bunch." He nodded down toward the space between them and stepped back when he did not see the little girl. Fully expecting her to be on his opposite side, he turned to the left, no Skye there. Leaning back he peered around Elena then quickly spun looking in all directions.

Elena turned as well, glancing down once. "What…" She did not finish the question as Mack moved away slipping between other visitors and looking in one direction then the other.

Skye was gone.

Skye didn't mean to lose Mack and Elena. She didn't even realize she did until she wrapped her arm around the leg of a woman who smiled down at her and patted her head then stepped away. Skye stood still for a moment and looked at all the legs of all the big people that walked up and down the cobblestone pathway. She leaned against the rail of the exhibit and peered through it at the red pandas frolicking along the log in their pen. She'd walked past the kangaroo enclosure at some point, wandering in and out of the people who spun her in one direction and then the other. Slowly the little girl's thumb made it to her lip and one finger twirled her shoulder length hair. A baby was wailing loudly and Skye watched as a woman lifted the infant to her shoulder and patted its back.

Skye did not cry. Crying didn't help. 'Crying isn't going to get you out of anything!' She heard Sr. Daniel's voice scolding.

"Hey," a man's deep voice startled her and she turned toward it. "Look, they got them little kangaroo rats in a special exhibit. We otta git the kids down there. Them little guys are fascinatin'." The man smiled at the woman standing next to him as he tapped the paper he held with the back of his fingers.

Skye stepped in front of the couple and stood on her tiptoes. "I see a kanarude?" She asked softly.

"Sure, sweetie," the older man smiled as he turned the pamphlet he held toward her and pointed at the small picture. The woman patted her head and looked back and forth before speaking.

"Where is your mommy and daddy, darling?" The woman asked, concerned to find such a little one all alone.

"I comed wit Mack a Oyo. Them is lookin at a big kanarudes." She pointed in the direction she thought was the kangaroo exhibit.

The woman looked in that direction spying an Asian couple speaking to each other. They looked back at her and waved once, setting the older woman's mind to rest. The little one had not wandered too far.

"Here ya go, sweetie," the man smiled as he handed the pamphlet to Skye who still peered at the small picture of a kangaroo rat. "You show that to yur folks. They can take ya cross the park to the small animal exhibits." He pointed in the opposite direction and patted her head as he stood.

Skye nodded, still looking at the picture. She smiled to herself. "I see Dunny at hims howz." She looked up and spotted the older couple disappearing into the crowd and followed.

Elena looked at the terror in her partner's face. "Okay, don't panic. She did not go far. She's just tiny, hard to see with all these people." She ended speaking through her teeth as she pushed past a small crowd and brushed her long hair from her face.

"This place caters to families," Mack reasoned trying to hold on to his alarm. "They've gotta have some kind of system in place for this kind of thing." He was already moving up the walk way.

Grabbing his arm, Elena shook her head. "Wait, Mack. We don't even know the way she might have gone."

He stopped and realized she was right. They'd have to split up, go in different directions and hopefully find her merely draped over another railing peering at another exhibit. They'd find her in a few minutes and all of this would be just something to laugh about…two experienced security guards losing one small child…their boss's child. Melinda would kill them both. Phil would hide the bodies.

Skye followed a family with two big kids and two little kids in a stroller with two seats. She'd never seen a stroller with two seats and the kids in it looked just the same. They even wore the same clothes. The big kids weren't nice like Jemma and Fitz. They pushed each other and called each other bad names she'd heard at St. Agnes. The daddy told them to 'wise up' and the momma made the biggest one push the big stroller til he bumped it into too many things. She took it back and pulled his hair. The big boy yelled and slapped his momma's hand away. Skye didn't like these big kids and those babies cried a lot. She watched another mommy walk down a different path holding a little boy's hand and pointing to the colorful birds in the trees above them.

Skye followed that mommy instead. She liked birds and there were a lot in this very shady place. There were a lot of people inside as well. It seemed damp and felt very warm. She heard people laughing and followed the sound finding a man with a tiny monkey entertaining a small group. The little animal sat on the man's shoulder but he let a lady hold it and it climbed all the way up to the top of her straw hat and sat there just like it belonged. Skye giggled as she stared up at the sight. The man smiled at her and lifted the monkey from the lady. He held it down to Skye.

She stared at its small black eyes and fuzzy face, nodding slowly when the man asked if she'd like to hold his little friend. He told her the monkey was friendly and asked if she could be very gentle. Skye nodded again and held out her arm like the man showed her. The tiny animal was hesitant but carefully slipped from the man's hand onto her arm. She shivered at the feeling of its little hands against her bare arms. It climbed to her shoulder and wrapped its long monkey arms around her head, holding on to the tip of her nose with one little hand. Skye stood very still and blinked at the man a few times. He smiled again and showed her how to hold the tiny thing. Skye smiled at its warm body against her own and wondered as she felt its rapidly beating heart beneath her own small hand. The man let her give the monkey a piece of banana before he took it back and thanked her for being so gentle. He moved away to another group and Skye was hustled away with the first. An older lady that must have been someone's gramma smiled at her and said how lucky she was to hold the little animal.

"Where's your mommy, little one?" The woman asked looking side to side for someone who might look like the little girl before her.

"Her non't come a zoo aday." Skye explained. "Mine Mack a Oyo bringed me. I see Dunny in hims howz." She raised her eyebrows and the woman nodded, clearly confused by the lopsided explanation.

"Are you lost, sweetheart?" She asked as a second grandmotherly woman stepped next to her.

Skye squinted at the woman and shook her head. "I no is losted no more acuz mine momma finded me at sagnes and now we hazza howz foe ebber. It bees mine howz and momma and daddy and Fizt and Jemma and Terrip."

The first woman smiled and patted Skye's head while the second merely stared. "Oh, my that is quite a story. Why don't you point to your momma and we'll take you to her? A little thing like you shouldn't be so far from her parents." The woman smiled all the while she spoke while her companion looked in all directions for a couple that might be Skye's parents.

Skye furrowed her brow and let out a breath. "I no is haves mine momma heor. I ownee haves mine Mack a Oyo. Him bees big," she raised her hand as far above her head as she could and stood on her tip toes. "And him bees barroun like Terrip and," she giggled a little turning to whisper to the woman who sat on the bench before her. "Him gots no hairs, jussa shynee hade."

"Millie," the second woman sighed. "Maybe we need to speak to security. Perhaps she wandered away and they haven't noticed."

"Don't be silly, Mary Ann," the first woman scoffed. "People notice when they've lost a child and I think this one would be noticed very quickly." She smiled and patted the bench next to her, inviting Skye to sit down.

The little girl shook her head. "I needa see Dunny. Him is inna big howz wit hees famalee cuz he non't like a liddle gas howz no more. The man sayed him bees to this way." She pointed down the path she had been following.

"Honey, maybe you should tell us your name and we can help you find your momma and daddy." Millie suggested as she took Skye's hand in her own and again urged her to be seated.

"Mine momma no is losted. Her bees to mine howz. I ownee haffa Mack a Oyo." Skye let out a frustrated breath.

"Well, then we will help you find Matt Kaoyo." Millie smiled, pulling the little girl up on to the bench. Mary Ann had spied a park ranger speaking to a small group and had moved off to let the man know about the little girl. They walked back to the bench together.

"Hello, there sweetheart," the man spoke in a familiar accent as he removed his cap and squatted down to Skye's level.

"You is like a Oyo." Skye smiled. "Her bees to look at the kanarudes." She pointed in the direction she had come then looked back at the man. "Them is too bigger, not like Dunny. Him bees liddle like this." She held her hands a few inches apart and squinted her eyes almost shut. "I non't hoed him acuz him non't like a be hoeded."

The man smiled and scratched his head before replacing his cap. "Ay yi yi, este pequeña no será fácil." He stood and turned toward the two elderly women. "You say she just wandered up to you? You saw no one with her or nearby?" The ladies shook their heads.

"She was with the small group that was watching the small monkey a little while ago. The keeper let her hold the little thing. It was so cute. I hope her parents got a photo, but I think if they were with that group they might have noticed she didn't follow along." Millie informed the man.

"Someone really ought to be holding on to this little one," Mary Ann grunted.

"I hoed Mack a Oyo." Skye informed her as she slipped off the bench. "I see Dunny now?"

The guard shook his head again and squatted down a second time. "Sweetie, how about you tell me your name and we'll take it from there." He smiled.

Skye took a deep breath and quickly said, "Skymeling Maywee Care Coson." She smiled with pride having remembered her whole name. She practiced it with momma every night and the judge said it was her real name forever and ever.

The guard closed his eyes and shook his head. He hadn't understood one syllable. The ladies shook their heads as well. "Okay," he started. "That's a great name, but what does your mommy call you?"

Skye smiled. "Her cows me bow bay."

Now the man was more confused. That sounded nothing like whatever the child had first said. He tried again. "How about daddy, what does he call you?"

Skye laughed out loud. "Him say sweet picko, but I no a picko. Then him saes ango ice."

The man stood and looked at the two older women. He pulled a walkie talkie from his belt and pressed a button causing it to squelch. Turning away from the pair he spoke to the person on the other end, giving a quick explanation then turned back and smiled. "I think we can just page this Matt guy to the Rainforest Exhibit and solve this whole thing. Her parents are probably frantic. I'm sure they'll make their way to a service post and report her missing before the announcement is even made." The ladies nodded.

A few seconds passed before a woman's voice came through the park loud speakers asking that Matt Kaoyo meet his party in section R4.

The guard smiled and turned to let Skye know her parents would be there very soon. The little girl no longer stood in front of the bench or behind it or anywhere near it.

Skye Meiling Mary Claire Coulson was off again.

"Dios mío, cuando encuentre a ese pequeño, le daré una palmada en el culo con tanta fuerza que aún recordará cuando sea abuela." Elena huffed as she marched along the pathway.

Mack answered without taking his eyes off the crowd. "I think Melinda might take exception to you striking her child."

"She is going to take plenty of exception to us losing her child." The hot tempered woman barked back, grumbling under her breath in Spanish as she continued on her way.

"I think we just need to let park security know. They've got to have something in place for something like this. I mean come on, kids…they do this kind of stuff all the time…right?" Mack continued speaking over Elena's grumbling.

"I am pretty sure that this kid does this kind of stuff all the time. You should have put her in that stroller and strapped her down." Elena growled.

"Whoa, wait a minute…I should have? What about you? You could have just as easily sat her down and made her tow the line." Mack stopped and stepped in front of his partner stopping her in her tracks.

"Oh, and who let go of her at the kangaroo pen?" Elena countered.

"She's got two hands, I guess we both did." Mack breathed as he turned and looked out over the crowd again. "It doesn't really matter. We just have to find her."

"Probably still looking for that Dun E thing or person or whatever she has in her head." Elena dropped her hands against her sides and forced herself to swallow the panic and the fears that some crazy weirdo had snatched the little girl right under their eyes. No, she wasn't going there. Skye just walked away and got lost in the crowd. She was tiny. She got turned around and…and… "Why isn't she crying? Screaming about being lost or not knowing where we are?"

"She's an odd little kid, Yoyo. Who knows what she's thinking? Probably has it in her head we're just following her or thinks we just know where she is? Damn! I wish I knew what that Dun E stuff was all about." Mack shook his head and pointed toward an information kiosk in the distance.

The couple walked up to the small structure and smiled at the woman inside. She smiled back and asked if she could direct them toward a specific exhibit.

Mack swallowed once. "Our…our…we've lost our little girl." He stammered trying to phrase something that made sense and expecting the woman to glare at him.

Instead she smiled a concerned smile and lifted the telephone on the counter before her. She spoke calmly informing someone on the other end that there was a missing child. A few seconds later she turned to the couple.

"One of the park vehicles will be here shortly to take you to the security office. We've issued a code pink which means all of the exits to the park have been temporarily secured and no one will be allowed to leave the park with a child until we find her. I'll need a complete description, her name and a few other things before the vehicle arrives." The woman remained amazingly calm and looked up as the broadcast asking Matt Kaoyo to go to the Rainforest Exhibit was announced. "It seems we have a few children exploring on their own today." She casually informed them.

Mack pulled a photo of Skye from his wallet, explaining it was her most recent as Elena explained the situation. The woman nodded her understanding and assured them that this is an every day event at the zoo and that Skye would be found shortly. Elena rolled her eyes.

This woman did not know Skye.

Skye was tired…and thirsty. She looked for one of the water fountains that Mack had lifted up to drink from. The water gurgled out over rocks like a stream and when Mack stepped on the lever it squirted up so she could catch it. Her shirt got wet and once it hit her in the eye, but it was cold and good and she really wished she could have some right now. A large poster of a giraffe hung on one side of the walkway and Skye stood looking all the way up at the life sized print. She listened as a family passed. The mommy was telling the boy that he could get a drink at the water fountain. Skye followed. She'd get one too.

Finding the fountain was easy. Getting a drink was not. Skye couldn't reach the squirty thing on top and she had to press really hard on the lever to make it work. She tried a couple times before a mommy who was helping her little girl asked if she needed help. Skye nodded and the lady lifted her to take a long drink. She remembered to say thank you when the lady put her down and walked away. She turned and crashed into a big boy who dropped his big drink on her feet, splashing ice cold blue juice all over her pink sneakers and clean white socks. The sudden frigid water caused the little girl to jump and almost cry when she felt her pants suddenly seem wet and warm as she sat with a splat on the stone walkway.

"Jerk!" The boy yelled. "Look what ya made me do!" He yelled a lot of bad words and Skye scooted as far away as she could across the ground until she bumped a bench, turned and climbed under it.

Suddenly, it wasn't so much fun trying to find Dunny. Suddenly, she missed Mack and Yoyo and wished they would hurry to catch up her. Sr. Daniel always found her very fast. It usually meant a very hard slap and a lot of scolding but she got found and that was okay. What was taking Mack so long?

Skye kicked off her sodden shoes and rolled the sticky socks off her feet. "Uck!" The little girl cringed as she set her blotchy blue feet on the warm walkway. She looked in all directions and spotted a small fountain. Skye was not one to keep clean. In fact it wasn't unusual for her to have at least two baths per day and twice as many changes of clothing. Dirt was one thing but sticky was something all together different. Skye hated sticky and would freeze if a drop of pancake syrup made its way to her fingertips. It took very little time for her to plunge her now dirt covered sticky feet into the fountain.

Several people mumbled their objection and others commented on how some people cannot control their children as Skye walked across the fountain and exited on the opposite side. Her feet were a bit cleaner but still held the bright blue stain of the boy's raspberry frostie. She wriggled her toes in the warm sand that lined the zoo's walkway and tried not to think about her soggy bottom. People weren't being as nice as they had been when she was clean and dry. Now they kind of just inched around her and wished someone would just take care of their child. One woman made it a point to seek out a security person and wag her finger in Skye's direction.

The little girl recognized the look on the woman's face and even though she couldn't hear what was being said, she knew it meant she was in trouble. She hung her head and waited for the lady in the police suit to walk toward her. She watched the large black boots stop in front of her and took a big breath before blinking up at the woman. Skye was surprised to see a smiling face instead of the usual stern growl of one of the Sisters.

"Looks like you've had a little accident, huh?" The police lady smiled as she squatted down to the little girl's level.

Skye chewed her lip but did not answer.

"Maybe I can help." The lady said as she stood and held out a hand. "Somebody is looking for you. How about I take you to Mack and Elena?" Skye's head came up as she reached to take the woman's hand. Speaking into a radio she had on her shoulder, the woman explained she had found the lost child and was on her way to the security office.

"Where are your shoes, honey?" The guard asked as she walked slowly back toward her small gold cart type vehicle.

"Thems got balloo to them. Them gotz sicky. I taked them offa mine foots." Skye pointed in the direction she had dropped her pink sparkly sneakers. "The boy putted hims code balloo soda onna mine foots. Him pushded me down the groun." She explained as the woman lifted her on to the seat. Skye looked at the cart and smiled. "Mine Nee Nee haves a car like a yous."

"Okay, little one, hold on." The woman smiled as she started the cart and moved slowly through the crowd.

Elena paced back and forth in the large waiting room of the security office. "I thought they said they found her. What is taking so long?" She stopped at the large window that created one wall and peered out at the parking area.

"She was on the other side of the park. It takes a while to get here in one of those little carts. They aren't very fast." Mack tried to calm her.

"Rápido como una tortuga," Elena huffed. Mack stifled a laugh.

"Maybe she is hurt," Elena's voiced turned from frustration to concern. "Maybe they could not bring her directly to us."

"She's not…" Mack began, holding the smaller woman's shoulders.

"OYO!" Skye's voice shattered the calm in the room as she bolted away from the guard who had entered through a side door. "MACK!" She squealed as she wrapped herself around the man's leg. "I misted you. You seed the kanarudes nuff, now?" She asked innocently. "I no seed you no more and I go find Dunny."

Elena let out a frustrated breath and made a grand effort to contain her anger. "Skye…" she barked at the child causing her to jump and slide around Mack's leg to peek out at her.

"I sorry, Oyo." Skye spoke in a tiny voice. "You be mad to me?"

"¿Enojado? Oh, sí pequeño, estoy muy enojado. ¡Casi me das un ataque al corazón! Me doy vuelta y te has ido. No puedo encontrarte durante horas y ¿crees que no estoy enojado? Tienes suerte de no azotar tu trasero hasta que se vuelva morado." Elena spoke so rapidly, Mack could barely translate.

The man bent down to speak to the little girl. "Yoyo is pretty angry, Tremors. You can't just walk away. We were very scared when we didn't see you." He watched as Elena paced off her hot temper and nodded his thanks to the guard.

"She's a little worse for wear," the woman smiled. "I think she may have had a little accident and I haven't been able to locate her shoes. Apparently someone spilled something on her and knocked her down. She took it upon herself to rinse off in one of the fountains. Gotta say she is quite resourceful."

Mack nodded as he laid a hand atop the child's head. "Thank you for finding her." He smiled.

The woman nodded back. "There's a washroom in the back. You can clean up there." She looked at the stroller parked against the far wall. "Might be a good idea to use that as well."

"Absolutely," Elena agreed as she hefted the large pink duffle onto her shoulder. "Let's go, Chiquita." She took the child's hand and tugged her toward the washroom.

"Lo siento, Oyo. Me azotes ahora." The little girl asked as she ran to keep in step with the woman.

Elena looked back at Mack over her shoulder. He shook his head. She stopped and looked down at into the tear filled eyes that looked back. "We will clean you and change your clothing and then you sit in the stroller. Entiéndeme?"

Skye nodded and hurried to match Elena's steps as she pushed open the washroom door.

Ten minutes later Elena emerged with a shoeless Skye dressed in her third outfit of the day. Now the little girl was in the woman's arms and put up no protest when she was plunked down into the large umbrella stroller. Elena pulled the shoulder harness up and lifted one eyebrow at Skye's pout. The little girl immediately sucked in her lip and sat up straight allowing Elena to buckle the restraint across her chest and then her waist.

"We see Dunny now?" Skye asked softly.

"De nuevo con el Dunee! Vimos esos malditos canguros durante una hora y ella todavía busca esta." Elena rambled rapidly throwing her arms in the air and walking away from Mack and the stroller. "Calm down, Yoyo." Mack spoke softly. He smiled at the little girl who watched his partner and her wicked temper. "She's just a kid. We'll figure it out." The park security guard still stood in the room. She pulled a green tri-fold brochure from the rack against the far wall and stepped toward them. "We have more than one exhibit for the kangaroos. There are several types. I believe you saw the standard exhibit. There are wallabies in this one." She tapped the picture on the shiny paper. "And of course we have a wonderful exhibit in the new small animal area. It opened a few weeks ago. They've got a large run for the kangaroo rats." Skye's eyes widened as the guard pointed to the photo of the small creature. "It bees him! It bees Dunny. Him lived in mine schoo in a liddle howz." She reached for the brochure which the woman handed to her with a smile then pulled a second one and gave it to Mack. Elena joined him to look.

"This tiny rodent is what caused all this…" she paused searching for the words in English, but resorted to her native language, "maldita locura…" She turned and paced away and then back muttering under her breath. "Una tarde entera que es toda una maldita locura. toda esta locura por una rata?"

"I sorry, Oyo." Skye chewed her lip and played with the stroller's harness. "I be bad, Oyo? You be mad to me now?" The little girl dropped her chin to her chest and took a shaky breath.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest and stared down at the contrite youngster. She tapped one foot impatiently, refusing to look at Mack who she knew had already forgiven the little imp and was ready to move on with their adventure. She let out a short breath and turned to look out the window for a few seconds before turning back to girl. "Mira, Skye, mirame." The woman relaxed her stance as she waited. "Skye?"

Skye looked up with only her eyes, expecting the worst.

"You frightened us very badly. You know you cannot go away alone, without me or without Mack. I know you are sorry, and you will stay in that stroller until I put you into the car to go home. Then we will talk to your mama and papa. I think mama will be the one to decide what will happen."

Skye swallowed. "Her be madder to me, Oyo."

Elena nodded, then looked at Mack who was shaking his head. "That is probably true, but not something to think about now. Now, we will go to see this rodent. This Dun E you need to see so very badly"

The little girl smiled as Mack pushed the stroller out of the security building and headed for the Small Mammal exhibit.

Elena finally relented and released Skye from the harness long enough for Mack to lift her up to the glass enclosure to observe the family of Kangaroo Rats in the large building that housed them and a few other marsupials. The girl rambled on about the small creatures and how one had lived in her classroom but had to move to the zoo before it got sick. She watched, from Mack's arms, as the animals burrowed in the soft sand and peeked through the foliage in the pen. She spoke to the animal she insisted was Dunny, asking it how it liked its new house and its new family. Each time Elena or Mack suggested they move on, Skye would find another reason to stay and continue her visit with the little rodent, speaking quietly to it through the glass. "Skye, perhaps your little friend needs to rest. You have been visiting a very long time." Elena suggested, feeling almost silly for even making such a statement. "Yeah, Tremors, I'd really like to see those giraffe's before it gets too late." Mack tried to encourage her toward another exhibit. Skye leaned close to the glass and let out a soft breath. "Dunny like a hees new hows, Mack. Him bees happy?" She asked without turning toward the man. Mack looked at Elena then back to Skye. "Well, he looks happy to me. Look at him hopping around in there. He's got so much room and so many places to hide if he wants to hide. He's got a family to keep him company, too." Skye pressed the tip of her index finger against the glass. "Them bees him's brudders and him's sissers?" "I bet they are," Mack smiled. The little girl looked at him for a beat. "Where bees the momma and daddy? Them's gotta momma and a daddy?" She asked quietly, turning back to look through the thick glass. Elena leaned closed to Skye's opposite side. "Si, bebe, Dun E has a momma and a poppa here. There is a whole family for him here." Skye looked at Elena then up at Mack. She turned back and looked at the small group of tiny animals and nodded. "Him bees happy with a momma and a daddy and brudders and a sisser. Them bees a family." She smiled up at Mack. "We see a ralphs now, Mack. They be big like you be big too." Mack stood and carried the little girl out of the building, Elena followed, pushing the stroller. xx

The rest of the day was uneventful as the small group made their way through every exhibit in the large zoo. Dinner was at one of the park's restaurants and by seven that evening they made their way to the car where Mack lifted a very sleepy little girl from the stroller and buckled her into her car seat. She was asleep before they left the parking lot.

Forty minutes later the large man carried Skye into through the kitchen door and delivered her into the arms of her waiting mother.

"Hi, momma," Skye greeted her groggily as she snuggled into her mother's neck. "I seed Dunny. Him bees happy wit hees famalee."

Melinda kissed her head and smiled at the exhausted expression on her friends' faces. "Why don't you two sit down and have some coffee. I'll put her into bed and send Phil out." She nodded toward the fresh pot on the counter as she let the room.

A few minutes later Skye was changed and tucked into her bed, Salty secure in her arms. Melinda kissed her head and tucked the light blanket up to her chin. There would be plenty of time tomorrow for this little adventurer to share her experiences but for now she and Phil would get the story from their friends certain that it would be much different from the one they'd get from their daughter.

She could only imagine the torture her little angel had put Mack and Elena through as she made her way down the stairs.

"So," Melinda began as she poured herself a cup of tea and sat at the table with Phil and their best agents. "Why are my baby's feet blue and how did she lose her sparkly shoes?"

Mack and Elena looked at each other as each took a long sip from their large mugs.