Quest

Quest

Disclaimer: Don't own SO WEIRD, but I do own the lyrics to "All Alone" (sorry I stink at writing lyrics) and I do own the ideas of this story. I wish I owned Patrick Levis, but that's another story! lol. Just please read and review!

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Start of teaser: (Annie's voice over)

"You know when you miss someone so badly? How it hurts inside?

(Clips from Rebecca)

Molly: It's just when you've lost so much, you can't stand to lose just one

more thing.

(Clips of Molly and Fi)

Annie: But how far would you go to get that person back?

End of teaser

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She sat alone in the cold, dark room. No light filtered through the grimy windows. The blank stone walls offered no comfort. All Annie could do is sit there on a small cot and think. How long had she been there? Days? Weeks even? Thinking. How did she get there in the first place?

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Two weeks before:

"We're free!" Annie Thelen shouted to Jack Phillips as they ran down the steps of Hope Springs High.

"No more school for 3 whole months!" Jack added.

"Beat ya home?" Annie grinned and took off running.

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Molly put down the photo of Fi and smiled. Very soon, Fi, you'll be back. Very soon. She snapped out of her thoughts as two teenagers burst through the front door. Jack was smiling triumphantly.

"Never try to beat me." He panted.

They laughed.

"Happy summer!" Molly told them.

Annie's smile grew wider.

"When is Fi coming back? I have so much to tell her!"

"One week – I can't wait!" Jack answered for his mother.

He grabbed some cookies from the pantry and said,

"Hey, I'm gonna go get Carey for some B-ball, wanna come?"

"Sure!" Annie loved any excuse to be around Jack.

Before Molly could say "bye" they were on their way again.

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Seattle, Washington

Fi threw shirt after shirt into the open suitcases lying open on her bed. She glanced around wondering what else she could squeeze in. Aunt Melinda smiled as she walked into Fiona's room.

"That eager to get away huh? M&M got you that bad?" she teased

" You've still got a whole week!"

Fiona smiled.

"I know, but I miss my mom and everyone else so much!" she trailed off.

"I wonder if things will be the same, I mean will they still want me, and my weirdness after having normal Annie?"

"From what your mom tells me, this past year has been anything but normal for them. And she misses you too."

"Oh."

Changing the subject, Aunt Melinda asked,

"Can I help you pack?" Smiling, Fi nodded.

************************************************************

Hope Springs, Colorado

Carey was sleeping when Annie and Jack invited themselves into the Bell's home.

"Get up sleepyhead!" Annie called as they walked into the living room to find Carey snoring on the couch.

"Huh? What? Huh?" Carey asked, still groggy from sleep.

"It's the first day of summer common, lets go play some B-ball!" Jack informed him.

Looking at his watch, Carey sighed.

"Oh – sorry man, I can't. I've got to go pick up some stuff at the mall for mom. But hey – do you want to come?"

Jack looked at Annie. She shrugged.

"Sure, I'm always up for a trip to the mall!"

"Great!" Carey smiled and got up.

"Lets go!"

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Phillips Home

"Uh huh, well," Molly pondered the question, biting her bottom lip. Sighing she agreed.

"Lisa – why not."

"Okay, uh huh, bye."

Placing the phone back on its receiver, she sighed again.

"This is not happening." Molly moaned to herself.

"What's next – adopting the kid?"

Shaking her head, Molly opened up her diary and began to write, hoping it would ease the stress.

Diary,

I just got off the phone with Lisa Thelen. She wants Annie to stay yet another year. They have more work than they thought in Pakistan. I can not believe I agreed to it! I mean sure, Annie is a sweet kid, and she is fun and all, but I'm worried that she'll take time away from Fiona and I. After all, that girl can get pretty annoying.

Molly paused and glanced around, then an idea suddenly came to her. Picking up her pen, she continued to write.

I know! I have got the perfect plan. I'll sort of kidnap Annie, and keep her in Rick and my old recording building's abandoned cellar! I'll keep her there for awhile, just enough time to get Lisa and Kevin worried about her. Then I'll release her somewhere. There is no way her parents would keep her with me for another year after that trauma. I bet I could pull this off without anyone suspecting a thing. Or am I crazy?

Molly scratched out the last sentence of her diary entry. This would work. This would have to work. After all, it was all she could think of.

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"Hey Annie, I've got to talk to you." Molly called as Annie, Jack, and Carey walked into the Phillip's house later that evening. Noticing Jack, and Carey walking away, she said,

"Actually, Jack you should hear this too."

Curious, the three teens settled themselves on the living room couch. Molly sat stiffly across from them. Noticing Molly's serious expression, Carey automatically said,

"I wasn't me, I didn't do it, I'm innocent!"

Annie and Jack shot Carey perplexed looks and turned their attention back to Molly.

"I was talking to your mom today." Molly laughed.

"It seems they found a pay phone! Well anyways, your parent's work there is taking longer than they expected." Molly paused.

"They want you to stay another year."

Molly looked from Annie to Jack and back to Annie.

"Th.. that's … great Mol." Annie said, her voice wavering.

Carey looked at her, concerned about her tone.

"Oh, it, its not that I don't like it here – its just that I miss … my parents."

Annie hung her head, embarrassed.

"I know honey, I know." Molly hugged her.

"Jack?" His mom tried to read his expression.

"I'm cool with it."

A few months ago, Jack would have been throwing a fit, but he was starting to have feelings for Annie, and plus, his sister was coming back. He'd get the best of both worlds!

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Later that night 1:27am

Annie was sleeping soundly as Molly crept into her bedroom. Holding the drugged cloth over Annie's mouth, she felt the body go limp in her arms. Shivering, Molly dragged her through the house, pausing from time to time to catch her breath. Molly finally reached the garage. She was exhausted, and her arms ached. Annie was heavier than she thought. Finally, getting Annie into the car, she started the engine, and disappeared into the night.

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Next Morning, June 3

"Hey mom." Jack greeted his mother as she walked into the kitchen yawning.

"Morning Hon." she answered automatically.

"Do you know where Annie is? She isn't in her room."

Molly's grip on the orange juice carton tighted. In one full burst, the memories of the night came rushing back to her.

"Mom! Are you alright?" Jack's voice seemed far away. Snapping out of it, Molly answered,

"Huh? Oh sorry honey, I'm still not awake. *nervous laugh* Annie probably went out early. Did she leave a note?"

"No…" Jack looked at his mom suspiciously.

"Well that's not like her at all." Molly frowned.

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By dinner that evening, Annie still wasn't back.

"Still no sign of her?" Molly asked Jack and Carey while pacing back and forth in front of the phone. Molly's acting skills were paying off. Jack and Carey shook their heads, worried.

"Do you think she might have ran away? After the news last night?" Carey questioned cautiously.

"I don't think so." Jack held up a letter he had opened that was in the mail pile.

"Read this."

Carey and Molly crowded around Jack as they read the letter to themselves.

Want to see precious Annie again Meet me June 17 with 150,000 at Hope springs hospital I will be at the front desk asking for information about a Tracy miller

Molly looked at the boys reactions. Yes! She thought secretly. It was working – Molly surprised even herself sometimes.

"Wow. Annie was kidnapped. A real live kidnapping. This is like something out of those movies she likes to watch." Carey commented.

"Should we call the police?" Jack asked.

"Yes." Molly handed the phone to her son.

"I am going to try to reach Lisa and Kevin." Molly walked out of the house.

"Hello emergency 911?" The operator began…

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She sat alone in the cold, dark room. No light filtered through the grimy windows. The blank stone walls offered no comfort. All Annie could do is sit there on a small cot and think. How long had she been there? Days? Weeks even? Thinking. How did she get there in the first place?

Annie sighed as a single tear slid down her cheek. She had been in weird and scary positions before, but this was by far the scariest. She hadn't seen her kidnaper; she had lost all sense of time.

Above her head, she heard a creaking sound as the door at the top of the stairs opened, allowing an inch of light to filter into the room, but just as fast as it opened, it closed again. Curious, but terrified at the same time, Annie rose from her cot and made her way over to the stairwell. Climbing the rickety old steps, she stopped at the top. Smelling food, she reached down and picked up a bag. On her way back to her cot, she stumbled over a square record and picked that up also. Annie sat back down on the cot. Opening the bag, she found a flashlight, a large fry, a medium chocolate shake, and a plain hamburger. There was even ketchup. How had her kidnapper known her food preferences? Her answer lay in her hands. Annie gasped in confusion as she shone the light on the record in her hands.

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One Week Later – June 10th Phillips household

"Well, can't you do anything?" tears streamed down Lisa Thelen's face as she talked to the police officer. Across the room, another officer was telling Kevin Thelen that the only lead was the note, and all they could do is wait till the 17th. Kevin's lower lip trembled. He was trying hard not to cry. Molly walked around trying to comfort the Thelens. Jack and Carey stood off to the side, un-sure of what to say or do.

Molly had gotten in touch with the Thelen's and they rushed in from Pakistan as soon as they could, their hearts broken. As soon as the Thelen's had arrived, the police had swarmed them with questions. This was all to much for the Thelens. They had taken back their offer. They wanted Annie to stay with them, if, when they got her back. Molly was beaming inside.

A knock on the door stilled all the activity. Fiona Phillips pulled open the door to reveal the upsetting scene in the living room. Noticing the police, Fi dropped her bags in surprise.

"Mom?" Fi questioned.

"Oh Fi." Molly ran over and hugged her daughter.

Jack and Carey joined the hug. The police looked on, confused.

"Officers, this is my daughter, Fiona." Molly introduced her.

"Would she have a motive to do this?" The main officer asked.

"Do what?" Fi questioned.

"Sit down." Lisa's voice filled the room.

"I'll explain."

So everyone sat as the Thelen's explained the switch, and how Fiona had been living in Seattle. Then she told Fiona about Annie.

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Phillips abandoned recording studio

"I can't believe it." Annie stared at the old record Rockerbaby laying in her hands.

"It's Molly."

Tears came to her eyes once more. Why had Molly kidnapped her? Was Jack and Carey in it too? She couldn't believe this. What was going to happen to her? Or was this all a joke? Laying back on her cot, she missed her parents more than ever. What about her panther? Where was he when she needed him?

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Fiona's look of disbelief was all it took for the police to know she was innocent. The police left. Everyone was still sitting around in the living room, they didn't know what to do. Molly was the first to speak up.

"Well, it is getting late, we should be getting to bed. Lisa, Kevin, you can have my room. Fi, sleep in Jack's room. Carey – are you staying over?"

Molly knew it wouldn't have been right to tell Fi to sleep in Annie's room.

"Yeah, if it's okay." Carey answered.

"It's fine. You can stay in Jack's room too."

Later that night, Carey, Fi, and Jack were all sitting on Jack's queen size bed. Each teen was in their pajamas, and each one was exhausted, but they couldn't sleep.

"So, any suspects?" Fi was eager to solve this mystery.

"No."

"It's just so awful."

The boys answered her.

"Well, I can see you guys will be a lot of help." Fi told them sarcastically.

Jack sighed. He didn't want to believe what he was suspecting, but it seemed like her had no choice.

"Fi…" he started.

His sister looked at him expectantly.

"Mom's been acting strange." he continued,

"She's been leaving every day at meal time, and I dunno, she's just been acting different."

Jack felt horrible suspecting his mom, but everything she was doing did add up. He laid his head in his hands and sighed. This could not be happening.

"Are you serious?" Fi looked hurt that Jack would even suspect such a thing. But it was a lead. Carey nodded. He had noticed it too, being over at the Phillips so much, he felt even more like family.

"Well what can we do?" Fi asked frustrated.

Carey really didn't want to volunteer the information he had, but was it the only way? He spoke up.

"Molly's been writing in her diary a lot lately." Carey cringed waiting for them to slap him.

"We can't. No way. That's not right." Jack said.

"Well neither is kidnapping your best friends' kid. That's against the law, snooping isn't." Fi said, she felt bad, it was her first night back and already she has accused her mom of doing something illegal.

Jack drew in a breath.

"But still, I can't."

"I'll go get it." Carey said bravely.

Walking down the hall, Carey muttered,

"Why do I have to be the oldest?"

Looking in Molly's room, he saw that the Thelen's were fast asleep. Good. Creeping into the room, he viewed the diary laying on the bed side table. Picking it up, he was about to leave the room when he heard a faint voice saying,

"Carey, what are you doing?" It was Lisa.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep." Carey whispered and walked out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Tip-toeing back to Jack's room, he rushed in and pulled the door shut.

"Shh… Carey!" Fi glared at him.

"Sorry. I got it."

Jack squirmed in his position on the bed.

"I can't do this."

"I will." Fi took the book from Carey, her hand resting on his a moment longer than necessary. Carey's eye's met Fiona's but she quickly turned away. Opening the diary, she scanned the latest entry, tears blurring her vision.

"Oh, no. I ... I don't believe it." Fi laid the book down and shut her eyes tightly trying to block out what she had just read, Molly was doing this because of her, it was all her fault. Gingerly, as if it might break, Jack picked up the diary and with Carey looking over his shoulder began to read.

"Wha.. What?" Jack closed the diary, and tears threatened to stain his face. Carey bit his lip.

"What are we going to do? Annie must be scared." Carey was the first to speak up.

"We've got to go get her." Fi said in a tiny voice.

"But what about mom?" Jack asked worriedly.

"I've got a plan, I think it'll work too." Fiona started,

"Jack, go put the diary back. Carey, you're coming with me. We're gonna go get Annie. Jack, after you return the diary, confront mom. Tell her where we went what we know, and explain my plan to her – okay?"

Fiona was halfway out the door when Jack stopped her and said,

"Mind telling me the plan?"

"Oh yeah, that might help." Fi crossed over to her brother.

"Tell her that we are going to tell Annie that we discovered where the kidnapper was hiding her, and so we decided to rescue her. Remember, Annie doesn't know who kidnapped her, so this'll be easy."

"But won't the police get suspicious that we knew right where to find her after you came home? And that she's in mom's old recording studio?"

Fi gave no answer.

"We've got to take that chance." Carey told Jack, and led Fi out the door.

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Phillip's recording studio, 1:53 am

"humm humm mmm," Annie hummed a tune that she had just thought up.

"Man!" She frowned at the lack of paper when the words came to her.

"Here goes nothing." Annie said aloud to herself as she started to sing.

*All Alone

There she stands

All Alone

By herself

All Alone

No one there

All Alone

Alone to live the pain

Looking in his eyes

It wasn't there

The love had somehow

Dissapeared

Looking in her eyes

It wasn't there

The friendly support

Had disappeared

All Alone

There she stands

All Alone

By herself

No one there to share the pain

No one's shoulder to cry___ on__

All Alone in this world

This world we call life

All Alone

There she stands

All Alone

By herself

All Alone

There she stands

All Alone

Alone to live the pain

Being so caught up in the song, Annie forgot where she was.

When she finished the last verse, and looked up into the darkness of the room, it all came rushing back. She couldn't share this song with Molly. She couldn't share any more songs with Molly.

Just then, she heard the door at the top of the stairs open and the room flooded with light. Annie gasped, startled as the two figures racing down the steps. Fiona and Carey.

"Annie! We solved the mystery! We found you! We knew you'd be here! Are you alright?" Fi shouted as her and Carey tore down the steps.

"Yeah, with a little detective work, we found where the kidnapper was keeping you – we just didn't find him." Carey added.

"What makes you think its a him?" Annie asked coolly.

"What are you talking about?" Fi's heart skipped a beat. She and Carey did their best to look confused.

"You really don't know, do you? Well I guess there is no easy way to tell you this, but your mom, Molly, she is my kidnapper." Annie replied.

"What? That's crazy." Fi scoffed.

Annie handed her the record. Fi just stared.

"I know that I am in your mom's old recording studio. Give it up."

"Rockerbaby." Fi whispered.

"Yeah, and I want to know why." Annie looked expectantly at Fi and Carey.

"Oh and by the way welcome home." Annie added.

Fi gave her a small smile and decided to explain everything. With Carey adding in things, they told the complete truth in ten minutes.

"So you see it really is all my fault." Fi concluded.

"No, it's not your fault Fi, or Annie's. Your mom is just really stressed out. And she didn't know how else to deal with the stress – that's all. Don't blame your selves." Carey told them, pulling Fiona into a tight hug. She didn't resist. She had a feeling that once this was over, her and Carey might even... Whoa! She scolded herself for letting her mind wander.

"Lets go talk to my mom. Jack is already doing that." Fi suggested.

"Yeah. I guess that is the best way." Annie agreed.

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Phillips house 3:09 am

Everyone had been woken up, and now they were all sitting in the Phillips living room. None of them were talking. They all just stared at each other silently. Carey and Fi were snuggled together on the couch. Jack was sitting on the floor beside the other couch, where Annie sat protectively in between her parents. Molly, sat in a chair opposite of the fireplace. No one talked for what seemed to be like an eternity, then out of nowhere Annie's small voice peeped up.

"I ... I forgive you Molly."

Those four words gave Molly the courage to begin explaining. She shared with the group all of the fun times that Annie and her had had over the past year. She shared the hopes and dreams that had been achived. She shared every experience, even the really weird ones like Annie believing there was a ghost in her school or that a mummy was haunting an old mususem that they had visited. Annie blushed slightly at her parents confused faces, but Fi seemed to grasp each and every detail. Molly explained how much she loved Annie, but how much she had missed Fi.

".... and I just didn't know how to tell you no. I guess I just took the easy childish way out." Molly finished.

Lisa got up and walked over, and hugged Molly.

"I forgive you too. You know you can tell me anything. I wouldn't have been offended."

For the first time that night, the room was light with smiles.

"Now I just have to figure out how to explain this all to the police." Kevin laughed.

"Let's just say it was our mistake." Fi smiled up at Carey.

Noticing this, Jack looked at them puzzled.

"Is there something else you want to share with us, Fi and Carey?" Jack smirked.

Fi and Carey looked at each other and smiled. Carey leaned down and kissed her. Oohhs and aawww's filled the room.

"Does that explain everything?" Fi laughed.

"It sure does." Annie winked.

THE END

Author's Note Please read: Hey everyone hope you enjoyed "QUEST" this is my

first Carey/Fi story. I usually do Clu/Fi – How do you

like it? Also, this is the first time I have ever written

lyrics for one of my stories, so please be kind on

reviewing that! Thanks to everyone who read and

reviewed this story! Love ya all!