Chapter 1:
Yawning, Spot walked into the kitchen and lit a fire in the large stove. It was almost too quiet in the house at this time of morning. He filled a pot with water and set it on the stove and drowsily began to poke through the cupboards to see what they had. For, by the time breakfast was finished cooking, everyone would be awake and demanding sustenance. He scratched his head. Toast would be easy enough. He was too tired for anything else. Long hours of sleep had become but a memory in the two months since the babies had been born. He pulled out some bread and sliced it thin, buttering it up and slapping it onto the stove.
"You're up early," he said a few minutes later when Rae walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.
"Couldn't sleep... Then I got mad because I couldn't sleep- so then I REALLY couldn't sleep..." She smiled sleepily.
He laughed and ran his fingers through her sleep-tangled hair. "Coffee?"
She nodded, leaning over to 'nap' on the counter.
He handed her a cup. "Sit." And she did, quite abruptly.
Smiling, he turned back to breakfast.
"What's for breakfast?" she yawned.
"Toast and fruit."
"Mmm... good... I'm not hungry for much else."
"Are the runts still sleeping?"
She nodded. "And they are so lucky too."
"I've forgotten....were Sam and Kendra anything like this?"
"I don't know. I'm so tired I don't remember anything past yesterday." She sat up straight. "Did you hear something?"
"Hmm? No... I wasn't really paying attention though. Are the twins awake?"
"I don't think so."
"I'll go check."
She nodded wearily.
He trotted down the hall and found that he heard some unusual thumping. He tried to open the door to his room only to find it locked.
He frowned, knowing Rae wouldn't have locked it. He ran down the hall and into the bathroom, where Molly always left a neat pile of hairpins every night. Snatching one, he returned to the room and worked it in the lock.
The lock finally clicked and he threw the door open. The window was open, the curtain fluttering in the breeze. The cradle was over-turned. and James was laying on the floor near the window.
Spot stood there, immobilized with fear. Where were Robert and Elizabeth!? Gone! That thought sparked energy into him and he scooped James up quickly and searched the room. "Robert? Elizabeth?" he said, even though they were too young to know how to respond to him.
"Spot...." Rae asked in a shaky voice from the door.
"They... they're gone Rae!" he choked.
"Gone?!? They can't just get up and walk away! Where are my babies?"
"I don't know!"
He thrust his head out the window and looked around, but saw no one. She turned and ran toward the front door.
"Wait, Rae! It could be dangerous..."
She shook her arm free of his grip. "I want my babies!"
"You're not going out by yourself. I'm coming with you."
"Not with James you're not!"
Conveniently, Chris was coming down the stairs at that moment. He gave James to him and grabbed Rae's hand. "Come on."
"W...Wait....where are you two going?" Chris asked.
"Babies gone, we'll be back." And the door slammed after them.
"Huh?" Chris asked the door.
Rae and Spot released hands and ran in opposite directions, shouting for their children.
Rae stopped and hung her head in weariness. Yelling for them isn't going to do any good, she thought.
Spot stopped after a moment too, breathing hard. Whoever took them was either very fast or good at hiding. He pushed his hands through his hair, defeated. Why? Why was everything happening to them?! He glanced across the yard and saw Rae fall to her knees. He ran to her and fell beside her, hugging her tightly.
"Who would do this to us?" she sobbed.
"I don't know..." And then Spot paused. "Or maybe I do..."
She looked up at him, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Wh...who?"
"Duchess..."
Rae burst into tears again and buried her head in his shoulder.
"I'll go to New York and have a talk with her."
"Don't leave me Spot...."
"How else are we gonna get them back?"
"Send a wire to Sippi....send Chris....just don't leave me....please...."
Spot hugged her tightly and sighed. "All right."
"I want James...." she whispered.
He helped her to her feet. "Let's go back inside," he said quietly. She leaned against him as he practically carried her back to the house.
"What's going on?" Chris asked when they entered the house again.
"Someone took Robert and Lizzy..." Spot said, picking Rae up and carrying her over to the couch.
"Huh? But how? And why just them?" He looked down at James. He looked exactly like Robert.
Spot sighed. "We startled them and they ran before they could grab James...."
He handed James to Rae. "Who? Who took them?"
"I have an idea," Spot replied as Rae took James and held him close.
"Who?"
"Duchess..."
He sighed. "Can't she give us a break!?"
"That would mean giving in to us," Rae whispered.
"So... what are you going to do then?"
"Send someone to go talk to her," Spot replied.
"But who?" she asked.
"Well... we have a couple of options- we can send a telegraph to Blank or Sippi- or China, even. They could talk to her. Or... or we could send Chris."
"You want ME to go talk to HER?" Chris asked.
"I'm just laying down the options right now, Chris," Spot explained.
Chris folded his arms across his chest. "I think if anyone goes to talk to her it should be you, Spot."
"Rae doesn't want me to go... or she didn't, at least."
"I want my babies," she whimpered.
He crouched in front of her. "We'll get them back. Would you be okay if Chris and I went to Brooklyn?"
"As long as you bring them back...then yes."
Gently, he kissed her forehead. "We will."
Sighing she held James closer. "Promise?"
"Promise," he said with a firm nod. She turned away from him and stared out the window. Spot glanced over at Chris. "Pack your bags. We'll head to the train station and grab the earliest train to New York City."
"Do you want us to take Ginny back?" Chris asked.
"She might want to go for a visit..."
Spot ran his fingers through her hair. "We can take Annie too...that would be one less kid for you to worry about..."
Rae nodded. "All right."
"I won't rest until I find them, sweetheart."
She closed her eyes and nodded. "I know."
"James is sleeping...let me take him so you can rest..."
"No!" she snapped, clutching James tighter.
"Rae... it will be all right," he said softly.
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she stared at him. It was soon followed by another. He sat down next to her and hugged her and James together. She clung to him sobbing. "Why?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said quietly, stroking her hair.
After a moment she pushed away from him. "You need to pack."
He frowned. "Rae..."
"Never mind. I'll do it," she said, standing quickly.
"Rae..."
"I have work to do, Spot..."
He sighed.
"Would you go start on breakfast? The kids should be up soon."
".... All right." He headed to the kitchen and frowned as he prepared breakfast.
Rae walked back into the bedroom and sat in the rocking chair. She held James close as she began to quietly weep again. Chris opened the door and, walking in, gently squeezed her shoulder, remaining silent. She glanced up at him. "I guess you're going to go tell Spot...aren't you?"
"That you're crying?" He shrugged. "You have the right to cry."
She shook her head. "You wouldn't understand..."
"What wouldn't I understand?"
"Brooklyn..."
He sat down. "Then tell me."
"Brooklyn newsies have a reputation..."
"And?"
"They are the meanest and toughest newsies in all of New York. And they never cry."
"Rae... I don't think Spot will hold it against you. And neither would any of the other Brooklyn newsies."
"Old habits die hard."
Again, he squeezed her shoulder.
She sighed. "Have you told Molly yet?"
He shook his head. "She's still asleep."
"What about everyone else?"
"Asleep, I guess. I haven't checked everyone."
"Would you go check for me? If Annie and Ginny are awake, please send them down here."
He nodded and left the room to do her bidding.
She looked down at her sleeping son. "I sure hope he finds them, James."
James just pursed his lips and slept on.
Chris poked his head into the room Annie and Ginny shared. "Girls," he called softly.
"Whaaaat?" they whined simultaneously.
"It's time to get up."
"Do we have to?" Ann asked.
"Yes...your momma wants to talk to both of you..."
She sighed dramatically and clambered out of bed.
"You too, Miss Ginny."
Ginny pouted but followed the suit.
Rae was just tucking James into the cradle when the two girls stumbled into the room. They both crawled onto the bed and buried their heads in the pillows. In spite of recent events, Rae found herself smiling just a bit. She walked over to the bed and sat down. "Come here, girls."
Ann crawled over and laid her head in Rae's lap.
"Chris said you had something to tell us?" Ginny said.
Rae took a deep breath. "Something happened this morning..." The two girls nodded. "While Daddy and I were having some coffee...someone snuck into here and took Robert and Lizzy...."
"Why?" Ann asked.
"I don't know, sweetheart."
"Didn't their mommies ever teach them not to take things that don't belong to them?"
"I guess not, Annie."
"They need a spanking then!"
Rae couldn't help but giggle. "Oh Annie..."
"They do! We should tell their mommies and daddies to spank them!"
Rae sent her a look. "I'm not finished, Annie."
She fell silent.
"Daddy and Chris are going to go to Brooklyn to look for them. We thought Ginny might like to go visit her family while they are there."
After a moment, Ginny nodded.
"Is she gonna come back?" Ann asked, her lower lip quivering.
Rae looked at Ginny and the girl nodded again. "Yes," Rae said. "Yes, she'll come back."
Ginny hugged her friend. "It's more fun here than in Brooklyn."
Ann smiled.
"Annie..." Rae said softly.
"Huh?"
"Daddy said that you could go with Ginny...but you have to promise to behave..."
"I promise!"
"Why don't you two go pack...and make sure to take your warm clothes...it's really cold outside..."
"Yes ma'am!" they exclaimed.
Rae shooed them from the room and after washing her face, went into the kitchen.
"Feeling any better?" Spot asked, handing her a plate of food, kissing her gently.
"Not really...I won't feel any better until I have them back in my arms again..."
He kissed her forehead. "I'll bring them back."
She sighed and began pushing the food around on her plate.
He shook his head worriedly and dished out the rest of the food to the stragglers.
Unable to eat, Rae set her plate on the counter and walked back into the bedroom. She knelt on the floor by the cradle to watch James sleep.
Shortly after, Spot followed her back. "Rae... honey... you have to keep your strength up."
"I can't, Spot..."
He sat next to her and put his arms around her gently. She rested her head on his shoulder. He didn't know how else he could comfort her. She was so upset, and she had every reason to be.
"Do you really think she has them?" she asked softly.
"It would be my first guess," Spot said.
"Please don't do anything stupid."
"Me? Do anything stupid?"
She looked up at him with pleading in her eyes.
He kissed her forehead. "Rae, you have to trust me. I won't do anything stupid."
"I lost you to her once before...I don't want to lose you to her again..."
"Why do you think I'm bringing Chris with me? She wouldn't see him as so much of a threat." She sighed and looked away from him. "Trust me, sweetheart. I know what I'm doing."
"I'm trying..."
He sighed. "If you don't trust me, I'll just send Chris in my stead."
She sighed. "I trust you...it's her that I don't trust..."
He kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine."
She closed her eyes. "I hope so."
"I know so."
She pushed away from him and walked over to the window.
Again, he sighed and followed her. "Would you rather go instead?"
"We can't risk taking James to Brooklyn...if whoever took Robert and Lizzy got word that we were there...it wouldn't be safe..."
"I can take care of James in your place, if you wanted to go."
"You know you couldn't Spot...you can't feed him..."
He sighed. "I'm going to finish packing." She nodded silently. And he packed, with a lot on his mind.
