Hello! Just some random gabble before you read this part: Hello! just some random gabble before you read this part: Hello! Just some random gabble before you read this part: Hello...ok I'll stop now...

Disclaimer: I do not own Thief Lord or any of the characters in it. No thingy-ma-bob intended (sorry forgot the word, it'll come back to me in an hour or so...)

"And now, more on the story of Caterina, the young girl who went missing three months ago…" Prosper mentally blocked out the television as the news reader began to recap Hornet's disappearance. Three months had passed, but still she hadn't been found. The police had no idea what to do, or where to look. The city had been searched again and again, with nothing.

Bo wandered into the room, and Prosper quickly jumped up and switched the TV off. "Bo!" He gasped.

"Are you still watching that stuff?" Bo asked him miserably, indicating the blank TV screen with his finger.

"I…I wanted to know if…if they'd found her, but – but they haven't," Prosper avoided his brother's innocent gaze. He felt Bo slip his fingers into his hand.

"They will find Hornet, won't they?" He asked, pleadingly as if his brother could make all his wishes come true. He gave Prosper's hand a tug. "Won't they Prop?"

Prosper didn't answer. He just gazed out of the window. Suddenly he said: "Lets go outside." He looked down at Bo, and smiled half heartedly. "And we'll feed the pigeons!"

Bo wrinkled up his nose. "We did that yesterday," he complained. "Me and Riccio tried and the pigeons dive bombed and nicked Riccio's hat." He gave a little giggle. "And Riccio said some very rude words and a lady whacked him with her handbag because he said them while I was there!"

Prosper laughed. "Well, today we'll feed the pigeons and I won't wear a hat!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

It was only a ploy, to get Bo out of the house. Plus it took they little boy's mind off Hornet's disappearance, thought Prosper, sadly watching his little brother chase a few pigeons around an empty alleyway. Hornet…

He was tugged out of his thoughts as a large raindrop hit his cheek and burst across his face. Bo was already by his side, pushing his head under Prosper's arm so not to get his angel curls wet.

"C'mon!" Prosper yelled over the heavy splashing of the rain. The two brothers ran through the maze of alleys, finally sheltering under a over hanging roof. Prosper peered out at the rain. "It's pretty fast, Bo…Bo?"

"Prosper!" Bo's shout came from the other end of the alley. Prosper jogged over to him, expecting him to be holding a stray cat or wounded pigeon. "Look!"

Spread out, unconscious, with a bruised face, tattered clothing and filthy, messy hair was…Hornet!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ida peered worriedly over the doctor's shoulder, gazing at Hornet, who laid, her eyes closed and her face pale in a clean, white bed.

Prosper had carried her all the way back to the Casa Spavento, with Bo running ahead to tell everybody that Hornet had been found. Mosca and Riccio had run from their warehouse when Scipio told them, and were just in time to meet Prosper as he entered the house. Since then a doctor had been called and Hornet had been intently examined, all the time remaining unconscious.

The doctor took his stethoscope away from Hornet's chest and checked her pulse at the wrist. Then he stood up straight and faced his audience: Ida, Victor, Prosper, Bo, Scipio, Mosca and Riccio. And Bo's cat.

"Well, she's breathing," He said lamely.

"Never!" Ida fished through her pockets trying to find her cigarettes.

"Well, I don't think she's in a fit state to be moved yet – she is very weak and I think she needs to stay put. Here," He added as if to clarify.

"'She' has a name you know," Prosper told the doctor in a whisper. It was so quiet, he might as well have been talking to himself, but he was too bust gazing at Hornet to notice no one had taken any notice. She had been changed from her tattered outfit into a nightshirt, and her hair had been brushed from her face. It lay splayed out on the pillow. She looked beautiful, even with her face so pale and her eyes closed.

"Well, you might want to try different ways of waking her up," He turned to the children. "You could all try something different!"

"Why are you making this sound like game?" Prosper asked, feeling suddenly angry. This doctor didn't have any idea what he was doing! "Hornet isn't going to wake up with us pretending that its all for fun!" He felt red hot tears sting his eyes and brushed them away angrily.

"Well, in my experience, it helps a lot with younger children," The doctor leaned down and smiled at Bo, who immediately hid behind Prosper.

"We're not little kids!" Prosper put his arm protectively around his little brother's shoulder.

"Prosper…" Scipio muttered warningly.

"Shut up, Scip!" Prosper rounded on him. "Why are you on his side? You're just a stupid adult!"

"Prosper!" Ida said, appalled at his behaviour.

"C'mon, Prop…" Victor tried to put his hands on Prosper's shoulders but he shook him off.

"Just leave me alone!" He yelled, running out of the door. "All of you!"

Everyone turned to look at the slowly shutting door. Only Riccio spoke.

"He was really close to Hornet, wasn't he?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Prosper, are you in here?" Ida poked her head around the door to the living room and smiled sadly as she saw Prosper sat on the sofa, his head in his hands and his knees digging into his chest. "Are you alright?"

Prosper shook his head, not moving any other part of his body. Ida walked over and sat down beside him, putting a hand on his back. He didn't move, or try to push her off.

"It's ok to upset, you know," She told him, stroking his hair.

Prosper looked up at her, his face snail trailed with tears. "I know, it's just…I dunno, I don't feel right," He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I feel empty, like there's something missing…"

"…or you're missing something," Ida pulled him closer. "Or someone,"

Prosper nodded, and sniffed loudly. "Before she…disappeared I did something, and I'm not sure whether should have…" he looked guiltily up at Ida.

"You didn't start stealing again, did you?" Ida looked horrified.

"What? No!" Prosper half laughed and gave Ida a nudge in the ribs. "No…I sort of kissed Hornet…"

Ida smiled, and put a hand to her cheek. "Aw, that's so sweet, your first kiss!"

Prosper looked sheepish. "It wasn't on the lips, you know,"

"Oh, well…It's still adorable," Ida hugged him. "Look, we're going to try and do what the doctor says, and try different ways of waking Caterina up, ok?"

Prosper shrugged. "I s'pose," He muttered.

"Good, Bo's gone up already."