A/N Thank you so much for those who have reviewed and put me on their alerts. I feel like I'm losing my mind. Since my surgery I haven't been able to work or do much. So I have been sleeping when I should be writing (writing when I should be sleeping) like I want to but that is not the way it is working out. So I hope this chapter is OK. On a happy note I have one more week of PT (Physical Therapy) and I will be starting an acting class next week so maybe that will start the creative juices flowing. Please review and let me know what you think.

Chapter 3

Where?

CSI Crime Lab

Danny walked in to lab still only in his white under shirt.

"Hey doc what have you found out about the girl" he asked

"Well I found something interesting inside one of her pants pocket but it's badly deteriorated" Hawkes said showing him the dish with four brown shriveled things

"Flower petals?" he asked

"Looks like it and I found out what kind it is too, are you ready for this" Hawkes asked

Danny nodded

"Cornus florida, or commonly known as the American dogwood" Hawkes answered knowingly

"What is she doing with Virginia's state flower in her pocket?" Danny asked confused

"That was my first question also so I looked closer at her clothes, the pair of shoes, and the other items that were in the book bag and found this stuck inside a shoe and one stuck in the fur of her stuffed animal " Hawkes said showing Danny another dish with two long brown leaves in it

"The Parthenocissus quinquefolia or the Virginia creeper vines bear green leaves in summer that morph to brilliant colors in fall, ranging from red to burgundy. This is why it is grown on garden walls or where grass is bare all over Virginia, so I'm guessing our girl is from Virginia." Hawkes said before Danny could ask about the leaves.

"Ok question one how do you know so much about foliage? and two how did the girl end up in New York in the gutter? Danny asked dumbfounded

"Well answer one is I did my research while you were being held hostage" Hawkes said smiling "Number two I only have a theory on how she ended up here." he said seriously

"Well let's hear it" Danny said motioning with his hand to continue

Before Hawkes could explain Stella, Flack and Lindsay walked in the lab laughing.

"Hey Danny I know you paged me a while ago but Linds found a lead on another case we were working on we went to check it out and ended up catching the guy" Stella explained.

"That's fine, I was going to ask if you would you go process the little girl I found this morning" Danny asked with a pleading look

"Yeah let me go get the camera. Is she at St. Barts?" asked Stella

"Yeah, Thanks Stel" Danny said

Danny saw Stella gently touch Flack's arm as she left and the smile he gave her didn't go unnoticed either.

"It's about time" thought Danny

"Yeah, Flack was telling us about the heroic deed he did by saving you from the grasps of a four year old" Lindsay said chuckling interrupting his thoughts

"Heroic deed he owes me a shirt" scoffed Danny glaring at Flack

"Again you're welcome, how else were you suppose to get free she had you were trapped. Oh yeah you left her clothes at the hospital" Flack said grinning as he handed the bag of clothes to Danny

"Flack we need you to call VPD to see if they have any missing children fitting the girl's description" said Hawkes

"Virginia why?" asked Flack

"According to the evidence that is where she is from" said Hawkes

"Let's hear that theory you had" said Danny

"Well I think our suspect packed the girl's bag to take her with him and when the little girl saw her chance she ran" said Hawkes seriously

"She was definitely afraid of something she had a concussion and still held on for dear life" said Danny

"You think she was followed?" asked Lindsay

"I don't know but she is so afraid that she won't make a sound. Even when they got her off me she never made a noise she just kicked and fought till she was exhausted." Said Danny

"Fear will make you do things you didn't think you could do." said Lindsay

"I can't get over the way she looked at me like she knew me. Like she wanted me to save her she trusted me and I never seen her before. Her eyes were so sad" Danny said frowning

Just then Flack's phone rang.

"Flack" he answered

"Don it's Stella, When I got to the hospital to process the girl they told me she's missing. The nurse said that they just got the IV with the fluids in her and the nurse stepped out the check on another patient came back twenty minutes later and the girl was gone" said Stella her voice laced with worry.

"Do they think someone took her?" asked Flack

"I looked in her room there was no sign of struggle. It looked like she pulled out her IV and walked out the door. There checking the security cameras to see if she got out any of the exits" Stella said

"Ok I'll be there in a few minutes. I'll bring Danny with me maybe she'll come out if she see's him" said Flack

"What happened" asked Danny

"That was Stella she said the girl is missing" said Flack

"How?" asked Hawkes

"Stella said the nurse stepped out of the room and it looks like the girl just got up and left" said Flack "I thought maybe you could come with me and look. She may be more willing to come out if she sees you" he said looking at Danny

"Yeah let's go" he said

At the hospital

I have to get out of here.

He'll find me here.

He's going to hurt me like he hurt the others, my friends.

The little girl peeped around the corner making sure no one was watching then she quickly slipped under the cover on a flower cart. She peeped out as the cart moved down the stopping every few doors to deliver flowers. She knew that the people rushing around some of them were looking for her.

I've been a bad girl.

No one wants me that's what he told me.

I wish I could find that nice man. Maybe he would take me with him then I won't have to be scared anymore. I liked him he doesn't scare me like Mr. Doctor. The nice man said that other doctor was nice but I don't think any doctors are nice. Like the one that stuck the needle in my hand.

Danny rubbed his face frustrated. They had looked ever where for that little girl; he was starting to worry that she may have gotten out. It felt like they turned the hospital upside down, still no girl.

Where could she be? thought Danny as he walked past a flower cart.

He saw Lindsay heading toward him.

"Any luck?" Lindsay asked as she walked up to him

"No" he said frowning

"We'll find her Flack has officers outside looking for her. We are not going to stop looking for her" she said soothingly as she ran her hand though his hair

"What if this guy she's running from finds her first? It's getting cold at night. What if the next time we find her she's not so lucky?" he asked loudly, agitated

That voice.

I know that voice!

Lindsay looked past Danny to see a little girl slip from under a flower cart and run towards them. Lindsay grabbed Danny by the shoulders and spun him around. Danny got the biggest shock when the little girl jumped in his arms and said

"DADDY!"