The man with hazel eyes stood silent with his hands on his hips as the paramedics loaded the two children onto gurneys and proceeded to take them away to the hospital. His heart was crushed in his chest. He knew all too well what it was like to end up in the system. He sincerely did not want his own fate to befall the twins.

"Officer Keelan!"

The olive skinned woman from before approached him. Her voice softened when she saw the moisture in his eyes.

"How are they?"

Mr. Keelan shook his head.

"It was really bad… that boy's lucky to have lived this long. A concussion like that should have been fatal, not to mention spending the night in the rain."

"And what about the girl?"

"I assume she'll have to learn to walk again, if she walks at all after a blow like that."

The woman crossed her arms, shaking her head.

"Horrible… who on earth should have done a such a thing?"

"Their father. He was a drunk."

"What? How… how did you know that?"

"Well… I mean… the kids. Get close enough to them you could smell the alcohol."

"But how did you know it was the father…?"

Mr. Keelan shrugged.

"Lucky guess I suppose. I'm going to go take a look, if a parent was drunk enough to attack their own kids, they're probably passed out somewhere in the area. I'll radio if I need back up."

With that, Mr. Keelan turned and made his way to his car. He sat down in the driver's seat and pulled out his cellphone, dialing his wife's phone number.

"Hey."

"Hey, what's up? I thought you were downtown for meetings today."

"Slight change in schedule, we've got a couple of kids in the middle of the woods half beaten to death and frozen solid. I need to find their parents."

"Oh my… that's horrible. Are they going to be alright?"

"Can't say yet, it was pretty bad. But even if they do…"

"They'll end up in the system."

"Yeah…."

"Ah, I know that voice. I know what you're thinking."

Mr. Keelan chuckled.

"Well, hey… after I get this all sorted out I'm headed off to the hospital. Perhaps you can meet me there?"

"Sure, just call me back when you're on your way."

"Alright, will do. Love you, hon."

"Love you too."

He hung up and tucked his phone back into his pocket and drove off towards the main road. After going about half a mile he found a small dirt road veering off to the right and decided to follow it. A few minutes pass, and sure enough, he could see the small house looming up in the distance. Reaching instinctively to his hip, he felt for his pistol.

Getting out of the car, he approached the house cautiously. A few tense moments passed, and he heard a loud thud and glass shattered. A drunken moan echoed from the house, and suddenly, Mr. Keelan's blood turned hot. Anger seethed through his veins. That moron had beaten his own kids to within an inch of death. His heart turned violently and his hands balled into fist so tight that his knuckles turned white. Tossing aside all practical thought, he slammed the door open and barged into the house.

When Marissa woke up, there was a woman by her side.

She was tall and thin, and had a certain safety radiating from her. For a moment, Marissa thought she was dead. She saw pale skin and sandy hair, just like her mother's. But soon, her foggy vision cleared, and she made out the nurse leaning over her. It was not her mother.

Suddenly, she sat bolt upright.

"Where is my brother?!" She screamed. "Where is he?!"

"Calm down now Marissa, your brother is fine."

Mr. Keelan poked his head inside her room before entering and approaching her bedside. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down.

"Try not to move, you need to stay warm and get some rest alright?"

"Where is he? Where is my brother?"

She asked again.

"Your brother is resting, okay? Now, you should do the same."

It took a bit more convincing, but eventually Marissa was satisfied Mr. Keelan could leave her in the care of the nurse.

He left her room quietly and entered the hallway.

"Well, how is the little thing?"

Mr. Keelan turned to his wife as she approached him.

"Exhausted… and scared. Hell, she should be, for a little kid… her father was…."

He sort of shuddered at the memory of meeting the twin's father in the small house. He was amazed at just how violent one drink could make a man. It was a vile thing… capable of turning even the most respectful man into naught but a clumsy, heartless fool.

"And where's the father now?"

"In custody… he'll get a good fifteen years for his crimes."

Something in the tone of Mr. Keelan's voice showed a brooding satisfaction rather uncanny of an officer such as himself.

"What happens to the kids now?"

Mr. Keelan sighed and ran a hand through his sandy hair.

"I… I don't know."

His wife took his hand and smiled gently, peeking into Marissa's room.

"She's awake."

He looked back over his shoulder at the little girl. Her eyes were wet and blank, locked on the ceiling. He nodded and turned back to his wife. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing it. Planting a kiss on her husband's cheek, she walked past him and approached Marissa's bedside.

The small girl blinked and rolled her head over to look at the woman standing beside her

She had beautiful, delicate features characteristic of her Asian ancestry. Her deep, silky black hair was tied back neatly and she wore a simple white dress.

"Hello." She said.

"Hi." Marissa's voice was still nothing but a raspy whisper.

"My name is Abigail." The woman said as she knelt down and looked at the girl.

"What's yours?"

"Ma… Marissa."

Abigail smiled gently and took the little girl's hand in hers.

"It's nice to meet you Marissa."

Mr. Keelan watched his wife and the girl from the hallway in silence a moment before turning and walking to the end of the hallway and gazing blankly out the window. Before him sprawled the small town and beyond that, the woods. His head began to ring and his vision grew fuzzy and static. Rubbing his hands over his head he turned away and headed in the direction of Tristan's room.