Meg's Apartment ….

"I know I put it in here somewhere." Meg fussed as she dug through her closet looking for her photo albums and high school year book. She'd taken a walk through the mall, losing herself in the crowd but everywhere the lady Mountie went she saw mothers and daughters walking side by side. There were old ladies with daughters Meg's age, new mothers with their babies and seemingly every age in between. That only reminded Meg of what she'd missed.

After buying herself a quart of fudge ripple, Meg took the train home and plopped down on the couch to eat it. The television played entirely too many diaper commercials, toy commercials and family dinner ads. Meg turned it off and took her dirty spoon to the kitchen. Restless and near tears, she wandered into her bedroom and opened the closet door. On the right was her box of treasures left over from childhood. Beside that sat a medium sized, plastic tote full of mementos from high school and her early days with the RCMP. On a whim, Meg took down the plastic tote and opened it. She found old birthday cards, notes from friends, bookmarks, and photographs among other things. One of those old photographs was of Meg and Jake, the love of her life, until lately. It had hurt her when he died, so badly Meg thought she'd die herself. Every day after his death had been hollow without his smile, his laugh and the way he made Meg feel like she was the only person in his world. No one should have to hurt so much that every breath is a stabbing pain and every minute is a useless eternity. Nothing could fill the emptiness she felt, not sleep, not friends, no amount of prayer or asking why changed the fact that everything Meg held dear had disappeared, slipped through her fingers.

Fresh tears spilled from her eyes. Jake had been her first and she'd hoped her last love. Her pain was as fresh sixteen years later as it had been the morning of the accident. Meg crumpled to the carpet floor of her closet, tears hitting the worn image of Jake's smiling face.

Losing Cara on top of losing Jake had taken it's toll on Meg. She'd spent her senior year in a boarding school for troubled girls. Cara had been adopted by her aunt Ursula. There was nothing to go back to after high school. Meg put her application in during her first year in college and moved on as if those two years had been nothing but a bad dream. She never dreamed that her daughter would walk into the Canadian Consulate in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

"Cara Elizabeth Thatcher, my baby girl." Meg held the tiny, pink arm bracelet up to the light. She'd been so close but Meg felt like Cara had somehow gotten farther away. It didn't feel fair to the lady Mountie. Nothing made sense.

After a while, Meg got up, washed her face and got ready for bed. It was early yet, but she felt exhausted. The mirror showed a woman she barely recognized. She was too tired to care.

Cara's Hotel …

"Cara," A harsh woman's voice cut through the chatter of the three girls gathered around the television in the hotel room.

"Mom." The teen pulled away from her classmates. She took a deep breath and tried not to let anger control her.

"Are you alright, is your money safe with Ms. Dolan?" Ursula Lawrence held Cara at arm's length.

"Yes, Mom, I'm fine." Cara answered. She pulled out of the woman's grip.

"As soon as we get this passport business settled you and I are leaving." The petite woman pushed a strand of light brown hair behind her ears.

"The trip isn't over until day after tomorrow, Mom." Cara protested, crossing her arms over her chest. It was embarrassing to be talked to like that in front of her classmates.

"This trip is over, Cara Elizabeth, no discussion." Ursula's words were final. She stepped closer to the teen, her hands on her hips. Cara narrowed her dark eyes at the older woman, barely holding her tongue.

"The consulate is closed by now, but we'll go first thing in the morning. Right now I've got to see if I can find a room in this dump. I'll be back in a few minutes." Ursula turned and left Cara standing near the hotel door, Sabrina and Tiffany's eyes glancing quickly from the Brad Pitt movie to the argument near the door.

"She's got another thing coming if she thinks I'm going home with her." Cara thought to herself. She'd had just about as much of Ursula's dictatorship as she could stand. A hasty plan began forming in her mind. She had a lot more money with her than her mother or Ms. Dolan knew about.

"Oh yeah, she's got another thing coming alright." Cara walked into the bathroom and wiped the tears gathering in her eyes away and freshened up.

Fraser's office ….

Fraser re-read Cara's forms, the desk lamp his only illumination. He'd read them twice already, but something nagged at his mind. He'd seen this information before, but where?

Winnipeg Academy, that's what stuck out, that was the red flag. Fraser wasn't one to believe in hunches, but he had the overwhelming feeling that this was the key to the mystery he'd been trying to figure out all day. With a sigh, he checked his watch, Winnipeg was an hour behind. The Academy would still be empty.

Fraser put the pages back in the file folder and leaned back. Then it struck him where he'd seen the Winnipeg Academy before- Thatcher's personnel files. He still didn't understand the connection between Cara and Thatcher. Digging into his superior officer's personnel files would be tantamount to slitting his own throat. Meg Thatcher prized her privacy and her image as much as Fraser prized Diefenbaker. One answer had presented a dozen other questions. Fraser decided to wait and see if any of the questions would answer themselves. He grabbed his leather jacket and Stetson.

"Come on Diefenbaker, let's get a breath of air, shall we?" He planted his hat on his head and opened the door. The air in Chicago was anything but fresh, but it was different.

The Hotel …. Two o'clock in the Morning …..

Cara quickly packed her things in her school backpack. She'd rifled through Tiffany and Sabrina's things for a few extra changes.

"I'm sorry, hope this covers it." The note she left on the dresser said. Paper clipped to the money was a hundred dollar bill to cover the two sweaters and two pair of jeans she'd taken. Two uniform skirts and a short sleeve blouse lay on the dresser beneath the money. Cara wouldn't be needing them where she intended to go.

Neither of the girls moved when Cara opened the door to the hall beyond the hotel room. Before she could get to the elevators she saw a familiar form-Brett. There wasn't anywhere to hide from him. The hall was too well lit.

"What are you doing out at this hour?" Brett questioned, a can of soda and a pack of peanut butter crackers in his hands.

"I could ask you the same thing." Cara hissed, adjusting her backpack over her school sweater. She'd braided her nearly waist length hair into one, long braid and wore a blue bandana over it.

"I woke up hungry, what's your story?" Brett opened the crackers and popped one in his mouth. He was a tall, gangly boy with hazel eyes and sable colored hair cut short. He hadn't yet grown up to match his ears and prominent front teeth. Cara mused that when he did, he'd be handsome. For a moment she thought she'd regret not seeing him all grown up.

"My mom says that as soon as she gets my passport we're going back home. She can go fly a kite, I'm not going back with her." Cara's dark eyes and venomous tone made Brett look at her more closely. He could see she meant it.

"What are you going to do, you don't know anyone here, your ID and stuff was stolen." He pointed out. He seemed concerned.

"I've got my bases covered, no worries." A dark, mischievous smile pulled at her red lips.

"Ms. Dolan and your mom are going to freak out when they find you missing." Brett popped another cracker in his mouth.

"Let them, I'm not going back, not yet. Promise me you won't tell them, let me get a head start." She stepped closer, her voice low and desperate. Brett could see the wheels spinning in her mind.

"What will you give me not to?" He asked, being a normal, teenage boy. Cara looked up at him for a long moment, chewing on her bottom lip.

"How's this?" She tip toed up and kissed him, putting her arms around his neck. It took him a moment to get his bearings. When he did, he closed his eyes and leaned in closer.

"Promise you won't tell them anything, Brett?" Cara whispered after pulling away. She could still taste the peanut butter from his kiss.

"Uh, yeah, I won't tattle, promise." He swallowed hard, still reeling.

"Thank you, Brett. I'm sorry about what I said yesterday about your mom." Cara slid her arms from his neck.

"Ah, you're right, she probably did forget when my birthday was." He shrugged, a pink blush filling his cheeks.

"Wish me luck." Cara smiled, hitching her thumbs in her back pack straps.

"Write me a letter or something." He waved as she started toward the elevators.

"Okay, bye, Brett." She waved. With a dopey smile on his face, the boy watched her get on the elevator and disappear.

TYKTYKTYK