"What's going on guys?" Wendy asks, as soon as she and Ariel rounded a corner seeing Billy, Jake, and Matt conversing quietly to one another. Their heads turned, attention averting to the two women that stopped mere steps away from them. The look that she was given made her throat go dry. "Is…is she okay?"

"She's not in critical condition, thankfully," Matt replies, taking off his gasses and cleaning it as he spoke more. "However, she is currently hooked up to an IV as she is severely dehydrated. But…this girl has sustained multiple injuries; contusions, abrasions, cracked ribs, a couple of broken fingers, sprained ankle. That doesn't include the head injury either."

"This girl has been through the wringer," Jake says solemnly. "How did she get all of this?"

"While Ariel and I were talking to the other two kids, we learned that their mother had died in an accident a few days ago and that their father has been hurting Lacy for the last few days."

"For the last few days?" Billy asked brows rose in confusion. "Did they say why?"

Wendy nodded, "Unfortunately, their father blames Lacy for their mother's death."

Before anything else could be said, a loud crash could be heard in the girl's room, followed by the blaring warning sounds coming from the heart monitor. Quickly Matt rushed in, followed by the other Rescue Heroes.

The scene before them made their hearts stop. Crouched down in the corner and sobbing, they slowly came around, watching as Lacy ripped the different wires and tubes from her body. She ached all over, and fear raced through her body as her only thought was her sister and brother and whether or not they were okay.

"Lacy?" Lacy paused at the unfamiliar voice and looked up. Her eyes were wide with terror as she shook her head.

"St-stay away from me!" She shouted, "You can't make us go home! You won't!"

"Whoa!" Matt holds his hand up, trying to reassure her and put her mind at ease. "You're okay. You're alright. We won't hurt you. You're safe."

"Where am I? Where are Ellie and Damion?" Lacy scrambled up from where she was at, her eyes darting from one part of the room to the other, searching for something. "Where are my brother and my sister?"

Wendy also held up her hands and made her way further into the room and closer to Lacy. She could see that the young girl was on edge and ready to have a breakdown. "Hi Lacy, my name is Wendy. Your brother and sister are upstairs warming up on the sofa. They are fine. They are safe. You are safe."

Lacy had, within those last few seconds, began to relax, her eyes immediately filling with unshed tears and gave a small relieved smile.

The young girl then began teetering dangerously from side to side.

Matt took another tentative step forward, "Lacy? Are you alright?"

Lacy couldn't answer as she collapsed; falling forward, yet being caught a mere couple of feet from hitting the floor. Matt dropped to his knees, turning his head immediately to his colleagues. "I need someone to help me put her back up onto the bed."

No one had to be told twice as Wendy makes her way over to them and gets on the other side of Lacy and follows

one under one of her knees and together, carefully, walked to her bed and laid her down, pulling the sheets up to her chest.

It was then that they got a better look at her. Lacy's face was ashen in color with a thin sheen of sweat covering her face. Her hair stuck to her forehead and neck. And, her breathing was shallow.

Wendy removed the hair from her face and caressed the top of her head, feeling a massive wave of concern wash over her. Her attention turns from Lacy to Matt as he goes about getting her hooked back up to the heart monitor and IV.

Matt then heads to one of the many drawers in the room and was rummaging around one, pulling out a thermometer, goes back over to Lacy, carefully opens her mouth and placing the thermometer under her tongue. Matt stares intently at the small screen for a few, long seconds, sighing when three low beeps emanated from it. "She has a fever of 104°F."

"Why is she so afraid of us?"

"I don't she's scared of us, Jake." Matt begins to explain. "High fevers are known to bring out hallucinations. We won't know for sure what is going on until after her fever breaks."

A solemn look crosses over Jake's face as he looks down at the floor, feeling horrible. "She has to be scared of the police."

"Jake, we don't know that for sure," Billy says softly, placing a hand on Jake's shoulder, interrupting his friend from his sad thoughts. "For now, I think it's best just to leave Lacy alone to rest."

"I'm staying," Matt adds, sitting down in a chair by a computer near the door. "I'm going to monitor her and keep her from hurting herself as before. Then, once she awakens, I'll contact you immediately."

"Alright." Billy turns to leave, "Once that happens, we'll speak to her about what had happened and of her father's actions. The girl needs to know that her mother's death wasn't her fault. And, to reassure her that she and her siblings are safe. That she is safe."

Ashe Family Home

"Do you have any relatives in the area that they could've gone and visited?"

"No," Martin said, shaking his head and rubbing the tears from his eyes as he sat down at the kitchen table. "I'm not sure Officer, I mean, as you know…my wife died in a horrible car crash a couple of days ago, and earlier this morning I got into a yelling match with my oldest…and I was angry…and I did say things that I shouldn't have said." He sighed, shaking his head and dropping it into his hands." Gosh, I feel so horrible, I'm a terrible father, please bring my children home."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Ashe." The officer gave their condolences to the grieving father and placed their hand upon his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, sir, we'll find them and bring them back to you. We promise."

Martin nodded, standing up from his seat and following the officer back to the front door. Martin reaches out and opens it, "Thank you for your time, officer. I greatly appreciate it."

"No problem." The officer steps through the door and adds, "We'll give you a call if we hear anything."

"Thank you and have a good night."

"You too."

As soon as the door closes, and Martin leans against the door a hardened, angry look crosses his features. His hand's balls into fists and he growls, almost like a wild animal. "Lacy, you little brat, you're not taking anyone else I love away from me. You will pay for what you've done."