'Thump...thump...thump, that's all I can I can feel of my heart, I can't feel or hear anything else...where is she? where is my little girl?'

That is all Margaret is thinking about when a single tear drops from her eye. She doesn't see John looking at the merry-go-round and the little girl he sees...she just feels and hears pain.

"Margaret!"

Trapper John runs to the Merry Go Round, he spots a little girl in a red and polka dotted black dress and doesn't know if its her but he just runs to her. He barely even sees the strange man inching toward her:

"Holly!"

Holly turns to see him and she smiles. The man beside her freezes up, snatching his hand away from her and he stands still.

"Margaret!!"

Margaret finally hears John and she wipes the tears from her eyes and she clearly sees her daughter scooped up in John's arm. She reaches out for the policeman beside her and she points to them and she runs so hard and so fast over to where John and Holly stand. She instantly grabs her daughter and says:

"Holly, where were you?"

The little girl points to the Merry Go Round in all its wonder and she says just in all her innocence:

"I was here Mommy"

Margaret hugs her then asks another question:

"But why did you go? Mommy was so scared"

Holly just tells her:

"I had to come Mommy, it's so pretty!"

All the adults just laugh now that the horror is over, Margaret just kisses her daughter again and the kind policeman says:

"Now, it's just like a little one to go off when they see something pretty like this but mind you now lass, you won't be doing that again will you?"

"The confused little girl shakes her head no and the police officer taps his hat and says "Good day" to Margaret and John then leaves to go back to scan the crowd then Margaret says:

"Okay now, let's go get something to eat"

Just then Holly squirms around and points to the Merry Go Round and says:

"No Mommy! I want to ride that!"

Margaret and John laugh and he goes to pay for two tickets and Margaret and Holly get on a blue horse. Holly just laughs as the gentle breezes glide past her and she giggles as Margaret tries to find her footing on it. John goes over and watches the two and he smiles but then....his eyes scan the crowd and it falls on a person. He just remembers the man reaching for Holly and he notices how the man is watching the crowd for another 'lost' child. John goes back to watching Margaret and Holly having fun but the corner of his eyes stay on the tall, slender stranger.

After 30 minutes later, Margaret finally steps off the ride with Holly closely in hand and he asks:

"Finally finished riding?"

Margaret looks at her daughter and says:

"After about ten times, it finally got boring"

Holly protests:

"I want to ride again!"

Margaret rolls her eyes then bends down to Holly and says:

"Holly, we are hungry and it's time to go eat, so come on young lady!"

Holly pouts but goes with her mother, John still spots the guy as he inches closer to a young boy. Trapper goes over to the policeman who helped them earlier, says something to the police officer and the police officer turns to look at the man more close. He mouths something to Trapper like 'thank you'. Trapper pats the police officer on the back and goes off.

After they eat, they leave the carnival and are walking down the sides of streets where business's are. People are walking around and Margaret keeps a close eye on Holly as she walks a few paces in front of them. They stop in front of a Women & Little Girl's dress shop. Margaret and John talk about what to do the rest of the day when Holly says:

"Mommy! Look!"

The little girl points up to a hat, a little girls hat in the window. It just runs a wide brim and it has white fabric covering it with sheer lace on top and yellow flowers running up and down and two pink satin flowers on either end and loose strands of fabric to tie under the chin. Margaret goes over and asks her:

"What is it Holly?" "That!"

Margaret looks and sees the darling hat and looks further up and sees a sign that says:

'Easter Hats on sale. Little girl's & Ladies. Come look!' Margaret smiles and looks back at John then says:

"We won't be long"

He waves them to go on and the they go in. Trapper looks at his watch and thinks:

'Won't be long. Right'

He just watches his watch as the seconds tick by.

About 30 to 45 minutes later, Holly comes running out of the store with the very same hat on. She says:

"Look John!"

He sees the small girl in the hat showing it off and he can't help but smile and laugh to himself when he sees Margaret coming out with several boxes in hand. He walks up to her to take some from her and says:

"What's all this?"

She looks at the boxes and says:

"Oh, they had the most darling dress for her to match that hat, it's just so cute, I couldn't resist it"

John thinks:

'Uh huh'

Margaret just goes on telling about the dress:

"It's white with yellow polka dots"

He smiles and says:

"Of coarse"

She smiles and says:

"Of coarse"

He asks her another question:

"And what's in the other packages?"

She sheepishly looks at them and says:

"Well, some shoes for her and well, I just had to get me a dress and shoes...and a hat, gloves...just accessories"

He smiles and they go on walking down the street.

Finally, just as the twilight of the day comes, Margaret opens her door to her apartment and a exhausted Holly comes in and goes straight to her room. She opens the door and falls her little body on the bed. Margaret goes over and closes the door then turns around and sees John putting all the packages down on the couch and he stands up and he looks at Margaret and she asks:

"Would you like some coffee?"

He shakes his head and Margaret goes over and makes some. She then pours them both a cup in two mugs, takes them over to the couch, gives one to Trapper and sits down and says:

"Thank you for today"

He takes a sip then says:

"I'm just glad I was there"

She smiles and says softly:

"I'm glad also"

They both take sips of their coffee then Margaret says:

"You know, I was almost on the verge of not taking Holly to met Hawkeye"

Trapper leans back, looks at Margaret, not with judgment then says:

" I had that feeling"

He watches Margaret put down the coffee cup and she says:

"But after today….I would never forgive myself if I never took her"

He places his hand on top of hers and says:

"We'll take her…together"

Margaret smiles and they both sip their coffee.

A/N—Okay, hands up! Who knew, or suspected that everything would turn out all right with Holly? Thanks and love to EVERYBODY! One more chapter to go until Crabapple Cove!