The time of day outside changed quickly to noon. The sun hung high and dry over Zack's house. Tyne sat on the couch with her head on her fist asleep. Fletch kept watch next to the window. His gaze scorning the streets and high places for any signs of danger. He sighed and readjusted again in his chair. His gaze fell on Tyne. He immediately felt his heartbeat painfully. He had put her in harm's way again. Tyne sensed someone was watching her and woke up. Her green gaze locked with his brown ones. She turned her head to one side. " what?" she whispered. Fletch blushed looking away. "um nothing." He turned back out to the window. Tyne got to her feet, yawning and stretching gently. She went over to him touching his shoulders. " never known you to be paranoid before." She mused. Fletch looked up at her. " Tyne, I'm just afraid is all. I don't want anything bad to happen to my family." Tyne nodded and bent down to kiss him gently. Fletch hugged her neck pulling her closer into the kiss. They pulled away from each other gently. " I'm going to check on Taya and Zack." She whispered.
She went into Zack's room to find the two asleep in each other's arms. Gracie had made her place of honor at the foot of Zack's bed. She looked up at Tyne and woofed quietly. Tyne smiled rubbing the dog's head. Zack stirred quietly yawning, his dark brown eyes slowly blinking themselves open. He sniffed letting go of Taya gently. " I know your in here Tyne." He whispered. He gazed at her. " I just came to check on you guys." She whispered back. Zack nodded and smiled. He got up from the bed pushing Taya to the center of the bed. " she can rest for as long as she wants to." Tyne nodded. " I'm proud of you Tyne. You've finally opened that door to your heart after all these years of keeping it closed." He clasped her shoulder. Tyne blushed softly. " I know it's hard to after what your father did to you growing up." He left the room leaving her alone with Taya.
Taya woke up an hour later to find Tyne watching over her. " have a nice rest?" asked Tyne. Taya nodded. " yep." She got up hugging Tyne. Gracie felt Taya stir and slowly got up. The dog yawned and stretched. Gracie hopped to the floor padding into the living room where Fletch and Zack were both watching TV. Tyne carried Taya out to meet them. Her and Taya sat on the couch together with Taya sitting in Tyne's lap. Taya snuggled into Tyne. " so Tyne does that make you Taya's mother now?" asked Zack leaning back in his chair. Tyne scratched behind her head blushing again. " yeah I guess so." Taya smiled up at Tyne. Zack nodded. "good to hear!"
Night came, everyone had gone to bed after of just eaten a big meal. Tyne laid awake on her side of the bed that her and Fletch shared. Her thoughts were about Taya. Fletch sensed Tyne was up and immediately sat up. " what's going on my love?" he asked softly. Tyne sighed. " a whole lot of things." Fletch hugged her. " you want to talk about it?" he questioned. Tyne sighed again and leaned up on her elbows. " no I'd rather not." The two sat in silence for a few moments. Fletch laid the covers around Tyne kissing her on the cheek. " why don't you get some rest?" Tyne nodded laying down again on her side. Her green eyes barely closed when she heard Taya's ear piercing scream coming from down the hall. Zack was sitting on the bed holding her. " shh it's okay baby girl calm down." Murmured Zack rubbing her back. Taya was in tears panting harshly. Tyne knelt down taking her from Zack. " let me guess a nightmare?" she asked. Taya nodded. Tyne hugged her tight stroking her hair. Tyne began to sing to her softly:
Yuuyami semaru kumo no ue
(above the clouds where the dusk comes)
Itsumo ichiwa de tondeiru
(always flying by itself)
Taka wa kitto kanashikarou
(The hawk is probably grieving is it not?)
Oto mo todaeta kaze no naka
(in the wind's midst suddenly sound stops)
Sora o tsukanda sono tsubasa
(the wings that grasp the sky)
Yasumeru koto wa dekinakute
(resting is a thing they cannot do.)
Taya slowly begins to relax hearing the calm melody. Tyne keeps stroking her hair and singing to her.
Kokoro o nani ni tatoeyou
(to what compares the heart?)
Taka no youna kono kokoro
(This heart that is like that hawk?)
Kokoro o nani ni tatoeyou
(to what compares the heart?)
Sora o mau yona samishisa o
(Of griefing that seems to circle the sky?)
Taya fell fast asleep relaxing in Tyne's arms. Tyne finished the last verses of her lullaby as she placed Taya back under the covers.
Kokoro o nani ni tatoeyou
(To what compares the heart?)
Hitori michiyuku kono kokoro
(This heart that goes the road alone.)
Kokoro o nani ni tatoeyou
(To what compares the heart?)
Hitoribocchi no samishisa o
(Of loneliness of being all alone.)
Tyne kissed the top of Taya's forehead. " sleep well my sweet." She whispered. Taya smiled softly keeping every word Tyne sang to her close to her heart. She could hear the story behind the lullaby. Zack laid back down again going back to sleep. Tyne stayed in the doorway watching over Taya for a few more minutes. She left the room leaving Taya to sleep. Tyne laid back down her eyes closing softly. The next morning came and Tyne felt a shape laying by her. At first she thought it was Fletch but then it turned out to be Taya. She turned over careful not to squish Taya. She held Taya close to her. Taya stirred gently. " Tyne?" she murmured. Tyne yawned. " yes?" Taya smiled at her hugging her. " nothing just wanted to check on you." Tyne chuckled. " okay. I'm right here Taya I haven't gone anywhere."
A few weeks had just past and we were getting closer as a family. Taya had me sing my lullaby to her every night seeing as it kept the nightmares away. I was honestly starting to believe that no one and I mean no one on god's good earth could take my little girl away from me. Then one day…it happened.
Me and Fletcher had gone down into the mines to finish up work. I heard a high pitched scream coming from the surface. It was her I had to get to her. I dropped my equipment and darted to the surface to find her being loaded into the back of a van. I cried running to my car and chased the god forsaken van across the country. They took my baby away from me. I broke down and cried blaming this all on myself. I had to find her…no matter what…she was apart of me and I wasn't going to let some monster take my daughter away from me!
Tyne had been searching for hours for Taya. She finally found the van parked outside of a warehouse. Tyne parked a block behind the van making sure to keep from them seeing her. She could sense Taya in trouble. She snuck around the warehouse trying to find a way in. She kicked in a vent and began entering in from the vent system. Taya was being held captive in a room. She had been beatened and tormented in the dark. She was shaking needing Tyne with her. She wanted to feel Tyne's touch again. Her clothes had been ripped off of her body leaving her hanging by her legs and arms cold. She heard someone moving in the vent shafts above her. She could hear the vent fall down in front of her. She saw a shadow move in front her. " Taya I'm going to get you out of here." Taya could feel the chains get loose causing her to fall into a familiar set of arms. " Tyne." She rasped weakly whimpering. Tyne held Taya close climbing back up into the vent shaft.
Tyne pulled Taya out sneaking across the street with her. She sat Taya down in the passenger's side and climbed into the driver's side. She started her charger up taking off from there. Tyne reached for her jacket. " here put this on." She murmured. Taya stiffly put the coat on clenching it around her. " oh god Taya I'm so sorry." Whispered Tyne. " I should have kept by your side." Taya took Tyne's arm. " don't blame yourself Tyne." Tyne got onto the freeway going back home. Taya began to hum Tyne's lullaby quietly to herself. Tyne hummed along with her. Tears came out of Tyne's eyes. She took Taya's hand feeling the bones under her skin. " they did this to me." Whispered Taya. " they hurt me." Tyne nods. " I know they did. When we get home I'll patch you up I promise."
They pulled into the driveway of Zack's house. Fletch waited from them outside seeing the way Taya was and immediately rushing over. He carried Taya inside and immediately began treating her wounds. Tyne knelt by her side holding her hand. Taya touched her face gently. " don't cry please." She begged. Tyne nodded hugging her daughter gently. Fletch finished up. " there." Tyne took Taya into their room and just sat holding her. She rocked her back and forth gently. Taya shook gripping onto Tyne. " I thought you weren't going to come for me." She whispered. Tyne paused. " I was I was searching the ends of the earth to find you." She hugged Taya. " you have no idea how important you are to me." Zack came in with with a tray full of food. " here we need to get some meat on her bones again." He laid the tray in Taya's lap. Taya began eating from it. Tyne stroked her hair gently. " when I find them I'll give them hell for what they did to her." She whispered.