"She has your eyes."

Ale tore his gaze away from the slumbering infant in the cot and looked over his shoulder as his wife slunk over and stood beside him, also gazing down at the innocent child, smiling almost radiantly in joy.

He managed a soft chuckle and slipped an arm around her, pulling her closer so he could rest his head atop hers, tilting it as if to better view their precious creation.

"No. She has OUR eyes…" he corrected quietly, only briefly looking away to kiss the top of her head.

Arlene sighed in content and pushed her head further under his chin, hugging herself. "Either way… she's beautiful."

"Like her mother."

"Heh… shut up, you cheap flatterer."

Their daughter – only a week old – hitched her breathing, her tiny chest lingering as it inhaled a moment longer, her mouth moving silently. The sight filled their hearts with an extra sprinkling of joy.

They remained, just watching her sleep like that, until she woke with a low mumble, which slowly progressed into a soft cry. They pulled apart and Arlene leant over, scooping the girl in her arms and babying her, rubbing her back gently and bouncing her lightly in her arms, whispering and shushing her.

This proved enough to settle her back down again, but Arlene did not put her back in the cot, and instead kept holding her against her chest, cradling her to and fro. Ale smiled and idly stroked the top of the infant's head, which was already starting to acquire the faintest traces of hair.

They heard a knock at the nursery door. Ale answered it.

"Hey… is she sleeping…?" Dyme greeted him in a hushed voice, peering his head around the open door and glancing around for the baby. Ale nodded but stepped aside to invite the guy in. "I just wanted to come over and see how the little thing is doing…"

"She's doing great," Arlene whispered, turning to face him, actually throwing him a genuine smile for once. He smiled back and leant over to gaze down at the slumbering girl. "God damnit… she's so cute."

"Here…" Arlene gently and carefully offered her to him, and he widened his grin as the baby was transferred into his arms. "Heh… she's putting on a bit of weight, isn't she?"

"Pttt, that's probably a full diaper weighing her down," Ale joked, though Dyme stuck out his tongue briefly before returning his attention to the sleeping child. "Hey kid… wow, you're growing up so fast, ain't ya…? Some day you'll be the prettiest little thing, yes you will."

He gently stroked her face, managing not to rouse her, then lifted his head to the parents. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

Ale shrugged and Arlene sighed, "Can't say we have…"

"Oh no!" he exclaimed quietly before turning back to the sleeping infant. "Mommy and Daddy haven't even named you yet? Now that's just plain rude, isn't it kid?"

"Actually… we haven't named her… because we wanted you to help us chose," Ale smirked. Dyme blinked and stared at them both with a look of, 'what'?

"It's true…" Arlene giggled at his expression. "We're both useless at being creative. Whilst you're building your whole career and hell your whole life on creativity… we wanted your help."

"For real?" he smiled in pleasant surprise. "You really want me to be a part of this decision?"

Two nods.

"Well damn! I'm honoured!" he chuckled, the nameless girl bouncing slightly at the motion. "Well, did either of you have a starting point? Any names that strike you as good?"

"Well, I'm not sure if they're 'good' as you put it, but… okay, this is gonna sound weird but we want it to start with a vowel because-

"Because vowels generally feminise a word… I get ya," Dyme winked.

"Well… heh… yeah, I guess," Arlene chuckled, though Ale mumbled, "Does that make my name feminine?"

"Well I suppose when I say 'feminise', I guess I should really say it establishes a starting point to a word, and most of the time the second half of the word ends softly which generally makes for a gentler name on the whole… trust me, I'm a song writer. I know what I'm talking about."

"Okay. So vowel is a yes?"

"I'm not the parent here, Ale. But yeah, a vowel seems a good place to start."

"… So we've looked up at some popular names starting with vowels. We're disregarding 'U'… it's an ugly letter," Arlene remarked. Dyme chuckled at that but let her continue. "'I' and 'O' we also ruled out… they just… I don't know… none of the names listed in the top ten for those letters struck us as being 'right', you know?"

"We spent all last night thinking of 'A' and 'E' names we liked the sound of," Ale carried on. "We have a possible five. We need your help narrowing it down some more. Hang on, I wrote them down somewhere…"

There was a brief pause as he rummaged by the bedside dresser, finally coming back with a tatty piece of paper torn from a notebook. "Here we go… right… We came down to 'Anna', 'Evie', 'Amy', 'Amber' and 'Emilia'."

"I'm not so keen on 'Evie'…" Arlene mumbled. "Personally I think it sounds like the kind of name an old lady would have but… meh."

"She isn't going to be young forever," Ale replied with a cheeky smirk.

Dyme pondered the names for a while, absent-mindedly bouncing the girl some more. "Hmmmmm… they're all pretty names…"

He heard quiet gurgling. He looked down. The child was awake, observing him with large dark green eyes, her tiny chubby fingers in her mouth. "Hey beautiful… you're just in time to help us pick your name!" he smiled at her, before returning to biting his lip and thinking. "Hmmmmm… well, Arly, if you're not fully keen on 'Evie', then don't go for it. Remember, you'll be stuck with this name for the rest of her life… you've gotta make it something you like. Anna… sounds… okay, I guess… Amy seems too plain, in my personal opinion. Amber sounds kind of-"

A sharp squeal interrupted him. The three adults looked down on the girl who had just made the noise. She had extended both arms weakly fumbling at his shirt, gurgling happily.

"What's wrong baby?" Ale came over and peered over her, tickling her stomach gently with his index finger. The baby just gave another squeal and clumsily put her hands together. Arlene smiled, suddenly getting an idea.

"You like that name?" she cooed softly, taking her out of Dyme's arms and holding her at arms length, her hands tucked under her daughter's armpits. "… 'Amber'…"

The baby squealed again and wriggled, swinging her tiny legs weakly in approval. Arlene's eyes lit up and she pulled the child closer against her chest. "You like it don't you? Amber! Amber! Amber! Hee hee!"

The child was now gurgling and giving high-pitched squeaks, enjoying her mother's chanting.

Ale and Dyme watched in wondrous delight.

"Well, looks like she chose her own name in the end…" Ale remarked, folding his arms as he watched his wife laugh along with their child.

"Yeah… what do you think of your new name, Amber?" Dyme chuckled.

Amber gave a loud noise of approval, grabbing her mother's finger and sucking it tenderly.

----------------------------------------

"Come on! Come on, Amby!"

The toddler gave a sound of irritation and impatience, tottering almost drunkenly to seize her father's hands that were just out of reach. Behind her, she heard her mother laugh quietly.

She staggered, certain this time she would snatch at her father's inviting palm. But to her further annoyance, it seemed to pull back further away just as she was within reach. She frowned. She WOULD reach him. She WOULD.

She firmly put her left foot forward, though forgot exactly about her right foot and ended up tripping. However, instead of hitting the hard carpet of the lounge, she fell into her father's arms and found herself whisked up off her wobbly feet and into his cuddle.

"Oooooh who's a good girl, eh?! Who's my little walking superstar, eh?" he cooed, swinging her around a little. She giggled and squealed as he spun her only twice so she'd not get dizzy. He was laughing too as he pulled her back against him and nuzzled her face. "Soon you'll be running around and playing with the other boys and girls, huh? You're gonna be a big girl soon, I can feel it! Then I can point and say, 'that's my daughter there. That's my little princess!'

Barely understanding what he was saying, Amber just giggled and cooed in delight, slinking her arms around his neck. He just giggled back and planted a kiss on her nose, which only made her giggle harder.

_______________________

All eyes were on her in disbelief.

Finally, Ale leant forward, face to face with her, and asked, "Amber… did… did you just try to say 'Daddy'?"

The girl scowled further in an effort to spit out the word. Her first intelligible word. "Duh… duh… da…"

Ale's smile was widening further and further. Behind him, Arlene and Dyme were also smiling, though Arlene was a little miffed her first word wasn't going to be 'Mommy'.

"Come on baby… you can do it! It's 'Daaaaah Deeeeeee' Dah-dee'!"

"D… Da… Dah…"

Ale was smiling unbelievably wide now, a hand over his mouth to stop himself interrupting her attempt. Finally, the little girl swallowed then stammered cutely, "D… D… DYME!"

The two parents did a double take as the little girl burst out laughing and pointed to Dyme, who'd gone bright red in both surprise and sheepish embarrassment.

"Uh… I'm flattered?" he laughed nervously as both parents glared at him jealously.

"Dyme Dyme Dyme Dyme Dyme Dyme Dyme!" Amber laughed, so proud of her new word.

-----------------------------------------

"Maaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaa! Daaaaahdaaaaah!"

Both parents opened her bedroom door hurriedly, rushing in to see what the matter was, and what could possibly be frightening their poor three-year-old daughter so badly in their own home.

The infant was tucked in a corner of her room, hands over her head, and screaming, knees tucked up in her chest. The window was wide open, as they'd left it, because it was so hot and Amber seemed very heat-sensitive at this age.

A pigeon was flapping wildly around the room, cooing disturbingly and sending feathers everywhere, it's flying erratic and frenzied as it found itself trapped in such a contained space.

Realising the bird was terrifying Amber's young and easily startled mind, Arlene shut the bedroom door and slowly tried cornering the hapless bird, whilst her husband went over to console their daughter.

She was still wailing as he sat beside her and pulled her into his lap, cooing softly, "Oooooooh dear… shhhhhhh… don't cry, baby…"

It took Arlene a few minutes to finally lunge and grasp the bird as it tried taking off from the corner. It flapped it's one free wing madly, it's call humming in her hands as she jogged to the window and slowly released it back outside. Closing the window firmly, she turned to face the other two. Amber had gone from screaming to simply crying, cawing, "Bad birdie! I not like birdie! Not like him!"

"Birdie's gone, baby…" Arlene reassured her as Ale got to his feet, Amber in his arms. "Mommy's right, he won't bother you anymore."

Amber still carried on saying how much she hated the thing in her limited language, despite her parent's attempts to inform her it was just an animal and had entered by accident.

From that day onwards, Amber refused to approach any avian, and would scream and cry if one ever came within five metres of her.

-----------------

"… she'll be fine…"

Ale nodded wordlessly. She could tell he wasn't convinced, but didn't prod him any further. She simply leant over and kissed him gently. He managed a weak smile and closed his eyes, finally wrenching his gaze away from his daughter's timid figure being escorted into the school for her first ever day of education.

He felt a hand slip into his own. He squeezed it and turned to her. She grinned at him. He couldn't help grinning back and returned the kiss from earlier.

"I guess she's just growing up too fast for my liking," he shrugged subtly.

"I know," Arlene sighed, though she was still smiling. "But they all grow up at some time… there's no escaping that. You should be happy for her."

"I am happy for her… I'm just going to miss spending the whole week with her at home…"

"Well… you've got that interview tomorrow… who knows? Maybe if you get this job, you'll not have to be on your own all day."

He smirked and looked back just in time to catch Amber disappear behind the doors of the entrance.

"I'm so proud of her," he mumbled, face brimming with affection.

"She is something else," his wife agreed, slipping an arm around his waist and nudging under his arm. "Who knew two nobodies like us could raise such a cute little sweetheart?"

"Who indeed?" he chuckled.

--------------------

Three years on from the sweet memories, they curled up around each other in their bed. Tonight, despite the record-breaking Summer heats, they felt so cold. So empty. Like they'd been denied sunlight after taking it for granted for so, so long.

It was 2am. Neither of them were tired. Neither of them could force their eyes to shut for more than a few seconds. With every forced blink, another tear pushed out.

"Ale…?"

"Arlene."

"… I don't want a heart anymore. It hurts too much. I don't want to feel like this anymore. I don't want to care anymore."

He blinked some more tears out. They landed in her hair as he pushed his face closer to hers and trembled in utter despair. She looked back at him, her own tears glistening in the dim lamplight shining from the street lights outside their open window, letting some air circulate the room. It hadn't helped: they both found the emptiness suffocating no matter how much oxygen poured into their room.

Very slowly, very very slowly, she broke down into a fit of sobs. He forced with all his might to clench his eyes shut, shaking with sorrow himself as he pulled her closer and let her cry her heart out at the knowledge that somewhere out there, their dearly beloved angel was scared, and in danger, and completely out of reach.

The phone rang.

-----------------------

It was 4am when Ale and Arlene finally rushed through the police station's door and stumbled to the reception desk. Ale panted urgently, "Inspector Lyner… called… said he-"

"The hall down your right, third door," the officer at the desk said sympathetically. They nodded in rushed thanks then jogged in the direction specified.

They were not expecting to see Todd sat at an interrogation table with the Inspector sat opposite.

When they entered the room, Todd looked up tearfully, face drawn in shame and fear. The Inspector smiled at them then invited them to sit down at the table. Glancing around nervously but wanting so dearly to know what on earth was going on and whether it would help them find Amber, they obeyed.

"What's going on?" Ale asked quietly, staring at his best friend, who was trembling.

Todd just lowered his head and mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"Mr Bailer here," Lyner began softly. "Handed himself into police custody about three hours ago, claiming he assisted the abduction of Miss Tyko and your daughter."

Ale and Arlene flinched in shock, staring at Todd in aghast disbelief. The blond man shivered more then confessed shamefully, "Kazz found me. I was so scared. He knew it was me. He knew who I was. He… he… hurt me."

The look on Todd's face said it all – he wasn't talking about a physical hurt, nor a mental one. The fact Todd had suddenly crossed his legs almost defensively only made Ale feel sicker. Todd swallowed then carried on.

"He made me tell. I can't lie. So I tried to stay quiet. But… he hurt me. So I told him. I told him where you lived."

Arlene put her head in her hands and Ale wasn't sure if she was going to shriek blue murder at him or burst into tears. Ale himself wasn't sure how to react.

Todd knew exactly how bad this situation was, and simply clasped his hands in his lap, announcing, "I want to be locked up for my crimes. I want to atone."

"What about Jake?" Ale asked finally, having to say something. Anything.

Todd's face lowered more, if possible.

"Jake is dead."

Everyone in the room jerked and stared at Todd.

"He was out when Kazz and Lumaria broke in. He walked in just as Kazz was 'hurting' me. He ran away while Ty and Jezza bit Lumaria. They were shot. Then Lumaria went out the room and I heard another shot. When they'd gone and I went to hand myself in, I found Jake dead in the cupboard my jacket was kept in."

"Why did you not tell us sooner!?" the Inspector boggled.

Todd flinched and bowed his head. "I was scared. Too much was happening. I couldn't keep up. I faded in and out. I think I passed out again. When I woke up, I only remembered to hand myself in. I think his death may have been too traumatic and I repressed it."

Everyone glanced at each other in mild horror, whilst the Inspector made a call for a squad to search Todd's flat and find Jake's body, hoping to find evidence. Then the interview continued.

"Why would they come find you, Mr Bailer?"

"I think it's because I can't lie. And Ale is my best friend. I know his exact address and the layout of his house and his family very well now."

"You said you're autistic, correct?"

"Yes. But I had a bad head injury. I forget things now."

"We all forget things, Mr Bailer," the Inspector smiled, trying to be considerate. Todd just stared back and announced blankly, "I don't. I can't. Or everything hurts."

"Todd," Ale interrupted, unable to stay quiet any longer. He had to know where his daughter was. "Did they tell you what they were going to do? What they were planning? Where they were headed?"

Todd shook his head. His eyes shone apologetically again. "I'm sorry."

Ale and Arlene gave sighs of defeat, slumping in their chairs, rubbing their hands over their faces. There went their last hope.

-----------

It was 4:20am. She knew as soon as she heard the knock on her door, it was him. Who else would come to her, of all people, in the early hours? Who else would visit after such a calamity, after such a horrific incident, after such a terrifying ordeal.

She descended the stairs of her house, struggling not to run and risk breaking her neck on the trailing of her dressing down.

She opened the door.

There he was, illuminated by the security light above her door. His eyes shone with tears. His cheeks were red from crying. He was swaying, as if not knowing why he was still standing on his own two feet after this nightmare.

Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around him. He burst into tears.

----------

Fifteen minutes later, he'd calmed down, out of tears to cry, but still giving the periodic choke as a sob surfaced. They were both on her sofa. His head was in her lap. Her arm stroked his in an attempt to soothe him. Her hand occasionally brushed his cheek to dry it. He clung weakly to her nightclothes.

"Why take Deni?" he whispered finally, his voice barely audible and hoarse from his sorrow.

Andrea closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming her saddened self before pulling him upright, wrapping both arms around and propping her legs up either side of him, engulfing him in an embrace she hoped would soothe his aching soul at least a little. He tilted his head back against her chest and shook with mourning.

"Dyme…" she said softly, squeezing him closer. "… She'll pull through. I know she will. Our Deni is a fighter. Our Deni is strong, and smart, and amazing."

He just nodded, clinging to that small, unsupported hope. It was all he had left to think now. Everything else just seemed so meaningless in comparison.

Andrea hadn't the heart to tell him the whole basement was coated in Denise's blood. Even she wasn't strong enough to break that news to him. Instead, she just buried her head into his shoulder, keeping him close.

After what felt like eons, he took a long shaky breath, then turned as far as her hold would let him, half-facing her. She looked up at him. He looked so lost.

"Ann… I… I need someone," he announced softly after a long pause. She nodded in understanding and pulled him closer, planting kisses of comfort on his face as he closed his eyes and tried to keep himself together.

When he opened his eyes again, she had stopped and was hugging him tightly. He sighed raggedly and returned the gesture.

"Ann…"

"It's what friends do…"

He pulled away slightly, hesitant.

"Just friends," she clarified with a weak smile. Relieved, he nodded and forced the tiniest smile. It lasted only but a moment before his face fell into subdued misery again, and he mumbled, "Deni… Amby… geez, poor Ale and Arlene…"

Andrea sighed heavily and rubbed his back. He closed his eyes and relaxed, suddenly tired beyond belief.

"Dyme…?"

"Y-yeah…?"

"Dyme… I… I have a confession for you… but… I don't think now is the time. So… if you decide to chase down these freaks…" she paused, then whimpered, "Don't die on me… okay?"

He blinked, then gave a soft nod, kissing her cheek. "I'm dying to know though…"

She grimaced and froze, debating whether to tell him or not. She doubted his mental state could take much more damage so quickly. And yet, somehow, despite her brain screaming for her to shut up, the blond murmured sadly in his ear, "I aborted your child."

A chill settled in the room. Dyme had flinched as soon as those words left her lips. She couldn't see his face, but she felt his breath on her neck – shaky, tense, shocked.

She quivered in shame, instantly regretting telling him.

He pulled away, staring her in the face. He looked both sick and bewildered. His mouth moved but no sound passed his lips. Unable to respond logically, he simply stared at her stomach, then back to her face. And then, she felt his hand slowly slide over her belly. Rub it. Then pull away timidly.

"I… We… You got…?" he whispered in dread.

She nodded, finding her own voice was starting to drain away.

He looked close to tears and turned away, mouth open, breathing deeply as he lifted a hand weakly and ran it through his hair, as if checking this wasn't a dream.

"A… a child…?" he breathed, still unable to take it in.

"I… I wanted to talk to you about it, but you weren't here…"

"A-Ann… Annie… are you sure…? Sure it was… 'mine'?"

"There was an 85 per cent chance it was yours…"

He put his hand over his mouth and blinked a couple of tears spare tears out, eyes wide and gleaming in the early morning light.

"Dyme… I'm so sorry," she whispered shamefully.

She had just put her face into her knees when she felt him shift. She looked up, and barely had time to breathe when he was suddenly on her, kissing her softly – he was crying, but was not quaking with hatred, or anger, or disgust.

"You… you did the right thing, thank you," he sobbed quietly, putting his hand to her cheek and putting his lips onto hers before pulling away and whispering, "Just… don't do it ever again…"

She gazed up at him, nodding. Now she was tearful. She slowly reached up, wrapping her arms around him, before whispering, "Just one more time before we forget this ever happened…? I… I need to have closure from this… I need someone right now. I need you. Dyme, I think I love you… cure me of it."

He nuzzled his face into hers, slowly. Gently. Lovingly.

"I need curing too," he admitted in a murmur, his voice rumbling into her skin. "But by the time the sun rises… it's back to being just friends… for Deni's sake. We can't do this to ourselves. Even if we want it… we just can't. It'd ruin what we already have left."

Andrea nodded, then slowly pulled him onto her, kissing gently.

-----------------

One month. One week. Two days. Fours hours. Fifty minutes. 20 seconds. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three...

'That was the last time I saw my daughter,' Ale thought miserably, pressing his face against the cold condensed window of the bus, staring out aimlessly at the passing traffic. It was funny how he remembered the exact time. He had glanced at his watch as he'd rushed to his car that day. It was now etched into his memory, and he was still counting.

He was still shaken from the call last night….

"Hello?"

Static. And then… his heart had leapt.

"Daddy…?"

He had screamed. He had actually jerked back from the phone and screamed. He couldn't remember exactly why he screamed – whether it was out of joy, horror, shock, confusion, disbelief… it could have been any combination or even all of those things.

"Amber!?" he had gasped in his hoarse cry.

"… Daddy… I love you…"

"Oh my god… oh my god… shit… Amber where are you!? Are you safe, have they hurt you!?"

"Good bye Daddy…"

"Wh-what!? No! No Amber! NO!"

All he got was the dull unresponsive throb of the standby tone ringing in his ears and yet another crushed hope of ever seeing his daughter ever again.

He was so distracted by the chilling call, he almost missed his stop. He had taken to using the bus to get around rather than his car. He was scared in case Kazz or Lumaria recognised it and made a move.

He refused to believe Lumaria had given up and was satisfied with taking Amber from him. He refused to believe Amber was the price they had to pay.

He got off the bus and began to walk down his street. The autumn wind was brisk and bitter, much like his demeanour recently. Everyone had noticed. Then gain, everyone else was much of a likeness: Diego had returned from India burdened with his father's death, only to learn his only daughter was in danger's clutches. According to Dyme, the aging man had gone berserk and punched a hole solidly through the lounge wall. Dyme, Ale had noticed, was also becoming more agitated. His sister meant the world to him, and Ale realised Dyme's loss was probably equal to his own. The brunette had taken to staying cooped up in his house. He hardly ever visited anymore. Andrea popped around every other day to cheer him up. He had politely offered to pay for a bodyguard service for Arlene. She had refused. She was too busy overcoming the lingering grief of her child's abduction to be able to agree to such a thing in such a state of mind. Imogen had fled the neighbourhood. Todd was in police custody, as a witness rather than a suspect. Jared and his wife Alexis were currently forming a truce with the remaining members of Triple Abyss and were funding the publicity posters to help them get public eyewitnesses to come forward.

Ale reached his house and opened the door. He took off his coat and threw it on the floor. There was no point trying to 'set a good example' to Amber anymore… she was becoming a ghost to the house. Her image haunted them both. Ale had once caught Arlene stood in the garden shrieking Amber's name in just her underwear in the middle of the night.

'She was there! She was there!" she had protested, struggling in between weeping as he'd dragged her back inside. "She was running through the garden! Let me go to her! Let me go to her! Let me go! I have to get my baby!"

She was in the kitchen, washing up. She wasn't looking at what she was doing – it was a habit she'd developed recently. Just staring. Staring at walls. Staring at furniture. Staring at nothing at all, but with her eyes so longing and desperate, as if she was wishing with all her might something was there. Sometimes she'd zone out for hours. No amount of physical or verbal prompting could snap her out of it. She was on anti-depressants.

He wanted to go to her. To hold her. To cradle her in his arms and cry into her chest.

He went into the lounge and slumped into the sofa. Turned on the TV. Amber's photo was on the TV. Denise's followed closely. More pleas for any information. More people asking why in the world someone would want to take two loving, sweet girls from their families like this. More whispers of rumoured death. More accusations it was the parents.

It made Ale feel sick to his core.

A crash came from the kitchen. He jerked upright sharply. He got up, jogging into the room.

He gasped.

Arlene was grasping the side of the counter. The remains of a plate lay on the floor. She was panting, clutching her stomach. Her breathing was deep and laboured. She slowly sank to her knees, sweat breaking out on her forehead. He rushed to her side as she writhed in pain, eyes wide.

"Arly? Arly!? What's wrong?!"

She just about gasped out the words as she quivered in pain and shock.

"The…! The…! …Twins!"

Ale paled as he realised what was wrong.

She was going in labour.

______________________________________________________

No, I don't plan on having Dyme and Andrea as a couple. After this, there will be no more DyAnn action. (Lol, 'Diane')

A/N

Don't own KH.

I own Denise, Amber, Jared, Diego, Kazz, Imogen, Andrea, etc