After a hearty meal, and some homemade biscuits, the three inhabitants had moved to the living room, with a nice fire roaring in the fireplace. All three just watched the fire illuminate the room in red and golden warmth while watching out the picture perfect window of the snow falling still. Both Henry and Martha watched Vala with concern, seeming like her thoughts were somewhere else.

All three enjoyed the snowy scenery, while Henry had made hot chocolate earlier. It was a beautiful scene with the added bonus of the sun setting in the background while sipping on their mugs of chocolate.

"Oh, Martha, I have something for you. I almost forgot and thought of you when I saw it."

Henry pulled out a medium package wrapped in brown paper. Vala curled up in her chair, while watching the elderly couple snuggle up to one another. Martha carefully tore away the paper, while Henry and Vala watched with gleeful anticipation.

"Oh Henry it's a beautiful figurine." It was a small female statue with a man kissing the women.

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet." The old man turned the statute upside down and there was a turning key at the bottom of the base. He turned it and out came the sound of a musical melody. Martha's eyes lit up at the surprise within the figure. It was playing a old Frank Sinatra song that Martha remembered from their first meeting.

Vala's eyes watered up at hearing the sound of the small music figure. It reminded her of Cam's present to her, the music box. Vala slowly sat up and walked to the bedroom and closed the door. Martha and Henry were concerned for Vala's sudden sadness.

"It must have been bad memory Henry. Do you think I should go see how she is?"

"No, I think it's best we give her some space. She'll come out when she's ready."

Martha looked back towards the bedroom. "Well……ok, but I still worry for her."

Henry squeezed his wife to himself, loving that she was a caring person. "I love you Martha Brown and you are the cat's meow."

Both of them kissed and held their heads together a few moments. "Do you love the music?"

"You always know how to make me happy when I least expect it. I love the gift, I just wished we could do something more for her honey."

"I sure that you'll think of something." Henry kissed Martha's forehead, while thinking along the same lines as his wife. He wanted to do something special for Vala.

Vala lay in her bed with tears streaming down her face. The music figure had struck a fond memory. One that she didn't want to forget. There were a lot of memories with Cam she didn't want to forget. She turned over and dreamed of Cam and her together.

Cam could see a house finally coming into view. His calculations were right on the money.

I hope these folks are home. A nice cup of cocoa would warm my toes.

Cam finally arrived with his snow mobile and dismounted at the entrance of the house. The snow was still falling, but not as hard as it was. Cam kinda thought that was a good sign. He took off his helmet and rand the doorbell.

Martha heard the ring and thought it strange someone would be out in this weather. However, she called for her husband. She still realized this was a violent world and had to be careful. Henry grabbed a bat from beside the door and opened it to the front porch. Martha stood watch from the living room and was thankful her husband always had a shotgun in hiding, just in case. She knew how to use it, just in case.

"Hello sir; I'm sorry to disturb you, but this weather has been a bear. I wonder if could come in and thaw out. My friends and I are looking for a lost person. I was hoping to show you her picture and see if you've seen her?"

Henry was already suspicious of Cam, but something gave him a feeling that he could trust the young man. He decided to go by his instincts and let Cam in. He looked back at Martha to signal keep an eye out.

Henry watched Cam closely as has shook the snow from his feet and coat. Cam didn't want to appear unfriendly and figured Sam and the rest were close behind.

As he entered the old man's home, he could smell the aroma of hot chocolate in the home. Martha smiled at the young man, thinking how nice his smile was.

"Hell ma'am; I'm sorry to disturb you and your husband. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Cam noticed the old man place the bat back behind the door. He didn't blame him one bit for protecting his wife. He would have done the same for Vala too.

"My husband and I don't get many visitors, but your welcome to warm yourself by the fireplace."

"Thank you ma'am; my name is Cam Mitchell. I don't want to be a bother, but as I was mentioning to your husband that my friends and I are out looking for a missing person." Cam reached into his pocket slowly, noticing the old man kept an keen eye on him.

"Here's a picture of her." Cam handed the picture to Martha. It was a picture of Vala. Martha looked up at her husband, and moved closer to him.

He immediately recognized Vala, but played dumb for obvious reasons. So did Martha.

"I can't say that we have. Sorry we can't be of any help." Stated Henry and handed the picture back to Cam.

Come looked defeated, hoping upon hope Vala might have been seen by these people. "Well, thank you anyway. I'll be on my way then. Hope I didn't take up to much of you folks time."

Henry wanted the get rid of the man as soon as possible. He figured any more questions asked would bring suspicion and he wanted to protect Vala.

"Well, you be careful out there young man. The weather looks like it's letting up."

"Yes ma'am, thank you. Sorry to bother you. My friends are on snow mobiles looking too. If I could wait outside for them for a few minutes……..

Cam's cell phone rang. "Sorry, excuse me."

Henry and Martha kept their eye on Vala's bedroom door. They hoped that Vala wouldn't come out right now. They wanted her to stay hidden as long as possible.

"No…….no; the house I stopped out hasn't seen her. I was just going to ask these nice people could I wait for you guys. What's your ETA?" Cam turned and smiled. Henry didn't smile, but Martha did.

"Ok, hold on. Sorry, that's my friends on the phone. I wonder if I could wait outside for my friends. I won't be any bother and we'll be on our way."

"You can wait out by the shed, if you don't mind." Said Henry.

Cam could tell this man had some kind of military bearing. He understood the tone in the mans answer.

"Yes Sir; ok Sam, I'll be outside waiting by this nice couples shed."

Martha kept looking back and forth to her husband. "I've got to check on something, excuse me young man." Martha made her way to the guest bedroom to make sure Vala didn't come out.

The snowfall on the way to Beulah was letting up a little. Woosley decided to use the IOA helicopter instead of traveling by road. "Mr. Woosley, our ETA to Beulah sir is 30 minutes." Stated the Pilot.

"Good, set down near the town if you can. I want to see if our so called SG1 has been in the area yet."

"Yes Sir."

Woosley turned to address his men. They were well armed. "I want Vala Mol Doran taken alive. Use your darts to knock her out. If SG1 interferes then take them out with your darts. Any violence, well then well meet them fire for fire." His men nodded checking on their equipment.

This should be fairly easy. If we have any trouble from SG1, then I can officially arrest them.

Woosley kept his vision out the helicopter window. He knew what the Presidents backing, nothing was going to stop him from putting Vala into permanent custody.

Martha walked into the room. She saw that Vala was asleep and sat down in the chair. She thought it best to just let her sleep and tell her about the man looking for her later.

Henry watched from the enclosed porch at Cam maneuvering his vehicle over by the shed. He wasn't quite sure what to think of Cam. But he did know that Vala was being searched for. He didn't see any evidence that the man was angry for not finding her. But he did notice a slight disappointment in the mans voice on the cell phone. He also noticed the young man had a military bearance about him. He could spot this from a mile away being an old veteran.

The old man looked back towards the guest room door, hoping his wife was keeping Vala hidden. He didn't want anything to happen to his wife or Vala.

Cam noticed the snow was barely falling. He could see a lot more clearer down the so called snowed road. He sat on his snowmobile checking out his map to the next house in the area. He felt like time was ticking away and trying to find Vala in this valley could be futile. He thought she could already be holding up somewhere else or in another city. Knowing that she ditched the car could mean anything from Vala finding another car and traveling to who knows where. He looked at his watch and back at the map. He shook his head trying to think were Vala would go. But it just made him think the worse.

Vala please be safe. I just want to know if you're alright.

As he watched down the road for his friends to arrive. He suddenly remembered he hadn't taken care of mother nature in awhile. He hated to bother the nice people in the house, so decided out back by the shed was good enough. As he was relieving himself, he felt something wasn't right. His instinct were saying stick around or something about the house he noticed that was out of place.

Cups; there were three coffee cups in the living room. I didn't see a third person.

Cam's training in observation were being put to the test.

The old man didn't ask why we were looking for Vala. People are always curious about something. His wife didn't even ask either.

Cam finished up and decided to play on a hunch. He went back to his snow mobile and decided to fake that his vehicle wouldn't start. He pretended that to check all his connections on the snow mobile and detached his gasoline line. Again he tried to start the vehicle and hoped the old man was watching. Henry was.

Cam knocked on the door again and Henry had watched Cam fool with his snow mobile. He didn't think anything looked suspicious so he answered the door again.

"I'm so sorry to bother you Sir; but my snow mobile won't start. Do you have any tools around so I can try and fix it, until my friends arrive?"

Henry wanted to keep Cam out of the house, so he motioned towards the shed. "I have some out in the shed. Let me get my coat on and I'll show you were they are."

"Thank you Sir. I appreciate all your help."

"Stay on the porch. I wouldn't want you to get cold or something." Henry shut the door and walked back inside the house. He moved towards the room, peeked in and checked on his wife and Vala.

Martha saw him and shushed him, pointing at Vala asleep. She moved outside the door.

"Martha, that young man is waiting on his friends, but his snow mobile won't start all of a sudden. Keep our guest out of sight and you keep old Ben close and loaded."

"You be careful old man; we'll be fine." Martha kissed her husband as he left to go outside.

TBC