*AUTHORS NOTE*

The idea for this story literally woke me up one night a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to get it out of my thoughts.

I love "Not a Bennet" stories. I'm not sure fully why I am drawn to them so. But I have read many from Fan Fiction sites. One thing I haven't seen is a modern take on it. Which of course now that I say this, I am sure I will be told hundreds of Modern "Not a Bennet" stories. Ha.

I do ask that you remember this is FICTION and though the cities and places are real, I am not a cop, I don't have any background in Missing kids. So if it seems totally false or impossible, just remember it's just a story and not truth.

Also this story is written from different POV's that are in bold and italicized before each section. And yes it's my favorite way to write so you will probably always see that style from me.

*If anyone would like to be a beta for this story I will be more than happy to accept it. I love to write, but I know my grammar is an issue.

Hope you enjoy friends!

- Emiline

Prologue

18 years ago- May 22, 2004

Rest Area- Crossville, Tennessee

Caroline

"Caro, take Izzy to the bathroom please. Lou is still sleeping." Dad gave me a glare when I harrumphed in annoyance.

"Come on Wiz." She pulled my arm in every direction. I might be three years older but the wiry 3 year old was crazy strong and fast. We nicknamed her Wiz for a reason.

"Ooohh Car-line! Look at lights! Whoa, look at bus!" I was almost dragging her at this point, while trying to spot the ladies bathroom.

I finally get us in a stall. I know better than putting her in her own stall. Last time she crawled out underneath and I had to crawl back under to unlock it. Just another annoyance from Izzy Wizzy.

After we pee, I help her wash her hands. There is no step stool around so I use all my strength to hold her up. The whole time she was chatting up the lady next to us. Of course the lady was eating it up like always. Izzy made friends wherever she went and everyone always looked at her like she was the cutest girl they ever saw. I just roll my eyes at the show. Before I fully get our hands dry she runs out the bathroom. I let out another sigh and rub my eyes. We had been traveling from Jacksonville in that stinky van for over 10 hours. How long does it take to get to Chicago? We all are exhausted and sad. Mom… mom would have known exactly how to handle Izzy. She was the best with her. She was the best with each of us. I miss her so bad I feel an actual ache in my heart.

I'm lost in my thoughts when my dad's voice wakes me out of it.

"CAROLINE BINGLY! Are you and Izzy still in there?" Dad calls from outside the bathroom. I immediately rush out to him.

"Dad, did you not see Izzy? She just ran out before me." Dad's already exhausted face grows even more weary. But now with a hint of fear.

"What? She isn't with you? Are you sure she's still not in the bathroom?" His eyes got larger and larger as he babbled each question out. I could feel his fear rising as the seconds passed.

"IZZY!!!!! IZZY!!!! ISABELLA BINGLEY!!!!" His deep voice boomed across the Rest Area. He held on to my hand tightly as he walked swiftly around each area of the stop. He quickly headed to the van and opened the back door and put me in my seat.

"Charles, protect your sisters. Izzy has run off!" He locked the van and then rushed off.

"What is going on Caro?" Louisa said from the front of the van. Charles moved right next to me while looking out the window craning his neck to follow dad as he ran frantically around the area.

"Iz… Izzy ran off." I choke out as the tears start welling up. The reality hitting me with full force.

Izzy is gone and it's my fault.

Fran

"You have boo-tiful hair! Are you a princess?"

The sweet words caught my attention as we settled back onto the bus. A cute little light brown haired girl was admiring Jane's long blonde hair. It was adorable. Her big blue eyes shined bright as she animatedly spoke to Jane. Jane was soaking up every second. She had a huge smile on her face. The little girl had curled up next to Jane and within seconds they seemed like they had been best friends forever.

We had just stopped at a Rest Area in Crossville. I'm more than ready to head back home to Gallatin. It's been a long hot day at Dollywood with the church. I always enjoy it - the rides, the shows. I mean who doesn't love Dolly? We're all pretty much dead by the time we get home though. But this cute little girl seems to have revived Jane and even has gotten her to talk. Which for our reserved 5 year old, Jane is highly unusual. Usually she only speaks to me, Tom or her uncle. Never to strangers. Well at least I think she's a stranger, I don't recognize the little girl. But we have had several new families coming to the church lately, so I'm sure she belongs to one of them.

"Tom, look at the sweet girl loving on Jane. She is adorable!" I whisper to Tom, who is pretending to read his book, but we all know he's trying to sleep.

I hear him let out a grunt and then shake himself awake. "What was that dearest?" He barely opens his eyes and leans his head back against the non-existent headrest. "Dang, this bus! We should just have driven on our own." He grumbled, like he always did after having to spend his day surrounded by people and making small talk. His least favorite thing.

"Yes, but then you would not have the luxury of sleeping all the way home." I look at him with my eyebrow raised. Knowing his next barb was seconds away. The man always had a witty line to counter strike my own.

"True, pumpkin but we would have left several hours earlier. We would not be faced with getting home at this late hour and we all know-" His words stopped abruptly causing me to look over at him. He never hesitated that long to deliver his killing blow doused in sarcasm. "Who is that girl curled up next to Jane? I have never seen her before?" He sat up and took notice of their interactions. Then surprised me greatly with a huge smile on his normally uninterested face. He then looked at me still smiling brightly "Do you see how this little tiny girl has gotten our shy daughter to speak in full sentences and be silly of all things?

"Yes I do, she is adorable." I stare at the two girls as they prattle on for a while until my eyes become too heavy to keep open.

"Franny dearest, we're almost to the church." Tom gently nudged my shoulder. I rub my eyes and remember where I am, I check my watch and see that it is 9 pm. Much too late for a 5 year old to be awake. Especially after a long exhausting day.

I notice Jane and her new friend curled up around each other fast asleep. They are just so cute, I have to meet this little girl's parents and we will have to schedule a playdate soon. I start looking around for anyone who looks like they could be her parents. But no one seems to fit.

"Tom, have you seen a family member or parent come to check on the girl?" I noticed him stopping and thinking about the query for a second.

He shook his head "No, I don't believe I have." I could tell he was starting to feel my uneasiness. We had been in the bus for two hours, that is way too long of a time for a girl that age to be left alone.

"I think I'm going to go talk to Mark. I'm sure he will know." Tom nods in agreement.

I moved past several rows of seats towards our Youth Pastor and his wife sitting towards the front of the bus.

"Hey Mark, do you know the family of the sweet little girl that Jane is sitting with?" I see him crane his neck behind him to get a good view of the girl in question.

I see a confused look appear on his face. "Um Fran, I have never seen that girl before. Did you get her name?"

"No I haven't, let me see." I walk back towards Tom and the girls. I quickly tell Tom what he said and then ease Jane off the seat and set her in my lap. Jane curls into me sweetly and goes back to sleep.

The little girl moves a little from the loss of her cuddle partner and begins to awake. She looks around and instantly becomes worried.

"Daddy! Charlie!" The little girl shouts out in a panic, frantically looking around for her family. All heads on the bus turn towards us, but no one answers her call.

I feel Tom beside me silently take Jane off my lap so I can console the frightened girl. The girl begins to sob uncontrollably, continually yelling different names that must be family members.

I feel the bus come to a stop and see that we had arrived at the church. I help the little girl out of the bus and we move to the side. Out of the way of the other families getting off the bus and getting in their cars to go home.

"It's ok sweetie. We will find your family." I say trying my best to help calm her down, but the girl is inconsolable. "Can you tell me your name?"

She looked up at me with her now red swollen eyes, tears falling down her face. Her wavy dirty blonde hair, that at closer inspection had highlights of red in it, had fallen out of its braid. Her once bright blue eyes were now dark and sullen. I then noticed her outfit. A cute little summer dress with bright flowers all over it. She had pink sandals to match with matching flowers from her dress on the buckle. Then I noticed a barrette lost in her undone hair with a flower on it that matched the rest. It was obvious that the girl was well put together and from the feel of the dress, it seemed to be high quality. There is no way this little girl was not well looked after. Something must have happened.

Through sniffs and sobs the girl finally gets out "Wizzy Ben Lee." Tom and I look at each other questionly. I see on the other side of me Mark and his wife had walked up to us ready to help in any way.

"Honey, did you say 'Wizzy?'" Tom says, understanding my confusion. The little girl nods her head in assurance.

"Maybe it's Lizzy. I know L's are hard to say sometimes for kids." Mark's wife Sara comments. She would know since she is a Kindergarten teacher.

My heart tightens and I let out a gasp as the name hits me. I look at Tom and he gives me a knowing look. Elizabeth… like the babe we lost before it even took its first breath.

"We need to call Eddie." Tom says while taking out his flip phone. I see him walk over to the side to call. Jane is now nestled in Sara's arms and Lizzy has buried her head in the crook of my arm letting out a small cry every once and a while. I'm sure she will be out soon, she has cried so hard I can't imagine she can hold out for much longer.

Mark lets us into his office in the church. We lay the girls down on the couch and us adults wait impatiently for Eddie to come. Typically we would take Lizzy to the station, but since my brother is the Captain he tells us to wait there and he will come to us. Knowing how crazy the Gallatin Police Department is, especially Saturday evenings.

Eddie arrived fifteen minutes later in his cop car with his Sargent Conners in tow. We knew Maddie Conners well, she and my brother had been working together for the last 10 years. I have a feeling if my brother wasn't the Captain they would be together. They so obviously care for each other. But neither of them are willing to give up their position. Maybe one day.

Eddie looked over at the couch and took in the sight of Lizzy and Jane fast asleep.

"She obviously looks taken care of. Most likely this was not done on purpose." Eddie says to me while Maddie hands Tom a large envelope of paperwork.

"We will need to take your full statement. We have contacted the Rest Area in Crossville but the line keeps going to voicemail. Apparently they don't have someone working the desk at night. We also have given the information you gave us over the phone to the Crossville Police Department. I'll be honest though, they seemed quite distracted apparently there was a bomb threat in there department this evening. When we called they seemed to be wrapping it up and were fairly positive it was a false threat. But I am not sure they really were paying attention when I passed on the information. We plan to check in again in the morning with the Rest Area and the Crossville PD to make sure they get the information. Typically the girl would be sent to the Children's center to stay till we get more information. But if you-"

"We will take her!" Tom and I say in unison and smile at each other knowing our heart was already lost to the sweet girl.

Eddie nods, knowing this was probably the case. "Ok, you are getting this privilege because I know I can trust you 100%. But listen to me there are about 105 rules while she is in your care, they are in that envelope as well. You have to follow them to a T! If we see that you have broken any, I mean ANY rule we will take her and put her in the Children's center. I don't care that you are my family, there will be no excuses."

He looks at us with his serious Cop face. All I can see is my little silly brother and I have to dig hard not to bust up laughing in his face. But I know he's serious, if I want to help this girl at all we have to follow the rules.

"Also I know the two of your hearts, you already are opening them up fully for this girl. You have to remember at any moment her family will come and find her. And when they do, you are out. They have full rights and you have none. They will make the rules on if you can talk or see her again. Do you understand?" Eddie looks at us seriously once again and we nod. He then takes a breath and says quietly "She's not YOUR Elizabeth." We nod our heads again, I feel Tom's hand on mine and the tears that gently roll down my cheeks.

"We know and we agree." Tom speaks for the both of us.

"Ok we brought a car seat for her, Tom if you want to take it and put it in your car." Tom nods and heads out the doors.

"Once you get the girls settled tonight, try to fill out this paperwork and we will meet with you tomorrow and update you on what we know. Make sure you leave your phone off silent tonight. You never know when they could contact us." I nod for the fifteenth time. Words are just too much for me. I gather all our stuff and get the girls ready to go.

Later that night as the girls slept peacefully together in Jane's bed. I said a little prayer over them both

"However long we are blessed with this Angel, let us be exactly what she needs."