Part 2: The Light's On
[First of all, I'd like to point out my dumbness. Jordan Lee pointed out to me that Henry couldn't be seven if Hannah was six....DUH! What happened was I calculated Henry's age up to now. And Hannah is six years old in the future, where this fic takes place. So, Hannah is six, Abby is one, Henry is 12 and Troy is 10. Thanks to Jordan Lee :). Anyway, here is Chapter 2. I decided to actually put the commentary at the end so the whole chaptering system is more organized. I had a slight change of plans with my fic, thanks to my mommy, LOL. So, thanks MOM! And even if you are reading this now, you have no idea that this is MY story. LOL. So, I'm dropping a part, but you'll never notice!! Okay, so go ahead and read now :) BTW....SPRING BREAK....WOO HOO! Okay, done now. :)]
Sleep was something that was slowly being regained for Monica, Chandler, and Hannah. Abby hardly ever woke up at night, anymore, and if she did it wasn't too often or too much. Hannah welcomed this. When Abby was a baby, she kept her up a lot, and tired all day at school. Which made her not be able to concentrate, and that wasn't good.
That night, it was windy. The branches of the tree by Hannah's room kept banging on the window, which woke her up every so often. One time, around two or three in the morning, the branch woke her up, and she decided that she should go to the bathroom. On her way down the hall, she heard the same type of noise from the window in Abby's room. On her way back down the hall, she heard it again, which was weird because there were no trees outside of Abby's room. She didn't think much of it, though, and went back to bed.
The next morning, Hannah walked by Abby's room on her way downstairs, and decided to look out Abby's window and see what could have made the noise. But there was nothing at all.
Mommy, Daddy, last night the trees were banging Abby's window! Hannah said, but somewhat confused, because she knew there were no trees near Abby's room. She wanted to see what answer her parents would offer.
Sweetie, there are no trees by Abby's room, Chandler told her.
That's what I thought, Hannah said confused. Maybe the noise hadn't really come from Abby's room, even though she thought it did, and the door had been open.
*
The next night, the wind was still there. It woke Hannah up numerous times, and she decided to go downstairs to the couch in the family room to sleep. The trees couldn't bang the windows there.
Monica woke up because of the wind, too. The door to her and Chandler's room was open, which it usually was, so that if Hannah needed anything, she didn't have to open the door in the dark. But if that problem arose tonight, she didn't have to worry....because there was a light on downstairs. Chandler woke up, and Monica turned to him.
Did you leave a light on downstairs?
No. I remember because Hannah was with me, and when I turned the last light off, she said she needed x-ray eyes.
Then why's the light on now? Monica asked, concerned.
I don't know, but - He was interrupted, because from downstairs came the sound of two people whispering, in somewhat of an argument. Monica looked at Chandler. Okay, that's not good at all. Let's go get Hannah and Abby, he said.
Monica agreed, and they got out of bed, and down the hall to Abby's room. Chandler picked her up, and woke her up. Abby, please, please, please don't cry, Chandler begged her. Please, please, please, he bounced her up and down, until she didn't look so unhappy to have been woken up. Then they went across the hall to Hannah's room.
Oh my God, she's gone! Monica said.
Chandler replied.
Monica reminded him. You know how when it gets windy sometimes she sleeps on the couch in the family room? Monica said. What if she's there now?
Then we're in trouble.
Or what if they already kidnapped her??? Monica said, worried.
If they did that, would they still be hanging around here? Chandler pointed out. No, they'd be gone in their getaway car.
What do we do about Hannah?
You and Abby do NOTHING, you hear me, NOTHING. You stay in here, with the door locked, until I come back. Do not leave for anything. Unless, of course, I'm back, or you hear Hannah. You got that?
she said.
Try, as hard as you can to keep Abby happy, don't let her get scared, because then she'll cry. And we don't want them to know anyone's awake. If she does cry, that's life. If anyone comes upstairs, that's not me or Hannah, hide in the closet. Monica nodded. Chandler handed Abby over to Monica, and kissed Abby on the forehead, and Monica on the lips.
Be careful, Monica told him.
Sure thing, he said, and left the room, making sure she locked the door behind him.
*
When he got to the top of the stairs, he could hear someone moving around in the living room. Then he heard him move into the kitchen, and the living room was silent. He crept down the stairs, careful to avoid the one that was known to creak. While the men were in the kitchen. he went through the living room, and into the family room. The room was still dark, and Hannah wasn't there. In fact, there was no sign that she had been. No blanket, no pillows. Chandler began to worry. If she wasn't downstairs, and she wasn't upstairs, where was she?
The men returned from the kitchen, walked through the living room, and out the door. Neither of them had Hannah with them. They left, locking the door, and laughing, as if them locking the door would make it seem like they had never been there. As soon as they had gone, Chandler emerged, and checked all the rooms, all the couches, and all the usual hiding spots for Hannah, but found nothing. He called her, but found no answer. He picked up the phone and dialed 911.
911.....what is your emergency? the operator asked.
Well, two men just broke into my house.
Are they still there? the operator asked.
No, they left. But, my six-year-old daughter is missing.
We're sending police to your house right away, and the area surrounding it, as soon as we get the address. Chandler gave them the address, then hung up. More than anything, he didn't want to go upstairs, to Monica and Abby, and tell Monica Hannah wasn't with him, or even in the house. As far as he could see anyway. But he had to do it before the police did. He climbed the stairs, and, once again, avoided the one that would creak. He knocked on the door of the bedroom, lightly.
Mon, it's me, he said. She opened the door, and he could tell she was disappointed when Hannah wasn't with him.
Where's Hannah? she asked him.
Mon, I- I don't know, he said.
WHAT? What do you mean you don't know?
She's just.....gone, he said, for lack of another word.
What do you mean she's just gone?
Two of the people left empty handed. If she was kidnapped, there must've been a third person. Or she's asleep in a hiding spot. Anyway, I called the police, they're on their way.
Where the hell did she go? Monica said. Oh my God, my daughter's been kidnapped!!
We don't know that, okay? For all we know she's asleep somewhere we don't know to look.
Chandler, two people broke into our house, and our daughter is missing, what do you think that means?
Mon, it's gonna be okay, Chandler said, and hugged her. If they got her, we'll get her back.
*
The police arrived five minutes later. The first Officer introduced himself as Officer Zaun. The other introduced herself as Officer Lisa.
You'll probably be seeing a lot of us, Officer Lisa commented. No matter how the abduction of your daughter turns up.
She wasn't abducted, Monica said, hoping that would make it true.
We're having police search your house now to see if she's here anywhere. And we have police searching the neighborhood for her, as well. Officer Zaun told her. We should be able to find her. Luckily, you woke up. Otherwise you wouldn't have noticed until morning, and by then they could very well be out of the state.
Yeah, well thank the wind, Monica mumbled, and fell onto the couch.
Abby feel asleep while Chandler was carrying her around the house. He knew she was safe in a house full of police, but he still didn't dare to put her down anywhere.
About two hours later, they decided it was safe to say Hannah was no where in the house. They kept two officers looking, and they rest concentrated their efforts on the cars driving around the neighborhood, and especially ones heading to airports.
Even though the house had bee busy with police for hours, no one had noticed the note on the kitchen table. One police officer who was searching the house for Hannah, found it. Officer Zaun brought it to Monica and Chandler. He read it aloud.
We have Abby. Do you want her back? Fill the room that was hers up.
I thought Hannah was the one who was kidnapped? Officer Zaun said Isn't that Abby? He asked, pointing to Abby in Chandler's lap.
It is, Monica said. I guess they wanted Abby, but found Hannah and decided to take her instead, she said. Or they didn't know the difference.
Being that they know the name of the kid they wanted to kidnap means that it must be someone you know who did it.
Oh my God, you're right! But if it was someone we knew, wouldn't they know which kid was which? Monica asked.
A small change in plans for them could be a thirsty six-year-old downstairs in the kitchen who was about to blow their cover. They take her instead.
*
Rachel and Phoebe were planning on coming over to Chandler and Monica's house that day. When they got there, they noticed a lot of police cars around the area.
I wonder what happened here, Rachel said
We should ask Chandler and Monica. They probably know being it was so close to them, Phoebe decided. The door to their house was locked, so Rachel pulled out her key, and opened the door to find four or five policemen in the house.
Oh my God!! Phoebe said. What happened here?
Officer Lisa detained them. Who are you two, and how did you get in?
We're friends, Rachel said. And we have a key
So you know them, Officer Lisa said. Where were you last night at three in the morning? she questioned them.
Uh, ASLEEP. Why? Rachel said.
Look, it's not them, Monica said. They may was well be family, she added.
Officer Lisa said, giving them a suspicious look.
It's not us what? Phoebe asked. Monica looked at Chandler, and for the first time since Hannah had disappeared, started crying. Phoebe took Abby from Chandler so that he could hug Monica.
You guys, what's going on? Phoebe asked worried. And where's Hannah? With that, it made Monica start to cry more.
Quick, who is that? Officer Lisa asked Phoebe indicating Abby.
That's Abby. Why, what's going on?
So you mean you know NOTHING in the disappearance of Hannah Elyse Bing? Nothing at all? Officer Lisa asked.
Rachel and Phoebe said at the same time.
I guess not, then, Officer Lisa said. I'm sorry to be so....mean, but I have to check out EVERYONE, she said. Anyone could be a suspect.
We understand, Rachel said, starting to realize Hannah was kidnapped or something. Do you have any ideas who did it?
No. Only someone who knows them, because in the ransom note, they knew they child's name, even though they said they had kidnapped Abby and not Hannah. But still, they knew the name.
Oh my God, oh my God, Phoebe said.
Ya know, though, there is no evidence that anyone has ever broken into the home. Sometimes parents do things like this, and try to pretend like the kid was kidnapped. Has Monica or Chandler ever been....hostile toward Hannah? Or Abby? Officer Lisa said so that Monica or Chandler couldn't hear.
Rachel screamed, realizing it was way to loud. She lowered her voice. Monica and Chandler would NEVER do that. EVER.
Well, we're just gonna have to see, Officer Lisa said, walking away, and leaving Rachel and Phoebe shocked.
[Ok, Part 2 is done! Part 3 soon, well, maybe by Friday or Saturday, b/c I'm not gonna have my computer until Thursday. So anyway, hope you liked it!!!!]
