He balanced the baby on his knee, trying to keep the little bugger from crying anymore. Sucking on his index finger was keeping the infant occupied enough for the moment. "What's your name luv?"

"Alexis."

"What a nice name. Mine's Spike. Would this tyke happen to be your little brother?"

"His name is Scott. My Mommy had him in February." She started to pinch at the white thighs of her tights. "Where is my Mommy?"

"O Alexis, I don't know. We'll try to figure it out though. Do you have any ideas about where she might be?"

"No." Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears again. "She told me to hold Scott and she turned around to go and get something she forgot out of the car, and then the scary monster came. So I ran away." She was crying again, big baubles of moisture. "I didn't know she wouldn't find me."

He rubbed her back with his free hand. "Here come sit on my other knee." She obediently lowered herself onto his denimned thigh. "We're going to do everything we can to find your Mum alright?"

"What's a Mum?" He chuckled a little.

"Sorry pet. It's the word they use for Mommy where I come from. I just have a few more questions. Is that ok?"

"Yes." She pulled on his shirt and used it to wipe her face. He couldn't help but shutter a little as the wet fabric fell back over his skin.

"Do you know where your car is?"

"Yes."

"Well aren't we in luck, where's that pet?"

"On a street, it's parked next to a tree."

"You don't know the name of the street do you?"

"I don't know how to read. Is that bad? Am I supposed to know the street?" She was panicking again.

"No, shhh, it's alright. We'll figure it all out. What did your Mum forget in the car?"

"Her special book. It has funny words in it, and when she reads one part, she can make Scott's Cheerios dance." So her mother was a witch. "She said we came to visit here because there was something she had to do with the special book. It's a surprise."

"Pretty interesting. Your Mum didn't give you anything else, some clothes or diapers?" She shook her head. "I think we'll have to go shopping."