March 14th, 2006

Ireland raced down the hallway. The school bell had rung and she was racing Ella out. She made it out into the schoolyard. Elizabeth was supposed to pick her up today.

"Ireland." A man walked up to her. Ireland frowned.

"Hi. Who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Charles." He said, "I'm a friend of your mommy's."

"You are?" Ireland grinned.

"Yes. I knew your mommy when you were in her tummy." Charles said.

"That's a long time ago." Ireland giggled.

"I know." Charles took Ireland's hand. "Let's go."

"But I'm suppose to wait for Aunt Lizzie." Ireland said.

"Your mommy told Lizzie that I was picking you up and taking you to McDonald's." Ireland grinned as she walked with Charles.

"Can I get a happy meal?"

"You can get whatever you want." Charles helped Ireland into his car and buckled her in. It was just too easy. Within five minutes, Elizabeth was there and ran to Ella.

"Sorry, I'm late." She said.

"It's okay." Ella said. Elizabeth looked around.

"Where's Ireland?" Ella shrugged.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" The two of you were supposed to wait right here." Elizabeth said, still looking around.

"But I did wait here." She said.

"But not Ireland." Elizabeth ran up to Mrs. True, "Where's Ireland? I was suppose to pick her up." Mrs. True looked around.

"She ran ahead of all of us." Mrs. True looked at Ella; "She should be right there."

"Well, She's not!!"

* * *

Randi said in the living room bouncing Sailor. The baby squealed.

"See what fun it is when you can hold your head up?" Randi chucked, "Life is so much better." Sailor's hazel eyes twinkled.

"Mommy, mails here." Lyric walked in with a pile of mail.

"Thanks, Sweetie. Go get a diaper out of Sailor's room for me." Randi said flipping through the mail. There were a couple of bills, a couple of checks, things for Dave, and a large envelope. It was Randi Wear stationary. It must be from Jean Paul or an associate. Randi lay Sailor on the floor and opened up the envelope.

Five pictures fell out. She had been getting a lot of pictures in the mail lately. She figured they were from a reporter trying to get a story. Randi looked at the pictures. One was of Dave as he took the girls out for a walk. Two were of Randi leaving the house. One was of Randi breastfeeding on the porch and the last one startled Randi. It was of Ireland and Ella playing at the school's playground.

"Damn newspaper." Randi growled. Elizabeth walked in as pale as a ghost. "There you are. Thanks for picking Ireland up."

"Randi…"

"Did you guys get something to eat?" Randi asked as she took the diaper from Lyric.

"She wasn't there." Elizabeth whispered.

"Who wasn't where?" Randi asked.

"Ireland wasn't at school." Randi stared at her friend for awhile.

"What…What do you mean?"

"I went to the school and Mrs. True and myself couldn't find her." Elizabeth said. "Ireland is gone, Randi." Randi stood up.

"No…Sh-Shes there. I d-dropped her off. I w-watched her go in." Randi cried, "Go back and look for her!!"

"I did. The police are on their way here. They're issuing an Amber Alert." Elizabeth said.

"Oh god." Randi's entire body began to shake. "Dave…" She ran out back and past the brook to the field where Dave and a couple of me were working. "DAVE!!!"

"Hey." Dave waved. Randi ran up to him with tears in her eyes.

"She's gone Dave. She's gone!!" Randi cried, "The p-police are coming…She's gone!"

"Who's gone?" Dave asked his wife.

"IRELAND!! Ireland is gone!!!" Dave stared at her.

"Oh god." Dave whispered. Within five minutes, a dozen police officers where there questioning them and getting pictures. The Chicago police department where taking kidnappings seriously this winter. Three girls around Irelands age had been taken. Two were found murdered and one was still missing.

"Okay, I need to ask you." Sargent Grey stood in front of the shivering couple. "Do you have any enemies? Anyone that you've had a fight with recently?"

"No." Randi whispered. "I…there are two people that dot like me. They…they've bee trying to steal a few designs from me, but they wouldn't take my daughter."

"Are you sure?" Grey asked.

"Yes." She said.

"What about you Dr Malucci?" He asked. Dave shook his head.

"The only person I pissed off recently was my former boss, but she loves Ireland and wouldn't do that." Dave said.

"You've gotta give me something here." Grey said. Randi got up and grabbed all the pictures she's been getting in the mail.

"I've been getting these in the mail. I thought…I thought they were just from a newspaper reporter or something." She said.

"I see…" Grey looked through the photos.

"Randi was attacked about five years ago." Dave said, "He was arrested, but he was released and he came by her Chicago store and threatened her." Grey looked at her.

"Threatened you, Mrs. Malucci?" He asked. Randi sighed.

"Charles. He just said He's be everywhere I turned…" She said, "I…It could be him."

"Charles….All right." Grey said, "Don't worry. We'll find your daughter."

* * *

Charles put a happy meal down in front of Ireland. She grinned brightly.

"Can I look at the toy first?" She asked. Charles nodded.

"Go ahead, pumpkin." He said. Ireland pulled the toy out and started to play with it, "You need to eat your food, Ireland."

"I will." She said grabbing a fry.

"Why did your mom and dad name you Ireland? That's a pretty weird name." He said.

"It's not weird." Ireland giggled. "It's pretty. Charles is weird."

"Maybe Charles is weird after all." He smiled.

"After I eat can I go play in the balls?" Ireland asked.

"Sure. Go ahead." He said, "Do you want to sleep over my house today?" Ireland shrugged.

"You need to ask mommy and daddy." She said biting into a burger.

"I already did and they said if you want to you can." Charles said.

"Oh. Then sure. Do you have any kids?" Ireland asked.

"I do now." Charles smiled, "So, tell me all about your sister, Lyric."

* * *

The sun had set. Lyric and Sailor were sound asleep in their beds. Randi kept on checking on them. She needed to make sure they were there and not missing. Dave wrapped his arms around Randi as she stared out the window.

"She's somewhere out there." She whispered.

"They'll find her." Dave said, hugging her.

"I can't loose another baby, Dave." Randi's lip trembled slightly.

"You won't, Randi." Dave made her look at him; "Ireland is coming back to us. They're going to find her and bring her back to us." Randi started to cry. He held her tightly. "Soon, Randi."

"Dave." Grey walked up to them, "We found Charles' home address and we're sending a couple of cars over there."

"I'm coming with you." Dave said.

"Dave, don't." Randi said.

"I need to go. You stay here." Dave kissed Randi and walked out with Grey.

* * *

Grey knocked on the door.

"Charles, it's the Chicago PD. Open up." He yelled. There was no response. He nodded and the officer started to pound the door open. They all walked in carefully. Dave walked in behind them.

"Oh god." Dave looked around him. There were hundreds of photos of his family pasted to the wall.

"He's in here!" An officer yelled. Grey ran down the hallway and found Charles sitting on the bed.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"Who?" Dave rushed into the room.

"You son of a bitch!!" He lunged at Charles and brought him down to the floor, "You sick so of a bitch!! Where's my daughter?" A couple of officers grabbed Dave off of him.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Charles cried.

"WHERE IS SHE!!??"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Charles said. Dave growled and walked down the hallway. He knew that Charles knew where Ireland was. He went into the living room. He began to tear down all the photos.

The guy was disgusting. There were photos dating back to when Lyric was a baby. He ran his hands over his face when he heard someone crying. Dave's heart stopped.

"Ireland?" He looked around. It was she. He knew that sound. He ran to a closet and threw it open. There was Ireland. She was tied up and tape was on his mouth, "Oh Baby." He grabbed her and untied her hands and mouth.

"Daddy!!" She cried and she threw her arms around his neck.

"I've found her!!" He cried, "Did he hurt you, Landsie?"

"Only my heart." Ireland whispered. Dave sighed picking her up.

"We're going to go home. Mommy is so worried about you." Dave whispered. Ireland was crying softly.

"I know..H-He's a stranger b-but he said…"

"It's all right. Daddy isn't mad at you." Dave held his daughter. "He is just glad that you're safe."

* * *

Randi and Dave sat by Ireland's bedside, watching her sleep.

"She's gorgeous." Randi whispered.

"She looks like me." Dave smiled. Randi rested her head to his shoulder.

"Ireland is okay." Randi said softly. "I was so scared, Dave."

"I know." Dave hugged her gently. They had come so close to loosing their eldest daughter. They had come so close to loosing another child. They would never let Ireland or the other girls out of their eyesight.