Title Lost

Author Susie Owens( raysweetie)

Rated . G

Summary : Little Ray and family go Christmas shopping

Disclaimer . I do not own them

Copyright 2003

Carolyn Stantz stood in front of the small department store in Morrisville, with her three children. Her oldest, Carl, was standing a little ways from her. He middle child, Ray, was clinging to her dress and her youngest, Jean, was in her stroller. Carolyn sighed, Christmas shopping with three kids was going to be very exasperating and exhausting. She suddenly felt Ray tug on her dress. She looked down at the six year old. "Yes, Ray?"

"Mommy, I want to go see Sandy Claws."

"He's called Santa Claus, you moron." Carl snapped. "Come on, mom. If we don't hurry they may run out of the racing sets."

Carolyn turned to her oldest son. "Carl! Do not call your brother a moron. Now I have to go get Jean fitted for her dress. I want you to take Ray to see Santa Claus."

" Mom! You've got to be kidding. I don't want to take Ray to see Santa Claus. "

"Carl, please just do what I say. Take your brother to see Santa." She looked at her son. "We'll meet at Happy Nannies for lunch. Please do this for mommy."

Carl grabbed Ray by his hand and pulled him roughly towards Santa. Ray suddenly looked back. "Why isn't mommy coming?"

"Because she's busy and she put me in charge of you. So you better do as I say."

Ray turned back to his brother. "You're going to take me to see Sandy Claws?"

"It's Santa Claus! Not Sandy Claws!"

Ray stood there blinking away tears from being yell at. "I don't need you take me to see Sandy Claws. I can go myself."

Carl suddenly let Ray go. "Okay you little brat. You go see Santa Claus by yourself. I'm going to look at the racing set."

Ray move away from his brother. "I will and I'll tell Sandy Claws you were mean to me, and you won't get nothin' for Christmas."

Carl took a swing at his brother. "Get lost you moron!" Ray ran from his brother. When he finally stopped running he found himself alone. Not really alone, because there were people everywhere. But his mother was not one of them, so to a six year old he was alone. Ray looked around the department store wasn't really that big. But it was huge to him. "Mommy!" he called. People rushed by him. Ray started to cry but no one paid any attention to the frightened six year old. Ray suddenly stopped crying. "I've got to find Sandy Claws. He'll take me to my mommy." Ray headed off looking for Santa Claus.

*****

Carolyn sat down at the booth of Happy Nannies keep an eye out for her sons. Jean was sitting in a high chair drinking her juice she looked at her mommy.

"I wonder where those boys can be?" Suddenly she saw Carl as he made his way towards her but she didn't see Ray. She stood up. "Carl!"

Carl soon got to her. She looked around. "Carl, where's your brother?"

Carl didn't look at her instead he look down at the floor. "I don't know. I thought he was here."

Carolyn bend down and gently grab Carl by his shoulder. "Carl. What do you mean by I don't know?"

"Mom he ran away from me." Carl lied

His mother stared at him. Then she took the stroller. "Come on we need to tell security."

She spotted a security guard and hurried over to him. "Sir, my son is missing."

Jim Sanka nodded his head. "Don't worried. Mrs. Stantz, I'll find him. This is not a very big department store."

"It would be to a six year old." She turned to her son. "Why did you let him run off."

"It wasn't my fault. Ray's impossible." Carl protested.

Carolyn shook her head. "I'm calling your father to come and get you and Jean. "

Carl didn't say anything he knew that his mother was upset and angry at him. He wanted to say he was sorry but didn't instead he just sat down and waited for his dad to come.

*****

Ray walked slowly down the aisles looking at each person that walk by him too busy to even noticed the lonely little boy. He sniffed a little as he wiped away his tears. He had no idea how long he had been lost, but to him it seemed like hours. His walking led him to the back of the store and he saw doors. "Maybe Sandy Claws is in here, he said as he pushed the door open. . As he walked inside he saw all kinds of boxes against the wall pile high to the ceiling. He was amazed by it but decided he didn't have time to check it out .He had to find Sandy Claws so he could take him to his mommy. He slowly walked towards the back. When he saw a small room he carefully peek in and there he saw him. He saw Santa Claus.

"Sandy Claws! "

The man turned as Ray ran up to him and wrapped his arms around him. Jeff Peterson looked down at the six year old. Everyone in Morrisville knew Doctor David Stantz youngest son, Ray.

"Ho Ho! Well hello Ray."

Ray pulled back and looked up at Santa Claus. " Sandy Claws. I lost my mommy. Can you help me find her?"

Jeff bend down to Ray height. " How did you lose your mommy?"

Ray looked at him." I ran away from Carl to see you but mommy got lost. So we have to find her."

Jeff shook his head. "Ray, you should never runaway from anywhere."

"I'm sorry."

"I know but next time you don't run off. Do you promise me?"

Ray smiled. "Yes Sandy Claws I promise."

"Good now let 's go find your mommy."

***

Doctor Stantz hurried into the department store's office. What happened, where's Ray?"

Carolyn hastened to her husband. "David! Ray is missing!"

"Missing? How?"

"I told Carl to take him to see Santa Claus and Carl told me Ray ran from him" She replied

David turned to look at his oldest son. "Carl, Did Ray run from you?"

"Yes sir."

"Why? David asked sternly Carl backed away. " I guess because I yell at him. But it wasn't my fault. Ray made me mad. " Carl stopped for a moment. "I'm only 10. It's not easy looking after Ray."

David nodded his head. Then turn back to his wife. "Carolyn how could you let a 10 year old look after a 6 year old? What were you thinking?"

She turned on him. "How dare you! I asked you to help me take them. But no you were too busy. I can't do everything David. This store not that big and Carl could have done it .If he wanted to,"

She turned away from her husband crying. David placed his arms around her. "I'm sorry Carolyn, don't cry; we'll find Ray."

She turned around and cried in his arms.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

She pulled away from her husband as she saw Ray running towards her. "Ray! Sweetie!" he ran into her opens arms.

"Mommy! Mommy! We found you; Sandy Claws and me found you. " Ray look at his mother face she was crying. "Mommy, don't cry. It's okay you're not lost any more."

Carolyn hugged her little boy. No Ray, I 'm not lost any more. "

David shook hands with Jeff. "Thank you Santa, for helping Ray find his Mommy."

"Ho Ho! It was no trouble at all. Now I must return to the North Pole and get those toys ready for Christmas."

Ray glanced at Santa. "Sandy Claws?"

"Yes Ray?"

" Thank you for helping me find Mommy."

"Hey Ray since he here why don't you tell him what you want for Christmas?" Carl asked

Ray gaze back at his brother. "Because he all ready knows."

David smiled at his son. "Do you want to tell him?"

Ray shook his head. looking at his mommy. "No, Mommy had a big day. Let's just go home."

Carolyn hugged her son. "Okay let's go home. "

David followed with Jean and Carl. "Dad?"

"Yes Carl."

"I'm sorry."

"I know son."

*****

Christmas morning Ray and Carl were up early as they ran to their parentsí room. Ray ran in and jumped on the bed.

"Get up! It's Christmas!"

Soon they were all up and David handed out the presents. Carl opened his first and saw that he had gotten the racing set he wanted. "Thanks mom, dad."

Ray smiled. "See Carl Sandy Claws got you what you wanted."

Carl smiled at his brother. "Yeah, kiddo he did. What did Santa bring you?"

Ray opened up his present. "Wow a Captain Steel action figure! I told you Sandy Claws would know what I wanted."



Everyone smiled and laugh as the rest of the present were open. At dinner that night David stood up.

"To my family Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas! " They cheered.

The End