Wow! I love you guys for reviewing! Thank you so much!

Shout outs:

Banana4422: Yep Laurie told someone! I couldn't carry on with her keeping it a secret because otherwise the plot would have crumbled but I'm glad you liked the chapter!

Marcy Bayd: I'm really really really glad you like this fic!

Rockin awesome x: I'm really glad you like that line and I hope you enjoy this chapter!!

Maroonedpirate11: Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Nanners77: Wow!!! You're hyper.... LIKE ME!!!!! It's good to know I'm not the only Orlando Obsessed person on the planet. I read your profile too and I can't believe you're discontinuing 'A guy and a Girl' It's Class! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter! Also I'm glad you liked the migraine thing. I was worried it was going over the top a little. What do you think?

Meeeeee (Vikki): Hello my lovely twin and thank you so much for your review and for keeping me grounded. I was worried that I didn't handle the topic very well! This chapter is especially for you!

Disclaimer on Songs in the Last chapter: 'Count your blessings' by Bing Crosby is not mine and was used in 'White Christmas' which is a beautiful movie and I love it! 'Chris Chambers' by The Stereophonics is also not mine and was actually written as a tribute to the late River Phoenix, who played Chris Chambers in Stand By Me. Lastly, I don't own Jet's 'Will you be my girl?'

Chapter four

Still Wednesday, 16th December

Not long after Freddy and Laurie had stormed into the Living and placed themselves as far away from each other as possible, the phone rang. Ned went to answer it and a few moments later he stuck his head back in to the living room an expression of disdain on his face.

"Laurie? It's for you. It's your mom."

Laurie hopped off to the sofa and went and answered the phone.

"Hi baby." Penny sounded so small and distant. Laurie imagined the expression on her mother's face and smiled.

"Hi mum."

"How are you sweetheart?"

"I'm OK. How are things going for you?"

Penny sighed, "Not so good I'm afraid."

Laurie was immediately alert, "Why? What's the matter?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Finally Penny spoke, "They're thinking about letting your father out."

Laurie's breath caught in her throat and she choked, gasping for air, "W-Wh- What?"

"Baby are you OK?" Penny sounded concerned. Laurie's eyes watered as she grasped around for liquid. She motioned urgently to Katie who was coming into the kitchen.

"Water!" she gasped. Katie's eyes widened and she shoved the bottle of diet coke she had in her hand into Laurie's desperate grasp. Laurie gulped it down and sighed heavily "Thanks." She breathed, turning back to her phone conversation. Katie nodded and leaned against the side, sensing something was wrong.

"Sweetheart are you alright?" Penny asked frantically. Laurie nodded even though she knew her mother couldn't see her, "I'm OK now. Why are they doing that?" There was a large black hole rapidly growing on Laurie's stomach and she felt queasy.

"Good behaviour." Penny said grimly. Laurie frowned, "Wouldn't they have let him out earlier then?" Katie frowned for a moment then gasped. "Your dad?" she mouthed to Laurie who nodded gloomily.

"Well the official who rang me said that he was really violent when they took him in but he turned really well behaved and quiet. They're letting him out on Parole."

Laurie slid to the floor, her back to the wall, "What are we going to do?" she whimpered into the phone.

"I've already thought," Penny sounded as if she wasn't too happy with her own plan, "I need you to stay at Uncle Ned's for a little longer than we planned love. He says it's OK... Just so we know that he's not going to look for us. I don't think he will-it's just a precaution. Will you do that for me?"

"How long for?" Laurie murmured quietly, hugging her knees to her chest. Katie slid down beside her and slung a comforting arm around her shoulder. Penny sighed unhappily "I'm not sure, love. Until I think it's safe for you to come home."

"OK," Laurie whispered "Um... Mum?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"When did you find out that he was getting let out?"

Laurie could hear Penny shift uncomfortably at the other end of the line, "I'm not entirely sure Laurie. Maybe some time last week?"

"So you... you knew before I came over here?" There was a silence and then all the words came rushing through the receiver at once.

"Oh God Laurie I'm so sorry sweetheart I-I just knew that if you knew you wouldn't have gone and I need you to be safe and... and..." Penny started crying.

"Mum, please stop crying," Laurie begged, her own voice beginning to rise and crack.

"Please don't be angry with me Laurie! I only wanted you to be alright!"

"Mum-I'm not angry with you. Now, stop all this silly noise." Laurie tried to put on her best motherly voice but it hurt her heart to try and be mature. She heard Penny sniffle on the end of the line "OK." She said softly.

"Get some rest alright? You know what you get like when you're overtired." Penny stifled a weak laugh, "Alright. Goodbye sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too mum. Take care." Laurie hung up the phone and sighed. "Are you OK?" asked Katie concernedly. Laurie shook her head a little, staring hard at the phone in her hands.

"D'you wanna talk about it?" Laurie smiled a little and shook her head, "D'you wanna be left alone?" Laurie shook her head again. Katie thought for a second, "D'you wanna go and throw stuff off the roof?" Laurie glanced up at her new friend and nodded her head a little. Katie smiled.

Of course Dewey had agreed to the idea immediately and so began the task of filling up balloons with water and lugging them up the roof where the entire band then stood and launched them off the roof at random passing people and having contests to see how far each of them could throw a water balloon.

Zack had been so intent on aiming his water balloon he didn't hear Laurie sneak up behind him and crush one straight onto his head.

"Water fight!" yelled Dewey and pretty soon everyone had joined in. When they had run out of water balloons they trudged back to the apartment, soaking wet.

Ned handed out towels and the group sat around and laughed and joked. Laurie had changed into grey sweats and a baby blue hoodie and was now sitting in a corner away from everyone drying her hair absently, just watching all the going-ons. Soon after the band left to go home to their respective beds and Ned, Laurie and Dewey weren't far behind in saying their goodnights to each other.

Laurie immediately fell into a deep and dark sleep where, not surprisingly, she dreamt.

Laurie was on her own in the apartment, sat on the window seat. A red sun rose in the east, symbolising that Blood had been spilt that night and stormy weather was ahead.

A sudden knock at the door made Laurie jump and she rose to get it. She would soon wish she hadn't.

"Dad? But...Mum said you wouldn't find me here! She said-"

"I know what she said, Laurie... but she lied. We all lie don't we Laurie? You lie all the time, telling people you're fine and then crying behind closed doors like the weak little rabbit you are! You-"

"Shut up!" Laurie screamed frantically, placing her hands over her ears in a desperate attempt to shut everything he was saying out.

"It's true!" Her father hissed, "You don't see anyone else crying about their woes and fears because they're tough and they're strong and you're just weak and running away from everything! You're not fooling anyone for a second..."

Laurie backed into a corner, sobbing her heart out. All of a sudden, the noise stopped and Laurie felt a breeze on her neck. She was at the park bench that she had been sitting on earlier that day and beside her was sat Freddy.

"I'm afraid." Laurie whispered. Freddy looked at her, the cold sunlight lost in his dark brown eyes.

"You should be."

Laurie awoke with a start. Feeling the tears well up Laurie pinched her leg, telling herself to get a damn grip. Maybe her dream was right - maybe she was just running away through her tears.

Getting up Laurie padded into the living room and glanced at the clock. 7:12 AM. The wintry sun was making a heroic effort to struggle over the rooftops. Laurie breathed a sigh of relief. No red sun.

Thursday, 17th December

The next morning Ned sat himself beside Laurie on the window sill where she was still watching out for the band to come bobbing up the street "Hey." He said softly. Laurie looked up at her uncle. Ned took in the dark circles under his niece's eyes.

"Did she tell you?" Laurie whispered.

Ned nodded "She told me."

"Thanks for putting up with me."

"Don't worry about it. I mean, you've gotta be less trouble than Dewey." Ned put an arm around Laurie who for once didn't flinch away. She smiled a little and speculated for a moment. 'Why don't I feel like I've gotta get away from this guy?'

Because you trust him, A small voice said at the back of her mind. Laurie frowned 'But I haven't trusted anyone for years except mum.'

Ned never did anything to you said the voice. 'But... neither did anyone else... apart from my Dad.' thought Laurie, confused.

You trust Dewey don't you? The voice whispered And Katie?

'Get to the point...'

The voice seemed to sigh, maybe it's time you started to trust more people again. It's time to get strong, Laurie.

'How do I do that?'

The voice didn't answer. Ned stayed with Laurie a little longer and then went to wake up Dewey so they could go food shopping. The band ate them out of house and home whenever they were there so food shopping was a twice weekly thing. Ned and Dewey asked Laurie if she wanted to go with them but Laurie politely declined, saying she looked like garbage. No amount of persuasion could bring her around so Ned and Dewey left Laurie to her daydreaming.

The sky outside was still grey and overcast. Huge snow clouds had been building for the past few days but there was no sign of snow yet.

Laurie hummed a Christmas carol absently while tracing a random pattern on the window with the tip of her finger. Suddenly the door burst open and the band began spilling into the apartment and a new day of chaos began.
Later that afternoon...

The intercom buzzed as the band (With the exception of Summer, Lawrence and Alicia as they had all gone away for the Christmas Holidays that morning) and Laurie were sitting down to another dinner of, you guessed it, Pizza. Dewey bounded over to answer it.

"Hello?" No answer. Dewey frowned "Hello...?"

He hung up the phone and walked over to a nearby window. Throwing it open he stuck his head out to see if anyone was down there. Bringing his head back in Dewey turned to the band with a bewildered expression on his face.

"Guys... There's basket down there."

"What kind of basket?" Asked Laurie, pushing herself out of her chair to join him at the window. Um... a brown one?" said Dewey sarcastically.

Laurie smacked him lightly on the arm and stuck her head out as well, "He's right." She said bringing her head back. Dewey rolled his eyes, "Good to know I'm not seeing things."

By that time Zach had joined them at the window and was peering down to see, "uh... it's kind of moving."

"What do you mean 'kind of moving'?" Tomika said with raised eyebrows.

"Exactly what I said!"

"This isn't going to turn into the creature from the Blue Lagoon is it?" Asked Freddy suspiciously. Laurie turned to him.

"Of course not idiot. For one thing The Creature from The Blue Lagoon was Brooke Shields."

Freddy stuck out his tongue in response and Laurie shook her head as if to say 'The guy's fifteen and that's the best he can do..."

"I'm going down to check it out." Said Dewey heading for the door. Minutes later he was back, carrying the basket and looking severely perplexed.

"What's in it?" Asked Ned.

Dewey stayed silent and walked slowly over to the table, apparently oblivious to the chorus of 'Dewey? Dewey what is it?' and 'Dewey man what happened?'

Dewey set the basket down on the table and gently moved the pile of blankets in it aside. The whole room collectively gasped.

There was a baby nestled in the blankets, perhaps six or seven weeks old, sound asleep. There was a long silence and then Dewey spoke.

"There was a note with her. Not particularly helpful." He dug around in his jeans pocket for a while before producing a crumpled up word processed note which he gave to Ned who read it aloud.

"'She's allergic to Bananas.'"

"That's it?" Katie asked incredulously. Ned nodded grimly.

"What are we going to do?" asked Laurie, not taking her eyes off the baby.

"Take her to the police?" Ned suggested.

"But they'll put her in a home!" Katie protested.

"Well we can't keep her Katie!" Ned argued, "It's illegal for one. And second, someone might claim her!"

There was a silence when everyone just looked at Ned like he was crazy.

"Ned," said Laurie slowly "First, the only person who would claim that they lost their baby is if they were psycho. You don't put up posters saying 'Lost baby...' because the likelihood of leaving your baby somewhere by accident is very small unless you were Joey and Chandler or perhaps Menopausal. Second, the person who left that baby here obviously meant to leave it here or they wouldn't have put the note in the basket."

"Dude, I gotta agree with short stuff here. What can the police do except put this kid in a home?" Dewey put a hand on Laurie's shoulder.

"But... We can't keep her!" Ned repeated, "I'm taking her to the police station."

Three hours later...

Laurie sat glumly behind the keyboard, playing a sad melody and occasionally breaking off to stare into space and then picking up exactly where she left off. Dewey had taught her a few tunes when she was younger and they had always stuck with her.

The rest of the band sat around with grim expressions, even Freddy. Ned had been really determined to take the baby to the nearest police station. He really couldn't expect a warm reception when he returned.

Zach sighed "Well... I guess we couldn't keep her... right?"

"You're not saying she should be sent to a home?" Marta sent a disgusted look Zach's way. He shook his head.

"No, but where would she have gone otherwise?"

There was a silence. Zach was right, really, but it didn't really make it any better.

The door slammed. Ned was home. Nobody moved from their positions.

Ned walked into the living room, cradling the sleeping baby in his arms. Everyone looked up in surprise. Ned held up his free hand.

"No, we're not keeping her," Everyone deflated, "But she is staying for Christmas. There's a family waiting to adopt her in January but right now they're in Aspen and they're un-reachable. Happy?"

Laurie stood and made her way over to her uncle. She caught him in a light embrace "Thanks." She whispered. Ned smiled and handed the baby to her, "We have to name her." He announced to everyone.

"Cool!" Alicia jumped up, excited. The baby had awoken by now and was staring around at everyone with big green eyes.

The naming process was more difficult than expected. Arguments arose and names were issued by the bucketful. An hour later the group were still discussing it.

"I still think we should call her Nemo." Dewey repeated for the fifth time, only to be pelted with cushions.

"What about Juliet?" offered Tomika. Everyone thought about it.

"I like it." approved Katie.

"Me too." Zach concurred.

"Me three." Ned smiled. He turned to Marta who was now holding the baby, "do the 'I's' have it?"

The rest of them nodded. "Then that settles it Kiddo," said Dewey, putting his face close Juliet's "You got yourself a new name."
Too over the top? Oh well. Too late now. Flames are pointless.... I'm a pyromaniac!!!

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Officer BudBabe