Authors Note Sorry this has taken so long. Been having a very lazy summer. :) Hope you like it, sorry about the length of it. They're not usually this short!

Blackness surrounded me and pulled me down on to the cold, hard floor. I felt strong arms pulling me back up again and placing me into the comfort of a soft bed. "Get a glass of water..." Came a gruff voice over some loud shrieking that could have only come from Mum. When I opened my eyes the doctor was standing in front of me, holding a large glass of water in his outstretched hand. I gulped it all down without comment. I don't think I would have been able to say anything, even if I did open my mouth. I felt Elli soft beside me, her arm across my back. Her face was scarred red with tears and when I looked at her she turned her head away guiltily.

"I only left the pram outside for a second. I went inside to get some milk for his bottle. Oh the poor, poor little angel. What have I done? You must never let me near him again, Mary."

"We have to find him first." I said, feeling better after swallowing all that water. "Has everywhere been searched?"

"Gotz has been checking the mountains and Mayor Thomas and Harris went all around the town."

"Have you tried Mineral farm?"

Elli and the doctor looked at each other darkly while my Mum stepped in before anyone could speak. "They asked me to but darling, I couldn't face going anywhere near that wretched place where you and my little grandson had your lives turned upside down." She dabbed a handkerchief to her eyes but it remained dry.

"Mum! Jack is Charlie's father. Don't you think, even if there's no chance at all of Charlie being there, he should be told about what has happened?"

"I don't want that boy assuming you can't look after your child properly..."

"Oh Mum!" I couldn't bring myself to say anything more than that before I jumped off the bed and pulled on a coat. "I'll have to go then."

"I'll go if you like." Elli offered. I could see in her eyes that she wanted to anything possible to make it up to me.

"No it's alright. I need to do this anyway."

To my horror, it was Karen who answered the door. She was wrapped up in a raspberry silk dressing gown and it was obvious she had nothing underneath. When she saw me a broad grin spread across her face. It wasn't a smile of friendliness but a smirk. I suddenly felt very plain and stupid in my old blue dress and white blouse. Karen was effortlessly beautiful even without being plastered in make up. I was suddenly very aware of the fact that all of the other girls in the villiage had that country prettiness and were always getting remarks about their perfect white teeth, shiny hair and lovely eyes. I usually never bothered myself about the way I looked but when I was confronted with someone as attractive as Karen, I couldn't help but feel like the ugly one. Espeically when she was smiling at me like that. A smile that was designed to sting at me. These thoughts and hurt only lasted for a few seconds. I needed to find Charlie and if that meant putting up with Karen then so be it.

"Hello there Mary." She said in a sickly sweet voice that didn't suit her. "What can we do for yooouuu?"

"Can you get Jack for me, please?"

"He's busy." She giggled and cocked her head to one side in such an unsteady way. I could tell she must have been drinking quite a few bottles of wine. The fruity smell reached my nostrils with the breath that came with her laughter. I felt my body stiffen a little. This was the very last thing I needed. "And isn't it a little late for you to come barging around here and demanding to see my boyfriend? I thought you woulda had more manners, Mary." She was swaying on her bare feet. I could see that her toenails had been carefully painted purple like the sophisticated girls in the city.

"It's an emergency. Can you get him please?" I tried to peer behind her to see if I could spot Jack but the living room was empty.

"What sort of emergency?" She leaned forward a little.

"It's about his son. So please, will you fetch him? It's very important."

Finally she seemed to catch on. She took a few wobbly steps back and then turned and walked into the bedroom. Jack emerged a few seconds later in just his boxer shorts. His eyes were glazed over in sleep as he glared at me questioningly. "What is it?" He asked roughly.

"It's Charlie. He's gone missing. Elli was babysitting and left him outside and he disappeared from his pram. I really need you help." I bit the edge of my lip. He'll be found, Mary, he'll be found. You haven't lost him forever, I promise. If only I could trust that voice in my head. But I had trusted it once before and had been let down. I just hoped that it was telling the truth this time. I couldn't lose Charlie, he was absolutely everything in the world to me and if I lost him I would be completely alone.

Jack's face was contorted in panic. He nodded and pulled on the first bit of clothing he could find – his overalls- then bombarded me with questions. How long had he been gone? Had everyone joined in the search? Which areas had been covered? What was he wearing when he went missing? I tried to answer his questions as best as I could. Karen looked on with slight resentment, standing just behind Jack. When he turned to her she smiled sympathetically.

"I'm sure they'll find him. A baby can't exactly go far in a place like this." She said, rubbing his arm. "Is there anything I can doooo?"

"Can you walk Mary back to her house and wait there until I get back? I'm going to take another good look around the village and the mountains."

"No." I straightened my back. "I want to search too."

"Mary..." Jack gave me a weary look. "All the women should just wait at home. There's nothing you can do."

"What can you do that I can't? Two pairs of eyes are better than one, aren't they? I want to help find my son. I can't do that sitting at home. That will make me useless."

He sighed. Karen's little mouth dropped open and then flickered with laughter but she resisted her urge to smile before Jack spotted it. "We're wasting time." I continued, breathing heavily with agitation. "Right now we could be out there finding him."

"Okay, okay." He lowered his hands in resignation. "You can come."

"What about me?" Karen demanded, just as we were heading out of the farm. She was leaning out of the door of the house, her cheeks scarlet and her chin high and sulky.

To my surprise, Jack didn't answer her. I knew he had heard her shouting but he didn't even turn his head. He just kept on walking so fast that I had to jog to keep up with him. A tension filled silence took hold of us. You could almost see all my fears about what had happened reflected in his eyes. We were heading up to the mountains and the wind battled against us. I shivered and hunched up my shoulders. As the world got darker the pain in my stomach got tighter. Oh Charlie, where are you? What if morning comes and you're still not in my arms? What if you're crying somewhere out there in the night and there's no-one around to hold you close? What if you're calling out for me but I'm too far away to hear your cries? What if you're shivering in your little green romper suit and soon the chill will get into your tiny chest and... I couldn't bear to think like that any longer. I had to grit my teeth and keep on looking. Calling out. Anything. Anything to bring you back to me. Your father's hand brushes mine as he strides to get ahead, to search more land in a quicker time. It feels as tense as my own insides. I remember the way he looked at you when you first came into this world. It was as if he was looking down at this new world he had created and no matter what, he would do all he could to make sure it's only inhabitant was happy and secure. I remember the way he used to sing to you and even when you were growing inside me he'd lean down and kiss the skin that hid you and tell you he loved you. I remember how it felt like to have you within me. To feel you moving around and the little contours of your body. I remember your eyes, ocean blue like your Dad and I remember your smile. Cheeky. Please Charlie let us find you. We can't lose you. You mean too much. Far too much.