Review Replies:

To all of my reviewers I would just like to say that I sincerely apologize for the wait! I've been incredibly busy and this sort of slipped into the back of my mind. But I am still alive! Promise!

Kristen: Thanks, and the pics are at this site: if that link doesn't work then check my profile on here, it has it too!

AJ Wonkette: He is undersppreciated. I felt sorry for him in Where There's a Wilt There's a Way . . .

Kia: Yeah, I'm sorry but here's some even more suspense! accepts blowtorch and flames book review for History Thanks for the stress relief!

bloo'sgirl33x: If you liked that chapter you'll love the one coming up in about . . . two or three chapies from now. (grins). And I agree. Crackers is adorable!

timecapsule: You're no cherry pie either! (grins) Thanks for reviewing!

cheeseisawesome: LOOK! I updated! Sorry for the wait!

Winged Werefox: Thank you very much, I'm glad you're inspired! Please let me know when you post your story! And I couldn't see the pic but I'm flattered!

Chapter 15: Name Calling

As the night deepened, Satin found herself edgier, more frightened of the shadows of the nearby buildings. She darted quickly from lamp light to lamp light. Each pool of luminescence a barrier dispelling the terrors of the darkness surrounding her. Both her hard anger and cool confidence had faded and now she found herself alone and afraid. She'd never been out in the dark streets of the city like this, she'd always been with Natalie. She shivered and found herself drawing a poncho out of her pack and slipping it on. It was chilly and she needed the warmth despite the memories the cloth induced.

A small gust of wind made her ears flutter slightly as she pulled the poncho tighter around her shoulders. She had made a mistake and she knew it. Leaving Foster's hadn't brought her closer to home but farther from it. Without the presence of her newfound friends she could feel her memory unraveling, like a tattered piece of silk. Perhaps it hadn't been real at all. Perhaps she'd always lived like this . . . Perhaps . . .

But before she could travel down that path to insanity she heard a familiar voice call to her. She looked up.

Crackers looked up as Batrah landed beside him, "Vere is Vilt? I have news for heem."

Crackers shook his head, "He isn't here. He went to find Satin on his own. He was really worried."

Batrah sighed heavily, "My vings are too tired to fly. I never fly this much at home, Clay tells me to valk. I cannot go and find Vilt like dis!"

Crackers looked up at Batrah, his large eyes filling with tears, "You mean we can't find them?"

Batrah turned her eyes on him and scooped him up in one of her wings, "Hush now, little one. Cryink, it does no good. If ve must vait, ve must vait."

Crackers rubbed his tears away into Batrah's fur, soft whimpers emenating from his throat. Batrah began to rock from side to side gently, rubbing her leaf-like nose against his head, "Shhhhh . . . Shhhhh . . ."

Crackers clung to her fur, burying himself in it. He wasn't aware of the lullaby at first. It wasn't until the vibrations filled the space between Batrah's semi-folded wings that he heard it.

"Take my

Lullaby

And turn it to song

Take my

Lullaby

And spin it along

Take my lullaby

And sing it tonight

Take my lullaby

Let it be your light

Take my lullaby

And forget your nightmares

Take my lullaby

Abandon your fears

Take my lullaby

And sleep well tonight

Take my lullaby

And wake to the light . . ."

Batrah could feel his small body loosen against hers, the tension leaving him slowly. He turned his head up to her, still frightened but at least comforted for the time being. She cradled him against her for several long minutes wondering how her friend was faring in such an unfamiliar city. It had been stupid of him to run off in the first place, she believed, but he had been the one to make that decision and as he wasn't there she had no one to rant at for it. With a sigh, she looked up, seeing a large bright bus pulling into the parking lot. "How odd." she thought, curious.

Wilt ran towards her, just thankful she was alright. When he reached her he scooped her up into his arms and held her tightly. She had her own arms entwined around his neck, clinging to him like a life preserver. He could feel her heart beating fast against him and he spoke softly to her, "Are you okay?"

He set her on the ground and she looked up at him, "Yes. I am now."

Something about the way she said it made him tremble inside. He looked at her, clothed in a loose poncho against the chill of the night. She looked so fragile, ladylike in spite of her position. He crouched before her and put a hand on her shoulder, "Satin, we found the letter. I'm sorry but we read it and I'm really sorry about Natalie."

Satin bowed her head for a moment then looked back into his eyes, "It doesn't matter. I've found where I belong."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she wiped her tears dry on her fur. He patted her back gently, "Then you're coming back to Fosters?

She smiled at him tenderly and nodded, "Let's go home."

Wilt beamed and stood, one hand on her shoulder, as though frightened he would lose her again. It was then that a little pain entered his heart. He had found her . . . But to what end? To return her to the arms of her love . . .

He sighed softly and looked down at her silently. It hurt him to think it but . . . Her coming back to Foster's would hurt him just as much as her leaving did.

"Wilt? Are you okay?" came the voice as a soft hand touched his side.

He looked down, "Yeah, I'm okay. Just glad you're safe."

A slight tinge of rose colored her cheeks, "I always am with you."

A wave of emotion ran through him, was she playing with him? He hated to think it but . . . He knew that sometimes people weren't as kind as they could be . . .

"Hey Red . . ." came a rough growl, "What are you doing in Daleton?"

Pulling Satin behind him, Wilt turned, he knew that voice . . .

Frankie stepped off the bus and walked towards the police station, the imaginary friends following closely. Bloo looked miffed and kept complaining to Coco that Satin could have found a cooler place to run off to. Frankie sighed, wishing Mac were with her to control his friend. Mac could always reveal the Bloo's flagrant disregard for logic to his face and it generally left the little blob docile . . . for a bit.

As she moved to open the door a voice came from the bench beside it, "Frankie?"

She looked down to see Crackers resting in the arms of a large bat creature.

"Crackers!" she exclaimed, "Ohmigosh! Are you okay!"

He leapt up into her arms, "I'm okay Frankie but Wilt ran off looking for Satin."

The bat rose, her wide amber eyes on Frankie, "I am Batrah, a friend of Vilt's. I vant to search for heem but my flyink it is no good at ze moment. I am spent from searchink for his friend."

Frankie nodded, thinking, "Okay, we need someone to wait here in case Wilt comes back. I'm going to drive around and see if I can spot him or Satin. Do you know which way he went?"

Batrah nodded, "Yes. He vent to find Satin. A police officer dropped her off at 245 Emeerson Street. Vilt vent to find her vhen I did not return from followink her."

Frankie paused a minute. The friends all looked to her in curiosity, what would they do now? Who would stay to wait?

"I personally think that Coco should stay. She's the most expendable!" Bloo announced out of the . . . Well . . . Blue.

Frankie glared at him then turned to Batrah, "Batrah, do you know the way to Emerson?"

Batrah nodded, almost imperceptibly. Frankie sighed, she could use someone who knew their way around but she also needed a friendly face to wait here for Wilt . . . Maybe . . .

"Look guys, I need you all to wait out here for a minute, okay? I'm going to go in and ask these officers if they can spare someone for a few minutes.

Joe looked up from his coffee and reports as a young redhead wandered in. She reminded him distinctly of his daughter, Amy, constantly distracted and in a hurry. He heard her speaking to Karl at the front desk, "Yes, I'm looking for a lost imaginary friend . . ."

Joe listened intently, another imaginary friend incident? From the description it was the same friend he'd dropped off earlier. He wandered out front, "You talking about the blonde? I dropped her off at her house about an hour ago."

The red head sighed, "Actually that was her creator's house. She got a little upset over a letter her creator sent her and decided to go visit her without telling anyone. She lives at Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends."

Joe looked to Karl, he'd heard of Foster's before, made a few runs out there himself, it was a nice place.

"Got some ID?" Joe asked casually.

Frankie fished a bright green wallet out of her pocket and flipped it open, passing it to the officer.

"My Foster's Friend card should give you my information."

Joe read over the lavender card which gave Frankie's address, occupation, and stated that she was indeed, who she said she was. He passed it back to her, "Allright. So you need some help with directions?"

Frankie nodded, "Yes, please! That would be a big help."

Joe turned to Karl, "I'll help her run out there. Be back in ten."

Karl nodded, barely looking up from his paperwork as they headed out onto the street.

Batrah volunteered to wait for Wilt while the others left. She would have rather gone with them but someone had to stay behind. Yet, she had a terrible suspicion that Wilt wouldn't be coming back this way . . .

Wilt's eye widened in shock at the speaker. He was taller, older, and seemed out of place among his cohorts, him being the only human among them. His face was still closed, his eyes hard. The friends gathered at his sides bore the same look, guarded and angry. Wilt looked into those hard eyes, he was such a happy boy once upon a time . . .

"James . . . You've grown."