Looking up from her book she was shocked to see the bright sunlight had been replaced by dark menacing shadows. Even the streetlights seemed to dim as fog began to curl around her ankles. From far off she could hear the screams of children, helpless as the monsters began attacking. Panting she began to run, crossing the playground as she caught a glimpse of the dark shapes. She screamed in frustration as they slipped around trees and out of sight. Desperate she swung around in a circle, the haunting cries echoing in her ears. Taking a deep breath she became very still, closing her eyes and concentrating on closing out all other sounds. She tensed hearing a crunch behind her. "Say goodbye." He whispered as pain exploded in her head.

She could hear the leaves of fallen trees crunching beneath boots; hear police sirens scream as they raced down the road. Wincing she opened her eyes to see an older, seasoned cop standing over her.

"Tom" She rasped, addressing the familiar face. She lifted a hand to her aching head, her fingers coming away covered with a wet sticky substance. In shock she stared at the red stain covering her hand. "What happened?" She whispered.

"A jogger found you on the ground. Someone attacked you, hitting you on the head with something." The officer explained helping her to sit up.

She looked around wildly as she began remembering. "Cassy!" She screamed jumping up. "Tom, where's my daughter? Where's Cassy?"

He looked pained as he tried to keep her still. "We don't know." He admitted. He held up the object in his hand. "All we were able to find was a shoe."

He held her as she collapsed in shock, waving in the EMT's that hovered nearby. "Do you remember anything that happened?" He asked gently.

She tried to answer him but it felt like she was swimming through an ocean of water. She began to struggle against the health care workers as she felt the current dragging her further and further away.

"She's going into shock." One of the EMT's yelled as he applied pressure to the wound in her head.

"Her pulse is getting thready." His partner announced as he placed the IV. Together they lifted her onto the stretcher and ran for the waiting ambulance.

"I need to talk to her." Tom protested as he ran to keep up.

"And we need her alive." The head medic stated as he slammed the door to the vehicle.

She raised her head as the conversation floated through her thoughts. "I have to find my daughter." She managed to get out before becoming limp.

When she woke it was dark, in the room and outside the open window. Turning her head she moaned in pain as light flashed behind her eyes.

"Are you awake?" A male voice asked, the sound like nails on a chalkboard to her ears. Gingerly she turned her head in that direction.

"Why aren't you looking for my daughter?" She rasped trying to sit up.

"Just lie still. They'll make me leave if you cause those alarms to start ringing." He advised pushing her back down to the bed gently.

"The detectives working the case believe they've found Cassy." He answered her question gravely. "They found an old abandoned sewer pipe on the western edge of the park. If you follow it there's a large space where it looks like tunnels connect. It appears someone had been living there." He stopped unsure how to go on.

"What did they find?" She spoke in a tortured voice though she could already see the answer in his eyes.

"They found bodies. Children." He answered her, looking away from her pain.

"More than one?" She asked having to grip the sheets.

Monday morning

Jayden woke up screaming, bile rising in the back of her throat. Throwing the sweaty blankets off she rushed to the bathroom. She was determined not to fall apart, not to let the monsters win again. Taking a couple of deep breaths to push the nausea away she splashed cold water on her face.

Still unsteady, but calmer she turned on the shower, hoping the warm water would stop the shivering. She took off her clothes and climbed in, leaning against the wall as she let the water cascade over her. Exhausted she drifted off, her mind seeking more comforting thoughts.

An hour later she climbed out, calmer and more relaxed. After applying cream to skin reddened by the hot water she dressed in worn jeans and her softest sweatshirt. Not wanting to take the time to dry her long hair she quickly braided it. Done she looked over at the clock, groaning when she noticed it was only five am.

She wondered into the kitchen desperate for a cup of coffee. Taking out her special blend of the caffeinated drink she programmed the coffee pot. While she waited for it to brew she wondered around the kitchen, her stomach revolting at the thought of food.

Her eyes landed on the vase of flowers Dave had brought her the night of their first date. She was saddened to see they were wilted, feeling as if it were a sign that the relationship was not going to survive either. She was distracted from her thoughts by the beep of the coffee machine. Grabbing a cup she headed towards her office to get some work done.

She ignored the file on Steph and the work waiting from Raw magazine. Instead she pulled up the files of missing kids, updating information and making notes where appropriate. As she came upon each file she looked up at the corresponding picture.

8am

Jayden sat nursing her fourth cup of coffee when the phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID before answering. "Hello?" She could barely hear the answering greeting through what sounded like a flood of tears. "Mrs. Jetson, is that you?" She asked.

"I'm sorry honey. I promised myself I wouldn't cry but I can't seem to help myself."

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Jayden asked worriedly as she pulled up the appropriate file.

"They found Gracie Ann." The distraught women answered.

"Oh honey I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?" Jayden asked as her own eyes filled with tears. She glanced up at the wall of pictures, focusing in on the four year old with the black curls.

"You don't understand." Mrs. Jetson went on hurriedly. "She's alive. I have my little girl back."

"Is..is she okay?" Jayden stuttered stunned. Her face drained of color as she became dizzy.

"Oh she was roughed up some and I know we're going to have a long road ahead of us. But I think she'll be okay."

"A year is a long time to be in that kind of situation." Jayden warned.

"I know and I shouldn't be this happy but I've got my baby back. Tomorrow is soon enough to start worrying about everything." There was a tense silence on the line as Jayden struggled to keep her emotions in check.

"Anyway" The other lady continued. "I just wanted to let you know. We would have never have found her if it hadn't been for you."

"I didn't do that much." Jayden murmured in protest.

"You're the one who got her picture out there so people would look for her. You got companies to put up a reward. You even did some investigating yourself and fed the information to the police." Mrs. Jetson pointed out.

Ignoring the words of praise Jayden congratulated the young mother before hanging up. She bit her lip as she got to work. She updated the file, sent out bulletins to all interested parties and arranged to have a variety of gifts delivered to the happy family.

It was when she went to take down the picture that she lost it, falling to the floor in a heap as tears poured. "Why couldn't it be me?" She cried as she clutched the photo to her chest. "Why can't I have my child back?"

Noon

The ringing of the phone brought Jayden out of her dark thoughts. She groaned as she sat up, still on the same spot of floor where she had fallen four hours earlier. Her eyes were swollen from crying, her throat sore from screaming at the injustice of life.

She cocked her head to listen as the answering machine kicked on.

"Jayden, I know you're there damn it. Pick up." Her editor's voice roared through her machine. "Your article on Mysterio was supposed to be on my desk this morning. I have to send the magazine to the print shop today. If I don't have the article by three you're fired."

"It's not like you pay me anything anyway." She muttered as she dragged herself to her computer. Punching a series of keys she emailed her article to her boss. She thought about lying back down on the floor but could feel her back protesting so she pulled her self up and stumbled to the bedroom. Lying down she buried her self in the bedclothes and tuned the world out.