Maggie leaned back in the big seat as her grandfather leaned over her and buckled the seatbelt across her lap. She wasn't sure at all what to make of this. All Grandpa had told her was that they were going to where Mommy was. She asked if Daddy and Uncle Mike were there, too, but Grandpa didn't know. She watched as Grandpa settled back in his own seat, buckled his seatbelt and took Tommy from the stewardess with a thank you. She leaned over and gently rubbed her little brother's tummy. "Don' be scared, Tommy."

It helped her feel better when she told her baby it would be okay. She told him every night that Daddy would be home soon, and he would read to them and play with them. She told him Daddy would play airplane with him and that game was a lot of fun. Daddy was a lot of fun. Airplane was fun with Daddy, but it wasn't so fun right now, and it wasn't a game. Airplanes were really big...and loud...and scary. She really wished Daddy was there with her. Then she wouldn''t be so scared.

"Where are we goin' again, Grandpa?"

"To Texas."

"Is it far?"

"Yes, sweetheart. We'll get there after supper."

"But we jus' eated lunch."

"I know. First we are going to stop in Georgia for an hour and a half and then we'll go on to Texas."

"And Mommy will be there?"

"Yes. And Uncle Jimmy."

"But what about Daddy and Uncle Mike? I talked to Uncle Mike. Is Mommy with him?"

John leaned over toward her and said softly, "Mommy didn't tell me, sweetheart. So we'll wait and see when we get there, okay?"

She sighed, and he saw little Alex in that sigh and that look. "Okay, Grandpa."

The plane's engines began to rev as she sat back in her seat. She was uncertain about this. Cars didn't fly, and this was bigger than a car. She saw planes in the air all the time, and she wondered how they got there, but she never thought she would have to ride in one. It wouldn't be so scary if Daddy was here... She took a deep breath and trembled. "What's the matter, Maggie?"

Grandpa always knew when she was upset. She leaned her head onto his arm and tried not to cry. Grandpa slid his arm from under her head, which she rested against his side, and he hugged her. She sighed again. The plane began to move and she tensed up. "It's okay, baby," Grandpa said, smoothing her curls back along the side of her head.

On her way down the aisle to check seatbelts, the stewardess leaned over. "Is she all right?"

"She's never flown before. She'll be fine."

"Once we get up in the air, I'll get her some juice."

"Thank you."

Maggie listened, terrified as the engines worked themselves to a roaring whine and the plane began its trip down the runway. She buried her face in Grandpa's side and held him tight. Holding Tommy in one arm, he tightened his other arm around her, leaned his head close to hers and murmured reassuringly to her. She was too scared to listen. Her stomach lurched when the plane left the ground and she pulled Grandpa closer. She didn't loosen her grip until the loudspeakers began to talk. Then, her curiosity got the better of her and she looked up. Grandpa kissed her head. "See, angel? Everything is all right."

She looked around and saw the people across the aisle talking and laughing. After a few minutes, the stewardess came over to them and handed Grandpa a cup of apple juice. She smiled and asked kindly, "Are you all right now?"

Maggie just nodded, still holding onto Grandpa's arm. Grandpa lowered the tray in front of him and set her juice down. Gently, he unbuckled her seatbelt and told her, "Look out the window, Maggie."

Reluctantly releasing his arm, she stood up and looked out the window. The ground was far below them, and they were surrounded by huge whisps of what looked like cotton candy. Confused, she looked at Grandpa. "Why is cotton candy out there?"

He laughed softly. "Those are the clouds, Maggie."

"We're inna clouds?" she whispered in awe.

"Yes."

She turned back to the window and watched the clouds whisper by. Wait until Daddy hears... she stopped her thoughts and sat down in her seat, frowning.

Grandpa touched her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

She frowned and stayed quiet for a moment. "I miss Daddy," she said sadly. "He never goed away before." She looked at Grandpa. "Why did he go now? I don' 'member bein' a bad girl."

"Oh, baby..." Grandpa pulled her up onto his lap next to Tommy. "You weren't a bad girl. Daddy going away has nothing to do with you, and I know he misses you as much as you miss him." Probably more...

"But he didn' call me."

"And why do you think Daddy wouldn't call you?"

"I don' know," she said, her lower lip trembling.

Grandpa pulled her closer to him and he kissed her head. "I can think of only one reason. He hasn't called you because he can't call you."

"But why?"

Grandpa took a deep breath and finally, in a very quiet voice, said, "Daddy got hurt, honey. That's why he hasn't called you."

Hurt? She felt...scared, all over again. "Nobody telled me."

"Nobody knew."

Now she couldn't hold back the tears that filled her eyes. "I...need my daddy..."

Another kiss against her head..."I know you do, Maggie. And Daddy needs you, too. We'll get it all worked out, I promise."

She slid from his lap and climbed back in her seat. Leaning her head against the wall, she sniffed and sank into herself. How could Daddy let himself get hurt? And who could have hurt him? He had a gun, so bad guys couldn't hurt him first. Wasn't he watching? And why didn't anyone tell her he was hurt? What did Grandpa mean, nobody knew? Mommy always knew everything. But Mommy had been sad lately. She saw her crying...so maybe she didn't know, either. She had a lot of questions running around in her head, and only Daddy could answer them...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She didn't like this at all. The white walls and shiny floors made her uneasy, and those two big men over there looked mean. They didn't smile or anything. They didn't even look at her. Maybe that was a good thing. They looked grumpy. She leaned closer to Grandpa and wrinkled her nose. This place smelled funny, too, like the place Daddy was in after he fell at Grandpa's, when his tummy was all red. She shuddered at the memory. Uncle Mike had been there and he held her when she was so scared. But Uncle Mike wasn't here, either.

She looked up when the door across the hall opened and Uncle Jimmy came out. He came over to her and held out his hands. She readily went to him and hugged him tight. It was good to see somebody else that she loved. She squeezed tighter. He kissed her softly and whispered, "This has been hard for you, hasn't it, sweetheart?"

She nodded, but no words would come. She just took a deep, uneven breath. Uncle Jimmy squeezed her tighter and she felt better, like when Grandpa squeezed her. She rested her head on his shoulder. "I have a surprise for you, Maggie."

She picked her head up. "What kinda surprise, Uncle Jimmy?"

"A very good one."

He looked at Grandpa and then carried her through the doorway, past the grumpy-looking men. They entered a room, and she wasn't sure she liked it, until she saw Mommy, and then, just past her..."Daddy!"

She squirmed in Uncle Jimmy's arms and he set her on the floor. She ran as fast as she could, until she felt Mommy lift her on to the bed. She scrambled over the sheets and into Daddy's arms. He held her close, his cheek resting against her head. "How's my little mouse?" he whispered. "I missed you."

She stayed where she was, holding him, hugging him tighter, just to be sure he was really there. Finally, she pulled back and looked at him. "You were gone for a long time, Daddy," she said with a pout.

He touched her chin. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm not going to do that any more." He kissed her forehead and gently turned her face toward the other side of the room. "Take a look over there, mouse."

Maggie squealed again. "Uncle Mike!"

She dove toward him in her excitement, but Daddy caught her before she sailed headfirst off the bed. Mommy set her on the floor and she ran as fast as she could for his bed. He pulled her up into a tight hug. "How's my best girl?"

She patted his face. "You're back!"

"Back to stay, little bunny." He poked her nose and she wrinkled it for him. With a laugh, he pulled her into another hug. She kissed him and slid back down to the floor, bouncing back across the room to be with Daddy. She had missed them both sooo much!

She let Mommy lift her back onto the bed and she knelt beside Daddy. "I taked good care-a my baby, Daddy."

"Did you?"

"Yeah, but he still won' play with me. I keep giving him my toys, but he won' play." She still didn't understand that. They told her he would play with her when he got bigger, and she wondered just how big he would have to get.

"He's still little. Give him a chance."

"But ev'eyone says he's big!"

Daddy hugged her and kissed her head. "Be patient, mouse."

She turned to look over her shoulder, to show Daddy how big Tommy was, but she didn't see him or Grandpa anywhere. "Grandpa!"

She watched Grandpa come into the room with her baby and listened as Daddy told him, "You look good."

"Maggie keeps me busy," he answered with a smile. "And Alex has taken very good care of me."

"Me, too!" Maggie piped. She really had taken good care of Grandpa...and her baby...and even Mommy. She tried to cheer Mommy up when she was sad, but it was hard when she felt sad so much herself. But she tried. She decided not to tell Daddy that she and Mommy had been sad, not right now. Something inside her told her that would upset him, and she just got him back. Maybe that was something she could tell him later, after they were home, because she knew he would talk to her about it. He talked to her about everything.

"Yes, Maggie. You, too," Grandpa agreed.

"I bringed Grandpa my story at night to read to me."

Grandpa smiled. "That saves me a dozen steps every day."

She watched Daddy laugh, but he stopped quickly. He didn't look right...something hurt him. "You got a owie, Daddy?"

"Just a small one. Nothing to worry about." He kissed her forehead as Grandpa came to him and placed the baby in his arms.

Maggie knelt on Daddy's legs and looked at Tommy with him. Eyes open, Tommy looked at the faces above him before he shoved his fist in his mouth and started sucking. With a smile, Daddy stroked the side of the baby's face with a finger. "Look, Daddy." She pressed her finger against the baby's hand. Tommy closed his little hand around her finger. "He likes to hold my hand."

"I see that. You've taken very good care of your baby, Maggie."

She watched Mommy come over and take the baby. "Rest," she said softly.

With a contented sigh, Maggie snuggled into Daddy's lap and rested her head back against his chest, watching Mommy bring Tommy over to see Uncle Mike. Daddy put his arm around her and she rested her hands on it, gently rubbing. She looked up at him; he looked tired. She was tired, too, and she yawned, not paying any attention to the laughter from the others in the room. He turned onto his side, shifting her onto the mattress beside him. She snuggled into his arms, happy and content. She yawned again, turning into him, and she buried her hand in his hair. She always felt safe in his arms, and now, being back with him, she felt that everything was right again, where before nothing had been. She closed her eyes and let herself go to sleep, and she had good dreams.