Author's Note: Hey all HazelI'd here with your next chapter! Justicerocks really knocked it out of the park with the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy this one as well. Please let us know. We appreciate the great reviews! Y'all are awesome!

Disclaimer: Neither of us own anything you recognize.

Spoilers: Law & Order episode 20.07 "Boy gone Astray" and 20.09 "Fort the Defense"

Warnings: None

Chapter 12

Maddie lay on the ground in a daze. She struggled to keep her eyes open and get her bearings, but the world seemed to be spinning out of control. She tried to look around, hoping to find her little brother and sister. A searing pain shot through her lower leg, and Maddie reached out to grab it. Her hand came back wet, and as she raised it to her eyes her breath became erratic.

Her palm was covered with blood.

She saw feet approaching. Expensive, black leather dress shoes, not unlike the kind her father commonly wore for court. She wasn't able to raise her eyes, as the world was beginning to once again darken around her in her shock. Suddenly a voice sounded close to her ear, and Maddie didn't need to see his face to know who it was.

Marcus Woll.

"Madeline, Madeline," Woll admonished her in a singsong voice. "I was trying to keep things friendly, like our chats online. All you had to do was go for a little walk with me. But now I'll have to amend my plans." He leaned even closer to Maddie. "Thank you for telling James and Claire that I am a friend of your father's. It will make our upcoming little trip so much easier," he sneered, and Maddie moaned.

"No. Please. Don't hurt them."

"Oh I'm not planning to hurt them, at least not yet." Woll's voice darkened. "But I am planning to hurt your father and Connie. You'll give them a message from me won't you? Tell them, I'm taking things back to where it all began."

And with that, he was gone. Maddie struggled to stay alert, to see where he was going, but it was no use. Her eyes slid shut and the world once again went dark.

As Connie approached the sliding glass door at the entrance to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Emergency department, she drew in a deep breath and tried to steel herself against everything that was currently swirling like a tsunami in her thoughts. The unfamiliar, and frankly, quite unwelcome surroundings. The note of panic that she had heard in her husband's voice when he called her to come to the hospital. Most of all, the simmering anxiety that was threatening to completely overwhelm her entire being. Was Maddie okay? Obviously not, she thought to herself. And where were James and Claire? Where were her babies?

She stood just inside the entrance, looking across the waiting room. It only took her a moment to find Mike, sitting slumped forward in one of the waiting room chairs. He held his head in his hands as he stared down at the floor.

"Mike?" Connie called to him, her voice quavering.

His head shot up in an instant when he heard her voice, and it took only the length of a heartbeat for him to brace his hands against the worn, wooden armrests of the chair to propel himself to his feet. Mike wrapped Connie tightly in his arms, burying his face in her shoulder and just wishing that he could wake up from this nightmare. Connie returned his embrace for a long moment, then gently placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Oh God, Mike, what happened?"

Mike felt his mouth drop open, but he couldn't find the words. He led Connie back to the seats he had just vacated, dropping down onto the nubby blue upholstery, pulling her down into the seat next to him by the hand he was still clutching in his own. He took a deep breath and tried again to tell her the unthinkable.
"Maddie's here," he started, "She's okay. She's going to be okay. She..." he had to pause for a moment, his eyes dropping to their joined hands. Mike studied her fingers for a moment, running a finger across her wedding band until he finally returned his gaze to Connie's worried face. She noticed that his eyes were bright with unshed tears. "She was shot, Connie. It's not serious!" he assured her as Connie gasped. "The bullet grazed her left calf. She needed a few stitches, but she'll be fine. She's talking with a couple of detectives now. She said, "Mike's voice trailed off.

"What?" Connie asked, her panic rising, "What Mike?!"

"She said it was Marcus Woll."

Connie could not have been more shocked. Marcus Woll. A former coworker turned adversary that they had tangled with in New York. And also, one of the biggest mistakes of Connie's life. The last they had heard of Marcus, he was serving a sentence in Attica for murder and attempted murder. It was Mike's prosecuting and Connie's testimony that had put him there. How was it possible that he was here, in Los Angeles, terrorizing their family after all these years? "Marcus? But, how?"

Mike's face hardened just slightly. "Apparently he had been talking to Maddie online. They have a team searching through her phone and social media records. She didn't know it was him until he approached them today in the park."

"Mike," Connie asked warily, "Where are the twins? Where are Claire and James?"

Mike's head dropped again at her question. It was the one he knew would be coming, and he desperately wished that he had a different answer for her. The first tear escaped his eyes as he finally answered. "Maddie says he took them."

"What?" Connie gasped, tears of anger and worry now forming in her own eyes. Before she could press Mike further, they were joined in the waiting room by Detective TJ Jaruszalski.

"Hey guys, I'm so sorry," he told them earnestly. "Here's what we know so far. Woll somehow managed to escape lockup, we think with the help of someone on the inside, someone pretty high up in the chain of command at the prison. That's also how he got access to her online. We've already contacted the NYPD and they are starting an investigation at the prison. Morales is still in with Maddie, but she just told us something that we wanted to run by you." Mike and Connie looked at him expectantly as he continued. "Maddie says that, before he left with the twins, Woll gave her a message to give to you: 'tell your father and Connie I'm taking things back to where it all began'." TJ paused, allowing the words to sink in. "Do you have any idea what he meant by that?"

Connie and MIke just stared at each other for a moment. "New York," they both whispered at the same time. They were silent for a split second, before they both grabbed their cell phones, Mike placing a call to Peter Stone and Connie to Cyrus Lupo. As Connie waited for her call to connect, she turned once again to TJ.

"He's taking them back to New York."

The day continued to spiral from bad to worse. The detectives finished talking with Maddie and began in depth discussions with Mike and Connie about Marcus Woll. Neither of them really wanted to rehash their long history with the man, especially Connie, but with what was at stake in this situation they really didn't have a choice. They relayed the information that they each had learned from their respective phone calls back east to Lupo and Peter. Lupo assured Connie that the NYPD was hard at work, already canvasing the airports and train stations with photos of Woll, James and Claire. Peter tried desperately to console his friend, telling MIke that once Woll was caught, and he would be caught, he would bring the full force of the justice system and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office to bear on him. "I will make damn sure that he never sees the light of day again," Peter told Mike.

They were now waiting the all clear to leave the hospital. Connie's sister had brought Andy, who was understandably distraught. He was worried about his older sister, worried about his younger brother and sister, and in all honesty he was worried about his Dad and Connie. His dad was drawing into himself. After the initial flurry of activity when the detectives got their first lead on Woll, Mike seemed to lose focus. Even Jack's arrival at the hospital did little to rouse him from his internal musings.

Andy's stepmother, on the other hand, was having trouble sitting still. Connie seemed to be in full on work mode now, barely taking the time to sit down and reflect on the magnitude of what was happening. Instead she was trying to find a way to fix it. If Connie wasn't on her phone with the authorities, then she was walking the hallways with the nurse on duty, inquiring on Maddie's condition.

Andy couldn't shake the feeling that if only he had dug a little deeper, or been more insistent that his parents look closely at Maddie's social media use, none of this would have happened. Andy knew something was up with the conversations that he had found, contact that they knew now had been from Marcus Woll. If I had just made them keep checking, Andy thought, Claire and James would be safe and Maddie would be okay now.

Because Maddie was most definitely NOT okay. The doctors had assured them that, physically, she would be fine and would be released to go home later that evening. Emotionally, Maddie had completely shut down. After talking with TJ and Morales, Mike and Connie had gone in to see her. But Maddie was able to say only a broken, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," before dissolving into tears. She became so upset that the doctors had to sedate her, and once she settled down and had spoken with a member of the behavior intervention team, they advised Mike and Connie to give her some space.

"She blames herself for what's happened," the young psychiatrist told them, "and she can't imagine that you don't blame her, too. Just give her some time."

It was at this point that Mike retreated to a remote corner of the waiting room, Jack tried to talk to him briefly, assuring him that he would deal with the reporters who were already digging into the case of the kidnapping of the children of a Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney and a lawyer for the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.

This just made Mike that much more angry. He was angry at Marcus Woll for once again appearing in their lives and turning their world upside down. He was angry at these intrusive reporters who were trying to make copy from their personal upheaval. He was angry at Maddie. They had been given the chance to review some of the online communications between Maddie and Woll. He manipulated her and confused her. Most kids, Mike knew, experienced some degree of teenage angst directed toward their parents at Maddie's age. Woll grabbed onto those feelings and used them to get Maddie to unwittingly let her guard down.

But most of all, Mike was mad at himself. Had he been more careful, more present, perhaps he could have prevented all of this. If only he had listened more closely when Andy originally voiced his concerns. If only he had paid more attention to Maddie and her moods, rather than passing it all off as normal teenage behavior. If only, if only, if only…

"Mike," Connie's voice interrupted. He looked up and saw her crossing over towards him. "Andy is getting a little anxious. The detectives have arranged for a patrol car to take us home. They will stay posted there throughout the night."

It dawned on him how emotionless his wife's voice sounded. He shook his head as his eyes dropped to the floor. "I'm not leaving Maddie here," he said, his tone matching hers.

Connie was taken aback. She immediately shook her head. "No, Mike, I wasn't suggesting that at all. I was going to have my sister come and get Andy and take him back home so we could wait here with Maddie until she is discharged."

Mike jumped up from his seat as if he were sitting on a spring and began pacing away from her to stare out the window. "You should go with them," he told her without turning around. "You don't have to stay."

Connie was confused, but followed after him. "Mike, I don't want to leave you here alone. Or Maddie." She reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen at her touch.

"The last thing Maddie needs right now is to feel like we are blaming her for what's happened to the twins," he said, shrugging her hand away as he turned toward her.

Connie's eyes narrowed. The hand that had been on his shoulder still hung in the air between them. She slowly lowered it to her side. "Is that what you think?" she asked, her voice wary. "You think that I blame her?"

Mike knew he should stop. He knew he should stop before he said something that he would later regret. But he just couldn't. The anger and fear that were warring inside him could no longer be contained. And unfortunately, Connie was the easiest target.

"Why wouldn't you?" Mike asked heatedly. "She not your daughter. Not really."

Connie stepped away from him, feeling almost as if he had physically struck her. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't really in control of his emotions at the moment. But still, his words cut her deep inside. "You don't really believe that, do you?" She asked. "You think that I love Maddie less than the twins because she's not my biological daughter?" When Mike didn't reply, Connie went on. "The only one to blame here is Marcus Woll." She was quiet for a moment. "If you want to blame someone, blame me for bringing him into our lives all those years ago, because God knows I am blaming myself for that," her voice broke on her words, letting her hurt at Mike's words and actions bleed through. She knew that he was hurting right now, and the last thing they needed to do was turn on each other. But she was hurting just as much, and now felt like the one, last bit of strength she had was abandoning her leaving only her own anger to take over. "Don't you dare, for one second, question my love and my concern for our children. ALL four of our children." She didn't realize until she stopped speaking how much her voice had risen as she spoke.

Connie took a deep breath, trying to reign in her hurt as she waited for a reply, but none came. "I'm going to take Andy home. I would appreciate it if you would let me know when you and Maddie are on your way. If I hear anything from the police I will let you know."

Mike just closed his eyes as he let his head come to rest on the cool glass pane separating him from the world outside.

Mike watched as the duty nurse walked away. He should be happy, as the woman had just informed him that Maddie would be ready to head home within the next 20 minutes or so. And he was glad that they would finally be able to leave the hospital, but he was still consumed with worry for James and Claire. There was still no news, no new leads, no one seemed to have any idea where his children were. They might as well have just disappeared. He was also ashamed of the way he had treated his wife. He remembered his mother telling him once that it was normal for people in high stress situations to lash out at the people they were closest to, the people who loved them unconditionally, people they knew would never leave them no matter how reprehensible their behavior.

But when Connie bore the brunt of Mike's anger earlier, he failed to take into account that she was hurting just as badly, that she was just a frightened for their children as he was. Which, he was certain, made his words pierce her heart even more.

Mike was pulled from his musing by the sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up to see Jack striding toward him, two cups of coffee in hand. "Jack," Mike said in surprise, "I didn't know you were still here."

"I spoke to Connie before she and Andy left," Jack told him.

Mike dropped his eyes to the ground, feeling his shoulders slump as Jack continued. "I told you once that you'd thank me for yanking your leash. I'm about to do it again." Jack held out a cup toward the younger man, gesturing toward the chairs near them before adding, "Have a seat."

Mike sighed and sank bonelessly into the seat. Jack joined him and sat silently regarding him for a moment. He had developed a decidedly paternal feeling for his former executive assistant. He had watched with pride and delight as he had grown both professionally and personally. Jack hated to see what was happening to Mike and Connie and their family now. "I can't really imagine what you and Connie are going through right now, the worry you must be feeling for your children. But one thing I do know, Mike, you cannot approach this like a prosecutor - all brains and no heart." Jack angled his eyes toward Mike, whose gaze was trained on the coffee cup in his hands. "You are a father facing the unimaginable. Don't shut out the people who can help you. And don't lash out at the only other person who can possibly understand what you're feeling." Mike finally raised his eyes to meet Jack's. "Connie's hurting just as much as you are. But the only blame to be placed here belongs squarely on the shoulders of Marcus Woll."

Mike heaved a deep, exhausted sigh as he nodded his head. He was about to speak, to thank Jack for pointing out what he already knew, when a voice from down the hall interrupted.

"Mr. Cutter?"

Mike and Jack both looked up to see a nurse pushing Maddie toward them in a wheelchair. She would not meet their eyes, but kept her eyes fixed on her lap where she toyed with one of the strings of the hoodie that she was wearing.

"She's all yours," the nurse smiled. She took a moment to review Maddie's discharge orders, then accompanied them to the door. Jack had called in a favor and arranged for an unmarked car to be waiting for them. They quickly settled in for the silent ride home.

It was nearly midnight when they finally arrived home. Mike was relieved to see a marked patrol car parked in front of their house. The detectives who drove them home also assured him that they would be parked just around the corner for the night as well. The house was dark and silent as they entered. Mike had not been able to get more than a few words out of Maddie as she wearily trudged up the stairs to her room, silently closing the door behind herself. Mike directed Jack to the guest room, peeked into Andy's room where he found his son sleeping fitfully, then went in search of his wife.

He found Connie in their family room. She had changed out of the suit she had worn to work that morning, what seemed like a million years ago now. She was dressed in yoga pants and a sweatshirt emblazoned with the name of Maddie's school on the front. Her feet were bare and her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. She stood near the window, looking out at the moonlit ground. Mike could see the trail of tears on her cheeks when she turned toward him as she heard him approach.

There were so many things Mike wanted to say, so much he knew he needed to say. But there would be time for words. For now, he simply closed the remaining distance between them. They wrapped their arms around each other, both giving and receiving strength from the other. They eventually found their way together to a nearby couch and remained there, wrapped in each other's arms, for the rest of the long night.

The following day dawned and found both Mike and Connie filled with a united front and a new resolve. They started the day by checking on the kids, experiencing a moment of panic when the opened the door to Andy's bedroom to find his bed empty. It subsided quickly and was replaced with a wave of love moments later when the opened the door to Maddie's room down the hall to find brother and sister curled up together in Maddie's bed, at last sleeping peacefully if only for the moment.

They were given a morning status update from Detective Morales. They had spent the last several hours trying to determine first if Woll had had indeed left the city, and second if he was heading to New York, how exactly he was planning to get two toddlers across the country. They had canvassed the airports, train stations, and bus stations of course, but also began checking in with car rental businesses and even car lots. They had no leads so far.

Mike was pacing back and forth in his home office, Connie seated at his desk working on the computer. They were hoping to get some information from the investigation at Attica, though they were well aware that they authorities in New York were likely to deny them access to an ongoing investigation. They were too close to this one, and though they had many friends working on finding Woll and the twins, Mike and Connie also knew there were likely to be some details of the investigation that they simply would not share with the distraught parents.

"What's Woll's endgame here?" Mike asked suddenly as he continued pacing. "Why take the kids back east? What does he hope to accomplish?"

"Maybe it's just a ruse to throw us off the track of what he really has planned," Connie hypothesized. "Maybe he isn't planning to take them back to New York at all, and he just told Maddie that to start a runaround that would waste time and resources."

They sat contemplating this, when suddenly Mike's cell phone rang. He glanced at the display, his eyes widening when he saw that it read "Restricted Caller." The police had already set up a trace of both of their cell phones and their home phone line. Mike crossed to Connie's side as she read the look on his face as he took the call.

"Hello?"

"Good morning Mike," the sickeningly familiar voice answered from the other end of the line. Marcus Woll. "How are you and that lovely wife of yours doing this morning?"

"Marcus," Mike began with barely controlled rage. "I don't know what you have planned but if you hurt my children, if even one hair on their heads is out of place, I will,"

Marcus just laughed, "You'll what, Mike? Just remember, you have to find us first. I'm the one holding all the cards here. So, now, why don't you put that lovely wife of yours on the phone. I'm sure she's right there isn't she."

The last thing Mike wanted to do was let Marcus anywhere near Connie, even if only on the phone. But he also knew that the longer they kept him on the line, the greater the chance that they could get some idea of his whereabouts. "Why should I let you talk to Connie?" he asked.

"I just thought she might like to hear from her babies," Marcus told him. "It's a one-time offer and it expires quickly. If you'd rather not hear from them…" Woll trailed off.

"No wait!" Mike called. "She's right here." He pulled the phone away from his ear, then held it out to Connie. "He wants to talk to you. He says he'll let you talk to the kids."

Connie nodded wordlessly, taking the phone. Mike crouched down next to her, nestling his head close to her so he could hear the voices on the other end of the line. "I'm here," Connie said.

"Connie," Woll greeted her, using the same tone of voice that he had all those years ago when he approached her on the street on the day she was to testify against him. "We're co-conspirators, Connie. It seems only natural that we should spend time together."

Connie knew better than to make demands, but she couldn't stop the next words that escaped her lips. "I want to talk to James and Claire!"

"We'll get to that," Woll teased. "They are actually rather pleasant children, their father's DNA notwithstanding."

"Where are you taking them Marcus? Please just tell me!" Connie asked.

"Didn't Maddie deliver my message? How is she by the way?"

Connie could practically feel Mike's entire body coil with rage next to her, even though they weren't touching. Woll's voice continued. "You've waited long enough, I suppose."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and then, "Mommy?"

"James?" Connie breathed, tears springing once again to her eyes. She felt Mike's arm tighten around her. "Baby, are you okay?"

"Mommy yes, but are you going to meet us soon? He said you would."

Connie was about to answer when James' voice was replaced with Claire's. "Mommy, where's Daddy?"

Connie angled the phone toward Mike as he answered. "I'm right here, sweetheart. Are you and your brother okay?"

"Yes. Will we see you soon? Mr. Marcus said we would."

"Claire, do you know where you are?" Connie asked. But her daughter didn't get the chance to answer.

"Ah, ah, ah," Woll's voice once again filled the phone line. "All in good time. We're well on our way. I'm sure you've already been in contact with some old friends, but don't worry, I have, too. I'll be in contact with you again soon."

And with that, the line went dead.

Connie and Mike simply looked at each other. They knew that they could not give into the emotions they were both feeling in that moment: a sense of elation and relief at hearing from the twins, an overwhelming fear in not know exactly where they were or what Woll had planned, and a burning determination to bring their family back together, safe and whole.

By unspoken agreement, they let that determination take the lead. They had work to do.

Up Next: Mike and Connie go back to New York but will they find James and Claire in time?