Wow! I knew these reviews would be interesting. Thank you for being so kind about my leaving you hanging. As promised, am posting the follow up immediately.

There are probably specific trigger warnings I should give, but outside of violence, I'm not sure what they are.

There's a method to my madness, I promise.

Elsie could barely manage to dial the rotary numbers, her hand violently shaking while she kept her other arm wrapped around Poppy and Pete, both children sobbing against their trembling mother.

"Calderdale Station."

"Please send help! My child is missing and there's a trespasser on our property. We think he's still here. His lorry is still parked on the lane. " The words spilled from her mouth, but she felt as though she was outside her body watching herself make the phone call.

"How old is your…"

"Four! She's only four! Please just come! Please! Meadowview Farm. Five kilometers east of town. The second turn off Old Mill Road. Please hurry!"

She hung up the phone and then jerked the receiver back off the cradle, struggling again to dial Beryl's number.

"Hello?"

"Beryl! Get Phyllis and both of you get here as quick as you can! Please! Just get here!"

The desperation in Elsie's voice was so shocking that Beryl didn't even hang up the telephone before grabbing her keys, her feet barely touching the steps and pavement that separated her front door from Phyllis and JoMo's.

The loud banging from the front of the flat, sent Phyllis running from her sewing machine in the bedroom. "Who's there?"

"It's me, love! Open up, please! Hurry!"

Pulling the door open, she was startled to find the small woman panting, her face red. "Beryl? Dear God! What is it? Your heart? Take slow, deep breaths. " Phyllis directed as she reached out and grabbed her hand.

"No! It's not me! We have to go! I don't know what it is, but we have to go to the farm!"

Phyllis grabbed her keys and handbag from the table behind her, before once more taking Beryl's hand and leading her towards the Molesley's dark green Vauxhall Wyvern. "I'll drive!"

Dirt and stones were sent flying as Phyllis made a wild turn onto the lane leading to Meadowview. "Who's lorry is that?"

Beryl glanced over at the junker, but shook her head. "No idea, but there's the Rover."

"Good!" Phyllis cried as she pulled into the drive. "That means Charles and Joe are here because they rode to school together so I could have the car."

"They'd be at the hospital if something had happened to one of the children." Beryl insisted, grasping for any bit of hope she could as she grabbed hold of the car door handle as Phyllis put the car in park.

Running up to the front door, they tried the knob, but when it wouldn't budge, began furiously knocking and calling out, "Elsie! It's us! Open the door!"

The door swinging open, Phyllis and Beryl both gasped as their eyes landed on their pale, shaking friend and the weeping children in her arms. "Come in! Hurry!"

Making sure Phyllis securely locked the door behind them, Elsie led them up the stairs and into the girls' bedroom. "Beryl, I need you to lock yourself in here with Poppy and Pete."

"Good God, what's happening?"

"Grigg is here and he took Livy. I have to find her. I have to find her and Charles and Joe. Phyllis, you wait for the police and then come find us." She lowered Poppy and Pete towards the nearest bed but they both clung to her.

"No, Mumma, you stay! Don't go! Stay, Mumma!" Poppy begged as she twisted her little fingers into Elsie's cardigan.

"I'll be right back, baby. I'm going to go get Livy. You stay here with Auntie Bee. I'm coming right back."

"Mumma!" Pete screamed as she pried his little fingers from her sweater.

"Please, baby. Please." Tears streamed down her face as she turned towards Beryl. "Please help me. Please take them."

Using the back of her hand to wipe away her own tears, Beryl reached out and wrapped an arm around each child's middle. "Come here, little chicks. It's alright. Auntie Bee's got you. Mumma will be right back."

A strangled sob fighting its way out of her throat, Elsie kissed each of her children's heads and whispered, "I love you. Mumma loves you," before grabbing Phyllis' arm, turning briefly to close the door behind her as she called out, "Lock it, Beryl! Lock it!"

Rushing down the stairs, they didn't stop until they reached the kitchen where Elsie began jerking drawers open; her hunt producing a torch, two large kitchen knives, and a heavy wooden rolling pen.

"Keep this with you until you see the police." She laid the smaller of the two knives on the counter near her friend. "Don't open the door for anyone else."

"Wait for the police, Elsie. Please wait until they get here."

Shaking her head, she ran from the room, stopping only to pull on her coat before tearing through the sitting room and into the new conservatory; the door there leading outside being the closest to the road to Bill's house and the out buildings.

"Lock the door behind me, Phyl," she called over her shoulder as they ran through the empty room.

"Elsie, please wait!"

Dusk setting on the horizon beyond the double glazed glass walls, the determined mother ran into the garden, her voice muffled but still intelligible.

"I can't! She's my baby!"

The tack room showed no signs of life and after a brief search, the two men had abandoned the smallest of the four buildings as they set their sights on the next, and much larger structure over, its function primarily to house Bill's small tractor and various other implements including a horse plow, wheel barrows, and hand tools. They had only been inside for a few seconds before Charles pulled an axe from where it hung on the far wall while JoMo grabbed a hoe from near the door.

Exhausting their search of the places Grigg could hide himself and Livy, Charles then led the way towards the fourth and final building.

"What's in there?" JoMo asked as they approached the gray grain storage hold, but before Charles could answer, a high pitched scream sounded from the vicinity of Bill's cottage and as they both turned, a flash of red caught their eyes as a series of snorts, whinnies, and loud clucking filled the air as the animals reacted to Livy's scream.

Flying past Joseph, Charles moved faster than he ever had since his injury ten years before. He skidded to a stop as he reached the point in the dirt path in which the barn was on his left, Bill's cottage on the right, and Elsie's studio just beyond. Throwing his head back, he yelled, "Livy, Daddy's here, baby! I'm here, Livy!"

Although his chest protested mightily, he held his breath as he struggled to listen for any sign of his child over the deafening thud of his heartbeat in his ears and the cacophony of animal sounds.

JoMo reached his side just as Livy's voice cried out "DADDY!" from what sounded like the far side of the studio which was immediately followed by the sound of glass breaking.

"LIVY!"

Grigg had made no attempt to close the door on the far side of the studio, the shattered remnants of the door's window pane nearest the knob cracking under their feet as Charles and JoMo stepped inside the space which was only lit by the small amount of dusk's light coming through the open door, high windows, and skylights.

"Let her go, Grigg. Please just let her go."

A light click sounded and the far side of the room was suddenly partially illuminated by a clamp light attached to a set of nearby shelves.

"She's a pretty little thing, Carson. Looks like that wife of yours. Hello, Joseph. Long time, no see."

"Don't do this, Charlie. You can stop now. You can save yourself if you give her to us," JoMo pleaded.

The light shining off his shaved head, a now glasses-free Grigg stepped out from the corner where he had watched Charles and his child the night before, one of his arms wrapped around the bulky blanket which contained a restrained Livy, her head covered by the bright red balaclava and an unseen handkerchief shoved in her mouth to stifle her cries.

"You didn't recognize me, did you Carson? I was right under your nose last night. A shaved head and face and a pair of glasses was all it took to fool you."

Using every bit of his control, Charles' voice was relatively calm as he called out, "Name your price. We have money and what we don't have Robert and Violet can come up with. Let her go. I'll get you whatever you want. Just let her go."

The beam from the clamp light hit the shiny surface of the large blade Grigg suddenly lifted in his other hand. "That would be too easy. And besides, I don't want money."

"Then what? Just tell me what you want." Try as he might, Charles couldn't hide the desperation in his voice.

Moving the blade so that the tip pressed against the outer layer of the blanket just over Livy's stomach, the corners of his mouth lifted as he stared into Charles' eyes.

"I want to watch you watch her die."

His hand gripping the axe so tightly his knuckles turned white, Charles' jaw flexed as he struggled to keep his wits about him in response to what he had just heard.

"Aren't you going to say something? I'm going to kill your child, Charlieboy."

"Kill me. Let her go. Let Joe take her away and then you kill me instead. Finish what you started in France."

"Aren't you curious how I managed to find you? How I popped this beautiful little bubble you call a life?"

Charles refused to answer as his mind continued to whir in an attempt to find any way out of the current situation.

His ego desperate to go on parade, Grigg supplied the answer to the questions he himself had posed. "I saw Adam's lorry with his name and telephone number on the side the day I drove out to find your lovely little farm. Followed him to a pub and mentioned I was new in town and looking for work. Gave him the number for where I was staying and two days later the phone rang. Presented on a platter you've been. I know the layout of your house. I know the kind of car you drive. I know the songs your wife hums when she washes the dishes and the games your children like to play. I've been inside your house, your life for the last three days and the best part is that you paid me to do it. You let your guard down, Charlieboy. Didn't hurt that your wife went and got herself famous. Her picture in the paper with that little dog. Halifax Mother of Three Charms with Barley and the Babies I think the headline said. I had to ask all of three people 'where does the famous Mrs. Carson live?' before I got an answer." Grigg let out a low chuckle. "A limp and that nose and you lucky sonofabitch still managed to marry not only a woman with nice tits and a big blue eyes, but she's also raking it in hand over fist. That not bother you? Your wife being more successful than you?"

Charles ignored Grigg's attempts to rile him. "I'm offering myself to you, Grigg. Let Livy go and you can do it however you want. I won't struggle. Just let her go." The desperate father's voice broke as he watched his daughter's head move beneath the red hat.

"Alice won't let me see her. You got her locked up in that place and she refuses to see me."

"She's getting help. She's a sick person."

Grigg smirked. "That's how it works? She chooses me over you so she must be mad?"

Charles feared inciting the man, but wanted to keep him talking. "She tried to hurt Elsie when she was pregnant with the girls. Alice changed after the war..."

"Suppose that was my fault?" Grigg barked at him.

"I didn't say that. It didn't have anything to do with you. She has a disease and she's getting treatment for it."

Livy moved again, her little body shifting slightly so that Grigg had to adjust his hold.

"She's getting heavy. Won't be long now, but you can keep her alive for a bit longer if you both do exactly as I say."

"Name it." Charles immediately responded, his eyes darting back and forth between his child and the man who held her captive.

"Put down your weapons and begin to move slowly around the room. Keep to the outside walls. Slowly."

Axe and hoe placed at their feet, they began moving at the pace Grigg set as he moved in the same direction so that the exact amount of distance was kept between them. Charles and Joe kept their gazes trained on Livy as they ended up where Grigg had previously as he secured a quick exit from the building landing just inside the open door where they had been.

"What's her full name?"

Charles swallowed hard before answering. "Olivia Violet Carson."

"You named her after the old bitch? Your dedication to that fucking family knows no bounds does it?" A cruel smile broke across Grigg's face. "Now I know what will be written on her headstone."

Elsie could hear voices as she approached the studio, but the padlock on the main door was in place and she cursed herself for not having the sense to bring her keys. Her steps light, she extinguished the torch as she set off towards the other side, but stopped short as she caught sight of Bill standing at the edge of the building, his shotgun in one hand as he raised a finger to his lips before beckoning her to join him.

"Charles and Joe are in there on one side of the room and the man and Livy are on the other. I saw them all go in when I was up on the hill riding Jasper. From what I can tell, they just moved so they are on the far side of the room and the man is just inside the door." Bill pointed to the wall just around the corner from where they stood.

"Has he hurt her?" Elsie asked, biting the inside of her cheek to keep some semblance of control.

"Not yet. But he's threatening to. I can't tell how close he is to the door, but if we can get around there without being heard, I think I might be able to sneak up on him and hit him in the head with the butt of my gun and you could grab Livy."

Elsie nodded as she slipped the rolling pin in one coat pocket and the large knife into the other.

Tiptoeing around the side of the building, Bill held out his arm and halted their movements as he heard the man ask for Livy's full name.

Taking a few steps as they listened to the exchange continue, a split second occurred between Grigg announcing Now I know what will be written on her headstone and Bill taking three long strides, the shotgun sliding up and over his shoulder before he bashed the man in the back of the skull as Elsie threw herself forward, adrenaline shooting through her system as she managed to fly over most of the shattered glass and hit the ground just shy of Grigg's feet, skidding forward so that Livy fell onto her, breaking the child's fall as the startling impact to the man's head caused him to release her. The knife in his hand flew in the opposite direction of the mother and child, but his head was almost even with Elsie's as he hit the ground.

Throwing the gun behind him, Bill fell to his knees in the middle of Grigg's back, the man's eyes flying open from the impact as Charles and JoMo sprinted over from the other side of the room. Charles fell to his knees at Elsie's side while Joseph secured the knife which had skidded to the far side of the room.

"Take her, honey! Take her away from here." Elsie disregarded the pain radiating through her body as she pushed herself up into a sitting position to help Charles get his arms around their disoriented daughter.

Livy cradled against him, he managed to get to his feet, rushing over the glass and into the growing darkness as sirens sounded in the distance. Shifting her in his arms so that the quilt fell away, he pulled the balaclava off her head and frantically removed the pale blue handkerchief Grigg had stuffed into her mouth minutes before.

"I've got you, baby. Daddy's got you. Daddy's got you."

Her stomach against his chest as he patted her back, she coughed a few times, but eventually caught her breath as she looked up at her father, her little arms immediately hugging his neck.

Elsie was limping, but managed to make it out of the building and over to her child and husband. "Mumma's here, baby, and Daddy's got you. We've got you. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Livy shook her head as Charles held out the handkerchief, tears in his eyes as he explained, "He had this shoved in her mouth."

Elsie reached out and took the damp fabric from her husband, slipping it behind her back as she reached up with her other hand to stroke Livy's cheek.

Her little body going limp against her father, she soon began to shiver; the little princess costume no match against the cold night air.

Charles reached down for the blanket, but Elsie jerked it away. "No! Not that! Don't put her back in that."

Slipping off her coat, she shoved the handkerchief in her skirt pocket and then pulled the rolling pin and knife from the deep coat pockets, dropping them to the ground before helping Charles tuck the thick, soft camel colored wool around their daughter as she kissed her child's cheek, ear, and neck.

"I love you, baby. Mumma loves you so much." She wiped her tears away before looking up at Charles and whispering, "Take her to the house. I'll be there in a minute."

"Honey?"

"Just go. I'll be right there."

He stared at her for a moment, but slowly turned, gently rubbing Livy's back as he headed toward the direction of the sirens.

Picking up the rolling pin and knife, Elsie stepped back into the studio to find JoMo and Bill standing between the door and Grigg who was now resting on his side although his torso was twisted so that his head, chest and pelvis were facing the ceiling, his hands and feet hogtied by a piece of cord that was left-over from a large package of canvases Elsie had recently received.

Ignoring Bill and JoMo's concerned faces, she moved past them, bending over to look into the face of the man who had once ogled her from across a table in a cold and stark prison many years before.

"You're going to pay for what you've done."

"Elsie?"

She simply raised her hand in JoMo's direction as she set the rolling pin and then the knife down in front of Grigg's face. Pushing from her mind the pain that was radiating through her body, she left the blue handkerchief Charles had handed her in her pocket, choosing to retrieve a clean one that had managed to stay tucked in her cardigan sleeve. The white cloth held tightly in her left hand, she shocked all three men when she reared back and slapped the prostrate man as hard as she could across the face before roughly grabbing his nose and shoving the handkerchief in his mouth as he held it open in wont of air.

Maintaining her vice-liked grip as he writhed on the ground, she looked up, her eyes glancing back and forth between Bill and JoMo. "Please wait outside. It will only be my word against his if you don't witness anything."

"Elsie…" Bill's voice was gentle as he took a few steps towards her while JoMo's simply stared at her, his mouth hanging open.

"No, Bill. Please just go. I'll be out in a moment."

"Elsie…"

Her voice was firm as she ordered, "Go, Joe."

Glancing at one another, each man took a deep breath before quietly exiting the building.

Watching them clear the door, she waited until Grigg's eyes were bulging before releasing her hold. His chest heaving, she allowed him a few seconds to settle before she picked up the rolling pin. "I could beat your brains in." Rearing back, she held the pin over her head, swinging it towards his face, only to stop abruptly before she let it fall to the ground; the noise causing the heavily breathing man to flinch and squeeze his eyes shut as the sound echoed throughout the room. Waiting until the noise died down, her voice was soft, but cold as she informed him: "But I'm not going to. Not because I couldn't. I do have it in me. After what you've done, my God, do I have it in me." She swallowed hard and shook her head in an effort to maintain her composure before she looked him square in the eyes. "I won't do it because you're not worth it. You're not worth the effort, you pathetic piece of shit."

She leaned down and picked up the knife, remaining in a crouching position as she held the blade only a few inches from his face. "I once told Charles that if given the chance I would cut off your balls." Moving back to her feet, she walked the few steps that separated his head and crotch. "Talk about a prime opportunity." She leaned forward and dragged the blade from the button at his waist and over his fly before twisting the tip several times over the center of the seam which rested against his scrotum. "But I don't want to have to clean up the mess." Taking a deep breath, she then sighed, turning on her heel and depositing the knife in the can from which she had retrieved the sheers to open the children's package two weeks before.

The sound of new voices could be heard coming from outside the opposite side of the building as Phyllis and the police officers approached the studio.

Returning to the center of his body once more, she cocked her head towards his. "They'll be in to get you soon so I should just get on with it." Mustering every ounce of strength she had in her body, she gave him three incredibly hard, swift kicks to the groin which sent him rolling onto his back, and then, feeling the same sensation of standing outside herself she had felt when phoning the police, she proceeded to stomp repeatedly and directly onto his penis and scrotum, before letting all of her weight rest against him as she twisted her foot back and forth until she finally ran out of strength. Breathless as she stumbled towards his head, she could hear the voices getting closer so she bent over his writhing body one last time and slowly pulled the handkerchief from his mouth, his cries filling the room as she hissed into his ear, "You were going to kill my child, you fucking asshole. I just made sure you'll never be able to bring one into the world."

She was almost to the door as a young officer suddenly rushed in, catching her as she collapsed into his arms.

Two other officers heard the young constable call for help and soon ran in, followed by JoMo, Bill, and Phyllis who offered to help get Elsie back to the house.

Her arms over each of the men's shoulders, they were nearing the cottage when Charles suddenly emerged from the French doors, stumbling as he hurried across the back garden towards them. Lifting his wife into his arms he made his way to the French doors, carrying her into their bedroom where he gently laid her next to Livy who was curled up in Poppy's arms.

"Mumma."

As Livy called her name, the twins and their mother shifted simultaneously so she could wrap her arms around them as Charles draped two quilts over his family. Retrieving Pete from Beryl in the nursery, the little boy was wrapped around his torso as he slipped into the bed next to Poppy. Glancing towards the now closed French doors he caught sight of several torches and then two policemen who were carrying Charlie Grigg away on a stretcher.

Trying to shut out the sounds of Bill, Beryl, the Molesley's, as well as Poppy and Pete eating breakfast in the kitchen, Charles jumped as Richard Clarkson opened the door to the bedroom, his medical bag in his hand and a gentle smile on his face.

"They're alright, both of them. Physically, Livy is absolutely fine. There are no bruises, no scratches. She might have a stuffy nose for a day or two, but there's not a mark on her."

"He didn't…do anything to her between when he took her and when we followed them into the studio?"

The doctor shook his head. "There are no signs of anything of that sort and you've heard Livy's account. There's nothing remotely suggesting he abused her in that manner."

Charles finally released the sigh that had been building in his chest since his friend had emerged from the bedroom.

"Elsie, on the other hand, has a severely bruised elbow and her rib might be cracked, but she definitely has two broken toes. After she bathes, I'll wrap her ribs and tape the toes together. All should heal fairly quickly if she rests and takes it easy."

A look of surprise filled Charles' face. "Broken toes? From the fall?"

Richard shook his head. "No. Her ribs and elbow took the majority of the impact from her fall which suggests her feet were in the air when she landed. I asked her if she could recall when she might have broken them, but she just shook her head."

"I'll see what I can get out of her."

"I know she fancies herself as quite tough, but please try to convince her to take some of the pain medicine I left next to the sink in the lav. She'll be able to relax more if she'll takes them which means she'll sleep better and heal faster."

"How long does she need to stay in bed?"

"Oh, a couple of days should do it and then I think she can move around a bit after that. Just don't let her do too much over Christmas."

"You're still coming over Christmas Day and Boxing Day with Isobel and the little girl, aren't you?"

"Do you think you all will be up to it?"

Charles took a deep breath, his cheeks puffing out as he exhaled. "No idea. I hope so. I think it would be best for the children if we did. I don't want to push Liv or Elsie, but maybe being surrounded by our friends and family is what they need most."

Patting the obviously shaken husband and father's arm, Richard made one last attempt at reassuring Charles that his wife and daughter were alright. "Livy is one of the most resilient people I know, child or adult. She's going to be alright, Charles, and Elsie is in better spirits than I would have expected after such a shocking experience. I would give anything for none of this to have ever happened, but all things considered, your girls are in fairly good shape."

Charles tried to smile, but exhaustion and worry made the effort seem almost Herculean.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Richard asked as he regarded the dark shadow of beard covering his friend's cheeks and chin which only enhanced the deep, dark circles under his eyes.

"I dozed off here and there, but I kept waking up thinking someone was trying to get in through the French doors and I just…I just needed to keep an eye on them. I had to hold onto them and know they were alright." Charles turned his head away as his exhaustion gave way to his emotion.

Richard wrapped his arm around the large man's back. "It will take time. You may want to try sleeping in a different room. Just try to rest when you can. Nap when the children nap and if you need something, I am happy to prescribe a light sedative. I know Beryl is going to make your meals for the next few days and Isobel is on her way to play nurse before she has to go back and get Mary Ann. You and Elsie need to let everyone help, but don't be afraid to tell people when you need a bit of time to yourselves. You're a well-loved family, but don't let people smother you with their good intentions."

Shaking hands, the two men separated, Charles turning back to face the door as Richard made his way toward the welcoming smell of coffee and Beryl Patmore's cooking.

"…fairy wings and a little guitar like Sylvie has."

"A ukulele?"

Charles remained unseen, although he had opened the door enough that he could make out Livy describing to her mother what she hoped Father Christmas would bring.

"Yes. A lookahlaylee."

Elsie smiled, gently rubbing her nose against her daughters as the two snuggled with their heads close together.

"What else?"

Livy shrugged. "Just toys and games." The little one was quiet for a few moments when a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Will Father Christmas know Mary Ann is going to be here or will he leave her presents at the children's home?"

"Oh, he'll know she's here. Don't you worry about that."

"What do you want for Christmas, Mumma?"

Letting her eyes drift over her daughter's soft, lovely features, she gave her head a small shake. "I have you and Poppy and Petey and Daddy. I don't need anything else."

"Don't you want him to bring us a new baby?"

Hearing the door hinge squeak slightly as Charles opened it another inch, she lifted her voice so he could hear. "Father Christmas can't bring us a baby, but Daddy and I are working on making sure we have one before too long."

"But we have to wait a bit to do that work until Mumma's ribs get better." Charles' voice was soft and low as he stepped into the room.

"I wondered how long you were going to stand out there listening before you came in."

Slipping into the bed so that Livy was between them, he leaned over and kissed his daughter's head before letting his gaze settle on his wife. "How do you feel, honey?"

"Sore...grateful."

He gave her an understanding nod and then nuzzled his face into Livy's hair, his voice slightly muffled as he asked, "How about you, sweet pea? Do you want to talk about what happened last night?"

Elsie watched her daughter's face tense up, her little bottom lip sliding between her teeth.

"It's okay if you're not ready," her mother assured her. "You were so brave when you talked to the policeman last night. Mumma and Daddy were so proud."

"What happened to Red's hat, Mumma?"

Elsie sighed, smiling sadly at her child. "It wasn't Red's hat, baby. That bad man just had a hat like Red's that he used to trick you into thinking was his because he knew Red was your sweet friend."

Confusion colored her little face and she asked, "Was that really Daddy's book?"

Elsie nodded. "It was. Daddy did know him a long time ago. And he was a bad man then, too."

"Why did that bad man want to hurt me, Mumma?"

Her heart aching in her chest, Elsie looked up to find Charles' face screwed up, all of his effort focused on not releasing the anguished cry that was threatening to escape his throat.

"Because he is just that. He is a very bad and mean man. He wanted to hurt Daddy and I and he knew that nothing would hurt us as much as him hurting you."

Livy's voice was filled with certainty as she declared, "But you and Daddy and Uncle JoMo and Gran Bill, you wouldn't let him hurt me."

"No. That's right. We wouldn't let him hurt you, and we're going to keep you so safe, baby. Always. You, and Poppy, and Pete. Mumma and Daddy will make sure no one ever scares you or tries to take you away from us again," Elsie promised, her voice growing thick as tears fell onto her cheeks.

Charles had to turn away, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and rushing into the lavatory where he turned on the shower taps to drown out the sound of his weeping.

Both looking in the direction where he had retreated, each was startled by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Elsie called out, grimacing as she struggled to push herself up into a seated position.

"It's just me, Elsie." Isobel whispered, a gentle smile on her face as she appeared around the door.

"Auntie Izzy!" Livy moved to her hands and knees, crawling towards the end of the bed where she was quickly gathered into Isobel's arms.

"Sweet girl. You sweet, precious girl." Isobel gently rocked back and forth, her hand stroking Livy's hair as she and Elsie both began to cry, their gazes meeting in a wordless exchange of disbelief and relief.

Using her hands to wipe her cheeks, Elsie sniffled a few times before she could find her voice. "What time did you leave, London, love?"

"Four- thirty. I couldn't sleep, so I just got in the car and drove."

"Thank you for coming," Elsie choked out, grateful for her friend's calming presence.

"Of course. Of course I came." Sitting on the end of the bed, she reached out and patted Elsie's leg. "I hear you're a bit of a mess, friend."

Nodding, Elsie leaned back against the pillows. "My ribs."

"And your toes?" Isobel's voice was tinged with curiosity. "How did that happen?"

Her chest tightened in response to the question. What had happened in the studio when she had been left alone with Grigg was absent from her memory outside of a few fuzzy images which could have been real or merely fragments from her dreams during the night. The aching, swollen, bruised toes on her right foot were the only clear indication that something physical had taken place.

She shook her head. "It's a blur really. I remember finding Bill outside the studio and I think I remember Livy landing on me and then following her and Charles outside, but I don't know what happened between then and when Bill and JoMo helped me to the house and we met Charles in the garden."

"Maybe that's a good thing?" Isobel asked, her voice gentle as she continued to rock Livy back and forth. "At least for now?"

"Maybe."

Livy's tummy growled which was followed by a giggle as she let her head loll over Isobel's arm towards her mother. "My tummy is hungry, Mumma."

The sound of her child's laughter inspiring a warm bloom in her stomach, she broke into a wide smile. "Do you want to go to the kitchen with Auntie Izzy and eat some breakfast with Pop and Pete?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, baby, but whenever you want, you come back and cuddle with Mumma, alright? I'm going to need some more love. Bring your Buddy with you, too."

"I will, Mumma." Rolling out of Isobel's arms, she giggled again as she climbed over to her mother, kissing her forehead and then her lips. "I love you more than there are stars and snowflakes and strawberry seeds."

"Oh, me, too, baby. Me, too."

"Can Poppy and Pete and I take a bubble bath? We didn't take one last night."

Rising from the bed, she pulled Livy back into her arms and offered, "I can give them one upstairs if you want. Or do you think Charles would prefer to give them one?"

Elsie gave her head a small shake. "If you don't mind, that would be lovely. Richard was wonderful with her this morning, but if you would make sure there aren't any marks or…" She couldn't finish, lifting the back of her hand to her mouth as she stifled a sob.

"Of course," Isobel assured her, her own eyes filling with tears as she watched her friend struggle.

Her little mouth curling into a frown, Livy whispered, "Don't cry, Mumma. It's okay."

"I know, baby. I know."

Isobel gave her a warm smile. "We'll be back in a little bit, but you call out if you need anything. We're all just down the corridor."

"Thank you." Her bottom lip trembled as she watched Livy disappear behind the door, the first time her child had been out of her sight since Charles had lowered her into the bed next to Livy the night before.

Closing her eyes, she replayed the events in her mind, beginning with JoMo's call up the stairs and ending with her own short interview with the police after hearing Livy's testimony to them of how the abduction had occurred. She could account for everything but those few lost minutes. Letting out a deep sigh, she was startled back into the present when Charles opened the bathroom door.

Tightening the ties of his dressing gown, a brief moment of panic overtook him as he glanced around the room for his daughter.

"Where is she?"

"Isobel. Isobel is here." Elsie quickly supplied. "Livy was hungry so she took her to the kitchen and then she is going to give all three of them a bath upstairs."

Stepping out of the bathroom, he glanced towards the door to make sure it was securely closed before joining her on the bed, neither of them speaking for several seconds as he rolled onto his side and took her hand.

"Grigg told me it was my fault and it was. I let my guard down. I didn't protect you and the children like I should have. I should have known he'd come after me."

Elsie frowned and shook her head. "No. You are not to blame. No one is to blame but him. Don't do that. Don't you dare share in that monster's responsibility for what happened last night. I am the one who left the French door unlocked and I am the one who left them in the nursery while I went upstairs, but I'm not going to shoulder any blame for this because I have left them alone in the nursery a hundred times and whether that door was locked or not, he was going to do whatever he had to do in order to hurt us. You found him. You kept your head and that's why Bill was able to get to him." Ignoring the ache in her ribs, she pushed herself towards him, cupping his face in her hands. "I pray to God she forgets that this ever happened, but if she doesn't, knowing Livy and knowing how brave she is and how much she loves you, it won't be him that she remembers. It will be seeing your face when you pulled that awful hat off of her and how safe she felt in your arms."

"I did try to get him to let her go and kill me instead." Charles began to weep again. "I would have let him. I would have just let him…"

"Stop. Stop. Shhhh…." Elsie soothed as she brushed her thumbs over his wet cheeks. "Shhh, sweetheart. I know you would have. I know that, but I can't think about it. I can't let myself imagine…"

"I should have insisted that you take her back to the house and then I could have gone back in and destroyed him." His body shook with rage and regret.

"Shhhh…" She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pressing her body against his. "Don't, sweetheart. Don't."

It took almost a minute for him to calm down, his cheeks streaked with tears as he shifted so that he could look at her face. "What happened after I took her to the house? JoMo and Bill won't tell me anything."

"I hurt him. I think I hurt him."

"How?"

"I don't remember." She looked away, biting her bottom lip as she struggled to piece together the fuzzy images in her memory. "I had a rolling pin and a knife, but I don't think I used them."

"Your toes."

She nodded her head. "I must have kicked him. That's the only thing that makes sense. I dreamed I did. I dreamed I kicked him over and over and then I stomped on him, but in my dream he became an insect and when I lifted my shoe there was just a streak of…nothing and I could hear myself whispering "You fucking asshole" over and over again."

"It should have been me in there with him."

Elsie shook her head. "No. You would have killed him and he deserves to suffer."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in," Charles called as he pushed himself up.

"I'm sorry," JoMo's face was pale and his countenance greatly troubled. "The police are here and they want to speak with Elsie."

Unable to hear anything more than low murmurs from the other side of the door, Charles paced back and forth outside the bedroom as his wife met with a DI Montgomery who was accompanied by Constable Warren, the young man who had caught her in his arms the night before.

The door opened and DI Montgomery's face was unreadable as he emerged and nodded at Charles. "Your wife has asked to be the one to fill you in on what we've just shared. We'll be in touch if anything else comes up."

Waiting until the men had disappeared into the kitchen, he had barely stepped into the room when a very somber Elsie called out, "Will you ask JoMo and Bill to come in?"

The three men standing just inside the room, Elsie waited until Charles had closed the door behind them before speaking.

"Bill." She stretched out her hand and waited until the older man took it as he sat down at her side. "They told me the injury to his head has been deemed as absolutely justified. No one is questioning that what was done was imperative in rescuing Livy." She took a deep breath before continuing, "I tell you that because they just informed me that he died two hours ago from bleeding in his brain."

All three men reacted differently; JoMo's mouth fell open, Charles stumbled backwards into the door, but Bill simply nodded and squeezed her hand.

She cleared her throat before continuing. "I don't remember much about what happened after Charles took Livy back to the house. What can you two remember?" Glancing back and forth between JoMo and Bill, her pained expression was clearly a plea for answers.

"You told him he had to pay for what he had done and then you slapped him in the face before you shoved a handkerchief in his mouth while you held his nose closed." Bill's voice was calm as he recalled what he clearly recalled happening fifteen hours before. "Then you insisted that we leave because you said it would be his word against yours as long as we didn't see anything."

Elsie felt a sharp pain in her stomach, her head spinning from the information.

"So we did as you asked and we left," JoMo added. "We heard your voice a few times, but we couldn't make out words and then the police arrived and the next thing we knew Grigg was screaming and you collapsed in that constable's arms and we brought you back to the house and met Charles."

She stared into space trying to make sense of Bill and JoMo's accounts in accord with what the Detective Inspector had told her. "His testicles were crushed and his penis was severely damaged. I don't remember doing it. I just see flashes of him there on the ground, but I must have. I must have done it."

"What are they…are they holding you accountable?" Charles asked as he took a few steps closer to the bed.

It took a moment for her to realize he'd asked the question. "No. No. He's dead. He can't accuse me of it and there were no witnesses. As long as nothing else comes to light, there's no proof that I did anything to him."

Richard Clarkson suddenly rapped on the door. "I'm sorry, but may I have a word?"

JoMo opened the door and the doctor slipped inside, his voice low as he began to speak. "Let me clarify that I don't want to know anything more than I already do. I just spoke with the police and they told me about Mr. Grigg's injuries. Elsie, you fell and bruised your ribs when you moved to break Livy's fall."

She nodded, bewildered by where he was going with this.

"And when I was examining you this morning, you lost your balance and hit your toes against the bathroom door jamb. You have broken toes from the impact of your stumble. Are we clear? Are we all clear?"

The realization of what Dr. Clarkson wasn't saying hit Elsie, Charles, JoMo, and Bill at the same time, each somberly nodding.

"Very good. If you need anything, I'll be here for a few more hours." Richard slipped out of the room, Bill and JoMo not far behind him.

Closing the door, Charles turned to speak, but held his tongue as he watched Elsie suddenly begin struggling to climb out from under the covers.

"Help me. Something's wrong."

Rushing to her side, he gasped at the large splotches of bright red blood on the sheets and the seat of her nightgown.

"Is it your cycle?"

Letting out a howl, she sunk to the floor. "I was late...six weeks...it's gone...he did this..."

Wrapping her in his arms, he began yelling Richard's name.

*hides under bed*

I love you guys. I really do.

XO Jen