Author's Note: Thank you all for the nice words. Welcome to those that just started to follow I hope you are enjoying this. I just saw some previews for the new season and I am getting so excited. It looks so much more dark and twisty than I could have imagined. Hopefully there isn't too much jumping around in this chapter, I tried to be as clear as possible, but if there is any confusion please let me know. Also there is a little bit of time overlap, this is happening at the same time as the last chapter, it should make sense when you read it. Happy reading.


Sleep had been difficult to come by the past few days. Most of the time she couldn't get her mind to stop thinking long enough to drift away into it. And when it actually did happen it was restless, plagued by memories of Carter being taken.

That's how she found herself up at 5:45 in the morning, unsettling "what if" scenarios running rampant in her fatigued mind. Most of the house was silent, allowing her to pick up the soft sound of David snoring in his office as she walked by. Elizabeth knew he was struggling with everything and she wished she could do more than just reassure him that none of it was his fault. It was her fault.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee lured her towards the kitchen and knowing all the agents preferred to buy their coffees Elizabeth realized that Taylor was already up. She peeked her head around the corner and could see Taylor wearing a light purple sweater that clearly belonged to Carter. It was the same one Carter had been wearing when they saw her for the first time after those thirteen long years.

Taylor had the morning newspaper in her hands and a mug of steaming coffee sitting in front of her. Heartbreak was strewn across her daughter's face and Elizabeth could see it was a reaction to what she was reading. It pained her to see the misery her family was in, especially her children.

"Hey there," she spoke up as she made her way into the kitchen.

Taylor looked up. Her eyes were slightly red from a combination of crying and lack of sleep.

"Morning," she replied setting down the paper and pushing it away from her.

It was this motion that let Elizabeth see the front page was still filled with articles on Carter's kidnapping and she understood why Taylor was upset. Agent Sands had decided against releasing the alias' they had discovered so Lori wouldn't change them again, which made sense but there were times Elizabeth wondered if it was the best decision.

"You're up early," Elizabeth said.

"Yeah, couldn't really sleep."

Elizabeth nodded in response knowing the feeling all too well. "Do you want some breakfast? I could make us something quick."

Taylor shook her head. "I think I'm just going to stick with having the Carter special for breakfast."

Elizabeth tilted her head to the side slightly having no idea what she was referring to. "What is the Carter special?"

She watched as her daughter directed her gaze down to the mug sitting in front of her.

"Black coffee," Taylor answered.

Elizabeth chuckled at the answer. She thought of all the times she insisted that Carter, Taylor, and Grant eat a good breakfast before going to school, only to have Carter insure her that coffee was enough.

"She does make the best out of all of us," Elizabeth said.

"Yeah, this is awful compared to hers," Taylor returned.

They caught each other's eyes and wide smiles filled their faces. It was a welcome reprieve from the continuous sullen expressions that everyone had worn for the last week. Both were enjoying their own memories of Carter when Taylor seemed to realize and quickly let her face fall back to its somber expression.

Elizabeth grimaced at the change. She knew what was running around in Taylor's head. The thought that if Carter wasn't home and happy that she couldn't be either. She had struggled the same way the past thirteen years. Just as she was going to speak up, to explain to her that she could be happy, Taylor broke the silence first.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Elizabeth asked confused. There was nothing she had done that required apologizing.

"For not understanding."

Elizabeth scrunched her eyebrows and waited for her daughter to continue.

"All the years that Carter had been missing I held onto an anger directed towards you and the older I got the more it grew. I resented Carter because she held more of your attention that Grant or I did. I didn't see why you couldn't just let her go. Why you couldn't focus more on the two kids in front of you rather than a ghost. I didn't remember anything about her back then, she was just a name basically a stranger. But now I have memories and stories. I know who she is. We built a relationship and now I understand why you couldn't let her go because I can't either. I'm sorry."

The tears had welled up in Elizabeth's eyes, threatening to spill over and run down her cheeks. Taylor had dropped her head so she was looking down at the counter. Elizabeth reached across the island and lifted her daughter's chin so they looked at one another again.

"I should be the one that's sorry. If Carter has shown me anything since she has been back it's that I haven't been as good of a mother, or wife, to any of you. And for that I am so sorry Taylor."

Taylor nodded and they both fell into silence. The air felt somehow lighter. A comfort filled them both after getting the weight of those statements off their chests. The silence was short lived however as a ringing filled the kitchen. They both instinctively looked over at the house phone that sat near the back door but could see it wasn't the source.

"Did Grant leave his phone down here last night?" Elizabeth asked, knowing her son always "misplaced" it.

Taylor shook her head. "That's not one of his ringtones."

Elizabeth began to move towards the ringing. The phone wasn't in sight but after a moment of searching she pulled out a simple, black cell phone from the basket of mail. She didn't recognize it and turned to show Taylor, holding it up as if to ask if she knew whom it belonged to.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders and Elizabeth looked back down at the phone. "Blocked Number" flashed across the screen and Elizabeth found her heart beating out of her chest. She knew it could belong to one of the numerous FBI agents that had been in and out of her house but she hoped it didn't.

Her hand trembled as she clicked to answer it and she was amazed she didn't drop the phone on the ground.

"Hello?" her voice was shaky and wavering.

Elizabeth was met with silence on the other end but a mixture of motherly instincts and detective skills told her that someone was still on the line.

"Hello? Carter?" she asked. Her voice was softer this time, more coaxing.

Taylor rushed over to her mom's side at the mention of Carter's name, placing her hand on Elizabeth's forearm. Tears sprung to Elizabeth's eyes as she heard a muffled sob come through the phone. A lump formed in her throat but she forced herself to talk through the emotions.

"Carter if that's you please say something, anything," she was begging now. The tears had started to fall and the emotion was evident in her voice even though she was trying her best to be strong.

Elizabeth waited for what seemed like an eternity before she heard a soft whisper.

"Mom…"

Her hand shot to her mouth. That word would be one she would never get used to hearing. She was flooded with relief and anger, happiness and pain as Carter's voice rang in her head.

"Carter, oh Carter. Are you okay? Lori hasn't hurt you or anything?" Elizabeth figured the woman wouldn't harm Carter, Lori thought Carter was hers, but she had to be sure.

Carter shook her head in response until she realized her mom couldn't see her. "No, no. I'm alright. I promise."

"Where are you?"

"I can't tell you"

"It's okay if you don't know exactly just tell me anything. It could be a street name, or business, or just describe you surroundings. Anything and I'll find you."

Carter swallowed hard and closed her eyes. She wanted so badly to say there were staying at the Pine Needle Inn. That they were travelling north. But she knew Lori would hold up her threat and she couldn't risk hurting her family.

"No Mom. I can't tell you," she said again.

This time Elizabeth realized what Carter meant and she grew angry at the thought of Lori controlling her daughter.

"Is Lori nearby?" she asked.

"Yeah," Carter replied. She wanted to keep her end of the conversation as short as possible so Lori didn't hear too much.

"She allowed you to make a call home?" Elizabeth couldn't figure out why she would let Carter call them. It seemed like an unnecessary risk, but she was so grateful she had.

"Yeah she did. It's so… it's so I can say goodbye."

The statement caught Elizabeth off guard. Horrible thoughts of never seeing Carter again overwhelmed her and she had to steady herself against the counter. Taylor gave her a concerned look as she did so and Elizabeth was grateful she was there to give her additional support.

She cleared her throat before responding. "Well you and I both know how stubborn the two of us can be, so I promise you this will not be goodbye. Okay?"

"Okay."

Carter looked over to Lori who held up her hand. Her fingers formed a peace sign, indicating Carter only had two minutes left.

"Carter," Elizabeth said. "I want you to know your Dad and I figured out those numbers on the lottery ticket. We know the names and the FBI are tracking any activity using them."

Finally something was falling her way and all Carter wanted to do was let out a sigh of relief, but she stopped herself, feeling Lori's eyes beating down on her.

"How is Dad? Is he still writing?"

Elizabeth was perplexed by the second question. It seemed out of place, not something she should be thinking about in their current situation.

"Carter do you think he cares about that right now? All he is focused on is getting you back. He isn't interested in doing any writing."

"Well he should be," Carter replied. Her voice was firm and she hoped it would come across as being important. It was all she could come up with that would possibly lead her mom to Toby.

Elizabeth noticed the change and realized Carter was trying to tell her something. "Your dad's writing, are you saying there is something there that connects to you and Lori?"

"Yes," she replied simply. She could feel Lori's suspicion rising and knew she had to direct the conversation elsewhere. "How are Taylor and Grant? Please say they are holding up okay?"

It took Elizabeth a moment to respond as she was still caught up in what Carter had just told her. She wished the hint could have been more detailed but knew Lori was listening for anything out of the ordinary. But she was grateful they once again had something to go off of.

Elizabeth looked over to Taylor as Carter's question finally registered. She pushed Taylor's hair out of her face and behind her ear as she answered.

"They're both strong, just like you. They miss you but they'll make it through until you're back."

"I miss them too…" Carter said. She was going to say more but trailed off as Lori caught her attention, holding up a single finger that indicated she only had one minute left.

Carter grew panicked inside. There was so much more she needed and wanted to say that she knew there wouldn't be time for. She inwardly cursed at herself for wasting precious seconds at the beginning of the call.

"Carter?" Elizabeth asked as the line had grown silent. Her voice mirrored the same panic Carter felt inside.

"Yeah, I'm still here," she replied and heard the sigh of relief her mom let out.

Carter turned away from Lori so it would be more difficult for her to hear. It made her feel like she had a little more privacy before she spoke again.

"Mom, I know when I first got back to you, all I wanted was to leave again. I looked at the life I had lived compared to the one I would have had with all of you and I was glad Lori took me. But then I started to see what I had missed. Growing up with siblings, having a comforting dad and an extremely strong mom and now all I want is to be home. Please find me. I still need you to protect me."

The memory of the first time Carter told her she needed her to protect her jumped to the front of Elizabeth's mind. It had been the first time she had called her mom and told her she loved her since her return, and Elizabeth knew it would always be one of her most cherished memories.

"I promise I will get you back. I promise Carter, always know that I will never stop fighting for you. I love you."

"I love you too," she managed to reply. Her head was filled with so many thoughts and emotions, she didn't hear Lori get up from the chair until she was practically pulling the phone from her grip.

Carter clung to the phone, her knuckles white, as she desperately tried to stretch out the call by a few more precious seconds. Her eyes were wide and glossy as they looked up pleadingly.

"No please, please. Just a little bit longer…" She tried but Lori sternly shook her head and forcefully took the phone back.

"Carter! Carter!" Elizabeth yelled into the phone upon hearing Carter's pleas, but all she was met with was muffled shuffling on the other end. She hadn't thought it possible to feel more pain than she had already been in, but being so close and yet nowhere near her daughter proved her wrong.

"Carter…" Elizabeth tried again. This time she was met with a response.

"Carter's time for talking is up."

"Lori," Elizabeth spat back, her voice full of anger. "I will find you and take you down."

Lori chuckled at the threat, amused by the other woman's words. "I really doubt that. You couldn't find us for thirteen years, do you really think this time is going to be any different?"

"It will be different. She is coming home this time."

"But you see she's already home, with me. She's where she belongs, with her mother, because we both know as much as you try you aren't her mom. You weren't there for the scraped knees and broken hearts, that was all me. For every up and down I was there. Whether for comfort or advice I was the person she could turn to, I still am that person. And I can tell I've done a better job in parenting her than you ever would have," Lori boasted, her voice full of confidence and superiority.

As Carter listened to Lori explain, she thought of what the woman had told her days before. How she had taken her to prove that she was a better mother than Elizabeth, that David should have chosen her instead.

The ache that had filled Elizabeth only moments ago when she spoke with her daughter had vanished and was replaced with rage towards Lori.

"You're right. I wasn't there for any of those things. You took that away from me," Elizabeth replied, her voice serious.

"How does it feel?" Lori asked, leaving Elizabeth silent as the question caught her off guard. Lori continued as the other end remained silent. "How does it feel having someone force themselves into your life and rip away a person so important to you? How does it feel knowing that they're going to keep living while you're stuck wondering what you're going to do with out them? It's not very pleasant is it?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm simply returning the favor," Lori replied.

The more Lori spoke the more Elizabeth began to realize that taking Carter the first time wasn't simply an act of opportunity. She had wanted to get back at her for something. She was still trying to get back at her, and the thought scared her. It made Lori more unpredictable, more dangerous. And it made Elizabeth want to find Carter that much faster.

"Well, it's been fun chatting but I really must be getting back to my daughter. Goodbye Elizabeth," Lori said calmly before going to end the call.

"Lori… Lori…" Elizabeth tried before she was met with a tone on the other end and knew she had hung up. The only connection to her daughter now gone and a wave of frustration washed over her. "Dammit."

She set the phone down on the counter and brought her hand up to rub her eyes. As she stood up straight Elizabeth turned to Taylor, her daughter's pleading eyes looking up at her. It occurred to her that she wasn't the only one in the room. That Taylor had heard everything as well, but only one side, and the concern on her face was evident.

"She's okay. She's okay," Elizabeth said as she pulled Taylor into her arms, wrapping her up. Taylor relaxed into the embrace and the two stayed there for a few moments. "Taylor can you go get an agent from the other room for me please?"

Taylor nodded and silently left the room in search for someone that her mom could talk to about what had just happened. In a moment Elizabeth was left in the kitchen by herself. The thought of Carter's clue running through her mind.

She had made a point that David's writing was important but she was sure how it connected to anything. As she heard the footsteps down the hall getting closer Elizabeth could only hope that something else presented itself that would allow her to piece some things together so she could get her daughter back.