Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, guys! As always, please review. :P

Xx

11:00 PM

Sunday, December 24, 2006

"Please," Sam grabbed the cashier's hand. The boy tried to shrink away, back into the safety of the girlfriend standing behind him, but Sam was relentless, moaning her plead with clenched teeth. "Please. Just tell me what you know about my baby."

"I told you, I--"

"You said before that she was here," Gina interjected, waving the portrait yet again before his acne-scarred face. "Why aren't you telling us what you know? How would it hurt you any?"

He sighed, his face a mask of frustration. He turned to his girlfriend and nodded grimly. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder before taking the dirty dishtowel he offered and moving to the back to rinse it clean. The boy pushed out to one of the main tables and sat, steepling his fingers nervously in front of him as he waited for the Redfords and Detective Maddox to join him.

They pulled up chairs and crowded around him. He glanced skittishly around the dining establishment before beginning in a rushed, quiet whisper. "She was here. With a man."

Detective Maddox whipped out his notepad and began scribbling away. "With who? Is he local? Do you know his name?"

The boy shook his head. "He's local, I think, he's come in here before with some other guy, an older one."

"Can you describe either of them to me?"

"Well, the one your girl came in with--"

"Rachel."

"Yeah, her. The one she came in with was tall and thin. He had blonde hair--"

"Long or short?"

The boy blinked. "Wha--"

"Long or short?" the detective repeated, his voice laced with irritability. "It's a simple question."

"Uh-well-long, I guess," the kid replied, his voice slow, seemingly oblivious to the tension surrounding his testimony.

"Anything else?"

"Green eyes, I think. And--" he shuddered suddenly, casting his eyes to his hands.

"And what?"

"A scar," the cashier said finally, drawing in a deep breath. "A big long scar, from his hair to his mouth."

Detective Maddox jotted it down and turned to Mr. Redford. "That's him?"

"From the description Nolan gave me I would say yes, that's definitely her kidnapper."

"And did Nolan say if Rocher was taking her anywhere?"

"No, he didn't mention it," Sam frowned. "I hadn't even considered that!" She clutched her husband's arm, beginning to grow panicked. "Oh God, what if he's taken her somewhere? What if we never find her?"

"We will," he assured her, turning distractedly back to the detective. "What else can we do?"

"They live nearby," the boy replied, his eyes slightly glazed over, his voice robotic. "I think. They've walked in, sometimes."

The detective scrawled that haphazardly on his notepad as well and stood. "Come on."

"What are we doing?"

"We're sending out a squad to search for your daughter."

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11:20 PM

Sunday, December 24, 2006

"We should wait up for Christmas," Rachel pointed out as Alex unlocked the apartment door and ushered her inside. She smothered a yawn with her fist as Alex laughed at her.

"And why should we do that? You can't stay awake as it is."

"It's only forty minutes," she pleaded innocently. "C'mon, Alex. Don't worry for once."

"Yeah, Alex, don't worry for once," Jackson teased, stepping inside with Lisa and shutting the door.

"Guys," Alex moaned. "Christ, can't we get a moment alone?" He began grabbing glasses from the corner cabinet as Jackson set a bottle of cheap champagne on the island countertop.

"Rachel can't drink that," Lisa pointed out, settling herself on the couch. "She's a minor, Jackson."

"A minor who just happens to be well-seasoned from her summers in France with her uncle," Alex pointed out, handing her a half-filled wine glass. "She'll be fine, Leese."

"Alex--"

"Now who's worrying?" Jackson chuckled and settled himself next to Lisa. She scooted away from him but he quickly set his glass on the coffeetable and lunged for her, wrapping an arm around her waist as he dragged her to him. She rolled her eyes but smiled as she accepted the glass Alex handed her.

Rachel made herself comfortable on floor and stretched out, pressing her cheek to the cool carpeting as she watched Lisa and Jackson bicker. She fought a gloomy sort of smile, a melancholy grin that expressed her wish for perfection.

She felt a heavy hand on her waist and rolled over to see Alex sit on the floor next to her. He set his wine glass near his head and propped himself up with his elbow, touching her face.

She warmed at the contact and entwined her fingers with his. "Is this how it's going to be from now on?"

He cocked his head at her question, still stroking her cheek with his free hand. "What do you mean?"
"I feel happy."

"That would be a good thing."

"But will it stay like that?"

He murmured, "I already promised you that, Rach. What more is there to say?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like it's too good to be true."

"You've been training yourself for way too long to believe that you don't deserve anything, sweetheart," Alex whispered. "And that's what you're feeling now. Life doesn't have to be bad. It isn't all bad."

"Up until now, though," she sighed back. "It was."