*CRASH* "Oops…"

"Abby! What happened?" Charlie came rushing into the kitchen to find Abby at the kitchen sink and a plate shattered on the floor. "Abby, Abby, Abby… What are we going to do with you?" He asked in a playful voice.

"Hey it was your idea to give me chores! Just because I'm five now doesn't mean I'm automatically better at everything!" Abby said in her smart-alec way that only she can get away with.

"Yes.. but I figured that you'd be able to keep a hold of a plate! Abby this is the fifth one you've broken this week! And one of them was plastic!" Charlie cried in disbelief.

"Well! It's not like you've never broken anything! How about last week when you threw a football into mom's favorite lamp? And then you tried to TAPE IT BACK TOGETHER! How dumb are you?" Abby was getting defensive.

"Well… It's not like I had superglue just sitting around in my pocket…" Charlie replied.

"Oh yes… because it's definitely more likely that you would have duct tape in your pocket than super glue…" Abby replied sarcastically.

"Fine. I'll do the dishes. You go finish your homework." Charlie headed for the sink.

"My homework? You mean show and tell tomorrow that I was going to take my fish to… but Oh right… your stupid football broke my fishbowl too!" Abby said stepping onto a chair so she was on 'higher ground'.

"Abigail Marie Sciuto!" Charlie said turning from the sink.

"Uh oh." Abby said under her breath. Charlie's patience had been getting shorter and shorter the further along his sister got into her pregnancy.

"Go upstairs right now. I don't care what your homework is, just get it done. Do you understand?" Charlie asked.

Abby nodded and raced to the stairs. She stopped at the bottom for a moment, the stairs had changed. They used to be her place to make noise for fun, now they weren't needed for that. In a way she wished that the stairs were still a quite noisy activity, but she didn't want Charlie to move out, and that's what it would take.

She quietly walked up the stairs. When she reached the top she made a mad dash for her bedroom and closed the door on her way in. She sighed. Her room. It was just the way she wanted it now.

The house remodeling was finally done, and Abby's room was just finished a few days ago. Her previously grey-white walls were painted a deep cranberry red. The trim around the doors and windows were left a perfect white. Her once faded blue carpet had been replaced by a light brown shag carpet covering wall to wall. Her old single twin bed without a frame had been replaced with bunk beds, that went in two directions with a desk built in. The black bed frame for her beds was complimented by red bedspreads. They were simple, yet elegant. Just red fabric with squares sewn in, with a black backside, so when she folded the top of the blankets just right there was a black line up at the head of the bed. As well as the bedspreads she had white and black pillows, both for decoration and for comfort. Along her cranberry walls you could find white silhouettes of different scenes.

One was of a Mardi Gras celebration. You could make out the buildings lining the streets that were filled with people watching a parade go by.

Another was simply three hands saying "I Love You" In Sign Language.

Abby's favorite one was across the room from her bed next to her closet. Where you could see the distinct outline of Abby, pigtails and all, with her parents. It was almost like having a giant family portrait on the wall, but Abby thought this was better.

Abby started hunting through her room looking for something, anything, to take with her for show and tell tomorrow. She ran across several possibilities, her fingerprinting kit she mail ordered a few weeks ago, a kaleidoscope that if you looked through it just right you could see Abraham Lincoln. She ran into a picture of Lewis, her goldfish. Or what used to be her goldfish until somebody broke it's bowl.

She moved over to her desk and came face to face with what she should have thought of forever ago. "DUH!" She cried out.

She grabbed her copy of "Advanced American Sign Language" then she ran to her bookshelf. She sorted through hundreds of books until she came across the other thing she was looking for. "Spanish Sign Language For Beginners". After placing both books in her bag for school she lay down on her bed, waiting for Charlie to come and tell her that she could come out.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited.

After four games of solitaire and four picture books later Abby was starting to think she'd been forgotten. She glanced to the wall in her room that used to have a clock. Used to being an important part of that sentence. The clock broke during the remodeling. Abby didn't really mind, she'd never been particularly fond of it, but it at least functioned.

It was seven hours later that Charlie came bursting into Abby's bedroom. "ABIGAL MARIE SCIUTO ARE YOU IN HERE?" He screamed.

Abby jumped. She was sitting on her window seat staring at the stars when he'd come in. "Yes…" She replied confused.

"Abby I've been looking for you for hours! What on earth are you doing in here doing absolutely nothing? Abby, I have half a mind to ground you for hiding from me like that…" Charlie's mouth was in a straight line illustrating just how stern he intended to be.

"But Charlie…" Abby began.

"Don't you but Charlie me. You know what, just go to bed." Charlie said turning to the door.

"Without dinner?" Abby questioned as her stomach growled.

"You missed dinner, so yes, without dinner." He replied and again turned to leave.

"I DID NOT JUST MISS DINNER! YOU TOLD ME TO GO TO MY ROOM…" She grabbed his watch and checked the time, "FIVE HOURS AGO!" She was screaming with tears streaming down her face.

Charlie gasped. Did I… oh no… I did… He thought to himself. "Abby… I'm so sorry." He was talking to her back which was now facing him. "Will you ever forgive me?"

"No." Was the only reply Abby gave before she ran out her bedroom door.

"Abby!" he cried chasing after her.

Abby kept running, out the front door and across the yard. She made a left turn at her father's unused tractor and headed straight for the barn. The barn hadn't held animals since before Abby was born so for her, it was just another place for her to explore. She climbed up the old wooden ladder laid against the outside of the barn that went to the loft, gaining a few splinters on her hands and bear feet as she climbed.

Once she reached the top she slid the door to the loft closed. On the inside of the loft all was peaceful, on the outside however, more was happening. When she'd closed the door the ladder fell, without her realizing it. Charlie had stopped to grab shoes on his way out the door and was unsure of Abby's whereabouts and had headed toward Anna's house.

Abby leaned against a wall comfortably in a pile of straw. It's not like I did anything wrong. She thought, Charlie should just leave… I'm sick of someone sending me to my room, sick of being told what to do. I miss when it was just mom, dad, and me. I miss before dad worked out of the house, which he can do now that Charlie's here… WHY CANT HE JUST LEAVE? Tears were streaming down her face as she drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile Charlie ran through the rain that was streaming down. "Abby? ABBY?" He called into the mostly dark street he was running down. As he reached Anna's house his run slowed to a jog as he went up the driveway to the front door. He knocked impatiently. Until Anna, fully ready for bed in her nightgown answered the door.

"Hi Charlie!" She exclaimed at the unexpected visitor.

"Anna, is Abby here?" He asked out of breath.

"No…" Anna trailed off as her mom called through the house "Anna, who is it?" Anna's mom walked into the front hall holding a plate and a towel, she had obviously been doing dishes.

"Oh hello Charlie." She greeted him.

"Abby hasn't been here has she?" Charlie asked again.

"No, is she missing?" She questioned.

"I don't really know… I better keep looking..." He replied.

"Wait what happened?" She inquired.

"I made a mistake…It's my fault… I'll take care of it don't worry about it…" He ran down the front stoop.

It was several hours later when Abby awoke from her peaceful sleep in the loft. She yawned and reached for the flashlight that she had always kept there. She made her way through the dark loft to the door which she slid open to reveal a still dark sky… and no ladder. Her eyes widened. The ladder had been moved, to the side of the barn, meaning someone had been here. She screamed out the door, carefully as not to fall out, "CHARLIE!"

When she didn't get a response she tried again, "CHARLIE!" No response. She slid the door closed once again and shivered. Her clothes were damp from the rain and she was cold, very cold. She covered herself in hay and tried to fall asleep. With no luck she began to panic. Where is Charlie… Wasn't he behind me… Why hasn't he come for me? I wonder if he'll even want to find me now…" Abby was using the time she was presented with to come up with the worst situations possible. Several hours later she was shivering. A leak had started in the roof and the loft was slowly but surely getting wet.

Charlie was sitting at the kitchen table picking up the phone. He dialed in the number of the local police station and got a receptionist.

"New Orleans West Police Station, What can I help you with?" A friendly voice asked.

"My niece is missing." Charlie replied sounding as tired as he felt. After searching for a five year old all night, one becomes worn out.

"For how long?" The receptionist asked with the same voice.

"About nine hours." Charlie replied doing the mental math.

"When was the last time you saw her?" She asked sounding less chipper.

"When she ran out the front door, away from me…" Charlie replied.

"Okay, I'll send a couple of officers over for you, where do you live?"

"On a dirt road just off of Jefferson Street in a old farmhouse." Charlie replied unable to remember the exact address of the house.

"Okay it will be about five minutes. Have a nice day." She replied and she hung up the phone.

"Have a nice day? Is she required to say that?" Charlie wondered aloud as he hung up his line. He groggily made his way to the front porch to wait for the officers.

As promised about five minutes later a squad car pulled up with two police officers who got out of the car and made their way to Charlie. "Hello I'm officer Davies and this is Officer Reed. So your niece is missing?" he introduced himself and got right to the point.

"Yes…" Charlie replied groggily.

"Well let's check the premises before making this too much of an ordeal." Officer Reed said to his partner, and they walked into the house passing by Gloria on their way in.

Gloria with wide eyes went over to Charlie. What's going on? She inquired, her gaze following the officers into the house.

Oh, Gloria… I'm so sorry… Charlie replied wondering how he could explain what happened without dealing with the wrath of his five months pregnant sister.

What did you do? She questioned with a stern face. Where's Abby?

That's just it… I don't really know. Charlie winced as he witnessed the change of emotion on his sisters face. He could already see tears welling up in her eyes. Now don't worry, I'm sure we'll find her.

Not worry? Did you check Anna's? She started firing questions.

Yes, First place I checked.

The school?

Second place…

Your bar?

About the fifth place, even though I thought it was a dumb idea…

THEN WHERE ON EARTH IS SHE? She questioned as she broke into sobs.

Just then Charlie heard a high pitched scream coming from the barn. He looked up and didn't notice anything but he started jogging over to check things out. As he got closer he heard another scream and noticed something moving against the barn… No it wasn't something. It was, "ABBY!" He yelled and ran toward the barn as fast as he could.

Hearing the yell the police officers emerged from the house. And chased after Charlie. Abby's mother not knowing what was going on followed stepping gingerly across the lawn.

"ABBY DON'T LET GO!" Charlie called. He could faintly hear her response that made him chuckle, "Why on earth would I let go?" He reached the barn and ran for the ladder. The police officers arrived and helped him put the ladder against the barn right next to Abby, who was slipping.

She was trying with all her might to hold on, but the rain wasn't helping any. "Charlie… I can't… hold on…" She whimpered as she felt one of her hands release. At this Abby's mom noticed her and understood the situation, and she began to run, as well as she could to her, to save her.

Abby could feel her other hand slipping and she prepared herself for the scariest moment so far of her life.

Her hand left it's clutch on the loft door track and she started to feel gravity pull her down. But suddenly a strong hand grabbed her arm and she swung into his chest. Charlie sighed in relief as he held Abby against his chest. The police officers kept their hold firm on the ladder as Charlie made his way down it holding a whimpering Abby close to him.

He put his feet on the ground and he adjusted Abby's body so he could properly hug her. "Abby… I'm so sorry… I never should have…" Charlie whispered into Abby's ear as she continued to cry. "Abby, I'll just go…" He said handing Abby to officer Davies. "That's her mother." Charlie said pointing to Gloria and with that he walked away.

Officer Davies went over to Gloria and luckily had noted she spoke in sign, and happened to know it. Abby's fine. A bit shook up, but fine. He said as he handed her to Gloria.

What about Charlie? She asked wondering why her brother had left.

He said…He was leaving… I'm sorry… If there's anything you need don't hesitate to call us. He signed as they got into the squad car to report to another location.

Abby's mother wanted nothing other to comfort her daughter but she found herself unable to do so as Abby refused to open her eyes, or stop crying. Sighing she hiked Abby onto her hip, as best she could around her stomach, and took her inside.

After laying Abby down in bed she went downstairs to wait for her husband to return from a business trip he was to be arriving home from that evening. Around five o'clock Steve walked into find a very dazed Gloria.

What's wrong sweetheart? He asked enveloping her into a hug for a brief moment then he allowed her to answer.

He's gone Steve… And I don't think he's coming back… Gloria said vaguely and accepted her husband's arms once again, where she then stayed, feeling the warmth of his love surround her.

Author's Note: Bwa ha ha… I feel evil I haven't really done a cliffhanger yet, but now I have! But I feel bad for ya'll so I'll probably update again today or tomorrow. Please Review. And a thanks to all who review every chapter! It makes me want to write more!