Authors Notes: Dawww thank you for worrying about me with the breast cancer thing. But don't worry about me. Its an excuse for me to dye my hair all kinds of wild colors before the radiation burns it out. Also I don't really have any plans to give Donny a mom. It works better this way in the long run. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

In a Heartbeat

Chapter 6

Running again

The Professor looked around as the room was now empty and he hoped the house too. He heard a gentle cough come from the little bundle at his feet. Oh they left Donny, why didn't they take her. He could have died and been a happy man for it. But she...was another story. He looked around the room and shook his head. There was nothing for it...so he stood up on his feet and jumped back hitting himself and the chair on the bar. He was winded for a moment. The smoke started to sting his eyes. This place was going up like a box of matches.

The Professor threw himself against the bar once more before landing on his back and the chair broke into many little pieces.

"Donny...?" He reached out picking her up and pulling her into his arms. He looked around at the building around him. There was so much fire, so much smoke. He couldn't see, the smoke was stinging his eyes. They had to get out of there.

The Professor ran into the kitchen and closed the door. At least the air in here was cleaner. He lay Donny down on the floor and ran over to the window. He tried to force it open, but it wouldn't budge. He grabbed the cutting board beside him laying on the counter and threw it through the window. The shattering sound pulled Donny from her unconsciousness. She felt herself being lifted up and carried toward the window.

"Professor?" She mumbled. The man had soot all over his face. "Are you alright?" She asked

"The building is on fire, I need to get you out. Once your on the ground run for the treeline. I'll find you." He said and lowered her to the ground and threw her his lighter. It would help her to see through the thick.

"Professor what are you doing?" She asked only to see a berlap sack full of food land on the ground. "Oh..."

"We're going to have to make it to England ourselves. I'm sure the Nazi's are watching the trains." Horatio said and threw out a second sack. "Alright make for the tree line." He said the child did as she was told and ran through the trees. She wasn't sure if the Professor was behind her or not, all she knew was when she did stop it was by a small stream and she could hear cows. She pulled the bag to her and sat down against a tree. It wasn't long when she closed her eyes to fall asleep.

When she opened her eyes she was warm, and wrapped up in a blanket. She felt someone move beside her and she turned her head a bit to see the Professor holding her in his arms as she slept. She buried her face in his chest and closed her eyes again. She fully intended on falling back asleep in the security of his arms. She heard more voices. It never occurred to her that they were inside a small building. She opened her eyes to see there were little beds lining the walls, and tables in the middle.

"Ah ones awake." Donny gasped and buried her face in the Professors shirt. It was then that she noticed his wheezing lungs. She put her ear against it again.

"We found him soaked, he had been running it would seem." He said and looked around at the woman sitting down at the table. "She had brought her cow over for a drink and found him laying against a tree with you in his arms. We tried to pull you two apart, but he bit me..." He said. Donny gasped and looked at the Professor. She tried to pull away from him, he moaned and held onto her tighter.

"Professor...its alright now, you can let me go." She said and his eyes opened a bit.

He reached up and put her hair behind her ear. "Are...you safe?" He asked his eyes were threatening to close again, Donny nodded.

"Yes Papa...we're alright now. You can rest."

"Papa...such a nice word..." He whispered "Say it again..." He asked putting his forehead against hers. She giggled for a moment.

"Papa..." She said kissing his forehead and cuddled back down. His kissed the top of her head and looked up recognizing the inn keeper from that one time when his pupal's came along with him.

"Thank you...for helping us." He said and rested his head back down pulling the blanket up so it'll be up on Donny's shoulders.

In the morning Horatio opened his eyes to find his new daughter breathing soundly in his arms. She seemed so calm now, not afraid. He believed she felt secure in his arms, he too felt a small sense of security in hers. He couldn't understand how one little girl could make him feel so much love.

"Ah your awake then?" He suddenly jumped and looked up to see the inn keeper drinking his coffee and eating rather runny eggs on toast.

"Yes good morning." He replied back. "I really must thank you again for saving us. We were being harnessed by the Nazi soldiers. They put us in an not to far from here locked the doors and boarded the windows...then set fire to it." He said and looked down at Donny who opened her eyes and blinked a few times before locking them onto the Professor.

"Hey..." He whispered "Are you hungry?" He asked her.

"Mmhum..." She said wanting to fall back asleep, but sat up and rubbed her eyes anyways. They needed to get up and leave.

"Come...lets go get something." He said helping her to sit up.

She felt her muscles protest as she did so. Her father stood up and stretched she could hear his back pop several times. "Breakfast is warming over on the bar. My wife is really good at cooking eggs." He said and smiled at his wife who walked out of the back with biscuits.

"Do you know of any place that has traveling equipment?" Horatio asked the innkeeper who nodded. "There is a man about a mile up the road that sells camping and fishing equipment. Perhaps you should start there."

"But first...I think you two need to visit the second hand store. You need to wear something they don't recognize."

"To right...my wife has always been smart." The Innkeeper said and patted his wife's hand.