I then stepped up to him and kissed his cheek. Turning, I headed back out the door, and went to find Miss Pratt. I walked back to coach since that's where I saw Miss Pratt the first time, and saw her sitting on an arm rest, talking with Fiona.

"...The problem is that my daughter is missing and nobody can tell me where the hell she is," Miss Pratt said through gritted teeth. I must have walked in on the middle of their conversation. She then noticed me walk up.

"Well, will he help?" she asked me.

"He'll help as soon as he's able to step away, which I hope will be soon," I smiled at her.

"Thank you," she said.

I nodded and she took a breath before looking at Fiona. "Do you have any kids?"

"Do nieces count?" she countered after a moment.

"Yeah, almost."

"They hate playing hide and seek with me because I always find them. So, fear not," Fiona said, trying to say something that would help keep Miss Pratt calm.

"What about you? Do you have any kids?" Miss Pratt asked me.

I looked at Fiona quickly before answering her. "Yes, I have a son who just turned four a few months ago."

"And what would you do if this happened to him?"

I looked down at the floor for a moment, then locked eyes with Miss Pratt.

"I'd be doing the exact same thing you are," I said, straight faced, so she knew I was telling the truth.

She nodded once, then looked to the kids in front of her, who kneeled on their seats next to Fiona.

"Did you guys see my little girl?" she asked them, standing.

Both of them shook their heads.

"You're the one they made the announcement about," the father of the kids said, turning in his seat.

"Yeah," Miss Pratt answered quietly.

"I didn't even know you had a kid with you. Did you?" he asked, turning to, who I assume, was his wife.

"Sorry, I didn't," the woman said.

Miss Pratt shook her head slowly at the mother, then looked back at the kids. "Maybe you guys could help me look for her."

"Cool," the boy said.

"Awesome. I'm so bored," the girl said, looking down at her father.

"Sorry, no," he said.

"Why not?" the boy asked.

"Dad, she's lost," the girl tried to reason.

"How lost can she be? We're-we're in a tube," the father said, looking back at Miss Pratt, then turned back to his kids. "Turn around."

The kids turned and sat back down. I looked at Miss Pratt and Fiona, and was about to say something, but I never got it out.

"Jo." I turned around and saw Latricia at the end of the aisle. "Can I have your help?"

I nodded then turned back to the other two. "Excuse me."

Turning back to Latricia, I walked towards her, then ended up following her to the galley in between our classes.

"'Tricia, what's up?" I asked her.

"I could use some help dispensing food," she said.

"Still don't want help from Katerina?" I asked quietly, grinning.

"Yeah."

I chuckled. "All right. No problem."

We then served first class their meals, going down one side first, then about half way down the other side, Miss Pratt went running by on the other side of the plane.

"Hey!" Latricia yelled.

I knew Miss Pratt was headed to the flight deck, since she was so eager to speak with Rich, and I became worried. The woman was becoming hysterical and God only knew what she would do.

Almost directly behind her, were Fiona, Stephanie, and some guy...I had a feeling he was the air marshal.

While Miss Pratt was pounding on the door to the deck, Latricia and I continued to serve the rest of the passengers swiftly, then moved the cart back into the galley. My heart was pounding faster as I stepped to the aisle to look at what was going on. Latricia walked up behind me, putting a hand tightly on my shoulder. I wasn't sure if she was holding me back or comforting me, but I didn't move either way.

The marshal got Miss Pratt under control and the two moved into the galley with Latricia and I. Fiona and Stephanie joined us not too long after.

"Gene Carson, air marshal," he introduced himself.

The four of us nodded in some way or another.

A minute or so later, Rich walked into the galley and looked around at all of us, his gaze lingering on me a second longer than anyone. Stephanie then spoke to Rich quietly, but I was only able to pick out small bits and pieces of what was being said.

"Miss Pratt, how can I help you?" Rich asked, looking at the woman.

"My daughter is missing and no one will help me find her," she said calmer than she was before.

"May I see her passport and boarding pass?" he asked.

Miss Pratt took a passport out off her pocket and handed it to him. Rich opened the passport, glancing at the picture and information.

"And her boarding pass?" he asked.

"I only have mine," she said, handing him her own pass.

Rich took it, scanning over it, then was silent for a moment.

"The departure gate had no record of her?" Rich asked, looking at Stephanie, who must have checked already.

"No, sir, I had them double check," she replied.

"And there's no boarding pass," Rich said more to himself than anyone.

"There was, but it was taken from me," Miss Pratt said.

I saw Latricia, who was standing next to Miss Pratt (I was standing across from the call button chart), shift her positioning and put her hands behind her back as she looked at Rich.

Rich took a few steps forward, looking down at the passport still in his hands, then turned back to Fiona.

"You were working the entry door, is that right?" he asked.

"Yes, captain," she answered.

"Did you see the girl?"

"I don't..." she paused for several, long moments. "I don't remember either way, sir."

"Sir, I did the count myself. 26A was empty," Stephanie broke in.

"Did you tell him about the bear?" Miss Pratt asked, also stepping a few paces forward, as she looked at Stephanie.

"The bear?" Rich asked, glancing over his shoulder to Stephanie and Fiona.

At the mention of the girl's bear, I sucked in a quiet breath; James had a bear...

"Yeah, her teddy bear. It was under her blanket and she would have never walked away without it," Miss Pratt explained.

That sounded like something James would do...

Rich stepped in front of Miss Pratt, putting Miss Pratt between himself and I, then lowered his voice.

"Have you had anything to drink on this flight, Miss Pratt? Anything alcoholic at all?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"No," she replied.

"Are you under any medication right now?"

"I have a couple sleeping pills with me just like every other passenger on board," she paused. "And I'm carrying Klonopin...for anxiety. I took two this morning."

Well, that could certainly add to the situation.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Latricia stand slightly behind Rich.

"I see. How long have you been on them?" Rich asked.

"I'm not on them."

"How long?"

Miss Pratt was silent for a moment. "I filled the prescription a week ago. When my husband died."

My eyes widened slightly and I swallowed visibly.

"My daughter and I are bringing his body back to Long Island for burial."

"There is a casket in the hold, sir. The paper work's from Kaiser Wilhelm Hospital on Hochstrasse," Stephanie confirmed.

"He fell," Miss Pratt continued, "six days ago, from the roof of our building."

Rich glanced at me as he turned his head to look at Mr. Carson before turning his head back to Miss Pratt. Sighing, he stepped away from her, and towards Fiona and Stephanie.

"Does anybody on board remember seeing her? Passengers in her row?" he asked them.

"No one has said so, sir," Stephanie answered, as Fiona shook her head. "There are thirty-two children listed on the manifest and they've all been accounted for."

Rich turned back (walking a few steps), then sighing again, brought a hand to his forehead briefly.

"You were seated near her Mr. Carson. Is that right?" he asked.

"That's right," Carson nodded.

Latricia silently moved from in between the two men, to along the wall with Stephanie and Fiona.

"Did you see her?" Rich continued.

Carson looked at Miss Pratt before looking back at Rich. "No, I didn't."

"Think about what you're suggesting, captain," Miss Pratt said, walking a few steps to have her back against the side of the plane instead of me. "You're suggesting that I imagined bringing her on board and that I am now pretending to look for her. Does that make any sense to you? Can you think of a reason why I would do that? I'm not drunk, I'm not loaded, I'm not looking for attention." She took a step towards Rich and lowered her voice a little. "There are protocols about these things. Post 9-11, if-if a pilot finds that he has an inaccurate passenger manifest he's supposed to land the plane immediately..."

"A teddy bear does not constitute an inaccurate passenger manifest," Rich interrupted.

"But I'm telling you that it's inaccurate! And that means you have to search the whole plane from nose to tail just like you would if it was your own child that was missing."

I saw Rich stiffen as she said that last part. Without moving my head, I shifted my eyes to watch Rich's face.

If I were this woman, I wouldn't have let my daughter have a row to herself, especially after her father died. And I wouldn't fall asleep, unless she was wrapped in my arms.

"Julia's only six years old. She's not in very good shape right now. She's scared of everything. I had to put her under my coat today just to get her in the car. But she did get in that car. And she got on this plane just like every other person here. And I fell asleep...which I should never had done, but she was right next to me. I was holding her hand when we took off. Please...you've got to help her," Miss Pratt was desperately trying to hold back tears as she said all this to Rich.

There was silence in the galley for almost a minute, maybe more, as Rich thought about what to do.

"Get the lights up," he turned to Stephanie, Latricia, Fiona, and I. "Get every passenger seated. No one in the toilets. No exceptions. Look for her backpack, her boarding pass. Check every closet, every bin." He turned back to Miss Pratt. "Are there any more questions?"

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you."

The four of us exchanged varied looks, as Rich gave the passport and boarding pass back to Miss Pratt. Latricia and I then headed to first class then business, while Stephanie and Fiona went to coach. All of us told any passing attendants what was going to happen.

While Latricia and I started getting passengers in their seats, I saw Rich head up to the flight deck with an irritated look on his face. When he was out of sight, the seatbelt signs went on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the inconvenience, but the captain has turned on the seatbelt sign, and requests that all passengers return to their seats with their seatbelts securely fastened," one of the available attendants announced over the PA system, then it was repeated in German.

Latricia and I went through the rows of passengers checking seatbelts in both our classes, then went to help search the plane. We searched the closets of first class and the overhead bins in business.

"I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like she lost a palm-pilot," some guy in business said as I walked by, checking the bins, and passing a fellow attendant.

Obviously, the guy was either single or had no kids and no desire to have any...I wanted to punch him in the face, but decided it was best to just keep the guy in mind for the next time I went to serve beverages in business.

I walked into one of the galleys, and almost into Fiona, as I was looking for something else to do.

"Looking for something to do?" she asked me.

"Yes, actually. Got anything for me?" I replied.

"Not really, but do you know where I can get a flashlight for Stephanie? She's going into avionics," she said.

"There should be one in the closet," I replied. "Come on. I'll help you look if there's not one there."

We were just about to move to the closet where the avionics ladder was when Stephanie walked into the galley. The three of us then headed to the closet. I took the key for the closet out of my pocket and unlocked it for them. Stephanie opened the door and slid the coats out of the way. I looked at the closet door, and pointed the flashlight out to Fiona, who took it out of its holder and looked down at it as she turned it on, blinding herself momentarily. I grinned at her as she blinked a few times.

"A six year old girl..." Stephanie started, kneeling down to move a bag off the trap door, "climbing into avionics?" She opened the door and looked down.

Rich came out of the galley and stepped up and slightly behind me. I gave him a half grin, as Stephanie continued.

"This is really silly," she mumbled.

"This is procedure," Rich corrected.

Stephanie looked up at Rich. "Captain." Fiona then handed her the flashlight. "Thanks," she said softly, taking the light.

Just as Stephanie was going down the ladder, Miss Pratt and Carson walked out of the galley, glancing our way; Rich and I both looked at her, and she nodded, then continued to walk to the back of the plane. Rich then looked down, making sure Stephanie was looking around for the girl.

He then stepped back and I subtly put my hand on his arm. He looked down at me as I looked up at him.

"Okay?" I asked him, very quietly.

"Yes, fine. You?" he replied the same way.

"I'm all right." I then lowered my voice even more. "Just missing James."

"I figured as much. Come to me when you get the chance."

I nodded and he walked back into the galley. Probably to supervise somewhere else.

A few minutes later, Stephanie came back up the ladder.

"Find her?" I asked, then shook my head. "Don't answer that. That was a really dumb question."

I then gave her a hand up after she handed the flashlight back to Fiona.

Fiona turned off the flashlight and put it back in its holder, then closed the door, which I then locked. The three of us moved back into the galley, so we were out of the way of anyone trying to get passed.

"Do either of you know of a place that hasn't been searched yet?" Fiona asked.

"I have no clue," I replied, honestly.

"I think the crew quarters and places downstairs need to be checked yet," Stephanie answered. "That's where I'm headed, if you want to come along."

She was on top of things.

"You two go ahead. I better go help Latricia," I semi-lied.

I was going to see if Latricia needed help, then if she didn't need me, I was going to find Rich...like he told me to. Walking through business, I almost whacked the guy from before upside the head as I walked by again, but held back...not by much, though.

A/N: So, there's your update. I'm not in the greatest of moods right now, but I made it nice and long...for those of you who still read. Reviews would be great...so don't expect updates until I get some of those.