Sunday proved to be a fast day, and Casey is holding her breath when the car carrying her family reaches home. She waits for her father to open the back seat door then gets out and hugs her father.

"Thank you so much, I had a great time," she says looking up at her father. He gives her that smile she and her mother delight in. The three go into their house. The adults head to the kitchen to make coffee and tea, as the day had turned cold while they were in town. Casey rushes to her bedroom, her heart beating really fast. She reaches her bedroom, telling herself everything is going to be okay. She enters the room and looks around. Nothing has changed since she left with her parents. She listens to hear if her parents are still in the kitchen, then silently closes her bedroom door and goes over to where her bolt room opens into the closet. She moves the clothes aside and pushes the button by the toy box. The small door opens. Scout is sitting there holding a box of candy.

She smiles at Casey. "I got there before the movie started and I sat ten rows behind you. I left behind a family sitting in the same row with me. Thank you, Casey! I loved going to the movie with you - well, kind of with you. Want some candy?" she offers, extending it toward her friend.

Casey smiles, sharing her friend's happiness. "No thanks. I brought some home too. Did you get something to eat when you got home -here, I mean?"

Scout lifts a plate and shows what remains of a pizza slice. "Yes, it was really good cold. I got a box of juice also. Do you think I should go home tonight? My Dad is usually gone on Sunday nights, and I don't see him again until Tuesday."

"Do you want to stay at your house alone?"

"It's not too bad... I stay in my room. Sometimes he leaves food for me while he is gone." Her voice is a whisper.

"What do you eat if he doesn't?" Casey asks with a frown. She thinks about how easy it is to get food at her home. "Why don't you stay until after I get home from school tomorrow? I'll bring you your homework so you can turn it in on Tuesday." The two girls look at each, not sure what the answer should be.

They hear a knock. Casey scrambles out of the closet and closes the door fast. She opens her bedroom door.

"Your mother is watching the hockey game tonight. I can fix you a sandwich later if you're hungry."

"I'm full from the restaurant. Maybe I'll have juice later. " She hugs her father around the waist. "Thank you, Daddy."

Jane looks down wondering at Casey's sudden demonstrativeness. Casey often shows how much she loves him - and her mom - but this seems more somehow, suddenly intense. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" He bends down so he can look directly into her face. "You're welcome, but is something wrong, Casey?"

She wants to tell to tell him, but one more secret day won't hurt, would it? "Just didn't remember if I thanked you for the show and going to Woody's for dinner."

Jane kisses her forehead and straightens. "It made your mother happy as well. She loves the hamburgers there."

"I like the milk shakes," Casey says a bit primly.

"So do I." He whispers conspiratorily, "That's because great minds think alike." Back in his normal voice, "You want to watch TV with me in the den? Your Mom won't mind watching the game alone."

Casey takes her father's hand. "Sure." The two leave and Casey closes the door. Scout was watching them from the closet. She wonders how it would feel if she lived in a place with so much love ... and not the kind of love her father forced her to give. Scout closes the door and goes back into the hidden room with a sigh.

Monday isn't going well for Casey. She worries the whole day that her father will find Scout. There would be no way for Scout to get lunch so Casey had brought her some fruit before leaving for school. It was all she could do. Now that her father wouldn't be working for a few weeks, it will be harder and harder to help her friend. She looks up from the book she is reading when Ms. Travis comes over to her desk.

"Casey, are you having a problem understanding your math lessons for today?"

Casey looks up from her book in surprise. "No."

Ms. Travis hands Casey her corrected math test. Casey is shocked at the grade. She had never made a C the whole time she's been in school. Tears start flowing down her face. Ms. Travis bends down and speaks quietly. "Casey, it's okay. I was just wondering if you were having problems on this test?"

"I never got a bad grade before." Casey puts her head down on her desk, still crying.

Jane is doing laundry when the phone rings. He closes the lid and hurries to the kitchen to pick up the phone. "Hi, Ms. Travis. Is Casey all right?" He listens with growing concern. "I'll be there in a few minutes." His face is creased with worry as he rushes out.

Scout timidly opens the door and leaves the closet. She peeks out the bedroom window as Casey's daddy drives away. She relaxes and takes the opportunity to use the bathroom and then grab another fruit drink from the refrigerator. Scout wonders how it will be when she goes back home, whether her father even noticed she was gone. She walks slowly back to the bedroom, a weight heavy in her chest now that she knows what it is like to live in a house with loving parents.

Jane makes it to the school in record time. Ms. Travis is waiting for him by the front door. Worried words pour from his mouth before he even reaches the door.

Ms. Travis holds up a hand for him to stop. "Mr. Jane, Casey is fine. She is with the school nurse lying down. I'll take you there now."

Jane follows to the clinic where a nurse is sitting at a desk. The nurse rises when they approach. Jane's face is pale, and his eyes scan the room for his daughter. Seeing how upset the father is the nurse skips any introductions. She takes a step toward a closed door then pauses. Before opening it she asks quietly, "Mr. Jane, has anything happened at home that would upset your daughter?"

"No, in fact I'm home with her for the next three weeks. She seemed happy about that. What happened?" He asks, voice louder than intended out of anxiety.

Ms. Travis answers. "Today I gave her a test in math on something very familiar. She got a much lower grade than usual and started crying. I reassured her but I couldn't get her to calm down and talk to me."

"Ms. Travis brought her here. I had her lie down. After I put some cool wash cloths on her forehead she fell asleep about ten minutes later. This is very unlike her. I've never seen a child so unhappy about a grade."

Jane is puzzled; this is totally unlike Casey. "I want to see her," he finally says. The nurse opens the door so Jane can enter the room. He squats by the cot and takes his daughter's hand. "Casey, it's Daddy. I'm here, sweetheart."

Casey stirs then bolts upright with tears in her eyes. He takes her in his arms. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she says, mouselike.

"Hey, it's okay. Your mom and I would never be angry with you over your school work. Everyone has an off day now and then." He picks her up and sits on the cot holding her. He reaches in his coat pocket and takes out a folded hanky and wipes her eyes. She takes it and blows her nose. "Ready to go home, honey?" She nods. Jane carries her into the outer room.

Ms. Travis offers, "If she's still upset she can have a day off tomorrow." While looking at Casey she deliberately adds, "She's doing so well at her school work that wouldn't be any problem." Ms. Travis squeezes Casey's shoulder a little.

Casey looks up from her father's shoulder at her teacher. "I want to come to school," she says in a small voice.

"I'll drive her in the morning. Thank you for taking care of my girl."

Ms. Travis smiles at them both. "I'll see you tomorrow, Casey."

After the short drive home, Jane opens the passenger door and takes her hand as they walk into the house. He walks to the kitchen and has her sit at the table. He gets a juice box from the refrigerator, puts the straw in and sets it in front of Casey. He sits across from her.

"Sweetheart is something bothering you? You know you can tell me anything."

Casey drinks some juice, using it to stall while she thinks about what to say. She wants to tell him about Scout, but it's too late. "I thought I knew what the test would be, and I didn't really study." Her stomach roils uncomfortably. She hates lying to her father again.

Jane studies her face as she drinks, face carefully neutral. Unlike his wife, he reads Casey clearly. It isn't the test that is bothering her. He decided that whatever it was could wait till the morning when she is calmer. After the afternoon's upset, he makes an early evening of it for his daughter. Lisbon is working late so he puts Casey down to sleep. He kisses her forehead. "You are safe, you are loved, and you are wise, my sweet daughter."

"Good night, Daddy." She grabs a doll and turns on her side, putting her thumb in her mouth. Jane watches her for a bit, then leaves the room and turns out the light. It has been a long time since she sucked her thumb. Maybe Lisbon could help get their daughter to tell them what was bothering her.

Casey listens to her father's footsteps fade as he walks away.

The closet door opens and Scout comes over to the bed. "Are you okay?"

Casey looks at her friend and rubs the tears from her face. "I just had a bad day at school," she finally mumbles. They look at each other. Scout holds Casey's hand for a couple of minutes before turning away and returning to the closet. She shuts the door quietly.

Sleeping on the couch, Jane wakes at the sound of the key in the front door lock. He rises and walks to the door to greet his wife. Lisbon gives him a one-armed hug.

"Long day for you," he says, giving her a kiss.

She unexpectedly frowns. "You won't believe this. I was at Casey's school today. There's a report of a missing girl. The father is an ex-FBI agent and he lives around here. He thinks his daughter is probably with her mother even though he has full custody."

Jane's surprise shows. "I was at the school today to pick up Casey."

Lisbon looks surprised in return. "Why? Was she sick?"

Jane leads her to the kitchen and pours a mugful of coffee. He puts the coffee in front of her as she sits at the table. "Our daughter got a C in her math class."

"There were math classes I would've been happy with a 'C'," she laughs, then sobers as the improbability registers.

"Casey took it hard, got so upset Ms. Travis took her to the clinic. She is keeping something to herself, and I wish I knew what it is."

Lisbon sips her coffee "Maybe she knows the girl who is missing?" Jane is quiet for a moment. "Did they say what class the girl is in?"

"No. We asked the teacher about the child and all she could tell us is that she's very quiet. We're going to talk to the father again; he promised us a newer photo. We're checking on where the mother is living and should have more information tomorrow," she ends with a yawn.

Jane takes her half-full mug to the sink. "Let's get you to bed. You don't need more coffee keeping you awake."

Lisbon stands and starts out of the kitchen. "I'll say goodnight to Casey. Be out in a few minutes." She quietly walks down the hall to Casey's room and enters. She bends down and kisses her sleeping daughter's forehead, pulls the blankets up a bit, and leaves.

The next morning Lisbon and Cho drive a short distance past Lisbon and Jane's home and turn onto a dirt road. The house at the end is shabby; the yard, littered with trash and old cars. Cho stops the car and both get out and walk to the front door. Cho knocks. They wait for a couple of minutes. The house is quiet. Cho knocks again, louder, and they hear a man's voice yelling that he's coming. The door finally opens and a large man opens the door. He is wearing a t-shirt and dirty jeans.

"What do you want? I'm busy here today."

Cho and Lisbon show their badges. Cho looks the man over and says, "We're here about your daughter who you reported missing. We'd like to talk to you and get a newer photo."

The man turns and looks around his house. "Come in and I'll try to find a photo. … Told you her mother probably has her, you guys need to check with her." They follow him inside. Beer cans litter the floor and tables. Cho glances into the kitchen. Left over food is on the counter. The kitchen smells as bad as the rest of the house looks. He turns away and joins Lisbon on the couch.

Cho whispers to Lisbon, "Avoid the kitchen if you can," making a face. The man returns holding a small photo. "This was taken a couple years ago, that's all I can find." He hands the photo to Lisbon. "My ex must have taken the other photos with her."

Lisbon looks at the photo and then to Cho. "Thank you, Agent Connor. We'll let you know if we find your wife."

Connor snorts. "Yeah, you do that. Tell her I might just press chargers this time."

The front door slams as they walk back to their car. "I don't know about you, Cho, but that little girl is probably safer with her mother." Cho reversese the car and heads back to the road. Lisbon is quiet as she looks at the photo of the little girl.

"What are you looking at?" Cho says with a glance her way.

She looks up and frowns ."I've seen a picture of this child somewhere. I'm sure of it." Cho takes a quick look at the photo, stiffens and frowns. "I know where you saw it." He drives faster.

Jane comes into the house, his mind busy thinking about how Casey was sure she wanted to go back to school after what happened the day before. He is certain she's still hiding something, but she seemed eager to get to school that morning. He goes down the hall way and heads for the laundry room to check on the dryer. He pauses when he hears a noise. He stills and listens. There is nothing more, but he is sure the sound came from inside the house. When he walks back down the hall he hears a soft voice coming from Casey's bedroom. He stops by the door and listens, his hand on the door knob. He quietly opens the door and sees the closet door closing quickly. Two long strides take him to the closet. He opens the door, looking around the closet. He bends down and pushes the small button near the floor. The small door opens.

"You can come out now. I won't hurt you," he says quietly. He waits a couple of minutes and hears a sound from inside the room. A young girl crawls from the room.

She's terrified and her voice trembles. "Don't be mad at Casey. She was trying to help me." Jane moves out of the closet followed by Scout. Tears silently stream down her face.

"What is your name?" Jane says gently as he sits on the floor by the bed.

Hesitantly, "Scout. … That's what my mommy calls - called me. My real name is Susan. Casey is my best friend in school, she helps with my homework and my reading. She's really smart." Scout wipes her tears and tries not to sniff.

"How long has she been helping you? " Jane asks softly.

"Since last Friday." After a minute, "I was scared to go home. My father might be there. I stayed here over the weekend. I got to go to the movie with you."

It's not instantly clear how that occurred so Jane asks and waits quietly. When Scout explains he shakes his head at what his daughter was doing the last few days. He takes a breath and takes a closer look at the waif in front of him. "Bet you didn't have breakfast this morning, did you?"

She shakes her head and whispers, "I took another box of juice. I - I don't have any money to pay for it."

Jane stands and leads the way from the bedroom. "I bet you would like to have pancakes. Casey loves them." Scout follows him, getting braver and coming closer as he nears the kitchen. Several pancakes later, Jane sits down next to Scout.

She wipes her mouth with the napkin. "Thank you, that was great."

"Scout, do you know where your mother is? I can call her and take you to her."

Scout's expression falls and she looks down. "I don't know where she is. Mommy was taking me away when Daddy came home. They yelled at each other and Daddy hit her and she fell down. I tried but she wouldn't wake up." Her face shows that she knows, but won't - can't - admit it to herself. "Daddy told me to go to my room. I was scared to look but heard the front door shut. I heard the car drive away." She swallows hard. "Daddy came home late. When I asked where Mommy is he told me she left." Tears streak down her face unnoticed. "That she didn't love us anymore." Scout buries her face in her hands. Voice muffled by her hands, she says, "I wanted to go with her but Daddy said she didn't love me and I had to stay with him. He said he would always love me…" She suddenly slips out of her chair and stands straight. Trembling but defiant, "I don't like him, he hurts me."

Jane swallows hard. After years in law-enforcement he shouldn't be but is shocked anyhow at Scout's story. This child has been through hell, probably still is going through hell living with that father. He's jarred back to the present when she asks, "You won't take me back there, will you? I- Anywhere, but not him."

Patrick stands, goes over to her and crouches in front of her. "Nobody will take you back to him, I promise." It takes an emergency court protective order, but Scout is able to stay with the Jane's until her home situation can be investigated. The investigation didn't take long.

Jane is sitting on the couch in the living room when he hears Lisbon drive up. When she comes in they hug. At the look on his face she confirms the conclusion he's already reached.

Lisbon puts a hand on his cheek. "The body found at the park was Scouts mother." She says with a sharp edge of disgust, "Agent Connor has been arrested for her murder; other chargers are pending. Child Services will talk to Susan tomorrow along with the Sheriff."

Upset, Jane says, "Their interrogation will be a nightmare for her."

Gently, "Not an 'interrogation.' Patrick, they won't ask her too many questions. The social worker is a nice woman who's handled cases like this."

Bleakly, "And afterward she ends up in foster care, kicking around from one place to another." His voice now has a hard edge, "It's not right to dump her into foster care, Theresa. She's been through enough as it is." His voice reveals exactly how he feels about the little girl, a girl their daughter's age. "There're no relatives?"

Lisbon shakes her head and gives him another hug. "Where are the girls?"

He moves away and walks towards Casey's room. They look inside. The room is dark except for a nightlight by the bed. Both girls are asleep, each holding the other. He offers softly, "Casey was a great help tonight. She helped distract Scout." They approach the bed and each gives Casey a kiss.

Casey opens sleepy eyes. "Hi, Mommy, Daddy. Can you give Scout a kiss too? She really needs one." She drops back off to sleep. They go to the other side of the bed and each gives Scout a kiss.

It is a little over a week since Scout's father was arrested and charged with murdering his wife and the abusing and neglecting his daughter. Other charges might be leveled pending a medical examination and interviews with a forensic child psychiatrist.

Lisbon waits nervously in Cho's office. She startles as the elevator opens then relaxes as an unknown man gets out alone. "Cho, maybe we shouldn't do this so soon after Scout was removed from our care. Maybe we should wait another week." Cho interrupts his work to look up. "Maybe we're too hard on her, she's only a child and-"

Cho looks levelly at Lisbon. "What Casey did was wrong. She took Scout into your house and never told you or Jane about her. Jane and I both think she needs to be taught a lesson about doing things behind your backs. We all agreed last night."

The elevator opens again. Jane comes out of it with Casey holding his hand. He looks grim; Casey, scared.

Lisbon sighs. "Okay Cho, let's get this over with." They walk out of his office. Cho nods to a uniformed policeman who walks over and stops in front of Casey.

"Casey Jane, you are a person of interest in the case of a missing child. I need to question you about what happened with Susan Connor. Please come with me." Jane gives Casey's hand to the officer. He and Lisbon had told Casey she would be questioned by a policeman. Casey's eyes are huge as the officer takes her hand from her father's and leads her into Cho's office. Her scared face looks helplessly from Jane to Lisbon and back until the officer closes the door.

The 15 minutes between the officer and Casey are the longest 15 minutes of her parents' lives. They know Officer Jordan well, know he deals with school programs and youngsters, know he will be serious without overdoing it. It is too much to expect they will be comfortable though. And it is essential that it makes an impression on Casey.

Cho sighs and says kindly, "Casey is too intelligent not to know what she did was wrong. I know how you feel Lisbon, but this will be a lesson well learned. This time no one was hurt, no harm was done. But there can't be a next time." Lisbon reluctantly nods.

Jane breathes out a quiet, "Yeah. Don't have to like it."

Shortly the door opens and the officer steps out. He leaves with a final admonishment, "Please remember the rules before ever doing something like this again, Miss Jane." When he's safely walking away Casey leaps up and runs to her parents. She hugs them, face buried against their bodies.

Lisbon and Jane gently shepherd Casey back into Cho's office and all three sit down. Cho silently enters and closes the door.

Lisbon begins. "Casey, do you understand that what you did was wrong? That a lot of bad things could have happened?"

Face devastated, she answers in a small voice, "I'm so, so sorry, Mommy. I didn't think about if Scout could have needed medicine. Or that someone else could be hurt because all the police were looking for her instead of stopping bad guys. Or, or-" she hiccuped from too much emotion, too much crying.

Jane adds, "-Or that an innocent person might be accused of kidnapping Scout. Or that people who care about Scout would be scared for her. There were any number of things, sweetheart."

Cho, favorite uncle Cho, now steps forward and addresses Casey. "Promise that from now on you will talk to your parents before you do something you know is wrong."

Casey whispers back, "I promise I won't do anything like this again. Can I please go home now?"

Gravely, "Only because you promise."

The Jane family rises and leaves, a small figure secure between her parents.

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER

Lisbon is seated in church with all their friends. Music fills the soaring structure, and everyone stands and looks down the aisle. She smiles as her daughter walks down the aisle wearing a floor length, pale blue dress. The daughter catches sight of Lisbon and smiles. Lisbon can't stop smiling, still amazed that this young woman is in college and wants to join the FBI. The young girl continues up the aisle, stops at the front of the church and turns to look at her father. He looks impossibly proud as he escorts the bride to the altar. He turns and looks at his daughter then lifts her veil a bit and kisses her cheek. He puts her hand in the hand of the young man waiting to marry her.

Jane stands there for a second, overwhelmed with joy. His daughter Casey is getting married and he couldn't be more proud of her. She flew through college and then medical school at a young age, and is now a resident at a Dallas hospital where she met her husband to-be - a surgeon at the same hospital.

He walks back and joins his wife in the pew. They stand together holding hands. They look at each other and smile with pleasure and satisfaction at Scout as the maid of honor and Casey the beautiful bride. He remembers years ago when they brought Scout home after adopting her. The girls embraced, thrilled to be sisters. They still are.