Colton and Isa skipped along happily, chattering to each other and each holding one of Lindsay's hands as they headed for the bus stop. There was about a month left of school and the kids were excited for the summertime, even though they both admitted that they would miss school too. They loved the independence of riding the bus every day, even if there was always someone to take them there and bring them back home.

"Hey Colt, after school do you wanna make a fort?"

"Like what kinda fort?"

"Well remember that big box your daddy brought home? We could maybe make one outta that."

"That's a good idea. We could draw on it too. Sarah could help us with that part. And maybe daddy would cut out doors and a window!"

"That would be so awesome! Do you think we could stick it in a tree like in the movies when they have a tree house and they can sleep in it?"

"We don't got a big enough tree in our yard. We would have to take it to Jo and Mac's house and they probably don't want it in their yard."

"But if they did, we could all hang out in there and Jo could bring us those lemon cookies!"

"Those things are the best! What do you think about our plan mama?" Colton asked, noticing her for the first time.

"I think you two have big plans and I'm glad you're always willing to try things," she answered with a smile. "I don't know how it will work out, but I know that you can at least use the box. That's what daddy got it for anyway."

"Isa, I can't wait until school's over," Colton sighed, spotting the bus coming down the street. "We gotta go, mama."

"Hey, don't run off without hugging me."

They both gave long-suffering sighs and walked back over to her.

"Bye Indy. Take care of my sister and brother today. Don't let Adam feed them all the candy."

"You got it dude. I love you, Isa."

"I love you too."

She scampered off to the bus and Colton held back for just a second, hugging Lindsay as tightly as he could.

"See you in the afternoon, mama."

"I'll be right here. I love you."

"Love you too!"

He hopped onto the big yellow bus right before the doors closed and she smiled to herself as she watched him through the window, sitting down next to Isa and talking animatedly to her, more than likely about their afternoon fort adventure. It seemed that every day she was taken aback at how fast he was growing up. It wasn't that she still felt like he was just a baby, but more that she felt like he was so much older than his years, so much wiser and more considerate than most kids his age. She wanted to say it was good parenting, but she knew that most of it was just him, the little person he was.

She walked back home quickly, not wanting to leave Adam alone with all four kids for too long. It wasn't that he couldn't handle it or that they weren't good kids, she just didn't want him to get run ragged before lunch time. Once she stepped through the door she knew that wouldn't be a problem. Sarah was sitting on the couch with her nose buried in a book while Ben and Junior played with a train set on the floor. Adam was cleaning up the lunch dishes while Avery sat on the floor next to him, pulling all the paper napkins out of the bag and tossing them to the floor. It could have been worse, really.

"Averylin, what are you doing?"

"Coley?"

"Colton's at school. Do you want to go grocery shopping with me?"

"Ah, mama, so."

"Should we take Sarah with us too?"

"Sayuh!"

"Yeah, I think maybe we'll go to the big store today. You need some new shoes, missy."

"Soos!"

"Yep. Let's pick up those napkins now."

Avery frowned as she watched the napkins go up onto the counter, but soon forgot about them as Lindsay lifted her up from the floor.

"Honey, are you going to be fine with the boys?"

"Yeah, go ahead. We won't make any messes, I promise."

She chuckled and found Avery's coat before poking her head into the other room.

"Sarahlove, you want to go shopping?"

"Okay!" Sarah agreed, jumping off the couch and grabbing her jacket. "Can I put the food on the rolly runway?"

"Sure you can. And you can help me pick out something for family dinner tonight."

"Okay. Could we get hot chocolate too?"

"I think we can. Just don't tell the boys."

"It's a secret!" Sarah said with a nod. "Zippin' my lips up real tight like daddy does."

"When does daddy do that?"

"When he's 'bout to take the last word from my ma."

Lindsay chuckled and shook her head.

"That sounds about right."

"My daddy is smart like that."

"Yes he is. They call it survival instincts."

"Yep," Sarah agreed, buttoning up her light jacket. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's head out before the boys think they need to come."

Sarah giggled as they went out the back door and Lindsay buckled her into Ben's carseat. Avery squealed as she was placed next to Sarah, delighted because she always had to ride next to her brothers.

"Hi Averylin. I like how your hair is today. It's getting longish. And I like those little bows in it."

Avery smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

"Pitty," she said softly, reaching out for a lock of Sarah's blonde hair. "Sayuh."

"Thank you. You are pretty too. I like when you wrinkle up your nose like your mama does. It's cute."

"Mama! Avee cude!"

"Yeah, I know you are," Lindsay chuckled. "Did you tell Sarah thank you?"

"Sank sa Sayuh."

"You are welcome, Averylin. You are my best friend, remember? Ever since you were in your mama's belly."

"Bes' fen'," Avery repeated solemnly. "Love."

"I love you too," Sarah said softly, taking Avery's hand. "I'll be your best friend forever. Just like our mamas are."

"Mama. Ahmin."

"Yep. Except we won't be crazy. Because they are crazy, Averylin. They laugh from nothing at all. But they give lots of hugs to each other. I will give lots of hugs to you like that when we are old ladies too."

Lindsay chuckled at that, looking back in the rearview mirror at the way Sarah spoke so seriously and Avery listened as if it was the most important thing in the world. Life would change and all the kids would probably move on from each other, but there would always been that permanent, deep devotion and bond, and nothing could ever break it.

Loud laughter from the other room startled Lindsay so badly, she almost dropped the picture frame she'd been trying to hang on the wall. She climbed off of the couch and took a deep breath, walking into the other room where Adam was on the computer.

"What in the world could be that funny?" she asked skeptically, one hand on her hip.

"I was trying to clean up files on the computer," Adam started, catching his breath. "And I was going through all the pictures. And I found this one from when you took the boys to the zoo. And there's a picture of a seal that looks just like Ben!"

"Our son doesn't look like a seal!"

"No, the seal looks like him!" Adam corrected. "Look!"

Rolling her eyes, she looked down at the picture he indicated and chuckled. The seal was looking over its shoulder at the camera, making the same face that Ben always made when they called his name.

"Okay, it does look like him."

"It's even funnier when you say it like Junior does. Binyin."

She snorted and shook her head. Adam found deep amusement in the strangest things.

"And it's even better when you scroll back to this picture from earlier of Ben making that face."

"Oh my word, Adam," she laughed, shaking her head. "You are so odd."

"Yeah, I know."

She smiled and kissed the top of his head before she went back out to the other room, surprised all four kids were still napping. Sarah had fallen asleep right after lunch, insisting that she was only "just a tiny piece tired," and if she could lay down for just a quick second, she would be okay. Ben and Junior had been persuaded to take a nap with the promise that they would be woken up in time for dinner. Avery hadn't been so easy and she'd whined and cried for a good ten minutes before they just left her in her crib to pout. Within minutes she'd been asleep and Lindsay figured it was a good time to hang up the pictures that she'd been planning to put on the wall. They'd all been taken at the park on Mother's day, impromptu family pictures full of sunshine and laughter and grass-stained knees. The picture of all ten of them was so perfect and fitting that it had earned the right to be printed on canvas and hung up over the couch. All the rest surrounded it and once she finished, she stepped back to admire the entire wall. She'd probably switch out pictures here and there, but she was happy with how it was for now.

The pictures in the dining room were almost a year old and the last pictures they'd all taken together. A messy paint fight in the backyard, all six kids covered in paint from head to toe while their parents tried to get in on the fun without getting too messy themselves. The colors fit perfectly into the dining room and these pictures fit perfectly out here.

She was about to get back on the couch and adjust one of the frames just a little bit, but the clock caught her eye and she realized she was running late picking the kids up at the bus stop. She grabbed a light jacket as the day had turned a little darker, shouted to Adam where she was going, then headed out the front door. She wasn't too late yet and the kids often took their time getting off the bus, rarely meeting her halfway at the corner like they were supposed to.

The wind picked up and she pulled her jacket tighter around her, trying to remember if Colton had put his coat on this morning like she'd asked. It was always hard getting out the door in the morning, and it was especially hard for those last few minutes after Austin and Danny dropped their kids off and suddenly everyone was needing more breakfast or a story read to them or a movie put in the player. It wasn't bad and she wouldn't trade those mornings for anything, it just often left her wondering if she'd remembered everything.

"Indy!" Isa shouted, tearing around the corner and almost knocking her over. She was sobbing near hysterically, and Lindsay crouched down and drew her close, kissing her forehead and trying to calm her.

"Baby, what's the matter? Did you and Colton have another fight?"

"No!"

"What's the matter?"

"He's gone!"

"What? Who's gone?"

"Colt! The man grabbed him and took him away and I tried to hold on-"

"Who took him?"

"I don't know, I don't know! He was in a truck and he got out and he grabbed Colt and Colt screamed and I holded on and he pushed me down and he threw Colt in the truck and he drove away! He's gone, he's gone!"

Panic rose in her throat as her hand clamped around Isa's and she drug her down the street to the bus stop. Colton wasn't there. No one was there. It felt like someone had poured fresh asphalt down her throat and she could hardly move or breathe or think, much less remember what she was supposed to do at a time like this. Slowly, she crouched down, gently framing Isa's face with her hands, making the scared little girl look into her eyes.

"Isabeth, I need you to tell me exactly what happened. Exactly, baby."

"We got off the bus," Isa started, calming down a little now that she wasn't alone. "We were walkin' and this big red truck drove up and… there was one tire on the sidewalk, Indy! He drove up on the sidewalk and he stopped his truck and he ran around and he grabbed Colt's arm. And he said for Colt to come with him. And Colt screamed and I grabbed his other arm really tight and the man pulled him and I pulled back and Colt was cryin' and the man shoved me and I fell and I accidentally let him go. It was an accident! I didn't mean to. It's my fault, I shoulda held on more!"

"No baby, no. It's not your fault," Lindsay assured, trying to calm Isa and figure out what to do next. Everything felt like slow motion as she scooped Isa up and went back to the house. Her chest was pounding in fright and she could barely hang on as they made their way through the front door.

"Adam!"

"What? What's the matter?" he asked, knowing by the tone of her voice that something was terribly wrong.

"Colton's gone."

"What?"

"Someone took him!" Isa said, a fresh batch of tears starting. "A man in a truck!"

Adam didn't ask any more questions, just went for the phone while Lindsay sunk down on the couch, not sure if she could breathe, much less if she should.

"I think I hurt Colt, Indy," Isa said, holding up her hand and showing her the small amount of blood under the nails. "I'm sorry. I tried hard."

"I know you did, baby. I know."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. You did a good job sweetie. Just… don't worry, okay? We'll find him. Just don't forget anything okay?"

"I won't forget, I promise. Daddy and ma say to always remember exactly what happens in crimes because it helps the police better."

"Mac's coming," Adam said, pacing and watching out the front windows. "Isa, do you remember what the truck looked like?"

"It was red. It had silver on it."

"Was there anyone else in the truck?"

"No."

"Did the man say anything to you?"

"No, he just told Colt to get in the truck. He was scary and he had kind of a moustache, or like a Santa beard sorta. Colt was cryin' and he said no and leave me alone. But the man wouldn't. My wrist hurts. I landed on it. Is Colt gonna be okay?"

Lindsay was silent and just held onto her, trying not to let her mind run into all the horrible scenarios. He could be hurt or dead already. He might be somewhere that they would never find him. What if he was taken overseas? What if he was hidden in plain sight? What if they never found him? She was practically choking on fear and it seemed like years before the front door opened and Mac, Jo, Flack and Jess came inside, along with a few other cops who after a moment went down to the bus stop with Flack.

Questions swirled around so fast she could barely answer them. Her hands shook as Isa told the story again, taking her time and being as specific as she could. Lindsay would have been proud of her if she could have even thought about that, but it was just like it was after the diner. Nothing was making sense. Everything was garbled in meaning but clear in volume and she just wanted it all to stop so she could think. She felt like no one knew what they were doing, like she had to be the one to fix it all because they didn't know how she felt. Suddenly she didn't trust anyone.

"Sweetheart, let's go over here so Jess can talk to Lindsay, okay?" Jo suggested softly.

"No, no!" Isa shouted, suddenly panicked wrapping her arms around Lindsay tightly.

"Isa-"

"No please don't take me away."

"Okay. I won't sweetheart. You can stay here with Lindsay."

By this time the other kids had started to filter in, all of them asking what was wrong. Ben snuggled up next to Lindsay and twirled his fingers through her hair.

"Mama, what's a'matter?"

"Coley?" Avery chirped, looking around the room and finding that her big brother was nowhere in sight. "Coley mama? Daddy, Coley?"

"Auntie, what happened?" Sarah asked softly. "Isa, what's goin' on?"

"Colt got taked!" Isa said, hiding her face against Lindsay's chest and starting to cry again.

"Kids, let's go play," Jo suggested, holding her hands out for the kids. Avery took her hand after a second and Sarah and Junior waited for Ben before they followed. As much as Lindsay wanted to keep all the kids next to her right now, she knew it was probably better if they weren't there for everything.

Isa sniffled and slid her thumb into her mouth, turning herself so she was cradled like a baby in Lindsay's arms. She was never like this, never so scared, never so immobile and Lindsay held her tighter, needing her to know that it was going to be okay, needing to hold onto her because Isa was the most fresh connection she had with Colton at the moment and she needed to keep that close to her.

"Isa I need you to do something very important," Jess said, pulling a sketch pad out of her coat pocket. "It's going to be hard work, but I really need your help, okay?"

"Okay."

"I need you to tell me everything you remember about the man who took Colton. Tell me exactly what he looked like and I'm going to draw a picture of what you tell me."

Isa nodded and sat up a little, rubbing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Do you remember if he was skinny or fat?"

"Um, kinda fat but not like Mr. Gregg at school. He was like um… he wasn't chubby, he was just big. He was tall like Papaw, but not like Flack."

"What did his face look like sweetie?"

"He had a beard. It was kinda longish and gray, but not longish like Dumbledore. His skin was wet too. And um, his nose, it was skinny and he had blue eyes."

"What else do you remember?"

"He was stinky and his hands were dirty. And his teeth were yellow. They were really yellow Jess, and one of them poked out."

They continued for a while longer, Isa trying so hard to remember things that she started to get frustrated.

"It's okay baby," Lindsay comforted, brushing her hair back. "You're doing such a good job, I'm so proud of you."

"I don't remember any more."

"It's okay. You remembered a lot," Jess assured. "I think I have enough to finish this sketch and then you can tell me if it's right or not, okay?"

"Okay."

They settled back into the couch and Isa sniffled a few more times. Every time she closed her eyes she saw it all again, that mean face, the red of the truck, the tears in Colton's eyes. She didn't want to close her eyes or ever sleep again. She just wanted her best friend back. She wasn't naïve, she knew what could happen to kids who were taken away. She knew what to do when someone grabbed you like that, but she didn't know what she was supposed to do when someone grabbed her friend. She'd wanted to scream but she didn't even think about that until the truck had roared away and she realized that Colton really was inside. She kind of remembered him hitting the window, trying to get out, but she remembered that in a different car, so she knew it was something she'd seen on TV rather than in real life. The windows in the truck were dark. The privacy kind so no one could see what you were doing in your car. She wasn't even sure if Colton had a booster seat in there like he was supposed to. And now she was worried about a car accident too.

Adam sat down next to them and pulled Lindsay into his arms and brushed the tear tracks off of Isa's face. That made her feel a little better and a little less scared, but her heart was still thumping in her chest.

"Princess are you hurt anywhere?" he asked softly, staring deep into her eyes.

"Just my wrist," she said bravely, wanting to say that her whole heart was hurting, but not really knowing just how to word that.

Gently he rubbed over her skin, noting that it was already swelling a bit and would probably continue if they didn't put ice on it. She might need to be checked out by a doctor as well, but for the moment he took comfort in the fact that it wasn't bothering her too much.

"Anywhere else?"

"No. Just from fallin' down."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

He went into the kitchen and got a bag of ice and a towel, then brought it back out to her and settled it gently on her wrist. She sniffled a little and took a deep breath, for the first time wishing for her parents because as much as she loved Lindsay and Adam, it just wasn't the same as kisses from her ma and strong hugs from her dad. She started to cry again, feeling like a baby for doing so but also not caring in the slightest.

Lindsay rocked her back and forth, shushing and soothing her like she'd done so many, many times before. Isa cried for several minutes before she noticed that Lindsay was crying too. Carefully she reached up and wiped the tears off of Lindsay's face, trying to be as brave as she could.

"Indy, they will get Colt back. I just know it. Papaw is here and Flack too. He will come home soon. They will find him and he will be safe."

"I hope so, sweetie."

"I still need him around. He is my best friend. And you need him too because he is your Colton. And the other kids need him because he is the oldest and he takes care of all of us. He can't be gone when we still need him. So he has to come back, okay?"

"Okay, sweetie," Lindsay replied, not sure what else to say.

"Isa, can you sit up a minute so I can show this to you?" Jess asked gently, once her sketch was complete. "Is this the man you saw?"

Isa gulped and nodded vigorously while Adam and Lindsay stared at the drawing in shock.

"Adam… that's…."

"That's my father."