A/N: There are a few parts where I had to tone down the drama just a little bit.
Chapter 3
Police have put a BOLO out for nine year old Rachel Berry. The nine year old girl was reported missing on July 18 by her father. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She is a suspected runaway and assumed to be traveling alone.
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Shelby Corcoran is bent over her kitchen counter, taking deep breaths in an attempt to not vomit again. Her heart is racing. Her chest aches. Her fingers are clenched on the edge of the counter, turning her knuckles white. A low moan escapes her lips.
"Ms. Corcoran? I'm sorry, but we have a few more questions."
The young mother stands and faces the detective, not bothering to dry her tears. "Go ahead."
Nothing in her life has prepared her for this amount of terror and heartache. Not even her cancer scare. That was about herself being in danger. This is about her daughter. The cancer scare was her fearing she'd leave her daughter behind. Never before did she imagine her daughter being gone and Shelby having to go on without her. She's in a nightmare. This whole thing is a nightmare and she's desperately trying to wake herself up from it. Her entire body has been trembling since Leroy called her. He'd admitted to getting so drunk that he blacked out. He'd admitted to the vague memory of maybe, possibly, hitting Rachel. Shelby had gone ballistic, screaming all sorts of obscenities at him and cursing his name, swearing up and down that he'll never see Rachel again. And then he'd admitted to waking up later in the morning than he usually does (thanks to the bad hangover) and finding the house empty. Rachel had packed up her stuff and left and he has no idea where she went or even when she left. They have no idea where their nine year old daughter is. They have no idea how long she's been missing for. She could have left during the night. She could have left that morning. She could have been missing for anywhere from 2 to 18 hours, considering what time Leroy admitted to starting his drinking and what time he woke up.
That's when Shelby fell apart. She'd fallen to her knees unable to breathe. Her hands gripped the phone so tight that the plastic casing creaked. Tears choking her, she'd asked him if he'd called the police yet. He had. They were on their way to question him. She'd hung up on him and called the New York police. Shelby had stayed sitting on the kitchen floor, rocking back and forth and trying to breathe through her sobs before the police arrived at her door. They'd come quickly and are working cooperatively with the Lima police to find Rachel. She'd called her parents and told them. Her dad jumped in the car and drove to Lima to help look for her there. Her mother hopped on the train and is headed to New York to support Shelby. Mitch is staying in Pennsylvania, not that they think that's where Rachel will go. But they don't know for sure, so he's staying put. She wanted to go to Lima herself. She wanted to rush there and look for her daughter. The police insisted it'd be better if she stayed put. They don't know where she is or where she's going. If she's heading back to New York, or if she calls Shelby, she needs to be here. Shelby doesn't understand why Rachel hasn't called her yet. She's had their home phone number memorized since she was five years old.
"Has Leroy ever put his hands on Rachel in the past?"
"No." And then she wilts, the memory rushing to the surface. "I mean yes, once. When she was three. He slapped her. That's when he called me to share custody of her, realizing he wasn't doing a good job taking care of her and his sick husband."
"And that's when you came into her life? You've been in her life since then?"
"Yes. We've shared custody ever since."
"But she's mostly with you."
"Yes."
"How is their relationship?"
Shelby blinks, trying to clear her mind to answer fully. She's still in panic mode, making it hard to think. Her trembling hands are clenched in her lap. "It….it's not as strong as it used to be. She loves him and he loves her. But she doesn't like spending long visits with him. And he's been demanding more time with her and getting aggravated when he doesn't get it."
"Have you been purposely keeping her from him?"
"No. Though Rachel hasn't wanted to spend as much time with him lately and I haven't pushed her to go quite as much as I used to."
"Do you know why?"
"I've tried asking, but all she'd do is mumble about it being boring there and missing me. But she's always so happy to see him when they reunite."
"So she doesn't hesitate to hug him or go with him?"
"No. Why?"
The two detectives share a look. "Ma'am, the Lima police found dried blood on Leroy's phone, end table, and the carpet in front of it. They have confirmed that it is Rachel's blood."
There's a ringing in her ears. Her stomach bottoms out and for a moment her vision goes white.
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The kids woke up about halfway through the trip. They slept through the first stop, so the other passengers let them be. Or maybe the didn't notice the two little kids sleeping in the back of the bus. They were both startled and confused to find themselves on a bus without a parent before their memories returned to them. Kurt's heart is urging him to go back to his dad and hug the man as tight as he can and swear he'll never run away again. Rachel's heart is yearning for her mother even more than ever. "Peter" and "Marie" are very convincing siblings. However, there's one lady on the bus who keeps asking them questions and looking over at them.
"And your father actually put you on a bus alone, at night?"
"We're heading to our mother." Rachel repeats firmly.
"It's just that it's such a long ride for kids to be unsupervised for." She says suspiciously. "You really should have a parent or relative with you."
"It's a long ways from Ohio to New York." Kurt shrugs. "Dad couldn't drive us so we're taking the bus. It's fine. Our mom will be waiting for us when we get there."
"But why put you on the bus at night? Why not let you sleep in your own beds and put you on in the morning?"
"He had to work." Rachel responds. "He wouldn't have time to drop us off and get to work on time."
"Hmm." The woman's lips are pursed, her brow still furrowed. But at least she finally turned away.
The kids breathe a sigh of relief. They talk quietly until the next scheduled bus stop. Then, they eagerly climb off to stretch their legs and get food. They're at another bus depot and are told they have 40 minutes before the bus departs. They hurry to the bathroom (neither had wanted to use the little one on the bus) before meeting up in the food court area for food. It's still morning, though not for much longer, so they opt for breakfast food. They sit together and eat happily, chatting away like they've known each other their entire lives.
Looking around, they see signs stating that they're in Baltimore, MD. Rachel frowns. While she knows Ohio fairly well thanks to her dad's map lessons, and she knows NYC even better (at least the area she lives in), she doesn't really know other states. She knows her grandparents, uncle, and his family all live in Pennsylvania and that it's closer to NYC than Ohio is. But she's not sure about Maryland. She doesn't think she's ever been to Maryland before. Thinking of her grandparents, she realizes she doesn't know their phone number. In fact, she realizes she can't currently remember any phone numbers. She thought she just forgot her mom's number in the panic of last night. But now, it's been hours and she has rested, and yet she still can't remember. In fact, she remembers even less than she did last night. And her head is still aching. It feels like it's stuffed with cotton. Tears pierce her eyes and she sucks in a breath.
"Marie?" They're being careful to use their fake names in public. "Are you okay?"
"My head hurts." She mutters. "And I can't remember anyone's phone numbers. I can't call my mom."
He squeezes her hand. "It's okay. You'll remember soon. Do you at least remember where you live in New York?"
"Yes." She sniffles.
"Okay, then. It'll be fine. Even if you don't remember her number, we can get to your house."
"Apartment, but that doesn't matter. You're right."
They finish eating and decide to walk around until getting back on the bus. They pause at a television hanging from the ceiling. The news is playing, but what caught their attention is a picture of Kurt. Kurt freezes at seeing himself on the news.
"—ten year old Kurt Hummel hasn't been seen since leaving his home alone last night, when—"
"Peter?" Rachel tugs on his hand. "We should go. Now."
"—if you have any information regarding the missing child, please contact police—"
"Peter!" She hisses in his ear.
She shoves him to get him moving, then drags him out of sight of the television.
"I'm on the news." He says, stunned. "My dad called the police to look for me."
"Duh. You said he loves you." It also explains why her name and picture aren't on the news. Just his. But maybe that's a good thing. Maybe if he's not looking for her, she can get to her mom before he finds her.
Tears drip down his face. "Ra—uh, Marie, I need to go home. My dad misses me and is looking for me!"
Rachel's heart sinks. She doesn't want to lose her travel buddy. She doesn't want to lose her new friend. With her head feeling worse, she's not even sure she can keep traveling alone. On the other hand, she understands the desperate need to get back to a parent who loves you unconditionally. So she won't stop him. Still, she can't hide her dejected demeanor.
"I get it. Go ahead. I'm sure if you go up to any adult, they'll help you get in touch with the police and get you home to your dad."
He stares at her, clearly torn and thinking hard. Finally, he sighs. "I'm not letting you go to New York alone. I'm the big brother, right?"
She gives him a shaky smile. "Right. But….are you sure?"
He takes a deep breath. "I want to go home. But I do still want to go to New York. If my dad called the police and is looking for me, then I'm sure I can call him from New York and he'll come get me. Or have police take me home or something. He loves me. He'll forgive me. I can wait a few more hours. I'm not letting you go back to your dad." He straightens his shirt and squares his shoulders, jutting his chin out resolutely. "I'm going to help you get back to your mom in New York, I'm going to meet one of my favorite Broadway performers, then I'll call my dad and ask him to bring me home. Okay?"
Tears slip down her cheeks and she hugs him. "Thank you."
"There's just one problem."
"What?"
"My face is on the news. How will we get the rest of the way to New York without getting caught?"
Rachel pulls back and looks at him speculatively. "They're looking for a ten year old boy traveling alone."
"Yeah, and?"
She grins and drags him back to where their bus is waiting for them. The storage hold under the bus is open, allowing people to access their luggage. Rachel grabs hers and yanks it out. The motion causes her head to spike with pain and her vision to swim. Kurt grabs her arm worriedly, then grabs the suitcase from her. When she can walk again, they turn away from the bus.
"Them! Those kids! They're traveling alone and there's something off about their story."
The woman who kept interrogating them on the bus is pointing them out to the bus driver. The man is frowning hard, looking them over. The kids freeze.
"New plan. Grab your stuff, this is our stop."
"It is?"
"It is now, let's go!"
Kurt grabs his suitcase and the two kids hurry back into the station. "What is your master plan?"
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Shelby sits in a chair at her kitchen table, her hands clutching her phone. Her mother is standing behind her, resting her hands on her shoulders. Shelby feels like she's drifting through a fog. This isn't real. None of this is real. This can't be happening. It's been hours. There's been no sign of Rachel. For hours, no one has laid eyes on her daughter.
"They've checked every hospital, police station, and every location she has frequented with her father when she stays with him. There's no sign of her. I'm sorry."
Shelby stares at him blankly before slowly lowering her gaze. She stares at her phone, praying for it to ring and her little girl be on the other line.
"She's nine! How hard can it possibly be to find her?!" Her mother snaps.
"Ma'am, we're doing everything we can to—"
"It's not enough! She's a scared nine year old girl who ran away from home!"
Shelby looks up when she hears a chair being pulled back from the table. Detective Dunfrey sits beside her, his expression grim. "Ma'am—Shelby. I'm sorry, but there's another possibility that the Lima police have begun exploring."
His tone has the little hairs on the back of Shelby's neck rising on alert. "What?" She croaks out.
The other detective comes closer looking tense. There's an edge to his voice that carries a warning. "Dunfrey."
Detective Dunfrey glares at his partner. "She deserves to know." He shifts awkwardly in the seat to face her once more. "Considering the nature of her disappearance, and the timing, and everything her father has already admitted to….we need to consider the possibility that this isn't a simple case of a runaway child. It is possible that—that he is the one who packed up her belongings. And then he hid them to cover his tracks and better sell his story of her running away."
"Why would he—" When realization hits, her blood runs cold.
He nods slowly. "He was extremely drunk. He admitted to punching her. Considering the blood that was found, we're positive she hit her head again on the edge of the end table. It's possible that, in his drunken stupor, he may have…..panicked. It's possible that the two blows to the head were enough to ki—"
Shelby is out of her chair and leaning over the trash can before he can finish the word. She has nothing left to vomit, but bile still comes up. Her mother wraps her arms around her, holding her up. When she stops dry heaving, she slumps to the floor sobbing. Her heart is bleeding out on the floor next to her.
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"This is ridiculous. I'm not doing it."
"Just come out so I can see." Rachel says tiredly.
They're in the family restroom at the bus station. Thankfully there's one large stall and an area for changing a baby's diaper. Kurt is in the stall changing his clothes while Rachel is sitting on the floor, gingerly resting her aching head on the wall. Kurt huffs, then exits the stall. Rachel's lips twitch. Before she can stop it, a giggle slips out. Kurt glowers at her.
"You look so pretty!" She gushes teasingly.
Kurt stomps closer. "I feel ridiculous."
He's wearing one of her dresses. He's bigger than her, so he couldn't fit in most of her clothes. Her dress is much shorter on him than it is on her. On her, it goes to her mid shin. On him, it falls just above his knees.
"Put on the scarf you were wearing around your neck. Just wear it over your head instead."
"It's not a scarf! It's an ascot!" He says, flushing.
"So wear your ascot on your head to cover your boy haircut."
Grumbling under his breath, Kurt yanks his scarf out of his bag and wraps it around his head. It's not great, but he can pass as a young girl.
"I can't call you Peter anymore and I obviously can't call you Kurt. What should I call my big sister?"
He glares, but then sighs. "My middle name is Elizabeth."
Her eyebrows shoot up. "Really? Okay. Elizabeth. I'll call my big sis Liz."
"Fine. Let's get going."
He offers her a hand, which she accepts. Unfortunately, she still finds herself struggling to get up. Frowning, Kurt steps closer and offers both of his hands. He half lifts her off the floor and she winces.
"Rachel?" He asks softly. "Are you okay?"
"My head hurts. My mom will give me medicine when I get to her."
He watches her warily before reluctantly nodding.
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"What'd you do with your daughter's body? Did you bury her? Did you just toss the body in a trash heap?"
"I would never!" Leroy is practically foaming at the mouth. "I wouldn't kill my own child!"
"But you'd hit her." The detective says impassively. "You punched your nine year old daughter in the head."
Leroy presses his hands to his face. "I was drunk. I didn't mean to hit her. But I'd never murder her!"
"I didn't say murder. I'm guessing you got drunk, punched her, then she fell. She hit her head right there." He points to the end table with the blood on it. "Maybe she laid there unmoving. It's possible the two blows to the head were enough to kill her."
Leroy moans, tears dripping down his face. "No!"
"And you, being black out drunk, weren't thinking straight. You tried to cover it up."
"No. I didn't." He pinches the bridge of his nose before clenching his hands into fists.
"But you said you were 'black out drunk'. Meaning you don't remember. Which is it? You don't remember and this is a possibility? Or you do remember and you're hiding the truth?"
"I want her found safe!" He roars.
"But part of you knows she won't be. What'd you do with the body?"
Leroy breaks down sobbing. "I didn't kill her. She's not dead."
"That you know of. Look, you're already facing jail time. And loss of custody if she's miraculously found alive. No matter what, you're never seeing your daughter again. So why don't you help us out? Walk us through the events of that whole day. Tell us every little thing you can remember."
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David Corcoran drives around Lima, Ohio slowly, ignoring the honks behind him and people flipping him off as they speed past. He doesn't care. All he cares about is finding his granddaughter and bringing her home, safe and sound, to her mother. He'd swung by Leroy's house to check in but hadn't stayed long. The police requested he leave after his immediate reaction was to try to punch Leroy. It took two of them to hold him back. The police understood and sympathized, but said they couldn't let him. So after giving the man the most vicious glare he's ever given anyone in his life, he left. He's been driving around for hours looking for Rachel. He won't stop until she's found.
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They missed their bus to New York. It may have been intentional to avoid suspicion on that bus, but knowing it'll now take longer to get to New York was upsetting and they feel like they're missing out. Seeing that the next bus wouldn't leave for six hours, they decide sitting around the bus station would just draw suspicion, even with Kurt disguised as a girl. They leave. Neither of them have ever been to Baltimore before. There seems to be plenty to do, but they don't know where to go. Unfortunately, Rachel's head is really hurting. She ignores it as best she can, but Kurt can tell. The "sisters" walk slowly along the streets, doing their best to go unnoticed by people passing by. Thankfully, no one here seems to pay them any mind. They talk as they walk, getting to know one another better. Eventually they find the harbor and realize there are a lot of shops, restaurants, and exhibits here. However, while there, they find a greater police presence. The police appear to be looking closely at all children, but maybe that's just them being paranoid. Still, the kids hold their breath as they pass near two officers. The officers' gazes slide right over them and they can breathe again. It worked. No one is looking for two young girls.
Using their combined cash, they decide to explore the aquarium to kill time. They manage to pull the same "dad is with us but in the bathroom, he sent us to get tickets" line and it worked again. They decide that adults are just as gullible as kids. A security guard watches them closely at first, then shrugs and turns away. Since her head is hurting and words get blurry sometimes, Kurt reads off the information on the different fish for her. After the aquarium, they sit by the harbor and eat a late lunch from a food cart. There's a ship that looks like a pirate ship. Grinning, they watch it sail by and talk about how much fun it would be to pretend to be pirates on a ship like that.
Rachel dozes off leaning against him in the warm summer sun. Kurt frowns down at her. He could have gone home. He still could. One phone call and his dad would come running. It makes him feel good to know his dad still loves him that much after what he said. He also loves that Rachel was willing to let him go home while continuing her own journey home alone. He wants to go home. But he doesn't want to leave Rachel alone. To be honest, if she hadn't come along, he'd have been truly lost. He doubts he'd have been able to get a bus ticket and make it this far alone. He's positive he would have been caught. She's clever and brave and willing to help him. He wants to help her, but he's not sure of the best way to do that. Do what she says and keep heading to New York together? Or call his dad and ask him for help. He bites his lip and looks at the payphone nearby. The problem is they're so far away now. They can make it to New York before his dad would be able to make it to them. He wants his Dad to at least know he's okay. But that would ruin Rachel's plan to get home. Maybe there's a middle ground. Thinking on it, he realizes he could do both, in a way. Gently, he eases Rachel down until she's lying on the bench. Thankfully the payphone is just a few yards away. He positions himself so he can keep an eye on her while making his call. He pulls coins out of his wallet and stuffs them into the slot then dials his house number. His dad answers on the very first ring.
"Kurt?"
Hearing his dad's desperate voice causes tears to spring to his eyes and his throat to clog. "Dad."
"Kurt, oh God, are you okay? Where are you?"
He takes a breath to compose himself. "I'm okay. I'm sorry I ran."
"I forgive you. Just come home, okay buddy?" His dad's voice is shaking.
"I love you, Dad."
"I love you, too, Kurt. Where are you?"
"I have something I have to do first."
"What?"
"I need to help someone."
"Who?"
"She really needs my help, Dad."
"Who?"
Looking over at the girl in question, he smiles softly. "My best friend. I met her yesterday. She needs help getting home."
"Kurt, tell me where you are and I will help you both, okay?"
"I can't. I promised her. I just wanted to tell you I'm okay and I'm sorry and I love you and I'll be home when I can."
"Kurt—"
"Actually…..when I'm ready, will you come pick me up? Wherever I am at the time?"
"Of course! I'll come to you now if you just tell me where you are!"
Kurt wavers, wanting that more than ever. But his promise to Rachel is forefront in his mind. "Not now. I'll call when I can later. I promise."
Hanging up on his dad felt nearly as cruel as what he shouted at him yesterday. Was it really only yesterday?
It's been a long day.
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Shelby is sitting in her arm chair with her legs curled up under her. Her arms are wrapped around Rachel's favorite blanket and she's breathing in her daughter's scent. Tears are silently cascading down the mother's cheeks. She feels hollow. There's a chance her daughter is dead. Killed by her own father. There's a chance she's safe somewhere unknown and will be found soon. There's a chance she was kidnapped or killed while trying to run away from her father. Her heart feels like it has been wrapped in barbed wire. Every beat causes a sharp pain.
In her bedroom, she can hear her mother on the phone talking to her father. "We should never have moved. We should have stayed in Ohio. Then Rachel would have had family nearby to run to!"
Shelby's face becomes pinched. She hadn't considered that. If her parents had stayed in Ohio, they'd have been nearby. Rachel could have called them or run to them. Her thoughts head in a different direction. If she had given her daughter the cellphone she asked for, she'd have been able to call her directly. She wouldn't even have to worry about memorizing her phone number because it'd be programmed into the damn phone. She should have gotten her the phone when she asked for it. Then….then…..she moans in pain, clutching the blanket against her chest.
Twenty-four hours. At this point, no one has laid eyes on Rachel in twenty-four hours. They're estimating; they're basing that time frame on the last time Leroy was sober and could account for Rachel's whereabouts with 100% certainty. Once he got drunk, his reliability is questioned. He swears it was nighttime when he blacked out. That's possible, but it's also possible it was sooner. He was drunk. He doesn't know for sure. She's well aware that the first forty-eight hours are crucial. Just twenty-four more to go. But she won't give up hope. She will never give up believing in her daughter. Her daughter is smart, brave, strong, kind, and so wonderful. She can do anything. Even find her way home from another state alone, at the age of nine. She is alive and she will be home soon. She believes that. She has to believe that.
Detective Phillips walks slowly into the room and takes a seat on the end of the couch closest to her. He waits patiently for her to move her heavy eyes to him. He looks grim. A cold chill shivers through her.
"The Lima detective got Leroy to walk them through every little thing that happened between them yesterday as well as everything that was said. We have new information that I know you need to hear, but is going to be hard."
Hard. She's already been told that her nine year old child is missing. Then she was told Rachel may have been killed by her own father. Other than being told that they've found….her body…..or that they're giving up the search, nothing will hurt more. "Just say it."
"You said Rachel has been unhappy about spending time with her dad lately, but hasn't refused to go." At Shelby's nod, he keeps going. "We think we know why. He admitted that on every visit with him, Rachel would ask to talk to you every single day. And he'd refuse. He wouldn't let her."
She was wrong. It hurts. She squeezes her eyes shut, forcing more tears to leak out. "He wasn't letting her call me?"
"No. He wasn't. He felt that if she was with him, she should focus on him, not you. He was….jealous. Of your bond with her."
She thought she couldn't feel any more sick than she already does. But she does. It explains so much; Rachel's reluctance to call her dad, her stronger reluctance to spend any extended time with him, the excuses, the dwindling phone calls home over the last few years, the weirdness of the phone call last night, and even…..the real reason why Rachel wanted a cellphone so desperately. Shelby's stomach twists and her heart wrenches. Looking back, the answer was always staring her in the face; she just missed it. How could she have missed something this crucial? Wracked with guilt, her shoulders shake with sobs and she buries her face in Rachel's blanket.
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Leroy, though his every move is being closely watched by the police, wanders his house trying to find any clue of where Rachel went. He needs to prove the asshole detective wrong. Rachel is alive, she just ran away. The whole time he was searching his house, he avoided looking at any picture of Hiram. Looking at him makes him feel sick for his failure as a father. Hiram would never forgive him for this. He didn't just let his daughter down, he let his husband down.
He already looked through the obvious places and found nothing. Now he's searching the less obvious places. By his front door, he listlessly picks up his wallet, wondering if she left a note in it or something. When she was younger she'd fold up a picture or little note and leave it in his wallet to find after she was back with her mother. It always made him smile. He opens it, then blinks. His heart starts thudding.
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"Shelby?" Detective Dunfrey cautiously enters the living room. He's kept his distance from her since sharing his suspicions earlier, which resulted in her complete breakdown. His coworker had pulled him aside and berated him for that. "There's been a development."
Slowly, she lifts her head to him. "Did they find her?"
"No. But something else is missing. Leroy's credit card and all of his cash. It's looking like she really did run away of her own volition. Leroy is on the phone with his credit card company now, trying to get information on every transaction on that card in the last twenty-four hours."
A sob builds its way up her throat but she swallows it back down. "Thank you."
The other detective, Detective Phillips, jogs into the room. "We got it. Leroy's credit card was used to purchase two bus tickets from Ohio to New York."
Shelby sits up straight. "Really?"
"Really. She made it to the bus station, purchased two tickets, and as far as we can tell, got on the bus. It looks like she's on her way home."
Shelby's mother comes running out of the bedroom and joins them. "She's coming home?"
"She's certainly heading this way."
Now, she can't stop the sob that bursts out of her. Her mom wraps her arms around her and rocks her.
"Lima police are tracking down the whereabout of that bus now. Once they do, we'll get state police to stop the bus and check on her. They'll pull her off the bus and bring her home to you."
Shelby and her mother cling to one another and cry tears of hope.
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"Why two tickets? She's traveling alone."
Shelby has been thinking about that. "She's clever. She probably realized that it'd be suspicious for a young child to purchase a bus ticket by themselves, for themselves. It'd be a big red flag."
"You think she fast talked her way past the bus station employees?"
"I think she is a very bright girl with an incredible vocabulary and she thinks fast on her feet. It's very likely." Shelby confirms, brimming with hope.
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They argued about Kurt calling his dad. While she didn't mind that he called, she was upset that he brought up her involvement, even if he didn't name her. She needs to get to her mom as fast as possible, not be dragged back to her dad or even forced to answer questions by the police and miss their next bus.
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The detectives sit down with her. "There's good news and bad news."
Shelby clutches her mother's hand.
"The good news is they found the bus Rachel was on and we were able to confirm that not only was she on it, but she wasn't alone."
"Not alone? Who is she with?"
"She bought that second ticket for another child. A boy around her age. She paid for his ticket and they were traveling together."
"She doesn't have any friends in Ohio. She doesn't know anyone. It's one of the things she complains about when visiting her dad. That it's just the two of them, no friends or kids her age to play with. Not in years."
"Well, Rachel and a boy her age were seen traveling together. That's the good news. The bad news is they're no longer on that bus."
"What do you mean?"
"They got off in Baltimore and never got back on. We don't know why and we don't know where they are."
Shelby sinks into her seat, not sure how she feels about this development. She feels sick that her daughter still hasn't been found safe. But she is very relieved to know that Rachel is alive and seemingly well. And not completely alone.
None of it matters until her child is home and in her arms.
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After leaving the more populated harbor area, Kurt managed to convince Rachel to let him change back into his normal clothes. He didn't think he needed his disguise now that they're away from crowds and all those police officers. He wore it for hours and will put it back on before they get on the bus. Back in his normal clothes, they walked along the street and peered into little shops. The plan is to go back to the bus station and Kurt will head into the bathroom to change back into his Elizabeth disguise, then they'll get on the bus and be in New York City in just a few hours. They'll go to Rachel's home. And then he can call his dad and ask him to come get him. They'll both be with their loving parents, they'll both soon be home, and they'll stay friends forever. It'll all work out.
Except.
Rachel is slowing down; her feet drag beneath her. She's paler than ever, making the bruise on her temple stand out more than ever. He admires her for powering on through the pain and dizziness and fear. She's very determined to get to her mom. Nothing will stop her…..except her own body. They get back to the bus station and Kurt leads her to the waiting area. Something tells him to have her sit and stay seated while he goes and changes into his disguise. She practically falls into a seat. He hopes it's just because they've been walking a lot and they're tired. It's late. It'll be another nighttime bus ride.
"Alright. You stay here and watch our stuff. I'll change back into my Liz disguise and be back fast."
"Where is it?" Rachel frowns.
He blinks. It had been her idea for him to keep the dress and ascot in his backpack so it'd always be with him if he needed a quick change. His stomach twists uncomfortably. "In my backpack, remember?"
She blinks slowly at him. "Oh. Okay."
"I'll be back in—"
Someone walks past them with a large umbrella. When the man makes a sudden turn, the umbrella handle whacks the side of Rachel's head. Kurt watches in shock as her eyes roll before she slumps bonelessly to the side. Her limp body now lays across two seats. Kurt's heart lodges itself in his throat. The man with the umbrella wanders off, unaware of the damage he just caused. He didn't even notice. To be fair, it didn't seem like a hard hit. But to Rachel's already injured head, it may as well have been another punch. Finding his feet working once more, he steps closer and gently shakes her shoulder.
"Rach?" Nothing. He shakes her a little harder. "Rachel?"
Heart thudding in his chest, he looks around. Everyone is busy doing their own thing. No one is paying any attention to them. He looks back down at his friend and pushes her hair off her face so he can see her better. His fingers are wet. He stares at the thin layer of red on his skin and his breaths start coming faster. He wraps an arm around her and lifts her as gently as he can. He sits, letting her body slump against him. With his arms wrapped around her and her head against his chest, his frantic mind debates what to do. His first instinct is to call his dad. But they're pretty far from Lima, Ohio. He won't get here fast. Rachel needs help fast.
"Help."
It comes out a choked whisper. No one even glances in his direction. Breathing harder, he swallows and tries again.
"Help."
Again, there's no reaction. Tears fill his eyes. Rachel needs help and is relying on him to get it for her.
"HELP!" This time everyone turns to look at the sudden shout. "Please!"
The first person to get to them is an older, heavyset woman. The wrinkles around her eyes crinkle gently as she frowns, crouching in front of him.
"What's wrong, sugar?"
"H-her head."
The woman does the same thing Kurt did, brushing her fingers through Rachel's hair to push it back some. She freezes. Looking down, Kurt sees why. Blood is slowly trickling down Rachel's neck. The woman pulls her hand back with a gasp. As she's standing to her full height, a security guard pushes through the small crowd that is gathering.
"What's going on?"
"You need to call an ambulance. Now." The woman informs him.
Employees make everyone else move away. They try to take Rachel from his arms, but he holds on tighter and cries.
"No! I promised her!"
"It's okay, baby." The woman says soothingly. "They're gonna help her."
"I'll hold her." He insists. "Until help comes."
"Where are your parents?"
"We ran away." Kurt admits.
The adults share a dark look. "Why?"
"Her dad hit her. She wants to get back to her mom in New York. I'm helping her."
One employee starts talking to the security guard. "We need to call—"
"No!" Kurt shouts, becoming hysterical. "No!" He wraps his entire body around Rachel as though that alone will protect her. "You can't call her dad! You can't take her back there! You can't! I promised her! I promised I'd get her back to her mom!"
The adults are staring at him with wide eyes. The woman who first helped him rubs his back. "It's alright, sugar. It's alright. No one is going to force this little girl to go back to her dad if he's the one who hit her."
"He is! He punched her in the head 'cause he was angry she wanted to go back to her mom instead of staying with him! Then she fell and hit her head on the table. And her heads been hurting all day and then someone accidentally hit her in the head with their umbrella and she—she—"
"She passed out." The woman finishes softly.
"Yeah."
The adults look nearly as sad as he feels. "And how do you fit into all this?"
"I was running away from my dad, too. I was mad I didn't…..I didn't get what I wanted so I ran away." The reality of his choice hits him. When he compares his reason for running to Rachel's, he feels like a selfish, childish moron. How stupid is he? He shakes these thoughts away. "I met her at the bus station in Ohio. We realized we were both running away and both heading to New York. So we decided to travel together. I was going to go home when we saw my picture on the news, but I realized I can't let her go alone. She's only nine and she's scared and she's hurt. I need to make sure she gets to her mom. Then I'll go home to my dad."
"Alright." The security guard says, taking a seat next to him and resting a hand on his arm. "Here's what's going to happen. We called an ambulance. They and the police will arrive very soon. They'll take you both to the hospital and get your friend the help she needs. The police will track down her mother, not her father, and help you get back to your dad. Does that sound good?"
It does, so he nods. The ambulance arrives. They bring a gurney right up to them and convince him to let go. He watches as they place her on the gurney and start checking her over. He doesn't understand what they're saying or what any of it means. He just hopes she's okay. One of the paramedics wrap an arm around him and guide him behind the gurney. Part of him is excited to ride in an ambulance for the first time, but most of him is scared and shaken. They let him hold her hand even though she's not awake.
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Kurt's feet swing above the floor. Feeling more alone than ever, he sits with slumped shoulders. Nurses whisked Rachel away and he wasn't allowed to follow. They insisted on looking him over, then brought him to a special waiting room where he had to answer a lot of questions. He cried a lot. He wants his dad. He told them everything, but only after they promised they would get Rachel to her mom and not her dad. They brought him food and a drink, then left him alone. There's a nurse's station nearby where someone is always keeping an eye on him, but no one is with him. He wants his dad. He wants to be with Rachel. Footsteps approach and he looks up at the two police officers and a lady with a clipboard. They're smiling gently at him. They refuse to tell him anything about Rachel other than "She'll be okay". He repeats his story for them. And then, finally, they hand him a cellphone and tell him he can call his dad. He doesn't hesitate.
"Hello?" His dad's anxious voice pushes his emotions to breaking point.
"Dad!" Kurt cries.
"Kurt! Are you okay?"
"No. I mean yes. I'm fine. Just sad and scared and I want a hug." He admits in a way he hasn't in a long time.
"Tell me where you are." Firm and demanding, but still loving. That's his dad.
"A hospital in Maryland. But I'm fine, I'm not here for me!" He's quick to assure his father.
"What's going on? Is this about that girl you mentioned?"
"Yeah. She passed out. They had to call an ambulance. I have police sitting with me now. They want to talk to you."
He hands the phone over to the officer next to him. The man smiles kindly and takes it. Kurt listens with half an ear as the officer assures his dad he really is okay, just shaken. He gives his dad more information about where they are and how to get there before hanging up.
"He'll be here in a couple hours, okay?"
"Can I sit with Rachel until then? I won't bother her, I swear."
"We'll ask her doctor."
A few minutes later, a nurse leads him to Rachel's room. He frowns at her still form.
"She's still asleep?"
"She's unconscious. She has a concussion."
"What's that?"
"It means her brain has a boo-boo."
Kurt gives her a death glare. "I'm not two, you don't have to talk to me like I'm stupid. Her brain is injured?"
The nurse grins slightly. "Sorry. I'm used to working with babies and toddlers. It's a force of habit to use baby language. Yes. Her brain is bruised. You told us how she was acting and feeling today and that, along with the tests we ran, told us she has a concussion. You were very helpful in diagnosing and caring for her."
"Really?"
"Really. You can hold her hand, but that's it until she wakes up and says she's feeling up to more."
"Okay."
She helps him scoot the chair closer to the bed before leaving him with her. He still has to lean forward, but that's okay. He holds her hand.
"I know it was just a ruse so we wouldn't get caught, but I still kind of feel like your big brother." He whispers to her.
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Burt Hummel was in his car seconds after ending the phone call. He drives as fast as he dares. He thinks about what the officers told him. Kurt ran. He was alone and scared. He met a nine year old girl also running away. They decided to travel together. He realized she was injured and decided not to go home when he wanted to, but to help her first. Burt's heart swells thinking of his son being so selfless. He feels bad for what the kids have been through. He hates the idea of his son sitting in a hospital room with an unconscious friend for hours with no comfort.
He presses down on the gas pedal harder.
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Shelby picks up her empty water glass and stands. Her mother is asleep on the couch next to her. The detectives, and her mother, tried to get her to get some sleep. She refused. She can't. Until she knows for sure that her daughter has been found and is safe, she won't sleep. She's glad the detectives offered to stay in her apartment. They vowed to stay for 48 hours or until she is found; whichever comes first. If she hasn't been found in 48 hours….
She wanders into her kitchen to refill her glass, but changes course for her dining area when she hears Detective Dunfrey on the phone with someone. He is just hanging up and turning to his partner when she walks in.
"Shit." He says lowly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Shelby freezes. Noticing her standing there, so does he. "What—what happened? What's going on?"
"Shelby…..they found her."
His expression and tone are so grim that her legs turn to jelly. She grabs the back of a chair to stay upright. Detective Phillips grabs her arm and takes the glass from her, as it was slipping from her grasp.
"Is—is she—" She doesn't want to know, but at the same time she needs to know. Still, she can't bring herself to say the word.
"She's alive."
Shelby did not start her day imagining that she'd be waiting all day for confirmation that her child is alive.
"Oh, thank God!" The sob bursts out of her. He nods, but slowly. Realizing he's holding back has her tensing. "What is it?"
"She was found because she collapsed. She was rushed to a hospital in Baltimore not long ago."
Detective Phillips tightens his hold on her. "We can drive you there and get you there faster than if you drove. Your mother can follow in her own car to drive you both home once Rachel is released from the hospital."
"Thank you."
The rest is a blur. Waking her mother and telling her the news. Her mother promising to call the rest of the family to let them know, then follow behind. Grabbing her purse and following the detectives out of her apartment. Getting in their car. The drive. Her heart thuds in her chest, her mind racing, her hands clenched together. She prays. She has no idea what she'll do if she gets to the hospital only to find that Rachel is—-No. Not happening. She's fine. She's glad they're driving fast, but it's still not fast enough for the anxious mother. She has no idea how her daughter is and it's killing her. Detective Phillips is driving. He turned his lights and sirens on in the city and got them out of heavy traffic quickly. It was only after they left the more heavily populated areas that he shut off his sirens, but left his lights on so he can still speed. What should have been a 3 hour and 45 minute drive only took a little over 2 hours. It was still too long.
Shaking, she follows behind the detectives as they head into the hospital. Detective Phillips is on his phone asking the local officer who had called him what room number Rachel is in. With a hand on her back, he leads her. The elevator is too slow. Shelby is trembling with emotion and mentally screaming at the elevator to fucking move faster. It doesn't. The moment the doors open on the correct floor, she is sprinting. She skids to a halt when a police officer stands before the door and holds up his hands, barring her entry. Before she can say a word (a very scathing word), Detective Dunfrey comes to the rescue.
"That's her mother! Let her in!"
Shelby doesn't wait for the man to move; she side steps him and walks in. The moment her eyes land on the bed, they fill with tears and her heart wrenches painfully in her chest. Her daughter looks so small in the large bed. There's a bandage on her head. But she's alive and she's awake and she's just a few feet away from her. She's curled up with a little boy, the two kids talking quietly. Rachel's eyes flick towards the newest person walking in and her eyes widen. She shoves herself up into a sitting position as fast as she can, nearly knocking the boy over.
"Mommy!"
As Rachel is trying to get off the bed to get to her, Shelby is flying forwards. She catches her daughter before she can actually get off the bed. No words come to her. Just tears. She cradles her baby girl against her chest and sobs into her hair, rocking her. It takes a moment, but she manages to sit on the edge of the bed. Rachel is crying just as hard and holding on just as tight. Shelby becomes aware of movement when the boy on the bed, looking both sad and happy at the same time, starts sliding off. Rachel notices too.
"Kurt!" She calls quietly, holding an arm out to him.
The boy, clearly Kurt, pauses uncertainly. Shelby solves that. She refuses to let go of her child, but she won't deny her child what she wants. She snakes an arm around his shoulders and pulls him into their embrace. Rachel does the same. Kurt falls into them, his own tears sliding down his cheeks. Shelby sits on the hospital bed, rocking the two children in her arms, and finally feels like she can breathe.
Over the kids' heads, she sees the detectives smiling at them. She smiles back; her first smile of the day. Or….looking at the clock and seeing that it's past midnight, her first smile in two days. They step back into the hall and strike up conversation with the police officers there. Shelby ignores them to focus on the children she's hugging.
"Kurt!"
All eyes swing to the doorway. A man with wild eyes that Shelby immediately recognizes as matching her own churning emotions walks in. This has to be Kurt's father. Shelby and Rachel release the boy, who goes careening into his father, sobbing and hugging him tight. The man lifts his son and carries him to the closest chair. He sits, pulling his son into his lap. Shelby knows the look on his face intimately. Finally feeling calmer, she looks down at her daughter. The girl is watching Kurt and his dad with a smile. Shelby frowns. She has never seen Rachel look this pale before. Her eyelids are beginning to droop. A glance at Kurt reveals his own exhaustion. After the tears have run their course, the parents look at one another with understanding. Shelby helps Rachel get comfortable on the bed, but refuses to let go of her. They settle back so that Shelby is resting on the bed and Rachel is curled into her. Shelby kisses her cheek.
"I love you, Rachel. We'll talk later. Get some sleep."
"I love you, Mom."
"You should get some sleep too, Kurt. We'll leave later. I need to talk to the police first anyway."
"Okay."
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The Lima detective hangs up and nods to the other officers there. He stands before Leroy Berry and takes in the man's hangdog expression. He has no sympathy for him.
"Leroy Berry. You are under arrest for the assault and neglect of a minor in your care." He reads off the man's rights as he cuffs him.
Leroy offers no resistance, but does question him. "She's been found? Is she okay? Where is she?"
"Rachel was found in Baltimore, Maryland, after collapsing. It turns out she has a concussion."
"Gee, I wonder how she got that?" One of the officers asks sarcastically.
Leroy hangs his head and cries as he's led out to a patrol car.
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It's the last thing she wants to do, but Shelby manages to put her daughter down and let Kurt join Rachel on the bed instead. The kids wrap around one another as though they grew up together. The parents, strangers before this moment but somehow intimately tied now, stand beside the bed and stroke their children's cheeks until they're asleep. It doesn't take long. Seeing the kids asleep, the detectives enter the room.
"Can we talk now?"
"Only if I don't have to leave the room. I can't step away from her." Shelby admits at a whisper.
The man beside her nods, his hand still resting on his son's head. The detectives share a look.
"Well…..we don't want to wake the kids but we do need to talk. How about we drag some chairs to right outside the room? That way you can see in, they can't get out without you knowing, and we can talk without waking them?"
Realizing he'd voiced one of her fears, Shelby shudders. Her daughter isn't going anywhere without her for a long while. She agrees. Once they're all seated, Kurt's dad offers his hand to her.
"I'm Burt Hummel. Kurt's dad."
"I'm Shelby Corcoran. Rachel's mom."
Burt blinks. Then he laughs quietly. "I see." At everyone else's confused looks, Burt shrugs. "Kurt loves musicals and Broadway. You are one of his idols. The queen of Broadway, right? He owns the soundtracks to at least two of your shows."
Shelby is surprised. "Really? I guess that explains why he and Rachel hit it off so fast. She grew up with me being on stage. She loves musicals."
The detectives let the parents chat before politely clearing their throats. "Mr. Hummel, what do you know about your son's…adventure?"
The man shrugs, his mood shifting to something darker. Heavier. "Not much. We got in an argument. About Broadway, ironically enough. His mother died of cancer last year. She swore to him that we'd all go together to see a musical on Broadway. Then she died. I told him I'd take him for his tenth birthday. But I didn't. Then I said I'd take him this summer. But the other day I told him that it wasn't happening. I'm too busy at work. We…..fought. He screamed at me that it was his mother's dying wish and that she'd follow through if our roles were reversed. And that he wished our roles were reversed. I know he didn't mean it, but it hurt to hear. I was upset so I walked away to get some space. I just went up to my room to calm down. I heard him go to bed. I swear I heard him go to bed. But when I check on him in the middle of the night, he was gone. Bed empty. I searched the whole house several times before calling the police."
Shelby feels for him. It was different for her. She got a call stating her child was missing; had run from her father. She didn't have the terror of expecting to find her child in bed, only for them to be missing. She grabs his shaking hand and squeezes. He gives her a slight smile and squeezes back.
"The police helped search but we couldn't find him. Then, yesterday afternoon, I got a call from him. He wouldn't tell me where he was, just that he was fine and would come home when he could. He apologized for running and told me he loved me but wouldn't come home until he helped his new friend." He looks to Shelby. "He didn't tell me her name or age or anything about her. Just that he had promised his new best friend that he'd help her get home. Then he promised to call me when he was ready to go home and hung up on me. I sat at home by the phone, waiting for hours. Finally I got a call from him saying he was fine but…..here. So here I am."
"Shelby?"
Knowing this is both for Burt's sake and for formal documentation (the detectives are recording this), she nods. "Rachel was staying with her father in Ohio, as she does every summer for at least a few weeks. She wasn't calling me and her father always gave me an excuse about why she couldn't or wouldn't talk to me when I called her. It turns out they were all lies. Rachel begged him for permission to call me every day and he kept saying no. He finally called me and let me talk to Rachel the other night. He made it sound like Rachel finally agreed to it. We talked for a while, but something was off. She sounded too stiff and uncertain. It wasn't like her. I was worried. I called back later to talk to her father, Leroy, and ask him what's going on. He denied anything being wrong. But he sounded off. I couldn't place how because….." she swallows hard "…because I didn't imagine he'd actually let himself get drunk while she stays with him. He hasn't done that since she was four and it was the day after his husband died."
Burt blinks. "I'm sorry, what? I'm confused."
Shelby quickly fills him in on her surrogacy, the battle, Hiram's health, then getting custody of Rachel and bringing her to New York, but splitting custody with Leroy.
"Anyway, he denied anything being wrong and hung up on me. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't figure out what or what to do about it. I was debating heading to Ohio to talk to Rachel in person and get to the bottom of it when Leroy called me and said she was missing. That she'd run away. I've been sitting at home by the phone," She nods to Burt and he nods grimly back. This is an experience they both share and both hate that they share. "Waiting to hear if she'd been found. They found blood. Leroy admitted to getting drunk. He admitted to punching her. He said he was blackout drunk and doesn't know what exactly happened, but that he woke up in the morning and she was gone so he called the police."
The detectives nod before taking over the story.
"We've gotten the rest of the story from Leroy, Kurt, the police here, and then Rachel after she woke up and answered some of their questions. It's like you said, Leroy wasn't letting Rachel call you when she wanted to. She kept begging every day. He started drinking every day. Things hit their boiling point when Rachel told him she loves you more and he snapped and hit her, punching her in the temple. She fell and hit her head on the end table. Leroy went upstairs and spent a while throwing up before passing out. Rachel got up, grabbed the phone, and wanted to call you. But her head was throbbing and she couldn't remember the number. She just knew she needed to get away from her dad. Kurt says Rachel told him that her dad told her he was going to 'fix' the issue of her spending so much time with you and take her away. He told her to pack a bag and that they'd be leaving the next day. That was before he punched her. It scared her and she ran. She packed up her stuff, stole a map of Ohio, stole his credit card and cash, and left. She walked for hours until she made it to the nearest bus station. Kurt was already there, after the argument with his dad." He looks to Burt. "Kurt says he ran away partially because he was angry he wasn't getting to see a Broadway show, but mostly because he felt guilty for hurting you with his mean words. The kids talked and realized they were both running away and both running to New York, so they decided to travel together."
"That's why neither of them were found sooner." Detective Phillips interjects. "Police were looking for a boy traveling alone and a girl traveling alone. Not two kids together. They were overlooked."
Shelby closes her eyes, taking deep breaths. On the one hand, if Rachel hadn't met this kid Kurt, she'd have been found sooner. On the other hand, if Kurt hadn't been there, she'd have been going through this scary situation alone. She's torn. Burt seems to feel similarly torn.
"Right. They got on a bus, slept through the first stop, but got off at the second stop in Baltimore. Another passenger made a fuss about them traveling alone and they panicked and ran. That's why they didn't get back on the same bus."
"So if that person hadn't said anything….." Shelby trails off.
"Then the kids would have been in NYC hours ago. Or really, we'd have found them when officers stopped the bus and they would have brought her to you hours ago. Yeah." He gives her a moment to digest this irritating news before going on. "Anyway, the kids wandered around Baltimore while waiting for the next available bus. When they got back to the station, they had just sat down when someone walking past accidentally hit Rachel in the head with an umbrella. It seems that the third hit to her head in twenty four hours was too much. It knocked her out. Kurt panicked and started yelling for help. Employees at the station called an ambulance and…..here we all are."
The parents digest this information and let it sink in. They're both weary; bodies, minds, and hearts. Shelby feels like a blanket that's been dragged through mud, tossed into a river, thrown around by a rough current, yanked out of the water, slammed repeatedly against rocks to get some of the water out, twisted and wrung out, then hung to dry.
"Thank you, detectives. For your help."
Burt nods his agreement. They all trade contact information in case anything comes up in the future (like in Shelby's case, there's going to be a custody battle very soon). Shelby asks a nurse to send Rachel's doctor to her.
"I can take Kurt so you and Rachel can be." Burt offers.
"No. I need to talk to the doctor, but I don't….I can't…."
He smiles gently and pats her arm. "I'll stay in the room with the kids. They won't leave the bed. I swear."
She wilts, tears filing her eyes. "Thank you. God, I thought I was done crying."
Burt heads into the room and sits with the kids. Shelby waits for the doctor.
"Your daughter has a serious concussion. The first blow to the head was probably enough to give her a minor concussion. The second hit was harder and made it worse. The final hit was her brain's breaking point. Kurt was able to help us by describing her behaviors, actions, and speech patterns while she was with him. It helped us identify how bad the concussion is."
"What does she need?"
"Rest, mostly. No major physical activity. No sports. No playgrounds, and that means running, swings, slides, monkey bars or anything at all that could cause her head to be bumped or anything that could possibly overstimulate her. No amusement park rides. No plane rides. No swimming underwater more than a foot or two. She needs to be very cautious of her head. I'd also limit how much tv she watches for about a week. And considering how bad her head has been hurting her, I'd suggest trying to minimize loud noises and dimming lights. Her eyes and ears are sensitive, her head is hurting, and she will be susceptible to headaches for a while."
"How long will she be susceptible to headaches?"
"Considering the severity of her concussion? Possibly a few months."
Shelby's stomach twists. Fury at Leroy fills her gut. She wants to smash his brains in and see how he likes it. "And how long do I need to minimize her physical activity?"
"At least two weeks. I'd say keep her calm and as quiet and still as possible for two weeks. By that point, she should have a check up with her primary physician who can work out a plan for beyond that."
"When can I take her home?"
"We're keeping her for the night, obviously. To be honest, it'd be best if she left when it's dark and as quiet as possible. She'll have to be driven home, no plane. That means traffic, with headlights and horns and motors. If you leave after rush hour, when it's quieter and the sun is starting to set, it should be an easier trip for her. If you need to leave sooner, I can give pain medication and a sedative to help her rest for the long drive home."
"Thank you. I'll let you know."
They spend a little longer discussing Rachel's care before the doctor leaves and Shelby renters the hospital room. Burt looks up at her.
"I hope you don't mind, but I could hear everything in here. I'm sorry."
Shelby takes the available seat and gently grasps Rachel's hand, needing to touch her. "Thanks. We have reservations and tickets for Disney World in a couple weeks. I guess we'll be delaying that. I'm furious with Leroy. I'm devastated over what happened. I hate that she's so injured. But I'm so very relieved that she is alive and with me again that nothing else truly matters."
"I get it."
Shelby smiles at him. "I know you do."
For the next hour, Burt and Shelby talk and get to know one another. Having gone through this terrifying experience together in a way, they find they have no problem sharing everything. They don't hold back. They both cry. They both curse. But they support one another. Shelby stays awake until her parents arrive (her dad had come straight from Lima as soon as he got the call, showing up minutes after his wife). Shelby fills them in. Her parents go get a hotel room nearby. Shelby and Burt, understandably, refuse to leave their children. Nurses bring in a cot. Burt gently extricates his son from Rachel and carries him to the cot where they curl up and sleep. Shelby slides onto the hospital bed with her daughter and cradles her against her. And finally falls asleep.
With her child in her arms, Shelby's heart loses the barbed wire and fills with peace once more.
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A/N: One more chapter to go to wrap this all up.