A/N Some of you may know we lost my sister-in-law and things have been crazy here. That and the fact being a royalist was devastated by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The story had taken the back burner for a few weeks.

I would also like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I didn't get the chance to personally thank you. Please forgive me

I hope this chapter makes up for it.

Chapter 15

Narrated by Shelly Cope.

FBI Unit Innocent Images Headquarters New York.

Things haven't been easy for anyone, especially those who have worked to put a case together for these evil people.

There are only two people left to go to court. Everything will have to be archived. The following case was already waiting to be put together to get justice for some child.

What was the concern about missing kids when the case had gone cold? The kids were put in the missing person database. It always felt like they have abandoned them as well.

But this case was different. They didn't know if any of the twenty-five kids looking at them were still alive or if there were more.

Izzy Swan would be a hard one to put on the database. Her Dad Charlie was now living with Sue. Everyone liked Charlie, and he always had a sad, faraway look. He often asked if there was anything new with Izzy's case.

The only hope anyone had for those kids from that hell hole was they had run away and hid somewhere. If that was the case, it was always hoped they would make themselves known to someone so they could get help for them.

But little Izzy Swan, the FBI knew Renee would probably appeal and would use Izzy as leverage to review her case.

~T&I~

"I'm glad the case with Renee Higginbotham has been wrapped up. That woman wanted more than her fifteen minutes of fame," Nick said as he took a picture of her from the board.

"June asked, "How many kids have we got left to find?"

"Well, I make twenty-five, but what about the Swan girl? I think she should still be on the missing board. What do you think?" Nick replied.

"I agree with you, but it's not policy. We must archive her and put her on the database. If you want to keep a picture of her on the board, you can," June grumbled. "At least we have been able to name some of these kids. We could do with someone who knows them to tell us their name."

"June, they are known by the stupid names the monster gave them," Nick said. "These kids are the lucky ones, at least they held documents for them. But let's face the truth we don't know if they are still alive."

"Hi Nick, have you got a few minutes?" Marshall Sawyer asked.

"Sure, come in. Do you know June? What can I help you with?" Nick inquired.

"It's about that case," Marshall Sawyer said pointing to the table. "I've got the young couple who gave all the plans and intel to crack the case. They are about to be taken into witness protection. I was going to take them to their new location, but they told me something. They had to wait until it was safe, but they had stashed the kid somewhere safe. They promised they would get her to her dad as soon as it was safe. Are you interested in hearing what they have to say?"

"Who are they?" Nick asked.

"They go by the name Sparrow and Saffron," Tony Swayer said.

"That's a simple decision, of course. We want to hear them out. They are credible. They were the main people who help put the case together," June added.

"They are but it appears they want to see you before they go," Tony replied.

Tony went to the outer office and brought them both in.

"Could you tell these agents what you told me this morning?" Tony instructed.

"We helped one of the kids to escape and we have her hidden. Before we leave, we want to get her. The people who are keeping her safe won't give her to anyone but us. That was the agreement we had with them," Sparrow explained.

"Which child are we talking about?" Nick asked.

Saffron reached over, picked up a picture of Izzy, and gave it to Nick.

"You have the Swan girl hidden somewhere?" June asked with dismay.

"Yes. My dad thought she was dead, well that's what I told him. When we went missing from the commune, we took her with us. When we found her in a small room, she almost was dead, but she was safe now and well. If you turn up with a warrant, you won't find her. They hide her. They have twice already when dad sent people up there," Sparrow informed.

"So, where is she?" Nick asked.

"The place I was born, Max Yasgur Dairy Farm, where Woodstock was held," Sparrow answered.

"Please don't tell me she is there going by the name Bluebell," Nick asked as he rubbed his face. "I met her last October; I did not know it was her."

"Nick don't beat yourself up. The picture is of a seven-year-old with one of her front teeth missing," June answered.

"How did you get in?" Sparrow asked.

"My wife brought an Afghan throw made with mohair. It's the only place in New York that makes them. She asked them to make one. Our eldest got sick, and she couldn't pick it up. We went on the chance they wouldn't mind. They were a little edgy, but I put it down to strangers around their kids," Nick started.

"Trish and I were talking to the elderly couple choosing the Afghan. There were sketches and drawings I saw. I saw a picture of a willow tree next to a river with a child leaning against the tree, reading a book. For my brother's Christmas gift, I bought it for $50. Both my kids went wondering about seeing some chickens and talked to some kids. Bluebell gave them a small basket and put eggs in. Then they both chose a pumpkin each. Bluebell was telling them a story about a big bad bunny. She turned away from us when we walked into the barn, then walked away just waving to the kids."

"Are you up to seeing Izzy's dad and telling him everything you know?" June asked.

"I know it's impossible, but can we say goodbye to Meme and Pops? It's Meme's birthday tomorrow. I owe her my life," Sparrow tried to explain.

"I'll come back and get you tomorrow night. Then you must break off any connections, and you can't contact anyone, or our deal is off," Tony informed.

"We promise. If we aren't with you, they will just hide her. They don't trust anyone," Saffron reiterated.

"You better give Kate a call. She might be the best psychologist to deal with the case," Nick said. "Is Sue in today? She will have to join us as well. Call them all into an emergency meeting. We need to brief everyone before we see Charlie."

~T&I~

Charlie was sitting on his porch when he saw Sue walking up the path with five people. Among them were a young man and a young girl who looked very nervous.

~T&I~

"Hi, Sue, home so soon," Charlie smirked.

"Charlie, can you come in? We have something that we need to discuss with you. I think it would be better to do it in our home's privacy," Sue said.

"That sounds a little cryptic," Charlie chuckled.

As everyone sat in the sitting room. Charlie helped Sue make drinks of coffee and juice neither of them spoke. Charlie knew this must be about his Izzy and was worried about what he would hear.

"Charlie, you remember Nick and June they gave an impact statement at Renee's sentencing. This is Kate. She is a psychologist who has worked for the agency. These two young people are Sparrow and Saffron," Sue introduced.

"Well, I take it this isn't a social call. Please tell me my ex-wife isn't going to cause us any more problems. That woman has done enough," Charlie ranted.

"We have something we would like to discuss with you. We need you to know that everything has been done for a reason. Everyone has been left in the dark until the key players are sentenced. Many people helped us, as you can imagine. You were in law enforcement. You know you can't do it on your own. These two young people lived in the cult and escaped. It was they who draw the maps and give us information to secure the convictions. They are going into witness protection, but they have asked if they can do one more thing before they go away." Nick offered.

"Is there a point to this because you are rambling a bit, Nick?" Charlie said, puzzled. He had never seen anyone this nervous before.

"Okay, they escaped together, and they took someone with them. They told Wolf this person was dead and buried a manikin in the desert as they were watched. They have hidden this person," Nick added.

"Is this about my Izzy? Charlie asked,

"Charlie, you will have to be patient. There is a lot you need to know. What Nick says will help you understand what has been happening to Izzy," Sue pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I lost my little girl ten years ago, and I have been led to believe she was dead. I haven't got the patience for cryptic games," Charlie yelled.

"You will never get to see her again. The choice is yours. You won't get what you want if you don't listen to what we tell you. That's not a threat. It's the way it is," Nick stated.

"Charlie, calm down and listen to what they tell you," Sue begged.

"So, Izzy got snatched first because you didn't listen. She tried to tell you what was happening," Sparrow said.

"How would you know?

"Because she told us," Saffron said.

"When we were investigating this, some things I saw and read turned my stomach and made me cry. I now have counseling. Just give them the courtesy of listening to them. It will help prepare you." June begged.

"We know by law that Izzy is under eighteen and must be handed over to you. But because of the extreme circumstances, we need to let her lead. We don't enjoy putting down rules, but Izzy is and will always be our priority," Kate added.

"You have to realize Izzy was all I have in this world, and I just want her home," Charlie whispered.

"If it were my daughter, I would want the same. Would you listen to what they tell you because then you will know what has happened to her, and you won't always wonder if she won't talk about it," replied Nick.

"I'm sorry, carry on, son," Charlie coaxed.

"I was born with the name Sparrow. My father is Jacob Black or the Eagle or the Wolf. I was born in Bethel, New York. My mom was called Vicky. I think I never really met her, but my father used to threaten to kill her if I didn't do as I was told. I recently found out he had killed her when I was a baby. Apparently, he wanted to have a second woman in their relationship and mom wasn't into that kind of thing," Sparrow said.

"I was called Saffron; I've never known my parents. I was raised as a foundling. In the commune, foundlings are used for heavy manual work. Even as a toddler, I was expected to work in the fields. Foundlings are often abused physically and mentally. We are considered the lowest of the low in the pecking order of the commune. We were only allowed into a small building. We ate and slept there. It was our prison. The rest of the commune ate in a building that doubled for instructions. They had separate housing." Saffron took a breath. "When the rest of the commune had eaten. The leftovers, or what they had thrown away, were brought over for us to eat as a meal. It would go to the pig farm if there were anything left."

"The bastard kept my Izzy there. Is that what she had eaten?" Charlie growled.

"Yes, he did. But Bell, that's what we call her at the minute. I'll explain in a few minutes," Saffron said.

"Wait, roll it back a bit. Did you just say at the minute, is my Izzy still alive?" Charlie gulped.

"Please just listen, Charlie," Sue begged.

"Bell was what the wolf called a runner. She tried so many times to run, then once climbed into a dustcart full of rotten food heading for the pigs. Every time I had to bring her back broke my heart, especially when she begged. He broke her ankles to stop her from running. He refused to allow anyone to fix them. But most of the kids stuck together. One of the older kids was like a trustee and he had access to the infirmary. We used to take the kids and get them x- rayed. We tried our best to pull the bones together and wrap them in an elastic bandage. Some of the soil was thick clay. They made a cast out of it. They had to make the cast every other day, but it was all they could do. She walks badly now; she can't run anymore," Sparrow concluded.

"I want to be there when that bastard fries for what he's done," Charlie growled. "How the hell did Renee become involved with this?

"They recruited Renee, or as she became Harmony when they were in Seattle recruiting. She came in through some reach-out meetings," Saffron began.

"Who came to get Izzy from Forks?" Charlie asked.

"A married couple went missing. Wolf asked around, and he was told they had gone to rescue Izzy from her abusive father. Renee took their little boy, and she wouldn't let them have him back until they came for her," Sparrow began.

"That sounds just the kind of thing that woman would do to get what she wants. She was never a kind giving woman," Charlie growled out.

Sparrow continued to tell Charlie how he was made to come and get the couple back, and they wouldn't leave without Izzy. After taking a breath to have a drink.

Saffron continued, "About four years ago, Sparrow and I were going to run. We told Wolf we would check out an area he wanted to take over. We were going to get help from Meme and Pop. They were the original hippy commune from the time of Woodstock."

"Getting the rest of our things together to leave. We walked past a building my father was planning to demolish the next day. We heard a whimpering and thought a cat had gotten trapped there. Saffron made me find it, even though it was in a dangerous state. She wanted to take it with her," Sparrow said.

Sparrow took a sip of juice and continued to tell Charlie about the state they found Izzy in and how they took her to the original commune in New York. They left her with Meme and Pops.

"They promised to keep her safe until we could get her home to you. Twice in the past few years, they have hidden her. When Wolves men had turned up." Sparrow said.

"We call her Bell because of Willow. Although Willow is in her thirties, she has a child's mind and can't lie. We didn't want someone to speak to Willow and ask for Izzy because she would have told them where she was. So, we call her Bell or Willow calls her bluebell. Bell short for Bella," Saffron shrugged.

"When can we bring her home? Do you have a picture of her? What is she like?" Charlie asked.

"There isn't a picture of her, Charlie," Nick said. "But how do you feel about a dog? Her constant companion is a big old English sheepdog. I hope you two are open to having a dog because she won't leave it behind."

"That isn't a problem. The kids wanted a dog. Didn't they sue? If my Izzy hasn't changed, she will share it," Charlie stated.

"We can go up later today. Understand she isn't used to life outside the commune. She has been locked away from the world for ten years. Her welfare is my concern, and we must do things her way," Kate said. "If Izzy doesn't feel comfortable with me, we will find her someone else who can treat someone with Stockholm syndrome. She'll need counseling for what she has been through. Sparrow tells us she would have had some education. Mainly Math and English, but we don't know what grade she will be in. But she would have never used a laptop or a game console. Izzy will have a private tutor paid for by the state. She wouldn't be able to cope in a classroom. She can participate in the tutor interview, as she must be comfortable with them. Once she can grasp the laptop, she can learn online if that is what she wants to do. But we ask you one thing."

"That won't take her long to learn things. She's a smart kid," Charlie chuckled. "What do you want me to do? I'm not leaving her anywhere else. You can't ask me to do that."

"No, Charlie, what we are going to ask is please don't tell anyone she is with you. We think we have them all, and Jacob is on death row. No one knows if any of his hard-core followers will try to take over. From experience, Izzy will be jittery, and you must let her do things her way. Could you do that?" Nick asked.

"Some of the kids have seen Apple, or the jailer as they called her. She is dangerous to any of the kids," Sparrow explained.

"You have my word one hundred percent. When can we leave?" Charlie begged.

"Pack for a few days. We will drive down together. If you don't want to take your car, you can use one of the unit's cars, okay?" June instructed.

"I'll take my car if that's okay. How long is the journey?" Charlie asked.

"About an hour and a half. She's in New York, a small place called Bethel, New York. The farm where Woodstock was held," Nick smiled.

"I can't believe she has been so close to me all this time," Charlie muttered as he walked to the door to pack his bag.

~T&I~

"Pop, two cars are coming down the road. Bell is at the river fishing with the others. We will not have time to hide her," Dylan yelled.

Pop came rushing out of the house, followed by Meme.

"If I squeeze your shoulder, get to your house and tell your dad to get Bell and hide her quickly," Pop instructed.

Meme and Pop stood holding hands, hoping they could get Bell somewhere safe until they had gone.

They both sighed in relief when they realized it was Sparrow and Saffron, two men and a woman.

"I think it could be today they take Bell," Pop said sadly.

"By the way, that man has looked around; this must be Bell's father, Charlie," Meme sighed.

"Sparrow, it's so good to see you again. How's everything in the big, wicked world?" Pop laughed as he pulled the now six-foot-eight man in for a hug.

"I'm good, thank you," Sparrow replied, grinning.

"Get over here and hug your Meme. You will always be our little sparrow," Meme chuckled as she hugged him and pulled Saffron into a hug.

"You must be Bell's father. Please come in. Can we get you something to drink or to eat?" Pops inquired.

"That's kind of you, but I would like to see my daughter. I haven't seen her in ten years. Where is she?" Charlie asked.

"Hello, let me introduce myself. I'm an FBI Special Agent June Richardson and Special Agent Nicholas Berty." June introduced.

"It's nice to meet you both. Thank you for all your help. I wish we had more people like you both," Nick added.

"It sounds like the kids are coming down. I can hear shouting," Saffron said.

Everyone went out to watch them come. Charlie was both excited and nervous. He just hoped she would remember what he looked like. Would he remember what she looked like? He could see why Kate suggested he stay for a few days. He was taken out of his thoughts when he heard Sparrow speak.

"What has Willow got on her head?" Sparrow asked with a laugh.

Chuckling, Meme replied, "You know how the boys locked her in the chicken coop when she was small, and she has feared the chickens ever since?"

"Yes, it was horrible how she screamed for weeks after," Sparrow replied.

"Well, Bell has been reading Harry Potter to Willow, and she told Willow that hat is like Harry's cloak of invisibility. If she wears that hat in the chicken coop, she can collect the eggs, and the chickens won't be able to see her," Meme answered.

"Has that worked? She looks like a grown woman?" Charlie puzzled.

"Yes, Willow is a child trapped in a grown body. She was born that way. Her momma had personal problems when she was pregnant with her. She doesn't know that Blossom isn't her parents," Pop replied.

"SPARROW!" Willow yelled as she ran towards them all.

"Who said that? It sounds like Willow, but I can't see her," Sparrow played along.

"Oops, I forgot you can't see me with my invisibility hat," Willow laughed, and she took off her hat.

Charlie stared as he saw a small girl and two small boys carrying fish walking toward them. This couldn't be his Izzy. He was just over six feet, and Renee wasn't much smaller than him. She had to be only five feet tall.

He watched as she stopped walking a few yards in front of him. Charlie kept looking at the girl trying to see if there was anything like he remembered his Izzy in this young girl. He heard her speak.

"Daddy, is that you? Have you come to get me?" Izzy whispered as she ran her fingers through Bobbie's fur?

Something she did when she was nervous.

"Meme, who is that man? He's not a bad man that wants to hurt my Bluebell?" Willow asked.

"No, sweet girl. This is Bluebell's daddy," Meme replied.

"Why is he here, and why has he got a caterpillar on his face?" Willow was puzzled.

"Hi, Izzy, have you got a hug for your old dad? I've missed you so much, honey," Charlie said with his arms open.

"Daddy!" Izzy shouted as she tried to run into his arms but stumbled.

Charlie ran forward to grab her before she fell. Holding her in his arms as he kissed her head.

He didn't notice the dog barking and running toward him.

Thanks always to Kellie (Klcivinski) for pre-reading through the chapter. For being a brilliant friend through this tough time.

Also, thank you as always to Donna (EdwardsFirstKiss) for all her hard work editing the chapter. Making my words pretty. She has also been a rock to me as things got hard.

Any mistakes are all mine.