Saving Her

Chapter 3

After everyone has given their interviews, including Mick as Lexa stayed silent on Mick's lap. Vance allowed Lexa inside and even encouraged it. Finally, as the passengers are grumbling and complaining about being held there for a full day and night, Vance is currently contacting everyone's families. As he reaches out, he personally is looking for Lexa's guardians most of all.

While on the phone with Grace Stone, Vance smiles and informs her that Ben, Cal and Michaela Stone are all alive and well. Looking out at the said family and Lexa, Vance informs her of Cal's friend Lexa. Telling her about Lexa, Vance tells Grace to bring any surviving family members to where they are at. The abandoned Montego airport in New York.

Flipping over to Lexa's file he has, he calls the number given after hanging up with Grace.

"Hello?" A man's voice picks up.

"Hello. Is this Erik Clarksan?" Vance asks.

"Speaking." Erik replies.

"My name is Vance. I work at the NSA and I found a little girl here who is supposed to be in your care. Her name is Lexa Clarksan." Vance breaks the news.

"Is this some fucking sick joke?!" Erik roars, "My granddaughter is dead or went missing!"

"She's alive, Erik and is here in New York." Vance sighs, "If you don't want to believe this news, you can tell me now if you want to abandon her."

"I want to see her myself." Erik admits furiously.

"I will tell you now, Erik, she hasn't aged in the last five years. No time passed for her." Vance frowns, "She and the other passengers all say they stayed on the plane and think the last five years they were missing is a joke or a prank gone wrong. They don't know what happened."

Hearing Erik huff in anger, Vance gives him the time to come get Lexa.

***

Watching some families come in, the other passengers who don't have families are given buses to travel to NSA's headquarters all in different locations. There, they will be given new homes. As the reunions take place, Vance is more concerned about Lexa, the youngest passenger on flight 828.

He's concerned about Erik's reaction and how Lexa may or may not be treated in Erik's house at the junkyard. As the reunion dies down and the crowd of passengers lessen, Vance watches the Stone siblings, Cal and Lexa stay seated and enjoy their time left together. Vance notices a lot about the family and how they treat Lexa – like family.

Hearing the next group of reunions take place, a woman and a teenage girl rush over to the family with an older man right behind them.

As the woman hugs Cal and Ben, the teenage girl hugs them shortly after. The man hugs Michaela the most before moving onto Cal and Ben.

Hearing footsteps come over to him, Vance turns to see his colleague Kayla with Erik Clarksan himself. Erik is slightly older than he is and his hair is gray, but his appearance shows he's an hard worker.

"Vance, this is Erik Clarksan. Erik, this is Vance." Kayla introduces.

"Hello Erik." Vance greets as he dismisses Kayla.

"Where's Lexa?" Erik demands.

"I will take you to her. Follow me." Leading the way to Lexa, Vance hears Erik's angry tone of voice as they walk.

Reaching Lexa, Vance clears his throat to get the family and Lexa's attention.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Erik this is Lexa. Lexa, this is your grandpa, Erik Clarksan." Vance introduces Lexa and Erik to each other.

"Lexa, let's go home." Erik demands with no greeting or anything. Hearing the anger in Erik's voice, Lexa flinches and backs into Mick for comfort.

"Sir, before you head out, Cal and Lexa bonded and would love to have playdates." Mick interrupts as Lexa shrinks further and further into Mick and away from Erik.

"I have a lot of work to do. I own a junkyard and a garage to fix up cars." Erik denies immediately.

"Erik, it would help Lexa recover from what happened to her." Mick pushes lightly.

"It's been five years," Erik starts.

"For you, yes. But, for Lexa it happened a lot sooner, and it happened since she was born. She told me." Mick returns with a slight lie, or so she thinks.

"I have a deadline to meet. I will think about it." Erik lies. To everyone but Lexa, Mick and Vance, they think he's telling the truth, "Come on, Lexa. It's time to go." Hearing whimpers, Vance looks down to find Lexa hiding behind Mick's legs as tears fall.

"Erik, give Lexa the chance to get reassurance from Michaela. They bonded and Lexa trusts her." Ben sighs before Vance could get the chance to step in. Hearing Erik groan, Vance feels his heart break all over again. He knows Erik is not the right person for Lexa, but this is not his jurisdiction as much as he wants it to be.

"You stay out of this! This is not your business!" Erik snaps before turning to Lexa, "Get moving, Lexa. You are coming with me. Not this girl." Erik reaches out to grab Lexa's arm but stops when Mick blocks her from view.

"Before all of this, crap, going on, Erik, I am a police officer and Vance works for the NSA. I would stop before you cause us to step in." Mick threatens.

"Why you," Erik starts but Ben blocks his path to get through Mick.

"Vance, call Children's Services." Grace gasps in shock, "Before someone gets hurt." Watching Vance pull out his phone, Vance makes the call. Pulling Lexa gently out of hiding, Mick immediately picks her up.

"If you guys would just come in and see this interaction," Vance speaks in annoyance, Mick knows it's not going on too well or anyone's liking.

"Grace, call the police." Mick whispers to her sister-in-law.

"Okay." Grace nods before making the call as well.

***

It has been two days since Mick saw Lexa. Erik placed a restraining order against her and Ben from interacting with Lexa. Both Children's Services and the police did nothing but take Erik's side in the end.

Mick has been hearing voices in her head since that fateful day, and Mick is beyond terrified. Luckily, Mick has used this time to go slowly back to get her job by jumping through all their hoops.

In those two days, Grace and Mick have been fixing up the basement for Mick's bedroom, since they had to sell her apartment.

Slow down.

Mick jumps and looks around wildly as her voice in her head orders her to slow down the bus. Asking the driver to slow down, he does while complaining.

Stop!

Ordering the driver to stop, he does and threatens to kick her off. Getting off the bus either way, a kid runs into the road. Hearing the driver apologize, Mick still gets off while having the chance.

Making sure the kid and his mom is okay, Mick helps them get off the road. Looking around confused, Mick spots a junkyard and the numbers on the fence, 828.

Free her!

Hearing her voice once more, Mick can't help but feel drawn to the junkyard. J walking across the road, Mick goes to sit down on the sidewalk when two large dogs jump at the fence.

"What are you doing here?! I'm calling the police." Mick hears Erik's anger filled voice.

"I'm not bothering you or Lexa. If anything, all I'm doing is resting on the sidewalk." Mick snaps.

"Get away from here!" Erik yells hitting the fence.

"Whatever." Mick counters before getting up to leave.