Dangerous Minds

Chapter Twenty One: Missing: 72 hours

A/N: Previously on Dangerous Minds...

"Okay. I love you." I comment, hearing him say it back as I hang up the phone. Wiping my hands off of the kitchen towel near me and walking out to check up on Addison, my stomach is suddenly uneasy and in knots. Something doesn't feel right. Something's wrong.

The moment the cold air hits my face and I don't hear her usual giggling in the front lawn, my heart stops and I rush outside. My eyes are darting around, searching frantically and screaming out my daughter's name. I only make it half way to the end of our driveway before I find it, her pink colored gloves that my grandmother had knitted for her last winter; tossed on the rain soaked ground.

Running back into the house as I heave out a breath, my trembling fingers dial Damon's phone number. Before my husband can even say a quick "Hello." My wailing cries and frantic pleas fill his ears as I fall on to the tiles of our kitchen floor; shouting out. "Someone took, Addison! Someone took our daughter! Someone kidnapped my baby, Damon!"

I must say that it's been ages since I've updated. I am really sorry about that, life has just really been busy for me. However, I am slowly getting back to updating things. So, I hope that I still have some readers out there! :)

Dangerous Minds- Chapter Twenty-One

-Elena-

Missing: 72 hours.

"Ma'am!" I cringe at the sound of her shrilly echoing voice as I tighten my grasp around the little brunette girl's hand. Her eyes are confused and filled with fear as she remains silent while the waitress in her tight pair of 7 jeans and a thin white tank top walks up to me and hands me back my credit card with a concerned look on her face.

"Ms. Augustine. You seemed to have forgotten your credit card inside our restaurant." She comments, smiling sweetly at Addison as she bends down and locks eyes with her.

"What's your name, sweetie?" The grip I have on Addison's hand tightens just a bit more while I clear my throat and try to interrupt this sudden game of "let's get to know each other."

"Ad-" I interrupt her before she can even finish the rest of her response. Glancing down at the watch on my left wrist, I smile back at the blonde waitress and dismiss her. "We should get going, look at the time!" Pivoting on my heels, I pick Addison up into my arms and hold her against me while walking back to the car, telling the lady that I really do appreciate her giving back my credit card as the image of her standing behind us fades away and I place Addison to her feet again. Once in the car, I lock the doors and sink into my seat.

"I want my mommy!" She begins to shout, kicking the back of my seat. It's a little past 8:30pm in Little Rock, Arkansas and after spending the day, figuring out my next move. I've started to run out of ideas. Maybe this was a mistake- kidnapping my own daughter? What kind of mother am I for ripping her away from the only family she's ever known? What kind of person am I?

I'll tell you what kind of person I am. I'm someone who didn't have the chance to see her first birthday, someone who missed all those special milestones in her daughter's life. Mostly, I'm a mother. I am her mother and I haven't been able to forgive myself for being forced to walk away from her. After everything happened with Stefan's parents. I've had dreams of her at different ages and I've regretted so much of the time that we've lost together. I'm desperate to have her in my life and I'd do anything. Anything at all to keep my little girl with me- with her real mother.

Addison keeps crying and kicking the back of my seat as I drive us a few miles away from the diner, stopping on a rural road after a few minutes because her tantrum is becoming excessively too much for me to handle. "I WANT MY MOMMY!" She chants, shouting out how stupid I am and how much she hates me.