INSIDE THEIR MINDS

To Her Rescue

KATE

"Yeah. I started recording about ten minutes ago when I saw things starting to take a turn." I said "Let me put Nora in bed, then we should discuss this."

Phil nods as he looks around the living room, his right hand clasped on the back of his neck, as he tries to make sense of everything.

"I'm going to get everyone and have them go up stairs." He shouts as I am almost to Nora's room.

I set her carefully inside her crib and grab the baby monitor from the drawer of the bedside table. I smile as I look her over, her eyes shut tight and her fingers clenched into tiny fists. I knew that I would be sleeping in here tonight, but for now I had to go and deal with everything else.

As I left her room I turned on the monitor, making sure the volume was as loud as it could be.

As I entered back into the living room, on my way to the kitchen, I could hear everyone chatting as they were coming up the stairs from the lower level. The last one up was Tara.

"Everything is going to be alright." I say trying to persuade her into something that not even I truly felt, placing a hand on her arm for comfort.

She nods quickly "Where should I take the boys?" She asks in a whisper.

"Upstairs, more officers will be back inside soon so Phil and I are just going to make something quick for dinner for everyone.

"Hey, theres a weeooh outside." I hear Trevor say from the other room peeking behind the curtains.

"Yes there is." I hear Phil say to him, scooping him up into his arms and balancing him on his hip.

"Why, daddy?" He asks. I catch his innocent eyes looking up at his father and I couldn't help but look up at Phil too.

"They are hear to help us." Phil says giving him a little hug and squeeze.

"Can Mommy help us too?" He asks obviously oblivious, as most children are.

"Yep, buddy, mom is going to help us too. But right now I need your help. You see the police officers in the wee-ohh told me something."

By this time Tara's children had circled Phil too, hoping to hear the "facinating" story.

"Those police officers told me something while you guys were downstairs." He says now setting down Tre so he could more easily talk with everyone else.

"They said that you are the best hide and seekers that they have ever seen. They want you to go upstairs and practice together so they can come and play with you guys later." Phil had a wonderful gleam in his eye as he spoke with the children. I smiled as I looked at all of them, each oozing with excitement.

"Now go on upstairs and practice. The police officers are the best hide and seek finders that there are."

Then all of the kids rushed aross the living room and headed up the stairs, all smiles.

"We will be up as soon as we can." I call back to Tara.

She waves and nods as she too ascends the stairs.

ALEX

"I'm serious." I say eyeing him sternly.

"Have you ever shot a gun before?" He asks me, his fingers running softly through my hair. He didn't sound surprised by my request, but seemed to doubt that I would actually follow through.

"No, but I can practice." I say closing my eyes. I could feel myself getting a bit queezy, a little car sickness hitting me.

"If that's really what you want..." He said trailing off.