Buckingham Nicks-Part II of Fritz Series

Into the Woods

***A/N content warning***

"Alright I want Rodgers, Jefferies, and Marshall with me! We're gonna set up base camp here at these coordinates-" my house has once again become cop central. Not just sheriffs, but feds, park rangers, LAPD, SWAT, the National Guard have all decided that once again finding my family is a priority. Forest, who's seventeen, volunteered to lead the officers into the camp. He's sure there are no weapons it's a peaceful commune of nature worshipers...or something like that.

Raven, the leader teaches pacifism and oneness with nature, kidnapping however appears to be an exception to the rule. According to Forest, Hunter and Luna (Ryan and Melisa) were on a spiritual walk through the woods near the compound when they came across our house. They saw Sara and Stevie in the garden, and Luna-who can't have children-decided that Sara was her spiritual daughter, and they'd been separated by the threads of time only to be reunited in reincarnated form...apparently LSD is heavily in use in this community.

We don't own the acreage were the compound is built but we do own the property directly adjacent to it. If the location Forest has described is correct, Raven and the others are squatting on private property without the owner's knowledge. He was very eager to have the police remove any persons from his land, and offered to send his sons over to help. The police politely declined.

I can't stand the wait, I want to go. I want to get Stevie and Sara out of there. I don't care about property or acreage or who owns what. I want my family!

By noon there's a news crew on scene, Barbra, Jess, Chris, mom, Jeff, Greg and Robin are all holed up in the house. The authorities have assembled their team and they're making their plan to head into the woods. It's about a seven-hour hike, no vehicles can get in. I pack a bag with clothes, water, and food for Sara and Stevie. She's pregnant there's no telling what those weirdos have been feeding her, according to Forest all they're permitted to eat are dead animals they scavenge, nuts, fruits, and berries.

No farming, because that's raping the earth and no hunting. They're not permitted to kill any animals even fleas. Stevie's been living off a near starvation diet for five weeks. She could be sick...she could lose Nova. I take another look at myself in the mirror trying not to cringe at my appearance. At least I showered, I'm nearly as shaggy as I used to be but this time around It's not intentional. As a last minute decision, I grab Mauricio from Sara's bed fixing his little purple bowtie, when Sara's afraid she likes to cuddle something and her teddy bear is her favorite something to cuddle.

Throwing on some good jeans and a pair of work boots I finish getting ready. Seven hours is a long way to walk in dangerous terrain, Forest says there is a path out of the compound and onto the road but only the elders would know how to reach it. Otherwise we backtrack that way. "Lindsey?" Barbra stands at the threshold of mine and Stevie's bedroom. She looks ill and thin, and I feel guilty for keeping my distance from her.

"Lindsey, Jess and I never imagined anything like this could happen to our daughter. But it seems you and Tee Dee are cursed." I shuffle my rucksack around on my back nervously, "Just...please be careful, and please bring my baby and yours home" I nod not meeting her eyes, her arms encircle me and I squeeze her to my chest "I don't blame you honey". My eyes shut tightly and I nod against her shoulder.

After assuring the rest of the family that I am indeed going to bring Sara and Stevie and Nova home I get more hugs and kisses than I've had in months. It feels good, and I start to feel human again. Reporters rush at me when I leave the house, they're still in the dark as to what's going on but they're drawn by all the chatter on the police scanners. I ignore their questions and downright scowl when one of them asks "Are you finally leading police to where you buried their bodies?".