Where the Lost Things Go

Preparations

 As the rosy fingers of dawn crept over the land, Naomi staggered towards the camp, feeling very weary, as she had for the last week or so. She suspected that she knew why, but she couldn't really verify in a place wear the only medical care was a young lifeguard named Carrie whose first aid certification had expired. However, since she had missed her time of the month, she had an idea was the issues she was having might be. 

 Pregnancy. 

 She had known that this might happen, but she was quite worried all the same. it wasn't that she didn't want a baby, oh no, she couldn't think of anything better than she and Judah raising a child - but not here.

 "Naomi?" Daisy asked, walking by her side. "I'm tired."

 "I know, baby, but I can't carry you right now," Naomi sighed. She hoped that Frances and Pippa had made it back all right. "Are you hungry?"

 "I'm starved," Daisy said. "It was so scary there," she added. "I'm glad you came for me." 

 "Do you think I'd leave you there?" Naomi asked, feeling a rush of affection for the curly haired little girl. 

 They walked into the circle of shelters. "Let's get you something to eat," Naomi said, ready for a nice long nap.

 "Naomi, what is this?" she turned to see Judah sitting under his awning, his face deadly serious. 

 "Judah, I can explain," she began, but her cut her off.

 "A few hours ago," he said, "I was awakened by some of Morgan's goons informing me that their "sacrifice" had escaped somehow. I told them I didn't know anything about it, and they told me that they had a young girl from my clan in their custody. Still, I denied it. Do you think they believed me? Now they believe we're rebelling."

 "Wait." Naomi's heart dropped. "They have a young girl?" 

 Judah nodded. "Yes. Did you take one of those girls in your care on this crazy venture?"

 Naomi breathed in sharply, feeling nauseous. "Judah, I did. They have Pippa, or Frances, and they're going to kill her. We have to do something." 

 Judah sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry I let Daisy get taken, but I don't know what to do." He paced back and forth, running his fingers through his hair. 

 Naomi went up to him and touched his shoulder gently. "Hey, it's okay. This whole thing is ridiculous, how are you supposed to deal with a crazy woman? You're barely an adult yourself."

 "So are you," he said, kissing her lightly on the lips, but even that reminded her of the frantically passionate nights they had spent together, having sex next to the Caroline sea. She considered telling her about her pregnancy, but decided to wait. 

 "You used to date her, right? How would she react to all of this?" she asked, unwilling to say Morgan's name in front of Daisy, to whom she said, "Why don't you get something to eat in the shelter, honey, while I talk to Judah."

 "Okay," Daisy said, running off. 

 Judah sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I ever even knew her. I loved her, and I thought she loved me, but  she only really loves herself. She's unpredictable, but I'd guess that she would attack us or something, since they think all the Tigers were in on the rescue. 

 "We need to contact the Falcons," Naomi said. "They can help." 

 "Might as well go in all the way over our heads," Judah said bitterly. 

 "Hey!" They looked up to see Frances coming into the camp, rumpled, but alive and well. Naomi let out a sigh of relief and ran to her.

 "Are you all right?" she asked breathlessly.

 "Yeah," Frances answered nonchalantly. "They didn't even notice me."

 Frances was safe. 

 Pippa was in the hands of the Master, probably terrified, in danger of her life. Naomi groaned. 

 "Pippa didn't make it," she said.

 "What?" Frances stared at her. "Let's get her back."

 "No good." Judah was next to them now. "They'll have tightened their security. The only way to get her back now is launch an all-out attack."

 "Why don't we?" Frances asked. "Let's take Morgan down."

 "I agree." Naomi turned to look at him. "Have someone summon Angelica, tell her it's time to fight. There's a chance we can save Pippa, and we need to take it."

 Judah sighed. "All right. Frances, can you go to the Falcon camp and tell Angelica to bring her clan here?" 

 "Okay." Frances ran away, without even mentioning the fact that she hadn't gotten any sleep.

 "I'm going to check on Daisy," Naomi told Judah. "You'd better get  everyone ready for battle." 

 She found Daisy eating graham crackers and looking through Pippa's sketchbook. "Look," she said, pointing to the drawings. Naomi thumbed through them taking note of a drawing of Long John Silver from Treasure Island, based on Frances' lively description, no doubt. She marveled at how lifelike it looked. 

 The next drawing gave her pause. It was a drawing of the four March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. However, closer examination showed that the girls bore and eerie resemblance to  her, Pippa, Frances, and Daisy. Underneath the girls, Pippa had written "family."

 Naomi's eyes welled up. Pippa had lived a lonely life, she knew, no father, no brothers, no sisters, no friends, and a mother who rarely acknowledged her existence. To know that she thought of the other girls in the shelter as a family made her feel extremely glad, and more determined than ever to get her back. 

 "We're coming for you, Morgan," she whispered, forgetting that Daisy was there. "You've got our sister, and we won't let that stand."