"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

Chapter 9

The sun rose, bringing with it the colors of the sunrise, which on any other day would take her breath away. However, the sun's rising only meant the depression that ate at Charity's heart went deeper. Each second that ticked by meant they neared the twenty-four hour mark which everyone in the search party feared. They knew the statistics, and yet somehow that drove them further toward their goal. To bring both children home, happy and safe. She glanced over at Alex who sat in the driver's seat of his dodge durango drinking a coffee from McDonald's, which was the only place they'd seen along the backroads they were searching. He was half-asleep sitting there, yet the determination in his eyes beat the sleep that he needed so badly.

"I think I've narrowed it down to one of three places." he said finally, staring straight ahead at the quickly brightening sky.

"What three places?" she asked, turning in her seat to get a better look at him.

"Her new husband's, an apartment she supposedly has or my parents old house." his dark eyes had gone nearly black with anger as he studied his watch.

"Well lead the way." she grinned, buckling her seat belt, feeling the surge of adrenaline that his words brought. Maybe these would be the leads they needed.

He nodded, starting the car and driving them toward the city limits. Her mind wandered onto the last twenty-four hours of working with Alex Harper, and the image he presented in her mind. A strong, capable man with a love for his niece and nephew, beyond anything else. Her heart thudded in her chest, what was going on with her? She hardly even knew this guy, and here he was already invading her thoughts.

"What are you thinking about, Charity?" he asked, as he signaled to turn right.

She could feel a blush creep into her cheeks, "I was actually thinking about you." she muttered without thinking.

"Oh really?" a ghost of a smile crept across his face before it was gone without a trace. "What about me?"

"N-n-nothing." she hedged quickly turning her head to stare at the greenery they passed.

A rough hand touched her's making her turn toward him, "Tell me." he cajoled, his eyes focused on her. His hand grasped hers until she was moving toward him in the seat, he pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand. She had no idea when she'd ever blinked so much in her life. Was this really happening? Was he staring back at her like she was all that was right in the entire world or was she dreaming? Dreaming.

Clearing her throat, she tugged her hand back, "Are we almost to your sister's husband's house?"

--

Gloria cowered in the corner of the old broken down house, watching as her two babies sat together directly across from her. Her mind ran in thirty different ways, what was she going to do now? Travis had taken one look at her bags and baggage and tossed her out once more. The cold crept into her bones now as she sat crying to herself with no where to go. She couldn't even bring the babies back to her brother and just disappear, no the place would be crawling with cops. She knew Alex that well.

Alex. Anytime now he'd remember this place and what it meant to her. He'd be back, and when he did nothing would stop him. He'd kill her, with his bare hands. The kids stared at her with big doe eyes filled with tears. Ava sniffled uncontrollably, little body shaking in fear and the cold. Cole's brown eyes were hard, yet fearful as he tried his best to comfort and warm his sister. Both children were pale, dirty, and hated her guts. What had she done? Getting up from her fetal position, she grabbed a notebook from her traveling case. A pen stood in its binding waiting for her to write. Nodding decisively she scribbled a few words on the paper and handed it to Cole. He engulfed it with a tiny hand, before going back to having both chubby arms around his little sister.

"Good-bye babies. Mommy always loves you, remember that." she whispered, kissing both tiny foreheads as she walked out the back door.

--

"This is it." he said bringing the car to a stop in front of what had been his worst nightmare. This house had been home for the first eighteen years of his life, he hated it. However, Gloria, when in trouble always seemed to come back. He had no idea why he didn't come here in the first place. The big, foreboding house was now a shadow of what it had been, with broken boards for a porch, and windows that hadn't been cleaned in years. It did not look safe to be inside, yet his heart guided him toward the house not away from it. His eyes moved toward Charity, her skin had blanched at the sight of the house. He knew the feeling, to him this house was what nightmares were made of. Slowly, he walked to her side, "You don't have to do in if you don't want to."

"You're sure?" she asked, blue eyes staring down into his very soul.

He nodded, "I'll go in and check things out. I'll be right back, you stay here and keep an eye on the perimeter."

Her face broke out in a hint of a smile, "Okay."

Without thinking, he stooped down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, before turning toward the house and facing his fears head on. Walking one foot in front of the other on the lone whole board of the porch, he ascended to the door. The screen door had long since blown off and away, so he grabbed the door knob. Pushing open the door, he haulted at the scent of decay and time. Swallowing hard, he pushed forward careful to mind the spots where the floor was gone all together. Nothing in the living room, he decided walking into what had been the grand dining room. There was nothing to be found there. One step into what had been his parents bedroom and he caught a glimpse of fabric in the corner. His heart began to race, it was as if he were on a treasure hunt and he'd found the treasure. He took three steps toward the doorway and yelled for Charity.

Just as he finished her name, the deafening sound of cracking reached his ears. Taking large steps, he ran toward the kids, gathering them up in his arms. He searched for the closest exit. The back door! Nodding, he scurried out, just as the door slapped closed behind them the roof caved in.

Breathing heavy, he slumped over trying to catch his breath. A shrill "No!" rose up from in the distance, and his heart began to pound again. Charity. If she thought the roof had collapsed on them, would she go running into the building? Getting up, he ran toward the front of the house to see Charity on the lone board that went into the house digging to find a door way.

"Charity!" he yelled over the sound of her frustrated tears.

She spun, jumping down off of what had been the porch and running toward them. "The roof, it collapsed..and you were in there. I saw you go in. They were in there. I, I couldn't do a thing. Oh, my. What would I do without you now that I've found you?" tears spilled down her face as she let out all of her anxiety in a few sentences.

He smiled, moving closer to her, "You were trying to do what you could, baby, anyone could see that. You don't have to worry about losing us now, we're all here safe and sound." With two more steps he'd be close enough to kiss her. A fact he appreciated immensely.

"I'm so happy." she whispered, seemingly drained of energy.

Smiling again he nodded, "Me too." He let his lips touch hers, softly easing away her pain to replace it with the feeling he felt when he saw her. This was unlike anything he'd ever known.

Finally, he pulled away to stare down at the kids, "We really should get them to a doctor."

She nodded, "Let's go." With both arms, she reached up and grabbed Ava, hugging her close to herself. He watched as she went, sighing. He was in love.