Exton

Alise had showered and dressed while the babies were napping. Stoney was downstairs with his siblings. As she is braiding her hair, she hears Star scolding Tiger out in the hall. Alise laughs, Tiger always wants to play rough and sometimes doesnt understand that he cant be as rough with Star as he can be with Erik.

She steps out into the hall, leaving the door open a crack so that she can hear the little ones if they wake up. She pets Tiger and helps Star off the floor where Tiger had knocked her down. Star is laughing and the two visit as old friends do.

Alise was about to tell Star that she couldnt wait to go home when she heard the first scream. Icy cold fear races through Alises body, so all-encompassing that she is paralyzed for a second. By the second scream she is running for their room, Star and Tiger at her heels.

Tara is screaming as loud as she can, tears pouring from her eyes, arms and legs flailing wildly. Tomas was awake and crying, confused by the intensity of his sister's emotions. Star picks him up and cuddles him, reassuring him that everything would be all right.

Alise can barely hang onto Tara. Her little body is rigid, her screams piercing. Her face is red and the tears just keep coming.

“Tara, mon Dieu, what is wrong? Please little one, what is wrong?” Alise starts to cry, not knowing what could responsible for Taras outburst.

Alise sends to Stoney, Help us mon amour. I dont know what to do, she is so upset and seems almost frightened of something...

Stoney had felt Alises fear, worse than anything he had felt from her even when she had been captured. A mothers fear for her children is a powerful emotion and since they were so connected, he felt it as keenly as she did. And in turn his siblings did too. Stoney ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He was by Alises side in seconds. Tara would not stop screaming even for her papan. He held her and talked. Pacing the room her sang to her, rocked her, bounced her, nothing helped. She continued to cry although the screams were getting weaker, her poor throat getting sore.

Finally Stoney sat in a corner, turned his back to the others and let his mind touch his daughters. What is it ma petite? Maman is sick with worry...what is wrong? Can you show me? Show me a picture, bebe....

Stoney gets a picture of Cassie, looking like she is sleeping. Then no picture, only a blankness, then Cassie again, then blankness.

He turns to the group, “Does anyone know how Cassie is?”