A/N: Mature content

CH 29

The rest of the day without Daisy was jarring. Franny and Gabe worried, Gareth was distracted, and Phillip fretted. When Gareth returned from dropping her off, he went into the bedroom and sobbed. It just wasn't fair, Leeann didn't love her children, and she certainly didn't deserve them. He was so completely worried about Daisy; there was no motherly feeling at all when he dropped her off, not that he expected there would be. After a few minutes, the door quietly opened and shut, and Phillip came to sit next to him on the bed.

Phillip didn't know what to say, there really wasn't anything he could say. He couldn't offer false platitudes guaranteeing Daisy's safety, because he certainly didn't trust Leeann, and he really didn't want to lie. All he could offer was comfort and sympathy, his hand softly rubbing slow circles on Gareth's back.

And it was enough, for now.

Gareth sat up and wiped his face. "She's so smart, and so strong. I hope to god that everything's okay."

"She is smart, and she is strong, Gareth. And we can file an appeal," Phillip stated, giving Gareth a hug.

"You're right, and god help me if Leeann touches a hair on her head, I will do whatever I can to make sure she gets no where near the kids again," Gareth said with resolve.

Phillip nodded in agreement and rose from the bed. "We just have to keep it together for Franny and Gabe." He offered Gareth his hand, and the now much calmer man took it, Phillip pulling him up to standing and giving him a quick kiss.

They filled the time for the rest of Friday and Saturday with trips to the park, running around the yard, using the sprinkler, and some Netflix. Gareth even did a little bit of cooking with the younger two, allowing them to pick a recipe and supervising the mess. At bed times, Gabe opted to sleep with Franny to keep her company, and neither man could bring themselves to argue.

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"Hello?" Gareth answered his phone all gravelly voiced and grasped it tightly in his sleepy haze, still somewhat groggy from the shock of being woken at the crack of dawn. Well, five thirty in the morning on Sunday to be more exact.

Phillip was roused from sleep, too, unable to make out the words of the person calling, but from the timber of the voice, he could tell it was male.

"Yes." Gareth quickly sat up in bed, Phillip's arm had been wrapped around his waist and was quickly flung aside. Phillip rolled slightly, still tired, gently stroking the smooth skin of Gareth's lower back in a soothing manner. A phone call this early in the morning was never a good thing.

"Do you have any idea where she went?" There was panic in Gareth's voice and Phillip could feel everything about the man tense. Phillip stopped rubbing and sat up, suddenly fully wide awake, too.

"What about..." Gareth paused to listen. "Okay, we'll be out looking right away." He rose from the bed, phone wedged between his ear and shoulder, while fumbling to pull on pants with his shaking hands. Phillip knew something had to be very, very wrong, so he stood to dress right away, handing Gareth a shirt. "Thank you, Kyle." Gareth hung up the phone and turned to Phillip in distress.

"Phillip, Daisy's missing." Whatever semblance of control Gareth had maintained on the phone was gone. His arms were quaking and tears were making their way down a face stricken with fear, his nightmares realized. "Leeann was drinking and yelling a bunch in the middle of the night. Apparently she was pretty out of it. When Kyle woke up to go to work today he noticed Daisy's door was open and she was gone. It's been at least three hours. He wanted to let me know before he left for his shift so we can look right away." Gareth took a deep breath. "Leeann's not even fucking awake yet, he tried to wake her but she's still passed out."

"How can she sleep while our girl is gone? Our Daisy?" Guilt stabbed at Phillip like a knife. His gut wrenched. He was the one who'd convinced Daisy to go. He'd done that. He'd. Done. That. Phillip's stomach twisted in a horrible way and his heart pounded through his chest. There was nothing he could do to make it up to her. She was going to hate him for this, if she was even okay. His brain was on overload, but this wasn't the time. "We have to find her. We will find her," he insisted. They pulled themselves together and hurriedly finished getting dressed, each making phone calls.

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Twenty minutes later Abby's car pulled up to the curb with a screech. She ran up to the door just as Mel's car whipped in right behind. There wasn't time for niceties. Gareth quickly led Abby into the house and gave her a brief tour, filling her in on the situation while Phillip explained what was going on to Mel on the porch.

While Phillip's tone was flat, Mel could tell her stoic friend was losing it. "She'll be okay, Phillip, don't worry. Vern's already out on his motorcycle, and with the rest of us looking she's bound to turn up."

"You don't understand, Mel, this is my fault. I told her to go," his voice was as tremorous as he felt.

"No, you didn't. The justice did, and if you guys didn't comply there would be serious repercussions. This happened because Leeann put on a good show and the justice made a huge mistake. Leeann's manipulative and she knew what to say to get what she wanted. Whatever happened with Daisy at her mother's apartment, it won't happen again." It was obvious that Mel had rushed, her outfit was understated and her hair wasn't even spiked. To Phillip it just emphasized the seriousness of the situation, that even Mel's appearance was somber.

Gareth and Abby stepped back outside to join the others. "Has anyone called the police?" Abby asked, ever level headed.

"No, or at least I don't think so. Kyle was on his way to work and Leeann was still comatose apparently," Gareth responded, then his eyes widened. "Shit, I guess I'd better." The idea of the police shocked him, made this whole thing so much more real. Daisy was gone. Leeann had done something bad enough to make their responsible and level-headed daughter leave, and now she was missing.

Abby could see Gareth was stunned, so she stepped in. "Okay, you call the police, Gareth. Mel, you and Phillip get out there and start looking. Maybe start on the main streets right near Leeann's building and work outward from there. She couldn't have gotten too far. I'll stay here and watch Franny and Gabe when they get up so that Gareth can focus on Daisy."

"Make sure you keep your phones handy," Mel advised. "Vern's already started looking and I'm itching to get searching. I'll take the park area if you go downtown." Mel nudged Phillip to get a response, and he nodded in agreement. That was all she needed, so Mel hopped back down the steps and dashed off to her car.

"We'll find her, Gareth." Phillip's voice was strained as he leaned in and kissed his partner on the cheek. Gareth nodded dumbly, still in shock.

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Because it was a custody issue and a missing ten year old child, the police were quick to respond. When Franny and Gabe woke up, Abby fed them and took them out to the neighbourhood park once they were dressed. She gave them a brief explanation for everything but tried to protect them from the scary reality of the situation of their ten year old sister being lost.

Gareth sat in the living room with Officer Pauling, the same policeman who'd dealt with Phillip's arrest. The radio on the officer's vest crackled, breaking the heavy silence of the living room, and even though Pauling stepped into the kitchen, Gareth could hear the information relayed. Leeann was awake, albeit begrudgingly, and hung over, drug paraphernalia and empty liquor bottles found in the master bedroom, and no sign of Daisy. Also no sign of foul play, which was something positive, anyway.

"How could I have let her go somewhere where she was exposed to drugs?" Gareth mumbled as he rubbed his temples while pacing the carpet anxiously.

"At least you know she won't have to go back there," Officer Pauling offered as he came back into the room, overhearing the distraught father. "As much as the court system is eager to keep families together when a parent makes a request, they can't ignore cocaine use."

"I guess that's one good thing to come from the disappearance of my ten year old daughter," Gareth said sarcastically, throwing his arms in the air. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples. "I'm so sorry Officer, I'm just really stressed right now."

"It's okay Mr. Lewis, I seldom get to meet people at work under pleasant circumstances. Occupational hazard, I suppose."

"I just feel so useless. I wish there was something I could do."

"There are several officers out looking, plus your boyfriend and friends. You need to be here in case someone calls or she makes it home. She sounds like a really bright girl, I'm sure she'll be okay."

"What about an Amber Alert, so that people in the community are aware and can keep a look out?"

"Well, she doesn't fit the protocol. That's only used in cases where there's evidence of abduction. More than likely your daughter ran away because of the situation she was in. Which means she's brave, and smart enough to go somewhere safe, too," Officer Pauling offered.

The update on the radio came through and Officer Pauling didn't bother stepping out this time, Gareth was still going to hear it from the other room, anyway. The police interviewed Kyle at work, and he corroborated everything the police had found in the apartment or from questioning Leeann. They didn't suspect him of anything untoward, and allowed him to continue on at his job.

Over the next few hours Gareth got phone calls from everyone looking, but no one had any news. Abby took Franny and Gabe to a splash pad for awhile, and Officer Pauling talked to Gareth a little about Phillip's lawsuit, just to pass the time. He seemed pleased that Phillip was receiving a settlement and said that hurting Brian's pocketbook was probably a better result than having him charged, and got a faster result, too. Gareth made coffee for himself and the officer, and put out some cookies that he couldn't stomach touching. It was already just after eleven in the morning, so Daisy had now been missing for almost six hours since Kyle's call and panic was beginning to build.

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Phillip pulled into a parking spot at the edge of Leeann's apartment building to take a sip of the coffee he'd just gotten at the drive through. The frantic searching and early morning was taking its toll and he needed a minute to regroup. It felt like he'd been driving the neighbourhood for hours and most everything was blending together.

There were two cruisers parked in front of the door of the building and Leeann was standing talking to an officer, her appearance bedraggled, but she was obviously enjoying the attention. How someone as good as Gareth, his Gareth, could ever have gotten involved with her was astounding. She was currently flaunting her scantily clad chest in front of an officer, rather than showing any concern for her very missing, bookish oldest daughter. It didn't look like she was even upset. The only good thing to come from that women was her children, and she didn't even have the common sense to realize it.

After a few texts with Gareth where there was no news, Phillip was resolved to try even harder. Letting his gaze go across the parking lot, he could see Leeann's brassy locks mussed and glinting in the sun while she was having a cigarette and smiling. She was animatedly discussing something with the officer closest to her, who didn't look too impressed, even when she leaned over provocatively. What he wouldn't do for that woman to be behind bars. But to make sure she'd get what was coming to her, they needed to find Daisy first so she could explain what happened. He needed to find her. Needed to know how bad it was that the observant and intelligent little girl chose to run, needed to know that she didn't hate him for convincing her to go.

Phillip sipped at his strong coffee, looking back at the main road he'd just been driving on. He'd made several laps of the local area, driving the residential streets behind the building to no avail. Even this road, which led downtown, didn't have a lot of traffic since it was a Sunday, aside from families coming home from church. He was a fair distance away from their house, and he wasn't certain Daisy would have any idea how to get home from here, if that's even where she decided to go. In fact, the closest place nearby that she'd even be remotely familiar with would be...

Phillip started the car and drove quickly, but as carefully as he could, scanning the sidewalk as he headed down the road. This had to be right. Gareth would have even driven Daisy by the memorable building on the way to her mother's a few days ago, and for sure she would have noticed it.

Downtown, Phillip drove towards the main branch of the public library, which was four and a half kilometres from Leeann's. It was a long walk, but not for a determined and scared child. He'd been there with Daisy a few weeks earlier when a book she wanted was on their shelves, rather than the smaller, local branch they usually went to. It was quicker for them to drive to the main branch than to wait for the transfer request to come in, and she really wanted to start the novel right away. But today was Sunday and the library would be closed, he reasoned. Even then, it was still somewhere familiar to her, and it was worth a try. If she was scared, maybe she'd go somewhere she'd feel safe. And Phillip couldn't think of anywhere safer than the library.

Pulling into the adjacent parking lot, the large rosy red and black granite building looked deserted. Heck, it was deserted. Phillip parked as close to the library as he could and hopped out, hoping against hope that his hunch was correct.

"Daisy?" He jogged up the empty front steps, looking in a few nooks by the front entrance. Nothing. Then he headed around the side by the book return slot, which was also barren. "Daisy?" No response.

There was a small, semi-sheltered patio area around the back of the building surrounded by some oak trees. It was attached to the children's section where they hosted story time on warm summer days and some other children's programs. It had a few bronze statues of storybook characters sitting on benches and a little climber meant for toddlers. There was also a diminutive figure, with horribly knotted, dirty blonde hair, huddled under a thin blanket and curled up tight in the corner of the climbing frame, a red backpack resting next to her.

Phillip's heart nearly pounded through his chest as he ran up to her sleeping form. Crouching down, he placed his hand gently on her shoulder, so not to frighten her. "Daisy? Are you okay?" he spoke softly. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

Her eyes fluttered open, then widened in surprise. "Phillip? Phillip!" Daisy flung her arms around him and held him tight as sobs overtook her. "M-M-Mommy was drunk and screaming. She told me she was going to get me in the morning. I was so scared. I couldn't stay. She wasn't normal, acting crazy. She was worse than ever before." The words came out as jumbled gasps.

"You're okay now honey, you're okay." He kissed the top of her head, flooded with relief. "I've got you. And I will never let them make you go there again." Phillip didn't care if they had to arrest him and take him away, he wasn't willingly ever going to put Daisy in that situation again. "I'm so sorry."

She took a deep breath and hugged even tighter. "I knew you'd come for me. I didn't know where to go, but I saw where the library was and I knew you'd find me."

"Always, sweetheart. I love you so much." As soon as the words left his mouth he knew they were true. They were true for all the children, and especially for Gareth. They were his family.

He carefully lifted her and her backpack, carrying her back to the car, not wanting to let her go for a second. She stayed tightly wrapped around him, until they reached his sedan. After she was firmly ensconced in the backseat, he buckled himself in and started the car, then made a quick call to Gareth. It went right to voicemail, probably because he was on the line with someone else, so Phillip left a message. "I've got Daisy, she's fine, we're on our way home."

Phillip passed Daisy his phone in case Gareth returned the call during the ten minute drive, and they both sat in silence. Daisy exhausted from her ordeal, and Phillip, cheeks damp, relished in the fact that she was safe and he was bringing her home.

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Gareth called off the search, letting Mel and Vern know as soon as he heard Phillip's message. He was beyond relieved, but didn't want to call while Phillip was driving. Instead he stood anxiously next to the driveway flanked by Officer Pauling, Abby, Franny, and Gabe. As soon as Phillip's sedan pulled in, they flocked around the car. Lots of hugs and kisses, and a few more tears, occurred as they made their way inside.

Gareth and Phillip sat on the sofa in the living room, Daisy safely between them during the interview with the police, their arms around her protectively. There was a quick check over by the paramedics, where the bruising on her wrists was documented and they checked for a concussion due being shaken. Mel and Vern arrived a short while later and he kept the younger Lewises busy by taking them on short trips up and down the street on his motorcycle. When Bill arrived, he told Gareth and Phillip that he'd already spoken to Andrea, and she was preparing an appeal to be filed first thing in the morning, as well as a complaint about the mediation process. He then treated everyone to dinner, Mel and Abby hitting it off right away.

When returning home after all the excitement, Daisy took a relaxing bath to wash away the stress of the day. Phillip placed all the clothes she took with her into the laundry to remove the rotten smell of stale cigarette smoke that clung to them while Gareth detangled and braided her hair. The exhausted but happy group huddled together on the sofa in the living room and watched a movie together before finally sending the kids to bed with a story. All three opted to sleep in the girls' bed for the night.

Finally after getting the children settled down to sleep, Gareth and Phillip were alone again with their welcome mugs of tea. Daisy was found to be no worse for wear, although completely adamant that she never wanted to see her mother again, and there were more than a few follow up appointments in the morning that Gareth would have to see to. The men were both completely exhausted and curled against one another on the couch, staring off blankly at the television, flickering images reflected in their tired eyes.

Gareth's head was resting against Phillip's t-shirt clad chest, listening to the steady, even breaths of his daughter's saviour and the firm beats of his heart, when he turned up to look into his fatigued, but lovely, face. "Thank you for finding Daisy, Phillip. Thank you for finding her."

"I'm so relieved. I couldn't bear it if something happened to her." He chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully for a second. "To any of you," he added, quietly. A tentative smile curled up the very corners of his stoic expression.

Gareth choked back quiet sobs, the day finally taking its toll. "Phillip, I know it's only been a few months, but I just love you so much. I love you."

Phillip wrapped his arms tighter around Gareth, gently punctuating each sentence with a kiss. "I love you, too, Gareth. I love you. I love the kids. I love my life with you, all of you, in it. I love you more than I could ever have imagined." He tenderly ran his thumbs over the crying man's roughly stubbled jaw, neither having a chance to shave in the rushed, horrible morning. "I--I never thought I'd have anyone..."

Gareth turned so his chest was fully pressed against Phillip's, the heat between them palpable. "Make love to me, Phillip, please," he said in a throaty whisper.

"Anything you want, Gareth." Phillip kissed him tenderly on the head.

The two men rose from the couch and walked hand in hand to the bedroom together, turning off everything on their way. Once behind closed doors, Phillip kissed Gareth's mouth softly, his tongue brushing against the man's lips. They deepened their kisses as they slowly undressed each other and made their way to the bed, Phillip gently laying Gareth back on their mattress.

Gareth looked at Phillip with hooded lids and an adoring smile, as Phillip began kissing his way down Gareth's prone body. He took his time to suckle and tease each nipple, loving how they hardened, Gareth softly moaning and arching in pleasure, his needy cock pressing into Phillip's body looking for friction. Phillip licked and kissed lower, his hands kneading Gareth's hips while his tongue dipped into Gareth's navel.

"Please, Phillip," Gareth begged, as Phillip nuzzled his face into Gareth's pubic region, against the thickening hairs and scent of his arousal. Phillip gave a lustful gaze to Gareth as he licked from the root to the tip of Gareth's erect member, sucking in the spongy swollen head, and tasting the salty fluid leaking from the tip. He took his hand and caressed down farther, past the shaft to Gareth's balls, rolling them in his hands and tugging ever so slightly. "Gaaah, Phillip." In response, Phillip moved his hand lower, teasing at the cleft of his ass, making his partner open his legs wide and beg for more. "Please, I need to feel you fill me. Make love to me, please Phillip."

Phillip grunted his assent once, with his throat full of Gareth, the vibrations pleasuring the lithe man even more. Then lifting his head from his partner's groin, Phillip kneeled between Gareth's legs as he reached for the lube from the night table drawer. Gareth sat up, leaning forward and catching his partner in a deep, tongue filled kiss, turned on even more at the taste of himself in the other man's mouth.

Breaking the kiss for just a moment, Phillip applied lube liberally to Gareth, sliding his fingers in and out, carefully at first, but then more demanding, to prepare his partner. He took his other slick hand to his own hardened cock, readying for entry.

Phillip placed the head of his cock against Gareth's hole and slowly began to press inwards, while Gareth pushed outwards to accommodate his lover. Suddenly Phillip found his head surrounded by amazing tight heat, Gareth's outer ring stretching to accept him. Phillip groaned from the amazing feeling of slowly sinking into his lover, bit by bit.

Kissing languidly, the two men embraced chest to chest, revelling in the feelings of closeness, of love, shared between them. Leisurely, Phillip began moving within Gareth's tight passage, fervently savouring every second inside his man.

Changing his angle slightly, but not his speed, Phillip aimed at torturing Gareth deliciously, filling him as deeply as he could, but going slow. Gareth clenched around him panting and wrapping his legs around Phillip to be even closer, to pull him nearer.

"Oh god, Phillip," Gareth breathed huskily. "Please go, faster."

Phillip obliged and quickened his pace, skin slapping against skin. "Touch yourself, Gare, please," he begged, wanting Gareth to reach his peak. Gareth obliged by putting his hand around his straining cock and stroking in time to Phillip's thrusts.

The two men teased at each other's sensitive necks, nibbling and moaning, leaving small marks, while finding themselves pitching closer and closer to completion. The heat was building inside his core to a fever pitch and when Phillip could feel Gareth's balls pull up and ring tighten around him, the spasms of his muscles set off Phillip's own release. Shots of hot ejaculate drew lines across their chests while Phillip's filled his man's grasping hole. Both panting and gasping, hoping their groans hadn't disturbed the children sleeping in the other room.

They both murmured words of love to each other as they embraced and peppered each other with soft kisses. After a quick swipe with a towel, the two men collapsed into an exhausted sleep, the events of the day wholly overwhelming them both.

A/N: I promised that Daisy would be okay, and she was. She's such a good girl, going somewhere she knew Phillip would look. :) And it looks like Leeann might have dug her own grave! There are still a few loose ends to be tied up, but there's not too much left to go now. I hope you all liked today's chapter. Thank you for all the support, next update is on Friday!

<3 JJ