Freya's phone buzzed with a text message from Buster. She glanced at it and sighed deeply, her exasperation growing as she read the message:

"Buster: Allen and Clemmons are in the bath together. Trying to calm down."

Freya shook her head and called Clemmons again. This time, Buster answered the call.

"Buster," Freya said, trying to keep her voice steady, "put Clemmons on the phone, please."

Buster nodded, even though Freya couldn't see him, and walked towards the bathroom. He knocked on the door and gestured for Clemmons to take the phone.

Clemmons, dripping wet and wrapped in a towel, took the phone with a puzzled look. "Mom? What's up?"

Freya's voice was a mix of frustration and urgency. "Clemmons, we don't have time for baths right now! We need to focus on finding Mia. Have you thought of any places she might have gone?"

Clemmons nodded, even though his mother couldn't see him. "Yeah, Mom, we thought about the forest. But Dad's already looking there."

Freya sighed again. "Alright, listen carefully. I need you and Allen to get dressed and help Buster check around the neighborhood. Ask the neighbors if they've seen her. We need to cover as much ground as possible."

Clemmons nodded, taking the command seriously. "Got it, Mom. We'll start right away."

He handed the phone back to Buster and quickly relayed the instructions to Allen, who was now drying off and getting dressed.

A few minutes later, Clemmons and Allen, both dressed and slightly more composed, joined Buster in the living room. They divided the neighborhood into sections and set out to ask the neighbors if they'd seen Mia.

As they knocked on doors and showed Mia's picture, they encountered varying degrees of helpfulness. Some neighbors hadn't seen her, while others promised to keep an eye out. The boys pressed on, determined to find any clue that could lead them to Mia.

Back to Freya, she continued coordinating with Duke, who was still searching the forest. Despite Freya's exasperation, she kept her focus, knowing that finding Mia was the only priority.

"Hang in there, Mia," she whispered to herself. "We're coming for you."

_____________________

Meanwhile, as the triplets came home, the atmosphere was tense. Allen, overwhelmed by the day's events, went straight to his room and buried himself under the blankets, trying to find some semblance of comfort and safety.

In the kitchen, Clemmons, trying to distract himself, decided to make a snack. In his distracted state, he accidentally left a dish towel too close to the stove, and it caught fire. As flames began to lick up the towel, Clemmons's eyes widened in panic.

"FIRE!" he screamed, sounding more like a frightened child than a teenager. The sight of the growing flames sent him into a frenzy, running around the kitchen in a futile attempt to find water or anything to put it out.

Buster, ever the calm and composed one, immediately sprang into action. He remembered the fire extinguisher under the sink. Without wasting a second, he grabbed it, pulled the pin, and aimed the nozzle at the base of the fire. With a confident squeeze, the extinguisher spewed out its contents, quickly dousing the flames.

Clemmons, still panicking, was now covered in a mix of foam and relief. "Thanks, Buster," he managed to say, his voice trembling.

Buster just nodded, his face a mixture of calm resolve and mild exasperation. He knew that his brothers often needed his steady hand in times of crisis. He glanced towards Allen's room, where the blankets moved slightly, indicating Allen was still there, buried in his cocoon of blankets.

"Allen!" Clemmons called out, but there was no response. "Come on, Allen, we need to stick together."

Allen emerged slowly, peeking out from his blanket fort. He saw the remnants of the extinguished fire and Clemmons's still-shaky demeanor.

"Is it safe now?" Allen asked, his voice muffled.

Buster nodded firmly, putting the fire extinguisher back in its place. "Yes, it's safe. We're okay."

Clemmons took a deep breath and walked over to Allen. "I'm sorry I freaked out. We just need to stay calm and work together."

Allen, still visibly shaken, nodded. "I know. I just... I'm so worried about Mia."

Buster placed a reassuring hand on Allen's shoulder. "We'll find her. We just need to stay focused and keep looking."

Freya and Duke, having been updated about the incident by Buster via text, were relieved to know the boys were safe. Freya sighed, shaking her head as she read the message.

"We need to be home," she muttered to Duke. "The boys need us. We need to find Mia soon."

Duke, still searching the forest, agreed. "We will, Freya. We'll find her and bring her back home. Just keep the boys safe."

Back at home, the triplets huddled together, drawing strength from each other's presence. They knew they had to stay strong and vigilant until their family was whole again.

A few minutes later, Freya came home. She took one look at the kitchen and said, " Her disappearance is talking a toll on you, isn't it?"

Allen and Clemmons nodded, while Buster, who was in the middle of cleaning the kitchen, gave her a thumbs up.

" You guys need to sleep." Duke said, walking in behind his wife.

That started a commotion.

" Mia is out there, in the middle of nowhere, and you want us to rest?!" Allen yelled.

" We can't just rest when our sister might be in danger!" Clemmons added, crossing his arms.

Even Buster, who usually loved the idea of sleep, gave his parents a very cross face.

Freya sighed heavily, understanding their worry and frustration. She exchanged a glance with Duke before stepping closer to the triplets, her voice gentle but firm.

"I know you're all worried about Mia, and so are we. But staying up all night won't help us find her any faster. We need to stay calm and clear-headed," Freya said, her eyes soft with concern.

Duke nodded in agreement. "Your mom's right. We need all of you rested and ready to help tomorrow. We'll come up with a plan in the morning."

Allen shifted uneasily, torn between his anxiety for Mia and his parents' logic. "But what if something happens to her while we're sleeping?"

"We'll take shifts," Duke reassured them. "One of us will always be awake and ready."

Buster, although still visibly upset, nodded reluctantly. He knew his parents were right, but it was hard to shake off the worry.

Freya put a comforting hand on Allen's shoulder. "We'll find her, Allen. I promise. But right now, you need to take care of yourselves too."

Clemmons sighed deeply, relenting a bit. "Okay, Mom. Okay, Dad."

With a final nod of agreement from all three boys, they reluctantly agreed to get some rest. Freya and Duke watched as the triplets retreated to their rooms, their worry still etched on their faces.

Once they were alone in the kitchen, Freya turned to Duke with a troubled expression. "I hope we find her soon. They're all so scared."

Duke embraced her, offering what comfort he could. "We will, Freya. We have to."