It was five to 6, the sun was just creeping into Alex's room, through the curtains, it was so bright, and yet she was in a deep sleep, peaceful. Dreaming the impossible. Lost in an imaginary world.

Lost.

She was as child, skipping, skipping with her Mother's hand tightly grasped in hers. An innocent child, nothing bothering her, nothing worrying her. Alex moved in her sleep, and her eyelids fluttered, the dream changed, she was watching a young girl closely. So close she could see tears in her eyes. She looked about Molly's age, she had the same hair, the same cheeky face…

'Mummy, Mummy where are you?'

The girl was walking around an empty park, Alex could hear her heart beating in her ears. So loud, she was surprised the girl didn't turn around and notice her. She sat on the swings, newly polished and a bright pink colour, she was fidgeting, curling her hair with her fingers. Just like Molly does. Just like Molly did…

'Mummy…?!' She looked over her shoulder. There was a scuffling behind her. Nobody spoke, everything was quiet too quiet. A hand appeared and grasped the girl around the waist.

There was a loud scream and the dream was no more.

Alex woke with a start and sat up, her bed sheets twisted round her, sweat drenched her hair and it lay lank on her face. She looked around, taking everything in. She'd been dreaming, a 'bad' dream as Molly would say and yet…Molly…Molly was in her dream, wasn't she? Alex searched her brain trying to remember the dream, but she couldn't quite recall it.

She stood up, shaking, it was a cold morning. The sun was only just waking up. She arrived in front of the mirror, looking at the person starring back, she closed her eyes trying to remember the dream. But it was like holding water in cupped hands, the details were slowing slipping away. Someone was lost….that cheeky face, she was lost, Molly. How she missed her…but someone else was there too…

XXX

She didn't know how she made it, being in such a daze, but before she knew it she was at her desk, stirring her tea and reading about how local protesters had flashed at police.

The door closed just behind her, she looked around and saw Ray enter looking rather flushed, Alex followed him to his seat, where he sat down just opposite her. He looked around at his desk, sighed and put his head in his hands. Before Alex even opened her mouth, Chris and Shaz came through the same door and sat down in their separate seats, both looking white as ghosts. Shaz immediately started typing whereas Chris just sat looking stunned.

'Ray?'

Ray didn't answer but he looked up, still red in the face.

'What's going on?' she looked from Ray, to Chris and to Shaz, they were all silent.

Deciding a change of subject was needed; she stood up, centre stage, as she liked to be. 'These protester's, this isn't really a CID case is it?'

Ray finally opened his mouth. 'The Guv wanted ter give it yer it as a joke.'

'A joke? How is this a joke?'

'Flashers…there's some photo's in 'ere, 'e thought you might like to see 'em!' He exclaimed pointing at the folder in Alex's hand.

Chris giggled childishly behind Ray.

Alex turned to Chris and he stopped laughing, he coughed and tried to look serious by looking in a random folder on his desk. She sighed and returned to her desk slamming down the file. She was just sitting down when Gene walked in, swinging his arms slightly.

'Gene, this case really isn't funny –' She started, waving the file in front of her. But Gene cut across her.

'Alright Bolly, give it ter a plonk then, we've got more important things to worry abou' now. A kid's just been kidnapped from a park.'

Alex stopped, a flash from her dream came back to her, the hand out of nowhere.

'Are you listening, Bolly?!' Gene shouted, leaning over Alex, she suddenly realised that everyone was looking at her. She was lost in thought, staring into space and near to the point of drooling. She looked up, and shuffled in her seat.

'Yes…yes, do go on, what details do we have?'

'Well all we kno' so far is that this kid – ' he looked down at a file in his hand ' – Sherry Taylor, aged 9, blonde was snatched from a park around 12. She were with her mum – who's downstairs makin' a statement. Ray and Chris I wan' yer ter ask around see if anyone saw anything there, Alex you're coming with me, we're going ter the park.