Everyone ready to continue on in the maze? :)

Valerie: I am!

Daphne: I'm ready, too!

Lauren: And me! :)

(Cut back to Lauren, the twins, and Kimberly the Fox.

Kimberly runs between the twins, who chase her and play with her. :) )

Lauren: *chuckles at the antics of her children and Kim* What a handful. ;)

(Kimberly runs ahead and the twins chase after her. She isn't watching where she's going and runs straight into something solid. She falls back and howls, rubbing her nose. :o :p)

Lauren: *walks up to the wall* What in the world?

(As the twins help Kim rub her bonked nose, Lauren inspects the wall. Numbers are etched onto different-colored ice balls that glisten dimly in the light. There are three lines of numbers and symbols. As

Lauren inspects them, she begins to grin - she recognizes the symbols.)

Lauren: Interesting...

(The twins go up to their mother, joined by Kim. They also inspect the line of buttons.)

Voice: (Suddenly, a voice is heard from above) Mother and children, you must match and solve the problems. Choose the correct answers, and you will pass. Choose the wrong answers, and you will be trapped in the ice prisons. (We see a small animation of the same snow globe that trapped Mike, only this one is empty, before it fades.) Be quick! You have ten minutes. Good luck.

Lauren: Ten minutes. How generous. ;)

Shelly: We're gonna play with colors, Mommy? :D

Lauren: Yes and no.

Shelly: Can we play, too? :D

Mick: Can we, can we? :D

Lauren: *chuckles* Sure you can!

Shelly: Where we start?

(The blue "4" glows.)

Lauren: I would say we start with the number 4. ;)

(A white "+" lights up next, followed by a red "8".)

Lauren: Oh, that's simple!

*The twins use their fingers to count with.* ;)

(Lauren finally pushes a purple "1" and a pink "2." :) )

Voice: Correct. Proceed. :)

Lauren: That was a sinch. :)

(Two numbers light up this time, a green "7" and a yellow

"9", followed by a "x" in black, then the red "8" and an orange "3.")

Lauren: *eyes widen* Hey!? This just went from preschool level to genius! *grins* But then, I have a trick of my own. ;)

*Lauren goes to her watch. She flips a piece on it,

revealing a small numbered keypad, and types in the numbers.* ;)

*Lauren pushes a brown "6", then a light blue "5", another "5", and a green "7." She grins.* :D ;)

Voice: Correct. Proceed.

Lauren: Bring it on. ;) :D

(Two more numbers light up, the purple "1," pink "2", and orange "3." A "/" appears in gray, followed by the yellow "9.")

Lauren: Now, that's easier. *pushes the purple "1," orange "3," a white ".", a brwon "6," & a green "7"*

Voice: (A little annoyed now; sighs) Correct. Proceed.

Lauren: *grins* Gettin' to ya, am I? ;)

(The green "7" blue "4," yellow "9," light blue "5," white ".", and two more "5"s light up, followed by a silver "-" and the red "8," orange "3," green "7," purple "1," white ".", and two brown "6" light

up.)

*Lauren pushes the "-", 8, 7, 6, ".", 1, & 1.*

Voice: (Growls as the twins starts to push buttons) That HURTS! I'm not a TOY! :p

Shelly: We're playing, too! :D

Lauren: Oh, dear. ;)

Voice: You're too YOUNG! You're still counting on your

fingers! Your mother needed a calculator to figure some of that out! :p

Lauren: So? ;)

Shelly: We're going to be like Mommy! :D (She pushes more buttons)

Voice: Short? ;) >:)

Mick: *also pushing buttons* Machine not nice! *blows a razz* :P

*Lauren gives the "Voice" a dirty look.* :P X-( ;)

Voice: Machine tells truth, little man. Your mother had to cheat to get those answers right. No wonder she barely spends time with anyone besides you and your father. :p

Lauren: *makes a fist and shakes it* I oughta punch a hole right through your mechanisms! :P X-(

Voice: Isn't that right, Lauren? Why don't you get out more? Someone could babysit the twins. Your family will be there when you get back. (Pause) Or is that what you're afraid of? That it WON'T be?

Lauren: *her angry look faulters slightly* I don't LIKE going out. Besides, you're just a dumb machine. What's it to you, anyway? :P

Voice: I...I love you, babe. (It definately sounds familiar now) B...babe?

Lauren: *looks softens* What the HECK? :-/

Micky: Babe, it's me...or my spirit, or something like that. Cool, huh? ;)

Lauren: *touches the wall* But how...nevermind. So, how do I get you OUT? Are you even really IN there? :-/

Micky: You can't get me out yet...but I can let you through.

(The wall shimmers and vanishes, revealing a new corridor.)

Lauren: Whoa!

Shelly: Wow! (Looks around and tugs on her mother's arm) Mommy, where's Daddy?

Lauren: He's in there, somewhere. Come on. Mick, pick

up our little fox friend, and both of you take my hands. We're going this way. *motions to the new corridor*

(Mick takes Kimberly in one hand and his mother's in the other. Shelly takes Lauren's other hand as the group walks down the corridor.)

(Cut to Valerie, who still holds Jenny the Bunny as she makes her way down the corridor.)

Valerie: My arms are tired. (Puts Jenny down; the rabbit hops ahead) This is crazy! I can't believe I'm walking down an ice maze, looking for my husband, whom I can no longer feel. My friends in Beverly Hills would think I'm nuts...and god only knows what my father and the employees of Headquarters would say! (Grins fainly) All four of them. ;)

(As she rounds a corner, she follows Jenny...and realized that her path is blocked by a huge pile of broken ice.)

Valerie: Oh, good grief, there must have been a cave-in! (She starts to pull the ice blocks away from the door, but it just keeps falling further down) We'll never get out of this!

(It's Jenny who notices the soft, dark glow...and the sudden appearance of a rack of string instruments next to the ice pile. She tugs on the hem of Valerie's pants.)

Valerie: I'm not getting anywhere with this. (Frowns) What is it, Jen? (The rabbit leads her over to the rack) Where did these come from? They weren't here a minute ago!

(She reaches for a sharp-looking all-black guitar at first, but a banjo in a soft golden color glows and catches her attention.)

Voice: Wouldn't you prefer a nice banjo?

Valerie: I...(frowns)...ok, you just talked. Did you just talk?

Voice: Yes, I did.

Valerie: (Sighs) I guess a talking banjo isn't any stranger than anything else that's happened to us! (She takes it, plucking at it randomly; sighs) I wish Peter were here. He's been teaching me how to play when he has time, but he's a real virtuso with this thing. :(

Voice: Weren't you trying to get past all the ice here?

Valerie: Yes, but it won't budge. :p

(Jenny makes a face. :p)

Voice: You can get through it you know the right chords to play.

Valerie: But...my husband is the banjo player! All I know is piano. :o

Voice: Do you doubt your musical ability?

Valere: No...yes...no, I'm just not as good on string

instruments as I am on keyed instruments.

Voice: But you're smart. You could give it a

good try.

Valerie: I guess I don't have much of a choice. I either play, or I don't get out. (She plucks a note) So, what first?

*A small normal-sized booklet appears. It's sheet music.*

Voice: I want you to play this.

Valerie: Sheet music. (She plays a chord) Ok, I can figure this out.

Voice: Good

Valerie: (Plays a rusty-sounding chord...but nothing happens, until she looks at her fingers and realizes they're fading a little) What in the... :o

Voice: Sorry, I forgot to mention that if you don't get the chords right, you and your little rabbit friend will end up in the snow globe prisons. Just concentrate.

Valerie: WHAT? (Plays a screechy chord...and her arms fade a bit...along with Jenny's ears and tail :o )

Voice: Careful!

Valerie: (Closes her eyes) I...I can do this. I HAVE to do this! People are counting on me! Just like always! (She plays another note...a bit bland, but no screech. A block of ice moves onto the ground,

revealing a tiny hole in the top of the pile.)

Voice: *a bit more recognizable* Keep going! You're doing fine! :)

Valerie: You know, this isn't so bad! (She plays another note - and this one sounds a bit more melodic. Three more ice blocks move from the top.) :)

Voice: You've almost got it, Val! :)

Valerie: I can't believe I'm doing this! (She plays a lovely bit of "Higher and Higher"...and the top is now free)

Voice: You've got it, Val, you've got it! :D :)

Valerie: (She plays all of "Higher and Higher," her hands, while not playing with the technical knowledge and years of practice of Peter, at least is hitting most of the notes and sounding something like the song...and is enjoying it. The ice in the middle moves...enough for a human and a bunny to fit through. :) )

Voice: *now very recognizeable* Valerie, you did it! :D

Valerie: (Her eyes widen; she almost drops the banjo)

P...Peter? Honey, is that you? What did Shelia DO to you? :o X(

Peter's Voice: I'm not really sure. I'm here, but

I'm not. And, please, don't drop the banjo! I'm...attached to it, somehow.

Valerie: Good lord! (She gently returns the banjo to the rack) Oh, honey, isn't there anything I can do to help you?

Peter's Voice: Go through the passage. :)

Valerie: And then, I'll find you...and be able to help poor Jenny and the other Abbies? :)

(Jenny looks at the banjo hopefully. :D)

Peter's Voice: Yes. (Pause) I miss you, Val. :)

Valerie: I miss you too, honey. (She gives the banjo a hug, then picks up Jenny and walks through the icy rubble to the next corridor. The guitar and banjo fade and ultimately vanish.)

*Daphne makes her way through the maze, clearly annoyed by the whole thing.* :P ;)

(Maxine the Piglet follows along behind her, occasionally poking at Daphne and at the ice. :) )

Daphne: Aw, Max, I wonder if we'll ever get outta here. :P

(Maxine gulps; she's worried, too. :( )

(The two finally stop at a rushing river, filled with occasional chunks of ice. The rest of the corridor is on the other side of the river, but there seems to be no way to get there. Maxine dips a hoof in the river...and pulls away, shivering and scared. It's very fast, and VERY, VERY cold! :o )

Daphne: Careful! *shakes her head* Great. Now what?

(All of a sudden, the sound of hoofbeats are heard...and they're too heavy to be Maxine's. Maxine squeals, surprised. :o )

Daphne: What in the world?

(A little horse rides out of the mist surrounding the river. It's the ugliest pony Maxine and Daphne have ever seen, with a misshapen nose, tiny brown eyes, a stringy, short mane, split hooves, crooked, yellowed teeth, and a too-thin body. It clops up to Daphne and Maxine, whinnying and snorting.)

Daphne: *frowns at the pony* Aw, poor thing! Look at you. :(

Pony: Hello there, young lady. I believe you need a ride.

Daphne: Uh, yeah, I do. How'd you know that?

Pony: You and the pig looked lost. You need some direction.

Daphen: *shrugs* I'm game, and so's Max. :)

Pony: Hop on. (Nods at the dusty old saddle on his back)

Daphne: *picks up Maxine* Okay. *gets on the pony*

(The pony takes off as "Hold On Girl" begins. He gallops to the end of the room...where a bridge made of ice appears as the mist clears. He goes right over it, Daphne clutching him with one hand and Maxine with the other.)

*Despite hanging on for her life, Daphne watches the icy scenery go by.*

(Maxine squeals, trying to stay on. :o )

(The pony stops at another opening to the river. This one goes right...but there's no bridge.)

Pony: (Over the music) Well, now what? Jump?

Daphne: I don't know. I guess so.

Pony: Well, make up your mind! We don't have much time! :p

Daphne: Fine. Jump, then. 8-|

Pony: All right, blushing-bride-to-be. Hold on to your...well, horses. ;) (He makes a running start, then takes a slow-motion leap over the river...landing smoothly on the other side. :D)

(As the music continues, we see the horse run along the river, Daphne holding onto him with one hand and Maxine with the other. He gets to another part of the river; it's even wider and deeper than the part they just jumped over. There's a large ice float near them. The horse jumps on one...but he whinnies when it tips.)

Pony: I...I can't! I'll drop you! You'll never get married! :o

Daphne: Hang on! You can do it!

Pony: I...I hope so. (He gulps and jumps...and lands, much to Daphne's surprise, on a second ice float that's risen from the river. He grins faintly.)

Pony: (Looks over the raging river) There should be one more...I think...

Daphne: I hope so...

Pony: I...I... (he finally jumps...and lands on the third, then jumps to the other side.) I did it! :D

Daphne: Alright! :D

(He runs again as the song winds down, runs fast as the wind and maybe faster. He finally comes to the river again, but this time there's a large ice float right in front of them.)

Pony: I think we can take this one to the next exit. We shouldn't have to jump, I think. (He steps on and nudges the ice its teathered to. It launches into the river, carrying the young woman, piglet, and pony.)

Daphne: This is amazing!

Pony: Yeah. (Looks at her) When you getting married?

Daphne: Umm...soon. ;)

Pony: Do you want to...um, well, get married?

Daphne: Yes, it's just that, well, um...I'm really nervous.

Pony: You like him?

Daphne: *nods* Very much.

Pony: Why you scared to be with him?

Daphne: I don't know. I guess I'm just scared of marriage.

Pony: You don't like marriage?

Daphne: I'm afraid of it.

Pony: Afraid? If you like him, why you afraid?

Daphne: If I knew, I probably wouldn't be afraid. I don't know.

Pony: Don't you know? Afraid of commiting? Afraid...(quieter)...he won't commit?

Daphne: *gulps* Yeah, that's a good part of it, too.

Pony: You told him 'bout being afraid?

Daphne: *quietly* No.

Pony: Why don't ya?

Daphe: *fidgets* I don't know. I've tried to bring it up before, but I just can't.

Pony: He might be afraid, too. Just talk to him.

Daphne: I'll try.

Pony: (Nudges her; his voice now sounds a bit more familiar...and British) You already 'ave, luv. :X

Daphne: Huh? *eyes widen* What the...Davy?

Pony: (Nods) 'Ullo, luv. :)

(Maxine oinks her surprise as well. :o )

Daphne: Oh my God! *wraps her arms around the pony's neck* Oh, Davy! :D

(Maxine nudges him, her oinks now registering delight. :D)

Davy: (Smiles, rubbing his narrow nose against Daphne) Luv, I miss you...

Daphne: I missed you, too! How do I change you back?

Davy: Keep followin' the path, luv. Shelia n' Alex still 'ave the rest of me. This is my spirit talkin'. :)

Daphne: Oh. Okay. ;)

Davy: I was told...my spirit...(looks away)...if I was ugly, you wouldn't want to ride me or go near me. I was supposed to drive you away, to fall in the river or not be able to cross. :(

Daphne: But you didn't. You made it. :)

Davy: 'Ere's the end, luv. (The float lightly taps the end of the river...and the beginning of another corridor) Everyone off! :)

Daphne: So soon? *gets off, Maxine still in her arms* Now what do I do? Just keep wandering through the maze?

Davy: (Nods at the corridor) Just keep going left, and you'll make it in no time! :D

Daphne: *nods* Left. Got it. *gives Davy pony one last one-armed hug* Don't worry, Davy. We'll get all of you guys outta here! :D

Davy: I know you will. :) (He gives her one lick on the cheek :X)

Daphne: *chuckles* Thank you, Davy. *heads off with Maxine; gives a last wave over her shoulder* :)

(Davy nods, and as she and Maxine disappear around the corner, the pony vanishes into the mist.)

(Cut to Emma and Katie, who continue to walk down the corridor. Katie holds Emma's hand, staying close to her mother.)

Emma: I wish I knew where we were going. This is so freaky. :p

Katie: Papa, Mama? :)

Emma: Not yet, Katie. We'll find him. I know we will!

Katie: 'Kay. :)

(The two come to a long corridor. The floor is made up of ice tiles in many different colors that give the place an almost psychadelic glow.)

Emma: Wow... :o

Katie: (Grins) Pwetty! :D

Emma: (Shades her eyes) What's that? (A large, colorful typewriter-like object appears, on a table next to the wall at the end of the corridor.)

Katie: Oooh, pwetty too! :D

Emma: A...typewriter? Here?

*A black, leather-bound book materializes next to the typewriter, propped up by a stand.*

Katie: (Pulls her mother's hand over to the stand) Lookit, Mama! Book! :D

Emma: Oh, my... (She reaches for the book and opens it...and is surprised when she hears a voice seemlingly coming from nowhere)

Voice: Hello.

Emma: Holy...(sees Kate)...cow! (She drops the book on the floor)

Katie: Book talk? :-/

Voice: Ow! Careful! Pick me up!

Emma: (Raises her eyebrows) Well...ok. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drop you, but you startled me! (Makes a face) And you don't have to be bossy about it, you know. :p

Voice: Sorry. I suppose you're wondering about the tiles and that typewriter-wannabe thing.

Emma: Yes, I am.

(Katie just stares at the book strangely.)

Book: All you have to do is step on certain tiles. But, if you miss them, you end up in the snow globes.

Emma: Snow globes?

Katie: Bawls?

Book: *sighs* Come on, you should know the deal by heart by now. :P

Emma: That's probably where Shelia and Alex are keeping the guys. :p

Katie: Papa! Wan' Papa! (She screws up her face like she's going to cry) :((

Book: Very good! Would you like a prize for getting that right? ;)

Emma: Oh, honey... (She takes Katie in one arm and the book in the other) No, smart mouth, I'd just like to know which tile to step on first, before I let Katie tear out your pages. ;)

Book: Hmph. Don't like me being blunt? Afraid I might say something that'll really hurt?

Emma: (Gulps; steps back) Well, I...

Katie: No, Mama! (Points) Go! :)

Emma: Katie, you're right. We have to find your papa.

Book: Maybe he doesn't want to be found.

Emma: Of course, he does. I doubt he wants to stay in a snow globe forever! Anyway, he loves us, and we miss him.

Katie: Papa! My papa! :D

Book: Loves you? Did it seem that way BEFORE he went missing? Maybe you're just afraid of being left alone.

Emma: He...he's just been busy with the album and touring. :o

Katie: Papa! Go! Wan' Papa!

Book: Was that because he really wanted to, or did he just want to get away?

Emma: I...I don't know...

Katie: Mama 'n Papa!

Emma: All he ever talks about is his music and the album. (Frowns) And how do you know so much? You're just a book! :p

Book: Books often have lots of information in them. You oughta know that!

Emma: I do know that! I love to read. I've been reading since I was the twins' age!

Book: Because a book can't snap back at you the way people can. Suppose I were to disprove that? ;)

Emma: Reading...well, it's always been something I could do without getting anything wrong. (Frowns) How?

Book: You could try to read my pages. ;)

Katie: Read! Me! :D

Emma: You want me to read Mr. Book to you, Katie? :)

Katie: Yay! :D

Emma: I'll take that as a "yes." ;) (She opens the book as best she can with one hand and reads) "Take one step onto the white, and you'll be doing all right." (She steps onto the white tile in front of her.)

Katie: More! :D

Emma: (Reads again) "Step onto the green, the one that's the color of a string bean." (She hops a bit over to a green square three tiles away)

Book: Remember to keep track of where you are. Sometimes my pages get a little scrambled. ;)

Emma: I don't WANT to know how that's possible. (She reads again) "You'll be a hop, skip, and a jump ahead, if you make it onto red." (She hops onto a red tile nearby...but it shakes, and she steps back. She and Katie are both wide-eyed)

Katie: Yikes! Bad! :o

Emma: Oh, man. :o

Katie: Go?

Emma: Working on it, honey. (She flips around) Which page is the next tile on?

Book: *sigh* Can you read page numbers?

Emma: You said they were scrambled! (Groans) I'll never be able to do this! Why do I think I can do anything? :(

Katie: Go, Mama! (Tugs at the book) Book!

Emma: I am, honey. (Reads) "Careful not to lose a shoe as you jump over to blue." (To the book) Couldn't you tell me if this is the right one?

Book: No.

Emma: (Gulps) I guess I don't have much of a choice. I have to find Mike. Katie needs her papa, and I...I need him, too. (She jumps four squares onto a blue tile...and almost loses her balance, but manages to right herself and her daughter)

Book: Did you ever make sure he knows those things?

Emma: He knows! Katie adores him! He's just been...busy. (She reads again) "Don't get burnt...and we feel the same...by the tile the color of an orange flame." (She jumps again, as far as she can carrying a book and a toddler...and makes it to the orange tile) We did it! :D

Katie: Yay! :D

Book: *voice becomes familiar...with a Texan accent* Great job, darlin'. I knew you'd do it. :)

Katie: (Beams) Papa! Papa book! :D

Emma: (Eyes widen at the book) MIKE? :o

Book: Sorta. It's my spirit. The rest of me's still in that da...rned snow globe. :P ;)

Emma: Oh, baby, you know I'd never leave you. :)

Book: Thank you, darlin'. It's good to hear that. I love you, darlin'. It may not always seem like it, but you know how I get about my music.

Emma: We love you, too, both of us. (She steps off of the orange tile and back onto the ice. She, Katie, and the book now face the typewriter.) Ok, what do I do here?

Book: Just type what's in the book.

Emma: Ok. (Puts Katie and the book down) I'm going to need my hands free. Katie, don't rip Papa. ;)

Katie: 'Kay. :)

(Emma opens the book as Katie picks up a ball of snow and tosses it over her head, letting it fall on her and the book and making her giggle. :)) )

Emma: (Types) "There is no love..." (frowns) That doesn't look right. (crosses it out and pulls out a bottle of white corrective fluid, covering it, then pushing the typewriter back) "There is nothing in the world so desperate as..." (Frowns) I don't like that, either.

Book: Uh, Katie, don't let me get TOO wet. :P ;)

Katie: Sowwy, Papa! (She kisses the book's spine) Dwy?

Book: Thank youk, darlin'. :)

Emma: Katie, be careful. (Finally stops typing, shaking her head) This isn't working out at all! I've used up almost the entire bottle of Wite-Out! I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm a good typist!

Book: Come on, darlin', I know you can do it!

Emma: I just...don't like this. (Smiles) I'd rather write about something I like, something that makes me happy.

Book: That might work.

(Emma grins, typing away. Her fingers fly over the keyboard. After she finishes, she pulls out the paper and reads it.)

Emma: (Grins as she reads) "Once upon a time, there was a cowboy and a writer who didn't think they needed love. They were afraid to love, as they'd been hurt before. They wanted control and order, and love was chaotic. Yet, they managed to fall in love with each other, despite their differences, because they cared. He was stubborn and stoic, but loving and calm under the uncompromising exterior. She was emotional and shy, but more intelligent, kinder, and stronger than she realized. A witch tried to take him away, to make him a slave to her, but his writer used her imagination to release her sagebrush rider from her wiles. They had a beautiful daughter who was as strong as her father and as smart and kind as her mother, and the three lived very happily until the end of their days."

Book: *sniffs* That was beautiful, darlin'.

Emma: When I find your...well, the rest of you, it's for you. (Gulps) Honey, I love you. I know we fight and fuss and argue, but I really care about you. I've never cared about anyone like I do you!

Book: I feel the same way, darlin'. I'll be waiting. :)

(The wall dissolves and fades, revealing a new corridor.)

Emma: Ok, where to go now?

Book: Just go straight. :)

Emma: Ok, honey. (She picks up Katie, turning to the book) What about you? Should I bring you, too?

Book: No can do. I'll see you when you come for us. Bye, darlin',

Emma: (Sighs) Bye, honey. (Picks up Katie) Come on, sweetie. Let's go find your papa. :)

Katie: Yay! :D (As she and her mother head down the corridor, she looks over her shoulder at the book and waves) Bye-bye, Papa! Love you! :D

Book: *as he fades out* Goodbye!