I've lost a pretty good number of you already. Are you ready for it to get worse?

For the last few months, Maggie had ridden the bus to and from school. She was a smart girl, talkative and friendly to everyone. She was a bright spot in everyone's day at the workshop where her father and uncle ran their business, Cullen Brothers Carpentry. There was a rotating list of who would walk her to the bus stop and pick her up, depending on who was available if Edward was too busy. That day, Rose picked her up from the bus stop and let her play with the dollhouse tucked into the private room of the shop office. She would come into the shop with whoever had picked her up and say hello to her father, get a snack from the mini fridge, and either do homework or play in the office. Rose ran the office portion of the business, answering phone calls, taking orders, and maintaining their website. She was the one to keep watch over Maggie more often than not; they had a strong bond after Rose cared for her the most in the days after Maggie's mother died.

When Edward was done with his workday he stepped into the front room to get her, but she was nowhere to be found.

"What do you mean she isn't here?" Edward demanded of his tearful sister-in-law. Rose was beside herself with guilt that Maggie wasn't where she'd last seen her.

"After she got her snack, she was coloring at the table. I never saw her leave the office, and I've been right here." After indicating her chair at the desk just outside the office door, Rose sniffed and wiped at her cheeks with her palms.

"How did she leave the front office if you were here? Are you sure you didn't leave for any reason?" Edward grabbed her arm and shook it, knowing he was too demanding, too rough with Rose, but his baby was missing and his judgment was clouded.

"I swear, the only time I moved was to use the bathroom, but I looked in on her after I came back. The phones have been ringing nonstop today. I guess she snuck out behind me." Edward recognized the desperate look in her eyes and backed off. Rose loved Maggie like her own, and she was pregnant. He wasn't capable of being nicer to her at that moment, so he paced away from her while he thought about what they should do.

He found Emmett in the shop in the back of the building and told him he was needed. Together they looked all throughout the shop, checking in cupboards, closets, and the bathroom. They looked in the woods behind the building and in everyone's vehicles. Then they called the school, family members, Maggie's friends, and friends of friends. Nobody had seen his little girl.

The tension built in Edward's chest until he finally exploded, throwing what tools were nearest to his hand. Chisels and rasps flew across the room, chipping wood and breaking glass. "What the fuck!"

Emmett did his best to console him, but there was nothing Edward needed more than his daughter in his arms. It can't be happening again. I can't lose anyone else.

The two men made their way to the office in the front to see if anything had changed. Through the windows they watched as a Forks Police car pulled into the gravel lot, the shade of blue similar to the faded paint on the building the brothers leased. Rose was waiting for them in the parking lot, and a middle-aged man in a uniform climbed out of the vehicle and immediately started asking her questions.

"I told her to go ahead and call them to help us look. You need to remain calm." Emmett placed his hand on Edward's shoulder, as much to hold him in place as to comfort him.

"Fuck that." Edward paced, he cursed, and he watched every move the people arriving made. Somebody knew something. A five-year-old couldn't just disappear!

Suddenly, a lot of people were there: his parents, teachers, too many bodies reminding him of his wife's wake. More police taking more statements until there was Ben, hugging him and telling him he was sorry.

"I had to deliver the Thompson dresser. I can't believe she's just gone."

Edward held onto his best friend for a minute, seeking a sense of reassurance. "They'll find her, right?"

Ben nodded. "They have to. I'm sure she's fine, Edward. Everybody knows everybody in this town, and someone will spot her. I'm sure she thought she could walk down to the ice cream store or to a friend's house or something."

Ben's words only slightly mollified him. It was true that Maggie thought she was big enough to walk alone, but she had never been allowed to do it.

"Edward." Emmett waved him over to where he was holding the door open for a man in uniform. "This is Chief Swan. He wants to know when you last saw Maggie."

"Really?" Edward asked in agitation. It was obvious he had nothing to do with whatever had happened to her. He wanted their resources to be used on finding out where she'd snuck off to, not on questioning him. "She came into the back part of the shop after Rose picked her up from the bus stop this afternoon. About three-fifteen."

"We just need to start a timeline, sir. The more information we can gather, the better." The man's voice was unperturbed at Edward's attitude. It wasn't unusual for a distressed parent to be irritable.

Edward looked over the chief. He was in his mid-forties by Edward's guess, dark hair and eyes in a kind face. He wore a thick black coat with an embroidered badge on the left breast, the name C. Swan on the opposite side. Edward wondered idly if the C stood for chief or something like Calvin.

"Are there people looking for her? Officers?" Edward asked, not giving a damn how rude his tone of voice was.

Chief Swan nodded. "Yes. Your . . ." He paused and looked at his notes. "Your sister-in-law, Rosalie Cullen, showed us a recent picture of Margaret on her cell phone. It's been sent out to all of my men and women. They're at the school, in the surrounding woods, and on the streets."

"Maggie."

"Excuse me?" Chief Swan looked up at Edward.

"She goes by Maggie."

"Of course. Thanks." Edward watched the chief write that down. "And your wife, can we speak to her and ask her when she last saw your daughter?"

Edward stood frozen for long seconds, all the air leached from his lungs. He hadn't been asked about Beth in a very long time. He almost didn't know what to say. Sorry, the last time my wife saw her daughter was when Maggie was in diapers. Then she died and left me to raise our baby alone.

"M-my, um, my w-wife . . ." He had to stop talking and lean over with his hands on his knees. His breath was coming in sharp pants and he closed his eyes against the spinning room.

Emmett spoke up instead as the Chief frowned at Edward's distress. "Maggie's mother passed away four years ago."

Edward's breathing slowed as his brother rubbed his back. Chief Swan scribbled some more, then stepped away to speak to an officer. When he returned, he handed a station business card to Edward.

"Those on foot will continue to search for her until dark. We have Clallam County on alert to bring out their search dogs. That will take the better part of an hour given their distance from this location. If you have any questions, receive any unusual phone calls such as a request for ransom, or if you find her, please call the station immediately." He stuck out his hand and Edward shook it halfheartedly.

He didn't know what was expected of him at that point, but he knew what he wanted—no, needed—to do. He grabbed his keys off the peg by the door of the office and headed for his truck. When he reached the door he realized he had company.

Emmett and Ben climbed into the four-door truck with him. Emmett sat in the front because he had the longest legs and needed the most room. Ben got in the back and clapped Edward on the shoulder as he spoke.

"Let's go look for her."

Edward pulled away silently and began the tedious task of driving up and down all of the streets in a grid. He moved from the shop to the center of their small town in agonizing slowness, looking between houses and behind businesses whenever possible. He rolled his window down and called Maggie's name until he was hoarse. When he couldn't see the streets anymore, he realized it was because tears clouded his vision and night was falling.

He stopped the truck with an abruptness that sent his passengers surging forward. Emmett braced his hands on the dash and stared at Edward. "Out, brother. Switch with me."

Edward climbed out without a word, swapping with Emmett and settling in the passenger seat to stare out the window. His lungs were burning, his chest heavy and hollow. His head was a mess of thoughts and worry, what ifs and despair. What if they didn't find her out there? Night was almost upon them, and his five-year-old would be lost and alone. It was cold. She had to be hungry. How would he sleep? How would he cope?

He simply didn't have it in him to go through this much loss another time. He didn't want to stop the search, couldn't admit that it was time to give it a rest for the night. His daughter was out there in the dark. He couldn't focus on anything else. His breathing was shallow and quick when Emmett pulled back into the shop parking lot. Edward slumped forward and tried to remember how to breathe as the truck door was opened and his brother grabbed his shoulders to pull him upright.

"Come home with me. I'll help you get through this."

Edward gasped for several minutes as the panic attack hit him hard. Emmett hugged him, supporting him through it all. Edward knew he was lucky to have the brother he'd been blessed with.

"Edward?" His mother's voice brought his head up from Emmett's shoulder. He was still sitting in the truck, and he realized that Ben was standing to one side and his parents were on the other.

"We've been out looking for Maggie," Emmett explained to Esme. She was tear-stained and looked miserable.

"We went with the search dogs when they arrived. There was no sign of her past the property line." Their usually well put together father was disheveled.

"What could have happened?" Esme asked.

"I don't know, Mom. I wish I did," Emmett answered since Edward continued trying to breathe through his panic attack.

"Rose is a mess, Emmett. Why don't we go home with Edward and you take your wife home?" Carlisle suggested.

Emmett hesitated, looking around for Rose. She was inside the office, sitting on the couch with Ben's wife.

"Go, Emmett," Edward managed to gasp out. "I'll be fine with Mom and Dad."

Emmett didn't exactly believe him, but he stepped away regardless. He had to focus on Rose and how losing Maggie was affecting her, especially since she was pregnant. Carlisle took his place, helping Edward out of the truck since it appeared that the panic attack had passed. Esme wrapped her arms around Edward and just held on. He didn't have it in him to console them, even though he knew they were upset, too.

"What did the police say?" Edward asked his father.

"They said they'll begin again in the morning."

"I don't know what to do. She's alone, and it's dark and cold. She's my baby, Dad, how do I live with this?"

"I don't have the answer to that, son. I'm sorry."

A sob escaped him as he clutched his mother tighter. He had no idea what he was going to do with himself until Maggie was found.

Emmett and Rose went home, and Ben and Angela went home. Carlisle and Esme put Edward in their car and drove to his place. Edward wandered the empty house, lost and alone again. He found himself in his daughter's room picking up her favorite stuffed bear and staring at the pink and yellow comforter on her bed. Tears slid down his cheeks even as his knees gave out and he sank to the floor. He screamed as loudly as he could, roaring his anguish out into the empty space surrounding him. Without Maggie, he had no reason to go on. They had to find her. They had to.

Esme found him, alarmed by his screams. She simply sat on the floor with him and held him as they both cried. "We'll find her, Edward. I promise we'll fix this. I promise."

If only he could believe her.

Any of you that worried his deceased wife was Bella but didn't ask, now you know. Her name was Beth. I hope you asked your hard limit questions because I'm cutting off the answers.