The site won't let me reply to all your amazing reviews, so let me just take this opportunity to say a HUGE thankyou for reading and reviewing and sorry i haven't replied personally. Hopefully the site will calm down soon!

Also thank you to ToriTheReviewer for pointing out that the seperations between the different parts of the chapters was missing, believe me i had them added but they disappeared when i posted! Thanks for letting me know, i'll remember to check future chapters X

Ok, on with the show:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Two

Shelley Lee dug another hole, deeper than the last, and placed the fledging rosebush carefully into the ground. She carefully patted the dirt around the base, mindful of the thorns on the young plant, securing the stem into the garden, ensuring it remained standing as it grew into a forceful reminder of the beauty of life.

This was her ritual, every year for the past sixteen. Plant a flower on this day. She'd worked her way through so many different ones, now it was a rose bush. The blood red colours reminding her of that night when it had all almost ended. Did end. Only to start again.

She wiped the sweat that had pooled above her eyes with the back of one muddied, gloved hand. Sitting back on her legs she gazed at the rose bush, trying to imagine it fully grown. What would she plant next year? Would she make it to this day a year from now? If the roses were to survive then she'd have to tend to them, have to be here for them, have to stay.

She blinked up at the midday sun and basked in it's warmth. Today was a good day, a positive day.

What would tomorrow hold?

She'd managed to keep herself held high and walking forward, stumbling, yes, but picking herself up from her knees and carrying on. Rachel had managed the same, they understood that in each other, understood the pain of pushing forward into another day, of walking outside, allowing life to continue. Where was Rachel? The police had nothing, they had no leads, no clues, well, none that they'd divulge though. But from the looks in their eyes Shelley knew they thought Rachel was dead.

So did Shelley, but maybe not at the hands of this killer that the papers were calling the Invisible Abductor. No, Shelley imagined something more prosaic, something more Plath for Rachel. A basement somewhere, curled up in the corner, asleep, peaceful, never to awaken. A kinder thought than the one that plagued her at night, waking her screaming from the images of her friend being murdered at the hands of an attacker.

If her friend had decided on her own path then Shelley knew she'd have to respect her decision. Even if it cut deep. But they'd promised each other a note would be left, some form of recognition. Shelley had always thought to leave Rachel her home and garden, give her a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to leave the house. Be responsible for lives, even if they were just plants. Rachel though? Rachel had always said she would leave her journal. Would drop it off on the porch step and leave quietly, no fuss, no mess. Just disappear.

But nothing had been left, and there was the blood in the street. Shelley knew Rachel, knew she would never allow someone else to clean up her mess, would never allow the heart break of a blood trail. If she was going to do it, it would have been pills and a deep sleep.

Clean, quiet.

No, Rachel hadn't made 'the' decision, not yet. Shelley was sure. Something else had taken her.

She was broken from her reverie by a quiet cough that came from just outside her small fence. She looked up, and up until she found the kindest eyes she'd ever seen looking down at her.

"Hi, I'm Officer Markson , are you Shelley Lee?"

Shelley pulled off her gloves as she stood and extended her hand to the young man in greeting.

"Yes, that's me"

"Is it ok if I ask you some questions about Rachel Jacobs?"

"Sure, I'm not sure what help I can be though, I've told the other Officer everything that Rachel told me"

Dean stepped forward and shook Shelley's hand lightly.

"Hi, I'm Officer Page, Anything you can tell us will be a great help"

"What do you want to know?"

"You've said to our colleague that Rachel was acting strange? Saying she kept seeing someone in the street"

"Yes, a little girl, she said she'd seen her three or four times but every time she ran to her she disappeared. A few days later is when Rachel vanished. That's all I know"

Sam smiled his kindest, most sincere smile and Dean rolled his eyes. He knew what was coming, his brother was about to hit her with a full on Sam-Attack.

"Listen, I know that's what you've told the other Officers , but we need to know anything, anything at all that you think can help us find your friend"

Shelley considered him, his sincere look, his deep brown eyes, begging her to trust him. She hadn't told the other Officers about the suicidal thoughts that Rachel and her both shared, about the pact with the parting gifts. She guessed that as soon as she mentioned that then the search was over. But this officer, he seemed to care, he seemed to want to know. Something about him told her he could help. Hell, she needed all the help she could get at the moment. Rachel hadn't disappeared of her own accord, of that Shelley was certain.

"There, erm.." Shelley paused, so scared that he would walk away the second the words left her lips.

Sam bent slightly so that he wasn't towering above her and he smiled again, encouraging.

"There was an understanding between us, a kind of pact. You have to understand she didn't do anything though, I know that for a fact" Shelley's voice had risen in pitch and her posture was defensive, Dean stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.

"It's ok, you don't have to defend anything, just tell us"

"Maybe you should come inside, this isn't a conversation I want overheard"

The brothers followed Shelley into her house, the white exterior of the porch gave way to a beautifully open expanse of living room and kitchen, everything bright and airy, everything opened and welcoming. The whole house was daring to defy anyone of experiencing claustrophobia. The interior was all cream, the couch a light mauve colour and the floor a light beige. There were pictures on every wall, family members, friends, posters of mountains and seas, of whales and dolphins, of horses and valleys. The whole place struck Sam as a constant reminder of the beauty of life, although it seemed to him that this was forced, as if this woman was desperately trying to remind herself that living was good. Living was easy.

"Coffee?"

"Please"

Sam glared at Dean who simply looked innocent and raised his arms in a shrug. He mouthed the words 'What?' and earned a shake of the head from Sam. Sam hated taking anything from the people they had to investigate and research. Dean however was all for the free stuff, even if it was just a cup of coffee.

Shelley brought the mugs over and set them on the pine table in the centre of the room. She sat across from the brothers in another mauve chair.

"Shelley?" Sam prompted.

"Rachel and I , we had this, pact" Shelley spread her hands then brought them back together, entwining the fingers and seeming to test that each digit was there, her fingers became so entwined that Dean was mesmerized by the action, forgetting for a second why they were there until Sam coughed again to bring the attention back to the matter at hand.

"We've been friends for years, many years now actually. We met at a support group for people who had near death experiences."

"You almost died?"

"Yes, in a car crash, took them ten minutes to bring me back. I had a hard time dealing with that, the thought that I'd almost made it only to be brought back"

Sam tensed visibly, had he heard her right? To his surprise it was Dean that spoke.

"They found you in time?"

"Yes"

"How'd they know where to look?"

Shelley looked at Dean with tears in her eyes but a smile on her face. He understood.

Sam looked at his brother a little shocked. He was only just beginning to catch up with the conversation .

"Considering I chose a secluded road with little to no traffic, can you believe a do good woman walking her dog called the paramedics?" Shelley laughed sadly at the memory.

"It was sixteen years ago today. I met Rachel at a group for people who were finding it difficult to move on after their experiences, my mother had made me go, I never told her how the accident really happened so I had to play along and go to the meeting, all seemed a bit forced to tell you the truth, but I was thankful I met Rachel. She was there because she had taken an accidental overdose, or so she claimed at the time, she soon told me the truth. Honestly though, we both saw the need for a reason in each other, so we became that reason. Every year we planted a flower in my garden, we'd call each other every day, we'd meet up for lunch, dinner , we became each other's crutch. We had a pact, that if ever we decided to do it, really do it, that we'd leave the other something. Rachel was supposed to leave her journal on my porch"

"She never did?" Asked Dean.

Shelley shook her head sadly.

"And that's how you know she's been taken?"

"Yeah"

"Why didn't you tell the other officers?" Asked Sam, trying to keep the shock out of his voice. He tried to ignore the thought that Dean knew what this woman had meant before he had out of his mind.

"I thought they'd give up the search. Figure she was just another suicidal person that had gone missing. She hasn't though, hasn't ended it herself, I just know she hasn't"

Dean sipped his coffee and looked at Sam over the rim, his brother still looked a little shocked at the way the conversation had gone, but Dean had understood. Maybe that's what had shocked little brother so, no doubt he'd find out soon enough. Sam had the 'I think we need to talk' look etched across his features.

Dean just raised his eyes and carried on drinking.

Sam raised his eyes and frowned. He turned back to Shelley.

"If we have any further questions is it ok if we call you?"

"Sure"

Shelley showed them both to the door, as they walked out onto the porch she caught Dean's arm.

"You're not going to give up the search are you?"

"Not until we find her or find out what happened to her."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

So how'd ya think it's shaping up? Hope you like, if you do, let me know!