After a few hours of searching we hadn't found anything more but the shoe. Eddie had too go back to his building before curfew and me and Angeline made a quick run through of what we knew. Eddie had called Court straight after the searching was done and I had called Donna Stanton on my way back from Adrian's. Rose and some other guardians were coming the next day to aid us and search further from school. Adrian had texted me and told me that he couldn't get a hold of Jill but was gonna keep trying all through the night. Everything was organized and I decided to try and catch some sleep even though it probably would be hard with the horrible feeling of worry and fear twisting in my stomach. I was a torn apart mess. Jill was like a little sister to me. She'd grown to matter as much as my real little sister Zoe did to me. I just hoped she was okay. After an hour or so twisting and turning in bed and analyzing every possible scenario I finally drifted into a dreamless sleep.

I woke up in the morning with a feeling of relief for once. My worry and anxiety had exhausted me to the point that I didn't dream and therefore didn't wake up with my heart in my throat and tears on my face. The day seemed brighter than any day had been since that fatal time when everything fell apart but it didn't last long. I suddenly remembered why I had been so worried and my day grew dark and familiar again. Jill. I checked my phone to see if I had gotten a message or a call while being sound asleep but the screen on my phone stared blankly back at me. No news. That was bad. Bad news were always better than no news and at this point I just couldn't take the fact that we were clueless about what had happened. The know-it-all part of me was really irritated that I hadn't figured out a theory yet. It all seemed so weird. How could someone walk in our dorm, snatch a teenage girl - who obviously struggled if we believed the shoe - a few meters from my room and then walk out and disappear without a trace? If they drugged Jill they would have to carry her out and that would not go by unseen in our small lobby. The pieces just didn't add up. I had the strange feeling that something wasn't right. Something was missing and it was something more than Jill. I hurried with my morning routine and stressed through the entire school day. Sometime around lunch I got a text from Eddie saying that Rose and the guardians had arrived and were searching the grounds. For a second I felt relief before my despair returned. Adrian kept me posted about his attempts for spirit dreams and I received a text telling me that she probably was drugged which made spirit dreams impossible, but Adrian told me that he wouldn't stop trying. He was gonna take a quick break to recharge and then jump at it again. It felt good talking to Adrian again and not feeling such an emotional mess whenever I thought of him. Jill's disappearance had brought out our will to work past our own emotions and stay focused at our target. We were forced to work together and put all personal matter aside for the time being. Everything went by in a blur until the school day finally was over and me, Eddie and Angeline were going to Clarence's to meet up with Rose and the guardians and share clues and leads. When I got to the car Eddie and Angeline were already there. That surprised me since I'd almost ran there as soon as I got off from school. I unlocked Latte and we all climbed in in silence. I drove to Clarence's as fast as the traffic laws allowed and was not surprised to see Adrian's car parked up front. We all rushed in and got greeted in the hall by Dorothy, Clarence's housekeeper and feeder. We got shown into the living room where Rose, Clarence, Adrian and about five guardians where talking to each other loudly. Upon our entrance some looked up and Adrian and Rose practically ran to us.

"Did you and the guardians find anything?", Eddie was quick to get his answers.

"Nothing.", Rose looked really sad and tired.

"How is the spirit dreams going?", I was next in line to get my own answers.

"Bad I'm afraid. Can't get a hold of her. I'll try some more in a couple of minutes.", Both me and Adrian locked our gazes for a second and I saw a quick flash of longing before we both returned to professionalism and moved on. We got a quick presentation of our new guardian friends and then everyone went silent and Rose took command.

"Okay people, here's the deal; Jill's been gone for over twenty-four hours and we need to step up our game. Our only clue is a single shoe dropped in her dorm building and honestly that isn't very much to go on. I suggest we make a plan of action.", She spoke loud and clear. "My proposal is that we focus on contacting her through spirit dreams via Adrian. If we get any leads us guardians should investigate those. I also suggest that we should start to think about possible bad guys that might have taken her. Strigoi isn't the only option here guys."

"What is my task here?", I asked Rose directly.

"Your task is to talk to the alchemists, are they sending any backup? Do the have any leads? Etc.", Rose spoke to me and then directed her gaze to the guardians in the room. "I suggest we all take another search around the school and also that we try to broaden our search a bit.", She pulled out a map and spread it on the coffee table. She started making plans with the guardians and assigning areas while I stood in a corner and felt useless. I'd already done my part. I had talked to Donna and the alchemists and they'd said that they didn't know anything. I went to the kitchen and got a can of diet pop and hopped up on a bench. My mind started working up possible scenarios about the kidnapping, or in worst case, murder. When I was in the middle of a pretty horrible thought of how she could be dead at this point Adrian strolled in the room. He nodded at me and then went straight to the fridge. I nodded back a second to late and kept my eyes on his back. It was hard being in Clarence's kitchen with him again. A part of me wanted to break down in tears while another part of me wanted to hug him. He turned around and I quickly moved my gaze to the can in my hand. He leaned against the bench to my right and for a moment we just were there in silence. Both refused looking at each other. After a couple of minutes of strained silence Adrian finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry about the other day. I was a jerk.", I saw from the corner of my eye how he looked up from his feet and stared at my cheek for a second before returning his gaze to the floor.

"I'm sorry for everything.", I said. I looked up at the ceiling and blinked away some escaping tears.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It wasn't you who acted like an asshole when you didn't get what you wanted."

"Adrian-"

"It's true. Even though I am a spoiled brat and an asshole normally it doesn't give me the right to act like that towards people I care for.", We both looked at each other at the same time and locked our gazes for a moment. I got lost in his wonderful green eyes and when we finally broke apart I felt cold and sad.

"I never thought you acted like that.", I put away my can on the bench next to me and started picking with the hem of my blouse. My feelings were all over the place. I didn't know if I was happy that we talked normally or sad that we slipped into this subject.

"I sure did and you know that. No point denying it Sage."

"I thought you had every right to act like that. I mean, why wouldn't you? I pushed you away."

"No you didn't. We were in it together, okay? I pushed you and you took a step back. It's a natural reaction Sage, no need to worry about it.", He turned his head toward me but I didn't want to look at him and let my face betray my feelings. I was so sad. So sad that he beat himself up about this, sad that he thought it was all his fault.

"Natural or not natural, It was my fault.", I said it with my most stern tone to mark that I meant it and I didn't accept any discussions about it.

"I'm going to agree with you for the sake of not wanting a fight, but you're still wrong. Now let's change the subject, shall we? I've had it with sadness today. Stupid little Jailbat, getting herself kidnapped.", I looked at him while he spoke and his face went from sad to really worried. It seemed like we were in the same emotional roller-coaster at the moment.

"Yeah, I feel awful about that. How did I miss her? She must have been snatched right outside my door while I was in the room but I didn't even notice!", I went from sad to worried to frustrated. How did I miss a kidnapping that took place right outside my door? That was really bad of me. They must have drugged her so that she couldn't scream or something.

"You can't blame yourself for that. She was frickin kidnapped. Obviously by someone strong since that weirdo must have been carrying her out from your dorm. Heck, if you would've heard something and rushed to the rescue you would probably be kidnapped now too.", He looked at me with fire in his eyes.

"Yeah maybe. But I could've done something. Like ran and got Angeline so we could follow the kidnapper or something. Anything.", I was disappointed in myself. I knew it wasn't my fault but I still couldn't shake the feeling that I should have noticed something while the kidnapping was ongoing. How did they snatch her without leaving a trace? Something about this wasn't right.

"Not to be rude or anything but you probably would've been helpless. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go and work my spirit mojo. Bye Sunshine.", He walked out of the kitchen and I followed him with my eyes. I still didn't like that new nickname of mine.