***For the sake of moving this story along, I'm going to jump ahead in the story. It has now been a month, and Lux is still missing. ***
CATE'S POV
Here I am again for about the thousandth time this month, sitting on Lux's bed staring into space. I sit there thinking about something we may have missed, or other places Lux might have gone. We have searched practically every inch of Portland and its surrounding areas, and haven't even had one lead to go on. We've put out missing persons fliers, had her picture on TV, we even had volunteers help with a thorough search around the area she was last seen. Ryan and I talk about her everyday on the radio, hoping that maybe she's listening somewhere and will come back. My mind starts to wander to the reason she ran away in the first place, and I start to cry. I can't help but think that the possibility is there that maybe she… I can't even say it. A few minutes later I feel someone sit down next to me.
"Cate don't do this to yourself. She'll show up! I know she will 'cause she loves us!" Baze reassured me.
"No! She loved us, until we betrayed her! I want her with me… with us!" I was sobbing hysterically at this point, but I was on the brink of a break down. "I just want to hold her and make everything better, but I can't…" I said through sobs.
"Neither of us can Cate, but coming up here everyday and crying isn't going to do anyone any good… You need to come down and get something to eat, and then we will go for a drive." Baze said as he put his hand on my back and waited for an answer.
"Well I'm not really hungry, but I'd like to go for a drive." I replied.
BAZE'S POV
I kept glancing over at Cate as we drove up and down random streets throughout the city. She was looking at every person we passed just hoping that maybe one of them was Lux. I was the same way the first 2 weeks Lux was missing, until one day the police sat down and told us that the likelihood of us finding her after this much time was slim. She could be anywhere by now. I pulled over to the side of the road and turn to face Cate. "We really need to talk. About all of this… we always beat around the bush, but never bring up the possibility that maybe she is gone."
"Well obviously she is gone Baze! I mean why else have we not seen our daughter in a month!" Cate yelled at me.
"That's not the kind of gone I mean. What I'm saying is…" I swallow as tears fill my eyes, then I continue, "What I'm trying to say is that we should prepare ourselves for the worst."
"NO! No I refuse! We will not talk about this! Lux is ALIVE… she's alive!" Cate yelled angrily before pushing open the door and exiting the car.
I got out quickly and followed her. "Where're you going?"
"I don't know, but I'm not sitting in that car with you! YOU'RE her DAD! How can you think that way?" Cate stopped quickly and turned to face me.
"Because Cate… 'cause like it or not neither of us really know OUR daughter! She is as new to us as we are to her! She tried to kill herself last year… why? I don't know, because she never told us! And I'm guessing her life isn't going too well for her right now with the running away and all… so excuse me Cate if I'm extremely frightened that there is a possibility that she may have killed herself!" As soon as it came out of my mouth, I regretted saying it. It was no longer a thought pushed to the side. I watched as Cate completely broke down. She was having trouble even standing, so I stepped forward and took her in my arms and just let her cry. That's when I decided, that no matter what I was going to find Lux. Cate is right, I'm her dad and I can't give up this easily. I will not rest until she is back with us. Suddenly I remembered a conversation Cate and I had with Lux a while back, and it gave me an idea on how to find her. The chances were small that it even meant anything, but I had to try something!
***Sorry it's not very long. I've had a busy week of work and haven't had any time to write! But I wanted to at least get a little something up for everyone who likes this story!***