AN: Yes, it been about a decade since I stopped writing. I got deterred when I lost my files. But with trying to follow the shelter-in-place orders, I rediscovered my muse and really found writing again was the best form of procrastination. Bonus, with the cloud options, I don't have to worry about losing my stories. I decided to pick off where I left off, and rediscover where these stories were leading.
Pacing back and forth, Seth was burning a path on the floor, from one end of the Cullen's living room to the other. Everyone else was as much on the edge as Seth was but steered clear of his path.
"Seth stop! Just stop. You're giving me a headache." Jacob expressed leaning on one side of the room. His eyes darting back and forth following Seth's stride.
"I can't! They should be back now. I don't know why we had to wait here." Seth's frustration heightened as more time passed.
Though it's only been a week, actually going on two, to Seth and his mother it felt a lifetime. His sister never returned from her walk and has yet to make contact. When the next morning Seth realized his sister never returned home, he felt sick and there was an uneasiness in the pit of his stomach. His instincts knew something was wrong, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing. He checked with his mother, the Cullen's, the Elders, and the pack, and no one had heard from her. They thought if she were in danger she would have sounded an alarm or have called. Seth shifted in and out for any sense of her with no luck. It wasn't until they discovered Jacob had her phone, which he has yet to explain, the packs and Cullen's started searching for her. All they ended up doing was chasing their tails, her scent was all over the area. No one could find a fresh scent. After two days, Sue and Charlie insisted on reporting her missing, despite the council's reluctance. To them, they believed it was a wolf gone rogue but to Sue, it was a daughter gone missing.
When the official report went out, the story was it was a report of a missing young woman who may have been lost in the woods. After a search party extended to Forks and Port Angeles, Charlie was able to use resources available to the police and initiated a full investigation.
It wasn't long before their ears perked up as distant tires that drove onto an unpaved road which leads up to the house. Only taking two long strides, Seth opens the front door and meets the oncoming cars at the bottom of the front steps, with Jacob and all others in the house trailing behind. Seth notices his mother was not present, though the sheriff's car was there. It made him hopeful as if they located his sister, his mother would not allow herself to be separated from her. But then Charlie wouldn't have left his mother. He stepped out of the car with an unfamiliar demeanor Seth didn't recognize. The man who is walking towards him was not the man he's known his whole life, his father's best friend, fishing and hunting companion, Charlie the man of few words. No. Not this man in uniform. The Chief of Police, Chief Swan of Forks was here for official business. His heart stopped then shifted to Edward and Carlisle.
"Let's all go inside." Carlisle states as he places a comforting hand on Seth's shoulder as to guide him inside.
As they all filled the living room, Embry didn't waste any time with his frustration. "So are you guys going to tell us what's up or what?"
"And where's Sue? Wasn't she with you?" Jacob interjected.
All were looking to Carlisle and Edward for updates.
"The search has been officially called off and the missing person report has been receded." An authoritative, yet awkward voice came from the other side of the room. While everyone walked back into the living room, Charlie did not walk past the threshold and opted to stand at the doorway.
"That's good right, that means you found Leah. Is she okay? Was she at one of the hospitals?" a lost voice called out amongst the group sounding too hopeful.
"No. We came up empty at hospitals in the county and the outline states." Edward was trying to keep up with all the thoughts flying around. "After we hit several dead ends, we finally heard back from the security company at her bank. It took them a while searching through their outdated surveillance."
"Leah has withdrawn all her money and closed them. All but one, the one she shares with Seth. Well, had. She removed herself from that account as well." Carlisle's eyes never looked away from Seth.
"Why would she do that?" Rosalie spoke up. She was starting to get annoyed with the pace of this conversion. It was like pulling teeth. Just tell us! She yelled in her head, knowing full well that Edward was listening. And she wasn't the only one.
Unbeknownst to most if not all, Rosalie has developed a fondness for the she-wolf. Dare she say a friendship, not that she'll admit it. You would think the two headstrong headed women would butt heads more than not. But Leah had called Rosalie out on several occasions and vice versa. The two came to understanding which led to a budding friendship. Rosalie thinks back to a moment she realized she had someone to relate and understand her bitter undertones. Someone who accepts them.
"It's not that I'm not grateful for the life I have now. Shapeshifting is a freeing power. But it's not a life I would have chosen if given the choice." At the time, Rosalie wasn't sure why she spoke about her notions about her own "condition" after Leah spoke her words. Relaying the same emotions, it was like hoping there was a chance someone could actually listen and not just hear when she talks. Hours and hours, all night into the early morning, they let the other express their grief. Why had she shared so much with the she-wolf? Because Leah was allowing her to share without needing to add her two cents about a higher calling, or make with what you have, move on, or glass is half full. Because Leah knew she wasn't looking for a solution or a bright side. She knew because she had her own experiences. After that night, most hostilities between them faded and were replaced with playful snarky banter. Well, they were both still bitches after all.
"We don't know, but she's gone. In investigations like these, this is where it ends." Chief Swan says, his eyes not leaving Seth.
"She could have wanted a fresh start. She was accepted to several universities and colleges." Carlisle hesitated to continue.
"Yeah, she was talking about that the day she disappeared. So, she probably just went to school." Sure, Quil may act oblivious and aloof and had been stuffing his face with sweets. But he is a wolf and wasn't too far from Jacob and Leah's conversation or more accurately disagreement. He knew better than to get involved between his Alpha and Beta. If only Jacob would take his head out of his ass.
"Unfortunately, we've checked all of the admission offices, and so far, none have heard from her. I've asked all of my contacts and associates to be in touch."
"Wait, so if we don't know where she is, then why are we stopping the search." Jacob continued, "Maybe somebody else could have accessed her account."
Edward and Carlisle looked to Charlie who reached into his jacket pocket. He hesitantly pulled out a CD case. Everyone's eyes were zeroed in on the disk.
"To the investigators, this is proof that she's alive and she's nothing more than a runaway, except she's not because she's nineteen years old. There's not much I can do. With this and witness accounts, she just moved on with her life." Charlie held out the disk to Edward so he could play it for everyone. See is believing.
"But she wouldn't just leave. Not without telling us, certainly not telling Sue and Seth." Paul and really everyone knew that Leah loved nothing more in this world than her brother. If anything, if Leah did leave on her own accord, Seth would be along with her. She would never leave him behind. Paul looked over to Seth who hasn't said a word since his earlier outburst.
Seth just stood focusing on the static on the television screen. He let out a tiny gasp of air, he hadn't realized he's held, when a blurry image appeared on the screen. There, in the grainy but clear black and white video, was Leah, walking into the bank and not minutes later, walking out. Blaring in the corner was the date and time stamp, it was the morning after she disappeared.
"According to the bank and investigators, she had plenty of money to start over, enough for tuition and small livelihood, even after she transferred most of it to the shared account she then moved on. The Bank manager and teller said she didn't seem to be distressed and the surveillance showed no signs either, there's nothing else to go on. I'm sorry." Charlie looked downcast at his last words.
"As I've said, I've reached out to my contacts at hospitals and institutions, and hope for the best."
"We asked the Denali's and others…" Edward shot a glance over toe Charlie, "to be on alert since they are now familiar with the...Quileute scent."
"And I'll be in touch with other stations to keep an eye out despite the investigation being over."
"None of this makes sense." Everyone was now discussing amongst themselves, trying to wrap their heads around what they were hearing.
Charlie kept his focus on Seth, whose focus was on the surveillance loop playing on the screen. His instincts as a Police Chief was telling him the young man was honing in on something. Something they had missed, something they weren't seeing.
Despite the outdated video quality, that was undeniably Leah Clearwater on the screen. And though nothing seemed out of the ordinary, Seth knew something was off. He kept his focus on the replaying loop of Leah in the bank.
Charlie saw when Seth's revelation hit. "Seth?" The room silenced and returned their focus to the youngest Clearwater.
"The phone." There, on the screen, while waiting in line, Leah was on the phone.
"What about it? Do we know who she was talking to?"
"No. Her phone records showed no activity since she left."
"Jacob still has her phone. So where did she get the phone?" Seth turned to glare at Jacob.
On top of the stairs sat Colin and his imprint. He was meant to distract her in the other room but Renesmee knew how to play innocent and pull on her imprinters and anyone's heartstring when she wanted something. So many thoughts were rattling in her mind. She loved her Aunt Leah and missed her terribly. Did she do something wrong to upset her Leah? She placed her hand on Colin's arm, but not to share her thoughts, but to comfort their shared anxieties. She'll make Leah proud, she knows she liked it better when she used her words.
The small soft angelic voice travels through the air to surround the bodies downstairs.
"So, is Leah not coming home."