The Twilight Series belongs to S. Meyer, no copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing with the characters.

AN: I wasn't going to post until tomorrow but the writing's going well so I thought I would put up another chapter.

She was scared—something was wrong and she could feel it with every fiber of her body. He was gone, missing—leaving without a word to anyone and with nothing. She couldn't believe that he would just leave without his wallet, cellphone, or his vehicle.

Allison had called the Clearwater house frantic yesterday. She had come home from a shift at the hospital where she worked as a clerk to find Sam's truck in the driveway and the door to it wide open. But that wasn't the worst part; even more unnerving were the large animal tracks just near the forest.

Within hours a search party was formed. The forests near the Uley property were combed until it became too dark to search. There was no sense in continuing a search when one couldn't see more than three feet in front of them. The search was continuing today.

Try as she might, it was difficult for her to focus on school. Time had invariably slowed to a near screeching halt. Classes dragged on for what seemed like forever. She wished she had been successful in getting her parents to let her stay home and help with the search. The very idea had been quickly shot down.

Her dad was sure they would find Sam within a day or two. Despite her protesting his recent illness and the fact he could be delirious from fever—they refused to let her skip school. She only had two weeks left so she guessed they were right in some ways.

"You okay, Leah?"

She startled at the sound of her name being called. Glancing over she saw both Paul and Jared standing near her desk, concerned looks on both their faces.

"Fine…I'm fine…" she hedged; the tears she had held in check since early this morning brimmed to the surface. She had to believe that he was okay.

"Are you sure," Jared asked quietly. "We heard about Sam this morning."

"We're going to help out after school today," Paul added.

She swiped at the tears that started to fall. Words failed her as she nodded; though she wasn't sure what she was agreeing to. It seemed both of them understood whatever she was trying to convey.

An awkward silence fell in their small group. It was broken by Mrs. Specht's voice, "Did the three of you have a question? If not, you need to get to your next class."

She gathered her stuff together and stood abruptly. Suddenly, her head felt fuzzy, her vision hazy as she started to succumb to the overwhelming dizziness. She barely felt the warm arms that gripped hers tightly; keeping her from falling to the ground. Instead of fighting against the blackness, she gave into it. She didn't have a reason to fight.

When she came to, she wasn't sure where she was nor how much time had gone by. Wherever it was—it was quiet with muted lighting. She heard muffled voices and sat up. This time she took several deep breaths and stood slowly; giving her body time to adjust to the change of position.

She had barely eaten anything today. Her stomach was tied in knots. The very thought of food made her feel nauseated. Her head pounded from the lack of food and sleep.

So far, so good, she thought as she gingerly took a few steps forward. Her gait was slow and steady as she made her way out of the small darkened room. She focused on the voices and it didn't take long before she realized where she was. The nurse's office; it made sense.

"Leah, honey, are you alright," her dad's voice washed over her.

She walked the last few steps into her dad's arms. Her voice breaking as she pleaded, "Please, daddy. I want to go home. I can't be here, not today."

Harry sighed. He had figured something like this would happen; he had heard her crying last night and noticed how she moved the food on her plate around this morning. He couldn't be sure but it was very likely she hadn't taken a single bite.

He wrapped his arms tighter around her. "Only today, baby girl. You have to finish these last few weeks, okay? No matter what happens—you know Sam wouldn't want you to throw away these last few weeks."

"But I can't…it's too hard…please…"

Her sobs tugged at his heart strings and he found it difficult to deny her what she wanted. Instead, he opted for a compromise. "I'll talk with your mother tonight and if—if she agrees we'll talk to the principal and see if you can take your final exams early."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Come on; let's get your stuff so we can get you home."

She nodded; her sobs quieting to mere sniffles. "What about my car?"

"I ran into Paul. He said he'd bring it over to the house later tonight."

After several days of Leah being unable to concentrate in school her parents finally talked to the principal to find out what they could do about her finals. There was only slightly more than a week left of school. Her teachers were more than willing for her to take her final exams early; though she wouldn't know how she had done until the rest of her classmates took their exams but at least she wouldn't need to sit there for seven hours dealing with the sympathetic looks sent her way. Nor the continued concerned conversations she had to endure.

She understood people wanted her to know they were there for her. But every time someone came near her and asked how she was or whether they had found anything—it brought all those fears she had to the surface. Each and every moment he was gone, she was counting. And this counting was very different from her countdown to the last day of school. It was a countdown to when hope would be lost. To the day they would have to stop the search and accept he was gone.

Each and every day, no matter what the weather was people from the rez and Forks searched. They concentrated the search in the forests surrounding La Push. There were several places where a person could find decent shelter from the elements. So, they concentrated on those areas.

Despite his father's absence in his life it didn't mean that Sam didn't have some knowledge of survival techniques. When he was younger there were camping trips, many of which had been sponsored by the elders of the tribe. A way of ensuring the old ways remained fresh in the young people's minds.

Even the girls of the tribe participated in them. Usually held several times a year; these overnight trips were monitored by parents who volunteered which was really code for everyone took a turn. They learned how to spot the signs nature showed them. Fishing, hunting, and gathering. Building a shelter out of what Mother Earth provided.

She tried to help out with the search but her emotions were too overwhelming and she couldn't do it. Instead she helped out at home. Her mother and other women of the tribe used the Clearwater house as a gathering place for the search teams. They prepared food and manned the phones which rang constantly from concerned citizens who wanted to help in some way.

It was odd how their house had become the central station for all this activity. By tribal traditions all this should be occurring at Billy Black's house. He was, after all, the chief of the tribe. But with his disability and the death of his wife some years past; it fell to the Clearwaters to take this task from him.

Even with school still being in session, many of the same people they both went to school with would show up after classes and help with the search. Embry, Jake, and Quil along with Jared and Paul put aside their differences and helped out. The constant donations and support of the community was overwhelming but no less than what was to be expected when one of their own was lost.

FF_8756144_4 12/3/2012 10:04PM