Disclaimer: Twilight, and those characters belonging to it, is property of Stephenie Meyer and I profit none whatsoever from using them for the fan fiction I write.

Author's Note: Previous Chapter 20 and the smallest addition of new material. Thank you for the recent review encouraging me to continue updating ^.^ Thank you to everyone that has read or re-read and stayed with me. I appreciate it.

…

Kicking the covers off in displeasure around 3 AM, Kady gave up on sleep, checking her phone for any messages from Seth and finding none. When the shower didn't calm her nerves, and knowing it was not the best time in Forks history to wander the streets for a walk, she flipped through her email to see if there had been any responses for the rentals she'd put in. Only one had responded, forwarding documents that would need to be signed for a credit check and other information. Reading over the PDF she saw the need for a copy of her social, a card she had not packed with her when she'd expected just to be visiting. Sighing she started to shut the window then paused, hitting print and opening another window to send to one of her friends back home.

By 4:30 she was in the driver seat of the Dodge, the road to work just as quiet as the day before, keeping her eyes peeled for sign of anyone else. Speaking with Emily the night before, the other imprintee had advised her that the cold ones who had killed Rose were already in town; halflings like Renesmee that could pass for human just as easily as vampire. While she knew there was no reason for them to have any reason to search for her, it was unsettling to realize she was on the lower end of someone else's food chain. Realistically she was aware that was the case of both the Cullens and phased Quileutes, however knowing someone was actually running around killing put it in perspective.

Pulling into the lot behind the strip mall, Kady frowned not seeing Patricia's vehicle in her own spot. Knowing she was early for her own shift was one thing, but Patty had stressed she came in around the time she had woken up to start baking the day's goods. Considering the possibility, she had been dropped off, or walked, she cut quickly around the building to the front of Sweets Bakery, relieved to see some of the lights on in back. Knocking she waited a moment, glancing around the street again, but the woman didn't appear to let her in front. Toes curling in her shoes she gave it another moment before knocking again on the glass, reaching down out of habit to pull the door handle, and was surprised when it opened. Hairs along the back of her neck rising, she hesitated, a hundred movies going through her head before she headed inside.

By the time she came around the counter, a myriad of scenarios had run through her head, chest tight at the speed her heart was working. The ovens were on, heat pouring from the left half of the room, prep area awash with flour and brown sugar, proof Patty was somewhere just not immediately visible. The logical part of her brain started to kick in but imagination hadn't completely subsided when the owner swung out from the office, door swishing inward as it was opened.

Swearing, Kady kept from jumping, Patty looking just as shocked as she was, "How did you get in?"

Waving in the direction she'd come, the new hire pointed out the safety concern of the open door, hand combing through her hair as she reminded herself not everything had to do with the supernatural. Walking back to lock up now that she knew she wasn't going to need to leave it open for the police she called back, "I didn't see your car."

From the kitchen the red head was calling something back, the voice unclear as Kady found herself standing at the door. On the opposite side stood a man taller than herself by several inches with thick hair hanging over inquisitive eyes. Caught in that thought provoking gaze for a few seconds, Kady waivered, lost until she found her hand had completed its task of it's own volition, turning the knob on the lock as though whatever sway was being attempted had failed, "Make sure to clock in!"

Kady blinked and she was alone at the door, Patty's direction just ending as she checked either side of the store front from the window. Nothing alluded the presence of the visitor a moment before and she moved her hand over the flip phone in her pocket before heading back to get clocked in.

…

The Young-Uley household was packed with bodies, slumbering teens taking up the couch and armchairs, others eating copious amounts of food in the kitchen. Once they'd run shift Sam's pack mates would return to the house to give updates, some leaving for their own homes but most just passing out or fueling up before they'd head to school or return for the next patrol. Jacob's pack was welcome as well, but they only stopped by to eat, instead updating their own Alpha on their way home after the pit stop. Emily was surprised she didn't see Seth amongst the slumbering group but hadn't thought much about it until Sue had called and even later in the day Kady on her break,

"No Seth hasn't been by, did you try Jacob's?" Having advised Sue to do the same and not hearing back from Mrs. Clearwater she had assumed she had located her son there, but Kady's response was a negative, that she's spoken with the Alpha and he hadn't been there either, "Maybe you could try again, it's a little later now. Do you need his number?"

Though she knew it by heart dialing on the rotary, Emily read it directly from the pad by the fridge, "360 – yeah, that's the area code…" Several dishes filled the sink behind her but before the youth could run out the door the Alpha imprintee called to stop them, letting Kady know she had some shapeshifters to wrangle, "Let me know if you get ahold of him."

…

Checking the straps that kept Nessie in her booster, Jacob pulled her hand from his face where she showed him the Cullen house, the image accompanied with a question, "Yeah, you're going home." Other images followed before her fingertips left his skin completely, Emmett's face and those of a few from the Witnessing, having heard that her uncle had returned with others while she was gone, "They'll be waiting too."

Before she could reach out again, he chuckled, dodging her reach, "You'll see when you get there."

Bella skipped down the front steps of her dad's, so much smoother now that she had no fear of tripping, forcing herself to move at an even pace until she was at his side, "Thanks for getting her in." Looking in at her daughter she smiled. Renesmee would soon start to age out of her pre-school appearance but knowing her growth had a marked stopping point had eased Bella's worries she could only focus on making sure to capture the moments that would pass.

Chest aching at the reminder of the woman who wouldn't get to see those changes, Mrs. Cullen rubbed at the quiet area of her chest, "We'll call when we get home."

Snorting Jake rolled his eyes, "You think I'm going to let you drive out there without an escort your crazy," he stepped out of the way as came out to open his own door, "I'll be out there and see you get in."

"Jake-" Edward stopped his wife's rebuttal, hand moving her hair back from her face and gaining her attention,

"The Carmen and her family know Jake would likely be by, Alice didn't see any problems yesterday." The two former rivals looked to one another, Edward nodding before sliding into the passenger seat, "Come on, we said we'd be gone before Charlie gets back."

Waiving to Nessie as the car pulled away, Jacob looked around before jogging for the back yard, shucking off his shirt and shorts as he crossed from the backyard and into the trees. As soon as he phased, he was bombarded by thoughts, caught up on his pack's patrols but also concerns – one of the newest of the group was on patrol when they shouldn't be, You're not to skip school.

A few subcurrents of thoughts carried comments about being a dad but no one made the joke outright, possibly because of the reason the kid had decided to skip, Seth's missing? A chorus of positives had even his physical lips drawn down against his muzzle as he ran, ears twitching. Wherever he was he wasn't phased, his mental signature missing from amongst the rest of the pack, and he picked up on another thread, one who should already be off duty, Embry?

Already following up on his line of thought his friend showed him what he'd found on his search, the youngest Clearwater never shifting after having left the Swan residence as far as he could find. Maneuvering around the forest, keeping the car in his line of sight, he could see Edward's head inclining just the tiniest bit, listening in on their conversation his voice quiet as he spoke to Bella. There was nothing Jake, we thought maybe the girls… but nothing, no scent, no struggle. He was just gone.

Large head shaking, Jacob tried to clear the frustration, crossing over the 5-mile radius the pack avoided outside of himself and Seth now that Leah was gone. Thoughts drifting to Leah, Embry answered before he even needed to ask, She's still busy with exams, she hasn't changed the past few nights. For the sanity of them all they hoped she wouldn't until they found him.

…

Soft humming, currents moving inside his ears, a slow sluggish thump in his chest. The world was small, the air still over his skin, so much cooler than the heat that radiated off his body. The only thing frustrating about his body temperature was it was difficult to tell what degree the surrounding area was; 75, 68, 54 it all felt the same, cool. The headache he had had early on had gone but he had found when he opened his eyes it was too dark to see, but it may have been there was nothing to see. Seth tried not to let that thought bother him when he had come to the conclusion, it had been more comforting than thinking he had been blinded.

On occasion there was movement somewhere, wherever here was, but there was no accompanying heartbeat. The need to change had come, and stayed, but his body did not obey the order to phase, stuck wherever he lay. Anxiety was a fist in his chest, but his heartbeat didn't increase as much as it normally would have, sweat pouring from his body from exertion as he tried to talk himself down. The sickly-sweet smell that would have accompanied a Cold One was missing, if he were in danger, immediate danger from one of them it would be there wouldn't it? The thought allowed his muscles to unclench, spine loosening, but he still couldn't move beyond those small measures. Eyes opening again, he tried to focus.

The emptiness from before was gone; now an array of grays molding a rough concrete ceiling. The sound was still there, movement just outside his peripheral, teeth gritting he tried to study the shape of the shadow that was cast along the wall but it didn't make any sense. The young shapeshifter knew it could not be a person; human, shifter, or vampire but the shape indicated it had to be one of the three by molding into a head, torso, two arms. Nostrils flaring, drawing additional breath, no scent but his was identifiable, "You're right, you're not alone."

The man moved closer, dark eyes staring down at him from a shadowed face, long dark locks pulled away from his face, "There's no need to fight, you won't be going anywhere." Despite the words themselves, the tenor of his voice was friendly, amused. The teen had the distinct impression the man had found his concern amusing.

"I didn't want you running off until I knew I could trust you to stay put on your own," the man continued to move down his side, his position allowing Seth to judge his height was less than his own, only appearing taller because he was lying down. Finding his way to the opposite side of his body, the teen found himself noticing an IV hooked into his body for the first time, steady drop running, possibly feeding him whatever it was that prevented him from moving. As the man studied the contents of the bag, Seth decided that was most likely, the labels on it not similar to anything he'd before, "Still figuring that part out, but I will soon."