Hello everyone, here is another story!
This will be 2, maybe 3, chapters, and I will try and get them up fast. Also, this won't be a too long story
This also has FemAce, meaning Ann, and set in modern world
This is a mental health story
Hope you enjoy
Read and relax
Sabo took up his phone and called a man he hoped could help him. He was worried about his sister, how Ann was doing. She had seemed off the last month, seemed very tired and exhausted and sad. She had given birth 6 months ago to her daughter, Zianna, who was so cute, and Ann was an amazing mother, she really cared for her daughter. The father, Smoker, was also an amazing father, but he worked a lot.
He heard the phone ring, and it was answered after a couple rings. "This is Marco, yoi." Sabo took a breath. "Marco, It's Sabo." He heard a hum. "Sabo, is everything okay?" Sabo rarely called, he liked messages, but this couldn't be taken as a message. "Not really. I just, have you noticed something off about Ann? I'm worried for her." When Marco spoke, he could hear a frown. "I am a bit worried, yoi. She seems to have lost a lot of weight, always tired, and she looks like she has been crying a lot, yoi." Sabo nodded, he agreed. "Yeah, I just, I don't know what to do." He heard a sigh. "I've been speaking a bit with Curiel, yoi." Sabo nodded, he knew that man was a doctor. Marco continued. "He says she might have Postpartum depression, yoi." Sabo nodded. "What is that?" Marco gave a breath. "It is a form of depression. It comes after giving birth and affects many. It can in cases be severe. But I haven't seen much of Ann lately, yoi."
Sabo closed his eyes, he didn't like this. "I don't know what to do." He heard a sigh. "Let's speak with her and Smoker first, yoi. Maybe there is something else here." That could be, he should really speak to Smoker. "I will speak with him." Marco sighed. "You can't right now, yoi. There is a large emergency and he is pulling at least a triple, been on the clock since Tuesday." Sabo blinked. Today was Thursday. Smoker was a Police Sergeant and worked a lot but tried to be home as often as he could as he had just gotten a child 6 months ago, but he was needed and didn't have parental leave for another 6 months. Sabo had to admit he hadn't liked Smoker when they first met 3 years ago, when Ann introduced them. He just looked… stern and stoic. But he was an amazing person who cared about those who deserved it and he really loved Ann. Smoker was an amazing father as well and they were on good terms now as he was really nice when you got to know him. Smoker and Ann had also married last year, as Ann had said; When you know, you know. And they had all supported her as Smoker was an amazing guy.
Sabo nodded. "Okay. Have you spoken with Ann? I mean, she's been alone with Zianna for 2 days then." Marco sighed. "I haven't, yoi. I tried calling this morning, but no answer. I thought she might be sleeping and she always calls back when she has the time." Sabo nodded. "Okay. I will try calling her and asking how she is." Marco gave a small hum. "Yeah. But Ann is strong, yoi. Whatever it is, she will manage." Sabo hoped so. He then hung up, before he called Ann, which was answered after a few rings. "Hello?" Ann sounded so.. hollow now, so tired. And whenever he, or someone, asked if she needed help, she always said no. They had barely been in her house the last 2 months, as she never let them in. He was very worried for her.
Sabo did his best to not sound worried as he spoke. "Hey, it's me. How are you? I heard Smoker is pulling a long shift." He heard a sigh from Ann. "Yeah. Hey… could you…" Sabo nodded. "What? I can do anything for you." Ann gave a breath. "I… no, forget it. It's okay. But Zianna is crying again, I need to feed her. Bye." Sabo nodded, feeling worried. "Okay. If you need anything, call me, okay? I love you." "Yeah. Bye." Then the line hung up. Sabo moved his phone down from his ear and felt so worried. Ann didn't even say 'I love you' back. But she had had Zianna by herself for 2 days, no break, so she might be tired.
He then did his best to go about his day, before he decided he couldn't wait and called Smoker, but straight to voicemail. Which had him sigh. He would try and not be too worried. Sabo did search up postpartum depression and read about it, and felt even more worried. Ann displayed almost all the signs, even the severe ones. So, after some thinking, he called Curiel, needing to talk to someone that could use words and not just read stuff, and someone who also knew Ann.
When it answered and Sabo told why he was calling, Curiel gave a breath. "I am worried as well. But I can't do too much when she won't let me. She has an appointment with her doctor in 2 weeks, a planned checkup. I will give him a call and tell him my worries, and hopefully she will talk with him. I know she really likes her doctor." That was true, she did. Sabo nodded. "Okay. She won't talk with me. She sounds so tired, she barely talks with me, to anyone. She won't let me visit." Curiel gave a breath. "I know you're worried, I am as well. Hopefully she will reach out if it gets too bad. Maybe she needs time." Sabo nodded and hoped so.
He did his best to keep hopeful and be close to his phone at all times for the rest of the day, and had the sound on all night, not the usual 'do not disturb'. But nothing happened. And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He felt bad, he wanted to show up at Ann's house and just be with her, but he didn't know if it would make this worse, maybe she needed some small space. He would go to her at noon and not take no for an answer.
But when the clock was almost 10am, Sabo moved his phone up as it was ringing, and was glad to see it was Smoker. He probably just now had time to call back. He moved to answer it and started a hello, but before he could finish the word, Smoker spoke as he sounded stressed. "Have you spoken with Ann today?!" Sabo blinked. "No. I called her yesterday and shared a few short words. Why?" Smoker gave a swear. "I finished my shift an hour ago, finally off and I rushed home, and Ann is gone. She left." Sabo blinked. "Left? What do you mean? Maybe she's walking with Zianna." He knew Ann wanted to try and get back in shape and wanted to start taking walks with the stroller, she had even bought a stroller she could jog with.
Smoker gave an agitated breath. "No. I am at the police station. Zianna is here." Sabo blinked. "Where is Ann?" Smoker sounded upset as he spoke. "She left. She left me a video message, she said Zianna isn't safe with her, that she needed to leave and to not search for her as she left on her own will. She took Zianna here and just left." Sabo blinked. "Wait, what? She left and left Zianna behind? Where did she go?" Smoker gave a breath. "I don't know. Did she say anything when you spoke with her yesterday?"
Sabo shook his head. "No. Or… she started to ask if I could do something, but she didn't finish before she said to forget it and then she needed to hang up since Zianna was crying." Smoker gave another swear. "I don't get this. Why would she leave? Why would she think Zianna wasn't safe with her? She is an amazing mother." Sabo agreed. "We need to label her as missing." Smoker sighed. "We can't." Sabo blinked. "What? Why not?! She is!" Smoker sighed. "Because I need to tell them how I know she is missing and show the video, where she states she left of her own free will and to not search, and she is 19, an adult. I can't withhold evidence. We can't do anything. It is not illegal to run away as an adult." Sabo blinked. "But she wouldn't run away! Not from us! Not from her daughter!" Smoker sighed. "I know, but still. She said to not search for her, that she left on her own free will. We can't do anything because of this." Sabo felt mad and worried. Something was up. Ann would never leave like this.
Sabo sighed. "I've been worried about her for the last month or two. She has seemed tired and like she has been crying a lot. I spoke with Marco and Curiel, and they're worried she might have postpartum depression. Have you noticed anything?" Smoker sighed. "She is sleeping a lot. She usually sleeps lightly, but she has been sleeping through my alarm most mornings and I have to wake her myself. She often is in the bathroom and comes out as if she's been crying. But I've never seen her cry in person." Sabo nodded, not liking this. "I'm going to call her." Smoker sighed. "No use. Her phone is here. She left it with Zianna. She also took out 10 000 from our emergency savings. I don't know where she is and I need to know she is okay."
Sabo nodded. "I get it. I didn't know it was this bad, that she would leave like this. I'll try calling around to anyone who might be able to help. I hope she won't do anything bad." If she was depressed, he had a very bad feeling now. Smoker sighed. "No. I don't think she is out to end her life. Seeing as she took out the money. But she can be anywhere. I don't get why she would do this, where she might have gone. I don't know where to search, and I don't know what to do with Zianna as Ann is suddenly gone." Sabo nodded. "Hey. Be with your daughter, I'll call around. If I have any information, I will call you at once, okay?" Smoker sighed. "Yeah. Thanks." Sabo nodded, before they hung up.
He then started calling around at once, calling anyone he could think of. And just to be sure, he called all the hospitals and asked the right questions for either a Jane Doe or someone wanting to be anonymous. Working at the ER as a nurse for the last 3 years was a great help. He knew all the code words. But it didn't help at all. He got nowhere and it was so frustrating. He was thinking of calling the airports and such, but got a message from Smoker who was back home that her passport was there, she hadn't left the country as she couldn't. That was something.
He did all he could, even asking others to help, like Marco, Thatch, Shanks, and even Koala. And they all helped. He sat on his couch and searched everything he could search and called who he could think of. He needed to find his sister, who was hurting much more than what he had believed. He called everyone who she might have gone to, even if it was a leap. Like her fourth foster home, one of the few who weren't assholes, but no luck. He felt so worried.
Sabo sat up with a start, not having realized he had fallen asleep. He massaged his face, before he looked at his phone and saw it was 8am, he had been up almost all night. He gave a breath as he looked at his notification he just got on his phone, which woke him. He blinked when there was a message in his digital mailbox from the insurance about a hospital visit. He frowned as he opened it, as he hadn't been at the hospital as a patient for long and this was from the insurance he had. He blinked as he read it. It said that the visit 2 days ago was paid for by his insurance. When he saw the name of who had been there, his eyes widened. It was Ann. They had the same insurance because of his job at the hospital, he had more coverage than Ann herself had, same with Smoker, so Ann was with his insurance in case Zianna needed it. Why was she at the hospital? At the ER? The day before she left no less.
He quickly called the hospital, and told he needed to know what had happened during the visit. Why had she been at the hospital? The woman on the other end hummed. "I'm sorry. We can't disclose personal information. You were not the one who needed care. Ask your sister." Sabo took a breath, before he spoke seriously. "I can't ask her since she is gone. And this might help find her. This is my insurance, I am the holder of it, meaning I am allowed to know which care was paid for, and if you refuse to tell me, I will call my lawyer." Sabo knew his rights, also thanks to his job. The woman gave a breath. "Give me a second." Sabo nodded, good.
The woman soon spoke again. "It seems her child slipped from her hands as she was bathing her in the tub and she fell under the shallow water in the tub for a few seconds, and she was worried she might have inhaled water. But, she had not and was fine." Sabo blinked, before he nodded. "Thank you." The woman said it was nothing, before they hung up. Sabo then used a second to think, before he called Curiel.
When he answered, Sabo didn't even say hello as he said "If Ann had postpartum depression and something happened to Zianna, a small accident Ann might blame herself for, could that make her be afraid to be around her daughter?" Curiel spoke after a second. "Yes. Why? Did you find something out? Is she okay?" Sabo took a breath. "I just got a letter from my insurance, they paid for the visit she did with Zianna two days ago. Ann was bathing her when it seemed her grip lost and she slipped underwater. Zianna is absolutely fine. But I don't think Ann was. If she was already depressed and this happened…" Curiel sighed. "She would blame herself and think she was dangerous and might harm Zianna. And because of the postpartum, she didn't feel like she could reach out to any of us. Maybe because of shame, or that we would think she was a bad mother for losing grip on a slippery and most likely squirming baby. So she left."
Sabo nodded, feeling bad. "Yes. I checked the time stamp on the visit, I called her 3 hours after it, and she almost asked me for something, but didn't manage." Curiel sighed. "She can be anywhere in the world." Sabo shook his head. "No. She didn't take her passport. She can't leave the country. I just need to figure out where she is." Curiel gave a breath. "Have you told Smoker?" Sabo shook his head with a sigh. "Not yet. I will call now." Curiel gave a breath. "Okay. Keep me updated." Sabo nodded, he would.
He then hung up and used a second, before he called Smoker and told what he had found out, which had him silent for few seconds, before he spoke. "So she thinks she might hurt Zianna?" Sabo nodded. "Yeah. So, being protective, she got rid of what she thought to be a danger to Zianna. Herself." Smoker gave a swear. "Do you know weather she might be? Where would she go because of this?" Sabo shook his head. "I don't know. I will still call around. I just wanted to let you know what I found out." Smoker took a breath. "Yeah, thanks." Sabo nodded. "Yeah. Speak later. Bye." Then they hung up.
Sabo tried to think, where could she be? Where could Ann have gone? Sabo didn't know, but needed to search more.
-x-
Ann knocked on the door in front of her, which opened after a couple seconds, the nurse inside there looking at her with a smile. "Ah, Miss Morgan, how are you this morning?" Ann tried to smile, but she didn't feel like she could. "Okay…" The nurse gave a supporting look. "You know, you are allowed to say you feel bad. Would you like some extra pill to help you relax? You look tired." Ann nodded. "Yeah, I would like that." The nurse nodded and took a step back. "For the record as I need to make sure you are the right patient, full name please. I know you've probably said it a thousand times yesterday when you came here, but it is for safe measurement." Ann nodded. "Anna Morgan." The nurse nodded and took out a pod with her medicine in it, taking it out, before adding 2 more pills from a bottle before she gave it to her with a glass of water. "If you need anything, tell some of the staff here, okay? I know you've only been here since yesterday, but we're here for you." Ann nodded, she would try at least. She then took the pills, before she went back to her plain and neutral hospital room in the psych ward, looking out the window. She missed everyone, but she was too dangerous to be around Zianna right now.
And that's the first chapter, hope you enjoyed
The next chapter will be more of how to deal with Postpartum Depression, as this was just the built up and setting the scene
The next chapter will be up as soon as it is done
If you have any ideas, don't be afraid to share them!
I hope you enjoyed, and if you want to, I do love feedback, so don't be afraid to leave a review, or send a PM!
If you also want to, I have a Twitter, my name is Azuruko, and I have a discord, my tag/username is just azuruko, as well as a server (Instant invite: discord . gg / 6hzMhbR) where everyone is welcomed! Updates is also posted there, both on discord and on twitter
