Chapter Warnings:
Brief mentions of murder cases, abductions; horrendous title for this chapter, I apologise hahah I couldn't think of anything else
Reports
Sascha was sitting on the porch outside the main living room, one of Carlisle's books in her lap. It was turning dark already, the third sunset after they had observed the news report, she noted. Carlisle and Rosalie would be coming back soon from their watch over Bella's house.
Alice and Jasper were keeping her company, playing a card game. Alice had suggested chess, which her friend had immediately declined. Sascha had smiled softly at their antics.
Sascha snuggled deeper into the blanket she had draped around her shoulder. She didn't need it, but she wanted the comfortable atmosphere.
„I wish I could drink tea."
Alice glanced over to Sascha and put a card down. „Tea?"
„Just for the mood. Reading books without tea feels wrong." Sascha jutted her lower lip out and turned a page. „Woe is me."
Jasper chuckled, a lopsided smirk on his face. „Poor thing."
„Somehow I don't feel taken seriously, Jasper", Sascha teased lightly, „Why is that?"
„I don't know what you're talking about, Darlin'."
Sascha snorted and put the book over her face. „God, I'm going crazy."
A few seconds later, the glass door to the porch slid open.
„Sascha?"
She quickly lowered the book and sat up straighter. Carlisle was standing in the door frame, some papers in his hands. „Yeah?"
„I was finally able to find some information about your case in Seattle", Carlisle said and held the papers out to her. „The good news is, you were not reported dead."
Sascha skimmed through the papers as Carlisle continued. There was a missing person report for her and a few police reports documenting the ongoing investigation.
„You were included in the disappearance cases. Apparently your father has done whatever he could so your case would stay open since there wasn't any proof of injury on your presumed crime scene."
Sascha nodded slowly, processing the information. A watery laughed escaped her after a moment. „He can be quite stubborn."
Alice stood up and moved closer to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. „Sascha, this is good. When all of this is over, you can contact him again."
„I would have done that anyway, no matter what." She didn't want to come off as rude. But the thought of them trying to keep her from going back to her normal life, her family, had crossed her mind more than once. Even more so after the… incident between her and Edward.
„Actually, I had an idea", Carlisle started and Sascha looked at him curiously. „It depends on what the others think about it, we'll have to talk to them. But, you could contact him from here, through a phone call, to let him know you're safe."
Sascha stood up quickly. „What?"
„There could be a way for you to let him know about your disappearance and escape, but aren't able to return just yet."
Jasper frowned. „What if Sascha's father won't be satisfied with not seeing her."
„No, I can make him understand." Sascha looked at Jasper and nodded. „He'll trust me. I'll tell him whatever I need to make him believe me."
„Then let me call a meeting with the others. We'll discuss the details together, and take a vote", Carlisle said. „Alice, if you see anything-"
„I would've already seen something the moment you had the idea. But I'll keep my eyes on this."
„Good. Alright, go ahead to the living room, I'll get the others."
Just as Carlisle was about to leave, Sascha reached out and grabbed his arm. „Wait!" A second later, she pulled a quite surprised Carlisle into a hug. „Thank you."
Carlisle smiled softly and hugged her back, rubbing her shoulder affectionately. „Don't thank me yet, let's wait for the others' opinion."
Sascha pulled back and nodded. „Of course."
Once in the living room, Alice made Sascha sit between her and Jasper. The newest vampire was grateful for their support. One vocal, one silent. Sascha could feel it around the edges of her emotions - Jasper always ready to step in.
In a different context, she would consider it invasive. But Sascha also understood the severity of the situation. Everything was a high risk and it was important that everyone kept their cool. She wondered if it was a big strain on him, always being ‚ready'.
Sascha nudged him with her knee. „Don't overexert yourself. I promise I'll be fine."
Jasper looked at her in confusion. „What do you mean?"
„I can feel you monitoring my emotions."
„I'm not doing anything."
„Huh… that's odd."
Before they could ponder on it longer, Emmett and Rosalie came to join them. The latter took her usual seat near the fireplace, Emmett of course right by her side. It took only a few short moments before Carlisle also came back, Esme, Edward and Bella in tow. They all took their seats, while Carlisle kept standing.
„I've already talked with Sascha about her case report in Seattle. Since she hasn't been pronounced as one of the murder casualties, there is the option for her to contact her father from here. Of course-", Carlisle quickly raised a hand in Rosalie's direction when she tried to interrupt, „this would entail Sascha telling him a cover story. That she found shelter in a facility to help her recover from the events and keep her safe until the situation in Seattle has been resolved."
Esme frowned for a moment, a slither of sadness on her face when she looked at Sascha. „You can't tell him the truth."
„I know, that's okay. As long as I get to talk to him and take him out of his misery."
Rosalie crossed her arms. „I don't think it's safe." Her voice almost sounded guilty.
Alice shook her head in determination. „If something bad was going to happen, I would've seen something by now."
Bella pulled at her sleeves. „Imagine what her father is going through right now. It's just a phone call. It's such a small risk."
Sascha looked at Bella in deepest gratitude and gave her a tiny nod. Then she looked around at the others again. „I won't do it if you don't agree. It's not up for me to decide alone." She was willing to compromise. If she wanted their help, she needed to show her willingness to cooperate as well.
„Let's take a vote then", Carlisle said, „Since I'm the one suggesting it, I assume my approval is a given. Honey?"
Esme nodded immediately. „Mine too."
„Alice?"
„Of course. It will be fine." No hesitation whatsoever.
Carlisle kept going around the room with his eyes. „Jasper?"
He merely nodded in reply.
„Emmett?"
„I don't see what could go wrong anyway. Let Sherlock have a talk with father dearest."
Emmett's overly British accent made Sascha snort out a laugh. „We are not from England", her tone was hushed.
Rosalie didn't wait to be asked and spoke immediately when Carlisle looked at her. „Only if we're there during the call. To make sure she sticks to the plan."
Esme sighed. „Rosalie-"
„-It's fine", Sascha interjected quickly. „I can live with that." She didn't want to be all alone during the call to begin with. „I'll even put him on speaker, if it makes you feel any better."
Rosalie nodded curtly and folded her hands in her lap.
Then came the person who Sascha was sure of would say no.
„Edward?"
He was quiet for a moment and then - „Yes. She has been through enough."
Sascha's eyes snapped to the mind reader in shock. He just pressed his lips together and Sascha thought to see a moment of remorse in his eyes before it was gone. Was this his way of apologising? Maybe Bella had gotten through to him a tiny bit after all.
„And Bella?"
„Yes, definitely."
Sascha breathed out in relief and dragged her hands down her face. „Thank you so much."
„Let's do it tomorrow then. Sascha, you and I will work out exactly what you can tell him and make you a sort of script", Carlisle suggested. „It gives you enough time to mentally prepare yourself."
And so that's what they did for the rest of the day. The rest of the family went back to their own business, Edward and Bella left the house to go back to Bella's. With Edward and the werewolves there for their night watch, nobody else needed to patrol.
Carlisle and Sascha went over every single possible detail. Speculated and predicted any and all questions Sascha's father could have and how best to navigate them. They also agreed on a time limit and thought of a soft way to end the talk if needed. They thought it better to keep this call short. With some breaks in between to chat about other things as well, it took them all night.
„Thanks for helping me with all this."
Carlisle looked up from their notes for a moment. „Of course."
„Why are you doing this at all? It's already so much you're doing for me."
„You see", Carlisle sat his pen down, „I might not have biological children of my own. But I have this family. Last year, I- we almost lost two of our own. The uncertainty when we didn't know what had happened, it was… excruciating."
Sascha didn't need more explanation to understand. Carlisle did this not just for her, but also for her father. „Words are not enough to express how grateful I am."
He smiled kindly. „It's not needed, really."
Luckily, when the sun rose again, the week had passed on to a Saturday. Sascha would have suspected her father to be at work had it not been the weekend. Then she would have needed to wait until the day's evening to get hold of him. Probably.
So, by 10am the Cullens and her were sitting around the dining room table, the only ones not present were Rosalie and Emmett, they were standing watch by the Swan household.
The phone sat in front of Sascha. She had already typed in her father's number, she just needed to press the green button.
Esme sat across from her, she held Carlisle's hand that was resting on her shoulder. „Whenever you're ready, dear."
Sascha took a steadying breath, she was sure her limbs would be shaking if she were still human, and then pressed the button.
The few times it rang felt like never-ending. Mere seconds turning into her own torturous eternity. Every sound got drowned out around her with the peeping of the phone. Sascha couldn't even hear Bella's heart beat anymore.
„Lars Miller?"
Sascha froze, her words got stuck in her throat as she heard her father's voice. It was more raspy than before, he sounded tired. Dejected.
„Hello?"
Sascha opened her mouth again, but nothing came out, until she felt a wave of calm blanketing her carefully. She glanced at Jasper quickly who was sitting two seats away from her and exhaled one more time.
„Papa, it's me."
They could hear sudden fumbling from the other side of the phone. „Is this a joke? I swear, if this is a prank c-"
„No, no it's really me!", Sascha said hurriedly, „It's me, Sascha."
Her father released a strangled sob. „Oh mein Gott."
Sascha immediately clenched her eyes shut when her pain for her father overcame her. „Hey there, Papa." She felt Alice's hand on her arm.
Lars sniffled on the phone. „Oh Gott, Sascha, where- what happened to you? I've been- I've been looking for you for months. And the police and the murders and-"
„I got abducted", Sascha paused when she heard her father heave another sob across the phone, „but I managed to escape from there, Papa, I'm safe now."
„Where are you? I'll come get you immedia-"
„I can't come back yet, I'm so sorry", Sascha breathed out and looked at Carlisle shortly, who gave her an encouraging nod. „I've been taken into a shelter where I'm safe. They're helping me get better now."
Lars stuttered helplessly for a moment. „What are you talking about, Sascha? Then I'll stay with you, just tell me where you are, I'll be there as soon as I can."
She could hear the jingle of his keys across the phone. „Papa, you have to trust me, okay? It's not safe for you to come here. The people who are doing this might follow you. You understand? I'll come back the moment that group has been taken care of."
„Oh god honey, what did they do to you?" His voice sounded so broken.
„I'm fine now, that's all that matters, okay? I promise. They didn't do anything bad to me."
„C-can you describe the people who did that? Maybe it could help the police find out who's behind all this."
„I am talking with the local police here. I was allowed to talk to you, but you also have to make sure that no one learns of this, okay? Not even the police in Seattle. It could jeopardise the entire case."
„Juppadise?"
Sascha breathed out a single laugh. „Die Ermittlungen dürfen nicht gefährdet werden."
„I see… God, Sascha, you can't imagine how worried I was. Still am."
„I know, Papa, I'm so sorry. I would've called you sooner, but there was no way."
„I'm just glad to hear your voice now", Lars said softly. After a few moments more sniffles and sobs could be heard across the phone. „I thought you were dead."
Sascha wished nothing more than to have the ability to cry again. To get through this horrible feeling yet also relief more easily. „You know me", her voice broke at the end, „I don't go down so easily."
„Can anybody else know?"
„Not yet, I'm sorry. But I promise, I'll-"
„-as soon as the situation allows it. I understand", Lars sniffled again and cleared his throat. „As long as you're safe, that's the only thing that matters."
„I'm safe here. Good people have found me."
„Thank goodness. Give them my thanks, Sascha, you hear me?"
Sascha finally looked at the others then and smiled a little. „I'll let them know." That's when she saw Carlisle, with a sorry look in his eyes, tapping his watch. „Papa, I have to hang up now okay? I'll reach out to you as soon as I can."
„You can't talk longer?", Lars asked, his voice laced with worry.
„We can talk about everything in person, yeah? We will see each other soon. You trust me, right?"
„I trust you", Lars said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. „Take care of yourself, Sascha. Please."
„You too. Please be careful with whatever is going on in Seattle right now. Don't leave the house when it's dark out, yes? Promise me."
„I promise."
„Tell others to do the same. Watch out for each other. Maybe even go back to-"
„-Forget it, I won't go there without you."
There was a finality in his voice that Sascha knew not to argue with. At least he'd know to be careful. „Okay, old man."
„I miss you so much, Sascha, make sure to come back quickly, huh?"
„I promise", Sascha whispered, her eyes burned with unshed tears. „I promise you, I will. I miss you too."
„Ich hab dich lieb." Lars' voice was getting choked up again.
„Ich dich auch, Papa. It's all going to be okay. See you soon."
„Soon. Pass auf dich auf."
„I will." Sascha then quickly hung up, knowing she wouldn't have the strength to if she didn't do it immediately. „You too…", she muttered to herself.
End Notes:
Translations:
Oh mein Gott = Oh my god
Juppadise = Lars is having trouble pronouncing 'jeopardise' as it's a word he isn't familiar with, since English isn't his first language
Die Ermittlungen dürfen nicht gefährdet werde = The investigations must not be risked/disturbed (Sascha translates the meaning of 'jeopardising investigations' for her father)
Ich hab dich lieb = I love you/I care for you
Ich dich auch, Papa = I do too, Dad
Pass auf dich auf = Take care of yourself
I hope you liked this one. This was a little bit heart wrenching to write. But only the tiniest bit.
Leave a comment with your thoughts :) I also have made some concept art for Sascha - let me know if you want to see how I imagine her. I could post it with future updates.
Posted: 30.01.23
Last Edit: 30.01.23