Chapter Warnings:
briefest mentions of abduction
You've Got Mail
Her skin was still warm from the hot water as Sascha stood by the window, in her father's study. Her room for when she'd stay over for the weekend. She tucked the towel in place around her chest before raising another one to dab at her hair, squeezing the last drops out, as she looked outside into the deep night. The clock would be ticking well past 3am by now. It had taken a lot of convincing on her part to make Lars listen to his own yawns and realise his droopy eyes. Sascha had also not wanted the evening to end. Which was ridiculous. They would be seeing each other again in the morning. And standing there, scanning the quiet neighbourhood, Sascha had to admit to herself, she hadn't listened to her own signs of needing some quiet the same way her father hadn't listened to his tiredness.
Her nose needed the most distance, it seemed. She had gotten so used to the different scents of the Cullens, most importantly Bella as well, that they had all blended into an ever present background. Her and Alice's midnight strolls around Forks had ensured that Sascha wouldn't lose herself in a frenzy once back in a city environment. But it was really very little compared to being in a prolonged presence with a human again. It was a lot.
Sascha opened the window a little. The sounds of the birds, not awake but still moving and rustling in their sleep, outside in the trees would be a nice distraction too. She'd always preferred the neighbourhood of her father's little house over the one around her own apartment. But with youth often came lack of money. And living abroad certainly didn't help with that.
She breathed out a laugh through her nose.
Her reasoning for a less economical way of living - alone - seemed so trivial now compared to the turn her life had taken. Of course she could've stayed with her father after he had decided to join her for a while on her travels. Even if Lars' current house was just rented. But she had preferred her independence as long as the circumstances allowed her.
Sascha shook her head as she turned away from the window. It all seemed like a lifetime away.
She ruffled her now damp hair one more time, and hung her towel over the back of the computer chair before reaching for the bottom drawer of the small wardrobe next to the desk. She'd always kept a few clothes there.
„Hm…" The smell that hit her nose as Sascha pulled the drawer open made her close her eyes in thought. She could make out hints of her perfume, deodorant, even her moisturising cream. But there was something else there for which she couldn't name its origin. Was this how she had smelled… before? She had never thought about how she smelled before. Not, how she smelled to other people by using perfume or some such. But rather, her own smell. It was weird.
She grabbed out the top hoodie and held it closer to her nose. She hummed again. It smelled human, but not „tempting" like other humans did. There was a soft bite to it almost, nipping her senses. Interesting.
Sascha finally just grabbed that hoodie, a pair of sweatpants and some underwear, thew it all on, and got into the small bed that stood parallel to the wall, underneath the window. She reached for her phone, typed a quick few messages, and rested it back screen down on her chest. Staring at the ceiling in thought.
She didn't have to wait long for her phone to buzz under her hands.
Alice
Gestern
Alice: we just got back! 😚😚 21:47
Sascha: Very good 🙏 22:34
Alice: how are you doing? 22:50
Heute
Sascha: I'm alright 03:31
Sascha: I just took a shower and went back to my room 03:31
Sascha: This might be a weird question 03:31
Sascha: But 03:31
Sascha: Do any of you guys know what you smelled like before you got turned into vampires? 03:31
Alice: shower sounds good 💕 take some rest 03:35
Alice: about our smell: that's a good question... 03:35
Alice: I don't think so? 03:36
Alice: at least I don't remember anything about myself 03:36
Sascha: I just got a whiff of mine from my old clothes here 03:36
Alice: oh 😮 and? 03:36
Sascha: Nothing special tbh 03:36
Sascha: It's almost weird 03:37
Sascha: Human but not in a nice way hahaha 03:37
Alice: 😂😂😂 03:37
Alice: probably because it's your own smell 03:37
Sascha: I think so 03:37
Sascha: Would be weird if we would like to drink ourselves dry lol 03:37
Sascha: lol 03:37
Alice: exactly 03:37
Alice: is your father sleeping now? 03:38
Sascha: Yeah finally 03:38
Sascha: Lol I mean - not like that 03:38
Sascha: But he needed sleep 03:38
Alice: yeah he must be exhausted 03:38
Alice: and you too 03:38
Alice: how did he take everything? 03:38
Sascha: It was rough but I feel like it's going to be okay 03:38
Sascha: I hope 03:38
Sascha: Lol I keep repeating myself 03:39
Alice: it will 03:39
Alice: 😚😚😚 03:39
Alice: so what's the plan for the next few days? 03:39
Sascha: Tomorrow we will go to the police station 03:39
Sascha: Where I'll hopefully get my phone back - I need to contact like... everyone 03:39
Sascha: My dad already updated most of them, but still 03:39
Sascha: And after that I don't even know yet 03:39
Alice: hang in there 03:39
Sascha: 03:39
Sascha: For now I'm just going to enjoy the quiet hahah 03:39
Alice: do that ✨ 03:40
Sascha: And you guys? 03:40
Alice: oh nothing much going on here 03:40
Alice: Edward is at Bella's house, Rose and Emmett are out hunting, the others are not really doing anything special 03:40
Alice: and I'm browsing wedding magazines 👰💐 03:40
Sascha: hahah I am not even surprised 03:40
Sascha: Now that I think of it though... I never experienced a proper, not „ready for any and all kinds of danger" daily routine with you guys 03:41
Alice: something that needs changing 03:41
Sascha: Absolutely hahah 03:41
Alice: all in good time 03:41
Sascha: You've already seen it of course 03:41
Alice: like I said: decisions are fickle 03:41
Sascha: I doubt the ones circling that situation are though 03:41
Alice: 03:41
Alice: don't spill my secrets 03:41
Sascha: Alice 03:41
Sascha: You're bursting at the seems whenever there is a secret to be kept 03:41
Alice: DO NOT SPILL THEM 03:41
Alice: you're taking the fun away for me to do it 03:42
Sascha: 🌚 03:42
Alice: what does that even mean? 03:42
Sascha: I don't even know hahah it's a feeling 03:42
Sascha: 🌚 03:42
Alice: I knew getting you a new phone would be good 😁 03:42
Sascha: I'm ashamed to say I have to agree 03:42
Sascha: It's embarrassing how much I seemed to have missed my mobile devices 03:42
Alice: I think it's normal 03:42
Sascha: I was just about to say „the older generation wouldn't understand" 03:42
Sascha: But you ARE the older generation 03:43
Alice: hey 😆 03:43
Alice: listen 03:43
Alice: we're more like beings floating free from time okay? 03:43
Sascha: If that makes you feel better hahaha 03:43
Alice: if you think I'm old I could start using emojis like this one: 😃 03:43
Sascha: Oh dear 03:43
Alice: or this: 03:43
Sascha: Please 03:43
Alice: 😀 03:43
Sascha: I will never say anything again 03:43
Alice: 😗 03:43
Sascha: I promise 03:43
Alice: Okay 😆😆 03:43
Sascha: Gosh it's unsettling 03:43
Alice: agreed 😆 03:43
Sascha: thanks for that hahahah 03:43
Sascha: Okay I think I'm going to put my phone away now 03:43
Sascha: I want to read a little bit 03:44
Alice: Have fun 😚😚 03:44
Sascha: Thank you~ 03:44
Sascha: Talk to you later 03:44
Alice: 💕💕💕 03:44
Sascha hesitated, her thumbs hovering over the keyboard. Did she want to tell Alice about the fact that she had cried? She did. Her left thumb twitched to continue the sentence. Instead, she deleted it, pressed on the home button and closed the app. She would tell her. Them. But not just yet. She needed to think on it for herself for a little longer. Make sense of it herself.
Was it an attempt at getting some agency back into her new path of life? Maybe? Who knew. Sascha inclined her head at herself. As long as it didn't feel forced in either direction, it should be okay, no matter the reason.
The following day would be draining. There was no need to lay even more contemplation and theorising on herself for now. Sascha set her phone aside and grabbed one of Carlisle's books instead. He had been kind enough to let her take a few. Of course she had promised to return them. The twinkle he had in his eyes when he told her „I hope so" still made her chuckle softly.
Sascha willed herself to read slowly. Like a human. Like a slow reading human. She did have a couple of hours to kill after all. Of course she wasn't successful with that. She read the book three times in a row instead.
„Do you want a coffee?"
„I'm good, thank you." Sascha smiled softly, observing her Dad shuffle through the kitchen as she took a seat at the dinner table. His eyes were small and squinted, blinking slowly. She giggled. „How did you sleep?"
He snorted out a laugh. „I am a sight, aren't I?"
„You could say that."
„Well, it was one of the better nights, to be entirely honest with you", he sighed deeply as he plopped down in front of her, „I was almost not patient enough for the morning to come to check if you're really here."
A corner of Sascha's mouth lifted as she carefully poked his hand with a sleeve covered finger. „I'm here."
„And how happy that makes me", there was a shine in his eyes, „Even if I don't look the part."
„Don't worry, I can see it."
Lars breathed a laugh into his cup as he raised to his lips. „Good, good."
Sascha leaned back into the chair and looked outside the window to her left. The birds were awake now too. The sun was out. She hoped clouds would come soon.
„What about breakfast?"
The question almost startled her. She would have to get used to dodging these questions in the future. Maybe a tad more elegantly than flinching at them. „Maybe- maybe later?"
Lars' brow creased. If only for a split second, but Sascha saw it. Whatever thought had crossed his mind, he didn't prod. He took another sip. Then his eyebrows shot up.
„Ah!", he leaned to the side, quickly searching through some new papers that lay on top of the messy heap she had seen the night before, and grabbed out a small stack of stapled together documents, „here. You need to fill these out for the police station. To get your things back."
Sascha quickly scanned the pages - Property Release Request, it read in bold letters at the top. She nodded slowly, already calculating the way she had to fill it out to make it fit her story.
„I had tried to get them back months ago. My lawyer and I were going back and forth with the ones who handled the case. But even if they hadn't needed it for the investigation, I would not have been allowed to get them back, since you are over 21, so…"
Sascha scoffed with a shake of her head. „Bureaucracy is so stupid sometimes."
„I agree", he raised his shoulders helplessly, „At least a kind officer notified me recently that once you come there you can get your stuff back within the day. I think she sympathised with me."
Sascha smirked at that. „Oooh, daaad."
Lars choked on his coffee as he barked out a laugh. A real one. „No, Sascha, not like that."
„Aww, how disappointing." She pouted playfully. Laughing as well when Lars shook his head at her, peaking over the rim of his mug.
„She seems to be married anyway."
„Aha?!" Sascha had to refrain from slamming her hand down on the table too harsh, instead slapping her thigh as the next best option. „And why do you know that?"
Lars just smirked into his mug, eyes crinkling. „Let's get going after I finish this mug."
„Don't change the topic!"
„You could get around filling out those pages now."
Sascha swiftly reached to the left to fetch a pen, without breaking eye contact with her Dad, then pointed it at him, narrowing her eyes. „You. Are impossible."
The smell that surrounded Sascha in the police station was… wretched. To say the least. Nauseating. Badly brewed beer, mixed with other alcoholic undertones wafted around. Smoke mingled together with the too sweet glaze of baked goods and clogged up her airways. A fruity room spray from the entrance area. Vomit- no. She had stopped breathing after that.
And it was too loud. There was a lot of commotion coming from somewhere behind the doors. Apparently there was a group of colleges students that had tried to protect a soda machine from being transported away, while drunk of course, who had had to spend the rest of the day at the station. They were still sobering up, with the first already having woken up, hung over, and blaming each other in all directions. Well, „already" waking up meant 5pm at this point.
No one had told Sascha or her father this of course. But no one really had to. It was loud enough for everyone to hear. One of them was whining about how he didn't remember having even drank that much. At least that would explain the horrendous smell of alcohol everywhere.
„Ms. Miller?", at that Sascha snapped her attention back to the officer who was checking her request papers, „Everything seems to be in order, except for this one line. Your reason for requesting a return."
„About that", Sascha softly tapped the line in question, „I wasn't exactly sure what to write here." She had reckoned ‚It's my stuff and I want it back' wasn't exactly appropriate in this situation. So she'd rather had left it blank.
„For now you may simply write ‚personal significance'. Once everything is ready you will be informed about more important details. If necessary, you may make some changes then."
„Okay, thank you." Sascha quickly scribbled down as told and handed the papers back to her.
„Perfect", she - Officer Hill, Sascha finally caught sight of her name tag - nodded and stepped around the counter swiftly, „If you will follow me? You and your father may wait in one of the meeting roo-", a loud clash from the back interrupted her, which caused her to roll her eyes ever so slightly, „-Meeting rooms. It's a little less… unruly in there too."
Sascha breathed out a laugh and motioned for her dad to come with them. „It's alright."
Officer Hill led them a few doors down the corridor behind the reception area, then opened one to their right and held it open for Sascha and Lars to enter first. She then followed inside and set the papers on the desk.
„Please have a seat. It won't take long."
„Thank you", Sascha and Lars said in unison, and with a nod of her own the officer slipped out of the room again.
Sascha sighed as she took one of the chairs. „So far so good. I'd imagined it all… more scary."
„They are here to help you."
„Yeaaah, but sometimes police people can be weird."
Lars snorted. „True true. Had my fair share of those too."
Luckily the room really was more quiet. More than Sascha had expected it to be. The muffled sounds suggested some level of sound proofing. Sascha fished out her phone to quickly send some updates to the Cullens. When she switched her phone to silent mode, and moved to put it back into her pocket, the door opened again and a tall man stepped in. His uniform was slightly more official looking than Officer Hill's had. When he turned to them, his Chief badge caught a flash from the ceiling light.
„Good afternoon." Middle aged, maybe a bit older than her father was, some years already showing in white streaks across his brown hair. His eyes creased when he offered a kind smile. „I'm Chief Stewart."
Sascha and Lars rose from their seats to stand.
„Ms. Miller", his voice was warm, „Let me say how happy I am to meet you."
„It's nice to meet you too, sir." Sascha bowed her head a little to him, hands clasped together behind her back. Thankfully he read the signs correctly and didn't try to shake her hand.
„And Mr. Miller", his hand he shook vigorously, „It's a pleasure."
„Likewise."
„Please, have a seat."
So they all did.
Chief Stewart took a quick glance at the papers in front of them, then set his clasped hands on top of them.
„We need to discuss a few formalities and, let's say head ups, before we deal with your belongings. Is that alright with you?"
„Of course."
„Are you willing to undergo a re-examination with our office about the events that happened between your abduction, and your return to Seattle?"
Luckily the others had prepped her for these kind of questions. „I'd rather not. I already told the relevant authorities everything there is I can tell. I'd prefer not to have to go through this again."
„I understand. These are just some questions I have to ask. Of course it would help further investigations if we'd also had your personal accou-"
„As I said, I'd rather not, thank you." Sascha's brows pulled together slightly. She couldn't place if his pushing came from the urgency of the case, a sense of entitlement to any and all information given his position or simply because he was… a boomer. The rest of the conversation would show which it was.
Chief Stewart quickly raised his hands. „I apologise. I don't want to be the cause for even more stress than you have already went through."
Lars scoffed under his breath. „Stress is one way to put it."
„One thing I want us all to be on alert for are the reporters who will without a doubt be all over this story. We just want to make sure that all direct information stays clean of outside influence, theories or even morbid sensationalism. It's uncomfortable, however I just want to make sure I've not let any question unasked."
Sascha nodded slowly, lips pursed. „Okay." She and the Cullens had talked about reporters, but so far they - or rather Jasper's contacts - had done a fantastic job at keeping everything under wraps. They hadn't even spotted as much as her name on the news so far.
„After you've come back, has there been any sign of danger of any kind?"
„No, luckily not."
„Also not to those under whose protection you were? Did they undergo their examination already?"
„As far as I'm aware of, they are fine too. I don't know about the status of their part in this investigation", Sascha recited what they had prepared, „The relevant authorities are informed about all of this though. They will work with this station." She'd like to say more. Flesh out the details of their story to him, like they had prepared for themselves. But in her mind, she kept repeating don't say more than you're asked, don't say more than you're asked. She could tell them that the Cullens would like to stay anonymous if they asked. Until then it wouldn't be relevant information.
„I see. Yes, we have been in contact with them already. I regret we haven't been as effective as we'd like to be. It has been a rather busy few weeks, as you can imagine."
„Oh, definitely."
A loud crash sounded from outside the door, followed by some hollering. The college students were really throwing a right ruckus.
Chief Stewart checked his watch. „And those are certainly not helping."
Sascha breathed a laugh through her nose.
With the tension being broken again, they quickly went over the other things that needed to be mentioned. Even if just for the record and proof that the station had done their part and no blame of gaps having been unnoticed could go to them. Did Sascha receive or require more counselling, safety regulations around her and those close to her, medical reports, possible involvement in future investigations or possibly even court hearings. It was easy to breeze through, it either didn't really affect her, or she knew it would never come to these situations anyway. It took them but 10 minutes.
And a good thing it was. Even the sound proofing couldn't really help against the chaos going on somewhere in the back of the station. Obviously all of the college students had woken up by this point.
„I am afraid I have to check on that myself now", Chief Stewart gave a heavy sigh, checking his watch once more, and moved to get out of his seat, „I hope their parents will come soon to pick them up."
„Sir wait", Sascha quickly got up to, turning to keep facing the Chief who already walked to the door with tight steps, „What about my things?"
„It will be dealt with momentarily, don't worry. I'm sorry for having to run out on both of you. Ms. Miller, Mr. Miller." He offered a nod to the both of them, then basically ran out the door as another crash echoed around the corridor.
„I don't envy them for their work", Lars voiced finally. He had been quiet during the entire exchange.
„Nah, me neither."
Lars chuckled suddenly, a thought having crossed his mind. „I don't even know what it sounds like more. That they are taking care of those boys, or if the boys are taking care of them."
„And I don't know which outcome I'd prefer", Sascha giggled, the two of them sharing a brief laugh.
Then, Sascha heard the sound of two sets of feet approaching the door again. The door was opened, and another officer with a box in his hands stepped inside, with Officer Hill behind him as she had opened the door for him. She nodded at Sascha and Lars, then closed the door.
„Afternoon, I'm sorry for the wait", he set the box down on the table, Sascha's name was written on it, „Officer Jones, nice to meet you." He was younger looking than the Chief. And he wasn't keeping himself hydrated enough, going by the dark circles under his eyes.
After their return of brief greetings, and the officer checking the papers Sascha had filled out as well, he slid those aside with a nod and put both his hands on the lid of the box with Sascha's name.
„I will make this quick and painless. Unfortunately I cannot let you take these with you yet, but-", he quickly raised a finger when Sascha made to protest, „I have arranged that you may check everything while under supervision. I wasn't part of this investigation, but of course I know what has been going on. If I'm not mistaken, the phone you were carrying on that day is among these things as well."
„That's correct", Sascha almost felt like on autopilot again, „May I know the reason why I cannot take my things with me today? Or when I can take them at all?"
„We haven't closed the investigation yet, so until then any and all evidence must be kept here, I'm afraid. You are aware that we might have to refer back to you, should anything else be discovered?"
„Yes." Don't say more than you're asked. He also didn't need to know who she had talked to already.
„Good. So, unfortunately, I cannot give you details about when we will be able to return your belongings to you. We will notify you the moment this changes."
„Okay, that's good enough then."
„Thank you for your understanding. I don't dare imagine how difficult all this must be for you, Ms Miller", Officer Jones inclined his head toward Lars, „Or you, sir."
Sascha gave an appreciative nod.
„Okay, let's open this one up then."
Sascha felt almost disappointed? It was so very little of actual substance inside. Everything was neatly and separately put into plastic bags, each with a tag that included content description and the date. But all there really was were her gym clothes, which now had been stewing, unwashed, for over a year. She wouldn't need those back anyway, now that she thought of it. Her backpack, her shoes, wallet, and her phone.
Sascha breathed out a scoff through her nose. If it weren't for her phone… this entire visit would actually have been pointless.
„Is there missing anything, that should be there?"
Sascha looked up at Officer Jones, both of them standing over her stuff that he had laid on the table for her. „No. I was just thinking you actually don't need to return most of these to me anyway."
He chuckled politely. „Well, at least it's not entirely disappointing then."
„But, aren't we done now then?"
„I have gotten permission to open your phone with you, so you may check the content of that as well."
Sascha's eyes widened, jaw loosening. „Really?", Officer Jones merely nodded, „O-okay then. That would be great. Thank you so much."
„We opened it one time immediately after these were found", he explained while tinkering around with the phone still tucked in it's plastic bag, briefly looking up with a smile, „luckily your father had a good guess on what your pin might be."
When Officer Jones handed Sascha her phone, she didn't have to play human. Her hands were shaking on their own accord. He breathing would have been laboured, if she had been breathing. She had grown so tense, that she stopped.
There were so many unread messages. Whatsapp was showing her a big, angry, red: 523. Her emails were in the hundreds as well. Missed calls, on multiple apps. Every app that had a messaging function - the same thing. Sascha's neck felt hot as her muscles froze.
After a painful eternity, which actually hadn't been more than a few, yet still excruciating seconds, she dared to open Whatsapp first. And of course her best friend's name was at the very top. Aleyna. Clicking her name was easy. It was difficult to not break the screen. Her hands were still shaking as she scrolled through the chat.
„How much time do we have?", Sascha's voice was so small, she had to clear her throat, „There's enough voice messages here to fill the next few hours."
„We have a programme that can convert voice messages into text, would that be better?"
Sascha nodded quickly. „Definitely." She didn't know if she could tolerate hearing her friends' voices already.
„We would have to go to the Evidence Unit for that, would that be alright? Unfortunately, your father would not be allowed back there. I'm already pushing limits by offering this to you."
„Why are you offering this anyway?" Lars didn't sound too happy with this turn, arms crossed before his chest.
Officer Jones looked at him with tight eyebrows, jaw locked, and took a deep breath. „I have a son of the same age. I'm just happy that at least one was able to come back."
Lars immediately reached his hand forward to him, all suspicion wiped out of his face. When the officer, the fellow father, took his, Lars put a comforting hand on top. „My condolences."
„Thank you, sir", Officer Jones managed a tight smile, then looked at Sascha, „Shall we?"
„We shall."
He quickly packed up the box again, and all three left the room. Lars walked back to the entrance area, while Sascha followed Officer Jones further toward the back of the station. Some of the college students were finally being escorted outside. Sascha had to stifle a laugh as most of them were whining and promising that it wasn't there fault. That they, of course, only had beer.
They reached the Evidence Unit rather quickly, Sascha waited at the wall as her phone was hooked to a computer for her, and then dared to sit in front of it when she was told to.
A kind lady set her phone back to her. „Here, try read the rest while the messages are loading."
And so Sascha did. Shaking fingers finally scrolling all the way up within Aleyna's chat.
AliceCullen3: I'm glad you keep liking everything so far! thank you for your comment 💜
zaneri0t: thank you so much~~ I'm glad you liked it 💕
Phoenix-Rising29: I cannot thank you enough for your lovely comment. I've kept re-reading it over and over. Thank you 🙏 💜 Luckily you found the story at the right time, so you didn't have to wait for an update that long hahah
Translations:
Gestern = yesterday
Heute = today
End Notes:
Hello~
I've been furiously working on this one for the past couple of days. It got a bit longer than I wanted, I do hope you still like it though 👀 it's some bridging before we get going with more juicy stuff again. But I do like to take a breather within the story every once in a while. I already put Sascha through a lot, let's give her a short break hahah
And, some personal, exciting news: I got married heheh
Which is also why chapters have been a tad slow I hope it will get better now!
As always, thank you to those who leave any kind of interaction, whether it be a fave, follow, comment - it's all greatly appreciated 💕 So, if you have some thoughts to leave, I'll be always curious to hear/read about them
Take care~
Posted: 21.01.24
Last edit: 21.01.24