Three Weeks

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Nathander's Point of View:

Bud sat across from me, urging me to eat some food. He knew that I hadn't truly eaten since Haitlin went missing. It still tore my heart to have to say that sentence; Haitlin's gone missing. 

"Nate, you have to eat. I know it is hard, but you need to be at the top of your game to find her," Bud continued.

"I know," I mumbled in reply.

Even though I knew he was looking out for me, I still couldn't help but pick at the burger in front of me. I couldn't swallow anything knowing that my baby girl was out there somewhere, and that know one knew where. 

"Dad," Gregory said, momentarily pausing my turmoil. 

Greg had been attached to my hip since I picked him up the night she went missing. He got up early to go to work with me and search for Haitlin. He even helped plan the search parties going on right now. Normally, Chief would never let someone else be so involved, but he knew Greg was the only thing standing between my fist and his face. 

"Yeah Mr. Brookes, you have to eat," Wyatt piped in.

I turned my eyes to the nineteen year old boy. This kid who I practically watched grow up, now sat in front of me when he should be in school. When Bud told him Haitlin went missing, he immediately came here to help find her. 

I felt bad for pulling the kid away from his studies, but he chose to help. Truthfully, I was happy to have another set of hands for the search. Plus, he kept Greg in line. When Greg wasn't allowed in the station, Wyatt took him out in his car and patrolled the roads. The two grew closer more in these past two weeks then in the past ten years.

"Dad," Greg repeated.

"I know, but I don't have an appetite right now. I promise I'll have dinner, but I couldn't stomach anything right now," I finally said.

All three of them looked away, not wanting to press the issue. I knew I was worrying them, but I could care less at that moment. All I cared about was my daughter. 

Two and a half weeks had crawled by since Haitlin had disappeared. Halloween had come and gone and trees had lost all their leaves. Soon winter would freeze over, and she wouldn't stand a chance if she was out in the wilderness. I knew she wasn't though.

After the rain water had resided, we found something that broke everyone's heart; Haitlin's book bag. At first, it looked like a pile of wet leaves, but upon closer inspection that observation was proven wrong. That simple object turned the case from a missing persons to a possible kidnapping. 

That word made vile threaten to rise up my throat. Kidnapped. My daughter might possibly be kidnapped, and I am sitting here debating to eat a burger? 

"I'm heading out," I said. 

I stood up, almost causing my chair to fall over, threw money on the table and quickly walked out of the tiny restaurant. Haitlin had her tenth birthday in that restaurant. 

"Hey, wait up!" Bud called after me. 

I ignored his protests and slid into the passenger seat of the car. Whether he came or not, I didn't really care. I wanted to get back to the search party that was sweeping the woods. We started from the beginning and were making out way back, but at the pace everything was going we wouldn't get nearly halfway by the first snow fall. Snow came very early in Willow Springs, and once it did it would hinder everything.

Bud slid in the driver's seat and looked over at me.

"Nate," he started, but I wouldn't let him finish.

"No, let's go back. We only have a few more hours until nightfall," I insisted.

Bud shook his head and looked away from me.

"Nate, the search party will go on without us. Wyatt and Greg are on their way back to go help the crews. We, on the other hand, are needed at the station"

"Why?" I asked.

What was more important than finding my daughter?

"Chief needs to talk to you," Bud mumbled while starting the car. 

"What about?" I asked whiled looking at him.

His eyes wouldn't meet mine, so I knew something was up. He knew what chief wanted, but he was purposefully withholding information from me.

"Bud, what does Chief want?" I tried again.

"I don't know."

"I have known you long enough to tell when you are lying. So let's try again; what does he want?" I questioned, trying not to clench my teeth.

"Don't get mad, I am only the messenger and I'm not even supposed to tell you," he finally said while shooting me a glance.

"Get on with it then," I said anxiously.

"Chief wants to take you off the case," he whispered.

I felt my eye twitch before I blew up.

"What?! Why the hell would he want to do that? This is my daughter that is missing!" I roared.

Bud's knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. 

"I told you not to get mad," he warned.

"I am not mad! I'm pissed off!" I yelled.

"Well take your anger out with Chief, but don't try to hurt him this time; that could get you suspended."

"It would be worth it," I said through clenched teeth.

"No it wouldn't, and you know that is true. If you get suspended then you won't be able to help Haitlin. She needs you to stay on the team," Bud told me.

Now that was a low blow. I know it was true, but the idea of punching Chief was so pleasing that I couldn't help but let a sickening smile creep across my face.

"Don't worry, I won't hit him, but you'll be an idiot if you expect me to go down easy," I grunted.

"I never expected you to."

The rest of the ride was quiet. Bud probably didn't want to risk me snapping at him again, but I was still annoyed. I can't believe Chief would even think of taking me off this case. Haitlin is my daughter and it has been almost three weeks since she disappeared, so how dare Chief try to take me off the case.

I was out of the car before Bud even go the chance to pull in all the way.

Inside the building, people cleared my path to avoid me. Maybe it was because I nearly shattered the door when I tore it open or perhaps it was my clenched knuckles and determined face.

Chief was waiting for me when I stalked into his office.

"So I see Bud told you," he sighed.

"You're taking me off the case?" I said in a deadly whisper.

"Nate, it is for the best. You have been too stressed and have been making harsh calls during this case. It is too close to home for you. I know it is hard, but you need to take some time away. Go comfort your wife and keep your son out of trouble, it is the best you can do right now," he said like he had practiced it a million times.

"I'm not going to allow you to take me off this case. This is my daughter, my child, and I will not let you take her from me," I hissed.

"I'm doing this for the best of everyone," he insisted.

"No. I will not allow it," I repeated louder.

"Then prove to me you will not become too engrossed in this. The second I see you fall out of line again, I will cut you from this case, but first you have to prove that you will follow procedure," 

I gritted my teeth, trying to choose my words wisely.

"What do you want me to do to prove myself to you?" I asked.

"Come and eat this chicken sandwich. I know you haven't eaten, and if you do this then I will let you stay on this case. It proves you are actually evaluating your health. I simply cannot have a starving officer on my team," he said while placing a sandwich on his desk.

I knew this wasn't procedure, but I also knew Chief was looking out for me. He should have taken me off the case, but instead he gave me a chance. Deep down I knew my chief truly cared, no matter how often I threatened to punch his face in.

I pulled out a chair in front of his desk and sat down, with chicken sandwich in my hand. I had no doubt Bud probably told him to make me eat, but I didn't care at this point. I only cared about getting my baby back.

I took in a deep breath and opened the door to my house. Inside I found Lorena curled up in a ball on the couch, crying. It tore at my heart to see her like this, but unfortunately that is how I always found her when I got home. 

Closing the door, I looked around for Greg but didn't see him anywhere. He must be staying out late with Wyatt again. The two of them have been doing that recently, looking for Haitlin. No matter how obsessed I was with finding her, those two were more so. 

They would stay up all night planning for search parties or plans of action. In the morning, they would present these to Chief, but he usually just waved them off. He didn't believe in the boys; but I did. 

I sat next to Lorena and pulled her in close to comfort her. With my daughter missing, son obsessing, and I snapping, I needed to protect my wife's fragile mind. She needed to be strong, or else our daughter might never come home. Haitlin needs bother her parents waiting for her in top condition, not with broken hearts.

"It will be alright," I whispered in her ear. 

"What if she never comes home?" she stuttered through her cries.

"Don't worry about the what if's. We need to focus on now," I tried soothing her.

"I know, but," she started but didn't finished. 

I silenced her fears with a kiss, but inside I was fretting over the same things.

How was I supposed to find my seventeen year old daughter, who was possibly kidnapped? What happens if snow falls and she is still gone? How long would Chief keep the case open before he decided it was useless?

"Her birthday is in three days," Lorena sobbed into my shoulder.

My stomach completely dropped. My baby's eighteenth birthday was in three days, and she might not even be ... alive. I clenched my jaw tight as I tried not to worry Lorena, but everything finally hit me again.

My daughter might be dead. Haitlin Elizabeth Brookes might have been hurt or killed and I couldn't protect her. Practically anything could have happened to her, and no one could do anything about it.

I could only hope that she was alive though. That sliver of hope was the only thing that kept my insanity at bay. Without it, I would go off. No one hurts my baby without getting a taste of me.

"Nate, is everything okay?" Lorena broke my thoughts.

I hadn't realized my fists were clenched so tight that my knuckles where white, and my jaw ached from my jaw being clenched. I quickly calmed myself, but Lorena knew better.

"Nate, what are we going to do?"

I struggled with this question every minute of every day since Haitlin went missing, and I could only answer with the only answer I had.

"I don't know."

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