AU

His eyelids fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the brilliant sunlight streaming in through the windows. Griffin didn't feel a weight on top of him right away. He raised his head, a little perplexed. Where's Harper? Griffin sat up with a yawn, despite his confused head. He reasoned that she might have gone to take a shower or something. Griffin could hear mumbles coming from the dining area as his hearing adjusted. Although the mumbles were faint, he could almost hear little cries. Griffin stood up from the couch, the blanket thrown over him sliding to the floor, curious.

He went into the dining room, following the mutterings. Griffin noticed Mrs. Dunn sitting at the table, tears running down her cheeks. She was listening intently with her phone held up to her ear. Papers were strewn over the table. He could sense the tension building.

"Mrs. Dunn?" Griffin inquired, "What's wrong?"

"OK, thank you," Jess said quietly as she hung up the phone. Her eyes instantly began to flood with tears.

"She's gone"

"Gone?" Griffin sat down, "Who's gone?"

"Harper. She's...missing" Jess's voice was trembling.

"Is she not upstairs?" In the shower? "Friends' house?" Griffin inquired, panicked.

"Everyone I spoke with stated she hadn't been seen since yesterday. "I think she was k-kidnapped." Jess worked hard to keep her emotions at bay.

Griffin was taken aback. "No...No, No, No-"

"Griffin-"

"No, this is my fault. "I should never have fallen asleep so fast last night." Griffin got up, slightly shaking.

"Bud, You were tired-"

"I wasn't. I actually wasn't. "It's like sleep just took over me or something," Griffin lamented.

"I can't be the reason something bad happens to your daughter," Griffin said, tears stinging his eyes. Jess rose from her seat at the table, arms outstretched. Griffin embraced her firmly, swallowing a sob.

"We'll find her, bud," Jess assured him.

Griffin nodded and pulled away. Jess brushed away more tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"Maybe Lucas knows," Jess speculated as she reached for her phone.

"Um, Mrs. Dunn, about that, Harper's-"

"One second, Bud," Jess said, holding her phone to her mouth.

٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ "Hey Baby," Lucas said.

Griffin rolled his eyes as Jess grinned.

"Have you seen Harper?"

٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ"No, Babe. "She was sound asleep when I left the house last night," Lucas claimed.

Griffin arched his brow.

"Do you think she got kidnapped?" Jess inquired, her gaze lowered.

٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ"I'm not sure, baby. "Perhaps her little boyfriend knows where she is," Lucas suggested.

"Griffin said he doesn't know too," Jess recounted.

٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ"Bull. He hates when Harper and I spent time together. "He probably tried to take her away from me and you or something." Lucas pretended to be hurt.

"Oh, I didn't know that. If you happen to see her or anything. Please contact me." Jess mentioned

٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ"I'll do it, baby." Don't worry, we'll find the hot stack."

"The what?-"

٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ"Bye, Babe!"

Lucas hung up. Jess lowered her phone and returned her attention to Griffin.

"I didn't know you and Lucas didn't get along," Jess said.

Griffin was unable to deny it. He gave a nod.

"Do you have Harper, bud?" Jess inquired, gravely.

"No, N- No. I would never. I mean, I love her, but she's your daughter first, and I can't take her away from you." Griffin reassured

Jess nodded, understandingly.

"Do you believe me?" Griffin inquired, his eyes bright.

"You know, I do," Jess said.

"I'm not even sure where to start looking." she let out a sigh.

Griffin suggested, "Maybe my family knows where she is."

"Maybe," Jess remarked. "C'mom. Let's go see."

--

Harper gradually opened her eyes. Instead of sunshine, she noticed the roof of a car. Harper sat up slowly, remembering where she was. She was already in the mood to cry.

"Ah, you woke up, Baby-cakes," Lucas said, his hands on the steering wheel.

Harper gazed out the rusty glass window and saw nothing but grass.

"Where are we going?" Harper muttered

"That's none of your business," Lucas remarked.

"Please, I want to go home," Harper pleaded.

"The place I'm about to take you is your home now, Harper." And you must obey my rules. Bad girls don't get rewarded. Now, keep quiet; I don't want to hear your whines." Lucas elaborated

Harper swallow a sob, "Please"

Lucas suddenly removed his hands from the steering wheel, putting the vehicle on the verge of a disaster. When he heard Harper collide with something, he returned his hands.

"Not. Another. Word"

Harper gave a nod.

Lucas grinned, "I can't hear you."

"Yes, L-Lucas," she said quietly, trying hard not to cry out.

--

"I haven't seen her since yesterday," Ben said.

Griffin and Jess drove down to the Campbells. They were destined to find out more about Harper's disappearance, but Griffin had a feeling in his stomach that he almost knew where she was but couldn't put his finger on it. As he, Mrs. Dunn, Topher, and his family sat in the living room, his mind raced.

"Have you called the police?" Sarah inquired.

"I have. They promised to keep an eye out." Jess let out a sigh.

"You don't know where she went, Griffin?" Ben asked. He made a shaky motion with his head.

"I-is she okay?" Zoey worriedly whispered

Jess buried her face in her hands, her eyes straining with tears.

"We'll find her," Sarah vowed, her voice quivering slightly. That's when Jess burst into sobs. She stood up hurriedly, knowing she was ready to break.

"I'll be ba-" Jess could almost finish her statement without wailing again. She moved away from the situation fast.

Griffin couldn't stop the sobbing that slipped him.

"This is all my fault." Griffin wailed

"Griff-"

Cut off by another weep, He dashed away and upstairs.

The three 15-year-olds met each other's gaze, nervously biting their lips in an attempt to restrain their emotions. Knowing she was on the brink of tears, Zoey hurriedly made her way away from the scene, with her brother and friend close behind.

Ben sighed.

"I'll go check on Jess," Sarah murmured

"Really? You're worried about this. Griffin is probably playing a prank or something." Ben shook his head.

Sarah's gaze was fixed on her husband "Ben." Harper was most likely kidnapped, and you think this is a joke? "This is serious," she said seriously before walking away.

Ben laughed.

-

Harper's disappearance shook all emotions. Crying, not even noticing the passage of time. In Sulphur Springs, Louisiana, it was late at night. Griffin lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, sniffling sobs the only sounds. Griffin couldn't take Harper's kidnapping. She meant everything to him. Just feeling her warmth would lift his spirits. By staring at one of Harper's brushes that she forgot to pack laying there on his bathroom counter, Griffin couldn't even finish brushing his teeth without tears welling up. He was frightened, scared, horrified.

"Griffin?". He jerked out of his thoughts, slightly startled. When it was just his sister, he sighed with relief.

"What's the matter?" Griffin questioned

"I'm worried," Zoey said quietly as she let herself through the door.

"What if something bad happened to Harper?" Zoey remarked, sitting on her older brother's bed.

"Well, we're hoping not-"

"Aren't you worried as well?" Zoey spoke out.

Griffin let out a sigh. "Worried isn't even the right word to describe how I'm feeling."

Griffin reasoned, "It's my fault she's gone."

Zoey shook her head "It's not-"

"It is," Griffin said, "and I could never forgive myself if anything bad happened to her."

Zoey gave a nod.

"I need to find her." "I have to bring her home," Griffin muttered

"How? It's not like you know where she is," Zoey replied.

Griffin thought to himself, "I might actually" before rising up, sliding on his slides, and walking towards the door, oblivious to the fact that he was wearing flannel pajama pants and a tank top.

"Where are you going?"

"To find my girlfriend"

"Can I come?"

"Whatever"

Zoey smiled as she followed her brother through the bedroom door. She side-eyed both her twin brother Wyatt and his friend as they passed his room before returning her eyes to the exit. The two boys exchanged looks.

"Where are you two going?" Wyatt said, peering out of his room. Before turning back, the siblings had almost reached the steps.

"We're are going to find my-"

"On a mission," Zoey said.

Griffin nodded, "On a mission." "Anyway, we've got to go, Bye-"

"What kind of mission?" Topher inquired, emerging from the shadows.

Griffin commented, "I thought you went home."

"My mom said she needed to clear her mind or whatever." Topher sighed

"But, for real, what's the mission?" Wyatt asked.

Griffin exhaled "I'm-"

Zoey cleared her throat.

He suspired "Me and Zoey are going to find Harper."

"At 12:46 am?" Topher asked.

Griffin sighed and rolled his eyes. "Why are you always questioning the times I do stuff?"

"Can we come?" Wyatt inquired, hoping

Griffin exchanged looks with his sister before rolling his eyes again. "I don't care, just hurry up," he said before racing down the steps, with the three eagerly following. Griffin made a point of grabbing a specific pair of car keys from the table before the four of them continued to leave.

"Those are Mom's keys," Wyatt said.

Griffin examined them. "I know"

"She's going to kill you if she finds out you're driving her car," Zoey pointed out.

"I'm going to save my dam girlfriend." "Like I care," Griffin replied as he walked out the door. The 15-year-olds laughed and exchanged glances before following.

--

The car came to a complete stop after what seemed like an eternity. Harper shakily attempted to wipe her eyes as she heard Lucas step out of the car. Harper noticed a rusting house beyond the window. Lucas opened the back car door before she could do anything else.

"Don't be shy, sweetie," Lucas gestured, smirking. Harper slithered out of the car, handless, and her feet landed on the gravel. Lucas tightened his grip on her wrist before leading her inside.

"This is where you're going to stay," Lucas said as the two passed through the doors. Lucas spun Harper around, gazing her in the eyes and grabbing her shoulders.

"You're going to sleep with me, eat with me, shower with me, and have fun with me."Got that?" Lucas stated sternly.

"Please," Harper implored as she shook her head.

"Do you understand, Harper?" Lucas forcefully shook her.

"I want to go home," Harper sobbed, unable to stop herself.

"All right then," Lucas replied irritably before gripping Harper's wrist once more. Harper winced as Lucas led her down the halls and to a battered door that led to the basement. Lucas opened the door to a dimly lighted area lit solely by candles. He unwrapped the tape from Harper's wrist.

"Night Night, Lovey" Lucas smirked as he pushed Harper down the wooden floating stairs. Lucas' face brightened as he heard her tumble and scream, crying loudly as she reached the bottom. The door was then banged from above by Lucas. Harper's arm collided with the floor first when she fell. She held her arm tightly as she sobbed feeling her back press against a wall.

As Harper's sobs began to subside, she could hear a different sound of crying. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Harper looked around and was surprised to find another person huddled in the corner. Curiosity overcoming her, Harper stumbled over to them, and upon seeing, her eyes filled with tears again.

"S-Savvy?" Harper wept. Savannah gazed at her, sobbing even more. Her legs were squeezed against her chest. She was covered with filth. Savannah's only clothing was a little shredded towel hanging over her. Harper sobbed loudly before embracing Savannah. Savannah wailed as she put her head on Harper's chest. Harper gripped her hand securely in hers. Savannah nuzzled into the warmth of her. The 17-year-olds felt hopeless as they spent the rest of the night...crying.