Missing Person

"Why can't you just tell me now, then," I asked, feeling my anxiety worsen. "I don't understand what could possibly be so bad that you have to keep me in the dark like this. What, do you guys eat people for Christmas dinner?"

"No," he laughed, but groaned after. "Laina, I want to tell you. I really do. What can I say?" He said thoughtfully. "It's not bad news. It won't affect you, not really, and it definitely won't hurt you. It's just- surprising, I guess."

I racked my brain to think of what it could be. "You're FBI agents?"

"God no," he laughed again. "I'm pretty sure- scratch that. I'm exceptionally sure you're not going to be able to guess," he continued, starting to drive the car out of the parking lot. "There's really no way for you to. But, again, I'm going to stress- it's not something that will hurt you in any way."

"I guess," I said, feeling the tension slightly ease in my shoulders and neck. We drove the rest of the way in silence; when Takoda pulled into their driveway again, there were two police cruisers waiting for us.

I saw that Han was sitting, relaxed, on the porch of the house, with an officer standing beside him. It didn't look like a confrontational meeting, at least, and I didn't see anyone in handcuffs. I felt my heartbeat spike with the thought of going back home. I had tried not to think about it like Tak said- but everything came flooding back full force when the thought of the officers bringing me back with them. I couldn't control my breathing- rapid, ragged pants weren't enough to fill my lungs.

"Whoa, it's all right!" Tak cried, parking the car quickly. "Lain! Remember what I said. Nothing is going to happen to you that you don't want."

"You can't know that," I replied.

"I do know that," he said, slowly. "Please, just trust me a little bit? Just for a little while? Come with me."

I dug my nails into my palms as hard as I could. I could see the officer looking at the car curiously, then beginning to walk our way. I knew that if I appeared like this, he would definitely think I was being kidnapped. That was the only thought in my mind that was able to help me take control of some of the panic.

Tak opened the door, waving to the officer. He went to the trunk of the little car, and drew out the crutches, as I rolled down the window in case the officer wanted to talk to me. He didn't, at first, he was trying to see what Tak was getting. He visibly relaxed when he saw the crutches appear, as Tak brought them to my door and opened it.

"Just go nice and slow," Tak said to me. "Everything is going to be ok."

I gingerly stepped out and stood, beginning to figure out the crutches. The officer looked at me critically.

"How're you today, ma'am?" he asked, eyeballing my knee.

"I've had better days, and I've had many worse," I replied, trying to smile.

"Do you have some time to talk, ma'am? I have some things I'd like to ask you," he continued.

"Yes, of course. Let's get inside where it isn't raining," I said.

"Don't mind if I do," he said, sticking his thumbs through his belt loops. His partner appeared through the main door, and nodded towards him.

"Looks all clear then," he said. "Go on ahead of me, ma'am." He turned to Tak. "Mind if I take a look at your car, then, sir?"

"No problem," said Tak slowly. "Not sure why, but it's fine."

"Standard," replied the officer shortly.

"Of course." Tak put his hand on my waist, helping me balance as I tried to walk using the crutches.

"No, you can stay with me," the officer said. "Go ahead and sit down in front of your car, please."

I swallowed.

"It'll be okay," Tak whispered. "All right, just here?" he asked the officer, pointing.

"Right there, please. Keep your hands in front of you," the man clarified.

I struggled up the porch. I had a complex mixture of emotions swirling in me. I still felt terrified that somehow these officers would be forcing me to go back, and soon. The second, more powerful emotion was the trouble I was causing for this family that had helped me, however briefly it proved to be. They were being treated like suspicious people, just because I existed. The second officer opened the door, and I thanked him as I passed by, accidentally meeting his eyes. He looked at me less critically than his partner did, a small difference of expression on his face. Going into the main living room, the first room, I sat down on one of Han's long couches. The officer stood across from me, and Han remained outside.

I wished he would come in, but I guessed it would be better if he stayed out of eyesight and earshot.

"You doing okay there, ma'am?" The second officer asked. "That knee looks pretty rough."

"It is," I replied, as calmly as I could. "I have a torn meniscus, just came back from the doctor."

"Oh, that's rough. How'd it happen?"

I was torn, worse than my knee was. But, if I told the truth, I would have nothing to remember.

"I ran into Tak when I was running to work, in a crosswalk, a couple of days ago," I explained. "I was trying to avoid the doctor since I don't have insurance, but I ended up going anyway."

"Oh, I see. Tak is the gentleman in the car then?" I nodded. "You, ran into him, was it?" He asked, raising his eyebrow. "That's a pretty interesting injury from just a small collision, especially given the difference in your sizes."

"Yeah, that's why I tried to brush it off at first," I replied. "I didn't think it could possibly be that bad."

"I see. Well, I'm Officer Darston. What's your name, ma'am?" he asked, taking out a notepad, and sitting across from me on a little stool. I had thought it was decorative, but it looked like it was handling his weight all right.

"I'm Laina Keer," I replied.

"Ms. Keer, do you have any form of ID?" he asked, beginning to write.

"I don't have any driver's license or ID. My social would be with my parents, if it still exists," I said blankly.

"I see. Do you know why we were asked to come check on you, Ms. Keer?" he asked, looking at me with his eyes slightly narrowed.

"I am guessing my parents said that I never came home," I replied simply. "And they're right. I didn't."

"They seem very concerned," he said, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees. "They said that your phone is off, is that correct?"

"I shattered the screen by accident," I said.

"And when did that happen?" he asked, beginning to write again.

"This morning," I said.

"So when did you last contact your parents?" he asked.

"I texted them last night, I guess," I replied. "Or in the afternoon, really."

"I see. And your phone got shattered after that?"

"Yes."

"How did that happen, then? It wasn't when you hurt your knee, obviously," he asked.

"No, it was when I woke late, and flipped out that I was going to be late for work. I scrambled trying to get it and knocked it off the nightstand," I said. "It's an older smartphone, so probably it was the last drop it was able to take. You know how it is." I could feel what he was trying to imply, and it was making me hurt in my stomach. He was being suspicious of this family, and trusting mine; when the situation was so far opposite it was sickening.

"I see." He looked at me for a long moment. "You seem a little nervous, ma'am," he said, finally.

"I am very nervous," I replied.

"Do you need to talk somewhere else?" he asked, lowly. "You can blink a lot, or maybe start snapping your fingers," he whispered.

"No, that isn't the situation," I said, and cleared my throat. "I do not want to go back, and I don't want them to know where I am. This is terrifying, just the thought that I might somehow be made to return."

"'Them,' being your parents," he said. I nodded again. "Is that so," he said, leaning back. "Well, I'm sorry to hear it."

"I'm sorry to have lived it," I replied shortly.

"All right. Well, I have a few more questions, but it's more a formality. You match the picture I was shown," he replied. "It's just crossing t's and dotting i's that I verified your identity. Do you mind?"

"Not at all, if it helps close this incident," I said.

He ran through a few more questions, I guess with information they had gathered when the missing person report was filed. I answered everything he asked, and tried to keep my answers brief and to the point, as much as possible.

"Do you have any bodily harm besides that bad knee there?" He asked. I looked at him curiously, before I realized that I was still wearing Tak's jacket- he had put it on me when we were walking back from the last store and the rain was starting.

"I do, and it is not from this family, or anyone here," I said.

"I...see. What kind of injuries do you have then?"

"Welts, bruising, and some permanent scars," I replied. "Another intense reason I have no desire to go back to them."

He hesitated. "Well, I am truly sorry to hear that," he repeated.

"I am truly sorry that no one was able to help before this family did," I replied, icily. "In fact, if you truly are sorry, I would recommend you look into your inspection offices and the people within."

"What do you mean?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Did you even look at the house that they're in?" I laughed. "For years they've come by threatening to condemn the place, and more than one officer, or representative, or whatever they are, saw me as a child, clearly abused and took a stack of bills instead of doing anything. Perhaps you wouldn't be sitting here if they had any human decency."

"If you would like to file a complaint-" he began.

"No, I wouldn't," I replied, shaking my head. "What good would it do except exposing me to more heartache? I'm over it, and I'd like to leave it in my past. Permanently." I realized I was making a mistake. "I'm sorry, Officer Darston. I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you or your people in your department. It's a sensitive subject. I realize it has nothing to do with you."

"I've been exposed to worse," he said. His expression became slightly more human. "Ma'am, are you in a safe place right now? Are you under any duress?"

"Not anymore, not since I've come here," I replied, folding my hands in my lap. "This is the most taken care of I've ever been."

He closed his notebook, tucking it into his vest pocket, and took out a card. He scribbled something on the back, and stepping forward, handed it to me.

"With your phone being shattered, I realize it might be tough, but if you need anything at all, my work number is on the front, and my cell is on the back," he said. I looked up at him- he glanced away.

"There's a cell on the front, too," I said, studying the card.

"Right, those are both my work numbers," he continued quickly. "If you're in a bad spot, or just need to talk, and I'm not answering either of those, you can call the one on the back."

"Oh, all right." I awkwardly held it. "Ah, my wallet is upstairs. I'll put it in there whenever I make it up the stairs," I chuckled without meaning to. "It's slightly more exciting than it should be."

"I can retrieve it for you," he offered. "Was it the little black one, first room on the left? Sparkly trim?"

"Wow, you're thorough. I guess you did look through the house," I replied, smiling. "Yes, that's the one."

"I saw your phone, too," he confessed.

"It was hardly hidden. If you don't mind getting it, I'll just tuck this away in there," I said. He walked up the stairs. I took a deep, shaky breath. I was almost through.

"Holy-" I heard the door shut loudly, and Darston appeared halfway back down the stairs.

"Uh, ma'am, you've got-" he appeared at a loss for words.

"Oh, gosh, is the fat boy still in there?" I asked. "I guess he probably snuck in, if you didn't see him before. He's going to be friendly."

"I- is that a wolf? Do you guys have a permit for that?" He asked, his brow furrowing.

"I would take that up with Grand- with Mr. Han," I said. "I'm kind of a newcomer here, but the fat boy has been friendly as could be."

He looked at me, disbelievingly.

"It's fine, I'll get the wallet myself," I said.

"No, it's all right," he replied. "My partner had mentioned that this was a unique environment. I thought he meant the river."

"I don't think he did," I laughed. Darston went back upstairs, and the wolf that had been my companion the past two days came trotting down, laying down on his side at my feet, groaning and huffing.

Darston followed him at a slower pace, and handed me my wallet. True to my word, I slid his card into one of the pockets. He stared at the wolf, almost longingly.

"Do you want to pet him?" I asked.

"A little bit, actually," he replied, not taking his eyes off the thick fur.

"Just go slowly," I said. Darston seemed a lot friendlier than his partner did, but I didn't know if it was all an act. He reached out gingerly, and his fingertips brushed the wolf's fur. The wolf made no response other than to move slightly more over my feet. I noticed as he began to pet the wolf, his hand sunk in just as deep as mine did into the undercoat.

"What's his name?" he asked, looking up at me. He had fully knelt to use both hands.

"I have no idea, Tak just calls him fat boy," I replied. The wolf groaned again, and Darston shot backwards.

"Oh, that's not aggressive," I said, seeing his reaction. "You and I would both know if he was angry."

Darston stood, brushing imaginary dust off his pants. Recovering his ego, I thought.

"If you can get another phone," he said, and his tone returned to the business-like quality it had before, "myself or my partner will be calling in a couple of days to let you know the resolution of the case."

"I'm not entirely sure," I replied, thinking. "I need to earn the money to do that, honestly. Maybe you can just call Tak again?"

"It needs to be you," he replied.

"If only I had access to my money," I mumbled, running my hands through my hair. I was getting warm, I wished Darston would leave so I could take off Tak's jacket.

"Why don't you have access to your money?" Darston asked. Crap. He heard that.

"It's buried in my parent's yard," I replied. "I hid it out there, where they wouldn't find it, but I'm not going within a hundred feet of it."

He stood still.

"I suppose, off the record," he said, then paused and coughed. "Well you can request a police escort and go to retrieve your property."

"A hundred feet. I don't want to see them ever again," I repeated shortly. "The money is a small price to pay to end that."

"I am sure that, with an escort-" he began. I unzipped Tak's jacket and dropped it on the wolf at my feet, being sure to put my bandaged hands on my knees. Darston froze.

"You need to press charges," he whispered. "Is that…all…?"

"It's much worse, but you'll forgive me if I don't flash you," I said shortly. "I am not pressing charges. I will not be getting a police escort. I want this to be over. Do you need anything else from me?" I was shaking like a leaf inside, but thankfully my voice came out clearly and calmly. The thought of Tak and Han being treated like possible criminals was my only source of strength. I wanted to cry.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" Darston asked, quietly.

"I will, more than likely," I replied.

"Be here tomorrow, I'll return your property," he said in the same soft tone. "Consider it as a true apology. Ms. Keer," he nodded, respectfully, and left the house.

I covered my face with my hands, tears welling through my fingers. The crutches clattered to the floor, covering the sound of my sobs.

Han came in, then, and I dropped my hands, trying to stifle my tears.

"A difficult step," he said, as I looked up at him. "But one that needed taking. I see Tanka is being a true companion," he continued.

"Is that his name," I asked, trying to smile. I leaned forward and patted Tanka's side. "Tak always just says fat boy."

"No," chuckled Han. "Sunkmanitu Tanka is our word for wolf. It is no different than saying Wolf in your language."

"What is his name, then?" I asked.

"Perhaps you can find out soon," he replied. "It has a special meaning to us, and by extent, to you."

"I can't wait to find out then," I replied, trying to be respectful and open minded. Who keeps the name of a pet a secret? But it wasn't my place to judge.

Han asked for the details of what I learned from the doctor, and shook his head at the diagnosis.

"I feared it was something of the kind," Han said, and sighed. "You are to stay here, and heal. No more working in the kitchens."

"I want to be useful," I replied, but he raised his hand.

"The desire for you to prove your worth is something you should be careful of. It is easy to fall into a trap," he said. "You will have ample time to shoulder your share of the burden. You will be a good help meet, I am sure. You will be a burden, instead, if you do not take the time to heal. You would not burden my boy, would you?"

"No," I said quickly. "I understand. But is there nothing I would be able to do while I don't move around?"

Han pondered a moment. "I may be able to find some tasks for you to do, in here, or in your room. Be patient until I have brought them to you. That is the most you may expect."

I nodded. "Thank you, Han."

He half smiled, and looked towards the door as Tak came in, water streaming out of his long hair.

"Are you all right, Lain?" he asked.

"I'm all right. Are they gone?"

"They just left," he replied. "Just in time for me to get soaked."

I began to work my way up the stairs. I heard Han huff behind me, and stopped. "Too stubborn," he said, shaking his head.

Tak picked me up gently, and carried me to his room. I sat on his bed again, with plates completely licked clean, as he grabbed some towels and began drying off.

"Thank you for trusting me," he said from the bathroom. "It looks like everything went well."

"I guess so," I replied. "I think the officer that interviewed me is going to get my cash I hid in the yard. That would be a huge Christmas present for me."

Tak paused, and walked back into the bedroom, taking his wet shirt off. I averted my eyes quickly, feeling my cheeks warming.

"That seems out of character," he said, cocking his head. "I would expect you would need to be present."

"Yeah, he said that at first," I said, looking everywhere but at Tak. It was much more challenging than I thought it would be. "I said I wouldn't go, ever. He offered after that. He'll be bringing it by tomorrow."

"How did that come up?" Tak asked, sitting on the bed next to me. Why?! I was having trouble thinking.

"I said, my phone was broken, when he said they would call when the case was closed," I said, thinking back. "He said fix, I said can't, money is unavailable. He said police escort, I said no. I ended up taking off your jacket, and he saw these-" I gestured at my arms. "Then he said he'd bring it by tomorrow, off the record."

Tak looked at me strangely.

"Anything else odd?" he asked. There was an odd tone in his voice, and I felt my heart jump, but not in a good way.

"I have his card," I said. "In my wallet. It's still downstairs, though."

He caught my chin, and I had to meet those enchanting green eyes. "Are you really okay?" he asked. "You're acting a little strange."

"You're very distracting," I said flatly. "And-" I swallowed. "You seem a little upset."

"I'm sorry, Laina," he whispered, letting go and standing. "I am not upset with you."

"But you are upset," I clarified.

"No," he said, after pausing. "Just- concerned."

"Why?"

He took even longer to reply, putting on a clean, dry shirt, and brushing out his hair. Finally, he spoke. "I tend to take the role of guardian a little too seriously, sometimes. As always, you are free to do as you wish. The implications of his kind gesture worried me."

I understood. I only saw the uniform, Tak was seeing a man.

"I think it was because I guilt tripped him a bit," I replied. "I don't think there's any special meaning. But besides that-" I bit my lip.

"Besides…?"

"I can't even think with your shirt off," I confessed, gripping my skirt tightly. "I can't even think of him as a guy."

Tak turned and looked at me for a moment, before grinning and bending so that my eyes were level with his.

"Oh? Do I need to undress then, to keep him fully out of your mind?"