Chapter 1

The day came when Jose brought along Christian's pictures of me, he bought at Jose show all the way from Portland. After work one fine Friday evening, we all head to the bar we all arranged we'll meet. Ethan, Kate, Elliot, Mia and Jose with myself, we are all sitting around a rather large table in the corner of the bar. I text Christian a couple of times today, reminding him of tonight and of Jose staying with us tonight. This morning he text me back and passed noon his emails and text's were silent. I am really getting worried about him now. It is so not like him to not reply to his messages. A panic gripped my chest but put up a brave face for my close friends I haven't seen in such a long time.

A few hours into our gathering Elliot's phone range and he stepped a few paces away to hear how was calling. I know this has something to do with Christian. He quickly turned around and looked at Mia first then settled on me. My breathing started racing.

'No!' I muttered more to the gaping hole in my chest where my heart use to me. I feel near tears.

'What? What is going on?' Mia asked. Eliot leaned towards his sister to tell her what has happened. Then he strolled over to me crouched down beside me. Took my hand and told me what happened.

Christian hasn't returned from Portland on his flight plan. Charlie Tango is missing. I looked at the large clock at the back of the bar. It is past seven thirty in the evening. Sawyer came into view and with my friends around me scurrying to gather our things and paid for our drinks. They all left for Escala on their own steam. As for Sawyer, Jose and me we were driven back to Escala as well. Although I don't give much head to what is going on around me or where they take me.

All I could think of is my fifty and the growing agony in my chest that is gnawing at me like a slow eating caterpillar eating away a leaf. Kate hover around me since we entered the penthouse like a over protective mother. As for me, I was more in a daze. I vaguely notice Grace and Carick how was also in the penthouse. Grace gave me a brief hug and moved on to crying Mia behind me. Kate and Jose steered me to the couch in the great room. Mrs Jones being the perfect host made us all some tea's and coffee's and later toasted sandwich's. Taylor and Carick are on the line with the police and the search party where they last picked up a signal from Charlie Tango. According to Grace the police has been searching since one PM this afternoon and will probably call off the search party soon since it is to dark for them to continue.

Jose later on took a hold of my one hand and Kate the other as Eliot lit the gas fireplace. I stare into the newly lit fire for I do not know how long. Kate later let go of my hand as she moved to the TV room where she started to monitor the TV with Elliot at her side. Carick held Grace and Mia in his arms while Taylor was still on the phone with the police. Looking back to the flames, silent tears ran down my face. Oh, my fifty. Please- please- please come back to me.

I would surely die slowly if he doesn't and also never recover. Please baby come back to me I repeated over and over in my head as more silent tears ran down my face. Without knowing it, I was so cold to the core that my whole body was colder than ice. I only notice when Mia draped a blanket around me and still I would not warm up. Time somehow has not stood still like my world has. It is a few minute before midnight and still no word. I later left the worrying party in the great room and went to our room and cried my eyes out where no one could see me cry the way I did.

I phoned him again and it went straight to voice mail. His voice came on it was so short. He only said; 'This is Grey, leave your message and I'll get back to you,' end of message. I left my own panicked messages for him on his phone. I phoned him a couple of times after that just so I could hear his voice. I sat down on the floor on his side of the bed kneeling and pulled his pillow to my chest and just buried my face in his intoxicating smell.

Staining his pillow with my streams of tears. I inhale deeply over and over. I later got up and stumble into his closet and took his play room jeans and held it also to myself along with my favorite gray tie of his. I lay down on the closet floor holding all his things to me. Kate, Mia and Grace came searching for me and finally found me in Christian's closet.

'Ana! Ana, snap out of it.' Kate ordered me. I just looked at her through my tears. Mia and Grace look so worried at me as I lay on the floor with Christian's things in my grasp. I looked from Mia and Grace back to Kate.

'Ana, they found Christian and Ros. They are on their way to the hospital, now.' Kate let me know the latest news. I left everything on the closet floor and stood up. Kate wanted to wrap the blanket around me again but I just put the blanket on the edge of the bed. I brushed my hair, slipped on some flats then head out the door where Sawyer and Taylor where ready to leave. With my handbag under my arm we all head out.

Jose looked at me strangely with Kate and Mia walking on each side of me. They never really saw my like this before. I just kept quiet and let our security drive us where we need to be. Jose put his arms around my shoulder and felt how cold I was and drape his jacket over my shoulder. This is all completely freaking me out. Just keep it together Steele, I repeated it to myself, over and over.