Forgive or die trying

ꌚꀟꁄ ꄡꀟꅔꍈꁅꁄꁕ ꀟꁄꎡ ꉈꀧꍈꁕ

When Aubrey awoke the next morning, refusing to leave her room or even open the door, everyone was understandably worried.

She hadn't acted like this in years and the fact that she wouldn't even say anything was causing Basil to anxiously wring his hands, Kim gently holding one of them after some time and rubbing her thumb across the top of his hand to help comfort him.

Her soft smile and kind eyes reassured him as Vance knocked on Aubrey's door for what felt like the hundredth time that morning,

"H-hey Aubs, please just tell us you're ok. I… I know him being back in town messed with you but please. We're all worried sick about you Aubs, please let us help you." Vance's voice held a shakiness the others hadn't heard before, his facade of being tough at all times cracking under the fear that she could be hurt.

Polly gently pushed through the crowd and, with their permission, knocked on the door. The hooligans crowded around behind her, minus Kim who had taken a now hyperventilating Basil outside into the backyard to get some fresh air. There was no response, and as Polly grew more worried she did the only thing she could think of.

With a deep breath, she pulled back before kicking the door open. The hooligans watched as their jaws dropped, a mix of shock and slight fear at the insane strength showcase from the seemingly weak woman. That was quickly wiped away as they saw the inside of Aubrey's room.

She wasn't there.

Her curtains flowed like a river in the breeze as her window lay wide open. A look of worry passed through the group as they looked desperately for any clues as to the location of the now missing girl.

The only thing that made sense was that she left of her own accord, and if she left on her own accord that would mean that Hero's return truly did hurt her more than any of them could've ever thought.

The group stood for a moment, taking it all in, and then Vance, looking just as broken as he did the first time the group had met, spoke up,

"We'll find her, whatever it takes." His voice was shaky, and as the team looked over to him, he looked over to Polly and, in a moment that felt very hard for him to do, asked her to come with them.

"She was here this morning. Her blanket's been slept in, and the comforter is too warm to have been kept on the bed overnight with no one under it."

Polly nodded, having checked it herself, and made a mental note to change the sheets later today, although that obviously wasn't the most concerning matter currently.

"I'm going to start down by the water, and I think that you three will want to head up the other way, but I think that our best bet is to go to the school. Our best bet would be for her to head to a place she's familiar with." Vance spoke with an authority, Charlie, Angel, and The Maverick nodding in agreement.

With that being said, they looked back at Polly.

"We'll get her. I promise you all that." Her voice held a tinge of doubt in it, but she kept on that sweet smile that made them trust her words.

Outside, Basil looked to Kim and signed to her slowly,

"She's… in danger? She's gone… because of him?" Kim struggled to comfort him but did her best by simply responding with,

"Maybe she just… wants to be alone?" From her tone alone, both her and Basil knew she was lying to herself and to him. With a sigh, she shook her head and stood up,

"No. We don't leave her. We find her. She's our friend. We won't abandon her. She knows we'll find her, we can find her, we'll find her. We'll make sure that no one hurts her." She held her hand out for Basil to take, and helped pull him back to his feet before holding his hand gently and bringing him back into the house.

The group didn't waste time. Polly quickly went around the house, collecting anything that could be used in a search, and the group left out the door, minus Kim who had decided to stay back with Basil.

They would find her.

"The school looks like the best place for her to head to. Most of the spots she's most comfortable at are there, it's the only logical place for her to go to." Vance spoke up, deciding instead of him heading to the water it would be best to search the places as a group. And besides, the place she usually went to sit by the water was relatively close to the school anyways

"Alright, we'll start there."

With that said, Vance led the group to the school. The small school wasn't in the best of shape, but was the only one in town so the town made due with what they had. As they entered the building, Polly went straight to the principal's office and asked if anyone had seen Aubrey and reported her missing.

Unfortunately, the principal simply shook his head in response but said he would send out an email to all parents at the school to be on the lookout for her. Polly sighed, but knew this was the only way she could get more help as the police didn't really do much to help around here, viewing the town as lesser than.

Polly looked out at the field, the field she knew Aubrey used to love spending time at thanks to Basil's stories of their past together. It was one of her favorite spots and yet there were no indications that she had been there today.

The group looked to each other and nodded, knowing they would have to continue the search no matter how long it would take.

They could only hope that with that email sent out, maybe some of the other townsfolk would lend a hand in helping to find the missing girl.