Nicotine | Ashton Irwin ✔

4.8

{A/N: this is such a bad chapter. It's like a filler almost. I'm sorry.}

A week passed, and there was still no sign of Ara. Liam worked day and night alongside every member of his team, and they couldn't find anything. Teddy seemed to be a nervous wreck with each passing day. He refused to eat, drink or sleep until he knew his sister was safe.

Ashton wasn't any better. He was just as stubborn. Some days Michael, Calum and Luke couldn't get him out of his room. He sat around all day, staring at the wall, waiting for some kind of news that Ara was okay, that she was alive. But nothing ever came. And so he continued to sit. He continued to stare at the white walls.

Sam spent a lot of time around Teddy during the week. The boy seemed so broken, so lost without his sister. And nothing she said could get his spirits up a little. Teddy wanted nothing to do with the world. All he wanted was his sister.

Another week passed and their was still no sign of her. No evidence. Ashton was beginning to loose hope. That Ara was, in fact, truly gone. Teddy seemed to be holding on. He knew she was still alive. He knew she wasn't dead. But deep down he was loosing his battle too.

"Have you identified the girl in the photo yet?" Teddy asked Cat one morning.

"Not yet. We're still searching." Teddy plopped down in the chair next to her and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I can't do this, Cat." He whispered. "I already lost my mum to that bastard, I can't loose my sister." He lifted his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I want her back Cat."

"I know Teddy. And we're trying g SK hard to find her. But Craig seems to know what he's doing. He's avoided traffic cams, everything. He's doing a good job at staying hidden."

"Don't give up on her Cat. Please. I need my sister."

"I won't give up. I promise." Cat said, softly. "Why don't you go home and get some rest." She suggested. "You're tired." Teddy sighed and nodded.

"Call me if you find something."

"I will."

Teddy stood to his feet and lumbered out to the lobby of the police station. But as he reached the front door, something clicked in him. He gasped and ran back to Cat. "I know her." Teddy said, out of breath. I've seen her before. When I was younger."

"What? Where?"

"She used to walk past my school everyday on her way home. I recognize her face. She was younger, but I know it's her."

"Do you know what school she attended?"

"Yeah . . . North Brooke I think." Teddy said.

"Okay, give me a minute." Cat typed away at her computer. "Bingo. Eighteen year old Clary Argyle. She lives in an apartment over on twenty first and Broadway with her boyfriend, Quinton Neil and three year old son Wesley."

"That's her. She's part of this. She knows where my sister is."

Ashton sat in the living room of his house, staring emotionless at the blank walls when the phone rang. He sighed, and reached over to grab it. "Yeah?" He muttered I to the receiver.

"Ashton, it's me. We identified the girl in the photo." Teddy rushed out. Ashton sat up straighter in his spot.

"You did?"

"Her name is Clary Argyle. She lives in the city."

"Are you positive it's her?" Ashton demanded.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Cat and Aaron just headed over to her apartment now to get her."

"Good." He huffed.

"We'll find her Ashton, I promise. Ara's strong."

"I know." He sighed. "Call me when you find her?"

"I promise." Ashton hung up the phone and continued to stare at the walls.

Cat and Aaron held their guns in their hands as they stood outside Clary Argyle's apartment. "On the count of three." Aaron whispered.

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

Aaron kicked down the door and stormed into the apartment first, Cat following in pursuit. "Clary Argyle! This is police! Show yourself."

The apartment was silent. It said she had a child. But there was no screaming. "Clary!"

"Clear!" Cat called. She checked the bathroom and the baby's room. "She's not here."

"She couldn't have gotten far if her son's with her. Put out an APB." Aaron ordered. She nodded.

"Where do you think she went?" Cat asked.

"She's either with Ara and Craig right now, or she's on the run."

"Teddy is going to be pissed." Cat sighed. "He was expecting her to be here."

"What's her connection to the case?"

"She was in that photo that Ara took the day she was abducted."

"But how is she connected. She obviously wouldn't just agree to kidnapping a teenage girl two year's younger than her. She must know Craig or Chuck."

"I'll find out. You search for the girl."

"Let's call the captain and have them search the place for clues, money trail, anything that might help us find Ara."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE WASN'T THERE! SHE HAD TO!"

"Teddy . . . she . . . she just wasn't there, okay?" Cat explained, trying to calm the young teen.

"NO! NOT OKAY! SHE KNOWS WHERE MY SISTER IS!" He screamed. Teddy pulled at his hair angrily, screaming. He was breaking. He was loosing this war the he had waged against his mine. He spun around punching the wall.

"Teddy!" Cat grabbed onto him, pulling him against her. Her thrashed in her hold. "A-Aaron!" Cat shouted.

Aaron came running in. Noticing Cat struggling to hold on to Teddy who was throwing a fit, he rushed to her aid.

"Teddy! Just calm down." It took Aaron and Cat a full twenty minutes to calm him down.

"Just breath Teddy, just breath." Cat whispered to him. "It's okay. We're gonna get her."

"I just want my sister back." He cried. "I just want my sister back." Cat held him close to her, running her hands through his hair.

"Breath, Teddy, just breath."