~~~~~~~~~Iv's POV~~~~~~~~~

It had been a few hours since we left the Robbins' house.

Right now, I was getting myself a cup of coffee, trying to distract myself so I could stay calm. I had already decided to give up on the whole investigation, there was nothing else I can do. There was no point in doing anything else.

All my efforts were.. worthless.. useless..

Why should I continue..?

Maybe all the victims were long dead..

Maybe my brother was dead, or worse.. the culprit himself..

I didn't know what to think anymore..

But my thoughts didn't matter..

Nothing else mattered...

It was...

all...

hopeless...

...

-knock knock-

I jumped a little at the sound, nearly dropping my mug in the process. I didn't expect anyone right now, Dad was out with Ashley to buy some things while Mom kept an eye on Alyse, and I had come downstairs just for the coffee.

Could it be..?

...

With a deep breath, I opened the front door, and to my surprise, I saw a familiar face. "Sage?"

"Hey.. Can I come in..?"

"Uh, sure." Once she stepped inside, I closed the door, then turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "If you're here for Alyse, she's-"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you.."

It was a bit surprising, Sage and I were never the closest friends, we mostly just got along because of Aiden. We did grow closer when he disappeared, but it was still always kinda awkward whenever it was just us two.

"Um, alright? What's up?"

"Is it true that you ended the investigation..? That you're giving up..?"

I froze a little, had Noah told her..? I should've expected so, but I didn't think she'd ask about it..

"... yeah, I did. It's pointless to continue, we'd only be wasting our time."

"Pointless?! You're the one who gave us the idea to investigate!!"

"I know that, I was being unrealistic. We're nothing more than a bunch of high schoolers, it was stupid of me to think we could solve this on our own."

"What about all the missing people?! You're just gonna give up on them?!"

"They're all probably dead by now, Sage. It's only a matter of time before you realize that y-"

All the words in my head were suddenly knocked away when I felt Sage's hand smack across my face.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SAID THEY HAVE TO BE ALIVE, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO HAD THE MOST DETERMINATION TO FIND THEM, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO GAVE US ALL THAT HOPE!!!"

...

It was as if I had just woken up from a deep sleep..

My cheek stung, but I didn't care, my eyes widened in shock..

She was right.. this was all my idea.. I wanted to save everyone.. I wanted everyone to be safe and happy again..

... what happened to me..?

"I.. I-I didn't.. I just.."

"I get it, okay..?! I know that the more you've found, the harder things have been..! But that's no excuse to give up, not now..! Not when there are so many people suffering way more than we are.."

I didn't reply.. I didn't know how.. I didn't know what to say..

I was just lost in my head for more time..

"... I'm pregnant."

"Wait, what?!" I quickly looked up at her words, finally being brought back to the full reality. "What are you-?!"

"I found out a week after Aiden went missing. I know I'm nowhere near the right age, and I know it'll be very stressful, but.. I at least want to make the decision of keeping them or not with him.. He needs to know about this, and my father does too.."

She placed her hands on my shoulders, and I could see the tears peeking out of her eyes. "I know this isn't easy, but please.. I beg you.. don't give up.. All those missing people are still out there, suffering.. We need to save them.."

Soon enough, I let out a sigh, letting a small smile onto my face. "I'd be a dick if I said no right now.. Okay, I'll continue the investigation.. But I don't know if I'll be able to find anything more.."

"All I ask is that you still search.."

I nodded in reply. "Alright. You should get home though, keep an eye on your family."

"Okay.. Thanks, Iv.." She pulled away, awkwardly rubbing her arm. "And uh.. s-sorry for hitting you.."

"Nah, I needed the wake up call."

With a smile, she then disappeared, probably teleporting back home.

I went back to my room after than, seeing the list of victims on the paper I had written, sticking it up against the wall. I shouldn't give up yet, I knew that, but.. what else could I do?

The only thing I could do was find more dust, but I with how little amount we were getting each time, I have doubts that it'll be helpful.

My eyes got a glimpse of one of the pictures that sat on my drawer, remember something I had kept in it. It was a picture of Aiden and I from two years ago on our sixteenth birthday, smiling brightly at the camera.

It seemed like thousands of years had passed since then..

Turning the photo around, I opened a tiny compartment hidden in the back of the frame, taking out a necklace. It was a silver chain, with a bright blue crystal dangling at the center, my mother had bought it for him many years ago, and he only took it off to sleep.

It wasn't a magical artifact like Bill's hat or Lidia's earrings, but it was definitely something very meaningful to him. It was found on his nightstand the day he went missing, and I've kept it here so it won't get lost.

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I held the crystal in my hands, letting out a heavy sigh. "If you were still here, what would you do.."

I stared at the crystal for a while, hoping that it would give me some sort of sign, somehow.. Anything that could be at least a little be useful to me..

When my phone started to ring, I jumped in place, the necklace falling out my hands, causing it to crack as my face went pale. "Shit!"

However, when I picked it up once more, I got what I was looking for..

Visions of my brother started going through my brain, starting from the point when he was kidnapped.

I saw him fight for his life before being knocked out.

I saw him being dragged through the forest unconscious.

And then.. I saw him locked up in some sort of talk with a mask that was stuck on his face..

Taking in a sharp gasp, I was brought back to reality. If I hadn't placed a hand on my drawer, I would've fallen down, though it unfortunately caused my mirror to fall instead and shatter into pieces.

I forced myself to take a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. Not too long after, Ashley came running into my room. "Iv?! What happened, I heard glass breaking!!"

"I-I'm fine, Ash.." I looked down at the necklace in my hand. "Just had a bit of a breakthrough.."

"Breakthrough..?"

"Aiden's alive.. I know that much, and there has to be a way to bring him back.." I placed the necklace on my desk, looking back to the list of victims. "Somehow.."

"Maybe the blue dust will finally come in handy!"

"Maybe so, we'd have to find a lot more though."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, you always come up with something." She smiled before heading back to the door.

Then.. I finally realized something..

A realization that hit me like a train.

"Ash..?"

"Yeah?"

I didn't turn around, unsure of the response I'd receive..

"I never told you about the blue dust.."

Thanks for reading!!! 'Till next time!!!

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