[Phonecall to Dan]

[ohstarryeyed]

[She's hesitant in calling. She doesn't want him to worry. But he's her friend, he deserves to know. He wanted to know if things happened and boy, they are happening right now. And Cassie's at a total loss. She sounds tired when she finally does call him, there's something in her voice to suggest she's been crying and she's on the verge of crying a little more in the near future.]

Hey, Dan. It's... it's Cassie.

I don't know why I'm calling... I'm not really sure what else to do. God, I really don't know what to do.

[A pause. Her voice breaking a little.]

Spencer's gone missing. I.. I can't find him anywhere.

Comments

[dislodged]

[Dan has a bad feeling as soon as he sees Cassie's name on his caller ID. The sound of her voice confirms his suspicions. He holds back a sigh for her sake — the last thing he wants her to think is that she's bothering him with this, because she's not.

He's just... disappointed. That's a good word. He had such high hopes.]

Not even on the journal network?

[ohstarryeyed]

[He's right to have the bad feeling. It's Chicago. When is it ever not bad? Well, that's how Cassie feels right now. She just wanted something good, but the Rift just takes and takes. Now it's taken away one of the most important things to her.]

No. I've tried for days and-- nothing. There's nothing.

[She pauses, making a noise that sounds like a suppressed sob.]

They.. they don't think it's the CLF. They'd have done-- I don't know. I've looked-- I've got other people-- they're all trying really--

[It's getting harder not to cry. He doesn't need her to start bawling down the phone at him, she can't do that to him.]

I don't know what to do.

[dislodged]

It was probably a rift.

[...not helping, Dan.

He frowns at himself, backpedals.]

I'm sorry, Cassie. Can you take a deep breath for me?

[ohstarryeyed]

[She knows it was most likely a Rift. She doesn't want to accept it's a Rift. Hearing Dan saying it out loud only gets a choked, high-pitched sound in reply.]

God no. No. No.

[She shuts up, pressing a hand to her mouth to quieten herself. She's quiet for almost a minute before she speaks again.]

It's happened so many times. I don't know if I can do it this time.