If you want to support (To continue with the chapters and improve the quality of the language)or read some advance chapters+10 please follow me on: patreon.com/Jayjayempi
The flight to D.C. was calm, with Alice settled next to Nate as they shared comfortable silences, watching the clouds drift beneath them.
Upon landing, the bustle of the airport greeted them with air warmer than Forks. Alice headed straight to the restroom to change into clothes more suited for the weather, and after a few minutes, she rejoined Nate, weaving through the travelers until they reached the exit, where they hailed a yellow cab that smelled of old upholstery and a faint trace of cigarette smoke.
Alice settled next to Nate in the back seat, almost entirely hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat, dark sunglasses, and a light scarf around her neck, her long clothes covering every bit of skin.
Nate glanced at her sideways before leaning in slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"It must be uncomfortable for you to move around during the day… I'm sorry."
Alice turned her head just enough to reveal a small smile beneath the brim of her hat.
"I'm used to it. Not every place is like Forks… and you can't always count on a cloudy day."
Nate nodded gently, letting out a quiet sigh as he turned his gaze toward the window. The city unfolded around them with red-brick buildings, wide streets, and sidewalks filled with people in a hurry, while traffic moved forward under a clear sky. Every intersection and street pulled at a memory, a familiar feeling that struck him with a distant ache.
He remembered walking these streets just a few months ago, before everything changed.
Alice broke the silence in a soft voice, placing a hand on her bag.
"Are you planning on visiting any old friends while we're here?"
Nate shook his head gently, not taking his eyes off the window as the red light brought the cab to a stop.
"There's no one I really want to see… I'd rather take care of what we need to do and get back to Forks."
Alice nodded, lowering her gaze in quiet understanding.
"All right."
The rest of the ride passed quietly. The taxi moved through streets Nate recognized, each corner awakening echoes of a routine that now felt so far away: walks back home, quick runs to the corner store, afternoons when the world felt small and stable.
Now, each of those places seemed to belong to another Nate, one who no longer existed.
Finally, the cab pulled up in front of a two-story house with a light facade and a wooden porch still in decent shape, though the railings showed signs of time. The windows were still covered with the same heavy curtains as before, and the front door stood firm, as if nothing had changed since the day he left.
The only sign of neglect was the yard, with unevenly overgrown grass and a few dry branches in the planters.
Nate paid the driver, feeling the weight of the key in his pocket as he stepped out of the cab. He closed the door softly and stood facing the house, hands in his jacket pockets, observing it in silence.
For the first time in a long while, he felt clearly that no one was waiting for him there anymore.
That house had once been a home filled with voices, footsteps, doors closing, and scattered laughter, the TV on at night, and the smell of breakfast in the mornings. Now it was just an empty structure, where the echoes of the past seemed to float through every room.
Beside him, Alice adjusted the brim of her hat and lowered her sunglasses slightly to look at him calmly, her gaze steady and understanding.
"I'm here with you, Nate," she said softly, her voice barely a murmur that the breeze carried away.
Nate took a deep breath, letting that certainty give him the push he needed. He pulled the key from his pocket, holding it for a moment before stepping up to the door. The porch creaked under his steps, and for a moment, a memory washed over him: himself, running down those same steps with his backpack hanging off one shoulder, waving with a smile before disappearing down the street.
He squeezed the key between his fingers and inserted it into the lock.
The click echoed softly as Nate turned the doorknob, pushing the door open.
As soon as it opened, a dry scent of dust and old wood drifted toward them as daylight illuminated a room in disarray.
The couch was out of place, its cushions scattered across the floor, the rug rolled up in a corner, and a dining chair lay broken by the wall. Drawers were open, books and papers strewn about, picture frames fallen, some shattered. Amid the mess were tiny shards of glass glinting in the light, mixed with tracks of dry dirt on the floor.
Nate stood frozen in the doorway, his hand still on the knob, as his mind processed what he was seeing. A slow beat of disbelief thudded in his chest before turning into the weight of contained anger.
He stepped inside, silently taking in each object, noting what was still there: the television remained, the stereo was untouched, and valuable ornaments still sat on the shelves. He ran a hand through his hair, forcing himself to breathe as he fought the urge to punch something.
Behind him, Alice stepped in cautiously, her boots quiet against the dusty floor. She lowered the brim of her hat slightly, scanning the room as she covered her nose with a hand, murmuring,
"This… smells like wet dog. Maybe some vagrants broke in… or stayed here since it was empty."
Nate turned his head slightly toward her, frowning as he inhaled the air. To him, it was just the smell of a closed house, dust, and dry wood.
"I don't smell anything weird… and it doesn't look like a robbery."
His voice was calm, though his jaw tightened as he moved further in, eyes sweeping over the chaos.
"The door was locked, the TV's still here, all the valuables too…" His eyes moved slowly around the room. "Someone was looking for something."
Alice watched him quietly for a moment before lifting her gaze gently, her golden eyes reflecting concern.
"You should check the whole house, Nate. Just in case."
He nodded, leaving his backpack near the entrance before moving down the hallway. The kitchen was just as ransacked, cabinet doors hanging open, utensils scattered across the floor, and traces of dirt on the tiles. He climbed the stairs with measured steps, checking his room first, where the sheets had been pulled off the bed, the desk drawers emptied, and papers scattered everywhere.
In his parents' room, the wardrobe was flung wide open, clothes littering the floor, wooden boxes overturned, photos and papers strewn among old garments.
Finally, he stopped in front of his father's study door.
He carefully turned the knob and pushed it open. The scent of paper and wood, mixed with dust, enveloped him immediately. The room was a wreck: bookshelves emptied, books scattered across the floor, many left open with pages bent or torn. The large oak desk where his father used to spend hours working was covered in empty folders, opened envelopes, disorganized papers, and forced-open drawers.
Nate stood still, his gaze fixed on the chaos that had replaced the calm of this place. He could almost hear the clack of the keyboard and smell the coffee and tobacco that used to fill the air as his father worked late into the night.
He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply before heading back downstairs.
Alice was still waiting by the front door, watching him patiently. As he came down, she raised an eyebrow, seeking an answer.
"How is it upstairs?"
Nate exhaled slowly before replying.
"Same. Every room's been torn apart, even my dad's study… but nothing valuable was taken."
Alice held his gaze before speaking softly.
"Should we call the police, Nate? They could file a report, just in case."
He shook his head, running a hand over the back of his neck to steady his frustration.
"No. I don't think this was a normal break-in." He gestured calmly at the mess. "Someone came here looking for something… and I think it's better if we find whatever clues they left behind."
Alice nodded firmly, her eyes glinting with determination as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
"All right. I'll help however I can."
Nate looked at her for a moment before nodding.
"Thank you, Alice."
Without another word, they began to search carefully, lifting books, opening drawers, sorting through papers, and exploring every corner for any hint of what the intruders had been after.
As daylight slanted through the dusty windows, the old house filled with the creak of wood under their steps and the rustle of pages turning, as the two of them worked together to uncover the mystery that had come crashing into Nate's past.