**12** [Audio]

[bffpoltergeist]

[Liz has kept mostly to herself since the Furball incident got a lot of people hurt, but certain things catch her attention without fail.

This time it's the fact that she can't seem to find Chloe anywhere.]

Umm... I know that, like, I'm not everyone's, like, favorite or anything right now, but... umm... Has anyone seen Chloe? She's been here a while now, but, like, I can't find her at any of, like, her normal hang-outs.

Sollux? Derek???

[Is someone freaking a tad? Mmmm, yes.]

Comments

[Commentlog]

[sociopathicwolf]

[No blame here for freaking out, because freaking out is pretty much what Derek's been doing for the last few days. Well, he wouldn't describe it as freaking out. He'd describe it as careful, methodical searching for Chloe. But it's pretty much freaking out.

So he doesn't answer this, because he isn't watching the journals right now.

Right now, he's in wolf form, sniffing around the edge of the forest, trying desperately to pick up a trail that will lead him to Chloe.]

[Commentlog]

[bffpoltergeist]

[Liz didn't stop with just a quick missive. No the resident ghost is off and running, double checking the necromancers likely haunts and relaxing spots.

She's out of the Keep proper, moving as quick as she can and in the process going right through walls here and there. She tries to avoid this, as it's both uncomfortable and unpredictable; the last thing she really wants to do right now is knock herself out again a wall.

She spies the familiar looking wolf along the woods' edge and calls to him, tripping to a halt near him. She is thankfully solid for the time being.]

Derek! Derek have you found her??

[Commentlog]

[sociopathicwolf]

[He almost doesn't stop, because he isn't stopping for anyone he runs into, completely unconcerned about anything but finding Chloe, to the point where he's all but blocking everything else out.

But he hesitates when he recognizes his name, the second time, and takes a moment to actually listen. Liz.

Derek pauses, looking up at her. He doesn't want to admit the answer, but after a moment, he shakes his head.]

[bffpoltergeist]

[She's hoping against hope that she's wrong, that maybe she just hasn't checked the right places. Chloe could be anywhere, right?

But when Derek pauses and looks her way, finally shaking his head 'no' she feels her heart drop into her stomach.

She exhales, looking deflated and defeated.]

Could she, like, be in the tunnels? I mean, like... people disappear for weeks on end down there, right?

[Because that would suck for her to be lost, but it was better than her being completely gone, right???]

[sociopathicwolf]

[Derek whines at that, before he can help himself. He'd thought about it, too. But he'd gone to check the only entrance they both knew about, and her scent hadn't been anywhere near it.

But it's possible, however unlikely it is that she would have found a new entrance and gone there without him, and right now, it's pretty much what he's hoping for.

So he walks over to Liz's side and lifts one shoulder in an approximation of a shrug, the best noncommittal answer he can give, at the moment.]

[bffpoltergeist]

[Derek whines softly and Liz absently drops a hand to rest on his shoulder as he semi-shrugs at her.]

I've, like, checked the castle from, like, top to bottom... I mean, I haven't gone into the tunnels yet, but I can...

[She bites her lower lip and shifts from foot to foot. She is torn between hoping Chloe wasn't that foolish and hoping she WAS that foolish.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[He leans into the touch, just a little bit. Derek's still not completely used to Liz being able to touch, but she's been pack in his mind for a long time, so it'll never be something he shies away from.

Especially now.

He shakes his head at that. Derek doesn't want her going in there, not alone. And he knows how the tunnels work. If Chloe'd gone in there, Liz won't be able to find her, even if she goes in after her.

...not that it isn't something he'd thought of himself, but he's always allowed himself to take more risks than the people he cares about.]

[bffpoltergeist]

[She tangles her fingers into his fur, rooting herself for at least as long as she's solid. She knows Derek is far from the touchy feely sort, but she appreciates that, even in his wolf form, he's not trying to shake her off.

When he shakes his head at her suggestion, she deflates a bit. Even after being trapped in an inescapable black room with Sollux for a week, she'd still been perfectly willing to go into the tunnels for Chloe.

She swallows thickly, biting her lower lip.]

She... she could, like, still show up... right?

[Even if she already knew the answer to that... and, ghost or not, there is a definite burning of tears welling behind her eyes.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[He's a lot more comfortable with touch in his wolf form now than he used to be. Most of that is due to Chloe, to her comfort around him like this, to the hide and seek they'd play in the forest, to her sleeping curled around him when he was a wolf.

And now... now, it's easier, than having to talk. Not that he could, like this, but still.

They both know the answer to that. But Derek hasn't given up yet. He's not willing to face the reality that she's gone. She's not gone. Not yet. Not when he hasn't searched every single area possible.

He pushes his head against her leg, hoping she'll stay solid enough for him not to go through it.]

[lightwithin]

She's gone?

[Kairi sounds absolutely defeated.]

[bffpoltergeist]

[Kairi, Liz knows just how you feel.]

I... I think so... I mean, like, maybe not, but, like... I can't find any sign of her.

[She sounds absolutely crushed by this, too.]

She's, like... my best friend next to Tori...