#paraannie

Gabriel was silent as he listened to the Chief of Police hand out assignments in dealing with the fire. He glanced over at his father, Haven, and found the older man already watching him; only then did he notice he was rubbing at his chest and then he noticed the panic building up in him. Was it his own? Was it Annie’s? He wasn’t sure all he knew was it felt like it was going to start choking him if he didn’t get a hold of it. He’d jolted awake when he’d smelled the smoke coming from the forest and then his phone started going off as he was called in and he hadn’t gotten a chance to tell her he was being called in. He heard his partner ask if he was alright but he couldn’t look away from his father’s stoic face, his calm eyes; and then the older Mataku was in front of him. “Gabriel.” As always, Haven’s voice was even and calm though Gabe could hear the faint worry and love in his father’s tone. “Dad.” He pressed harder against his chest. “Where’s Annael?” Haven asked him, pressing one hand against his son’s chest to help ease his panic and the tightness in his chest. “Was sleeping when I left, didn’t want to wake her. Should’ve woken her.” He mumbled and Haven pressed a phone into Gabe’s hands. “Call her, have her calm you so you can focus.” He ordered and Gabriel nodded, dialing Annie’s number. Dread filled him, his panicking heightening when she didn’t answer and he turned to his father once more. “She’s not answering. Dad! She’s not answering!” He hissed, his hands trembling, there was a rushing noise in his ears and then his dad was gripping his arms tightly. “Shit.” Haven cursed softly before glancing around and nodding lightly, “alright, go. Go find her and make sure she’s alright.” Gabe didn’t wait for anything else to be said, he just turned on his heel and ran from the precinct. He needed to find his sister, they lived near the forest, near the fire. He needed to find her, make sure she was okay. He paused in his running and closed his eyes taking a deep breath as he tried to focus on using his connection to Annie to try and find where she was. “C’mon, ‘Nael, where are you?”