Paradigm Shift

Missing

Dean watched from the living room as snowflakes fell from the sky and settled on the grass. The new year had crept up on him because he had been in a daze for months. Four months to be exact. The same amount of time Jasmine had been gone. When he had visited her apartment in October no one was there. He had tried calling her mobile but it was turned off. A few days later he returned to ask her neighbours if they had seen her but they said they hadn't seen her for a while. She had dissappeared and the worst part about it was that he didn't know where she was or if she was alright.

Halloween was Jasmine and Dean's favourite holiday and they had planned to go shopping for candy for the trick or treaters and go to a pumpkin patch, but he spent Halloween night in the hideout. Down there, he didn't have to listen to Roman and Seth answer the door to all the little kids in costumes. Down there, he could wallow in his misery. They had plans for Thanksgiving, too. Growing up in England, Jasmine had never experienced thanksgiving, so they were going to buy pumpkin pie and cook a turkey with all the trimmings so that she could experience it. That didn't happen either. Christmas was the hardest. The three of them had bought her presents. Dean had even wrapped them up, but he didn't get to put them under the tree because they didn't have one. They didn't celebrate it at all. Now it was a New Year and the first snowfall. Jasmine loved the snow and Dean wondered if it was snowing where she was, wherever that was.

"Dean"

Seth's voice was soft as he made his way into the living room. Roman was with him and they both took a seat in front of him.

"What?" Dean mumbled

"I've had a vision that could be helpful" Seth replied

Dean tore his eyes away from the snow. "Is that right?"

Dean didn't sound interested in the slightest

"I saw her...she was in hospital and was hooked up to a machine" Seth explained

"What kind of machine?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. She had this weird thing on her head. It looked a bit like a helmet but it was attached to a different machine"

Dean frowned. "You're not making any sense"

Seth shrugged. "I'm just telling you what I saw"

"Yeah...well it's not helping" Dean dismissed

Seth left the room and Roman followed him. "He doesn't mean it"

"I know" Seth answered. "I think I might know how to find out where she is."

"How?" Roman asked

"Stephanie" Seth answered. "She's pretty fond of me. I think I could get her to tell me where Jasmine is."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stephanie had been 'fond' of Seth for a while and Seth hadn't realised it until he had become a vampire. When he saw her again after transforming, he had heard it loud and clear in her thoughts, and that's when he came up with the idea of telling her about his vampirism. By knowing a secret, she felt like she had an advantage, but in reality, it was Seth who had the advantage of an ally in the highest of places.

As Seth arrived for his meeting, he was sure to be extra charming and when Stephanie greeted him; he didn't miss the slight shyness in her smile.

"Seth! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Seth smiled. "I need a favour"

Stephanie paused. "A favour?"

"I think I might know how to get Dean back to work" Seth explained "but I need some information first"

Once Dean realised Jasmine was gone, he checked out mentally and could not work. Stephanie had covered for his absence.

"What kind of information?" Stephanie asked.

"I need to know where Jasmine is" Seth replied "and why she's disappeared"

Stephanie sighed "I have helped you so far but I'm not allowed to disclose her medical information without her consent"

"So it's a medical matter then!?" Seth asked

"Like I said, I'm not allowed to discuss her medical information" Stephanie repeated. "I can tell you she is on medical leave...for an indefinite amount of time."

"Indefinite. So it's serious?" Seth urged. "if you were to tell me silently. I could hear your thoughts."

Stephanie opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out

"Please Steph'' Seth added "You're the only person who can help me"

Stephanie looked at Seth and as they made eye contact, she did what he asked.

Seth blinked, looking away after he listened to what Stephanie was thinking. "Did she go back to England?" Seth asked

Stephanie nodded

"Do you have her address?"

Stephanie wheeled her computer chair around and opened a draw underneath her desk. She flipped through some files and pulled one out. She slid it across the table and Seth grabbed it. He opened up the manila folder and quickly found what he was looking for.

"Thank you" Seth said as he stood up

"Will you?..."

Seth looked at her and she silently verbalized the second part

"Only if there is no other option" Seth answered "and only if she agrees to it"

Stephanie nodded. "Keep me up to date. Let me know what is happening."

Seth nodded. "I will"

Seth thought about Jasmine the whole time as he made his way back to the house. Why didn't she tell them?

Dean was still in the living room when he made his way inside and he gestured for Roman to join them in the living room as he once again sat down in front of Dean.

"What's going on?" Roman asked

"I know where Jasmine is" Seth announced

"Where?" Roman asked

"She's in England" Seth replied "on medical leave"

Dean sat up and looked more alert and present than he had been for months

"She's got a brain tumor."