Title: The Road Home

Genre: Family/Crime/Romance/Angst ermm... actually its probably a mash of about half the categories you can think of...

Rating: Teen (I'm not positive about ratings, but there is some violence later, but not anything really graphic.)

Summary: Detective Seth O'Hara has been running from his past his entire adult life. Never letting anyone get close, he burries himself in his work. So when a child abduction case comes across his desk, no one is surprised by his dedication to the case. However, no one, especially not Seth, expected him to let it get this personal. Determined to find the man responsible, Seth finds himself willing to do what ever it takes to bring him to justice, regardless of the consequences. (I'm not great at summaries, but I did my best.)

Notes: This is my first time posting an original work here. It is multi-chapter, (28 to be precise.) I really would appreciate feedback, all reviews are greatly helpful to the improvement of my writing. Hope you enjoy the read.

Outside the mid-morning sun shone brightly down on the active city streets, raising the temperature significantly, as though declaring that spring had officially arrived. In reaction to the weather, many car windows were rolled opened, as the drivers welcomed the warm change from the snow and rain filled winter.

However, on the fifth floor of a seven story apartment complex that dominated the corner joining two quiet streets, the darkened windows of one flat were barely penetrated by the sun’s brilliant rays. Inside the small apartment the lights also remained off, casting the rooms into the faint grey light of the few pale rays that managed to seep in through the crack in the drawn blinds.

As all of the other units in the building, the small apartment followed the same four-room layout; a small kitchen off the entrance, which lead out into a larger opened space used as a living room. Off of the entrance was also a hall, leading in the opposite direction of the kitchen. The hall had two plain wooden doors, across from each other, one which lead to the simple bathroom and the other to the single bedroom.

Despite the dim lighting, the meagreness of the furnishings were clearly visible. Nothing further than the basics had been added to each room. The most personal touch was in the living room where a small book shelf contained a small selection of novels, which, if the layer of dust coating them was any indicator, had not been read in some time.

The living room was also furnished by a blue-grey sofa, an aged wooden coffee table and a small television set. The small table seemed to double as a dinner table as it bore the remnants of a previously eaten take-out meal.

It was in the living room where the flat’s occupant, Seth Dominick O’Hara, now lay. Not on the sofa, but on the floor next to it. He lay on his back, staring up at the rippled ceiling, with his legs bent at the knees.

Dressed in nothing but his pyjama bottoms, the rough carpet had begun to chafe his muscled bare back. His tousled auburn hair, along with his attire, indicated he had woken only recently.

He was a tall man, standing at just over six-foot-one. Well-defined muscles and broad shoulders made him look even larger. On his squarely cleft jaw, fine stubble was beginning to sprout adding to his dishevelled, but not unattractive, appearance. At twenty-six, Seth had a commanding presence. However, it seemed to have dissipated as he lay sullenly on his carpeted living room floor.

He was unsure as to the exact length of time he had laid there, having no clock within his line of sight. However, he was quite certain it had been a lengthy span of time. And yet, he could still not bring himself to move, to get up and to carry on with the menial tasks of the day. It had been quite some time since Seth had not had to force himself through the actions of the day, he could not exactly remember when everything had changed, but today was different. Today he could not even force himself to carry on pretending. Instead he just lay unmoving on the floor listening to the occasional whir of the refrigerator and the steady drip from the kitchen faucet that would not properly shut off.

His thoughts wandered back on his meaningless life. What he had done to deserve to live a privileged life eluded him. He hated the feelings inside him, but they had become so much a part of him, he no longer remembered what it was like to enjoy any simple pleasure.

Shattering the stillness of the dark flat, the phone mounted to the wall just outside the kitchen started ringing. Two ice-grey eyes flashed toward the offending object as it rang shrilling a second time. Still unwilling to move, Seth turned his focus back to the white ceiling.

After the fourth ring the automated voice of Seth’s answering machine cut through the room. “After the tone, record a message.” A short pause followed before the afore mentioned tone sounded.

“Seth?” The voice speaking through the machine now, which was instantly recognizable to him, was that of his partner, Colton Ryans. “If you’re there, please pick up,” he pleaded. Still the large man remained motionless, trying to ignore the voice resounding through the small room.

“Dang it Seth, what the heck is going on with you? Are you trying to get yourself fired? 'Cause you’re doing a damn fine job,” Colton demanded, anger creeping into his normally composed voice.

Seth was mildly surprised at the sudden outburst, until the apology began, “Look, I didn’t mean that Seth. I’m sorry, it’s just you’re nearly two hours late. . . and well we’ve got a case. If you could just get in as soon as possible. . .” Colton finished trailing off. Still, the call went unanswered and Colton sighed heavily into the receiver before the sharp click of him hanging up cut off the recording.

Wearily, Seth passed a hand over his face. He had not thought he had been lying there for that long. He had also not thought Colton would bother to phone him. But then again, he knew Colton well enough. He should have expected it from his obsessively caring partner, who was constantly worrying over the well-being of others.

On the other hand, Seth mused silently, the call had not come until now. Colton had said they had a case, and that presumably was the only thing that had motivated him to make the call. Absently, Seth wondered how pissed off their boss, Curtis Farrell would be at his lateness. That was assuming he went in at all. For the past two hours he had obviously had no intentions of moving.

Now it was different though. They had a case. It meant dealing with Farrell’s anger and Colton’s concern, and it also meant forcing up the facade he had existed behind in the past months and years as he slowly slipped into dark hopelessness. However, all of that came secondary. Cases were the only thing that had kept him going lately, and it was becoming more and more apparent to Seth that he needed the rush that came with his job as a police detective. Deep down, though Seth refused to admit it, he was fairly certain that without the high he received from his job, he would have just given up long ago.

Slowly he forced himself upwards into a sitting position, just as the phone began to ring for a second time. He hesitated a moment longer, attempting to regain some manner of normality. This time however, the half-dressed man did manage to pull himself to his feet, despite the hopelessness that weighed heavily on his mind, and moved toward the ringing handset. Removing it from its mounted cradle he held it to his ear. “Hey Colt,” he said as nonchalantly as he could, correctly predicting the identity of the caller.

“Dang, Seth,” Colton muttered darkly, “Why the heck didn’t you answer before?”

“We’ve got a case?” Seth asked ignoring his partner’s question.

“Yeah,” the voice on the other end replied, reluctantly dropping his first question, “I’m heading out right now, meet me there?” He asked before rambling off an address which Seth hastily copied down onto a pad of paper on the counter.

“All right. Be there soon,” Seth said and replaced the receiver on its hook without giving Colton a chance to say anything further. Up until now he had managed to hold everything together well enough, and although Colton often seemed to suspect his misery, he had never had any concrete reason to prod further. Mentally, Seth hated himself for letting the darkness consume him so much, but now it was done. He tried to force the dismal thoughts from his mind as he disappeared into his undecorated bedroom to dress. He could still try to dodge Colton’s queries into his well-being for awhile, especially if it was a big enough case.

Inside his room he walked past the unmade queen-sized bed to the small closet that held all of his clothes. Grabbing the first clean dress shirt and trousers available, Seth tossed his pyjama bottoms in the general direction of the bed and quickly donned the selected clothes; a pair of black pants and a solid dark grey dress shirt.

From the bedside table he retrieved his sidearm and his gold-coloured badge shaped as a shield, both which he attached to a plain black belt that he wore. Not bothering to shave, he ran his fingers through his tousled hair in an attempt to tame to messy locks, before grabbing his dark suit jacket and a tie. Slipping the previously tied neck tie around his neck he left the bedroom and grabbing the address he headed out of his bleakly barren apartment.

The apartment hall was quiet, but then Seth supposed most of the other occupants would have left for work some time ago. Pulling a scratched silver watch from his pocket he glanced at the time as he fastened it around his wrist. It was just after ten in the morning. Colton had not been exaggerating.

He headed down the hall, which, although normally seemed poorly lit, seemed quite bright after the hours he had spent in his darkened living room. Using the elevator he headed down to the parkade were his dark green SUV was parked. Getting into his car he started the engine and headed off to the scene.