Maya - a Naruto Fanfic

31. 500 Miles

A woman sits in a kitchen.

It's small, with potted herbs on the windowsill and dishes drying on racks by the sink. A round wooden table sits in the middle, carefully placed to fit comfortably between wooden counters and the washing machine. The woman sits at this table, elbows propped up on the dark wood, head buried in her hands.

She is beautiful, with thick black hair tumbling in tight kinks up and over her back and shoulders, and inky dark skin. Usually, she is smiling, wide and bright, black eyes sparkling, but today she looks tired, defeated. The cuffs of her white shirt are damp with tears, and her clothes haven't been ironed.

"Mrs Martin? Can you open the door please?" A man's voice calls. He has been knocking at the door for the past 10 minutes. Finally, the woman rocks to her feet. Though she is upright, her shoulders are slumped and her head is bowed. For a moment she stands, swaying, by the table, before straightening and striding over to the door.

"It's miss." She tells the police officer as soon as she opens the door.

"Apologies. Miss Martin, may I come in?" He holds his hat in his hands, twisting the band nervously. She notices immediately.

"That depends. What have you got to tell me?" She doesn't really want to let him in. They've all been so useless, spouting empty words and trying to give her false hope. She doesn't want their ridiculous platitudes, she wants her daughter.

"It's best we don't discuss it out here." She knows then that this will be another discussion of her 'options'. Still, she stands aside and lets him into the house. He lingers awkwardly by the oven. It's strange for him, to see the mother of a missing child so put-together.

"Miss Martin-"

"Call me Tanya." It's automatic - she hates her last name.

"... Tanya. As of today, your daughter has been missing exactly 1 month-"

"I know that." It's not exactly one month - it's early evening now. Her daughter has been missing 1 month and 7 hours.

"Right. Um. You were informed at the beginning of the investigation that the likelihood of your daughter being found alive decreases the longer she is gone."

"Yes."

"Therefore you must realise now that the chances of her being found - alive or at all - are practically none."

"Yes." It is forced past a growing lump in her throat.

"Good. Well, not good, but-"

"Hurry up and say what you have to say." Tanya cuts in. She doesn't think she can stand any more of this.

"Very well. The investigation into your daughter's disappearance has been cut back. We're still looking, but crime doesn't stop, and new investigations have to be launched, and-"

"I understand." She interrupts again.

"You do?" This is a first for him. Usually, the mothers scream, cry, damn him. They don't understand.

"Yes. Now please leave."

"I'm not finished-"

"Yes, you are. Now go away."

"Mrs Martin-"

"Miss."

"Miss Martin, do you not care at all for your daughter's safety?!" It just slips out. The moment the words leave his mouth, the air goes cold. Tanya's body stiffens, and her eyes turn to stone.

"You need to leave. Now."

"I understand. I apologise, I was way out of line." She doesn't respond, instead striding to the door and yanking it open, waiting for him to shuffle out before letting it close with a soft click.

For a moment, all is still, them she snatches a plate up off the rack and throws it hard against the wall, watching it shatter into a thousand pieces and cover the tile.

"Shit..." She drops to her knees and gathers up the shards with shaking hands.

A/N: so this might be a little unexpected, but I wanted to acknowledge Tanya and the investigation and clear up any suspicion that Maya can just return to her world without it having any impact. It will have many impacts.
Ta-ta~