Disclaimer: Twilight, and those characters belonging to it, are property of Stephenie Meyer and I profit none whatsoever from using them for the fan fiction I write.

…

"If. You. Seek. Amy."

Green eyes opened, gaze shifting to the radio as one hand came off the wheel to turn the dial, volume turning up and the bass pounding through the truck's frame. Tossing her head back, the girl's hair flipped to one side and was then tousled in the wind that came through the rolled down windows, glossed lips parting, "Oh baby, baby, have you seen Amy tonight?"

Her gaze shifted, scanning the road, smirk worn plain across her face, "Is she in the bathroom, is she smokin' up outside? Oh!" Hand to her chest she danced in place, driving with her other hand as she sang along until her performance was cut short by her phone.

Reaching over, eyes still on the road, she fished her cell out of the Passenger seat an glanced down long enough to read Seth on the display. Grinning she pressed the answer button and raised it to her ear, "Hey boy, sup?"

"Kady! How far are you?" The deep voice wasn't the one she remembered but it still held the same light, happy tone and it brought a smile to Kady's face as she caught sight of a sign.

"I'm about 20 minutes from Forks so... about 40 from seeing you."

Passing the green sign that marked the numbers of miles from Forks, Washington, Kady sped up along the slick pavement listening for her friend's reply on the other side of the phone, "I'm actually in Forks with some of the guys, how 'bout I just meet you in town?"

Kady nodded to herself in the car, "Sure. Where-" Her hand tightened on the wheel feeling the truck's back end slide at the sudden appearance of a deer in the road, phone dropping, "SHIT!"

Pulling the wheel hard to the right she swerved and felt the truck slam sideways into the animal and then continue over it, tires grinding over its body and bouncing. From the floor Seth's voice was an octave higher than it had been previously, tight and strained, "Kady?"

Stopped in the middle of the road Kady's heart was still beating fast, blood pulsing through her veins a mile a minute as she tried to get her bearings. With shaky hands she checked herself over, no damage done that she could find, before looking around to make sure no cars where coming and climbing to the passenger side to lean out.

The doe hadn't had a chance and she closed her eyes against the sight and smell. What could have spooked it to jump into the road when her truck was just so loud?

"Kady? Kady, are you ok? We're on our way, don't-"

Kady reached down for her phone sliding back into the driver's seat to move the truck off the road, "Seth, Seth it's fine; I just hit a deer, I'm ok."

It was quiet a minute before the voice on the other end prodded, "Truck ok to make it the rest of the way?"

Kady parked it on the side of the grassy road letting out a breath, "I'm gonna make sure and I'll call you back in a minute ok?"

"Alright..." Hanging up after Seth's trailing voice, Kady pushed the door open and slid out of the truck to survey the damage.

….

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Dark locks swung from side to side as the girl in the driver's seat hummed along to the music, eyes briefly closed; slim fingered hands holding the steering wheel steady. Overhead, storm clouds weighed heavy in the sky, there grey depths casting shadows over the road and the blue Dodge that travelled over it

Bella had stopped as soon as she'd spotted the truck in the distance, the deer running on and she had watched in horror as it had moved into the road. Bella saw the truck hit the deer and had stopped breathing as the blood, now smearing the truck side and pavement, was released into the air. She had to tell Charlie about the accident, she could not risk going down to see if they were hurt... If they were...

She closed her eyes and then took off, running back towards town.

…

"Carlisle!" Alice's voice broke the silence that filled the empty upstairs air and caught the attention of the downstairs occupants of the Cullen household. In his study, Carlisle set down the book he'd been re-reading, and came into the hallway where Alice was making her way to, eyes bright; anxious.

Caught by her troubled appearance he frowned, concerned, "What is it, Alice?"

Alice bit her lip; "It's Bella, she-"

Edward appeared inside, letting himself in from the kitchen, Renesme in arms. Alice looked from her 'brother' and back to their adoptive dad, "She caused an accident, she was hunting-"

The front door burst open, too much for the wood framing of the glass to take without complaint and it shuddered in the steely grip Bella now held on it, hair still fluttering to fall down around her shoulders after her run, "I need your help. I called Charlie and reported the accident but I couldn't really wait to see-"

Carlisle had already managed to pick up his bag without much attention while he'd listened, "It's alright Bella, I understand." His gaze shifted from Bella to Alice, "I'm going to help Chief Swan," then again the blonde elder looked to his eldest charge, "make sure to calm Bella down. It won't due to upset her..."

Bella bit at her nail as Carlisle left, the impenetrable surface making a grating sound beneath the steely edges of her teeth. Edward's hand ran up one of her shoulders, thumb rubbing circles into the back of her arm while he balanced Renesme in the other, "She'll be fine. Alice saw she wasn't injured... Just stranded..." He smoothed his fingers along the strands of her hair and kissed her temple, "Carlisle is just going as a precaution.

Renesme frowned in her father's hold, "Momma hurt someone?" Her voice was sweet in its confusion that Bella could ever do such a thing. None of her family hurt people, she had been taught that form day one.

Alice moved to touch her niece's hair, "It wasn't on purpose, and she'll be fine. Carlisle is seeing to it..."

The child, now 5 in appearance, nodded in understanding. Bella had warned her humans were fragile, like Grandpa Charlie, if they weren't very careful they'd break. Still her Grandpa Carlisle could fix anyone, or so it seemed.

…

"Miss? Miss, everything is going to be alright, "stepping from his patrol cruiser the man moved in slow, easy steps, hands up as he surveyed the young woman marked with blood, "my name is Charlie, I'm the Chief of Police."

Though she'd been leaning, red hands on her damp, blood soaked jeans, the young girl raised her head to look at him. Strands of hair were wet as well, and her face was sweat laden, causing the blood that marked beneath her eye to run along her cheek. Charlie swallowed, reminding himself that Bella had said she'd been in an accident, not that she'd attacked the traveller, "Where are you injured?"

A frown puckered the girl's features, confused, "How did you know I was out here?"

Charlie relaxed, her voice was steady so whatever blood loss she'd sustained was minimal, "There's a watch tower east of here, and one of my deputies called in what he saw." He watched as her gaze flickered over his shoulder and knew she saw the tower, too far for her to ever know it had long been without use.

"There's a doctor, his name is Carlisle Cullen, he's been called to come out and look you over," deep brown eyes, warm with age found her green ones, "It would help if you could tell him where you hurt. Do you remember what happened?" His gaze flickered, "Your name?"

"Kady."

Charlie nodded as he stood, pulling his hat off to run his fingers through his pepper sprinkled hair and looked her over again then taking in the doe that had been shoved to the side of the road exhaling taking her hands in his, "And none of this is yours?" He moved his thumbs along the still slick red of her palms, "Just from moving the doe?"

Kady nodded, long auburn brown tresses falling over her shoulders, some still sticking to her face, "I didn't want to leave it there... if anyone else came along..."

Charlie nodded, small offhanded smile, "Wasn't necessary, now-"

The Mercedes gleamed under the dull light that managed through the empty thick clouds left in the rain's wake, pulling to the side of the road opposite Kady's truck and from it a man moved out; pale skin, blonde hair, and the calm aura of someone with complete control of himself.

…Top of FormBottom of Form

The wind hit Carlisle's back, the breeze giving him a moment to take a breath and relax. Straightening his shirt, he smoothed the wrinkles out and looked over at Charlie who watched him almost appraisingly. Of course Chief Swan would, after all, Charlie knew the Cullen's secret, and vampires that fed off animal blood might be slightly distracted in the presence of deer blood.

Carlisle nodded a slight incline of his head; he was fine, of course. Charlie was almost completely comfortable around the family but Carlisle knew he wasn't quite there yet. Then again he shouldn't be, for his own safety.

The smile Carlisle wore was friendly as he began to cross towards them in quick, sure strides, bag in hand. "Chief Swan," he nodded then moved taking the girl's chin in hand very, very carefully turning her face up as Charlie spoke.

"Carlisle, this is Kady. She claims she wasn't injured in the crash. The blood is from the doe," he gestured towards the carcass at the end of the truck bed on the ground, "moved it off the road for us."

Carlisle smiled, pulling a light pen from his pocket checking her vision, "Strong girl, looks a decent size to me."

Kady turned her head reaching up to scratch at her neck where the blood had started to congeal along her skin, nails scraping the thin layer off into flakes. Charlie cleared his throat, straightening, "Truck has a flat, and I'm going to call in, get a tow for her." He glanced towards Carlisle, "What's the prognosis?"

Carlisle's gaze was on her hand, the one that picked at the drying blood along her neck, Charlie's hand along his shoulder regaining his attention, "Chief?"

Charlie frowned, "Kady, is it alright I take her into town?"

Carlisle stepped back, "Her reaction's off in her left eye. I'd like to take her in for some tests, but I'm sure it's just a concussion." Gold eyes fell on her face, "Is there anyone in Forks you can stay with, family, friends? Or were you just passing through?"

Kady cleared her throat, really none of this was necessary in her eyes, she felt fine. She answered his questions all the same though, "I'm visiting a friend's family in LaPush, Seth Clearwater?" She looked between the two of them and then continued on, "I was supposed to meet them in town..."

Carlisle smiled the same time as Charlie, though it was Charlie who offered to take her into town to meet them.

Kady rubbed her arms, "Thanks... you don't really need to call for a tow... we can just come back for the truck later..."

"Never mind that," Carlisle pulled back, standing straight, "I'll have one of my sons fix your flat and bring the truck into town within the hour."