4

The group found Sky Peterson in a cubical, chatting with some of her co-workers. They quickly explained who they were and what was happening.

"These other children. Alianna and Neal. What species are they?" she asked quietly.

"I guess we'll have to find out." Trouble answered.

"They're at least half Fairy, though," Jenna said.

Each fairy in the group signed out a set of wings. Jenna flew under her own power, and carried Artemis who was wrapped in cam-foil. The fairies shielded, and Jenna carried Artemis because she was the strongest and the only one who didn't vibrate when she turned invisible. She just winked out of existence. She was there, but then she wasn't.

"So this other half-brother of ours, Carlisle, what is he? Is he part Fairy and part human, or something else?" Sky asked her new-found sisters.

"He's part Fairy and part human. The only reason he's immortal is because he's a vampire. Like me." Jenna answered out of thin air.

"Amazing."

"You're taking this fairly well, considering the circumstances."

"I work for section 8. We're trained to not show our real emotions. We're stealth fairies."

"Well, this isn't section 8. You can show your real emotions here."

"Well in that case..." Sky pulled into a deep dive and turned it into a loop. Jenna followed with Artemis, also diving and looping. Artemis was sure that his stomach was going to force itself out through his throat.

"And the point of that was...?" Jenna asked her half-sister.

"I have a family now. You can't even imagine the way that feels."

"Actually, I can." Jenna increased her speed and height. Her eyes were distant and her whole body shook. Violet sparks discharged from her fingertips. Artemis got a bit of a shock from them, and immediately knew there was something wrong with the girl he was in love with.

"Where'd she go? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Sky, but you touched on a sore subject for Jenna."

"How so?" Grub asked.

"Jenna is the fifth child of our father. She is part Fairy and part Elf, a different species of elf, mind you. She has a mother who doesn't care for her at all. And before her birth, Father left. Jenna's mother, Matilda Greenleaf, starved her for most of the time that she was living with her. Jenna ran away from home when she was nine and went to her grandparents place, but her mother forced her back home. The next day, Jenna ran away again, and spent the next six months living on the street until she found a family and became part of it by mesmerizing the current members. She lived that way for six years. Then last year, she reconnected with her Elvish family via the event of her being turned into a vampire by Carlisle's adopted son, Jasper Cullen. And about nine months ago, Jenna's mother brought a whole group of vampires to kill Jenna. Then a few days back, Jenna's boyfriend of just over eleven months broke up with her in favor of someone else. Jenna wouldn't tell me who, but she's pretty beat up over it. Shane, Jenna's ex, saw Jenna through a lot of the hard times over the last years, and then just abandoned her in her main time of need. But the point is that Jenna's had a really hard life."

"D'arvit," Sky cursed, "Why do I always do that?"

"It's really not to bad. Come on. We're here."

"Jenna? Are you okay?" Artemis called above the wind.

"I'm fine" she growled.

"No you're not. Something's eating you, I can tell. Is it Shane?"

Jenna growled. Even though he was below her, Artemis could see her bright eyes darken, "Yes. That boy is crazy. He left me for Sam Parker, the only girl who I happen happen to hate. And he knew that. I have a feeling that I am going to have to modify his memory and erase this whole experience. Maybe if I do that he'll learn some manners this time. Not many people get a second chance. That's more than he gave me." She flapped her wings a couple of time, gained a couple of yards of altitude, and settled into a glide. Jenna was so exasperated that she couldn't even enjoy the experience of flying, something that she usually enjoyed to the point of ecstasy.

"Your a good person, Jenna. I can't say the same about Shane, especially after that argument we had a while ago." I'm glad that I have a chance with you now. I knew from the beginning that Shane wasn't right for you. He never understood, but I can't believe you didn't see that. I guess he was ultra careful with his thoughts around you.

I guess I never really listened to your thoughts either. How did I not see this coming?

Come on Jenna, you had a lot on your mind at the time.

True. Where is everybody?

They're not as fast as you.

Yes. I have to apologize to Sky. Holly is filling her in on my history, but still the way I treated her...well, it's no way to treat an older sibling. Or any sibling in general.

Are you enjoying no longer being the youngest in your family?

In a way. It does mean that someone else's life is ruined. But also, I've always hated being the odd man out. And unfortunately, that's what I've been for most of my life.

Well, you take on that role no longer!

It feels great. I love being free. We're here now. Jenna slowed to hover and they looked down over a small prairie town. I love this town. It's my favorite town in the whole world. And I've seen the whole world.

Jenna put Artemis down on the ground by Holly and then landed next to Sky, "Sky, I'm so sorry I was so rude-"

Sky held up a hand, "No Jenna, I'm sorry. I never paused to get the whole story. I'm not usually this compassionless and obnoxious."

"Sky, it's not your fault. We're all a bit irritable nowadays. It will help that we are finally going to find Father."

"Yes, it will"

"What's the address of this place?" Trouble asked Jenna.

"1789 1st street. That shouldn't be too hard to find." She set off at a brisk pace. Holly fell in beside her, and so did Sky. Trouble and Grub walked behind them. Jenna carried Jenni and Corri, while Holly carried Nessie. Artemis walked with the Kelps.

"You know? Even after Mother was killed, I still haven't felt completely whole. It's like I'm still missing half of me, or something to that effect." Jenna told her sisters.

They found the right house after only about a quarter of an hour, "Artemis, can you take the triplets to that park over there for a little while?" Holly asked.

"Of course"

All of a sudden, another person joined their ranks.

"Carlisle" Jenna breathed.

"You think I was going to let you do this without me?"

"Okay, this works better. Sky, you, Trouble, and Grub, seal the perimeter. Jenna, Carlisle, and I will go around front." All of the elves except for Holly went around to the back of the house. Holly ascended the front steps and rang the doorbell. A young girl who looked just like Jenna opened the door.

"Are you guys looking for my dad? People are always looking for my dad."

"Your dad is Harrison Cullen, correct?"

"Yes. I'll get him for you," the girl went to the bottom of the staircase and called up the stairs, "Dad, some people want to see you!"

"Thank you, Alianna." came a deep voice from the top of the stairs. Holly froze. She knew that voice.

"I've told you, dad, it's Ali. Or Anna. How many times do I have to tell you? I've been saying it for years now. And Mom started calling me Ali or Anna after only a week. Why do you always have to be difficult?"

The voice ignored her, "Where is Neal? I want you and him to go and fetch some wood, Alianna."

"I'll find him." The teenage girl groaned and then ran off.

An average-sized man came down the stairs. He had that kind of timeless look about him. When he saw them, his blue eyes were wide. This is not good, He thought.

"Your right, Father. It isn't." Jenna answered his thought. Harrison Cullen bolted for the fire exit on the top floor. Carlisle caught him before he had gone two steps.

"You remember me, don't you?" he hissed, "I'm one of the sons that you abandoned. The first one that you left the vampire-hunting business to. And because of you, I became a vampire. And now you've ruined the lives of my sisters Jenna, Holly, Ali and Sky. And not to mention my brothers, Trouble, Neal, and Grub."

"I left for good reasons!"

"You did? And what were those? You realize, of course, that you left Holly without a father, and then no family at all when her mother died three years later. And you left Sky as an orphan. Trouble and Grub have had no father for their whole lives. And Jenna. Did you even think of what you were doing to Jenna? Her mother starved her, possibly beat her, and then hunted her down like she was some kind of animal. She lived on the streets for six months. Then she was turned into a vampire, and her mother brought a whole grouping of other vampires to kill her. Jenna narrowly escaped with her life. And what are you going to do with Anna and Neal? Leave them like you did us?"

Jenna heard a sharp intake of breath. She spun around and found a middle-aged human woman with long red hair standing in the doorway.

"Harrison?" she choked out, "Is this true? Did you really abandon all of these children?"

Holly cleared her throat, "Children?" She questioned. She spread her wings and flapped up to the woman's eye level, "I happen to be at least fifty years older than you."

"Holly, you really didn't have to reveal that fact yet. She could die of shock." Jenna whispered too low for the human to hear.

"Sorry. It kind of slipped out." Holly replied.

Jenna increased her volume, "I guess you didn't know your husband as well as you thought." Trouble, Grub, Sky come around to the front, She projected. They arrived, still shielded and with guns out.

The other elves collapsed their shields and gaped at their father. Finally, Trouble spoke, "Do you remember us? You must."

"You've ruined our lives. We came to make sure you ruined no more." Holly growled, about to loose her temper and kill the elf in front of her.

Jenna stepped forward and placed a hand on Holly's shoulder, cautioning and restraining the older girl. Holly stepped back and took a couple deep breaths. Her eyes were glassy when she reopened them, with moisture collecting at the corners.

"Artemis!" Holly called, turning towards the open door, "Bring Vanessa, Jenni, and Coral."

"Wait. You brought your mother with you, Holly?" There was an obvious nervousness in Harrison Cullen's voice.

"No," Holly responded, "I brought my daughters, who, because of you, will never know the man who was my father," she fixed him with a stare that laid layers upon layers of blame, "You are defiantly not that man now." She caught Coral in her arms while Vanessa and Jenni landed by her feet, "My children will never know their grandfather. And we told you. My mother is dead, and you should know that."

"Coral is dead? What about Natalie? And Sandra and Matilda? Aryl?"

"Well duh Sandra is dead. My mother is not immortal like the rest of us." Carlisle said bitterly. Jenna stifled a giggle, along with Alice, Rosalie, and Bella. They had never heard Carlisle talk like this. He was talking in slang, for crying out loud.

"My mother, Matilda, is dead also. She died in the battle where she sent the Volturi to kill me." Answered Jenna.

"Natalie is our mother," Trouble announced, "She's still alive, and she'll be angry about this. You know how she gets."

"My mother, Aryl, passed on when I was born, taking with her my twin a few days later." Sky said.

Harrison winced. I do. And that's why I left Natalie. I was only running away from my mistakes. All of them.

"Father?" Jenna gaped, "We're mistakes?"

"No, no! I didn't mean that! How did you hear that anyway? I didn't say that out loud, did I?"

"No. I read it. I can read minds. But still-do you really believe us to be mistakes?"

Harrison sighed, "Yes, I do. I can't hide it any longer. You and your siblings were the worst mistakes of my life."

Jenna and her siblings gasped.

"I wanted you guys to have a chance. And you would not have had one with me around. But now I am starting to regret that decision after hearing about your stories. They're quite pathetic, no offense."

"I know. Have you realized that it was your fault?" Holly was barely containing her anger. Jenna knew of her magical strength-as it was close to her own-and what could happen if she lost control of herself. The younger girl drew her wings around her body and Holly's, creating a protective cocoon around her sister.

Ducking her head, she muttered, "Contain yourself, Holly."

Sorry, Jenna, just after what this man did to you. To me. To all of us. It's hard to not go and kill him. He lied, and cheated us of the beginnings of our lives. Especially you.

I'm not looking for pity, Holly.

I know-

I wish Jasper had joined us, was Jenna's only response. To Carlisle, she projected, bring the rest of the family.

"Esme, Jasper, Edward, Bella, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Renesmee, please join us, if you will. I would like for you to meet the man who was my father," The vampires joined the party on the steps. Carlisle continued, "Let me introduce you too my wife, Esme, and my daughters Bella, Rosalie, and Alice. Also my sons, Jasper, Edward, and Emmett. And not to mention Bella and Edward's daughter, Renesmee."

The red-haired woman spoke for the first time, "Harrison, is this true?" She turned to the group, "And only one of them is still alive? Your mothers, I mean."

"Yes. Carlisle's mother died of natural causes, same with Sky's. My mother was shot down by some magic that got out of hand when she sent the Volturi to kill me, and Holly's was killed when a submarine carrying radioactive waste spilled its load on the vehicle she was in. It took her all of a week to die, and in that week, she believed that she was going to meet you in the life after death. It's sad that now we have discovered that she was disappointed. All the same, you are a con man, and maybe she figured that out."

"You are right, Annabeth. I have to share with you one thing."

Jenna gasped, reading the man's thoughts.