Forks looked exactly the same as when i had left. I've been gone for over a year now, and not a thing had changed. It was kind of odd really. I never thought i'd come back, but to be fair, i hadn't even thought about whether or not i was going to return. Knowing i had been dead for four months, made it feel like decades, only because my timing was off. One minute it's mid sprint, and now? Now it was winter. It felt wrong somehow, like it shouldn't be this time of the year. I guess my body wasn't adjusting to the huge gap in my memory just yet. I felt like the world had passed me by in the last four months, that everything would be different. But it wasn't. Everything was more or less the same.
I pulled up to Charlie's house, i didn't dwell on how i no longer considered it home. The cruiser wasn't in the driveway, reminding me that Charlie was dead. I had some ridiculous hope that i'd open the door and he'd be sitting there, and get up to hug me cause he'd been worried.
I got out, having spent five minutes just staring at the house. I suddenly wondered if he a will, was there something he wanted to be done after he passed away? Did he want to be buried, cremated maybe? I didn't know, because i wasn't here, no, i was out learning parlor chicks with my bat shit crazy sister. I was out having fun when i should've been here protecting my family and friends. I felt like i'd failed him somehow, that this was my fault.
The door was locked, but i found the spare key in a crack on the siding. I hadn't brought my key with me when we'd rushed out of town, i was too distracted.
It was cold inside, someone must've been in here to turn the power and thermostat off. I moved through the hall into the living room. It was eerily quiet, and the silence was giving me goose bumps.
I wasn't sure what i'd expected to find here. This wasn't where he died, and i got the feeling there wouldn't be any indictation of who'd murdered him. That was an odd thought, Charlie's been murdered. My fathers been murdered, the fact sound like the opposite of that. It sounded wrong and impossible.
I went upstairs, opening his bedroom door. It was so unused that it made a squeaking sound. His room was the same it had always been, bed in the corner, dresser, television and desk. I went to his bed, sitting on it. The blankets were even cold. This was just wrong. Unfair. Impossible. It didn't make any sense, why Charlie?
I mean sure, he wasn't going to win any father of the year competitions but he didn't deserve this. He was a cop, chief at that, he had devoted his life to helping people, and this is all he gets in return. He had helped everyone in this town one way or another, everyone liked him, and his life got cut short because someone wanted to hurt me, they had succeeded.
Charlie was the last person that should've gone out like this was him. He'd had so much time left, and he only gets half of it, when there are murderers and robbers and rapists and this is how he gets repaid? Fourty three years and that's all he gets? There was a long list of people who should've died before him, but that's just how life works. The nice ones always get the shitty end of the stick and bad people dont, or at least they get off easy.
Karma has a sick sense of humour.
I dug through the bag i'd brought over, changing out of my jeans and sweater and into my running gear. I wrapped a sheath around my thigh, tucking in the demon killing knife. I'd snagged it when Sam wasn't in his room. I figured it come in handy, especially if i was on a run with a murderer that might be in the woods.
I guessed it was a pretty stupid idea, going into the woods without back up, but i felt like i needed to do this on my own. I debated whether or not to bring a gun and opted for not and settled on setting a silver knife into my other sheath.
I stretched a little, taking a deep breath. It was sprinkling out, but it didn't bother me. I just dropped my temperature a few degrees and then took another deep breath. I'd found that Mara's lessons on bodily useful at times like this.
"Let's see if i can track this right," i mumbled and pressed my palm to the ground. I took another deep breath, falling out of my body. Astral projection wasn't my best area of expertise, mostly because it made me nervous and out of control. I looked around, glancing down at my physical self. She had her head bowed and it looked almost like she was frozen. I found the whited out eyes a little scary, but turned my attention back to my surroundings.
I heard a gun shot to my right, and my head snapped in that direction. I saw what looked Charlie shaped, and then he began walking. I fell back into my body, and then took off running after the figure.
It led me to a small clearing, one right on the edge of La Push. I took a deep breath, calming my heart rate in a second. I had the oddest sensation of being watched, which i'd felt since i got into Forks.
I took a few steps forward, looking for any kind of clue. I wasn't sure what i was looking for, blood, clothing? Anything? If the cops had moved his body, it'd be weird for them not to take evidence with them.
After moving through the tall grass, i found a huge rock in the far right corner, covered in blood. I pressed my palm over it, and jumped when thunder sounded. Then it began to wore, "damn," i muttered, attempting to ignore it. I took another deep breath, feeling the world spin as i fell from my body again.
I looked down. This time the Charlie figure was Charlie. He was on the ground right behind me, and he was cursing and shooting at the figure above him. But i couldn't see much of their face, just red eyes. Vampires? A vampire had killed Charlie? That didn't seem right, the only one who'd try and hurt me that way was probably Tanya, Edward's girlfriend or Edward himself. Being humiliated like that in front of your family would do a number on anyone. But i had made it clear they leave me alone, and i gave them first hand proof of how serious i was.
Something growled behind me and i turned. A huge black wolf had leapt at me, sending me crashing back into my body painfully. I hit the ground hard, and tried to push back the nausea. I lifted my silver blade, taking a shot at the wolf. I missed and they pulled back, seeing the weapon. I pulled my legs to my chest as he leapt at me and as he made contact, i kicked out hard and he went flying backwards. I jumped back up, flipping the knife so i could grip it properly. The blade itself was pointed inwards, but i preferred to swing my arm with the blade pointed in the opposite direction of the swing.
The wolf ran back towards me, and then i heard another growl. It was coming from behind me. I could just hear my sisters voice, like i always had in a fight. It was my way of telling myself how to fight. The orders just came more naturally then my own, i wasn't always sure how to manoeuvre. 'Jump,' her voice spoke, and without a moment to think, i jumped. They collided, and i leaned forward slightly, and when my opened hands met the ground, i pushed off, flipping into a soft land. I turned, seeing movement on my left, a grey wolf running at me.
I turned as they got within a few feet of me and i threw up a shield, and they went backwards and back into the woods. I turned again, hearing howling in the direction i'd come from. I ran straight back into the woods, jumping and throwing my body as far as i could. I was suddenly extremely pleased that i'd gotten so good at this, and i was fast, faster then the wolves. All of that intense training had paid off. Feeling almost no gravity helped too.
I had been running for a few minutes now when i heard movement keeping time with me about a yard away, and they were angled, they run right into me. I turned some, pushing that way. Something came right up on my side and launched themselves at me. I wasn't sure if i should jump or slide, but listened to my inner Mara. I dropped, sliding under a fallen log, as they went straight over me, right at the spot i'd just been in. I jumped back into a stand, and started running again.
They caught up again, having circled back around and they threw themselves into me. We crashed through a tree, both of us barely rolling out of the way as the tree came crashing down. 'There are too many on the ground level, take the trees,' she said, that same demanding tone. I did what the voice said, kicking off of a tree and then grabbing a branch. I swung once flying into the air upside down and as i flew over a branch, i twisted, and gripped it.
As i came to a fast stop, i took another deep breath and began running straight across the branch. When it got too thin i jumped, doing the same with next tree, jumping when i had to. I wasn't sure where i was, but as i saw an opening to a field. I was wrong.
I flew straight over the cliff, barely, reaching out and grasping the ledge. I got my other arm up, and pulled. I could hear the waves crashing below me, but i heaved myself up, instead of panicking. 'Use your feet, that's what their for,' she said unimpressed. I tried not to scowl and then tried to get some grip with my foot. I took another deep breath, pushing away the gravity again. I got up, stumbling and a little breathless. I stood up, debating whether or not to climb down or run the long way and back into the woods.
Before i could decide another grey wolf exploded from the trees and sent us both flying off the cliff. I dived, pushing myself upwards as hard as i could. It was then that i saw the wolf, the bubbles having cleared. He was headed straight for me. I began swimming towards the shore, falling under the surface a few times.
I staggered out the water, i saw the red and black wolf emerge from the woods next to the cliff and i began running down the shoreline. I decided to stop and make a stand, maybe shield everyone before making another break for it.
I threw a shield up, and shoved them back a little. They all growled and leapt for me when the red one stopped. He stared at me for a moment, almost in shock and then he was human. It was Jake. "Jake?" i asked incredulously.
"Guys stop, it's Bella," Jake said, still in shock.
"Dude your naked," i said in horror, and his face went red and he pulled on some shorts. Everyone else did the same and we just kind of stared at one another. Sam was here, and boy i didn't recognize.
"Bella, as in Isabella Swan?" Sam asked, already glaring at me.
I frowned, not liking the tone he had. "No, im the tooth fairy, who did you think you were attacking?"
"Where have you been, and what are you?" Sam asked, almost sounding like a threat.
"Dead," i said snorting slightly.
"Your a leech?" Jake asked in disgust.
I tilted my head, "no?"
"A vampire?" i asked confused, they nodded, "ew, god no."
"Bella you've been gone for over a year, where the hell have you been?" Jake asked now, a hurt look on his face.
"I told you, dead, or trying not to end up dead, not neccessarily in that order though," i said amused.
"Bella i dont know how to tell you this," hear it comes, i thought unamused, "Charlie's dead."
I eyed him a moment, "yeah, i know, that's why i'm here now."
"You have a lot of explaining to do, come with me," Sam said coldly, turning and walking away.
"What crawled up his ass and died?" i muttered, both of them gave me a weird look and i just rolled my eyes. This oughta be good, i thought sighing.
None of us spoke until we got to a small little two story house. Sam was a cop, i had forgotten about that. I could smell muffins from inside before i even got to the porch. The senses were heightened as much as the rest of my body, and they all worked at the same pace, so whenever i got gravity back wholly, everything from sight to smeel, to hearing would be enhanced.
There were two other boys sitting in the room, eating. Like animals, no pun intended. "Sam?" a girl said, frowning at me wearily and then looking at his angry expression. I smirked.
"This is Bella, Charlie's daughter," Sam said trying to soften his tone a bit, he failed.
It just occured to me that the wolf that had attacked Mara and me was Sam. I had completely forgotten La Push harboured a pack of shape shifters. I should've just told him it was me, but that might've proved difficult if he didn't stop to listen. But then again, Sam had never really liked me, and liked me even less after the incident with Mara. It wasn't my fault they pissed her off.
"Oh," she said, and tried for a sympathizing tone.
"Dont need a pity party," i said rolling my eyes. Sam growled lowly and i snickered . "Dont be such a little bitch Sam."
"Dont push me Bella, your in enough trouble already."
"What are you going to do, ground me?" i asked grinning. I still couldn't believe i'd forgotten about the pack. Sure i didn't know them all that well, but you'd think someone would remember there was a pack of shape shifters down the road, despite being distracted.
"Wouldn't be hard," he said bluntly, full on ego speaking.
"Should we test that theory? I did just kick your ass," i said my turn to smirk, when his face fell.
"What?" one of the boys asked confused, turning to stare at him.
"I have you trapped in a house, i think that would put the odds in my favour," he said darkly.
"Really? Weird. I'm surprised you could get into the house at all with an ego twice it's size," he leapt at me, shoving me against the wall. I could feel his tremors out of rage. "I didn't hurt your feelings did i?"
"Sam, your going to hurt her," a voice said from behinds us scared.
"Yeah Sam, your going to hurt me," i mocked. I threw up a shield, making it burst and he fell into Jake.
"Enough, both of you," Emily said sternly. "What's going on here?"
Neither of us said anything so she turned her gaze to me. I rolled my eyes again, "i came to find out what happened to Charlie, so i went to the clearing where his body was discovered. Sam the vampire slayer and a bunch of other wolves ambushed me."
"Your not dead?" another younger voice asked.
We all stared at him a moment, "clearly," was all i said.
"How were you able to move like that? You weird when you left but you did anything like that," Jake wondered.
"Lots and lots of practise," i said shrugging, trying to sound nonchalant and not bragingly.
"You were faster then us, you can't possibly be human," Sam argued.
"Well i can die like one and bleed like one, so i think that kind of proves i am. Or is there a handbook on how to be human?"
He glared. "Why do you care about Charlie all of a sudden, he died three months ago."
"Does it matter, i'm here now," i said coldly. "Do you know who killed him?"
"A leech, red headed one," Jake said, watching realization dawn me.
"Are you fucking kidding me? Victoria? Do you know where she is?" i asked outraged. She was dead. She was deader then dead. She was dead a hundred times over.
"You know who she is?" Sam asked suspiciously. "We dont know where she is, but she's been circling the area."
"Yeah," i said, ignoring them for a moment. I thought about how to do this, and the only place i could think of her being, was in Seattle. But after that i wasn't sure where to look for her. She could be anywhere, i didn't know her well enough to figure out where she'd be.
"This little reunion has been great, but i need to go," i said going towards the door.
"No, not until you tell us what you are and where you've been," Sam saiud grabbing my arm and pulling my backwards. I stumbled, falling into him and he moved to block my exit. "Dont make me force the answers out of you."
"You want to fight, fine, then i'll give you one," i said, pulling my blade out. I whipped it at him and he moved out of the way before it got too close. The turn took his focus off me and when he turned back a round i sucker punched him. He went backwards, and then leapt at me. I side stepped, kicking his legs out from under him. He stumbled, and then someone shoved me against the wall and i centered myself.
Turning they raised a fist to hit me and i moved to the left slightly. I grabbed the back of his head shoving it at the wall. Sam rushed me, i jumped up, wrapping my legs around his neck and then twisted my body. We spun sideways and he crashed to the ground when i made an easy land. I moved to run for the door only to take a punch on the side of my face. My feet left the ground and i fell straight into the glass coffee table. It shattered under the impact and i felt glass cut into my back. I rolled, stumbling.
Sam was already up and colliding with me and we went straight through the living room window and onto the porch. We crashed into the railing, and that too snapped under the pressure. We rolled on the gravel and i tried not to think about the blood sliding down my arm or head. I jumped back up, turning to make a run for it again.
Someone wrapped their arms around me and when another unnameable person ran at us. I jumped, kicking him hard, and he flew straight into the cruiser. I forced my body forward, forcefully flipped him over me and onto the ground. I ran straight at the house jumping up onto the hood of the car. I bent my knees a little, pushing off of it and then catching the ledge of the roof. I pulled myself up effortlessly and then jumped off of it and straight into the woods.
