Chapter 7

I wish I could Cry

The air of celebration in the room burst like a soap bubble as Alice crumbled to the floor, her knees drawing up to her chest, her pixie face a mask of agony. Simultaneously Edward crashed to the floor, Bella instantly on the tile beside him. They all stared at each other in terror. The reactions of Alice and Edward foretelling that someone they loved very much, someone human or vampire had been killed. Alice shook all over and Jasper wrapped his arms tightly around her, pouring calm and love into her, to try to help her gain her sanity. The phone continued to ring shrilly in the silent, frozen room. With a reluctant hand Carlisle lifted the receiver off it's cradle and spoke into it. His face went whiter, if that was possible and pain filled his countenance. Esme wrapped herself around him and looked up at him in trepidation. He spoke into the phone, his voice mechanical, and listened to the caller, his expression growing more pained every moment. Carlisle's incredible self control showed as he careful set the receiver in it's cradle. He looked across the room at Bella, who's back was to him in that moment, tending to Edward. Rose and Nessie saw the direction of his gaze and gasped. Bella looked around at Carlisle and Esme and then into the eyes of Edward and Alice. The pain and sympathy she saw there sent her into a panic. Leaping to her feat she demanded "What is it.. Carlisle what!… please" her voice trailed off on that final pleading word. Nessie huddled back against Jacob, cradling her precious twins close to her. The whole family looked to Carlisle as he spoke, his voice low and cracking as he filled the rest of the family in on the dreadful news. Both Edward and Alice were struggling with her vision and Jasper began pouring peace and calm into the room, sensing an emotional meltdown was immanent.

"Bella… that was David on the phone. He had some.. well some bad news." Carlisle shut his eyes for a second before looking at his youngest daughter. "This morning on patrol Quil and Garrett were patrolling when they caught the scent of fresh blood. They followed it to you father's house. I'm sorry Bella, Charlie and Sue have been killed. The Shadow Warriors murdered them as revenge for the two we killed in battle the other night. I am so very sorry my Dear." Edward looked at him briefly, grateful that Carlisle had skated over the details. Bella's face crumbled as she burrowed into Edwards arms, her wails of grief filling the room. Edward scooped her into his arms and ran out of the house, heading for their own home to allow her to grieve without frightening the twins. Nessie was sobbing quietly and Rose had gently taken the twins from her to prevent them feeling their mother's distress. As soon as they were safely in Rose's gentle stone embrace Nessie flung herself at Jacob and her sobs became deep wrenching howls. Jacob stroked her damp auburn curls, silent tears trailing down his tanned cheeks. Esme huddled closer to Carlisle and Emmett stared out of the window, his handsome face a mask of grief and rage. " I should have stayed, I shouldn't have left." he muttered, his huge fists clenching until his knuckles crackled. Jasper cradled Alice in his lap, stroking her back. "I know how you feel Emmett but we didn't leave them unprotected, and to be fair we did not realise Charlie and Sue would be a target. The Shadows haven't targeted humans before." Jasper said, His voice full of grief and bitterness. He'd liked Charlie a lot, he was the mellowest human he'd ever come across and he would miss his easy company. Carlisle looked at Jasper and said, "They were a message, their deaths were in response to the defeat of the other night." he frowned. "It is getting far more personal." Esme shuddered and whispered softly… "I wish I could cry." Nessie lifted her tear stained face out of Jacob's neck and carefully got off the exam bed. She walked slowly over to Rose and the twins. She stroked her daughter's cheek and whispered; I want to call her Lily Charae. Sue's name had meant Lily and Charae means Beautiful, Precious, and Dear." Then she pressed a tender kiss against her son's soft cheek. "William Charles" she blinked back more tears "Little Billy" She knew her father could hear her, the range for his telepathy had been growing, and it was strongest with her. Everyone in the room felt the names were perfect, and in their house Edward, cradling his grieving wife, shared with her the babies special names. Bella took great comfort in this news and her sobs slowed as she composed herself enough to return to their family.

It wasn't until the next morning when Edward was able to tell the male members of the family what Alice's vision had held. The women were with Nessie and Emily doting over the babies and trying to help Emily, Bella and Nessie deal with the intense grief they were feeling. Edward wasn't ready for Bella to hear how her father and his wife had died, it had been bad enough seeing it in Alice's vision.

"Charlie and Sue weren't just killed, they were tortured. They were nailed to the kitchen wall and gagged so no-one would hear. They were beaten and covered in hundreds of cuts and bites, every bone in their bodies broken. They were pinned up in such a way they would have watched the other being beaten and tortured. David told Carlisle that he'd never imagined anything so brutal could be possible. He believes they would have suffered a great deal." he took a shuddery breath. "Alice's vision came from Garrett. He asked David to leave the house so Alice would be able to see him." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "It was smart, but the visual.. Oh god. I don't think Garrett himself will ever be the same. I am very glad Bella didn't have to see that." Jasper nodded. "You'll have to tell her eventually. You can't protect her from this Edward. She deserves to know that Charlie died the way he did, she deserves to choose how she deals with it." Edward shook his head, "No, you know what she is like, she will want revenge, she'll want to destroy them all.. What if she was killed, I can't risk her.. Not again" Emmett looked at him in sympathy. " I get how you feel bro, really I do, but you have to let her make that choice. If she finds out you kept this from her, she will never forgive you and our cliff cave might end up being your new room." Jacob and Carlisle nodded in agreement, both struggling with having to tell their own wives the full details. Edward glared at them. He really hated it when his brother was right Sighing he went to find Bella. It was a mission he was not looking forward to.

That night the whole family, aware of the viciousness with which Charlie and Sue had been murdered, gathered around the dining room table. Jasper spread a blanket of calm over the room and tried to relieve the tension radiating off everyone. Edward winced at the violent thoughts rolling through several brains in the room. Emmett and Rose were especially creative in their plans for revenge. Out of the turmoil it was Carlisle's mind he focussed on. The family leader was feeling the weight of the world upon him and grieving the loss of so many. His multifaceted brain was scouring his memories for any indication of the Shadow Warriors and he was also considering his last call with Aro. The Volturi leader had told him of several attaches on nomads in the area and relayed that Demetri and Afton had engaged something he believed to be a Shadow Warrior and had been shocked to see it dismember a minor guard member effortlessly. They had decided to flee rather then fight, to get the news to Aro. It had been a close thing, Afton had a fine line of gouges across his neck and shoulder where the being had clawed him. Back in La Push most of the pack was packing up their families, sending them to relatives and friends away from the town. No one went anywhere at night alone and fear was taking hold.

Carlisle cleared his throat and stood up. "Obviously we are needed back in La Push, before we loose any more of our kin. We know this threat isn't just present here, but my main concern if for the wolves. For some reason the Shadow Warriors have focussed on them here. The Volturi are very capable of dealing with their own threat and I am just deeply sorry , Benjamin, that we were unable to warn Amun and Kebi." he looked around the faces of his family and Edward heard the love and fear for them in his thoughts. "The Irish will be hear in the morning, as will Charles and Makenna. Eleazar, you are far older then me, have you any idea what we are facing?" The senior Denali male shook his head sadly. "I have racked my mind, there have been mysterious disappearances over the centuries, whole covens in fact. There are old folk tales of creatures of shadow of course, but there is no solid proof or evidence. I wish I had more information for you, perhaps if I come with you back to La Push, I can get a read on these things." Carmen begun to protest, her fear for her mate obvious but Carlisle was already shaking his head. "Your offer is very brave and kind Eleazar but I would like you to remain here with myself and the women. You are an invaluable help with research, and with our new family members, I am curious to find out if they may be gifted too. Do you think they will be too young yet?" Eleazar shook his head, "It is hard to tell but Nessie was very obvious from the moment she was born." Bella chuckled and amended, "Before even, I know she sent me many dreams and Edward heard her very clearly before she was born." Eleazar nodded "I will definitely look at them properly in the morning." he had already cuddled the twins of course, but he had not been looking for gifts, just enjoying the new babies.

It was with heavy hearts the family prepared to return to Forks. Bella, Jacob and Alice had insisted on joining them this time. Even though her visions wouldn't work with so many wolves and warriors around Alice wanted to be with Bella and Jasper. With the strong emotions everyone was feeling Alice knew Jasper would struggle to cope. Bella had refused to stay behind, she wanted to personally deal with the arrangements for Charlie and Sue, even though she knew that Seth would have to do all the in person stuff. She looked too different and yet too much the same to interact with anyone in Forks. She also thought, and Jasper and Emmett had agreed, that her gift might be useful against the Shadow Warriors. Edward was not so keen but he'd stopped protesting with one look into his wife's eyes. She deserved some closure and she was only going to get it in La Push.

Seth was waiting for them when they finally arrived at the small house in La Push. His eyes were red rimmed and their previous happy sparkle was gone. In his mind Edward saw him scrubbing away the blood from the walls and floors of the kitchen, while weeping for his mother and her husband. No son should ever have that experience he thought sadly. As they approached he reached out and squeezed Seth's broad shoulder. Jacob walked right up to his younger pack brother and hugged him hard. Seth leaned into him just for a moment, the simple gesture conveying his heartache. Alice looked at the house in misery. She and Esme had enjoyed the planning of this little retirement house so much, they had looked forward to many secretive visits and family gatherings. Now it was all ashes and there were big pieces missing from their family table. Bella stopped a moment, her hand resting on the beautifully carved porch swing on the shallow front porch. She closed her eyes and pictured Charlie and Sue sitting on it, the rays of the setting sun bathing them and her still heart ached. She opened her amber eyes and looked at Edward. "Their really gone, it is all so unreal… why is this happening, why RIGHT now?" she murmured. Edward shrugged. He had no answers for her, so he gently wrapped her in his stone embrace and hugged her. Bella leaned against him for just a moment before entering the little house. Immediately the scent of blood assailed them all, despite all Seth's scrubbing they could still smell it, a sweet undercurrent to the smells that were Sue and Charlie. Bella avoided the kitchen and ignored the burn in her throat as she drifted to the comfortable, battered recliner her father had loved. She sunk into it and pressed her face into the leather, inhaling his warm scent. Her slim shoulders shook with grief as Alice flitted to her side. She perched on the arm of the recliner, stroking her sister's dark hair.

Edward's fist clenched and he restrained the primal scream of rage in his chest as he watched his wife grieve. Jasper struggled with the pain for a second before expelling as much calm and love into the air as he could muster. He hurt for Bella, and the rage he felt at the brutal murders of people he liked and respected was hard to control when he was getting it from everyone near to him. He could feel Bella's rage under her grief and he looked at Edward with a grim smile. He had no pity for the Shadow Warriors if they crossed her path. Edward heard the thought and returned the feral grin. He didn't like the idea of Bella in any kind of danger but he had long ago accepted that she would always fight at his side. He knew she could take very good care of herself, many a play fight with Zafrina and Emmett had demonstrated that, and the vampire in him wanted to see his mate give the things that had killed her family exactly what it deserved. He resolved to capture a Warrior and allow her that very thing. He mused to himself that the family had been peaceful for many years but these Warriors had really picked the wrong fight. Had they thought the wolves were such an easy target or had their been more to their appearance then anyone knew? He remembered the loathing that he had picked up in the Warriors collective mind for Carlisle and he briefly considered that Aro may really have been behind it all. They only had his word that the Volturi had also suffered attaches. Amun and Kebi might have been killed because Amun had tried to conceal Benjamin from Aro. Edward disregarded this idea, Alice had seen the attach that had been planned for the Irish, she would have seen it for Amun too. Sighing he left Alice to comfort Bella and moved into the kitchen. His supernatural eyesight showed him where the blood splatters had been as easily as if Seth hadn't scrubbed them away and rage built up within him again. He shuddered, struggling to regain his control and hurried back to Bella and Alice. He looked into his sister's eyes and they shared a quick silent conversation, agreeing to keep Bella from the kitchen. They were going to struggle enough over her determination to see the bodies of Charlie and Sue but Edward already knew he'd loose the argument and had decided against even having it. They would slip into the funeral home that night so Bella could say goodbye.