CHAPTER NINE

SHE'S BACK

"Hello?"

"Callie."

I sat up in my bed, "Jacob?"

"Yeah..."

"Why are you calling? I thought you were with Bella..." I looked down at my bed spread.

"She went cliff diving by herself. She wasn't strong enough against the waves."

"She's okay, though... right?"

"Yeah, don't worry. She was cliff diving for the adrenaline. It makes her hallucinate about the leech."

I sighed, "I'm sorry, Jacob. I wish I could make something up to make it look better or hopeful but I can't. She's obsessed with him."

"I think I always knew that. But I know she feels something for me. I just have to get her to realize that he's not coming back and I can make her happy."

"Jake..." I sighed deeply, "It's a lost cause. I'm sorry but you have to see that nothing you do will ever be enough for her. What happened to finding that girl you deserve? That was a good plan," I pouted to myself.

"I have to try," Jacob said at last.

"Was that all you were calling for?" I changed the subject.

"That and to tell you that I'm driving Bella home soon. We're going to patrol around your house so you two are protected." there was a pause, "Why didn't you tell me that Victoria was after you?"

"Figured Embry would fill you in. I didn't want to retell the story a bunch of times."

"You're in danger, Callie," Jacob almost growled.

"It's nothing I'm not used to."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked, suspiciously.

I heard something move downstairs. "Jake, it's nothing. I'll see you later. 'night."

I hung up and walked out the hallway. I walked out cautiously with my lighter. Vampires don't like fire. So I have fired handy.

But when I got into the kitchen...

It was Alice.

"Alice?"

The vampire turned and ran forward to hug me, "Oh, Callie I'm so sorry!"

"What are you talking about? Is Jasper here?" I looked behind her and around the room but it seemed that she was the only one here.

Alice looked like she wanted to cry, "No I'm sorry. And I'm sorry about Bella."

My face scrunched in confusion, "...wh-"

I suddenly heard Bella's truck and some shouting outside, Bella and Jacob were here.

"Bella, you're about to cross a line."

"Only if you draw one."

"I'm not letting you do this."

"You don't have a choice. I don't belong to you."

I could have slapped her right then and there. She knew how Jacob felt. She had already stabbed him in the heart and now she was twisting the knife.

Then I heard Jacob say, "Bye Bella. Hope you don't die."

Bella then came into the house and Bella and Alice both gasped at the sight of each other. "Alice!"

"Bella? You're... alive?"

Bella hugged her with tears of joy, happy to see her. I pressed myself against the wall, tears in my eyes. But not in joy.

"I saw you jump off a cliff. Why the hell would you try and kill yourself?" Alice demanded, slightly angry.

"I didn't," Bella denied, "I was cliff diving."

"I have never met anyone more prone to life-threatening idiocy... and what is that hideous wet dog smell?" Alice scrunched up her nose.

"Probably Jacob-"

"How could you hurt him like that?" I interrupted.

"What are you talking about?"

"That little bit about you not belonging to him. I mean, really, how hurtful can you get?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Alice looked so confused. I looked at her, "Alice. Take her with you. I don't care. The Cullens can visit. She can stay behind... again."

With that I walked into my room. After that I heard Alice and Bella talking. I heard Jacob come in. I heard the phone ring. I heard yelling. I heard them all run out of the house. More yelling. I heard a car speed away. Must have been Alice's.

I went hiking to clear my mind of all the bullshit. I wanted peace again. No depression, or anger, or angst. Just peace.

I used to think that I could only get peace in death. But here in Forks I could find peace. In the woods. In my friends. In my family.

But lately I felt I lost it all. I lost Bella. Things at home were strained. I felt like that stranger again. I lost the Cullens. They were family to me. Jasper was my brother. Sure, I had this email connection to him but it wasn't the same as being with him in person. I wish he had come with Alice.

I lost myself. Which is the worst thing for me to lose. I had to find myself.

So I started with the woods. I was so at peace here. Maybe I'd find myself laying around somewhere, cold and alone. And I would work on finding warmth again.

I stumbled when I found a wolf paw print. It was huge. I knew Dad, Harry and the team were out looking for the wolves. I quickly ran my foot over the print to get rid of it. The boys had to be more careful.

I looked around to see if any of the wolves were near. But then I heard the wind swish and pick up to my right and suddenly something crashed into me. It had hold of me and the next thing I knew I was dangling upside down from a tree. Whatever had hold of me before let go and I scrambled to hold onto the branch with my legs.

Victoria was on the ground under me. Should have known it'd be her.

She grinned at me, "Hello again, Callie."

"Victoria."

She whipped back up into the tree beside me and I bit back a shriek. She grinned and slammed her foot down on the branch, making it crack. It broke under my weight and I fell fast into the ground. I groaned in pain.

I felt Victoria grab onto my hair and yank my head back painfully, "Ah!" I hissed at the sharp then dull pain in the back of my head. Victoria leaned close to my ear, "I'm going to make this last."

She threw me on the ground, "You smell like filthy mutts."

I chuckled, "Guess that happens when you hang around werewolves."

I saw Victoria's eyes widen some and then narrow into angry slits, "Your filthy pets killed Laurent."

I cocked my head, "Another vampire you failed to save, chasing after something you'll never get. Sounds familiar."

Her eyes narrowed, nostrils flared and mouth pursed into an ugly angry pout. She started shaking, ready to just kill me. She grabbed me by the neck and bared her teeth, hissing loudly.

Just then I heard loud growls rip through the air as three of the wolves ran into the clearing. Victoria let go of me quickly and slapped one of the wolves off of her with her hand.

"Callie! Run!" I heard Sam's voice. I looked over and saw that he was just taking his shorts off to phase. I looked away as I got to my feet. I sprinted away as fast as I possibly could.

I panted as I ran away. Suddenly Victoria was running beside me and she put her hand out to stop me. It collided with my chest and I fell back with a loud thud.

The wolves chased after her and I and I noticed that there were two more. I looked up, dizzy. I saw a russet colored wolf lashed out at her, almost swiping me in the process. Victoria danced away from them.

Some of them phased – Jared and Sam – and started a fire. A wolf tried to grab Victoria – the russet one – but she twisted and wrapped her hands around his large neck.

I knew that wolf was Jacob. And when Victoria latched her claws on his neck I couldn't help but cry out, "Jake!"

Victoria froze, Jacob struggling in her grasp. Her eyes widened in realization and a smirk grew on her face, "You care about this mutt, don't you?"

I stripped my face of any emotion, "Leave, Victoria. Or die."

She smirked widely at me, "What would you do if say..." she started off for show, "I killed him..." she tightened her hands on Jacob and he whined. I gasped slightly, my body shooting up off the ground in instinct. Victoria smirked. That reaction out of me was all she needed.

She raised Jacob above her head and threw him into a tree. The tree cracked under his weight and strength and fell over. I was about to run when Victoria grabbed me around my neck again and lifted me off my feet. I tried to gasp for air but it didn't work.

"I'm going to make this last," Victoria swore in a whisper. She then dropped me on the floor and flitted away.

I saw Jake recover and take off after her. I felt warm arms around me and saw Embry. He picked me up off the floor and whispered, "Are you okay, Callie?"

I looked after Jake, the wolves and Victoria. I stared at the fire, the flames dancing under the image of wolves and pale beauty escaping. I whispered, "I hope so."

About an minute later, Harry Clearwater had a heart attack.

I went to Harry's funeral. I stood up with my hand in my Dad's. He was worried as hell about Bella but I told him not to be. She was with Alice. He said he'd wait a day to hear from her.

At the wake I left Dad to his friends. I escaped to the back to take a breath. The door crashed open as some girl came outside.

"Hey," I greeted her. I recognized her as Leah. Harry's daughter.

She glared at me.

"Not a talker, I see."

She didn't answer.

"I get it, really."

"You're dad's still alive. You don't understand."

I allowed that, "When you put it that way, no, I don't get what you're going through specifically. But I am well acquainted with the feeling of pain. Emotional and physical."

She looked like she didn't believe me.

So I just kept talking, "Others deaths aren't the only thing that can bring you down. Sometimes your own death can too."

She looked at me like I was crazy, "You've died."

"I've tried. Something always screws it up." I shrugged, "I'll get it right one day." of course I was kind of exaggerating. Yes, I tried to kill myself before. But I didn't want to now.

Leah looked at me, "You've had it rough too."

I nodded, "Yup. It gets alright."

"You promise?" I could tell her last wall broke down as she looked at me. She looked so lost and hurt and confused.

"I do."

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