Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Twilight
Authors note: thanks for the reviews! I decided to be nice and post this chapter quickly so you didn't have to wait too long.
I want to shout out to RebeccaMarieCullen and IloveEdward108 because their guesses were absolutely right! :D another couple of people were close but missed out a few important things…
WARNING: I probably should warn you; in Charlie's flash back some 'dark issues' are implied…oh, and quite a lot of violence. You have been warned.
Reunited
Charlie's POV
I rushed up the steps to the house and shoved the door open with my shoulder, the banging it made resounding throughout the house. I was vaguely aware of Bella and Edward watching me from the doorway to the living room but I ignored them. The girl in my arms was the most important thing to me now.
"Carlisle!" I yelled, although I knew it was unnecessary. "Carlisle?!" I shouted again as I stepped into the house. I felt tears burning at the backs of my eyes as I tried to avoid looking down at the limp body in my arms. The sight alone made me feel as if a knife had speared my heart.
Carlisle appeared a second later at the foot of the staircase in front of me. His eyes roamed my face and then the girl in my arms, a frown covering his face. "Charlie…what did you do?" He said softly as he lifted his gaze back to me.
A growl burst from my chest before I could stop it. The pain of the thirst burning at the back of my throat was nothing compared to the hurt of that accusation. How dare he think that I had done something to the wonderful creature in my arms? That I would even think about hurting her?
The images of what had happened just minutes ago flashed through my mind and I directed my gaze to Edward. I didn't have time to explain everything so I would settle for him knowing the truth of what transpired in the woods through my thoughts.
Flash back…
After hearing the two sets of footsteps and smelling that wonderful scent, I pushed myself to the very limits of my speed as I ran through the forest. The sounds of the footsteps were getting gradually louder but were still extremely far away. The first set of footsteps were definitely human but the second…they were much too fast to be anything other than vampire.
Panic surged through me at the thought I would be unable to get there in time to save her. The girl that I tried so desperately not to think about but was unable to help myself, the girl I hadn't seen in little over a decade, the girl I knew I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with. Amy.
I wouldn't make it, the thought plagued my mind; I wouldn't be fast enough to save her.
I forced myself to run faster but I could hear the second set of footsteps speeding up, closing in on Amy. A second later a scream split the air, causing birds to erupt from the trees and sending a shiver of fear through my entire being. I was too late.
I emerged from the trees into an area of forest slightly barer than the rest, allowing more light to filter through the tree tops and illuminating the scene in front of me. Something I would never be able to forget for the rest of my existence.
A vampire with short, midnight black hair stood stooped slightly, his mouth attached firmly to the side of Amy's neck as he held her tightly to him. My eyes locked on hers, her muddy-green/hazel eyes looking at me pleadingly as she struggled futilely against the male vampire.
"Help…" Her voice was barely audible to me but I felt the need to protect her, to save her, flare within me.
"Get away from her." I growled at the vampire, my voice softening slightly by the layered, musical quality of my gift being used. I barely thought about that though, only knowing I needed to save her.
The dark-haired vampire released Amy from his hold instantly, letting her fall to the ground limply. A growl erupted from my chest as she fell to the ground unconscious, her small body crumpling as it hit the earth. The vampire took a few steps back from her, wiping her blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He glanced from me to Amy and back again as a smirk spread across his face.
"You here to feed on her yourself?" He asked with the smirk still in place. "She does smell wonderful, doesn't she?" He chuckled and I felt my anger flaring as I clenched my hands into fists at my sides. I watched as he walked towards Amy, crouching down beside her head and trail his fingers on the mark on her neck where he bit her, lifting his fingers to his mouth as they glistened with her blood. "She tastes even better."
I snarled at him and took a step towards them. I wanted nothing more than to run to her side, make sure she was ok and get that vampire away from her. But my worry that I might end up hurting her was more powerful. I knew I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to her…well, anything worse.
"Step away from her." I hissed at him, using my power to force him away. I know; I had sworn to myself that I would never use it again but I had to do all in my power to save Amy.
He straightened up and took a single step away from her which was not nearly enough in my opinion. He tilted his head to the side as he studied my expression and tensed stance. A grin spread across his face as he chuckled. "A vampire falling in love with a human. How…foolish." He said softly and looked down at Amy's unconscious body.
My breathing was becoming hard and uneven as I tried to control my temper. I wouldn't risk attacking him when he stood so close to Amy and he seemed to notice that. He was provoking me. That much was obvious.
"She is beautiful, isn't she?" He asked as he glanced up at me, a smirk twisting the corners of his mouth. I clamped my teeth together and bit back a growl, my body shaking with tension. "It seems a pity that that beauty will be going to waste." He said as if talking to himself but it was more than loud enough for me to hear, indicating he wanted me to. "Perhaps…I could make her my mate and have her body all to myself." He mused and glanced up at me once more.
I wanted nothing more than to tear him limb from limb for even thinking about Amy that way. He seemed to notice this and took a step towards her limp body. "Or…I could always wait until she changes, have my way with her and then destroy her as she'll be of no further use to me." He was barely able to finish that sentence before I lunged at him, diving through the air towards him and knocking him at least ten feet away from Amy as she lay motionless.
I moved in between Amy and the vampire, crouching protectively in front of her limp body. A growl burst out of my chest as I focused my eyes on the male in front of me. He wouldn't get anywhere near her. I would make sure of it.
The vampire stood and took a few steps towards me, halving the distance between us and seemingly completely unaffected by my attack. "I wondered how long it would take you to react." He smirked at me.
I rushed at him, using all the speed I had in me but before I was able to pin him he had moved from my path and stood behind me. Because of my refusal to use my powers I hadn't wanted to be taught how to fight properly against vampires and realised now, too late, that I would be as predictable as a newborn.
My epiphany was interrupted by a searing pain in my neck as the vampire tugged on my hair, tilting it to the side and sunk his teeth into my neck, tugging upwards and tearing through my flesh. I cried out in pain as the burning sensation travelled up from the base of my neck, across my face and reached my cheek bone before I managed to pull myself away from him and positioned myself between him and Amy once more.
The venom seared my flesh and my face contorted in pain. I suspected the reason he didn't get any hold on my skin was because it was more fragile than normal vampires. So, unlike a vampire, the male's teeth would just slice through my skin instead of tearing my limbs off. Although that meant I would probably end up in one piece I also had to under go the extreme pain of the venom burning the large cuts which the male's teeth were likely to cause.
"Interesting." He stated as his eyes scrutinized the slice on my face. "Certainly not human but not quite vampire either." He said thoughtfully as a smile spread across his face. "Well, this should be fun." He grinned just before he lunged at me, pinning me to the ground for a split second before sinking his teeth into my chest and slicing through my skin. My growl echoed around the forest as I tucked my legs underneath him and kicked him across the forest, ripping his teeth from my chest.
Tears prickled in my eyes and began streaming down my face at the pain. I just wanted to lie down and rest but I had to save Amy if nothing else. I pushed myself off the ground, grunting at the pain in my chest as the venom burned the cut that curved from the right side of my collar bone and around to the centre of my breast bone, my shredded shirt hanging limply from the wound.
I surged myself forwards, crashing into the male vampire who had been approaching me at a run, the sound of our bodies echoing loudly like two boulders colliding. I managed to pin him for no more than a second before he somehow struggled out of my grasp and the next thing I knew there was a searing pain across my back and the sound of tearing flesh. My arms buckled and I collapsed on the ground, face down in the grass as tears poured out of my eyes. Tears for the pain but mostly for Amy. My poor, beautiful Amy.
The wound on my back ran from my left shoulder running diagonally and stopping just before the right side of my waist. The venom burning through the cut was more than unbearable. My breath came in bursts because of the pain.
I could hear the male vampire move behind me and I was determined not to give up. Not while there was still a chance Amy was alive. I flipped over and held my right arm up to protect myself as his teeth bit through my skin, which would have landed another blow to my neck had I not defended myself and would probably have killed me. I kicked him off me again, his teeth tearing through the skin of my forearm, and pushed myself up into a crouch, bearing my teeth at him.
"Give it up lover-boy. As soon as I'm finished with you, she'll die too. You'll see her again soon enough." His voice came out harsh and a low growl escaped his lips.
The instinct to survive surged through me as well as the need to protect the girl I love. It wouldn't end like this. I wouldn't let it. I couldn't let Amy die at the hands of this creature.
I threw myself at him, using my speed to my advantage, and pinning him once more but I held him as tightly as I could in my grip, not allowing him to escape. I sunk my teeth into one of his arms that was pushing against my shoulders, jerking my head to the side and ripping it off. He cried out in pain as I threw it to the side and a growl erupted from my chest.
I stared down at him, my chest rising and falling heavily. I had the chance to destroy him. He was right there in my grasp. But I couldn't. Hadn't I sworn to myself I wouldn't take another's life? After all he had done I knew I should kill him but I couldn't find it in myself to do so. How could I willingly take someone's life, knowing what I was doing?
I shoved myself off him, glaring at him as my eyes lingered on him before moving towards Amy's lifeless body and I felt dread flood my entire being. I had just taken a step towards her when I saw a blur run past me. The male vampire heading straight for Amy.
A panicked, murderous cry escaped my mouth and I dived at the vampire, knocking into him just before he reached Amy. I had given him the chance to live and he had tried to attack her. Anger burned through my veins, overtaking the pain of the venom for the time being.
We struggled against each other on the forest floor, snarls and growls filling the air. I was only vaguely aware of his teeth slicing through my left leg as the anger clouded my mind. I let out a loud roar, a haze of rage destroying any thought of mercy I had had for him.
Minutes later I stood panting unnecessarily as I watched the flames I had created lick up the limbs of what had once been the male vampire, a plume of sickly smelling purple smoke filling the air. I turned my back on the pyre, towards Amy's limp body and gently lifted her in my arms, the pain of my wounds making itself known once more now that my anger had burned off. I turned and ran at my full speed in the direction of the house, holding Amy as carefully as possible. Leaving the tower of dark purple smoke the only permanent reminder of what had just occurred in that secluded part of the forest.
End of flash back…
The memory barely took a second to replay but in my mind that was a second that was wasted instead of helping the girl in my arms. "What happened, Charlie?" Carlisle asked me, noting the communication between me and Edward.
"It was another vampire." Edward said his voice barely a whisper and his face creased in pain.
"Can you help her Carlisle? Is she going to be ok? Please tell me she's going to be alright. She was scre-eaming on the way over here but she hasn't for a while. She's still a-live isn't she?" I spluttered, my voice breaking a couple of times. The panic and fear in my voice was obvious and I couldn't stop myself from talking so much, in case it gave Carlisle any clue that she would be ok. "She was bit-ten but I didn't want to try and take the venom out because I couldn't bare it if I hurt her. She will be ok, right? I don't think you'll be able to get the venom out though. Shouldn't she be screaming now…because she's in pain?" My voice came out in a rush, not letting anybody speak but Carlisle interrupted me before I could continue.
"She's alive, Charlie. Listen. You can hear her heart beat." He said reassuringly as he stepped towards me and I relaxed slightly when I focus on the pounding of her heart, but the relief was miniscule.
"She's going to be ok, isn't she?" I asked desperately, not caring what anybody thought of the state I was in.
"Her heart beat is strong so she'll survive the change and she's just unconscious because of the pain right now." Carlisle stated as he stopped just in front of me. "I'll take her upstairs." He said and made a move to take her from me.
I snarled at him and moved Amy so my body was positioned between her and Carlisle. "No." I hissed. "You're not taking her away from me." I barely registered the musical, layered note to my voice as I turned and ran up the stairs to one of the spare bedrooms.
Bella's POV
"It was another vampire." Edward said softly beside me. I searched his face, finding nothing but pain and worry and I felt my heart lurch. What had happened that made Edward look like that? I looked back at Charlie as he was ranting worriedly to Carlisle and my nervousness increased as to what happened to him.
My eyes widened in surprised at his reaction to Carlisle trying to take the girl from his arms and knew there was something else going on. He hadn't shown such a strong reaction in years. There was something important I was missing out on.
Charlie ran past Edward and me as he ran up the stairs and I gripped Edward's arm as I saw the large, diagonal wound on Charlie's back. Carlisle disappeared up the stairs right after Charlie and I made a step towards the stairs in a move to follow them, to see if Charlie was alright as well as the girl he had been holding.
Edward's arm tightened around my waist, holding me back and I turned my head towards him in confusion. "Bella, love, don't you recognise the girl?" He asked softly, so quietly that only I could hear. He continued when he saw the confusion that must have been plain on my face. "Concentrate on her scent." He said and I took in a deep breath, my muscles tensed at the scent of her blood.
Recognition flickered in my mind and the answer hit me like a ton of bricks. The memory of a light-brown haired girl filled my head. She had changed so much; grown up, matured, dyed her hair but her scent was exactly the same as it had been. "You mean it's—"
"Amy." Edward finished my sentence and we both ran to the top of the stairs at vampire speed. Edward had told me of Charlie's thoughts about Amy and what they had talked about so I now understood Charlie's reaction. He was trying to protect her. It would also explain how distraught he was.
We stopped at the door to one of the spare bedrooms in the house. I peered into the room through the partially opened door to see Carlisle standing at the side of the room furthest from the door, checking Amy's heart beat while Charlie was kneeling beside the bed Amy was lying on, whispering in her ear with his hand holding one of Amy's tightly in his own.
Amy's eyes shot open and her screams filled the house as her body shook violently with the pain. Charlie threw himself at her, wrapping his arms around her gently and continued whispering to her too quiet for anyone else to hear. I instantly took a step towards them to help as well as Carlisle and Edward. Charlie's head shot up and he glared at all of us, a low growl vibrating from his chest. "Don't. Touch. Her." He hissed through clenched teeth and I froze, stunned by his reaction.
He was more protective of her than I thought he would be. I wanted to help, somehow. To look at his wounds he had gotten which must have been from fighting with the other vampire. To help him hold Amy to stop her from hurting herself. To comfort him. Anything, but standing here waiting.
But I knew as long as Charlie was in that room no one would be going anywhere near Amy. And he would never leave her side. This was going to be a long, painful three days.
A/N: see? Pretty dark themes…but I kind of had to make Charlie angry so…yeah. Not many of you expected that…well, you either thought it was some other girl or that Charlie had bitten her but if you remember in the last chapter it was Alice who sent Charlie out and she wouldn't exactly send him to kill someone if he was as emotionally and mentally scared like last time. I also wanted to make it clear that what I mentioned in the last chapter of Alice's vision is all she saw. The vampire made a split decision to attack Amy, ok?
Oh, and that's why Alice made Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie leave…because there was going to be blood…
I want to thank every body who reviewed for the last chapter: .CarlisleCullen, Twi1ightR0cks, faerie kitten, RebeccaMarieCullen, April Bloom, Karen Cullen3, oirishgoddess, darkflare782, lc4life, IloveEdward108, knl2012.
Thanks everyone! Please review!