AN: Yikes! Okay, so ending the last chapter as I did probably wasn't cool. But I needed a reason for all of them to go to Forks before the summer was over. Now Charlie's fate hasn't been totally revealed. All I said was that Victoria got him. The rest of the story will be coming up in the chapter after this one.

This chapter is in Benjamin's POV and it shows through his eyes how Bella is dealing with the news from home. Bear with me and while this chapter is not really to be enjoyed because of the content, I hope that it is enough to get you through until the next update

So...enjoy!

Chapter 9: Helping a Grieving Mate

*Benjamin POV*

Isabella collapsed in my arms the moment the Cullen name came from my lips, the shock and stress from the phone call hitting her hard. Tia and Aleena came out a few moments later, rushing over when they saw Bella lying in my arms. I quickly relayed what happened and what my initial plan was. Tia quickly called Amun and Kebi, alerting them to what had happened as well and telling them to meet us at the hotel.

We left the club, Tia driving as I held Bella close to me in the back seat. She had awoken, but remained silent, almost catatonic. As we reached the hotel, Aleena called her parents and told them what had happened. From what I could hear and understand, her parents agreed with her that she should go with Bella back to Forks. They offered their personal jet for us to use and they would handle the abrupt check-out issues with the hotel.

I carried Bella, explaining to the only staff member that asked that she had gotten some disturbing news from home and that apart from a room service order, we were not to be disturbed. Amun and Kebi, who had run from the house to the hotel, joined us in the elevator and came with us to the suite.

Once inside, I placed Bella on the couch and told Aleena, "Order something for you both. She needs to eat something tonight." Aleena nodded and went to the hotel phone, Tia following behind. Kebi was sitting with Bella, trying to get her to respond to something, while Amun was on his cell phone with someone, talking rapidly. I knelt in front of Bella and asked, "Angel, what do you need?" I hoped my question would elicit some response because frankly, her silence and dimmed brown eyes were beginning to worry me.

She responded by saying, "I need a shower. Please excuse me." She stood and left the room, heading to her bathroom. I tried to follow, but Aleena stopped me by saying, "Leave her alone for a bit. And don't worry, I took all the razors out while I was ordering room service. I ordered some meals, but mostly some junk food and dessert." I thanked her, her assurance that Bella would not be able to harm herself strangely calming. I nodded to her as well and waited for Bella to emerge.

*Bella POV*

I shut the door, not bothering to lock it because I knew that Benjamin was worried about me enough already. A locked door would not help matters at all. Praising the shower with a tub base, I turned the water on as hot as I could take it and waited for it to heat up.

So Victoria had gotten Charlie, just as I feared she would. And what the hell were the Cullens doing back in Forks? When Edward had dumped me in the forest after that disaster of a birthday party, he said he and his family were never coming back. So what were they doing in Forks and did they have anything to do with Charlie's death?

I got into the shower and quickly washed my hair and body before sinking down onto the floor of the shower and pulling my knees up to my chest. I just sat there, the hot water hitting the back of my head and my back. I would need to get answers, from both the Pack and the Cullens, but right now all I really wanted was for this to be a horrible nightmare and for Charlie to be at home, alive and safe.

That's when it hit me. I would never see my father again. I finally broke down and started sobbing. A low, gut wrenching scream left my throat as I realized that the only parent I had left, the only one that actually gave a damn about me, was gone forever and I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. Suddenly, Benjamin burst through the door, a look of fear and worry on his face.

*End Bella POV* (back to Benjamin POV)

I was pacing. Bella had been in the shower so long that the room service order had arrived and was waiting and she was still in there. I was worried and about to go knock on the door when suddenly this deep, throaty scream came from the bathroom. I ran to the door, luckily finding it unlocked, and threw it open. The bathroom was full of steam and I could barely make out Bella's form from behind the steam covered glass.

Grabbing the thick robe that was hanging on the hook beside the bathroom door, I reached in and turned off the rapidly cooling water. Bella was starting to shiver, so I quickly picked her up, making sure not to touch or look at her naked body overly much, and quickly dried her off before wrapping her tightly in the robe. As I dried her hair, she smiled a little and asked, "He's really gone, isn't he?" I nodded and said, "I'm so sorry angel."

She hung up the towel, brushed her hair, and was putting into a loose braid when she spoke again, "I knew this was going to happen. I just knew it would." I asked, "What do you mean?" She sighed and said, "I'll explain later. Right now, I just want to sleep." I nodded and asked, "Will you at least try to eat something first Bella? Aleena ordered some food and I'd feel better if you ate something first." She nodded and we left the bathroom. Bella walked over to her dresser and slipped on a pair of black lace panties, pajama shorts and a tank top before putting the robe back on and tying it securely around her and walking next to me back out into the main part of the suite.

Aleena had set up all the food on the dining room table. Upon noticing that Tia was the only other person in the room, I asked, "Where are Amun and Kebi?" "They went hunting, though I think Amun was trying to call someone on his phone and didn't want to start yelling in here."Bella sat next to Aleena and picked at the food in front of her. After a few bites, she turned to Aleena and asked, "Are you coming with me?" Aleena nodded and said, "Of course I am. I talked to my parents. Since Jasmine's wedding is going to be a quiet affair, thanks to her pregnancy, they don't really need me. You do."

Bella nodded and then asked me, "What's the plan?" "We leave for Forks early tomorrow morning. Your friends Jacob and Sam will meet us at the airport when we land. Aleena called them while you were in the shower and told them the time to expect us to land. I do believe that they also want to meet us there to make sure that Amun, Kebi, Tia and I are not a threat before they let us accompany you to Forks." Bella shook her head and said, "They know that you and I are mates I think. Jake told me that they had known for quite awhile." Aleena asked, "Bella, where do you want to stay? I mean..." Bella's eyes began to tear up, but her voice was strong as she said, "That psycho bitch is not chasing me from my home."

She pushed her plate away and I was happy to see that she had eaten most of what had been put on the plate. She was weary, so I suggested, "Since we have to leave early in the morning, perhaps it's time to go to sleep?" Aleena and Bella both agreed and I followed my angel into the bedroom. I was about to sit in the chair next to the bed when Bella said, "Benjamin, there's a pair of black pajama pants in the bottom drawer that should fit you. Change and lay next to me please."

I could never refuse her, especially not when she was hurting. I had gotten Kebi to bring a few bags of clothes for Tia and I both, but since I never wore pajamas, I didn't have any with me. I quickly changed into the pajama pants she offered and slid into bed next to her. She curled into my side, resting her head on my bare chest. There was something bothering her that had nothing to do with her father's death.

She was quiet for the longest time before saying, "Don't let them get me. Please don't let them take me." Realization hit me almost immediately. She wasn't just frightened about this Victoria woman, she was also frightened of the Cullens trying to take her back from me. I wrapped my arms around her and said, "No one will take you from me again angel. I will protect you, even if it costs me my own life." She shook her head, not liking the sound of that. I knew that she was only fearful of certain members of the Cullen family, so I knew that when we talked to them, I would talk only to Carlisle and Jasper Cullen, perhaps even Emmett Cullen as well. None of the others were good in her eyes and I would protect her from them with everything I had.

Bella rose up and kissed me as hard as she could. I kissed her back, but kept my desire for her at bay as much as I could. I knew that some humans used sex as a way to grieve, but I didn't want out first time to be like this. I gently broke the kiss and said, "Soon sweet girl. Right now you need to grieve. I'll be right by your side the entire time, I swear it." She smiled, kissed me again and laid back down.

I held her the entire night. She had a few nightmares, but I was easily able to calm her down and get her to go back to sleep. I grieved with her in a sense, because thanks to this Victoria and in a way the Cullens as well, I missed out on getting to know the man that brought my angel into the world, raised and cared for her. I knew that I'd probably meet her mother at the funeral, but the fact that Bella had yet to mention the woman tells me that their relationship is anything but solid.

Since the wolves were allowing us to keep with our diet, I knew that we had to coordinate in order to protect both Bella and Aleena. With Victoria having killed Bella's father in order to get to her, I had no doubt that Aleena would be in the same danger. Another thing we would have to deal with were the Cullens. I had no problem with the certain members of that 'family' that Bella trusted coming near her. I only had issues with the mind reader, the pixie Seer, and the matriarch of the family that did nothing to stop them. Carlisle would also have to answer for it. They kept her from me for a reason, and I would figure it out sooner or later...