Chapter 10

Bella's POV

Phone calls and Unleashing the Monsters

Its been three months since their deaths. Amber and I had the funerals the same day, needing one another to get through the pain and peoples mourning for our loss.

I didn't cry when they lowered their bodies into the ground. People probably thought I was horrible that I wasn't grieving their deaths. Though, if you ask me, they don't deserve the tears, roses and blessings that the guests were shedding for them.

Across from the graves, I caught the stare of Phils' mother, Anne. She didn't smile or did she glare, her face was blank and tear free.

I didn't speak, smile, or nod to any of the guests that came to me, with their sorry's and they were good people's. I barley even knew of their presence.

At her request, Amber went by herself to her biological and stepmother's graves. She didn't speak or nod. She didn't cry, weep, or sob. She was silent, blank, and broken. She had so much hurt in her life, it wasn't fair that I was getting out so fast. Amber was my sister in war. A battle with our monsters, we struggle in silence and we fight together.

I visibly flinched away, when a frail hand caressed my bruised cheek. I turned to see Anne Dwayer. I just stared at her, blank and expressionless.

"I am so so sorry," she whispered sadly. "I was hoping this wouldn't happen again."

I was confused. AGAIN!? What the hell does she mean AGAIN!!!? I thought angrily. "What do you mean?" I asked quietly.

Anne wringed her hands uncomfortably. "The only reason, Phil went into the Navy, was because he did the same thing to his ex-wife and his little girl." she sighed. "I don't know how I am saying this, but...I'm glad that...you didn't have the same fate as they did." A tear rolled down her face. "I know you probably hate me right now, but...I really thought he was different." her voice became real low. "I knew there was something I was feeling, during the wedding reception, something...off...wrong about Phil and Renee's eyes. I had a really horrible...feeling right before I left. I felt that something terrible was going to happen to you. Though I never considered this."

"Hold on..." I whispered fervidly. "You knew!? You knew all this time and didn't bother to try and help it?"

Anne's eyes filled with regretful tears. "I am truly sorry, Bella. I knew it was wrong for me to keep your own fate from you, but...i wanted you to have that love you were looking for..." she trailed off.

I was too tired and pissed to ask what she meant. I just nodded and she gratefully gathered herself and walked to her car.

I wrote a small letter to her a few weeks later. I told her, when I found the love she thought I might get, I'd e-mail or call her. I told her she was forgiven for keeping my fate from me and I understood now. I also told her, that I didn't want to be on speaking terms with anyone anytime soon. Not until the right time.

Amber and I never leave one anothers' side. Even after the bruises faded, we still turned invisible to the world around us and the people in it. We found comfort in dark colors and baggy clothing. Too bad though, because throughout the two and a half months, Amber and I have been to fifteen group homes. Its always for the same reasons; they never eat, they never talk. They never sleep, they''re both terrified of the boys', they're constantly screaming and crying in the middle of the night, and we just can't do anything for them. The routine became a blur after awhile, the only thing that stood still was me, Amber, my monster and hers. If we ever spoke, it was to one another and it was so low, that only the other could hear us. Whenever we accidentally fell asleep, one of us would wake-up screaming and crying, then the other would follow soon after.

Victoria told me three weeks after the funerals, that o was going to have to speak with Charlie. I haven't seen or even spoken to Charlie in eleven or so years. To say I was nervous, would have been an understatement. My words slurred together, I stuttered, and Amber stood silently by my side, trying to keep me calm. DIDN'T HELP!

Two months and a week later, he hasn't called back. I was agitated, worried, nervous, upset, mad and disappointed all rolled into one. "B, he's probably just on break, or maybe he lost his phone," Amber tried to reassure me that things weren't as bad as I was making them be. I paced slowly, underneath the huge oak tree behind the Cooks' house. The kids were terrified of us as were the adults; scared we might have panic attacks of blow up!

"Bella, Amber!" Demetrius, the oldest boy at the home, called from the back door. "Your social worker, Mrs. Varnish, is here to see you!" Then he ran back inside.

I sighed. "They send a boy to get us..." Amber fumed silently.

Once inside, Victoria was seated in the living room, cell phone to her ear and a notepad and pen. "Hold on," she spoke into the phone. "Hey girls," she greeted us brightly. We didn't respond, slumping into the sinking couch together and kept quiet, just like always. "Bella...I have someone who wants to speak with you..." she smiled then began speaking into the phone again.

I met her eyes, I didn't smile back. Amber went ridged. I slipped my hand in hers, for reassurance. I wouldn't my hope ride till Amber and I were happy, safe and together.

"I'm going to put you on speaker now, OK? OK...yeah. I'm sure she'll be excited..." she glanced at us then back down at her lap. "you'll have to ask her about that...she wont tell anyone..." pressed a button then set the small silver device on the table. "...OK!"

"...Bella?" a familiar old rusty voice sounded from the small speakers. "Bella...its me-"

"Charlie?" I breathed quietly, almost not loud enough for him to hear me.

"Hey baby girl. I um...well I got your message. And I was kinda wondering if you could clear this up for me...what is going on?"

I stayed silent for a moment then launched into the entire story for him. The same one as I gave the group. I left out the details of the rapes...for his sake. After I was done, I swallowed the lump growing in my throat. Charlie was silent , though his breathing told me he hadn't died or passed out. "Renee and P-Phil...they died. Car crash. I got busted up a little, but...I'm alive." I stopped and waited for his reply. When he was silent, I asked quietly, "Dad? Are you alright?"

"Bella, I'm just glad you're OK." he sighed, his voice thick with tears. "Now...um...this girl...Amber is it? Is she there?" he asked.

Amber's eyes widened with shock before she leaned down to the phone. "Y-Yes sir?" she answered quietly.

"Hi...iI understand that you and Bella have been through a bunch of tragic things..." he let the sentence trail off.

"Yes S-sir..." she answered her eyes darting to mine then back to her shoes.

He was silent for a moment, Amber moved back to her spot beside me, her hand slipped back into mine. I gave her a reassuring squeeze before looking back at my lap. "Victoria...can I talk to you in private please?" he finally asked.

"Sure...girls? Why don't you go upstairs or outside?" Victoria suggested grabbing the phone and placing it on her lap.

Amber and I nodded, standing and silently made our way over to the stairs. We stopped at the top were we could still hear."Its going to kill her if I take her away isn't it?" Charlie asked over the phone.

"Well, yes...Amber was there through most of Bella's torment and Bella kept Amber from slipping off the edge." Victoria answered with sorrow in her voice.

"Does Amber have anyone else to go to?"

Victoria sighed, "No, Amber Maria Ray, has no family members alive or that want her. She won't be in a permanent home for more than two weeks in longer. The families that we have tried can't take the torment of her past that still haunts her. She won't speak, talk, eat, plus she can't be near a male without hyperventilating or fainting on spot."

"That doesn't really help with my situation, seeing as its only me and Maggie."

He kept Maggie? I thought incredulously my eyes widening.

"But Bella is the same way. She can't be touch skin-to-skin with any male or she'll have a seizure or go into an emotional state, were she is no longer where she really is. She believes she is back in the house, and at certain times, she can't get out without Amber's help and her hand touching her...its difficult for her and Amber." Victoria described one of my previous freak outs to Charlie.

"Wait...so you're telling me, that my daughter and adoptive daughter are going to be afraid to be near me?" He asked in frustration, I felt Amber flinched beside me; I put my arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to me.

"You're willing to adopt Amber?" Victoria asked her voice coated with excitement and shock. My eyes widened at the question, amber visibly grew loose, I squeezed her shoulders a little tight in reassurance.

"If it makes my little girl happy and if it helps her get better, yeah!" He answered then a small bark followed.

I jumped from the seat were we had sat and ran down to the couch. "You kept Maggie Pie?" I asked shock covering my voice.

"Bella!" Charlie sounded shocked that I spoke so loud or that, once again, I was in a place was not meant to be. "Of course I kept Mag Pie! She's old now, but still the best girl around." He paused before there was a few sniffle sounds and a muffled: "Maggie down!" There was a shuffle then he was back. "Sorry. Amber?"

Amber's eyes widened a little before she crouched to the phone once again. "S-sir?"

"I was wondering, how would you feel to move to Forks, Washington with Bella and I?" he asked. I nearly smiled, but I was reminded of why I was here and in this situation.

"Um...I-I would love it, Sir," she whispered back before sitting back down beside me, tears glistening in her eyes as in mine. I wrapped my arm around her again, for both our comfort.

"Bella, I'm coming down to Phoenix this weekend, I'll signed the papers for both of you and you'll come back here. Sound good?" You could practically hear hear the excitement in his voice.

"That sounds what we've been waiting for, Dad." I said quietly squeezing Amber's shoulders.

"Alright Bells, Amber, Mrs. Varnish, I have a call to La Push; some kids spray painted a thrift store. I love you girls," he stated quickly.

Amber's bridge fell and a few tears dripped down her dark cheeks. No one had love her in a very long time; it was a foreign emotion to her. But she hadn't known Charlie at all or like I knew him; gentle, kind, simple. She didn't reply, not knowing what to say. No more tears fell, she was waiting till we were alone to let them down.

"I-I love you Daddy. I...I hope you-"

He interrupted quickly. "I never that Baby Girl," he sniffled. "Ok, I got to get going. Love you, bye."

"Bye..." amber and I said back, our quiet voices returning.

Victoria was shining brightly. "OK, so instead of getting one gone, I got two! Good!" she beamed. "Now, I got that Whitlock case, damn!" I flinched at the word. "OK girlies, I'll be going now. I'll be here at twelve-thirty Friday, to take you to the airport. There we will meet your new guardian, Charlie Swan, Bella your Father." With that she was out the door and in her car driving away.

That night

After everyone was asleep, Amber and I were the night owls. Staying up late hours. Never getting the sleep we needed. If we did, we relived our worst memories. That was worse than talking about them. Dreaming meant that the memories could convert into something of what could have happened, or they're flashes of many different memories.

"Bella?" Amber asked from her bed.

"Yeah?" I answered dog-earing the page I was on before shutting the book and turning towards her.

"What's Forks like?" she was playing with the hem of her hoody, trying to ignore the heaviness of her eyelids.

I shrugged. "Don't really remember. I remember, it was always either raining, snowing, or it was just cold. Oh, and everything that is supposed to be brown, is green; bark, dirt, rocks. Its annoying!" her lips twitched at my mini-rant. "Its very small too. Like half our school small."

"Really? That small?" she asked surprised. I nodded yawning. "No! Don't yawn! Damn it, Bella! Now we're going to be..." she yawned out the word, "...yawning back and forth til one of us passes out!"

"No we're not..." I yawned that one out. "Ok maybe we will, but...we'll just wake one another, kay?"

She nodded, we both got out of our beds and came to the middle of the room. I placed my arms around her as she did the same. We whispered the same saying we did every night: "We're sisters, we'll always have a bond, between our monsters." I kissed her cheek and she kissed mine.

Once back in our beds, we closed our eyes and unleashed our monsters into our subconscious.

I like this one the most so far! What about you? Tell me what your thought were...REVEIW!