Chapter 13: You're Going Mad? Me Too

A/N: Since It's been so long, here's a quick recap: Hermione and Luna moved to Forks. Ron shot one off at Ginny, and now Harry and Ginny are now there too. Of course they ran into the Cullen's who aren't tempted to eat them because their blood doesn't smell... yum. Inevitably, Harry and Hermione found trouble in Seattle - because it's Harry and Hermione - and are attacked by newborn vampires driven crazy by bloodlust. Edward and Jasper arrived just in the nick of time to save them from death, leaving Alice to look after Bella and Emmett and Rosalie demanding news about the others from Ginny.

"No, we need to get him to a hospital," Edward tried to reason while wearing an expression of complete and utter bewilderment.

"There's no time! It's closer, just take him and run – you'll get there faster than if we took a car," Hermione argued back, rising to her feet and wiping away the last of her tears.

"How do you know that? How do you know any of this? What were those lights you were shooting at us before? What are those sticks you three grip so tightly?" Jasper fired off, staring suspiciously at Hermione's teary face.

"Who bloody cares? Just take him, will you?" George bellowed, trying to shove Edward closer to Harry's unconscious form.

"He's not bitten but he's still injured – he needs a hospital," Edward said, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. Maybe he ought to just run out of here with Harry now.

"I know what I'm doing! He's my best friend. I know what's best!" Hermione screeched now. Her tears had dried and instead she was staring defiantly at Edward.

"I re-" he began but was silenced when she cast a withering look in his direction.

"I would never do anything to harm Harry. Please? Just take him there, just – just trust me!" she shouted, stomping her foot in frustration, and there was such fierce determination in her eyes that he picked Harry up and was out the door in the same second.

He ran blindly, holding Harry's body aloft in his arms. He shot down the deserted industrial roads searching for the place Hermione demanded he take Harry. The wind whipped through Harry's tuft of messy hair but other than that the boy never moved once. Edward's arms held him steady, he was so sure the slightest movement would damage the boy even more.

He was only visible as the faintest wisp of marble before slowing to a human run once he reached the place Hermione had said. Her scent hung heavy in the air and as impossible as it seemed, there she was, standing outside a dilapidated and closed down hotel. It hadn't been more than a few seconds since he'd left the parking garage, with her inside, yet here she stood, beckoning him forward impatiently.

"Impossible. How did you get here before me? I'm the fastest – " he started before she cut him off, pulling out that dangerous piece of wood she had back in the parking garage.

"The others will explain later. Go back to the parking garage - I have to get him inside," she said breathlessly, waving the stick in the air.

Right before his very eyes, Harry was lifted from his arms and suspended in mid-air.

"What?!" he spluttered, watching incredulously as Hermione moved her stick, seeming to pull Harry along in the air behind her.

Was he finally, after all these years going mad?

She pushed the doors to the closed down hotel open, and inside Edward spied a lavish and spacious looking lobby – one that was at least twice as big as the building it was inside of.

Yes, he was definitely going mad.

"Thank you for bringing Harry... and for everything you did back there," Hermione said quietly, looking back over her shoulder with those eyes.

Harry was dangling in the air in front of him; Hermione had travelled a few miles in mere seconds; her tiny stick seemed to be able to repel newborn vampires – and yet for all of this madness the only thing he could focus on was her distressed face. Her eyes were so clouded with worry, her face looked so unbearably sad that his stomach clenched and he was made painfully aware of how much he hated to see her this way.

It felt just as terrible - just as painful - as when Bella was upset. Though, for some reason this seemed so much worse than seeing Bella upset. Maybe it was the fact that Bella, as incredible as she was, didn't have the strength that Hermione had shown this night. She had kept it together, despite being attacked by a coven of newborn vampires. She had kept it together despite thinking her best friend was dead and she had kept it together long enough to get him here – to this place, though God knows why.

He could see her though. He could see that as strong as she may be, she was still just a girl, still human. So, he reached out to touch her shoulder and managed a tight smile.

"He'll be alright," he said without much conviction.

Maybe she saw through his pathetic attempt to reassure her because a moment later the side of her mouth tilted up in a barely-there smile.

"Magic can be overwhelming at first – even for a vampire," she said over her shoulder, before she moved forward and his hand fell as the doors closed shut behind her.

She was kidding, right?

"You're kidding, right?" Emmett asked, eyeing Ginny sceptically. Magic? It was just too damn unbelievable. Her head injuries must be affecting her mental stability.

"Do I look like I'm bloody kidding?" she yelled back, pounding her fists into the mattress in frustration.

"Are you always this psychotic?" Rosalie asked in a bored voice.

"Rose – " Emmett whined before Ginny's aggravated howl cut him off.

"I'm not crazy!" Ginny growled, narrowing her eyes in Rose's direction. Emmett got the distinct impression that he'd be breaking up a fist fight soon – despite the fact that Ginny couldn't walk, and the fact that his wife could grind Ginny's fists into powder.

"Come on, Gin. She didn't mean you were crazy... Just that you're grip on reality might be ah, compromised. You know... because of your... accident," he finished lamely.

"Which is the definition of crazy," Rosalie drawled, rolling her eyes at him.

"I'M PERFECTLY BLOODY SANE! Just listen! Harry and Hermione were in Seattle – "

"Visiting a special hospital because your magic won't work," Emmett interrupted a bit sarcastically, hoping she would see just how insane that sounded.

"Yes!" She cried in relief.

Apparently not.

"Convenient you can't show us any of this 'magic', isn't it?" Rosalie drawled, examining her nails.

"Rose," Emmett groaned. He liked egging people on just as much as she did, but now was not the time.

"Convenient for you, princess," Ginny hissed with eyes that spat fire.

"Better a princess than a lunatic," Rosalie replied, deigning to look up from her nails to grace Ginny with a sickly sweet smile.

Oh God, they're going to go at it! Emmett thought, completely torn. On the one hand, he'd love to see how Ginny would handle Rose, crazy or not; but then on the other hand Carlisle said there was news about Harry and Hermione. Before he could get his hopes up though, he saw tears start to form in the corners of Ginny's eyes.

And then, all of a sudden things didn't seem so funny.

Maybe Ginny's head injuries were more serious than he thought.

"PLEASE!" Ginny shouted, opening her eyes to look at Emmett beseechingly.

"Okay Gin," Emmett nodded, hoping to hell that she wouldn't go spare until Carlisle got here. Or Alice. Or anyone really.

He patted her feet awkwardly as she roughly – hatefully – brushed her tears away.

"Drama queen," Rosalie murmured lowly.

"Shut it! You're lucky I'm not – " Ginny growled fiercely, her hands now fists as she swiped at her watering eyes.

"Okay, okay, enough. Go on Gin," Emmett said hastily. It was a strange sensation, being the level-headed one for once.

"Harry and Hermione were in Seattle all day. I don't know what happened but Hermione apparated back – " she paused, her eyes darting in Emmett's direction. This is where he'd interrupted her last time. Where he'd asked her what 'apparated' meant, when she started to explain about magic, and where they'd begun to doubt just how sane Ginny really was.

"She apparated back," Ginny continued, after a moment. "And bought someone with her – Carlisle's in surgery with him – and then Hermione apparated away with George and Luna. Carlisle said... He said they were..." Ginny faltered a moment, looking at Emmett. It was the roll of Rosalie's eyes that had her growling out the last of her message. Or story. Whichever.

"They were attacked by vampires," she finished, glaring in Rosalie's direction.

There was a beat of silence where Emmett looked at the tiny girl in front of him and knew, finally why she was crying. It wasn't just in frustration, but in fear too.

"I'm tired of listening to your delusions," Rosalie glowered, breaking the silence.

"I've got a couple of vampires standing in front of me and I'm the deluded one?" Ginny screeched.

Emmett's fingers were already reaching for the phone in his pocket. Right now he didn't care whether Ginny believed she was a Witch or not. What mattered was that right now newborns could be killing Harry and Hermione – they would worry about Ginny's sanity later.

"What... what else did Carlisle say?" Emmett asked, growling when no one picked up the phone.

"There was nothing more," Ginny answered, for the first time all the anger and desperation leaving her voice. She turned toward him and watched quietly as he called his brothers over and over again.

"How did you find out about the newborns? Did Carlisle tell you?" Rosalie demanded in the background.

"Yes," Ginny replied absently, her eyes glued to Emmett, waiting for someone to pick up the phone.

"Why would he tell you about vampires? How do you know what we are? Did he tell you that too?" Rosalie demanded again, completely livid.

"I'm a Witch, I know a vampire when I see one," Ginny retorted with a bit more bite, though her gaze remained riveted on Emmett.

"You're lunacy is growing wearisome, human. At least now I know why Emmett finds you so entertaining," Rosalie hissed.

Ginny didn't bother to respond and focused intently on the tiny phone cradled in Emmett's hands. Emmett himself was too damn worried the others were dead to contemplate them being magical of all bloody things.

Rosalie was left to growl incoherently to herself.

It was a solid minute before Emmett gently put the phone down, afraid he would crush the damn thing into dust.

"That can't be it," Ginny cried, looking at the morphed phone desperately. "What do we do now?" She asked, looking back and forth from Emmett to the phone.

"Wait," Emmett said sourly.

"We can't just sit here doing nothing!" Ginny said, exploding back to life.

"There's nothing we can do but wait," Emmett grumbled, pacing back and forth at the end of Ginny's bed.

"Please! It's my brother - it's my friends - it's Harry!" Ginny shouted desperately, tugging herself to the side of the bed.

"Oh, stop being such a Bella," Rosalie sighed.

Emmett blinked at her in shock. God, that was a bit harsh, he thought, too distracted to notice Ginny scrambling for the phone.

"Enough!" Rosalie snarled, whipping around him to snatch the phone away. "What are you going to do? Hit redial and cry out hopelessly every time there's no answer?" she asked cruelly, glaring down at Ginny. "Edward and Jasper are in Seattle. Those idiots, with their bleeding hearts will have saved your foolish friends. Now, stay quiet like a good little girl," Rosalie spat, glowering at Ginny.

"Easy, Rose. That was mean," he finally managed. He suspected Rose's particular brand of tough love (or disdain, whichever,) wasn't quite doing the job. Time for him to be the hero, as usual.

"Seattle's too far for me to make any difference Ginny. Rose is right, my brothers will have found Harry and Hermione by now, they'll be alright. George and Luna are probably safe back at the house. Now, it's time to swallow a concrete pill and harden the hell up," he joked, smiling widely at her splutter. It was almost like a laugh. It's better than a sob, he decided. He nodded at Ginny in encouragement, hoping to hell that he didn't sound as completely full of shit as he felt.

"Edward's rubbing off on you," Rose observed with a slight sneer.

"Oh, co - HOLY SHIT!" Emmett exploded, leaping back from the slight figure that had appeared with a small 'crack'.

"No, it's just me," a melodic voice sang.

"Oh - it's just - it's just Luna," he babbled, laughing a bit hysterically as his eyes darted around the room madly.

What the fuck was going on? Was Ginny's crazy rubbing off on him?

"I've shocked you," Luna sang, tilting her head to the side and observing him carefully. "Didn't Ginny tell you about apparating? Or did you not believe her?"

Rosalie who was now crouching near the bed, growled in derision.

Emmett lifted his hand to poke Luna's cheek in wonder. "Luna?" he asked in astonishment.

"Don't touch it, Emmett!" Rosalie growled leaping up to pull his hand away.

"Luna! Where are the others? What's happened?" Ginny demanded above her.

"Rose – it's Luna! It's Luna... where did you come from?" Emmett marvelled, looking at the girl in amazement.

"The parking garage," Luna replied simply, bounding over to sit at the foot of Ginny's bed.

"Are the others okay?" Ginny asked, leaning forward until their noses were a hairsbreadth apart.

"How did you get here?" Emmett asked waving his hand madly back and forth through the space where she had appeared.

"Hermione's taken Harry to hospital in Port Whiskey, he's a bit injured, but isn't he always? He is Harry Potter, after all," Luna answered, smiling widely at Ginny. "Everyone's alive," she said in her dreamy voice, seeming completely comfortable with how close Ginny's face was to hers.

"How did you get here?" Emmett asked in frustration, still madly searching the air in front of him.

"She apparated – not so mad now am I?" Ginny taunted.

"I don't believe it – or you," Rosalie fired back, glaring over at Ginny. Frankly, Emmett didn't know what the hell to believe.

Apparently Luna had read his mind because she smiled brightly and turned to the left on Ginny's bed, her nose brushing against Ginny's as she moved. With a small crack she twisted into nothing, only to materialize on the other side of the room.

Emmett's mouth fell open. Rosalie's mouth fell open. Ginny's twisted in smug delight.

I am going mad, he thought briefly, but goddamn what a way to go! That's so bloody cool!

"Do it again," he pleaded.

I'm going to kill Ron. When I leave this wretched parking lot, I'll kill him, George thought sourly as his stomach heaved once more. His mouth watered, and the burning, sour taste returned as chunks of his dinner splattered into the sizeable pile of vomit at his feet.

I'll scoop this mess up and tip it in Ron's shoes, the bloody git, he thought bitterly, heaving once more. Really, it was Ron's fault he was here, dealing with this... mess. If Ron hadn't hexed Ginny in the first place, George wouldn't of had to come all the way to America just to see his sister. He would've been a world away from this foul place. He wouldn't be huddled behind a silver sedan throwing up his dinner, mere feet away from the mutilated remains of a small family.

Yeah, it's all Ron's bloody fault, he decided, this time bile rising in his throat. There was nothing left in his stomach to throw up, thank God, he thought, only slightly relieved.

He was doubled over, his nose somewhere near his knees, examining every speck of vomit on his sneakers, waiting for the next heave.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked from somewhere above his head – apparently Hermione had sent him back already.

"Yeah... yeah. I needed to lose some weight, I don't think bulimia's for me, but," he joked, without a trace of humour in his voice. He really was mental, joking about eating disorders right next to a dead body. He lifted his head to see Edward's face, staring at him pityingly.

"It's just been a while, is all," George muttered, straightening up. He was done for now. He hoped.

"It's been a while since what?" Edward asked quietly, carefully sidestepping the puddle of sick.

"Since I've seen a dead body," he replied, shoving away images of Fred. At least Fred hadn't died like this. He saw Edward's shock and chose to ignore it. Instead he made his way around the sedan and took a deep breath, steeling himself.

Gently, gently he lifted a woman's body into the passenger seat of the sedan, hating himself for the depravity of it all. He noticed that Jasper had already loaded most of the bodies into the other two cars and was now dragging them along to stage the crash that Muggles would think had killed these people.

George's stomach flipped when the woman's head lolled to the side at an unnatural angle and the bile rose once more. This time though he swallowed it down, deciding that he needed to take it like a man. He fastened the seatbelt with difficulty around the woman and saw Edward through the cracked windscreen, watching him sadly.

"Hermione used her stick – the one like yours - to lift Harry... she mentioned magic..." he probed.

"Yeah, I could've used my wand but I think these people deserve a bit more respect than that," George replied, straightening up to cast Edward a hard glance.

"I just thought it might be more... prudent using your... wand," Edward finished lamely, his face contorting funnily on the last word.

"I haven't got vampiric strength but I've got big enough guns to lift these bodies," George offered, trying and failing spectacularly to lighten the mood.

His stomach clenched when his eyes fell on the small form of a child, lying cold on the concrete. He moved forward but in instant Edward was there, lifting the body with tender care, more care than George would've thought possible.

"It's alright George, you don't have to do this one," Edward offered, carrying the body over to the car.

"Amazing. You're a vampire and look how carefully you're treating these people, yet it was vampires that done all this," George said in awe, gesturing toward the dead.

"Newborns know nothing of control," Jasper said from behind him, sending him a few feet in the air in fright.

"I was just saying it's amazing what you're capable of," George growled, "no need to scare me to death for it."

"No, what's amazing is that you can still look at me without derision when only a few minutes ago I was down there, licking the blood off of the floor like an animal," Jasper said sourly, looking down at a dried up blood stain in disgust. "What's even more amazing is that you seem to have known for a while that we are vampires – but still more amazing is watching first Hermione and then Luna disappear into thin air right before my very eyes," Jasper added looking at George expectantly.

"Now's not the time Jasper, we need to get this done before anyone else sees," Edward said, emerging from the back seat of the car.

Jasper stood staring at George for a few moments more before nodding in Edward's direction and then disappearing to the other side of the room.

Silently George followed Edward as he dragged the Sedan over to the other two vehicles and watched as he easily smashed the front of the car into a mangled wreck.

"I'd rather bury them," George said quietly.

"So would we but missing people ask too many questions. Questions draw too much attention. Dental records will identify them." Jasper said, piling the newborns' dismembered bodies at George's feet. Edward nodded in agreement as he ripped open the cars' gas tanks, sending fuel everywhere.

"So much for small mercies," George muttered to himself, only to have both Cullen's smile ruefully in his direction. Scratch that, so much for privacy. Can't even talk to myself anymore, he thought bitterly.

"Climb on Edward's back. We'll be a few buildings away by the time the fire reaches the cars, a safe enough distance from the resulting explosion – and then you can explain what exactly is going on," Jasper instructed, removing his jacket and drenching it with gas.

Well screw that for a joke, George thought watching as Jasper wrung his jacket out over the newborns' remains. There was no way he was piggy-backing on Edward.

"I'm the fastest. It's the only way we can light this and get away in time," Edward said as Jasper dripped a trail of gasoline to where they were standing.

"I'm not jumping on another bloke's back. I'll light the fire with my wand – magic burns better than wholly natural flame – and then we'll apparate to that building there," he decided, pointing to a building at least a mile away.

"Apparate?" Edward and Jasper asked in unison.

"Anyone would think the two of you weren't vampires, or has it been so long you've forgotten what other magical beings do?" George asked curiously.

"What other magical beings? Wolves? You're not a wolf, I can smell it," Jasper said, sniffing the air for emphasis.

"Got something against wolves? Bit rich coming from a vampire - but whatever. I wouldn't tell Bill though. Or Hermione, she goes mental over discrimination against magical creatures," George said.

"How is it you know of werewolves and vampires?" Jasper asked curiously.

"Not here, Jasper," Edward cautioned, pulling him closer to George.

"Wouldn't be a very good wizard if I didn't know about werewolves," George replied though without an ounce of humour. "I'm sorry," he whispered to the dead, his eyes lingering on the small child in the back of the sedan.

Seeing as the others weren't coming to him, he decided to reach out and grasp Edward's shoulder.

He pointed his wand at the trail of fuel and whispered his "incendio" before using his other hand to grasp Jasper's shoulder.

With a small 'crack' they apparated away, just as the 'whoosh' of flame burned to life.

Hermione sat quietly in a small room at Braverman's Infirmary for the Infirm. The room they were in was silent, save for Harry's heavy but steady breathing. Really, she should have been at the parking garage, dealing with the mess – but she couldn't bring herself to leave Harry's side. She looked tenderly at his swollen, battered face and finally, her body sagged with relief. Inexplicably, her hand reached up to touch the spot where Edward's icy hand had been. She remembered with the faintest of smiles his clumsy attempt to reassure her, and strangely enough, he had.

He's bought us this far. I can take us the rest of the way, she remembered thinking.

"It was true," Hermione murmured to Harry. "He saved you back at the parking garage – I know he did. The newborns would have drained you dry by the time I got back with the others," Hermione whispered to Harry. "He fought off the newborns while I was gone... and then he got you here, to Port Whiskey and he did it without thinking twice. You wouldn't be here Harry, without him. He's just as selfless and...heroic as you," she spoke into the quiet, not really expecting Harry to answer. Her hand dropped into her lap as her friend lay unmoving on the bed.

"Stupid thing to do, really Harry, lowering your wand,," she scolded, though only half-heartedly. It wasn't the same when he wasn't staring back at her guiltily.

She pulled her chair closer to his bed and it was with exasperation that she took his hand and stroked it's rough surface. Because how many times had she sat by his sickbed, in this exact same position? How many times had he lain there looking like death? "Harry Potter, always up to mischief," she said haughtily, smiling despite herself.

"He'll be unconscious for a while yet love," said a plump healer, walking into the room. It was the same witch that had worked on Harry when Hermione had first bought him in to the A&E. Unlike earlier that day, this time she was immediately seen to.

"That motor vehicle he was hit with was a real nasty piece of work, broke nearly all his bones and ruptured quite a few organs. It's best if he's unconscious while we administer his course of potions. I'll just give him his next round of Skele-Sew," the witch rambled on, too busy with uncorking a vial of milky white potion to notice Hermione's frown.

More lies, she thought uncomfortably – but how else was she going to explain Harry's injuries? She couldn't expose the Cullen's – discrimination against vampires was bad enough, even with wizard's she knew.

"What's that you're giving him?" Hermione asked, eyeing the smoking vial of lurid liquid the healer was now uncorking.

"A tendon mending potion. With all this he should be right as rain in a few days love," the healer smiled, tipping the potion down Harry's throat.

Images of Harry looking as he was now flashed through Hermione's mind and she wondered angrily why he could never catch a break.

"I bought in that newspaper article dear," the healer said, once she'd finished administering her vast array of potions.

"Oh! Yes, thank you!" Hermione replied suddenly, reaching out for the crinkled paper the witch handed her.

"I'll leave you to it. I'll be back in another hour for his next course," she smiled.

"Thank you," Hermione said gratefully, straightening out the crumpled newspaper on Harry's bed. Her mouth fell open at how preposterously short the article was, tucked in underneath a bloated story about the American Quidditch Captain being spotted with the same woman –twice.
Squeezed in just beside the story was a picture of Harry and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

WAR IN EUROPE ENDED

English Minister For Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, confirms the war in Europe has ended. The Dark Wizard, formerly known as 'Lord Voldemort' has raged war on the European continent for the last year and was, last week finally brought down by a deflected killing curse.
Shacklebolt confirms the curse was deflected by none other than Harry Potter, already made famous having survived the curse as an infant.
It is yet to be confirmed but speculation is rife that having survived the Unforgivable Curse as a baby, Potter was able to deflect the curse and cheat death once more.
While the war never reached American shores, it is unclear whether Voldemort's intentions were to expand beyond the European continent and impose his notions of blood supremacy on the rest of the world.
Head of the American Auror Office, Jackson Keens denies claims that had Voldemort's regime reached America, the American Ministry would be just as helpless as the English Ministry had been.
"The American Auror Office was prepared for any attack made by Voldemort or his Death Eaters, but saw no credible threat. The American Ministry was made aware of the situation and was prepared, should such an attack occur. The general public should know that we are always on the defensive, Dark Wizard on the rise, or no," Keens responded.

Hermione turned the page over, scanning every inch of it but there was nothing more.

"Impossible!" she fumed, reading the story over again. That was it? That was all there was? No wonder the healers were only vaguely aware of who Harry was! Their interest was purely medical – they didn't care that he'd defeated the Darkest Wizard of their age, they only knew he had survived the killing curse.

"I can't believe this," she growled, crumpling the paper in her fist. The story about Quidditch had been four times as long! How could these people just... abbreviate everything she'd been through? Everything Harry had been through? How could they know so little about the war? The fact that this newspaper had used Voldemort's name so casually was proof enough that they didn't know just how evil he was. The fact that they knew next to nothing about how Voldemort was defeated, or how long he'd really raged war, proved exactly how little they knew.

"Surely foreign affairs aren't this bad? This ill informed?" She asked Harry's unconscious form.

As she fumed Harry's hand twitched under hers and all thoughts of how disconnected the Wizarding world was, melted away. Harry had survived a vampire attack. Harry had nearly died and survived – again.

"Perspective," she reminded herself.

The steady rhythm of rain beating against the windscreen drowned out the roar of the trucks engine. Bella made her way slowly back off the reservation, steeling herself for what awaited her back home. She had snuck out to see Jake, on a split second whim and had hoped to God that Alice wouldn't see her leave before she crossed the boundary line into Quileute territory.

It had been hours since she had left – and it all had been for nothing. Jacob hadn't even been home and after waiting at his house for most of the evening it became clear that he wasn't coming home anytime soon – at least not with her there anyway. She cringed now, thinking of Edward's stormy face. She fully expected him to be waiting at the boundary line, seething with unbridled fury. Not only was she late to meet him but she'd gone where he couldn't follow – to a place he believed was dangerous.

Bella lifted her foot off the gas when her headlights illuminated Alice standing smack-bang in the middle of the road ahead, looking like a drowned angel.

"Here we go," she said, bracing herself. At least Alice's disapproval would be easier to deal with than Edward's.

The truck lurched when half a second later her passenger door was flung open and shut, while she struggled to right the steering wheel in her shaking hands.

"Alice! You scared me half to death! I was going to pull over!" she screeched, finally managing to get the staring wheel under control.

"Don't you 'Alice' me. Sixty-eight minutes I've been waiting for you. What were you thinking? Do you have any idea – " Alice began and Bella sighed heavily.

"I know, I know Alice. Vampires good, werewolves bad. Right, got it, but Jake's my friend – all the wolves are – I had to see them. I had to see him."

"Don't reduce it to that inane simplicity. You know you can't be around the wolves for your own safety. You know it, yet you still go. Do you have any idea how close I was to just breaking the treaty and hauling you back home? Edward would have. You're so damn lucky he's not here Bella," Alice fumed, her bell-like voice rising until it was a glorious soprano.

"Where is he? Is he still giving Hermione her lesson?" she asked, a bit put out. They were supposed to spend time together tonight, right now actually and she was running a little late but Edward never did. Well, he never used to, she thought dejectedly.

"Yes, he's still over at Hermione's. I was so distracted by everything, I didn't see you leave for La Push,"

"Distracted by what? What is it, Alice? Has something happened?" she asked before pulling into her driveway.

"It's nothing Bella, stop worrying," Alice snapped, opening the passenger door. Her eyes narrowed just a bit too much and her voice was just a bit too tight and Bella knew better – Edward and Alice had hidden enough things from her for her to know when they were lying to her.

"You're lying."

"I'm not. Everything's fine."

Bella's eyes narrowed and she scrutinized Alice's pinched face. Although it was just as beautiful as ever, her lips were pursed tightly and her eyes were clouded with worry. So, Bella tore off her seat belt and leapt over the passenger seat and clung to her, bruising herself in the process.

"Alice, please! I know there's something you're not telling me! You're scared, I can see it. Something's happened - Why else would Edward promise me he wouldn't be late tonight and then... and then send you here instead? Why else would he not be here Alice? He's always been here!" Bella pleaded, clinging desperately to Alice's sodden form.

Seeing Alice's brow pucker into a frown, Bella clung to her even harder with a racing heart. When Alice sighed and looked apologetically over to her, she went into overdrive.

"Oh, god, what is it? Is it Victoria – has he found her? Have the newborns in Seattle attacked him? What did you see?" she spluttered, tears blurring her vision. He was supposed to be at Hermione's! He was supposed to be giving a simple music lesson - how could this happen?

As her heart raced, a dark thought clouded her mind and she hiccupped as she looked over at Alice with teary eyes. "Or... is it... is it something else? Is it her? Hermione? Did you see them... together?" she asked with trepidation. Oh God, was he with her right now? Or did something happen that bought them closer; something that bought them together in the future. Is that why Alice was here, because she had seen them together?

"Why would you say that Bella, of all things?" Alice asked in genuine surprise.

"Because... because he can't hear her thoughts, just like he couldn't hear mine. It's what intrigues him most about me... not hearing what I'm thinking..." she trailed off pathetically.

Bella knew she wasn't good enough for Edward, that one of the main reasons he was attracted to her in the first place was because he couldn't read her mind. Now, with the others whose thoughts were just as private as hers, it would make sense that they interested him too... but would he like them more than her?

"No, I haven't seen that Bella. Edward would never hurt you like that, you know that," Alice said quietly. She smiled reassuringly over at Bella, but her eyes were thoughtful. Bella was too worried to contemplate what that particular look was about and focused instead on moving off of Alice's stone shoulder.

"Tell me what happened then Alice, please," she begged.

Alice sighed in defeat and launched into her explanation.

Not even a minute later Bella's face with blotchy with tears and she was biting her lip so fiercely it was any wonder she didn't draw blood.

"You said... you saw Carlisle call Emmett with news about the newborns. What happened? Is Edward alright?"

"I don't know, Bella. I didn't see what happened, I'm not sure – what are you doing?"

"I want to know what's going on! I'm not waiting here when Emmett could have news about Edward," she said thickly, reversing the truck out of the drive and making her way to the hospital.

Ginny collapsed back onto the pillows behind her, sighing in relief. The others were fine, with the exception of Harry. Harry was always the exception though, and he was with Hermione so he would be fine. It was no use arguing with Luna about going to see him either, she was already too exhausted to haul herself to the side of her bed again, anyway.

All she could do now was wait for news from Hermione.

Ginny watched with heavy eyes at the ridiculous spectacle before her. Luna happily turned tricks for Emmett's – and surprisingly Rosalie's – entertainment. Luna's shoes were dancing in mid-air while Emmett's ran around in circles on the ceiling and Rosalie's laced boots tangoed with each other around her head.

Ginny smiled when Luna waved her wand in a familiar pattern and her patronus burst forth from the tip. Even the side of Rosalie's mouth twitched in amusement at the silver hare leaping gracefully around the room.

As much as it hurt her chest, Ginny couldn't help but laugh when the smoky creature pirouetted on Emmett's head and realized with a pang just how much she missed magic.

"Not so deluded now, am I princess?" she smirked over at Rosalie, more to distract herself than anything.

"Don't kid yourself, lunatic. If you had mentioned the newborns in Seattle straight away then you could have saved us all a lot of drama."

It was then that the door was flung open and the hare flickered into nothing.

Unfortunately, all three pairs of shoes were still moving around of their own accord.

"Alice!" Emmett boomed, leaping to his feet. He was about to make his way over to the door when he faltered a moment and looked nervously from the doorway to Luna and then over to Ginny.

There was not one, but two audible gasps from the doorway.

"Shut the door!" Ginny hissed at Emmett. They didn't need the entire damn hospital to witness this spectacle. To his credit, he wasted no time in bounding over to the door and yanking Alice and some stranger into the room, before slamming the door shut behind them.

"Hello Isabella!" Luna said happily from the floor.

"Isabella... Edward's girlfriend? The Muggle?" Ginny asked incredulously, staring over at the wet mess standing next to Alice.

"It's Bella," she said in a small voice, though she stood gripping Alice's arm tightly as Luna's shoes danced in front of her eyes.

"What is this?" Alice asked in awe.

"Magic!" Emmett boomed, plopping down to sit cross legged next to Luna.

"Magic?" Alice asked disbelieving. Emmett's grin only got wider and he nudged Luna whispering something in her ear. The next second Luna apparated to stand by Isabella's side, sending the girl reeling back with a screech. Luna promptly apparated back to her space next to Emmett on the floor.

"She's a Witch, Alice!" Emmett laughed with gleaming eyes. "Incredible isn't it? Show her again, Luna,"

"No, Luna, stop. I don't think we should in front of Bella. She's a Muggle, she doesn't know about us," Ginny warned, leaning forward to inspect the girl closer. Her eyes were wide with fright and tears long since shed had blotched the girl's cheeks. She looked on the verge of collapsing and Ginny wasn't so sure this girl could handle knowing this secret, keeping this secret.

"I'm not a M-Muggle," Bella mumbled, looking over at Ginny who resisted the urge to laugh outright her ignorance – she wasn't yet as cruel as her brothers could be.

"Oh, then what are you?" Ginny asked curiously.

"A person," Bella replied to Emmett's booming laughter. Rosalie couldn't care less about their conversation and instead watched her boots dancing, with Alice.

"A person... that's seeing things, or going crazy," Bella added, blinking furiously as Luna's shoes crossed her field of vision, again.

"Is it really so hard to believe in magic when you're standing in a room full of vampires?" Luna asked pleasantly.

When Bella didn't reply and instead chose to stare in shock at Luna's dancing shoes, Ginny's brows came together in concern.

"Maybe you should Obliviate her," she suggested seeing as Bella seemed more than a bit overwhelmed at the sight before her.

The words were barely out of her mouth when another 'crack' sounded and three figures materialized at the foot of her bed – again. Ginny wasn't the only one who winced when Bella let rip a scream of terror.

"Bella?" Edward asked, turning around so fast that Ginny never saw him do it. George stood quietly next to him and started making his way over to Ginny's bedside, leaving Jasper alone and bewildered at the foot of Ginny's bed.

"Edward!" Bella screeched, racing forward only to trip into his arms.

"You never said others could apparate with you," Emmett accused of Luna.

"Don't talk to her like that," Ginny snapped.

"I wanted to know what was going on," Bella mumbled from the recesses of Edward's arms.

"What is going on?" Alice asked irritably, looking around the crowded room. It was only then, once she'd snapped out of her haze that she noticed Jasper at the foot of the bed. Not a second later she was by his side, clasping his hand in hers.

"Yes, we deserve answers," Jasper agreed, taking in the three pairs of dancing shoes.

"It's magic!" Emmett said, jumping to his feet.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" George mumbled next to Ginny as three sets of amber eyes looked expectantly in their direction.

Alice, Edward and Jasper seemed like they'd take a whole lot more convincing than Emmett.

A/N This chapter was such a pain in the ass. Nevertheless, don't forget to review.

There was no Beta for this chapter, so I apologise if it's riddled with errors. I tried my best. My previous Beta is unavailable, so if you've any suggestions for a new one do drop me a line.

In 'Eclipse' Bella contemplates going to La Push to see Jacob but Edward beats her to the punch and dismantles her truck's engine so she can't go. This chapter is set around that time. It should've happened but didn't because Edward was in Seattle saving Harry and Hermione, so Bella ends up going to La Push. Just thought you ought to know where we are in the Twilight Timeline.

I'm just curious... does anyone think I'm going overboard with Bella's character? I don't much care for her and I hope that hasn't bled through into the Fic so much so that her character is unbelievable.

Thanks for reading.