Emmett's point of view:
My eyes scanned the forest, watching for my wife to come home. She had called ten minutes ago, telling me that she'd be home soon. Arian was taking a nap in her room, and I hoped she'd nap long enough for me to tell Rose about Brianna's story. I rolled my shoulders, feeling the tension in my body that had been there.
Even though we had them back, it was still a big struggle we were facing. Arian went back to being afraid again, clinging to Rosalie, Brady, or me. We lost the emotional progress we'd made. She went from a blooming three year old to the scared little girl we found in the forest. I was grateful that she was not afraid of me. I could support her as I should, be her loving father.
Seeing Arian work through her emotional pain was one thing. Now we had Brianna as well.
I knew Carlisle and Esme cared for her, but the rest of us had mixed feelings. I didn't mind if she was here; she put in an effort to stop what her father was doing. She was dealing with her past, much like many of us had to do in our existence. Rose and Brady were furious, almost to the point where they thought Brianna should've been left in that house, but I hoped they would change their mind she told her side of the story.
I heard Arian crying upstairs. Quickly turning, I made my way to her room.
"Oh, sweetie, it's okay," Esme said.
"Mommy, Daddy!" Arian yelled and cried loudly at the top of her lungs.
She had never reacted like that before. A second later, I stood by Esme who was trying to pick up a red faced Arian. She was crying very loudly, nearly screaming, and her breathing was shallow.
"Daddy!" she cried. "Daddy!"
I picked her up. Esme's face was covered with worry and anxiety.
"She wouldn't even let me pick her up." Esme rang her hands. "I'm sorry, Emmett. I didn't know she'd react like that."
"It's okay, Esme." I started walking around the room, running my hand up and down Arian's back.
"What happened?" Carlisle asked, stepping into the room.
"I think she had another nightmare. She was thrashing in her sleep," Esme said. "I tried to pick her up, but then she started crying."
"Her body feels tense," I told Carlisle. "What's going on?"
"If she had a nightmare, she could be having an anxiety attack," Carlisle said. "That'd explain the shortness of breath and her tense body. You need to talk to her, Emmett."
"Daddy's here, Arian," I whispered to her. "It's okay, Pumpkin. I've got you."
I moved her so she was laying across my forearm, her face looking up at me. I stroked her cheeks, much like Rosalie did when Arian was sick or falling asleep. Her face was still bright red, her tears were still running her face.
"I'm here, baby girl," I whispered again. "I'll keep you safe."
Her breathing was hard, and she held onto my shirt tightly as if I'd let go.
"I'm here, Pumpkin. Daddy won't leave you," I whispered to her.
"Daddy, where's Mommy?" she said in a labored breath.
"She's almost here. I promise, honey. She went hunting."
"Don't go, Daddy." Fresh tears ran down her cheeks.
"Never," I promised. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
She sniffled as I brushed her tears away.
"Take another deep breath, Pumpkin. Just like this." I showed her how.
She started to take deep breaths.
"Good girl."
I rocked my body as her eyes started to flutter shut. Her breathing grew regular as she drifted to sleep. I watched my daughter's face as she slept. My shoulders slumped forward. She had an anxiety attack when she was near Esme of all people.
"Oh, Emmett," Rosalie came in, her hair windblown. "What happened? Alice called telling me Arian needed me, and I could hear her crying over the phone."
"She had a nightmare, which caused her to have an anxiety attack," I explained. "She wouldn't even let Esme hold her."
"Oh, my baby," Rosalie said, moving some of Arian's hair away from her forehead.
Arian stirred and opened her eyes a little. "Mommy."
"Hi, baby girl. I'm home," Rosalie whispered.
"You're safe," Arian said.
"Yes I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked.
"I had a dream, and," Arian said as she started to cry again. "Father killed you and Daddy."
"Oh, Arian. Father's gone now, sweetie." Rosalie stroked Arian's cheeks. "He'll never hurt you, Daddy and me, or anyone else now, okay?"
Arian nodded slowly.
"Hold me, Mommy," she whispered.
Rosalie took Arian, cradling her in her arms. I wrapped my girls safely in my arms.
Brianna's point of view:
Ever since I woke from the surgery, I went between sleeping, feeling bored or extreme guilt.
Should've done more. Could've done more. Could've saved a lot of lives.
If I'd acted sooner, I would be able to talk to Brady, even if we weren't together any more. He was avoiding me and spent most of his time with Arian. I didn't expect him to spend time with me, I just wanted to apologize to him face to face, and maybe get some closure for myself.
I didn't say it when I talked to Carlisle, but he was part of the reason why I chose to rebel. I wanted to live a normal life, a life with a good man, someone who'd give me children to raise and have a long life with. It may never work between Brady and me, but he gave me a taste of a normal life, and I craved it.
What were my feelings for Brady exactly? I wasn't sure. He was the first guy who made me feel wanted. The first guy who did things for me without expecting anything back. But there was always something holding me back from him. I wasn't sure what that was, but there was something. Maybe because there was something missing between us.
I moved to lie on my back, my hip stinging. It was nearly healed and still little sore. A light knock on the door was followed by Carlisle opening it.
"Good morning, Brianna," he said with a smile.
"Hello," I said.
I liked Carlisle. He was kind and wasn't judgmental.
"How are you feeling?" he asked. "Did I give you enough medication through the night?"
"It was enough," I said as he touched my hip with his cold fingers.
"Your hip feels good," he commented.
"It's a little sore," I admitted.
"But nothing like it was?"
I nodded.
"Good, good. I think you're doing so well, I think tomorrow I'll take the cast off of your hand, which will be a relief, I'm sure."
"Definitely," I said. "Stupid, smelly thing."
Carlisle laughed. "Just imagine what they smell on humans who wear them for longer."
I made a face, making Carlisle chuckle.
"Do you need any more medication?" Carlisle asked.
"Just a little." I shrugged. "When do I get the IV out?"
"I think tonight," he said, pulling out a needle and another bottle of morphine. "I'll have Ashley give you more medication this afternoon, if that's okay with you."
"Why can't you do it?" I blurted out. I'd rather have Carlisle work with me, not that I didn't like Ashley.
"I'm going back to work today." He injected the morphine into my IV line.
"Oh … when will you be home?" I hoped not to sound too eager.
"I should be here around six or seven." He put his hand on top of mine. "It won't be too bad. I could call in 'sick'."
"No … that's okay." I averted my eyes, uncomfortable with my warm feelings for Carlisle coming through.
"I'll call on my lunch break," Carlisle said. "Move your fingers for me."
"I was hoping you'd forget this part," I muttered.
"It'll be easier when we start physical therapy." Carlisle sat on the chair next to my bed.
"That sounds like fun," I said sarcastically, I wiggled my fingers, making a face at the pain in my hand. "When will the pain go away?"
"With you, I think it'll continue to subside over the next month, give or take." Carlisle sighed. He was so human sometimes, it was unnerving. "It's hard to tell with you. I've never had to do a surgery on a hybrid. Breaking bones, yes, but not putting in three screws. You're making really good progress. It'd take months longer for humans to be at the place you're at."
"Really?"
"Really. I would've done several surgeries on a human patient followed by months of physical therapy, so you only have to deal with a fraction of it."
"I guess that's the only lucky thing I can count on." I yawned.
"The morphine must be kicking in." Carlisle looked at his watch and grimaced. "I better get to work. I'll see you when I get home tonight."
"I'll see you later." I lay back on my pillows, ready to take a nap to pass the time.
"And Brianna?" Carlisle said from the doorway.
"Hmmm?"
"I hope you know you can count on me." He gave me a warm smile before stepping out of the door.
My eyes grew heavy as Carlisle's comment stuck in my mind. I fell into a deep sleep before my mind could wrap itself around it.
Crushed bones. Screams. Lucy's screams as we lay in that dark room on the mattress. Looking away as Father held her down, biting her. Being hit hard. The sound of my bones shattering. Endless pain. Lucy's goodbyes as we both cried.
I woke up sweaty. I sat up quickly, a stabbing shot of pain ran through my hip. Breathing hard I realized it was only a dream.
"It's only a dream, Brianna," I whispered. "Only a dream."
I lay down slowly. Lucy had been the only one that helped me go against the others, and she'd died on that filthy mattress. Forcing my mind off of the memories that I'd love to forget, I was able not to think about those horrible memories. The door opened slowly, followed by a mop of black hair and a hum.
"Brianna!" the little person shouted out. "You be here!"
"Hello, Abby," I smiled, surprised the little girl remembered me.
"Hewwo! I miss."
She came over to the bed, grinning.
"Go zoo," she exclaimed, pointing to her shirt.
She had a large t-shirt with Seattle zoo printed across the top.
"Oh yeah?" I asked.
"Oh yeah! Wif Aunt Alice n Uncle Lasper!" She exclaimed. "We see animals."
"Was it fun?" I asked.
"A o-lot. I got Arian pwesent." She puffed out her chest.
"I heard. That's very sweet of you."
I lifted my injured arm to put some hair behind my ear.
"Oh no, you owie too?" She pointed to my cast.
"Yes, I have an owie."
"I kiss. Make bedder."
She scrambled onto the bed, took my hand gently, and kissed the cast.
"All bedder!" She grinned at me, still holding my hand.
Tears filled my eyes. I'd never met someone like her before, so accepting.
"Thank you, sweetie." A few tears leaked down my cheeks.
"You welome." She gave me a tight hug.
I cuddled with her for a few minutes while wiping away my tears.
"I color owie?" she asked.
I threw my head back and laughed. I hadn't been expecting that.
"That'd be okay with me."
"Be back."
Brianna scampered off of the bed, and after a few minutes she returned with a box of markers in her hands.
"I fond colors," she said, holding up the box of markers.
"Did you?" I asked as she got on to the bed again.
"Uh huh."
She struggled to open the box, and I helped her open them one handed.
"I start wif dis one," she said, pulling out the purple marker.
Unstopping the lid, she scribbled on my cast.
"That be a flower," she claimed.
"It's beautiful."
She beamed up at me as she put the cap back on the maker, her tongue sticking out, before pulling out several more markers and going through the same process as she did with the purple. In the end, I had several scribbles in various colors that were supposed to be a wolf, Abby and me at the zoo, and two more flowers. Every new addition made me laugh.
"Abby?" Ashley called from the hallway.
"She's in here," I replied.
"What have you gotten yourself into now, Abby?" Ashley muttered.
"Hi, Mommy. I color owie."
"Abby, I need you to go lay down for your nap and not bother Brianna, okay? She needs her nap too," Ashley scolded.
"I don't mind," I said. "I just slept, and I enjoy her company."
"I stay, peese?" Abby asked. "We fend."
"I guess I can't say no to new friends." Ashley sighed. "I'll bring you two lunch and your medicine, Brianna."
"Thank you, Ashley," I replied.
"I away markers, fend," Abby said.
I laughed lightly as my new little friend went to put her markers away.
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