Chapter 21-Forever

Wyatt's POV

The ocean was a dark abyss against a starless sky. The night air was crisp and wet, dew waiting to top the edges of leaves and blades of grass. Waves crested and crashed harshly into the rocky beach, the sounds wrapping around my body like a warm, comforting blanket.

It hadn't been easy to get away from Sam. All day I had been itching to go, practically on my knees and begging him to let go to the shoreline. However, Sam was adamant about not leaving his home. Arguing had been futile even though I did not understand why it was so imperative to remain indoors. The ocean had been calling to me and I could not resist.

It wasn't until Sam and Emily had gone to bed and I could hear how occupied they were, that I was able to slip out of the guest room and quickly onto the deck. With Sam's wolf hearing, I was afraid my plan would backfire. Yet as my bare feet became cracked with sand and the waves and salty, misty air was just right there was when I realized I had done it. I had just gotten away from a wolf.

All of the anxiety and dread had just been too much. I was scared for MacKayla, for her family, our family. I was accustomed to Esme and Bella making me lunch and hugging me hello and goodbye. Everything they do for me is so much more then my own family and I was so grateful. They all gave me MacKayla, made the girl I love, and they gave me a solace. I can walk into that house and feel the love. Being there with everyone made me feel as if I had a family.

And I did.

The Blacks and the Cullens gave me everything I could think of. Family, comfort, home. If anything happened to them, I would die inside.

Mac tired to make me believe that they might be able to get out of this, but I'm thinking that maybe the Volturi hate them more then she was letting on.

My heart seized, taking the breath from my lungs. No, I cannot think like that. If I thought that I'd never see them again, I'd never survive.

Sighing I picked a flat rock and snatched it, skipping it across the water. I managed one hop before it drowned. I had never been any good at it anyway.

As I searched for another one, I idly wondered if Sam knew yet that I'd left. Maybe he did and was just too busy to care.

My second try didn't even skip, just splashed right in.

Damn.

"Well hello there," I murmured, eyeing the perfect rock.

I bent over to pick up, rubbing my thumb over the smooth, tan surface. I watched, all smiles and teeth, as my perfect rock skipped four times. Like my life, I though. It might take a few times, but eventually all your ducks line up in a row and suddenly everything that went wrong will go right. And right then I knew everything would end up the way it was supposed to.

"You were a little tricky to find, but then you came out into the open air," a smooth masculine voice said from behind me. And all the warm fuzzy feelings inside me pooled low in my stomach and knotted into thick nausea.

I slowly turned around and came face to face with a red eyed, smiling vampire.

"Name's Felix."

"Wyatt." Can you smell the fear like MacKayla always could?

"Oh, I know."

I ringed my hands in front of me. "This is bad, isn't it."

"For you? Of course."

Mac's POV

"Well hello there Cullens."

"Aro." Carlisle nodded his head in the older vampire's direction.

"I had hoped to see you again in better circumstances," he murmured gently, as if he had a heart and was reaching out to him. What a crock.

"Yes," Carlisle drawled, "I believe I speak for all of us when I say so did we."

Aro scratched his white, pasty cheek as if in thought. "I shall assume you know why we are here then. The ramifications."

Carlisle shook his head. "I do not understand why you must feel threatened by us."

The Volturi snarled at Carlisle. All but Aro. "You dare assume we would be afraid of-"

"Caius, that is enough," Aro admonished with a firm hand to his friend's chest, keeping him from reaching us further.

"The child that tried to kill us came from you."

"No," Carlisle rebuked, "she tried to coerce my coven into fighting with her. We killed her mate but she fled and we lost her scent. It wasn't until much later did we learn what had happened."

"So you say you had nothing to do with her?" Aro asked in a thoughtful vice that grated my nerves. I was ready for this damn fight but he just kept talking.

Battle readiness bubbled unsteadily under my skin, sliding through my veins and pumping out a rhythm with my heart. I was more than ready to tear this guy to shreds and gas him. He was do a major beat down. Sad thing was, I knew Edward was probably gonna take him. Damnit.

"That I exactly was I am saying, Aro. You know me, my coven. We had no need to over take and plunder. We enjoy where we are and have no desire for power," Carlisle voiced carefully and truthfully.

"Lies! You dare not speak the truth with me?"

"Aro, I do not speak untruths, you know this."

"Do not contradict me!"

Everyone was silent. From what everyone told me of the meeting before this. Aro never actually yelled. He was generally calm and collected and you could only tell his moods by the condescending way he spoke to you. Even his own guard looked surprised.

"You have earned yourself this. This is all your doing. You cannot place blame on me."

"Is that how you distinguish between good and bad? Pretending that everyone else is doing badly while you sit on your throne and wax perfection?" Carlisle dared, eyebrows pulling together, getting angry for the first time in my entire existence. "You believe that you are some righteous power unable to perform appalling acts? Not everything you do and have done was for the good."

"Enough!"

"He is speaking the truth, Aro," Eleazer said quietly but proudly. "It was not until recently that I realized what we did as the guard was not for the greater good but to assuage your need to put down anyone who might be able to overtake you in he future. You are nothing but a coward."

"Bring out the human!" Aro yelled.

Suddenly, every part of my body was frozen even as the adrenaline cursed through me and I moved into a battle stance, ready to kill this SOB. Everyone had gone quiet as Felix emerged. My heart thumped once and then stopped once Wyatt was dragged out into the open.

"No," I whispered once my heart had restarted.

Aro's red eyes immediately rolled to mine. And he fucking smiled. "You. This belongs to you?"

I did not dare speak.

"What do you want with him?" Carlisle asked.

"He knows. When Felix found him, he knew what he was. Was barely even afraid. And he knows some very interesting things."

"No."

"So you speak now?"

I remained silent again.

Aro smiled as if he knew some secret. He was closer to me with Wyatt dragging behind him on the ground. He stopped inches before me and I couldn't look at him or Wyatt. I just couldn't do it. I would break.

"He loves you very much, you know."

The wolves growled loudly. It unfortunately made him smile all the more.

Aro reached out and to touch me but I stepped back in a blink of an eye.

"Your powers are great. Wyatt told me all about them. A Halfling and a werewolf. Does it anger you that he would betray you? Jabbering on and on about the Blacks and the Cullens?"

Aro could read minds by touch. He was stupid to believe I would fall for that crap.

Carlisle stepped forward. "What are you doing, Aro? A human? I thought you were angry at us for what Oksana did; leave the boy out of this."

"Oh but it has everything to do with this, don't you understand? He knows. And now I know all of your dirty little secrets." His eyes turned back to mine. "Would this get a reaction out of you?"

Wyatt suddenly began screaming, muddy hands covering his ears. I had already steeled myself, yet seeing him in such pain nearly brought me to my knees. I covered my flinch, which I was hoping he didn't see.

"So you don't care about him at all? Wyatt, how does that make you feel?" Aro asked, yanking Wyatt, who Jane had stopped torturing, to his feet so he could look him in the eye. Wyatt could hardly stand on his feet, his legs buckling with weakness and pain. "She doesn't love you enough to beg me to stop.

Wyatt made no sound, but his eyes met mine with understanding. He knew what I was doing. I reached up and touched my tattoo, never looking away from him. And he feebly smiled for me.

"Aro, stop this at once!" Carlisle demanded, walking forward. "That is enough. The boy has absolutely nothing to do with this."

"I beg to differ. He is human and yet knows about us, and that cannot be allowed."

"Aro."

Aro turned to Edward. "You know, dear Edward, you still have time to join us. You too Alice, Bella. We would love to have the three of you."

They snarled. "You have done enough, Aro. Let Wyatt go," Edward ordered.

Aro didn't bother to smile. "That's too bad. I would have loved to have you join me. All of you. We would be great, I am sure." He looked at Wyatt and moved his hand from his t-shirt to his arm. And was immediately angry. "Bella," he whispered. "How your power still astounds me."

"Don't speak of her."

"Edward, now is not the time to be rude," Aro chastised, his tone entirely condescending.

"Little girl," he said, turning to me, "what would you do to save him? Anything? No answer? You are a quiet one. If you had the choice between death and vampirism, which would you choose? Don't know? Wanna see?"

"Aro, what are you getting at?" Carlisle asked carefully.

He smiled broadly. "Oh, nothing too bad." Aro pulled a long sword from a hidden scabbard.

Everyone, including me, jumped forward. I reached out a hand to him. "Don't you. Fucking. Dare."

"Ahh, you do have a voice!" I watched the sword go dangerously close to Wyatt's throat. Wyatt began quivering and I could feel the change in me threaten to break. "You have a choice to make, MacKayla. Or should I say Two Socks?"

Leaves were lifted into the air, my hair whipping around my face harshly as the wind picked up. "You touch one of your pasty fingers to him and die. I'm not afraid to kill you. Touch him and make a choice to live or die."

"Oooo, Carlisle, I like her! Dear girl, if you were not a part of the Cullen's, I would ask you to join me. However you are, as well as some half-breed thing. I cannot allow that. Anyway, have you made a decision yet?"

"Have you?" I countered the air around us suddenly much harsher.

He chuckled as if we were all good friends and I had said a funny joke. "I don't need to."

Before any of us could react, Aro, plunged the sword into Wyatt's gut. Wyatt did not scream. No, he was too strong to do that. He groaned loudly, falling to the ground as the sword was pulled out.

Everything slowed down and became slow motion. I could see in heat, and then would flash to human vision. As I ran forward, with my mind, I grabbed Aro and threw him against a tree. War erupted immediately as dirt and debris circled like a tornado around us. I feel to my knees, Carlisle already there, knowing all he could do in the time and place was to turn him.

"Wyatt," I choked. My clammy hands held his face in mine as my heart ripped into two pieces.

"Mac . . . Kayla . . . "

"Oh my God. Oh my God." Wyatt was gonna die too soon. There was nothing I could do. He was gonna die in my arms at eighteen and I could do nothing about this.

A cold hand was placed on my shoulder and I turned to see Carlisle looking at me.

"MacKayla, this is up to you. Do you want me to change him?"

I screamed quietly in pain. I looked into Wyatt's blue eyes. I loved his blue eyes. I couldn't imagine never seeing them again.

He lifted a hand to my cheek. "Mackie . . . I love you so, so much. Please. You know what to do."

"You don't know what you're asking of me!"

"I do. It means forever." He coughed up blood, my stomach churning. His now rapidly cooling finger weakly rubbed a tear away from my cheek.

"Quick, MacKayla. I realize this is difficult for you but he is dying. You need to make a decision now!"

I leaned down and kissed him, tasting his blood, my tears falling into his face. His hand, to weak, fell from my face. "I love you. I love you more than you can possibly imagine."

"MacKayla!"

"Do it," I whispered. "Fucking do it."

As I said this, every part of me steeled more than I could have thought possible. I stood up, not able to look at Carlisle biting Wyatt. I could hear nothing over the roar in my ears. Around us, battle raged. Wolves were quickly tearing apart vampires, vampire quickly killing wolves and other vampires.

I stepped forward, ready to kill these son's of bitches, resolution ingrained in my blood. I was calm, collected, and prepared to take them down. They take from me so I take from them. Simple as that.

Using my powers, I tore them all apart with my mind. Every last one of them. I tore them into as many tiny pieces as I could, gathered them into a neat pile, and ordered everyone to stand behind Bella. I poured the gasoline over them and lit a match. Throwing it on the fire, I watched them burn, the smell of rotting flesh filling the air, drowning out their screams.

I never had to touch a single one of them.

"Fucking hell," Devyn muttered incredulously after changing back, not bothering to cover up his nudity. "Why didn't we let her do that from the beginning?"

"We asked her not to unless she had to," my father said, pulling me quickly in for a hug. I held him, but I still could not feel anything.

Not until I felt something inside me changing. I pulled back and glanced at Wyatt, who was pale and shaking. My heart began palpating and I clutched a hand to the painful thumps against my ribs.

"Ugh," I moaned, my knees buckling against the onslaught.

"MacKayla, what is it?" my mother asked, rushing to me.

"Wyatt," I choked out, running to him and sliding onto my knees beside him. "Oh God, Wyatt."

Between us, I could feel rubber bands fall away. Eyes wide I stared at him as his eyes suddenly opened wide and lifeless. It felt as if one of the strings holding us together snapped like a rope that had pulled too far, stretched too far. As if, the gravity between us, that chemistry, lessened slightly.

Then, when I was sure I would die, we both let out screams before the pain quickly faded as swift as it had appeared. Wyatt's eyes fell closed, his body went back to quivering, and I was completely spent. I fell on top of him, holding him to me, as I lost all control and fell into the dark abyss with him.

Wyatt's POV

I was on fire. Every part of me on fire. I could feel it, surrounding me, encumbering me. Suffocating me. I could not breathe. Did I want to breathe? I was not sure. I could not remember much. Had I asked for this? Had I done this myself? Was I dying? If so, I silently hoped someone would help make it faster. Every part of me hurt. Joints, muscles as they were stretched. My innards felt as though they had been lit on fire. I did not scream. I tried, but my throat hurt too badly. I could not manage.

This went on for hours, days, years. I did not know. It was difficult for me to measure time passing by. All I knew for certain was that whatever was happening couldn't last much longer. I would surely die from the onslaught of suck unbearable pain.

Periodically I would be able to feel something touch me. Warmth. Hot. It never felt good against my already on fire skin. The burning and itching never assuaged. I could not move. However, even though it was not comfortable, it was comforting. At one point, it felt as though cool water was poured on my face, rubbed gently into what I can only imagine as dry, cracked skin from the fire.

Closer to the end, things changed. I could hear things now. Voices. I could not tell what they were saying, but I knew they thought I was fine. How could they not see the pain, the fire? How could they not help me?

The hearing changed to a 'feeling.' I could 'feel' someone entering the room I was in, could 'feel' them touching me, sitting near me. Then I'd hear the slightest rustle of clothing against skin, hair against a finger. A bird outside just flying, the sound of its wings soothing somehow. I was not sure why it was soothing nor was I sure how this was possible.

I could not remember anything. Yet, sometimes when I was too lost in the pain to want to live, her face appeared in my head. She was beautiful. Black, curly hair, plump lips, gorgeous green eyes that seemed unreal. She saved me every time I got too close to the edge of nothingness, and she yanked me back, always whispering that it would be fine. Just a little bit longer.

Longer? How could it be possible that it would last any longer? But I believed the beautiful angel and let her pull me back into life every time. Like I could trust her.

"How is he?"

"It's the second day. He'll wake up soon."

"He has to. I miss him. I need him, Carlisle."

"I know you do MacKayla. I know."

Her name sparked something inside me, and I was relieved it was not the fire that was finally beginning to ebb. That angel's face appeared in my head, smiling.

And I remembered everything.

I could feel a hand on my face. "Wyatt, come back to me. Please. I need you."

It was quiet but I could hear her breath coming in harsh bursts of air. "God, I love you, Wyatt. Please."

A hand squeezed mine, I was happy to be able to squeeze back. This girl was the love of my life and I needed her to know I was okay now. Needed her to know that she was going to be okay.

She made a funny squeaky sound that turned into a gasp. "Wyatt?" she asked.

My eyes opened. It was nighttime, and my imprint had turned all the lights off for me. I was thankful. "Baby." My voice was husky, had gone unused for a while. "I'm fine now."

"Oh, Wyatt!"

She launched herself at me, arms falling to my neck, holding me tightly. Weird things happened then. I could see the blood beneath her thin skin. Yet she did not appeal to me. She smelled differently now too. More alluring, but in a sexual way, not a blood way. And suddenly, as quick as her scent had reached me, I was hard. Aching. Holy shit.

Pulling back, she brushed her lips to mine and even that was different. It felt the same and yet completely different. The difference was how much everything was heightened. Charged. This was way more than I had ever felt all at once. Her lips were softer some how, tastier. It took every ounce of self-control not to throw her against the bed I was in and make love to her like an animal.

Feeling the change, she ended the kiss, her brows knotted. "What is it?"

"Everything." I brushed her soft hair away from her forehead. "It's all heightened. I'm having trouble keep my hands from touching you."

MacKayla smiled seductively. "What if I want you to?"

Suddenly I was no longer hard and aching, but my throat was on fire. "I can't. Not yet."

Her eyes changed to awareness. "Oh my God. I am so sorry. You need to feed, don't you?"

All I could do was nod. And take the lovely hand offered into mine. "Then come on. I'll take you hunting."

"So what happened?" I asked, running a finger along the naked skin of her lower back.

MacKayla was curled into my side on, now, our bed. After teaching me to hunt, which was quite fun with her, especially since she would turn to wolf form and challenge me. With all these new abilities, I was strong and now matched her in everything. Finally. Afterwards, we came back to an empty house, to which she explained to me as their gift to us. Alone time.

I was appreciative since now that I was a vampire, I had better stamina (not that it was ever bad.)

She sighed, nuzzling her warm face into my neck. It was still weird, her being extremely hot while I was extremely cold. "What do you remember?"

"Not much. I remember Felix finding me at the beach."

"Yes, when Sam told us you had snuck out we we're all pretty effing pissed, Wyatt."

I sighed, recognizing her tone. "I know. I'm sorry. I just needed to escape everyone and have some time to myself to relax. I was scared for all of you." I kissed her forehead. "Tell me about the fight. I remember Aro, who, by the way, is a dick. He said he needed to use me to teach you all a lesson."

She was quiet, hiding in the juncture where my neck and shoulder met. I gently turned onto my side facing her. "Baby . . ."

"I killed them all," she whispered. "I got so angry when Aro stabbed you. He didn't let me save you. I was so angry my power sort of . . . we knew it probably would, but it was still a surprise. I killed them all at once. And I didn't feel anything."

My forehead touched hers. "There's something else."

Her eyes shifted away. Teared up. "We didn't know. You never told me. You have a disorder where you don't produce much . . . sperm. Imprinting is the wolves finding the mate that would help make powerful wolves together. We're dogs, so naturally it's all about procreating. But when the venom got into your system, it killed . . . we don't know why it did that. So the part of the imprint that involved creating babies, it . . . broke. Because when you changed . . . yeah. We can't have kids now."

I couldn't speak. I had a disorder? We couldn't . . . oh. I grabbed her against me, holding on tightly as she sobbed. "Shhh, it's alright. We can always adopt."

"You don't unders-s-s-stand." She hiccupped. "I took that away from you!"

"You took nothing from me. Mac, look at me." I waited until her beautiful eyes met mine. I could see every part of her eyes; every color was visible to me. I loved it. "I love you. You love me. End of story. We did this for love, to stay together. I don't care that we can't have kids" –lie-"I love you regardless. Don't regret it. I don't."

"Wyatt."

"I know, baby. I know."

We were quiet, just holing on to each other. I really didn't regret it. She was everything to me, every part of me. Yeah, I wish I'd be able to have little MacKayla's running around, but I was honestly fine with one. She's all I'll ever need.

"So, how did you guys tell people I died?" I wondered, rolling her over so that I was snuggled against her side, my head resting on the soft pillow her breasts created for me.

"Drove you truck off a cliff. Body was never found."

"Hmm. Who got to drive my truck?"

"Emmett, naturally. He was all too excited to drive off the cliff in it," she laughed lightly, and it warmed me. It was sad that I was leaving everything behind, but I got MacKayla in turn. I could never wish to change it.

"I'm glad he was able to have some fun," I murmured, pulling a tight nipple into my mouth.

She moaned. "Mmhmm."

I rolled on top of her, my leg thrusting hers apart. My lips made a path to her ear as I slid home. "I love you, Two Socks."

"Ohhhh, I love you, too, Wyatt. Yes, right there!"

Mmm, right there indeed. I was never leaving. Not ever again.

So this took forever. I'm sorry. This chapter was not one I wanted to write. At all. But you should be happy, the next chapter is already done and I'll probably post it next week or so.

Review please!