Charlie's POV

Ah, what the hell. Why did my throat feel as though it was on fire. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. Why was it so sore?

"Ssshhh!" Sue appeared above me. I was lying down. "Doctor Cullen said it might be a while before you can talk, plus he wants you not to talk even if you can." Not talk? Seriously? "Yes. Just for a couple of days Charlie, it's just a precaution." A precaution, fine. A small smile came across my face, how could it not, Sue always made me feel better. "Good boy," she returned my smile before leaning down and placing a chaste kiss on my lips. I loved her so much. "Get some rest okay." I was about to protest. "Ssshhh! Doctor's orders."

Damn Carlisle, I thought as Sue left the room.

Vampires. It was still hard to process. I knew there was something up with that family, all adopted yet they all looked the same, but vampires? I wasn't overly worried, Jasper had never hurt me or Bella, but I just needed to know for sure. I cut his arm with a knife at Bella's party and he didn't even flinch, I realized then that he was indestructible. I spent the whole night thinking about it, trying to work out what he was. I remembered Sue's stories about the cold ones. She told me the stories to keep my mind off Bella's disappearance, I didn't take much note of them, I thought they were just stories, until Jasper came along. Jasper, way too mature for his age. There was nothing normal about that boy, absolutely nothing.

In the beginning I was grateful for him. He allowed me to talk about Bella and he actually listened and offered advice, he helped me lessen the burden, to be a better father to Bella. Plus he pulled that emotion mojo stuff on me, no doubt. I didn't know what it was in the beginning but after he told me all about his ability, well I started noticing things. A wave of calm, which I pushed away, but it was the small piece of hope that I could feel with me always now. He did that to me, it had to be him. I feel sad, I feel hope. I feel angry, I feel hope. I feel despair, I feel hope. I know Jasper did this to me, but I was thankful that he did. It kept me grounded. It was a constant reminder that I had to be strong for not only myself but for Bella as well. He was a very smart boy, er, vampire, still weird.

So why shoot him? I needed to be absolutely sure. I trusted him with Bella, just. Only because he hadn't given me a reason not to. He had been there for Bella right from the start. I know he painted that mural that reminds her of home. I walk past her door on the way to the bathroom and see her staring at it sometimes, a smile threatening to break free, but it never did. He also protected her in the mudslide. My baby girl was trapped, underground, on her birthday of all days. I hated that she had to go through another traumatic experience so soon, but Jasper helped her through. I expected Bella to be setback, because being trapped again must have been so hard on her, but she was fine, I noticed no difference. Jasper must have kept her safe, made her feel secure. He was too charismatic that boy. If his intentions were bad I wouldn't be able to stop him from dragging both me and Bella down, but I knew he was good. I saw a vulnerability in him. He was a lost boy even if he didn't want to admit it.

So I had to shoot him, I had to. I needed him to know that I knew without having to tell him, that I knew he was different. As soon as he turned around I knew something was off, it wasn't Jasper, I could tell straightaway. His whole demeanor was different. He stood straighter, his face was hardened, and his eyes were dark, too dark. If I had shot Jasper he would have noticed it was me straightaway and it would have been fine, but I didn't shoot Jasper, I shot someone else. He didn't care who I was. I was lucky to be alive and I knew this. I didn't care though. I didn't care that Jasper's dark side had attacked me, he wasn't Jasper. This was not my first witness at someone's dark side, no, Bella has a dark side, Isabella.

I met Isabella once. At first it shocked me. I looked at her and finally saw just how broken she was, she was broken in half. Two sides, Bella and Isabella. Same as Jasper it now seemed. I liked that, hopefully they'd help each other become one whole person again. I came home one day and there she stood, arms folded across her chest, whole new presence, confidence. This was not my baby girl, this girl was strong and she only had Bella's best interests at heart. Isabella put me in line, she gave me strict instructions about taking Bella back to Seattle, to show her a good time. Even told me where to take her. She went back upstairs and I was left dumbfounded. I didn't know what the hell just happened. An hour later Bella came back down and made dinner, I never questioned her.

Now here I was. I knew Isabella was out once again. I heard her command Jasper's dark side to let me go and he obviously did because here I was, home. Home had become wherever Sue was. Sue lost her husband Harry the same month I lost Renée and found out that Bella was missing. Every time I came back to Forks I came out to the reservation and we held each other together, gave each other hope. We became friends and then it slowly progressed. I spent more time at her house then at my own. Even though Bella hadn't lived with me since she was a little girl, the house reminded me of her and my first wife and I couldn't deal with that, so Sue let me stay with her. I finally asked her out my last trip home and she accepted. I loved her, she always believed in me, believed that I would find Bella and bring her home safely.

I hadn't spent much time with Sue since Bella returned home, but she understands. She knew that I had to be with Bella and our love only grew stronger. I wanted to tell Bella so much, I wanted her to know that I had finally found love again, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Bella just found out her mother died, my first wife, I couldn't let her know that I had moved on. I didn't know how she would react so I was going to wait until it was a better time. Sue had her own problems to deal with anyway, shape shifters, yes shape shifters, or wolves really. Jacob had just made the change a couple of weeks back and now Sue was afraid that her son Seth may be next. He was young and she was worried for him. I was too. I looked at Leah and Seth like my own and they seemed to like me as well. It was great hanging around them when Bella was missing, it kept my heart soft, they were great kids. Plus Leah had a messy breakup with Sam last year and she needed all the support she could get.

"Charlie." I looked over to the door and saw a frowning Sue. "Get some rest." I could never deny her, so I nodded my head and closed my eyes.

Major's POV

It wasn't hard to find the Captain's trail and to follow it. I could smell the other vampire, female by the smell of it. Male and female vampires had a slightly different scent but you had to know what to look out for. I was nearing Port Angeles when I fell to my knees. I was hit with a strong dose of despair. Isabella. I wasted no time in picking myself up and racing back towards Forks, to my mate. It became harder as I got closer and closer. Isabella's despair kept on hitting me in waves but I strove forward. Nothing would stop me from getting to my mate, making sure she was alright.

I made it to the Cullen house and burst through Carlisle's study in an instance. My cold dead heart stuttered at what I saw. Isabella, my Isabella, was on the floor in a fetal position, her physical shield surrounding her. "What happened?" I growled as I reach out to touch her. My hand hit her physical shield and went no further, she was blocking me. "Speak!"

I turned my attention to the others. Carlisle was in the corner, his mate Esme safely behind him, they would be of no use, I could feel their fear. I turned my attention to the only other person present, Charlotte. She had her head tilted down. I wasted no time in going over to her and grabbing her by the throat and pushing her up against the wall. My mate was hurting physically and no one was speaking. I think I left mad at the door, I was beyond furious now and they better stay out of my way.

"I don't know what happened," Charlotte's weak voice reached my ears. "She wants Jasper." Jasper? "It's Bella," she explained further.

Isabella was gone, what a pity, I was enjoying her so much. She put me in my place, she was the only one I'd ever answer to. She was strong and fierce. She was my mate. Bella wasn't, no, she was Jasper's. Jasper. I had to let him come back. Bella was still hurting, still in a fetal position on the floor, she needed him. I let Charlotte go and she dropped to her knees submissively. I took a couple of steps back and centered myself. She needs Jasper. It's what's best for her. As much as I didn't want to go- they needed me here, especially with a rogue vampire on the loose- but she needed Jasper more, so she would get Jasper. I closed my eyes and retreated.

Jasper's POV

I was waiting by. Watching the Major struggle. As soon as he retreated I pushed forward and I knelt down straight away. I reached out for Bella, trying desperately to ignore the massive amount of despair coming from her. I saw that her shield was up but I didn't care. I reached forward and my hands just melted through it. I picked her up straightaway and her shield subconsciously went around me too. I carried her to my room and set her on the bed. I leant back to take off her shoes but she gripped my shirt within her good hand and wouldn't let me leave. I took the hint and laid down with her.

"Bella? Bella?" I spoke softly. She wouldn't open her eyes and her emotions still weren't letting up.

I tested her emotions more closely and I could feel that she was in some physical pain, from her broken arm I guessed. I didn't hesitate as I pulled the pain from her, she didn't need to deal with that on top of everything else. If I had to guess I would say that she was having a breakdown. In some ways it was overdue, but I had thought she was getting better, making solid progress, something must have set her back.

"Bella love?" She didn't move. "Hey, look at me beautiful."

Somehow I just knew that if I could look at her, if I could see her eyes, then she'd be alright, we'd be alright. She finally looked up and met my eyes. I was shocked, her eyes were filled with so much pain it hurt me, physically hurt me. The pull in my chest was becoming unbearable even though she was right here in my arms. Something shifted in her and I could feel a burst of disgust. Why was she feeling disgust? And what exactly did she tell Carlisle? It must have been what set her off. Something so bad that she had broken down, but what? I needed to know.

"Bella?" She was still looking at me and the pain in her eyes was threatening to spill over. Poor girl. Another stab of pain in my chest. "Hey, you've gotta tell me what's wrong?" Her face paled even further if possible and her eyes went wide. "Please beautiful I need to know. I can't fix it if I don't know."

"You can't fix it," her voice was quiet and raspy.

"Just please Bella, tell me and I can at least share your burden. I don't want you to suffer alone, I hate seeing you like this. Please, it's tearing me up inside."

"I-" She cleared her throat. "Vic-toria," she faltered, closing her eyes briefly before re-opening them. They were wet now, but no tears had fallen over. "She made me, forced me to- to drink her venom."

Drink her venom? What? I needed to catch that bitch right now and rip her fucking head off. My attention shifted when Bella let out a couple of small hiccup like coughs before the dam wall broke and her tears began flowing freely, and once again the wall holding back her emotions broke as well. I was immediately hit by what felt like a freight train, or at least that's what I imagined it to be. I held face but it was extremely difficult. Bella's eyes finally closed as another stronger round of sobs overtook her and I didn't hesitate to pull her head towards me, effectively burying her face in my chest so that I could close my eyes as well. It was just like last time, her emotions were too much for me, way too much to handle. There is nothing more I wanted right now than to scream out loud, to try and get some of these emotions out, but I knew that I couldn't. I needed to stay strong for Bella. I knew she didn't need to be dealing with my sorry ass right now.

So I stayed stock still, never moving. I even shut off my mind, I didn't need to think right now, no. I don't know how much time passed but Bella wasn't letting up and I couldn't hold it in anymore. A scream escaped accidentally but I clamped down on it straightaway so it came out as more of a strangled cry. She stiffened in my arms before she pulled back. I opened my eyes and I had no doubt that I was reflecting just as much pain as her. She must have realized because as soon as she saw my eyes it was all gone, everything. I don't know if she just stopped feeling those emotions or if she just blocked me, either way I felt as if I could breathe again. I took an unnecessary breath and placed my palm on her cheek.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked out.

"Never apologize, never," I told her as I shifted close so that our noses were now touching and I could see into her eyes clearly. "I told you I would share your burden and that includes your pain. I will never let you suffer alone Bella, never, believe me."

"I don't want you to feel what I feel. I don't want anyone to feel what I feel."

Oh Bella? Poor girl was so damaged. I had lost sight of that lately due to the fact that she was talking more and seemed to be better all around, but maybe she wasn't better at all, maybe she had just becoming better at hiding it. I leant forward and kissed her, just lightly, barely a touch. I didn't care if she wasn't ready, I needed to do it for both her and me. I needed her to know that I was here and nothing would change that and I needed, well I just needed to kiss her.

"I love you, I do," I projected a small amount of the love I felt constantly for her. Not the whole lot, she wouldn't be able to handle everything that I felt. "Every day, for eternity, I'll be right here," I placed my hand in the center of her chest. "Whatever happens, whatever comes at us we will face it, together, always. I promise, but for now we need to sleep. I don't know about you, but those emotions aren't... healthy, we need to sleep and regroup our emotions, okay?"

She nodded her head weakly and scooted down to rest her head on my chest. I immediately wrapped my arms around her. I knew we couldn't just stop dealing with the Victoria situation but we had to, Bella's mental health was more important to me. I needed her to be better and I needed to get my shit back in order too. We have a long battle ahead of us and Bella would be of great use. I don't know how Isabella knew all those tactical things. She was like the Major, yet I knew that Bella hadn't served in any wars. It was impressive but I wondered exactly how she learnt it, unfortunately now was not the time to ask. I waited until her breathing evened out before I sent myself a sleep cocktail. Her shield was still around us and hopefully the others would have some solid answers on the Victoria situation when we woke up.