Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Twenty Five: Survival

CPOV

We fought side by side, two halves of a whole, she and me. Much as we had often hunted together, we took down the newborns easily as they came at us. Graceful, even more so in battle, my chest swelled with pride at the vision that was Esme. I took a moment to look around us during a split second lull in the attack, and cursed myself for it as Esme took off in the direction of a distant human scream that had been followed by a loud crack and the keening noise of another beheading.

She'd always been faster than me, but I was close behind her, I had an idea why she was running in this direction at top speed, "Esme!"

"EDWARD!"

I heard her yell as though her heart had been ripped asunder. Edward? Oh no, despair gripped me. Once again, in what seemed to me an endless stream of missteps, he hadn't taken my advice, that kid never listened! I'd told him it was imperative that Bella stay behind with her father in La Push and he fight with us. I'd still hoped he would show up at the game field until Jasper confirmed that he was staying in hiding with Bella. There wasn't anything to do but hope for the best...now I feared the worst.

I was falling behind, despite the fact that I was pushing myself beyond what I'd imagined I was capable of. She was practically flying up the mountain now. I understood that no thoughts were clouding her focus as we ran farther and farther away from the purple bonfire below. Esme's immortal maternal instincts were in full control as we sped through the trees.

When I finally managed to clear a line of sight into their camp clearing, I saw Bella on the ground below Eugenia, her blood was pooling on the ground. Esme was firmly fastened onto Victoria's back. Quivering body parts were strewn around the ground as a fire burned purple smoke behind them.

Even as I ran toward them, the redhead reached behind herself easily grabbing Esme's head and with a deadly twist of her body, sent it flying straight into the flames. Oh my God NOT ESME! Victoria turned to discard Esme's body into the flames and didn't have the time to face me as I attacked, without thought, wild with purpose. I wasted no time with her. She hadn't expected me and I was lucky to have caught her unprepared to protect her neck. I launched myself at her sweet spot like a missile and tore the bitch apart in one blow. The scent of Bella's blood brought me to my feet. I heard one of the Quileute boys whimpering, somehow I must... don't think...MOVE!

Isabella was unconscious, lying in her own blood, the bite was obvious. The wolf was cleaning up the area for me. I gathered her up in my arms, "I have to go. Thank you for cleaning up, be thorough and then go straight back to the reservation. This isn't over yet." Then, I flew down the mountain with my precious cargo. When I arrived, Jasper was facing down Jane who was torturing a newborn for answers. "Jane."

My family turned at the sound of my arrival and gasped at the sight in my arms. Alice instantly began to wail and fell to her knees. Jasper looked pained and confused but promptly went to her side, hugging her, trying his best to comfort her, all thought of the newborn cast aside.

* "Carlisle." Jane acknowledged me. "Are you sure you got all of them? The other half that split off?"

It felt as though the effort to smooth my features would cripple me. "We split up, too." I motioned to the line of purple smoke on the mountainside above us.

Jane half-smiled. "Where is your mind reader?"

"He sacrificed himself, for her." I motioned to Bella who was still motionless in my arms. I heard another gasp from our group but could do nothing to caution or prepare them for the rest of my news. "You were seven, yes? Where is your other half, Esme... I believe?"

I shook my head, unable to say it. I heard Rose whimper. But Jane would not be put off, "Carlisle?"

"Gone."

"Sorry for your loss," her tone was anything but remorseful as Jane continued, "Still, I can't deny that I'm impressed." The big shadows behind her murmured in agreement. "I've never seen a coven fend off this magnitude of offensive. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here." Her eyes rested unwilling on Bella for one short second.

"Victoria held a grudge against Bella," I told her, my voice strained.

Jane laughed."This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind," she observed, smiling directly at me, her face beatific. "Well, it appears that there's not much left for us to do. Odd," Jane said, apathy creeping back into her voice. "We're not used to being rendered unnecessary. It's too bad we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch."

"Hmm, please convey my regards to your Master," I was dismissive, hoping to terminate this interview. I wished only for their absence.

"Yes I will, he did ask me to send you his as well, Carlisle. Good to have met you." Jane turned, motioning to the newborn whose eyes were fixed on the bundle in my arms, "Felix, take care of that. I want to go home." Without ceremony, Felix dispatched the newborn and they withdrew.

We all remained motionless until they were out of our range. Bella began to move in my arms, the change was upon her now. I needed to get her to the house.

"Alice, Jasper... take Bella to Edward's room and clean her up. She'll be burning soon." I turned to my other children, "Rose, Emmett, I must go see to the Quileutes, bring my bag to their border, someone will be there to gather it from you." They nodded and I took off running at top speed to the Quileute border.

As I'd hoped, there was soon an escort of wolves around me. "I came to help, if there are any injuries, anything I can do for your brothers?" I heard a human pace drawing near from the woods and then quickly Sam appeared naked before me standing proudly and without fear.

"Dr. Cullen, I'm glad you're here. Jacob's been badly wounded, please follow me." He shifted in an instant and I was on his heels with a contingent behind me. We came to a small red house with a large crowd of people gathered in front of it. Sam and my escort had shifted back to their human forms.

They seemed to indicate I should go inside, but I turned to Sam first. "Rose and Emmett will be at your border soon with my bag of medical supplies. Please send someone to meet them and retrieve it for me?" He nodded and dispatched two of the boys immediately.

"Billy." I acknowledged Jake's father as I entered the house and followed Jake's scent to a small room in the back.

He was writhing silently in pain. "Jake, I need to touch you..." he acknowledged my presence and I quickly began to survey his injuries. I ascertained the damage to his ribcage was extensive. The major problem, however, was the rate of recovery meant the bones were healing over all wrong. One major bone had almost punctured a lung and was in danger of trying to heal itself through the organ. This was going to take a lot of time and effort. I hoped that bag would get here soon. I needed to get back to Isabella. No sooner had I thought it, but Seth arrived with the bag in hand. "Thank you." I nodded to him briefly and quickly set to work.

"Jake, I'm going to give you an extra dose of pain killers because I've some experience with your unnaturally high metabolic rate. I expect you will burn the chemicals in your system off fast, and what I have to do is going to hurt.. a lot."

He nodded and I quickly gave him the shot. I waited for it to circulate a bit, but when his heart rate began to slow, I immediately started the painful process of re-breaking and resetting. At first, I thought his screams might bring the rest of the tribe to restrain me, but I suppose Seth acted as an intermediary for me. I finished as quickly as possible, limited only by the rate of his healing. As soon as I'd done all I could without hospital equipment, I went to talk to Billy about setting up a morphine drip and noticed the sun was already on the horizon. "I don't know how much the young one has told you.. we lost Edward and my partner Esme," Billy's face was grave as he nodded, "..and Bella was bitten by the redhead, I couldn't get to her in time to do anything about it, Billy. She's going through the change now. I should get back to check on her."

I could see the remorse take Billy's expression to a new level of pain, "We lost Jared, but we're all thankful that Jacob will heal, thanks to you."

"I want you to know that we will take care of Bella from now on, but Charlie will have to be informed of his daughter's.. death. I'll be back as soon as I can to set up a drip for Jacob and we can discuss an alibi for our losses then." Billy nodded agreement and I took my leave speeding home, anxious to see Bella's progress.

I was pleased to find Alice holding her hand and Jasper holding Alice. They had a good bead on the situation, I could see she'd been bathed and shaved, prepped for her transition. Except Bella was silent and unmoving. Fear struck my soul and in an instant I was at her side, my hand at her forehead. But, her heart was definitely beating.

"How has she been?" I asked them.

Alice shook her head as Jasper spoke, "She hasn't moved at all since I laid her down and not a sound from her. It's almost like...she's not here."

BPOV

My fault. The pain resumed it's relentless cycle, washing over me like a suffocating tide of grief as Carlisle's words gained meaning in my consciousness. Then they left me numb, immobile, hopeless, awaiting the next wave of impossible pain. Only Carlisle's attention stemmed that tide.

"Bella?"

The worry in Carlisle's tone was evident. I couldn't be the cause of further grief. I opened my eyes to look at him once more. "Yes, Carlisle?"

"Can you move?"

I was standing beside him before I finished the thought. That was when I first realized what I must have become and I was immediately overcome by emotions. Now I was immortal and Edward was gone, I would spend an eternity grieving for my lost love, in never ending pain. I was in eternal hell. Carlisle's expression indicated he could read my mind without anyone's help.

Nodding he spoke softly, "We need to hunt."

He took my hand and pulled me behind him out the window and into the forest seeking no consent or approval on my part. The feeling of running by his side for the first time astonished me. Obviously, human Bella was gone. I was something else now, immortal and alone. Alone forever... no hope.

"Bella?" Carlisle shook me. I didn't realize that I'd stopped moving again. I felt like a scratchy old vinyl record that had skips dug permanently into its grooves.

"My fault, Carlisle..."

"STOP IT!" he commanded me, "Hunt. Now."

In that moment it seemed to me as though I'd never heard his voice before. Something in the tenor of his tone compelled me to obey. He pulled me along for a while longer before stopping among a bevy of pine trees. Pointing me toward an unsuspecting family of moose drinking from the banks of a river, he whispered, "Don't think. Go. Bite. Suck."

Before I knew it, I was latched onto the neck of one poor, unsuspecting creature, sucking it dry. I dropped the dry corpse unceremoniously when I was finished.

"Take care of your left overs, Bella." Carlisle commanded.

I looked at him confused and then shrugged at him to indicate my ineptitude. He walked over to my kill and tossed it into the river. I watched as the corpse floated away from us until it finally submerged. "Always take care of the dead, Bella. We take care of our own," he touched my chin lightly, "Again?"

I nodded and he took my hand once more, pulling me along until we came upon a herd of deer. He pointed me at them and I was soon sloshing as we easily dug a hole for three of them in some soft dirt nearby. When I finished, Carlisle asked, "Again?"

I shook my head at him, "I'm so full, I'm sloshing."

He smiled, "Good, let's go." He took my hand once more and pulled me through the forest. But we were still headed away from Forks, confused I looked at him to ask, "What are we doing?"

"Hunting."

"But I'm full."

"But I'm not," he winked at me.

We stopped at a cliff that must have been about 45 feet high. Below us were more deer, watering from the banks of the swift flowing river.

"Go get one for me and bring it back here." he commanded again.

I frowned at him, "Why?"

He frowned back at me, "Don't argue with me. Jump."

I sighed but did as I was told. The animal struggled in my arms, so I snapped its neck and laid it at Carlisle's feet.

"It's dead," he said as he kicked it. "I wanted a live one, with the heart still pumping. Go again."

I jumped down only to find the herd had scattered, so I took off after one of the last ones I could still smell. It didn't really have a chance against my newborn speed. But I had to be careful with it, in order for it to still be alive when I got it back to Carlisle. It was quite a difficult task, to carry the 500 lb animal with my relatively tiny frame while it struggled. Dead would not have been a problem, but keeping it alive in my arms was insanely difficult. I quickly realized that gentle was not in a newborn's vocabulary, but I did my best. It took me forever to get it back to the foot of the cliff where Carlisle stood over me watching with amusement.

As gently as I could manage, I gathered the animal to me and jumped up the cliff, landing softly next to him, I laid the beast at his feet, broken but still breathing. Carlisle immediately sucked the deer dry in a matter of minutes. When he finished, not a drop of blood had been spilled. "Take care of these," he motioned to the dead carcasses.

I dutifully picked them up, one at a time and flung them into the river.

"Good girl. Let's go."

"Where?"

"Hunting. I'm still hungry."

I'd just finished burying the third animal I'd caught for Carlisle when I took a moment to look at a reflection in the lake we were beside, I screamed before I realized what I was seeing. I would have fit right in on the set of a horror movie. My clothing was in tatters and I was covered in dirt and dry, coagulating animal blood. My hair was hanging in strings, clotted with the stuff and you couldn't really tell what I looked like from all the organic animal parts stuck to my face.

"Oh my God, Carlisle! I'm a mess!"

"Um hm," he just smiled back at me, "What do you want to do?"

"Take a swim?"

He smiled and nodded as he approached me and without so much as a by-your-leave, tossed me into the middle of the lake. I arose sputtering and splashing, furious with the man I'd always perceived to have only my best interests at heart. Now, I wasn't sure whether or not he was trying to destroy me.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?" I fought back to the surface and angrily yelled back at the shore where he'd been last I looked.

No answer.

I searched the shoreline, but no Carlisle. Suddenly, I began to panic. What if he'd been hurt? What if he'd brought me out here to abandon me? What if he hated me for being the jinx I was. I was swimming in place when I felt something tickle my leg. My first thought was a fish, so I kicked a little bit to fend it off. I was trying to decide what to do when I felt another tickle. I was getting annoyed so I submerged to find myself facing Carlisle smiling at me underwater. He reached for me again, and gently pulled another remnant of fabric from my leg. I bent my head in shame, I'd destroyed the clothing Alice had no doubt provided for me. Carlisle gently lifted my chin with a finger and smiled once more as he pulled me against his body. Hugging me without swimming, we sank like rocks to the bottom of the lake. I realized I was holding my breath, but the need to suck in oxygen was totally absent. So I allowed Carlisle to hug me to him and comfort me. I realized he needed it as much as I did, he'd just lost his son. So I wrapped my arms around him as well.

I don't know how long we were down there, it seemed like it might have been a long time before I felt his hands move against my skin. I slowly realized that he was still slowly pulling the strips of fabric off me. I momentarily forgot where we were and took a deep breath to sigh. UGH! I began coughing, sputtering and struggling against Carlisle to reach the surface. But he held me down to himself tightly.

I fought against him, gently at first, then more desperately trying to swim for the surface for survival while mindful not to injure my captor. I could understand why Carlisle might want me dead, but why force me to feed first? The next thought in my brain was my inability to equate the kind, benevolent Carlisle I'd known with an immortal who was trying to murder me...until I realized two things. First, I was breathing, panting in fact. The water was moving through me similar to what air would have done, only a bit more sluggishly. The feeling was alien but not totally unpleasant. And second, against all odds, I finally realized that I was still struggling to live, I wanted to live.

*Paraphrased from Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

AN: Please take just a moment to use the "Review This Chapter" button below!
Thank you for reading!