A/N Big Battle and interesting stuff… ^^

Chapter Thirty-Five – An Unlikely Wedding Day: Part II

Emmett gripped my hand hard as we ran toward the growls. The sounds played off the bowled shape of the glen where I could just make out the fighting of blurred figures. The sounds of battle echoed across the forest the closer we neared. Morning fog still clung in the low places and as we came out of the clearing we could see the figures, smell the blood from the wolves, and hear the deepened howls as the wolf at the middle of the field, the red wolf, called out to his pack. A fight was under way.

The four of us were ready for battle, growling low and within our throats. I could feel Jasper especially, his body tense and ready to run into the battle. Alice stayed close beside him, ready to jump into the fray.

We came out to a clearing, me hesitant, looking for Melanie. Where was she? Only the lone wolf, the red one – Jacob - was fighting three vampires; one vampire was torn up on the ground, a torso trying to drag himself forward by one arm. It was the older man, Grant that we'd seen in Seattle. He should have listened to Esme.

I lifted my head, already smelling the rest of Jacob's pack headed toward us giving their Alpha back up. Good – help was on the way.

Alice and Jasper nodded to Emmett and me, meaning they'd go help Jacob. We turned to see Leah, the grey wolf, tucked near the tree line; she had the girl vampire, Liv, and another male attacking her. She was nestled on the ground, seeming to only be defending herself. I wondered if she was injured. That thought enflamed me.

I rushed ahead of Emmett without another thought. I leapt forward, grabbing the young male as he was lunging toward Leah, and flung him backward across the field, his body like a plow pulling up grass and plant underneath his hard body.

"Leah, what are you doing?" I yelled frustrated as the female vampire went at her and I jumped in front blocking again, grabbing at Liv's legs and flipping her to the ground. I'd seen it on wrestling while with Emmett once.

I remembered her being incredibly strong, and she quickly kicked me up and into the air. I went flying up and into the pines above, crashing through branches and leaves, only to be caught by my love. "Careful," he told me with his wonderful smile, so easygoing even in the thick of battle. "You could have waited for me."

"Leah isn't fighting," I told him quickly. "Something's wrong."

"Other wolves are coming – lots," he said happily, as we landed, I in his large arms.

We were instantly beside Leah, guarding sentry in front of her. This time when I turned back I saw why Leah was crouching. Her body was over Melanie, like she was cradling her pup within herself as she slept.

I ran down, looking over the little girl, "Leah is she alright?" My voice was panic-strewn with worry.

I wish she could talk to me as a wolf. Her reply was a whimper. Leah's paw was bloody, but I was sure that would heal. She was protectively covering over Melanie's small body.

I looked out to the field and saw three vamps, two males with Christian, still fighting hard. The older vamp was in little pieces to the side, the male who had attacked Leah joined the other two against the wolves and I didn't see the girl, Liv. After she kicked me she seemed to disappear.

Alice, Jasper and three wolves were surrounding the three male vampires. I'd miss the fight beside Leah the wolf.

Melanie blinked and looked up toward me, "Auntie Rose?" She looked up at the wolf over her, and her eyes widened. But then she smiled and pet her fur.

"That's Leah," I told her.

"I know. Leah helped me. The vampire had me and was grabbing me and then Leah jumped out of nowhere and bit him and he threw me I think. I forget what happened. But now… you're here."

I turned again to see Jasper talking, reasoning with the three remaining vampires, while five wolves were now surrounding them. The wolves were growing in number.

I still searched over the area looking for Liv, while listening to Melanie share what happened.

"What is it?" Emmett asked me. He wasn't about to leave my side, as he stood, constantly scanning. He knew I was more concerned with Leah and Melanie.

"The girl vampire isn't here," I told him.

"Auntie Rose," Melanie called me, "they are not nice vampires like you."

"I know dear," I was still scanning the area to try and find where the female vampire was.

"Auntie Rose, my arm hurts."

I turned to look down at Melanie under Leah. "Is the wolf hurting you?"

"No… my arm was already hurt. She protects me."

I heard the fighting arise again and Jasper and the wolves were killing the remaining three vampires. I guess they didn't agree with trying for a more vegetarian diet. This time the wolves overwhelmed them and there wasn't much of a fight.

I didn't want to leave Leah and Melanie's side. "Emmett, can you tell Alice and Jasper and the others there is still that female vampire. I don't like not knowing where she is."

"You alright here alone?"

"Of course." I couldn't believe he asked me such a thing.

Emmett took off in an instant to Alice and Jasper.

Leah snorted, standing up slightly. Her leg was already healed. The red wolf loped over to us; unlike Leah he had blood all over his fur and was limping. I watched as the two communicated somehow. Leah the wolf nodded her head, and made a soft whimpering that sounded like crying. They nuzzled their snouts together and then he ran back to the other wolves, already looking better.

Leah as a wolf stared at me with those light, golden brown eyes of her.

"You want me to take her?" I asked.

She nodded, one large bow of her giant wolf head.

"It's not like you can hold her with your paws, right?" I laughed lightly. I went down to Melanie, "Come on dear. Dr. Carlisle can have look at your arm, okay?"

Melanie nearly leapt into my arms, and I lifted her up, cradling her close. It wasn't until this moment I felt so emotionally relieved that she seemed alright. I nuzzled to her hair, smelling the shampoo from her bath and how sweet she smelled. Her blood was delicious smelling, but not tempting for me, and her skin was so warm and soft. She just had such a wonderful smell. I was so worried I'd never smell her again… feel her again… see her again. I'd worried this whole time. I was very careful with her injured left arm. It might have been broken, I wasn't sure. And I held her cradled close to my body.

Emmett came up behind us. "How is she?"

"I think she either broke or sprained her arm." I then asked, "Emmett did they find the female vampire?"

"Only the four males. Jasper was sharing with the wolves and a few of them took off to find her. I'm staying with you," Emmett told me. "She may have just taken off not wanting to face all the wolves and us. Those wolves are pretty intimidating in a fight. I wouldn't want to be on their bad side."

We laughed at that and I looked down at Melanie, whose eyes were fluttering as I held her close in my arms. "We need to get her some medical attention, okay dear? I think she hit her head and also has a concussion."

"Of course."

"Leah, we have some clothes at the house – please follow me."

Alice ran up to me quickly, "Hey, poor Jasper. They wouldn't listen."

"I know it hurts him greatly when they choose to not live in peace."

"Yes, but thankfully no wolves were hurt in the battle, just some easy to heal scrapes – they do have a wedding to attend later." She sighed as if the ruining of her wedding plans were of more dire consequence, than the fact we almost lost the bride and groom to five rogue vampires.

"Only you would be thinking of that," I scoffed at my friend, shaking my head with the slightest laugh.

Alice smiled, looking down at Melanie, "Hey there little one."

Alice's spry and upbeat voice woke Melanie, "Hi Auntie Alice, Leah the wolf saved me from the vampire - and Auntie Rose helped."

"I know – it's good to have such supernatural friends, eh?"

Melanie giggled.

Alice was still speaking happily, and it made Melanie smile as she watched her. "Now Leah, we need to still get you ready for your wedding. Right now you smell like wet dog, and we can't have that."

Leah whimpered with the undertone of a growl.

I held Melanie closely, trying hard to be careful with her as we ran back to the house. We'd place her in the car and drive to the emergency room. Carlisle was working the morning hours and Esme was with him as a volunteer for a few hours.

Once in the house I sat Melanie down on the living room couch and looked over her arm. Around the elbow it was deep purple and blue bruising, and swollen. There was a definite break. It seemed to be caused by a hard fall, or it had been pulled harshly.

"My, you're taking this break very well," I told her, "I think most would be crying a lot. You're so brave."

"It hurts, but I don't cry very much."

"You are very brave."

Her eyes looked to me; there was the slightest bit of moistness, as she was holding onto tears. "I knew you would keep me safe."

"I think that honor goes to Leah."

"Her too – because you are both so nice. Can I stay with you both?"

"We'll see what happens." I didn't know how to answer her. "Right now we'll get some ice and a towel and run you down to the hospital. Okay?"

"Will they take me away from you when I go there? The authorities will take me away. Victoria used to tell me that if the police ever found me they would take me to prison and keep me in this home for crazy people because I had no family."

"She did?" I felt my jaw clamp shut tightly, angry with how Victoria lied to her.

"We wouldn't let anyone do that to you," I told her.

"I don't want to go. I don't want to go to a hospital."

Leah walked out in a green summer dress and sandals. "Melanie, how are you feeling now?" she asked.

"I'm not going to the hospital," Melanie snapped. "You cannot make me go."

"Oh…" Leah looked off to the side, afraid of looking at Melanie.

"I know," I said, "we'll just have Dr. Carlisle come here. I'll call him up."

Alice walked in from the kitchen with a towel and a baggie of ice cubes. "This should help."

"I'm going to go call Carlisle," I told Alice and left for the phone, still watching Melanie on the couch.

Alice sat beside her, wrapping the towel around the ice, and then placing Melanie's elbow onto the towel. "That's certainly a lot of swelling. How'd it happen sweets?"

"Sweets?" she giggled again. "The vampire grabbed me really hard and then threw me really hard when Leah the wolf came."

I simply told Carlisle on the phone, "We need you home now. Melanie broke her arm and has a concussion." He hung up, as I watched Leah finish the story.

"We came upon the vampires and the older man, Grant, had her in his arms. I instantly attacked him when I saw him with Melanie, his eyes a bright red. They all had such bright red eyes. They were hungry. They were all cowering in the forest hungry – a bunch of monsters attacking a little girl."

"They didn't…" Melanie eyes fluttered up and down, "they didn't look like you." She spoke regarding us, and then she grinned when she saw me. It made me feel necessary the way she looked at me.

I immediately walked to the couch, noticing that Melanie definitely had a concussion. When I sat she leaned back and against me, while Alice sat on the other side holding the ice under her elbow. I ran my hand along her hair carefully as Leah spoke.

"No they weren't anything like Rose and Alice," Leah stated, smiling genuinely, still standing. It was obvious she was afraid to look at Melanie. "I probably didn't handle it right and was so angry when I saw they were about to hurt a child. He threw her very hard and she hit a tree. Jacob instantly took over attacking the vampires while I wrapped myself around Melanie to make sure they couldn't get her and then you all came out and helped us. That's about it."

Carlisle walked in the back door with Esme.

"We got here as fast as we could," Carlisle said, a large smile across his face, as he approached the small patient.

"Do you mind if I have a look at your arm and head, Melanie?" he asked her.

She nodded, looking like she was about to fall asleep.

He touched her arm gently, turning it and then she yelped in pain. "Sorry," he said instantly, and continued to move about her arm slowly. "I'd like to take her in for an x-ray and then we'll probably set it at the hospital."

"No," Melanie said, but this time not as forceful.

Carlisle's brow scrunched toward the middle as he took out his penlight and looked over her eyes. "She's definitely got a concussion – probably a mild one. I really need to get an x-ray and then maybe a scan."

Melanie was mumbling, "no."

I told her, possibly too forcefully, "I'm sorry Melanie, but Victoria lied to you. We're here and we'll take care of you. And you don't get to decide with serious things. The adults do. So, you're going to the hospital young lady. And we're leaving now."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side, mom," Leah joked with me.

Melanie's eyes were closed. I looked to Carlisle in an instant. "Is she okay?"

"Let's drive her down to the hospital now."

"I," Alice stood up, as I lifted Melanie in my arms once again. "I hate to sound callous, but the wedding?"

"It's not even noon," Esme said, taking a gentle hold of Alice's shoulder, "I'm sure everything will work out. I have great faith you will make it happen."

"Alice," I said, "you're in charge of getting the wedding going – put Emmett and Jasper to work. I'll go with Carlisle. I'm sure we'll be back by six." I looked to Carlisle, "We can get a rush on the tests, right?"

"We'll see," Carlisle laughed at it all. "This has certainly been quite a wedding day."

"Alice, please tell Emmett where I headed," I told her.

"Will do, el Capitain," she saluted me in mocking. I wanted to smack her.

Leah watched the little one in my arms and I told her, "I'll make sure she's taken care of."

Leah smiled, her eyes creasing as she watched me holding the little girl she thought she had imprinted on, "I know you will." Her eyes then flickered as if something just struck her.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh… nothing - it's just… you two fit so perfectly."

"We have to go now," Carlisle told me and was already walking out the door. I looked to Leah briefly before running out the door following behind. We drove in Esme's car, which she was suddenly driving. I hadn't even noticed her. I sat in the back seat, still holding Melanie close in my arms.

You two fit so perfectly…. Why did Leah say that?

A/N Will the wedding ever take place? Will we ever get a flower girl in this wedding? Will they ever find Liv (I named her after Liv Tyler)? Stay tuned. XD Yeah, I just had to do that. ;)

Thank you for reading and especially thank you for the REVIEWS. : )