Chapter 34 – Charlie POV

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I am jolted awake by Jacob screaming for Sue and a screeching sound! My heart is in my throat as I run from the room. I shove into Jacob's room with Sue right behind me.

"She's not breathing right! Sue, help her!" I can see the boy he really is with his frantic pleas to help my daughter.

Bella is lying on the bed taking ragged gasping breaths pausing and then taking several more over and over. I stop short "Bella!"

Sue bodily shoves past me. "Give me room before she dies! Shit! Her oxygen is at eighty two! Get her arms above her head."

Jacob pulls her arms up. "Breathe Bells just breathe!"

Sue yells out "Carlisle she needs Oxygen! If you don't have it, get it from the clinic now!"

Cullen is in the room with a silver tank with a green top and tubing almost before Sue stops speaking. "I have this D tank here and a set of Es back at the house. Start her at two litters by mask."

"Jacob you need to give us room to work." Sue tries to coax the boy from the bed.

Billy yells from behind me, "NO! He has to stay with her. I talked to her Grandfather. He's on the way here with his other granddaughter to help her. He said that Jacob would be her only chance at an anchor to this world. You have to talk to her Son. She needs to feel you, your need for her."

Jacob curls against her with tears in his eyes. "Stay with me Bells. I can't do this without you Honey. Please don't leave me." He looks up "She's so weak. She needs more food."

The number on the monitor goes up to eighty nine but it is still flashing red.

"She can't eat while she's like this Jacob. She'll choke on it with the way she is breathing." Sue calmly says.

"I picked up NG tubes and some more supplies when I got the protein mix and drinks. I was worried she would not be able to drink herself. Sue, place the tube while I mix the drink."

Sue takes the offered package. "Jacob, look at me. I am going to need your help. She is not going to like this. I need you to hold her head still while I run this tube from her nose to her stomach. I need someone else to lightly hold her from thrashing or swatting the tube. Once it is in place she will ignore it."

I step up next to Sue. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just hold her here like this. Jacob, hold her head like this. Don't let her go until I say." She starts inserting the gel covered tip into my girl's nose. I am surprised at the strength she has in this state. "That should do it." She blows into the tube then pushes on Bella stomach softly while sniffing the end of the tube. "Yep that in her stomach. You can let her go."

We release her as Carlisle comes back in. "I looked up some of the highest protein high calorie combinations that would flow ok. This is a half and half base with banana, strawberries, chocolate syrup, and the Muscle Milk. Is everything ready Sue."

Sue nods as she unwraps a giant plastic syringe thing. "All ready. Pushing the first one fifty?" She asks.

"Yes push the first one hundred fifty. Jacob, can you sit behind her and support her against you? Yes just like that. Now talk to her like your father said. She needs you like never before."

"Don't you dare leave me Bella. I need you here with me. You are my heart and soul." He lowers his head to her ear and I can't make out what else he is saying.

Sue squeezes the first syringe in and within minutes Bella's breathing starts to even out. Some of the tension starts to ease out of the room as the red number turns to a yellow ninety two.

"We'll let the next gravity feed. I don't want to over fill her stomach. Can you start the next IV bag at one hundred twenty five per hour? I'll have to call Esme to have her bring catheters. I don't have any in the kit and she will need to be relieved before much longer."

"We have Foleys at the clinic. Leah can be there and back in just a few minutes."

I look back at the screen and it has a green ninety six on it. I release a sigh of relief.

Cullen simply nods and hangs the bag himself. "I'll handle this you handle that."

Sue walks out of the room.

I sit down on the edge of the bed and take Bella's hand. "Come on Kiddo open those big browns of yours and look at your old man here. You're scaring me Bella. I can't lose you again. I just got you back for real. You have a whole bunch of people waiting for you to wake up. Apparently Billy got info out of your Grandmother about your grandfather and he is on his way to meet you. You need to wake up so you can see him too." My heart throbs in my chest. "Jacob is not the only one who will be lost without you if you don't wake up." I kiss her on her forehead and wipe my traitorous eyes before standing up to step out.

When I walk into the kitchen Emily and Kim are busy making mountains of food. There are piles of sandwiches, macaroni salad, muffins; one of the pots of stew is reheating on the stove, and a five gallon cooler of tea on the counter.

As I reach for the coffee pot I smile at the girls. "You two have been busy."

Kim smiles at me. "I just cut what I am told to cut and mix as instructed. On my own I'm dangerous."

I pour my coffee and go to find Billy sitting on the back deck. He still looks slightly ashen. "Her oxygen is back in the green."

He nods his head "That's good."

"I can't lose her Billy. I just can't. I won't survive it. I wouldn't want to. I hate that I have to sit here and let that thing work on my daughter when his so called family caused all this. But I know that it is the best option right now."

"Jacob won't let him do anything to hurt her. Once her Grandfather and Cousin get here she will come back to us. They will hopefully be able to give us more information about all of this too."

I sit my cup on the rail and fully face him. "How in the hell did you get information out of that old bat about Renee's father? She always said he had been killed in a railroad accident before she knew she was pregnant."

"She tried to avoid my question. When I noticed she was hiding something I implied that Bella is sick with a disease that only known to affect the native population. I acted like her avoidance was a denial and started to dismiss her saying I didn't know what we could do now. I acted like I was about to hang up on her when she called out to me and told me the truth. She wouldn't reveal his name but I was able to figure out he was from the Miami. I contacted their Chief and through our discussion he figured out that he was Bella's grandfather."

"How do you know? He could just be saying he is."

"He gave me Bridget's last name without me asking. By the tone of his voice he was totally shocked about finding out she had had his child."

"Bella's is going to read her the riot act. She called me in tears with she was a freshman. They were doing family trees and medical histories. She could only fill out half of Renee's side of the family. Renee told her just to leave it blank and take the deduction on her grade. I had to call the teacher and tell her that Renee never knew her father. That got me a call telling me to mind my own family and to stay out of hers. Renee never got it that messing with Bella's grade bothered her more than not knowing her grandfather."

Seth comes bounding around the corner. "Found them! The food is ready and Kim and Emily won't let us have any until you guys get yours." He boy jumps over the banister and starts pushing Billy in the house.

"I don't think the food is going to run away Seth." Billy laughs as we enter the kitchen.

Billy takes two plates piling one high with food and the other has a normal amount. "Here Seth, take this into your Alpha. He needs to keep his strength up. If he tries to argue come tell me."

I am still amazed at the amount of food the wolves can put away.

Kim touches my arm as she is walking by. "Chief Swan, is that your phone charging on the counter?"

"Yes it is"

"It's been beeping since we've been in here cooking."

"Great, it's probably work." I sigh as I unplug it.

Emily takes my empty plate out of my hand "If we don't let them eat soon they will start fighting with each other." She hands me back a plate of two sandwiches with scoops of macaroni salad and potato salad.

I start to dial the phone to check my voicemail as I walk out to join Billy on the back deck again.

"Oh that reminds me Charlie. When I got off the phone with Bridget she called your phone. She said she wanted to come take care of Bella but I told her she has a personal physician and full time care here."

Great I'm going to get to deal with her busy body bossy ass.

The first message starts off as I expect. "Charlie, this is Bridget. I just got word that Bella is sick. I will come and give you a hand with her. Give me a call back."

The second call was defiantly showing her ire. "Charlie Swan! I have been patient waiting on your call. Call me back as soon as you get this."

I was about to burst out laughing at the third message that I apparently just missed when I was out on the porch. "So help me Charles Swan! If you are at work when my Baby Bella is so sick that I am getting weird phone calls out of the blue I will tan your hide and hang you out to dry!" And then I wasn't. "You better call me back before I get my hands on you." Oh no! She is not really planning on coming here!

"Billy we could have a problem. It sounds like she is planning on coming here."

"Just call her back and tell her that things are in hand and that you will call her later with an update." He suggests.

Now I do laugh. "Do you remember her? You had her for both Biology and Earth Science. Did she then seem like the type to be put off? She has only gotten more bullheaded over time especially when it comes to Bella. I'll call her back after I eat and figure out what I am going to say."

Carlisle comes walking around the side of the house. "Please excuse my interrupting your meal but I just got word from the pilot. They will be setting down in Port Angeles in a half hour and should be at first beach fifteen minutes after that. I want to check Bella's stomach and see if she can take another feeding. I don't know what they will be doing with her or how long it will take but I would hate to have another adverse reaction if it can be avoided."

Billy nods his head. "I don't know what it will entail either. Go on in and check her. Sue's inside."

"He wouldn't be a bad guy if it wasn't for the fact that he's a bloodsucking vampire that wanted to take my baby girl away from me forever." My gaze remains firmly locked onto the tree line.

The phone rings in the house. Collin steps out on the deck. "Uncle Billy, the phone is for you."

"Thank you Collin."

Billy goes inside and the boy steps out onto the deck with me. "How are you holding up Collin?"

"I'm fine Chief Swan. I'm sorry… I'm just so sorry. If it wasn't for me Jacob wouldn't have been hurt and Bella wouldn't be how she is now. I'm so sorry." The boy is crying before he is done.

Jared joins us "You need to calm down. You are right next to a human. We don't need any further problems today."

Collin jumps down into the yard. "I don't want to hurt anyone." He's shaking his head and his breathing is erratic.

"Let's go for a run Pup. Go into the trees strip and phase. I'll be right there."

The boy makes a run for it.

"I don't blame him Jared. He has been sucked into this craziness and it's not his fault. The fault all lies with the Cullens. Please let him know that for me."

"I will Chief Swan." He pokes his head in the door for a second and then jogs off to the trees.

Billy bellows from the kitchen "Charlie! That woman will be here any minute!"

I hustle in the door. "What do you mean? How can she be here?"

"That was Joy. She said she heard an old white woman asking one of the kids where to find me. She was headed here before Joy could ask what was going on."

Embry barks out "If you're not human and dressed get your fuzzy ass out into the trees now."

A minute later a car pulls up out front. "Is this Billy Black's house?" We hear her ask.

Billy motions me to stay inside as he goes out to the porch. "I'm Chief Black. And you are?"

"I'm Bridget McCalister, Bella's grandmother." She says as she gets out of her car.

"What can I do for you Ms. McCalister?"

"You can tell me where my Granddaughter is at."

"She is being tended by her doctor. Anything else I cannot tell you."

"What do you mean you cannot tell me? I am her grandmother!"

"Her father is with her and is her legal guardian. You will have to get your information from him. I will tell him you were here when I see him next. Where are you planning on staying while you are here?"

I have called that man repeatedly and he has ignored me! Tell me where Bella is at!"

"I'm sorry. I am not at liberty to divulge that. I would recommend finding a room in Forks and I will let Charlie know you are here when I see him."

"Now you listen here Billy Black. I remember you *very* well. You were the one that told Renee and Charlie that since they were both 18 and graduated I couldn't stop them from getting married. You are also the one that set the frogs loose because your girlfriend didn't want them to be killed. You have been sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong for years and I have had enough. You can either tell me where Bella is and I will deal with Charlie or I will fallow you around until you do."

"I hope you brought a good book or you will be very bored." Billy comes back inside and closes the door on her face. His eyes locked to his lap. "Paul, are you ready to take me over to Old Quil's?"

"Any time Chief."

"Let's get a move on then. I don't want to have an unplanned run in with anyone."

Paul pushes Billy out the door making sure to shut it behind him.

Harry burst out laughing. "He is going to have her chasing him all over until he gets word that Bella's Grandfather is here and done with whatever he's going to do!"

Sue adds in chuckling along with Harry "And Paul is more likely to growl at her than even say Hello let alone give her any information. The way he kept his eyes down so he didn't *see* you Charlie and have to deliver the message... I'll call Quil and give him a heads up."

Carlisle comes out of Jacob's room. "She is holding her O2 level at 99 with just a little supplemental oxygen. I pushed another feeding and hung the second half. She is holding her own right now. I backed the IV off to a supportive level as opposed to the rehydrating she was at."

"If you are done – leave."

"Chief Swan, I never meant any harm to come to Bella." The walking stone tries to placate me and it only makes me angrier.

"No you only meant to kill my daughter and take her from me forever. I don't want to hear it Cullen. Now – leave. If you are needed you will be called for. Go lurk in the shadows like you should be. I don't want to see you." I turn my back on him and go to see my daughter.

Jacob locks eyes with me as I enter the room. "How is she?" My voice shatters the quiet of the room.

"The numbers are good but she hasn't even moved her hand on her own and she still feels faint and fuzzy to me."

His hands never still. Their constant movement up and down her arms stroking, squeezing, and caressing in an unconscious pattern.

"I need you to sit with her. I have to take care of something."

"Billy said you need to keep talking to her so she doesn't disappear!" I can't believe that he would bail on her now! She would waste away to save him and he is going to go run off!

"Charlie, I need to run to the bathroom. I'm coming right back. If I could take care of it without leaving her for any time and not be gross I would."

"Oh, of course." I slide an arm behind her so Jake can slip out.

He pauses to trace her cheek. "I'll be right back Honey." A quick kiss to her hair and he runs out the door.

"Your Grandmother showed up to take care of you without even talking to me first. Billy refused to tell her where you were and now she is chasing him around the Rez trying to figure out where you are. It's not like we can let her see you unconscious without an explanation. She won't go for something like Mono. She's way to sharp for that.

You know she taught here in La Push for two years. That's how I met your Mom. They lived in Forks and she spent her Junior and Senior years here. At first she didn't know I existed. Then we were paired for a history project. Your Mom hated it. We barely passed. I was more concerned with impressing her and getting her to go out with me. Your Grandmother is what gave me my in over the summer. Your Mom got grounded and so she had to go to La Push while your Gran was teaching summer school. We hung out with Billy and Sarah and I fell head over heels for her. We dated through our senior year. Then your Gran told Renee that she got a teaching job in Arizona. She didn't want to move with her mom so we got married and I started on the police force. I thought we were living the dream. We had our own house and then we found out you were on the way. I was so thrilled. Your mom started chaffing at the small town life when she was pregnant. I thought it was just her being pregnant. Things got better once you were here. Even when we were fighting I couldn't wait to get home to see you. One of your little grins and my world was right again. Then she took you away from me. I begged, God how I begged her to not take you Arizona. I offered her the house. I even offered to continue to pay the mortgage as long as she stayed where I could still see you all the time. You know that that didn't happen." I stop talking when I realize that Jacob is standing in the door. I have no idea how long he has been there. "Your back."

He opens the window before carefully getting back into bed. My question must have been evident on my face. "It stinks in here. The leach stink is a bit much."

I grunt my understanding.

"She loves you, you know. She told me that not having to be the parent all the time was weird but nice." He smiles his father's smile. He carefully lifts her between his legs settling her head on his chest. "She's a lot like you Charlie. She is stronger than even she realizes. She loves deeply and totally. She is honest and loyal to a fault. Her heart is pure and she has an incredible inner strength." He kisses the top of her head.

Sue taps on the door as she opens it. "Charlie, Jacob, this is Jolon Runningwolf; Bella's grandfather. Chief Runningwolf, this is Charlie Swan, Bella's father, and Jacob Black, her imprint and the Alpha of our pack."

"Oh Great Spirits she looks like Bri." He looks at the medical equipment. "The doctor you have looking after her knows what he's dealing with?"

"Yeah Doc Fang is a special circumstance. Between him and Sue we have her covered." Jacob rubs her arms again.

Sue comes back in with a large pitcher of water. "Alright Jacob pull her upright and keep her head up. I need to get any air out of her stomach and to flush the NG tube."

I stand to get out of the way. I look over the newcomer. "You said you could help her. Do it."

"Taini will be in here in just a bit. Then she will tell us what she needs to bring Bella back."

Sue steps past briefly putting her hand on my arm with a squeeze.

A girl that couldn't be much older than Bella comes in fallowed but another huge native. The male growls, shoving the girl behind him. He is shaking and his skin is rippling. "It stinks like a bloodsucker in here!"

I go flying into the bed next to Bella. I look up to see Jacob holding the other man off the ground by the neck. He throws him toward the door "OUTSIDE! NOW!"

I turn back to my baby girl. She is lying on her side like a dropped ragdoll. I pull her up to me cradling her like she is a little girl. There is a huge commotion coming from the living room but my eyes dart back and forth form the girl in my arms and the machine giving me numbers that means she is still here.

The girl is at my side. She is giving Bella the once over. "She's deep Grandpa. We need to do this right away. We need somewhere that's not going to set Storm off because I am going to need him." She and Jolon leave the room leaving me alone with Bella.

I rock my baby praying to anyone that will listen to let her come back to me.

A voice brings me back to myself. I meet Jacob's yellow eyes. "We need to go. They are waiting on us to bring Bella." His voice is Jacob's but more primal.

Sue steps around him removing the wires, tubes, mask and catheter.

Jacob scoops her up into his arms and I fallow him out the back door stopping just long enough to slip on my shoes and grab my coat. The woods are black as we make the short walk to the small clearing. A fire has already been set and there is a blanket lying out.

"Bring my father quickly. Do not let there be any intrusions." He growls out to Sam and Sam takes off at a sprint.

Taini directs Jacob. "You will lay her down here. Sit at her head maintaining contact. You will feel me and Storm when I am trying to draw her back. You will want to protect her and push us away but you can't let yourself. If you do she will be lost for good."

Jacob doesn't say a word. He simply nods his head.

Sam is pushing Billy in his chair and Paul is caring Old Quil toward the fire. Sam shares as he eases Billy to a stop. "She was informed that we had a rite to preform and she would not be tolerated."

Billy looks at me with a smirk on his face. "She's here Charlie and tried to call you."

I snort in amusement. "Thanks Billy. I get right on that."

"Let's get started. Do not interfere no matter what you see or feel unless I specifically tell you to." She waves what I think is some sort of smudge pack all over Storm I think she called him.

Jacob carefully lays Bella down on the blanket and kneels at her head. He laces his fingers with her one hand and strokes her hair with his other.

Storm starts chanting in a language I have never heard before as he walks in a circle around all of us caring the smoldering bunch.

"I am using pine, tobacco, sage, fennel, rosemary, and heather for their purification, protection, strengthening, healing properties and the enhanced connections with the spirits. I will be using thyme and wormwood to help me connect with Bella." Taini explains like I would really have a clue but Old Quil nods his agreement to what she said.

When Storm had made a circuit he continues his chanting outlining the old man then moving on to Billy. They breathe in the smoke deeply. When he approaches me I do the same. Once he anoints the rest of the pack he moves to Jacob, Bella and Taini to do the same.

Taini take the bundle raises it above her head before placing it into the fire. She then dips her finger in a small pot marking Storm, Jacob, Bella and her own forehead.

Taini tosses some things into the fire while she is chanting. It changes colors and starts to swirl around. I swear I can see shapes in the flames. She kneels by my little girl her hands splayed to the heavens above. Storm stands like some sort of guard next to her with a hand locked onto her shoulder.

The fire raises even though there has been no wood added. It spins round and round arching above the four before us. The fiery shapes resolve into animals and those animals are leaping from the swirling column of fire up into the night sky.