A/N Hey everyone, it's been much longer then I had hoped when getting this update to you but I've finally got it finished and edited and the wait is finally over. I should be able to get back to a more regular posting schedule and I can certainly say that I don't plan on being absent for so long again. You've all been wonderfully patient and I've been happy with all the support you guys have shown while I tried to get back into the swing of things after I stopped writing during the holidays. I'd like to give a special shout out to Readicted who willingly let me chew her ear off with the ideas that I've been playing around with for this chapter for some time now.

As Always massive thank you to my Beta, RDoster2012.

BETA READER: RDoster2012

Enjoy :)

RED DAWN

SUMMARY: Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.

Previously...

"Edward!" Alice screamed, Edward turning quickly from looking at the dead body at his feet of Sam, seeing his sister's hysterical frantic thoughts as she broke through into the clearing area of First Beach.

"Alice what is it?" Edward turned to her, moving to her as she tried to calm her own mind, but was finding herself unable to, she'd found the vision came to her the moment the fighting had ended. The second she'd killed the last wolf as the family had began to start placing the fallen into the flames under Jasper's orders she'd seen a vision. Blurred with blackness around the edges but she'd seen. Edward watched the vision now as he found Bella laying on the ground, the vision centred on her face slowly, moving out and away, her eyes glazed, red pooling all around her, blood seeping out from her body, she was dying, she was alone.

"Go Edward!" Alice cried as her brother moved, all but vanishing from sight, the sound of his echoing cry of anger ringing out much like a wolfs howl, as he sprinted towards his mate, Alice prayed he was fast enough, Bella didn't have much time. Edward ran like he'd never ran before, he'd won the war against his enemy but it would mean nothing if he was to lose her now. Forever had been within his grasp; he wasn't about to surrender it to whoever had dared try to take her from him.


Chapter Twenty-Eight

Bella hadn't even tried to hold back the tears that had finally passed from her own control once she'd rushed into her home. Not even Charlie calling out had halted her. Bella knew that she needed a moment to try and somehow gather herself; she knew she would have to speak with Charlie, but right now she was in no frame of mind to try and do so.

She made a weak and feeble attempt of trying to appease Charlie's concern as he called out to her, by saying that she needed to shower. She doubted that it would do all that much to quell his concern for her. But his calling out stopped quickly after she turned on the shower, and then she used the sound of falling water to muffle her crying against her hands. She felt weak sitting here alone in her bathroom, hiding from Charlie, as the tears seemed to endlessly trickle down her cheeks.

She'd done so well, not letting the dam burst in front of Edward, and while she'd managed to do that, she didn't want to fall apart in front of him, couldn't add to his already heavy emotional burden. While the danger was real, the threat that he was going up against could ruin everything they hoped for. She had to have more faith in him. Then there was always that awful nagging in her mind that the people he was fighting were once her friends. Then the quick memory of Esme flashed in her mind and how broken she had become at what the pack had done to Carlisle.

The hardened resolve that this was the right course of action once again returning, though as she breathed in evenly, trying to calm her breathing as the tears stopped and her hiccupping faded. This was the end game, Edward was her only choice, even though it had never really been a matter of a choice. Her life was tied completely to Edward with the unbreakable bond of being mated to him. Their bond was stronger now then she could even imagine possible. Those intimate, beautiful moments they had shared, completely open and vulnerable to one another had been all she'd dreamed and fantasised about. She understood now what she'd once been too naive to see. That the love she had for that man was nothing human or normal; it was magical, it was eternal. Any guilt she'd feel for the deaths that would need to come to keep him and her alive would fade, they'd have to adjust as the world had completely faded around them when they were tied together whole and complete.

Bella took the time to shower, trying her best not to think about what Edward and her family were doing in that moment, but all her attempts failed her, as that was the only thing she could think of. Bella gave herself at least the time to appear normal for Charlie. Another story of deceit, more lies that he'd need to be told, and have to believe to keep him safe from the threats that were part of being in her world. Bella changed slowly, trying her best to eat up as much time as she could as she pulled on her shirt and jeans. The rain still pouring heavily outside her bedroom window and she knew she'd wasted as much time as she could, that she'd have to face Charlie.

Bella couldn't help but smile as she saw Charlie before he ever noticed she'd walked into the room, watching the game intently with a beer at his side. She was glad that Charlie was able to enjoy his simple life; she knew that she'd disrupted his bachelor lifestyle when she'd moved here. Before she'd moved to Forks he only had to worry about being chief and the little crime he dealt with in Forks and if the fish would bite when he'd go fishing.

Bella doubted Charlie had ever expected to worry about boys, and teenage girl drama; as she was sure he'd likely called it many times while speaking with the guys at the station. He'd done his best though, and she knew he loved her, while he'd always been less willing to be open about that, the recent weeks had shown another side to Charlie.

He was less gruff, and more open, and even more forgiving of past mistakes. His complete change of opinion in Edward had meant everything to her. Especially now, knowing he'd been okay with her accepting Edward's engagement, that he'd given Edward his blessing as a sign of his shift in feelings of Edward and the relationship Bella and he shared.

Bella watched him silently; she took in his appearance, memorizing the way he looked. She silently wished him all the happiness in the world. She knew it was going to break his heart when she had to fake her death. She also knew it was going to hurt him more than anything had hurt him before, other than losing Renee. She could only wish that he would see all the good that happened in her short life. That she had found love and had been happy. She could then wish that Charlie would somehow find the same; that he wouldn't let himself be alone once she was gone. She couldn't bear the thought of him being alone again.

Charlie turned then to see Bella watching him strangely, his grin was slightly bemused as he jerked his head towards her as he shifted slightly on the couch.

"Come join me Bells, feels like I haven't seen you for days." Charlie said, as Bella moved from her position in the doorway towards the couch, and moving to sit beside Charlie. Her eyes fixing on the television, Charlie was watching the baseball highlights from tonight's game. She'd never been very good at talking about sports with Charlie, though he'd not been much of a talker even when he had friends over. Edward had tried in the past, but stopped soon after he'd seen that Charlie preferred enjoying the game in silence.

"It was only the other day dad. Things have been pretty busy at the Cullen's house with family visiting and leaving." Bella said simply, not wanting to divulge too much into what was exactly happening at the Cullen house.

Not wanting to let her mind drift, and letting Charlie see that something was wrong, for all his non hovering and not forcing an issue Charlie was perceptive, he wasn't chief of police for no reason. Even if he'd been blind to some of the crazy things that had surrounded his daughter since she moved to live with him in Forks.

"Yeah I was surprised to hear that Carlisle and Esme had gone on vacation. One of my deputies is dating a nurse at the hospital, and she seemed pretty surprised when he'd signed for an extended leave. Are the Cullen's moving again?" Charlie said curiously, though it wasn't nearly the touchy subject it might have been. Neither Charlie nor Bella would ever easily forget what had come about when the Cullen family had left Forks the last time.

Though Charlie was comfortable enough to know now where he stood with Bella and Edward, he didn't doubt for a second that Edward was sticking around, he wasn't so sure Bella would be sticking around Forks for much longer. It had been something playing on his mind ever since he'd gave his blessing to Edward, though he always expected Bella to move away eventually, Forks was too small. Bella was always bigger then Forks.

Bella did her best to cover her own reaction to the mention of Carlisle and Esme leaving Forks, it had all been very fortunate that Carlisle had taken his leave of absence before the night he'd gone to meet with the pack. Fortunate that only Jasper had needed to tie away only a few certain loose ends, so that the rest of the family weren't stuck in a situation explaining the sudden disappearances of their parents. Bella knew that none of her family would have been ready for dealing with that situation, that even now they wouldn't be ready.

The deaths far too recent, and still affecting them all. After all, it had been the final nail in Edward's ability; to hold back his own need for vengeance against the pack once he had to help Esme pass from this life. Bella had done all she could to give Edward someone to be completely open with and honest in his pain, though she knew her fiancée well enough to know that his pain was nowhere near soothed completely. He was using his anger well to control himself and not let himself fall apart, she worried what would become of him once all their enemies were defeated and he had to finally face everything that had happened.

"They've wanted to get away for some time. Edward's aunt and uncle have stayed around until... well until we were going to join them. I guess this leads in to what I wanted to talk to you about actually." Bella tried to make it seem as genuine and honest as she could, Charlie not even for a moment becoming suspicious as he turned his attention more to Bella then his game, his finger flicking down on the volume as he turned to his daughter.

"What was that then Bells?" Charlie asked, though from his face Bella could tell that he seemed almost expectant of what she was about to say. It was often in times when she was speaking to people she couldn't help but see how useful Edward's gift would be. Knowing someone's mind; it would be so easy to direct any conversation in the direction that would never cause any conflict, he'd often been the families spokesperson when dealing with humans, even before they'd started viewing him as the leader of the family as he was now.

"Edward's aunt and uncle have invited Edward and I to join them when they travel to their home in Spain." Bella said slowly, using half truths in what she said as best not to need to lie. She knew enough about Eleazar and Carmen that both were originally Spanish and enjoyed still visiting their once human homeland. Edward had also mentioned telling Charlie that they would be going to Europe; she hated lying and had always felt she wasn't a very efficient one either. She knew Charlie wouldn't feel comfortable with just her and Edward going alone.

"It's short notice, and I know you might not feel comfortable, but they already purchased tickets. They wanted to show us around some locations, Alice has really been pushing for a destination wedding and I didn't want to come across ungrateful when they offered showing me their villa where we could host." Bella rushed out, her cheeks heating under Charlie's gaze, his eyebrows had arched slightly under what Bella was saying and when she'd seen the twitch of his moustache she'd known that didn't exactly mean anything good either.

"We'd have to leave in the next few days. I'm really sorry dad, I should have spoken to you before I agreed, I didn't want to upset Edward's family and I didn't want to say no either." Bella said, chewing her lip, nervous of Charlie's silence and yet hating that she felt like she was blurting out complete rubbish, she only hoped he didn't think she was lying. She'd told Edward she could handle this, but he would have been so much better at it. Bella knew that had she needed to explain this to Renee it would have been so much easier, her mother would have heard the words Spain and villa even destination wedding and wouldn't have needed any more convincing of why it would be okay for her to go.

"Spain you said? Didn't realise that the Cullen's had family out that way, I thought they were from Alaska before they moved to Forks?" Charlie finally broke his silence, his expression hadn't changed, though Bella could see a hint of unease about Charlie's features like he wasn't completely comfortable, but was humouring her none the less.

"Well Carmen and Eleazar are originally from Spain, they live in Alaska but still have a home there, we wouldn't be alone. Alice and Jasper will be going so will Edward's cousins. Emmet and Rose might join once they finish with classes in Seattle." Bella said quickly, more lies to cover everything, as far as Charlie was aware, Emmet and Rosalie were living in Seattle, though they'd been home due to the accident. Most of Forks had assumed Emmet and Rose hadn't been back since graduation, the two had kept themselves hidden from most of Forks. Bella had wondered if that had added to Rose's resentment at first; the fact she'd been made to spend so much time hidden away to help continue the lie so that they could return to Forks and Edward could be with her.

"I guess that's okay then." Charlie didn't meet Bella's gaze then, he was unaware as her heated cheeks slacked as she looked at him surprised that he had agreed. Bella hadn't believed for a second that Charlie would have taken this news so easily, she'd expected to have to talk to him, even persuade him to come around to the idea. The fact alone that he agreed without much even being spoken about it was almost strange, she knew he'd been more trusting of her and Edward, but to be so okay with her going away with his family was astounding.

This wasn't the same Charlie that had been all but furious and willing to lock her away when he'd believed she'd ran off with Alice to go and see Edward. He'd of course never known the truth, that she'd ran to Italy to stop Edward's attempt to be destroyed, believing her dead; but he'd been absolutely livid in his anger. Though Charlie had directed his anger more at Edward even though it had been Bella who had ran off without anything more than a note. That hadn't really explained anything at all to where she was going and how long she'd be gone for.

"Edward's family have done good by you. By me too, during your time in the hospital they were there every day. Hell, even this Carmen and Eleazar dropped everything to come here and be with the family to make sure you were okay. I thought it was strange at first, but then I got to see how the Cullen's were and it made sense, they stick together, and they're a real family. Your mom and I never really got to give you that, I'm happy that you have it now with Edward and his family. It's the extravagant gifts that makes me a little uncomfortable, when they do that without me helping out in some way but... they're your family now too Bells." Charlie said, and yet he didn't make eye contact as he spoke.

He wasn't about to explain to Bella his deep feelings of needing to say no; that he hated the thought of them spending the kind of money they did on his own daughter when he couldn't do that himself. It was something he'd have to speak to Carlisle and Esme about when they returned from their vacation. Though he was starting to think perhaps the Cullen family wouldn't be returning.

It felt like they were getting ready to move, like they had last time and he knew this time the difference would be that Bella wouldn't be left behind. He was happy for her, even if it broke his heart that he was going to have to say goodbye to his daughter. She'd grown up without him for part of her life. Moving to Forks, she'd already been pretty much an adult; mature beyond her years that had likely come from Renee. He'd not known how to interact with her, she was this woman who knew her own mind and choices even if it sent him up the wall, he was starting to let go of the image of his pig tailed little girl with her front teeth missing and see her as the woman he'd soon enough be giving away to his future son in law.

All fathers have to give their daughters away eventually, it was part of life, and he knew that. He'd just never expected it to hit him as hard as it was; he had a lifetime of regrets. Regrets that still to this day kept him up at night asking those questions, what if he'd just left Forks, what if he'd followed Renee and convinced her he wasn't just a small town cop, what if he'd not allowed himself to become a part time father that slowly became a stranger to his own child. As long as Bella was happy though he'd be able to get past it. Forks was his home, he wasn't blind to the fact that it had never been Bella's. She'd found her home in a family he envied and respected. She'd be well taken care of, he knew that without a shadow of a doubt.

Edward had certainly started to wear down on his once tightly held animosity of him; he wasn't a bad kid after all. He'd only proved himself time and again since that night they'd both been faced with Bella injured in the hospital. Even when he'd known there was some type of tension between both Bella and Edward during the end of her stay in hospital he'd seen how unwilling Edward was to be away from her. He'd seen the young man and how his family seemed to turn to him and surround him during those few moments and he'd understood that Edward was no typical teenager. Just like his own daughter the handsome youth was an old soul and Charlie had been able to understand why the two seemed to grow so serious at such a young age. Charlie didn't believe for a second that the two of them were repeating the same tale that his own life had once taken; he felt in his own stomach that neither Edward nor Bella underestimated what they felt for one another any longer. Not like he had for Renee when he'd been the same age as them both.

"You're still my family too dad." Bella felt her throat tighten a little at Charlie's words, struggling to contain herself; she could see in his usually non-emotional face the lingering of sadness there. A sadness that she very rarely allowed herself to dwell on selfishly, she knew that Charlie regretted not being part of her life in the way most fathers were. Bella also knew that her own choices hadn't made it easier for Charlie, for all the things she'd gained from moving to Forks she had to believe that building a stronger relationship between herself and her father was something she'd never realised she'd secretly yearned for. It was what made it equally harder now knowing that she'd built this stronger foundation between her father and herself and knowing that she'd now make the ultimate choice to hurt him when she moved on to the path she'd chosen with Edward.

"I know that Bells. Our family is just getting a little bigger I guess. I've always liked the Cullen's. There were our issues about... well you know. They've always been a good close family, maybe it's something we can work at once you get back from Spain. Maybe it would be nice to get to know Edward better, I could ask him to come fishing with me. You could come too Bells, I know you aren't much for it but we could make a day of it. Even invite the rest of the Cullen's. I know they're all pretty much outdoors people with all the camping they do." Charlie offered as Bella nodded weakly, she doubted that there would ever come a time after this night that the family would ever want to come back to Forks.

She knew that they had made the choice to change her soon, she'd have to let go of all her human ties to do that, she'd suffer silently now though to give Charlie the belief that there would be days like he was describing. Even though she knew they'd never come to be. The very thought in the past would have made her react badly for the potential conflict it would have caused, now she wished she could allow just one of those days. Not only for herself but for Charlie too, for Edward also, she'd known for so long now that Edward had secretly wanted Charlie's approval.

Bella had shifted on the sofa as she'd gone to reply when an eerily familiar sound echoed; the power behind the sound was enough to make her jump, startled. It had sounded almost like the clap of thunder, had it not drawn out just a little longer then she'd have expected. It echoed in that strange melodically way, that thunder did in Forks. Something she'd never heard before until she'd moved here, her wide eyes turning to Charlie as he laughed slightly under his breath, as he caught Bella's reaction to the thunder that had all but rocked the house.

"Seems the clouds, have really opened up out there. I didn't think we'd be seeing any lightning, but you know how it is. Guess the storm is going to last a little longer than expected." Charlie looked towards the window where the rain still poured against the glass steadily, the sound seemed far away from what he could tell, so he assumed the storm clouds just hadn't made its way to Forks just yet.

Bella had been unable to reply to Charlie's statement though, her hand gripping almost painfully tight to the arm rest, the churning of something wrong settling even more so over her. Memories of a time so long ago coming to her when she'd first been taken by Edward to witness the spectacle of his family playing baseball before James and his coven discovered them in the clearing.

"We can only play during storms. It's easier to explain away... well you'll see soon enough."

She could still remember his crooked smile, the world she was now completely part of had still been more mystery to her then. Both had been naive and innocent. Seeing for that first time, him and his family simply be what they were. Free of conflict and just enjoying themselves with one another. The loud clap as they'd swung and struck the ball Alice had pitched, but Bella had barely even noticed it move from her hand, they'd used the storms to cover the collision of impact they could create.

Bella couldn't help the nausea that crawled over her entire body at the thought that the sound she'd heard had been from the fight. The images that were created in her mind did little to help her breathing from escalating, her fingers only digging deeper into the cushioned surface of the sofa. The thought of the large wolves bearing down on her family and on her friends, thinking of small Alice with a sea of wolves closing in on her.

Her battle scarred brother in Jasper battling with all his experience and not being able to fight the sheer size and numbers. Emmet while strong just not fast enough to out run the chasing wolves that had him cornered. Image and face after face clouded her mind as she saw each of her family facing the numbers she'd feared but not vocalised, had been one of her biggest fears, the image that struck her cruelly with the most damage was of Edward. The thought of him amongst the bodies' twitching and broken on the battlefield, his grief and rage becoming too much for him to control and his own gift turning on him.

Seeing Edward losing all the confidence that they had tried to create in him; seeing him become weaker under the strain and the loss of his family. Bella found herself almost screech out at the sound of the hallway phone ring, scaring poor Charlie out from the seat at the sound of her scream that had both of them clutching their own chests.

"Jesus Bella. What's wrong? It's just the phone; I never had you pegged as the jumpy type around thunder. It's never seemed to bother you in the past." Charlie looked over at Bella and could see something was clearly bothering her, he'd seen her at her very worst and was concerned by the strange look that had casted over her usually bright brown eyes.

"I'm sorry... I was miles away. It just surprised me; I didn't mean to make you jump. Sorry dad." Bella said, uncomfortably trying to move past her reaction to the sound of thunder, trying to take her mind away from the fighting that she had no doubt was taking place upon the blurred lines of two opposing forces.

She couldn't believe them defeated already, she'd seen her family strengthen even in spite of so much that would have broken weaker beings; Edward wouldn't let his emotions break him. Not when he knew that what they both dreamed of was at stake, he'd not endured hours of torture at the hands of their loved ones to hold back his gift while enduring pain and overwhelming emotions to fall apart when everyone needed him most. She had to believe that this would be the end of her human life. That this final obstacle was all that remained before she would leave Forks and become his equal. This would be the last time she'd have to send him off to fight for them without being by his side; all enemies in the future would forever have to face them both.

"As long as you're okay Bella. Damn near gave me a heart attack!" Charlie looked over Bella once more, appearing reluctant to leave her alone, picking up on the subtle things that didn't seem to add up.

That all too familiar unease washing over him as if he was looking at a puzzle but not all the pieces were there. He'd always prided himself on being a good cop and seeing the bigger picture. He'd been questioning that of late, as friends and loved ones seemed to all but become different people over night. He understood how grief could do things to people but something much more was going on in his sleepy town, he was relieved that Bella was getting away with Edward for a while, he didn't want either of them finding themselves in any more harm then what had befallen them already.

"I'm fine dad. Nothing to worry about at all." Bella tried her best to reassure Charlie as he looked at her oddly; like he was about to see all the lies and half-truths she'd been feeding him.

She imagined this was how he'd look while at work. Whatever Charlie saw he didn't seem to question it for long as he accepted her response, and moved into the hallway to answer the phone that still rang without pause. Allowing Bella to finally lean forward and try and calm her breathing as she brought her hand to her mouth to muffle the hitching and the dry heave of nausea she tried to suppress. She was working herself up and that would do no one any favours.

She had to be stronger.

Bella sat anxiously waiting for Charlie to return from the phone call, she could barely understand the mumbled conversation from the hallway; the television was still on, and going over the statistics of a player that Bella was sure Charlie didn't like. It was memories like that, ones of Charlie cursing names of players he didn't like, that she hoped she could cling on to through the change. Memories that were barely anything but meant so much to her, Charlie had always been passionate about sports and it was one of the few things that truly let him just be himself.

She knew Edward and her family would do all they could to ensure her memories didn't fade with the change, she knew Edward had endlessly taken in as many stories from not only her but also both her parents' memories to help her. He'd never wanted for her to lose the things that he'd lost through his transformation; Edward would do all he could to help her remember.

Bella's attention was brought back to the hallway as Charlie stepped forward into the living room wearing his police jacket and badge, clipping his belt around his waist. Bella stood quickly at the sight of him in his uniform; she'd expected him to have the day off, she had been grateful to the turn in events considering what she knew was happening. She'd wanted to keep Charlie as far away from any of the confrontation as Edward had wanted to keep her. Bella knew the dangers, though Charlie was blind to them, and she felt hysteria bubble in her at the sight of him getting ready to head out of the house.

"What's going on? I thought you were off today?" Bella blurted out quickly as she moved towards Charlie, he nodded and sighed a little, his face resigned but serious. He'd not been pleased to hear the news his deputy had delivered.

"There was a call into the station. Someone was heading out of town and saw smoke and fire, apparently they sent a squad car out to the scene and some kind of forest fire has started out there. I'm not sure, maybe the lightning struck a tree and it was dry enough to spread a fire in this wind. We're going to have to go out there and help contain it someway so no one finds themselves in any kind of danger. We'll call into the Port Angeles fire department for help to see what we can do, might be nothing at all with all this rain, it might go out before anyone needs to step in." Charlie explained, but even Bella could tell the usually honest Charlie Swan was lying to her.

Of course Charlie hadn't wanted to tell his daughter that the fire was serious, that phone calls from numerous people had claimed to see a sort of explosion along the highway towards La Push. Charlie wasn't sure what he was heading into, but his deputy had sounded worried. The fire was large, unlike anything they usually got around Forks with the wetter weather. The forests weren't normally dry enough for a forest fire to spread well. Charlie knew however if there had been some type of accident and an explosion that this may not be a natural fire. Calls had been made already for aid in containing the spreading of the large inferno.

"If the deputies are handling it, then why do they need you to go dad?" Bella said, reaching towards Charlie, and holding onto the sleeve of his jacket. Her fear becoming too much to hide from her father, she couldn't let Charlie leave, especially now while the idea of the fire that blazed in the forest made Bella understand what may be taking place.

He couldn't be near that, not if it was part of the fight, not if her family had been defeated, Bella knew she had to find a way to reach Carmen to find out if she knew anything. Bella knew however that Charlie couldn't be allowed to leave the house, the overwhelming need to keep him firmly locked behind the doors of his own home, was suffocating her, her throat seeming to tighten even more. The irrational fear that Charlie could not be allowed to get too close to the war that she knew was taking place around the flames, there was no doubt in her mind that those fires were part of the battle.

Her family's one greatest weakness.

"Bella it's serious, they'll need someone in charge. I need to help, it's my job Bells." Charlie said, but the concern in his tone clear, the urge to stay with Bella hovering at the edge of his mind. Never before had his job ever worried her and Bella's reaction to this was worrying him, and it made him even more reluctant to leave her while she seemed so on edge.

"Bella is something wrong? You're all over the place and your acting real strange, what's wrong Bells?" Charlie tried to understand what had shifted with his daughter, they'd been speaking about her travelling and family and she'd become upset since the thunder.

The sound that Charlie now understood wasn't thunder at all, and was likely an explosion, but that couldn't be the reason why Bella was acting strange now. The familiar nagging thought brought Charlie up short as he felt like he wasn't seeing everything, he felt like questioning it, like he was close to answers he hadn't before believed he'd been searching for.

"Just... Dad, I'm asking you to stay. I... I can't explain, but please. Just trust me." Bella said with an edge of pleading in her tone as Charlie looked at his daughter's fearful eyes and could see how serious she was, that something was dangerously unsettling about her fear of him leaving the house.

"Bella." Carmen's voice said urgently from behind her as she turned around, almost falling as Charlie reached forward to stop her, looking wide eyed at the strange woman who had seemed to materialise before his very eyes out of nowhere.

"Carmen. What is it? Oh god no… Edward?" Bella sobbed out Edward's name, taking Carmen's appearance as confirmation that something horrific had taken place. The open flames in the forest only giving more proof that something terrible had happened. Bella couldn't believe it though; she had to believe that if Edward were gone she'd feel it. That if he'd been lost, Bella wouldn't need someone to tell her; she'd just know. Bella wouldn't believe it because she knew that if Edward was gone then she wouldn't be here, she'd have already faded away because her very soul would have left her the moment Edward left this earth.

"I don't know Bella. I can't predict our family's fate but I need to get you and your father away. Members of the tribe have arrived and I have little time to get you as far from here as possible. I can't carry you both so you must come with me to the car." Carmen rushed as she moved towards Bella, taking claim of her hand as she started to pull her towards the door out of the house as Charlie snapped out of his confusion and reached for Bella's other arm, stopping Carmen from taking his daughter out of the house.

"Wait a damn second! What the hell is going on?" Charlie said gruffly, his patience already at its limit, he'd barely understood what the woman was saying even hearing it. He couldn't make sense of anything but he'd understood that Bella had almost broken down thinking she'd assumed something was wrong with Edward.

"Dad… I need you to trust me. Please, I know this is confusing, I've been acting strange and I'll explain that but you have to trust me now. Trust that this is for our safety. We need to go with Carmen dad, and then I can explain everything to you. I just need you to not fight me on this." Bella begged Charlie with her eyes to understand her, the hidden pleading in those chocolate eyes making Charlie truly understand that something beyond anything he could think was happening here. The building anxiety he'd been feeling of late seemed to have hit its complete height now though; he had to trust Bella now.

"You'll explain everything?" Charlie questioned.

"I promise dad, but right now, we have to go." Bella accepted that the reality where she'd be able to save Charlie the danger of knowing the truth was gone. He'd never accept any type of lie after this scene. She'd have to tell her father everything and then she didn't know where that would leave anyone. Once again though they would have to break the one rule that all of her family were forced to live by.

To never reveal the secret.

She didn't see any other alternative right now, she didn't know what the members of the tribe had planned for her and Charlie; but she'd seen how far they would go to hurt the Cullen's. She wouldn't let that happen now. It wasn't fear that filled her, of course she was scared, so much could happen. But what Bella felt more than any other emotion was anger at the members of the tribe. She knew she deserved just as much blame, and accusations being thrown at her for how this always-hostile agreement had been, without her trying to force them to accept one another.

Her father though, had no idea the supernatural ties that were woven into nearly all aspects of his life; they could hate her and feel she deserved some type of punishment alongside her family. But Charlie didn't deserve to be placed in this position, the fact they cared so little about Charlie's safety, only proved how far the pack had truly fallen from the men they had claimed to be when she'd first been able to get to know them. She didn't view them as protectors of human life anymore, how could she when she'd seen the truth behind the careful placed lies.

Carmen pushed the door open quickly, as already the three approaching males were walking down the driveway in only cut off shorts. Carmen didn't know them from any other member of the tribe; Bella and Charlie however knew them all. Seth Clearwater looking much older than his young age should have ever allowed, was flanked by even younger members of the original pack Bella had known.

Collin and Brady stood on either side of Seth, as they paused, seeing Carmen pulling both Bella and Charlie from the house. Seth briefly looked over his shoulder to his mother Sue, who nodded her head. It was all Carmen needed to know she had to react, however seeing the exchange between the shifters and the elder human woman still standing close to the truck they'd arrived in.

"Run Bella!" Carmen hissed before releasing Bella's wrist from her grip, her tone urgent and firm while Bella felt frozen with her father pressed close behind her back.

Carmen leapt from the porch of the house, all false pretence of being anything human completely gone, as she moved to ensure the pack didn't get close to either Bella or her father. Seth meeting her movement, and already leaping into the air as his clothing ripped from his body when he shifted, snarling loudly and bearing down on Carmen.

Carmen was wise enough to the initial attack to duck beneath the large mutt and carry on towards the two younger boys who had yet to make their own transformations. With an ingenious flick of her tongue over her fingernails, she spun and slashed her nails across Brady's throat, piercing the fragile mortal across his jugular.

The venom, while not enough to inject into his blood, quickly created untold pain towards Brady as he cried out hysterically as his hands tried to stop the flow of gushing blood from his severed jugular. What Carmen lacked in skill of battle she'd made up for quickly, these odds she knew would end with her destruction, she just had to give Bella enough of a chance to flee with her father.

Carmen turned to the second human male as his body twisted and exploded outwards during his transformation, driving her foot into the twisting limbs and sending it careening towards Sue and her truck. Seth leapt on Carmen that as she had turned her back to him and swiped along her back and side, her shriek of pain making Bella finally react.

"Charlie we need to go! Dad, please!" Bella rushed frantically all but shoving against her father's chest to get him to look to her. His fear filled eyes transfixed completely on the scene before him. His world of normal and law was fundamentally shifting, as every single story he'd heard whispered around bonfires since he was a boy hit him harshly. Spirit warriors, cold ones, the ancient tales of a people he'd always respected, myth and legend suddenly becoming fact and reality to Charlie.

"Oh shit!" Charlie wheezed out, struggling for breath, his complexion turning a ghostly white. He knew he was going into shock, but he didn't know how to deal with this.

He knew they were in danger, but he'd never known such things could ever exist, he'd been blind. He never even thought to ever think this would be his life, he'd wanted his daughter to live with him, he'd been happy to bring her to Forks. While under his own nose monsters had been lurking. Monsters who had worn the disguise of friends his entire life, there was one thought though that lingered harshly in the back of his mind. A thought that was hidden behind the shock, trying to allow his mind to process what he was seeing but his eyes couldn't look away from the claws on the creature that had taken Seth's place. Claws, and then the images of the scars on his daughters face, Charlie had been naive and blind for years but it was hitting him suddenly and he was starting to understand.

"Dad we need to go!" Bella tugged at Charlie's sleeve, her eyes turning back to Carmen, the idea of leaving her alone was making her feel sick to her stomach.

She wasn't sure if Carmen would be able to fight back both Seth and Collin, the thought that Edward was still out there and alive made up her mind. She knew she was too fragile, she also knew that should they get her, Edward would be defeated. Any fight he'd have in him would leave him if she allowed herself to be hurt or captured by the enemy. He'd give them anything they wanted, even his life if it meant her safety, she had to run.

Carmen was struggling as Collin snapped at her already crumbling side; they'd targeted her left side since the strike she'd taken from Seth had already caused severe damage, they were hacking away at her marble like body. She feigned favouring her stronger side as Seth latched his jaw around her left shoulder, Collin moving in to take claim of her body.

She was losing, and she knew once both wolves had her in their vice like mouths she'd be ripped to ruins, and Carmen was just faintly aware of two heartbeats she had to protect. As Collin growled, parting his ferocious mouth, Carmen spat towards his mouth, taking all of them by surprise. She'd seen the mess of the female shifter at Edward's bite and knew the venom was lethal as the third boy already lay dying in the street.

Collin whimpered, recoiling back, as Seth snapped his jaw tightly and severed the arm in his hold. Collin, still in his wolf form was retching violently and shaking as if he was being sick. Carmen tried to move away to escape, and take advantage of the shared link, while she was blind to the shared pain she'd heard Edward speak of; she knew pain normally caused hesitation in these creatures.

Seth was not distracted though, already moving to attack Carmen again. Abandoning the young Collin to his torturous end, his mind becoming silent finally, only his own thoughts were there. No longer linked to his brothers and his other pack; a lone wolf given one task. One that he had pleaded for so he could beat the man who had taken his sister, Seth had changed from a young boy to a man, one strong willed enough through Old Quill and Billy's teachings to part from his pack to carry the task of capturing both Charlie and Bella.

Collin shifted back to human as he violently vomited, choking on the poison that had been released into him. His fingers gouging deep scratches along his once smooth boyish skin. He was trying to claw away at the untold pain he was suffering through, as if he'd drank bleach and acid, there was no reprieve from it though as blood soaked into his vomit. Thick white foam seeming to leak from his eyes and nose as he choked to death, his fingers bloody from trying to claw into his fifteen year old flesh.

Seth forced Carmen to the ground, claws and teeth sinking into her stubborn flesh, her side crumbling further as she weakly fought back with her remaining arm. Seth latching his jaw around the second arm and removing it, discarding the limb into the tree line and latching onto her body and shaking it savagely. Snapping his formidable teeth around her lower half until her crumbling body fell away into two pieces, releasing her waist and legs before him as Seth finally changed back to human form.

"Stop Charlie!" Sue called out, as Charlie pushed Bella behind him, his eyes still completely focussed on the pieces of the woman twitching, the sounds of pain sounding inhuman as the creature loomed over her. He didn't know how to protect his daughter but he had to get her as far from all these things as he could. Not even Sue, someone he'd trusted, even thought he might love, would stop him, she'd lied to him. How could he trust her when they'd come to his home and done these things, even Bella his daughter wanted to run and he trusted her even though he was realising she had lied too.

"Go Bella. Get in the car and go!" Charlie demanded, as he felt his hand move to his waist, his issued firearm had been at his waist for longer than Bella had been alive. He'd only ever had to fire it once in his entire career as an officer of the law, he felt no hesitation though as he pulled the gun from his holster and aimed it towards the large grey wolf looking towards him and his daughter.

"I won't leave you dad. Not here alone, we need to leave please." Bella begged, her eyes not knowing where to look as someone she cared for lay in pieces, and her father pulled a gun on the son of the woman he cared about. She wasn't even sure if the gun would do any actual harm, that Seth wouldn't be able to heal from or brush off anyway, she knew they were still mortal in most regards but they healed.

"Charlie you will not shoot my son!" Sue said defiantly, the wolf shifting back as Seth stood there between them all, his eyes fixed only on Charlie as he had the gun aimed towards him. Seth daringly stepping forward, closing the space between himself and Charlie, the aim Charlie had positioned at Seth slightly shaking seeing the young man he'd known since birth looking nothing like he'd remembered him. People he'd believed he'd known all his life had never been who they'd swore to be, he wasn't even sure he knew Bella but she was his daughter. He'd protect her even if that meant with his very life.

"Seth you're going to get on the ground now. I'm going to take you in, I don't know what the hell any of this is but you aren't coming near my daughter. Either of you!" Charlie said firmly, even if his tone sounded weaker, his grip that was shaking steadied out as he stepped forward, pushing Bella towards the direction of his cruiser; his eyes demanding she go. All of them paused at the sound of a gun cocking loudly, as Charlie turned to see Sue now holding Harry Clearwater's old hunting rifle in her small grip, and the gun loaded and directed towards Bella.

"I didn't want this Charlie. I didn't want any of this! They wanted this war, her fiancée; he won't stop until he takes everything from me Charlie, so I have to make sure I have her with me. It's the only way any of us will survive. Drop your gun Charlie and bring your daughter with me to La Push, if you understood, if you only knew who they were you'd never want her with him." Sue said hysterically, her eyes wild and posture shaking, Charlie's stance becoming completely locked as he watched Bella frozen at the end of the barrels aim.

"Dad don't listen to her. I can't go with them Dad, if she takes me they'll hurt Edward; they'll hurt his family. Use me against him..." Bella looked between Sue and her father, the awful feeling that she needed to flee becoming overwhelming, even though she knew she couldn't leave Charlie here in danger.

She didn't know what was happening in La Push, didn't know if her family were already defeated but she knew if Sue and Seth had her Edward would be defeated. She didn't trust any of the pack any longer, she knew now that they'd likely harm her even kill her just to destroy Edward. She could see that from the look in Seth's eyes, once an innocent and kind teenager now looked cold and full of hatred as he still glared down at Charlie.

"He killed my little girl Charlie. Edward, the boy you're allowing her to marry… he's a monster. The real monster here, he took my daughter from me. He'd take my son too, the only way that I can keep my family safe is by bringing you both to La Push, Charlie" Bella felt sick, she could see the distrust and confusion in her father, he didn't know who to believe, and she could see him struggling as he learned of Leah's death. His eyes asking questions Bella didn't have the time to explain to him, the urgent need to defend Edward for his killing Leah something that she knew may turn her father's decision. His aim was again wavering on Seth's chest now as he looked between each face, slowly looking from Sue and Seth and finally looking to Bella.

Charlie was looking at the pieces of the woman on the ground, an arm twitching violently as her torso seemed to be trying to roll towards it. Thick slashes of claw marks covering her, claw marks he'd seen before on a young girl in La Push after a fatal animal attack. He'd remembered seeing Emily days after the attack, how Harry had been so against sending his niece to the hospital so they could take care of her wounds.

The prejudice against the Cullen's, he'd known it had something to do with them even then, when he'd not understood completely what was going on. Charlie's stomach knotted with nausea as the face of Emily in his mind changed to his daughter. Seeing her in the hospital bed with thick stitching and bandages over her face and body, Edward close to her bed side tormented, and affectionate towards his little girl.

The same marks on Bella as were on Emily, knowing that Bella had been with Jake the night she'd been hurt and Edward had been the one to find her. The same animal attack that harmed her also killed Jacob and Paul, it hadn't been the truth at all. Charlie knew he finally was starting to see all the truth and lies that had surrounded him. Comments made that he'd thought he'd heard wrong were making sense suddenly, the hostility surrounding both Jake and Edward, something more than just testosterone fuelled competitiveness for his daughter's affection.

He'd tried to force his daughter together with Jake, and now he knew it had to have been Jake who had hurt her. The still healing marks on his daughters face were all the evidence he needed. Knowing what the scars are now, understanding washed over Charlie as he realized that Jacob didn't die from an animal attack.

Charlie knowing now that Edward was like the woman laying in pieces, something more, something that scared the people of La Push. A cold one, and he had killed Jake; he had likely killed more to protect his daughter. To protect Bella from the members of the tribe that he'd thought cared about him. Charlie knew he'd been blind most of his life, he'd made more mistakes then he'd ever wish to admit to, but he would not let his daughter be placed in harm by people who were supposed to be his friends.

His aim shifted towards Sue.

Seth saw Charlie's aim begin to shift towards his mother and leapt to stop him by grabbing hold of his gun. Charlie was surprised by the sheer strength behind the smaller Seth. He refused to be beaten though, as he gripped at his gun tighter and tried to force it towards Seth's chest, both males fighting each other's grasp of the firearm.

Bella could do nothing as she pleaded with them to stop, even Sue watched on terrified as she begged her own son to stop. Charlie yelled to Bella to run but she found herself all but frozen in her spot beside her father's cruiser. Sue was yelling for Seth to stop as he growled out, and then an explosion of sound went off, followed by an even louder clanging that felt like it would have burst Bella's eardrums it was so loud.

Bella went completely numb as Charlie looked towards her, his eyes glazed, she was aware of the tear that slipped down her cheek as she felt pain rip through her stomach at the realisation that her father had been shot. Charlie in the end had just been unable to fight off even with his driven need to protect his daughter the strength of Seth's supernatural body. His croaked whisper of her name never reached her ears though as she reached to her stomach, where the gut wrenching pain was spreading, and finally looked down to see the crimson blood over her fingers and palm.

The feeling that her legs were suddenly knocked out from under her body as she staggered back and fell against her father's police cruiser, sliding down it as she coughed and spluttered. She could smell it then, the rusty salted scent of blood that usually made her feel sick, she could smell it and then felt the taste of blood in her very mouth as she could feel it working its way up her body.

"Mom… we need to go now!" Seth yelled in the background, as Bella could hear her heartbeat in her ears, everything seemed to be fading around her. She suddenly felt so tired, and she was barely aware of her father's body a few feet away from her, he had finally fallen completely still, his eyes still wide open looking up at the sky.

"I didn't mean to shoot! Oh god we killed them! We need to call..."

"We can't… we have to go now!"

"Seth she's just a girl. They weren't supposed to be hurt. We might still be able to help them Seth. Please we have to try!"

"It's over. I can't hear any heartbeats."

Bella knew he must have been lying, even though she found it impossible to open her eyes, she could still hear the loud thumping of her own heart in her ears. Even as she could feel the blackness swallowing her, she wanted to fight, she knew what would happen if she didn't fight. She was too weak though, she'd fail Edward and he'd suffer for her now, just like Carmen and Charlie.

Her father was dead, she knew that, and Bella knew that she'd soon follow because she couldn't feel the pain any longer. But she felt tired, more tired than ever before. She found herself praying, not for herself but for Edward then, apologising for not just running away and saving herself and him. She knew he wasn't dead but the moment she lost this battle he'd follow behind and it broke her heart that he'd suffer his worst nightmare. He might have won the war but she knew it would be meaningless to him if when he returned for her he found her dead.

"I'm so sorry Edward." Bella's last thoughts were of the man she'd leave behind broken from her death, she hadn't been strong enough in the end. She hoped somehow he could hear her and know she loved him.

"We need to go back Seth." Sue sobbed into her trembling hands as Seth pulled away from the Swan's home, both members of the family laying bleeding out into the ground. Seth felt justice in this though; he knew his mother had not wanted them to be harmed. He'd wanted to punish Edward though, the leech had taken his sister, had likely taken more lives if he survived the fire. Sue had no idea about the true plan for Bella and Charlie once Sam had them both in La Push.

How both Billy and Old Quill had put together the plans to capture them both to help Sam gain leverage over Edward. They'd wanted to break him, Charlie would have been collateral damage in the end, and while none of them would have taken pleasure in it he'd have never accepted his daughter's death. Seth knew that the council would be angry with him for not getting Bella to La Push to be used correctly. They'd entrusted him to split from the pack and do this alone because of his determination to avenge his fallen sister.

"They're already dead mom." Seth shouted angrily as he sped away from the home, even then he could still faintly hear Bella's heart beating away, though steadily weakening. He'd not had a chance to burn the remains of the vampire, but if it could do anything it would have likely finished Bella off with how much blood she was losing.

"I killed her. I... I..." Sue cried into her hands shaking her head frantically, "I was there when she was born. Charlie was so happy. Oh god what have I done? Just a baby... she was just a baby!" Sue pulled at her hair as Seth looked at his troubled mother, he knew then that he'd never be able to let her find out that the plan had been to harm them both once they'd got them to La Push. His mother had hated the Cullen's and had wanted Edward's death for what he'd taken from her but even Seth knew that his mother had offered to join them only to ensure neither were harmed.

"It wasn't your fault mom. It wasn't... no one will find out I promise. We'll make it go away. It's all going to be okay I promise." Seth said, reaching over to gently squeeze his mother's hand as she looked at him with tear filled eyes, then looking away from her son unable to keep his gaze. She was a killer now.

"Seth! Watch out!" Sue screamed; but it was too late. They'd barely even gotten to the end of the turn off from the Swan's home when she'd seen the blur, barely noticed it with her mortal eyes.

The impact was explosive; the sound of shrieking metal and squealing tires as the speeding car met an even faster immoveable object. Sue Clearwater had barely been able to see the coming blur. By the time Seth had turned to look at what had scared his mother he'd known but not had the reaction capability to move the car out of its path.

Edward had sprinted towards the car that was holding the two members of the tribe that had left his love for dead with no remorse. He'd driven his impenetrable body straight into the driver's side, he had felt every satisfying break of the cars body against his own as it bended and folded around him. He'd listened as Seth's heart had nearly exploded in his chest on impact as the shifter slammed through the front windshield and then flew across the gravel road.

The sound of his bones breaking with each bounce along the road from the velocity he moved, already dead an enraged fury filling him at his lack of foresight that Seth had died too fast. Edward swatted the car away, as it flipped and skidded to the side of the road, Edward not even giving the car or the people that peaked from behind curtains a second glance. He could already smell the blood in the air, not just Charlie's but Bella's too.

Edward ran to Bella. Finding himself pause in his horror of the scene that was left before Charlie's home. The ground torn up from the fight, pieces of Carmen shredded, bodies of young boys swollen and deformed from the effect of vampire venom being introduced into their system, Carmen had fought like hell to protect Bella but it had been for nothing.

Charlie already lay dead on the soft grass around his driveway, gun at his side and still in his police uniform. The anger and heartbreak at seeing Charlie dead tore at his soul; the most innocent of them all and he'd sworn to Bella, that Charlie would be safe. He'd failed his Bella, the sight of her slumped and against her father's cruiser, blood leaking from her so profusely. Carmen had managed to somehow move her body to one of her arms but was still crying out in her pain; Edward couldn't even think to help her though. Not with Bella so badly hurt, he swept in beside her on his knees, slowly moving her body away from the car and cradling her limp form in his arms.

"No Bella. Baby?" Edward whispered hoarsely, his fingers fumbling over her pale beautiful face, her own blood on her lips; he knew she was already close to death. He also knew that just as he'd feared when she'd been injured before that the loss of blood, the weakness of her heart might cause the change to fail. This time he had no other alternative though; he had only one option that could save her for him that could make this all right.

"Just hold on Bella. Fight for me, for us baby… don't you dare give up. You said we'd have forever." Edward crooned as he leant over her still body and sank his teeth into her soft fragile skin.

He didn't linger on the taste of her blood, he didn't dare to take too long as he injected his venom into her. Then moving along to the other side of her neck, sinking his teeth into her again, following a pattern over her body, biting over her collarbone, her wrists, even at her ankles he injected his venom. Her weak heart thudding so softly and out of pattern but he couldn't let himself think this would fail, if he even let himself believe she'd die he'd be no more then what Peter had been.

Edward moved the shirt up over her stomach seeing the awful wound in her abdomen, blood was still slowly seeping out of her, her life somehow still escaping from her, as he clung onto each irregular beat of her heart. His panicked words only for her but he had no idea to know if she was hearing him, yet he continued on as if the words would help him stay focussed.

He used his beaten and wounded hands to slip his finger inside of her, reaching for the fragment of a bullet that he knew was lodged inside of her. Sinking his teeth into the once smooth skin of her stomach, trying to aid the healing by forcing the wound to close shut and stop any more loss of blood. He knew she'd need that to survive and yet he still feared her heart wouldn't be strong enough to push the venom around her body to completely take on the change.

Finally able to feel the fragment of the bullet, he pulled it free from her and crushed it in the palm of his hand; he'd never even thought to worry over the dangers of human weapons to his mate. Just as his family hadn't thought to prepare for explosives in their own war, never again would he allow his family to follow such archaic ways.

They considered themselves part of the newer society and generation and yet they'd fought like their kind had always fought, he'd left his mate vulnerable to human dangers. Edward leaned down, wiping his tongue over the wound in Bella's stomach, trying to close it up as quickly as he was able. Forcing his hand into his own mouth and biting down at the back, much like draining a snake of venom as his toxic saliva dripped over the wound and he watched it slowly begin to close shut. It was the hitch in her heart that made Edward stutter on his movements, the whimpered sob that left his lips.

"Bella please baby. Fight... God damn it Bella fight!" Edward growled, his blackened hands moving to her chest as he started compressions, forceful and rough with her weak body trying to keep her heart pumping.

"Come on!" Edward roared as he could feel her ribs crack beneath his hand's, he was failing, and he was only going to make it worse for her; but he had to keep her heart beating, he had to ensure the venom reached her heart and the rest of her wounded body. He wouldn't accept her death; he'd not lose her too. He opened up his mind trying to reach Bella, the one person who would always foil him in a desperate attempt to somehow find her and reach her.

"You will not die Bella. You won't leave me!" He tried everything, knowing his gift would not aid him here even if he completely knew how to use it. Even as he tried to send the message to her mind much like he had with Jasper earlier, but he knew it wasn't reaching her. The gift that he needed now was blocked by the powerful gift his mate already possessed, though he doubted even his gift would stop death coming even if he willed or demanded it to stay back. Yet his hands continued compressions, gentler now, he could feel the taste of his own failure upon him, he'd left his mate to die, he'd left her father to die and he couldn't save them. He'd be left with nothing.

"No... I'm sorry baby please... I can't...Not without you." Edward cried into her neck, the weakened stuttering heart, pitter-pattering almost like the rain against the rooftop of her fathers cruiser. Edward's muffled scream of pain echoing, even while he tried to inject more venom into his mate's neck. It was the silence that echoed inside of Edward's entire body when Bella's heart stopped that seemed to close around him, when he realised he'd lost her. It was the sound of another heart though not far from this scene as humans began to gather around the discarded truck the woman who had taken Bella from him. In a moment when his entire existence lost meaning it centred on another slowing heart, one that's very life created a hatred so much stronger then Edward knew how to handle. The human.

"Edward wait!" Carmen cried out, just a torso and arm barely attached crawling her way towards Bella's body and Edward, but it was no use, her attempts to reach Edward, even her mental attempts fell on deaf ears. His sense solely set on one human, the thoughts that clouded her mind, the scent of her blood and even the heartbeat that still pumped in her chest. She'd taken everything from him and now he'd be sure to end her life.

"Wait!" Carmen cried out again as Edward moved towards the car, her broken body slumped over Bella's body now.

Edward felt eyes on him from porch steps along the road side, everything had fallen apart, the world had ended for him already; he didn't care for the consequences of his actions. Too much had been seen already, exposure was welcomed now, Edward didn't care that these human's would have to die, that everyone would likely have to die for the choices made. Edward only cared for making the woman who was encaged behind the twisted metal suffer in the last moments of her life.

People who recognised Edward and seen things that were unexplainable moved away from the car in fear. His entire appearance was something of horror to them, none dared to stand between him and the car. Edward reached the truck, ripping the door off without any effort, as he flung it aside and found Sue Clearwater looking up at him. Bloody and beaten from the collision, her lower body crushed, her femoral artery severed, she was bleeding out but paralysed from the waist down. Her death would come fast and relatively painless. Edward would make sure she suffered every second for what she'd done, he didn't care how much she pleaded, how much she apologised in her mind for the act she'd carried out. He didn't care that he saw she'd simply slipped in her shock at the gun going off and accidently fired; he simply didn't care about anything.

"I... sorry…" Sue stuttered out, as blood leaked heavily from her mouth, seeing Edward looking down on her believing it almost justice that he'd find her after she'd hurt Charlie and Bella.

"You deserve to feel pain. You should suffer. You're going to suffer." Edward snarled as he reached forward, clasping his hand around her throat squeezing so tight she couldn't even make a sound, closing off the air to her lungs as she felt the blood already clogging up her airways.

"My entire existence I've believed your kind above my own. I've carried shame for taking those who would harm others, my father taught me never to take a human life. Not even an evil one, as if your life has more meaning then any other's because you're human." Edward whispered harshly to Sue.

"But you're no better than me. I should have ended you all long before this day and now I've lost her. You took her from me; you've ruined so many lives Sue. Your people have ruined so many lives, it's time you saw." Edward growled behind gritted teeth, as his power reached forward and she screamed in pain as his mind attacked her own.

Forcing images and memories that he'd seen, showing her the despair of the people involved with the pack, the agony the council had created. Making Sue endure the pain of the pack as members died at Edward's feet, allowing her the knowledge of what the venom did to their bodies. Of Emily her niece, scared of the man she was forced to be with. Of Leah, not knowing who and what she was, loving a man who couldn't love her, the shame and guilt of being the killer of her own father. Edward made Sue live each agonized memory of Leah's last moments, thinking of Harry as she died from his venom.

Edward attacked Sue with his gift, as her eyes seemed wild looking at thousands of images her human brain could barely register, twitching almost as if she was having a seizure. Then stopping his talent as he slammed his hand into her chest and took claim of her heart, finding pleasure in her wide eyed disbelief as he held her very heart in his hand.

"Sorry... so sorry." Sue said between pained cries, her head still shaking slightly under Edward's hate filled gaze down on her.

"You took my heart, it's only justice that I take yours." Edward hissed as he pulled her heart from her chest, dropping it from his grasp as he turned to see the humans standing looking at him confused. None had seen what he'd done but all of them knew something strange was happening, they'd seen large wolves, seen a car hit a blurred object. Even seen the disturbing state of Edward himself, he felt rage at them all as they'd stayed hidden behind curtains and windows watching the scene play out, but none had thought to help his Bella. He felt his mind reaching out to them all, every selfish childish one of them, the very tentacles that he'd viewed through Eleazar's own gift. Each of them reaching out to all of the humans he could see in his mind, striking them down with the pain that he'd made other's suffer before.

"Edward!" Emmet called stunned.

"What the hell happened?" Emmet asked as he stopped in front of Edward, seeing the hardened glare, his face refusing to turn to look at him, Eleazar rushing off towards Carmen as Rose looked around at the humans she could see on their knees, clutching at their heads under Edward's control.

"Edward, stop. Your hurting them, they're just humans!" Rose rushed over, seeing that her brother was losing control of his gift, as Emmet looked between Rose and Edward placing his hand on his brother. He didn't understand why they weren't also suffering his gift, if all those around them were, unless he'd somehow found control.

"They did nothing, they watched as she lay dying!" Edward cried out wildly, slapping Emmet's hand away from touching him.

"Bella..."

"She isn't dead. Not yet, she's close. Edward I need your help." Eleazar yelled to him frantically, having taken over his mate's one-handed compressions of Bella's barely beating heart. She'd heard the stuttering and even listened brokenly with Edward as Bella's heart had stopped, Carmen even through her own pain could see the moment Edward believed he'd lost her. She'd been unable to reach him even as she'd clawed her way to Bella's body to continue pumping her heart for her.

"Edward now, son. If you want to save your mate I need you now!" Eleazar demanded of Edward, as Edward looked towards Eleazar confused, his mind demanding he punish the human's but also afraid to believe that there was still hope, that somehow she wasn't lost to him. He'd failed her he was certain of it. He'd killed Sue Clearwater for his failing to save her life.

"S...She… her heart… it wasn't…" Edward appeared before Eleazar as he continued working his hands over Bella's heart, Edward found himself sob into his bloody hand as he realised he could still hear her heartbeat. He'd walked away from her, he'd left her as she'd still continued fighting, he'd have lost her to his own rage had Carmen not been there to see Bella's heart had stuttered back to life.

"I. Carmen...I. Oh god Bella I'm so sorry!" Edward caressed along her face, as it seemed to twist in pain, her eyes beneath her eyelids were moving quickly, her hands beginning to squirm and tighten into fists.

"Edward focus. She's lost too much blood for the change, her heart is weak but this isn't a death sentence. I've seen worse conditions go on to be a success, do you understand? This change can and still will happen. We need to move her though. I need blood, I need as much as you can get your hands on and I need your venom." Eleazar said firmly, his hands never stopping the beat over Bella's chest as he kept his eyes focused on Edward's own red ones.

"I thought..." Edward shook his head trying to settle his mind, even though he found himself unable to understand what he needed; he had to save Bella though.

"We have blood. Carlisle… he always kept bags of her blood just in case of any type of emergency. Just tell me what I have to do and I'll do it, anything to keep her alive. I thought..." Edward shook his head again, struggling to even allow himself to think of how close he'd just come to letting her die, he felt disgusted with himself. With his own desire for revenge it had almost cost him his mate.

"During my first few years in this life some vampires still believed that to change a human you needed to drain them completely first. Of course it didn't work, but there were some. Some that managed to get enough venom into the human that it helped.

We need to give her a transfusion but the blood that we give her needs to be laced with venom Edward. It'll work, the heart has to die eventually for the change to work, and we just have to keep her heart beating long enough for the effects to take place." Edward nodded taking in Eleazar's words and seeing the memories and thoughts that he broadcasted towards him. Edward couldn't believe how strong Eleazar was holding himself together with the state of Carmen. Thankfully both Rose and Emmet were already helping to piece her together again; the humans that Edward had lashed out against were all unconscious though he knew that they'd already seen more than enough now.

"The humans saw Eleazar. The Volturi, they'll hear of this, we can't hope to keep this contained now." Edward said, his hand caressing Bella's face tenderly.

"I know. The explosion and fire has drawn enough attention, this will give them all they need to destroy us all. I know your main concern is Bella, Edward… I know asking you now is likely to make you overwhelmed but... Edward you need to use that gift. I know we don't know completely what you can do but we need it now, or we all die, the explosion and fire we can do nothing about; but what these people around here saw, that is something we can do something about. It's also what would appear to be the worst of our crimes; we can't be tied to the fires. This we can all be tied to." Eleazar said seriously, showing Edward in his thoughts that he believed Edward should attempt to force a command into all the minds around them so they'd have the memory wiped or at the very least have the memory forced to the back of their minds.

"I couldn't do that with you all around. I may even need to touch each human; you need me to help Bella. I can't be separated from her, I need to save her... I don't want to leave her side." Edward said, completely against the idea as one of Eleazar's hands pointed to Bella's bite on her neck.

"Bite her again." Eleazar commanded as Edward followed his orders without question, sinking his teeth back into his mate, releasing as much venom into her body as he could.

"I can use the others venom if I have too. It would be more beneficial to her receiving yours; however our venom would fight against one another, causing more pain during the transformation. Yours would work with the venom you've already injected. Edward you need to try, what good is saving her to only be destroyed later for revealing ourselves to so many, let me take care of your mate so you can save us from certain destruction." Eleazar said seriously with an edge of pleading, he understood the thought of allowing his mate to be parted from him would be all but unbearable after believing she'd died. Eleazar knew though that there was no other way that could save them, especially from this threat unless they were to do what he knew the Volturi would do.

"If you can't do it with your gift Edward..." Edward looked from Bella's face to Eleazar, understanding what he was trying to make perfectly clear to him through his mind.

"If I can't remove the memory. I have to kill them all. For the safety of our family." Edward said with complete acceptance, and finding it uncomfortably easy how willing he was to take the lives of these humans; his anger at them still there, his need for Bella to live so powerful that he'd take on that burden for his family.

"There are at least thirty heartbeats I can hear that possibly heard or saw something. We can't really kill them all, they're human, what would Carlisle think?" Rose said, as she moved beside Edward, gently touching his shoulder as he looked at her, she wasn't challenging him. Her mind worried that he'd never be able to live with killing those innocents, even if it was to save the family from exposure.

Edward strangely found himself not caring what Carlisle thought, the crimes his father had committed still sitting heavy over him. Edward not knowing how he could love the man while hating the things he'd done, Edward knew that much of his reasoning for shame and guilt over taking human lives had come from Carlisle's teachings. Edward knew that humans were no different than any other creature, he'd held them to this unrealistic standard and it had almost cost him everything.

These human's didn't deserve to die for simply being in the wrong place but if it came to the choice between his family and these strangers, Edward accepted that it wouldn't matter how innocent they were. He had to accept that he really was a vampire and his own came before anyone else's, he'd accept his father's hate from the other side if he could keep them alive. He'd do what not even his saintly father had been able to do and keep his loved ones alive, he'd already lost too many.

"If I'm unable to use my gift and make them forget. I'll take care of it, we can't create any more reason for the Volturi to believe us rule breakers then we already have." Edward said, looking to Rosalie and seeing that she was accepting of what he said. He saw the scarring along her cheek and neck from the fight, and noticed as she tried to turn her face away from his eyes. Rose had certainly shifted in some of her anger from what had carried out on the battlefield; he was relieved he'd not have to fight with her over this choice. He didn't wish to take any human lives, Edward wished for the death to finally stop; but for his family's safety he'd commit any sin he had too.

"Rose you drive them back to our home, Eleazar can focus on Bella and Rose can help with getting the supplies. I'll stay with Edward." Emmet declared as he shifted Carmen at his side, opening the door of Charlie's cruiser and placing her in the passenger's side.

"Emmet you don't..." Edward stopped as Emmet held his hand up to stop him from continuing on.

"If you can't mind freak them, then we do it together. I don't look forward to it but I won't let you carry that alone. I should have helped before, should have been strong enough to help with the burden. This time I won't let you down little brother." Emmet said, Edward seeing that nothing he said would change his decision, Eleazar shifting Bella's frame as he moved to pick her up and place her in the car's backseat with him.

"Don't worry Edward. I'll do all I can to ensure she becomes one of us." Eleazar looked from Bella, her heart almost sounding steady as she whimpered, Edward feeling the instant relief and then discomfort he knew that soon enough if they could ensure that her transformation stabled out, she'd be begging for death to take her. That she'd suffer through the burning hell that all of them did to become what they were, he found it so very strange to him that now he found himself hoping for her pain just to know it was working.

"Edward, remember… the gift you have isn't a curse. Remember it is part of you, don't try to control it; let it help you. Guide it how you wish it to work; we need this to work now Edward. This is life and death, if we are unable to make them forget the Volturi would have all they need to destroy all of us; even your Bella." Eleazar knew exactly what he was doing, trying to place the fear in Edward of near certain death to not only himself but his mate, hoping the natural instincts they'd tried to repress with his gift lashing out to ensure this was a success.

Edward nodded with clear concern etched over his twisted features, moving towards the cruiser and leaning down to stroke his fingers -beaten as they were- through Bella's long hair. Pressing his lips to her forehead as he felt the tremble beneath her skin, her heart slower then he would have liked, but it seemed to be beating without any assistance at least now.

She smelt of him completely, the venom already heavy in her blood, but he knew that he'd still need to have more introduced into her body to ensure her change went along more traditionally. He wouldn't leave any of this to chance, his only way of even being able to consider parting ways with her for the short time was that he knew how serious a situation they were in.

Edward trusted from seeing Eleazar's very thoughts and memories that he'd be able to make the change complete, seeing even then the discomfort washing over Bella's fragile body eased some of Edward's concern. Even though her pain would destroy him for what she'd have to suffer to be his, at least knowing that the change was happening would allow him the freedom of any despair that she wouldn't make it through.

"I love you Bella. I'll be with you soon. Three days my love, just three more days we have to fight through and then nothing will ever part us again." Edward whispered for her only as she cried out, even in his hatred of her pain he felt the weight of his fear lessening.

"She's strong Edward. Stronger then even I thought, now go. Take care of this and we'll ensure that Bella is given the only comfort we can offer through this time." Eleazar said while Rose started the engine of the cruiser, Edward feeling the hollowness as he turned to see Charlie's body laying there still unmoved. Bella would survive her transformation he had to be certain of that, but Charlie, her father had been lost and he'd not been able to keep the promise he'd sworn to Bella that they'd ensure he was safe even once they left.

"I want to take care of Charlie first." Edward said solemnly, as he turned towards Emmet, both men feeling the weight of this human's death at the consequences of their war against the pack.

"He was a good man." Emmet said softly, squeezing Edward's shoulder as Edward with all the care and gentleness he could manage slowly moved to lift and cradle Charlie into his arms.

"The other bodies we dispose of, I don't care how. Charlie though, he was family, I want him buried, I want everything taken care of so Bella doesn't have to... We'll stage an accident, I want him to be remembered Emmet. I want Charlie Swan to have died and be remembered a hero, I don't care what must be done I want this for Charlie. He deserved better than this." Edward said firmly to Emmet, both men accepting that they'd have to create a way to have Charlie discovered. Emmet's mind already thinking of ways to stage a crime scene that Charlie could be found at shot and dead. Even considering times during the past when using Jasper's influence to create fake witnesses for certain events, clouding emotions.

"Anything for Charlie. We'll take care of all this Edward, once you've taken care of the humans. I know you can do it Edward, but once you've done this then you go home to Bella. You've done enough; let your family carry the burden now. We'll tie away the lives that we once held here in Fork and then we'll leave." Emmet said as Edward stepped into Charlie's house, and moving into the living room gently laying his body down on the sofa where Charlie's scent and even Bella's lingered strongly. Placing him down softly, moving a pillow beneath his head and raising his hand to close the brown eyes that were so similar to his Bella's.

"I'm so sorry Charlie. Sorry that I couldn't stop this. I promise you though, I swear beyond anything else on this planet that I'll love her forever. That each day I have with her she'll be worshiped and adored. I won't let her forget you; we'll remember that you tried to save her. That you loved her enough to let her go." Edward said softly, moving his healing hand to his lips and then placing his fingertips over the man who was supposed to become his father in law, forehead.

Edward had beaten the pack, he'd killed his enemy and even showed mercy to those who had not wished to fight, and he'd lost friends he'd known for most of his existence. He'd also lost the human male who had for so long distrusted him and yet Edward had always respected. They'd won the war but they had also lost so much.

Bella had lost her human life and her father; Edward had lost the false image he'd always carried of Carlisle and his years of abstaining from taking a human life. He may even if he couldn't find the will to control his power have to kill again, he wasn't sure of world that would be facing him in the coming days, but he knew it was forever changed for him and his family now. All he could hold onto was that once blinding vision of a life with Bella, forever, she'd sworn all she needed was him; she'd soon learn the heart breaking consequences of that choice now.

Three days of endless burning and she'd forever be as he was.