Charlie was positive that the redhead's hair had really set him on fire with the flames of Hell themselves. His whole body burned, and he thought surely, he would have turned to ash already if he weren't dreaming. Existing was excruciating. He was ready to give up.

What kept him grounded were thoughts of his daughter, Bella. He needed to survive this and see to her safety. He had to see that Bella was safe and happy, no matter what the cost.

Tanya was sick and tired of all of the drama at her house in Denali. Laurent had fled and a distraught Irina chased him, truly leaving home for the first time in centuries. Carmen and Eleazar were calm and kind, as always, and Kate was terrified for the fate of her sister.

They were all driving Tanya nuts. Of course, she loved Irina, but she would come home eventually. There was no sense in worrying about it.

Instead, Tanya ran through the woods of Alaska and Canada, feeling free as she hunted solo and found local humans to find pleasure in. She was shocked when she heard the sounds of a familiar voice shouting through the forest a few days into her exploration.

"Tanya!"

"Edward?" she asked, running towards the source of the voice. She also heard the low growl of a female vampire, one who was recently mated judging by the sounds of her.

"It's alright, Bella. She's a friend. You remember me mentioning our cousins?" she heard him say to the female. Bella? Tanya thought Edward intended to keep her human. In fact, last she heard he had intended to leave her.

Tanya approached the small clearing where Edward stood and gasped as she saw his dark red eyes. His female companion had red eyes as well.

"This is my mate, Bella." he answered Tanya's thoughts. "She's only been changed for a couple days. My eyes are red because I drank her blood."

Tanya approached the couple, intending to properly introduce herself, but Bella growled in warning despite Edward's attempts to calm her.

"Perhaps I should go." Tanya didn't want to be involved in more drama.

"No, please." He took Bella in his arms and held her tightly against him. "I'm really glad to see you actually. We could use some help."

Tanya was intrigued and couldn't deny Edward anything. He had been part of her family for too long, never mind the other feelings she had for him. She'd always found him rather adorable. "The family doesn't know about this, do they?"

"I'm not sure." he answered honestly.

"It's rather interesting to see this side of you." she said in a low voice. "I was starting to wonder if you had those types of…urges." Bella growled loudly and bared her sharp teeth.

"I wouldn't tempt her right now." Edward warned. He kissed Bella's hair, trying to calm her. "She's days old." he reminded. "And newly mated."

He turned Bella in his arms to face him, careful to not let go of her. He kissed her softly and she relaxed a little. "Bella, Tanya is our cousin. She can help us check on your dad."

Bella took a deep breath to calm herself and turned back to face Tanya. "I'm sorry." she said. "It's nice to meet you. I just can't stand the thought of anyone else being near Edward right now."

"Trust me, I know the feeling. Though I've never understood the hassle of mating. I much prefer the temporary company of human males."

"But your eyes are gold!" Bella said.

"They are. I don't kill them. I drink animals just like the Cullens. But I do like to have a little fun with them."

"Oh." Bella looked down. Perhaps she would have blushed if she were human. She was rather adorable. Tanya admired her naivety and her protectiveness of Edward.

Truthfully, though she wished she could have had some fun with him first, she was happy he was mated finally after all these years. He certainly seemed happier and more alive than when she had last seen him. He had always been so lonely and brooding.

"Tanya, can you help us get a message to the family, perhaps tell them where to find us?"

"That, I can do."

"But that might take too long! What about Charlie?" Bella asked.

"I'm sure he's fine." Edward re-assured her. "Probably just worried about you."

"No, I want to check on him or get a message to him somehow."

"Bella, you can't be near humans right now. I've barely been able to restrain you from attacking Tanya and that's because you are trying not to. Imagine how you'd react if you smell human blood."

She considered it for a moment, thinking of what she remembered of the Cullens telling her about their newborn years. "Can both of you restrain me if needed?"

"Probably." Edward answered.

"Definitely." Tanya added, interested to learn more about this creature who finally captured Edward's interest. "What did you have in mind, young one?"

"Help me get to the Cullen's house in Forks. That way, Edward can check on my dad and pack a few of my things for me but he won't have to leave me alone."

"Sounds more fun than wandering the woods like I have been. I like a challenge."

Edward was opposed, but who was he to argue with two women he loved, although much differently, one as family and one as his mate, ganged up against him. They started running towards Forks.

Billy Black and Harry Clearwater hadn't heard from their friend Charlie in a day or two. They knew that he was worried sick about his missing daughter, but still, they had been friends for more than twenty years. Not hearing from him was odd.

Harry was sick, but he made some of his famous fish fry, one of Charlie's favorites. Sam Uley agreed to drive Billy over while Jacob was in school to deliver it and check on him.

They knocked, but no one answered despite the police cruiser parked out front. Worried, Billy used his key that he had never needed, other than once or twice when Charlie was on vacation and he came to check on the house, to let them in.

"Charlie?" Billy called. "You home?"

No one answered. Sam looked at him questioningly and Billy nodded. He quickly checked each room in the house and found no one.

Something smelled a little off though. Sam stepped into the backyard and phased into his wolf form, returning to sniff the house. He smelled a vampire, but it wasn't a Cullen.

He quickly changed back and ran to Billy. Billy knew it was the worst possible outcome from the look on Sam's face.

Sam handed Billy the phone and phased back, running into the woods after the trail. He lost trace of it just a few miles North as they had run through the river. It didn't pick back up on the other side. Sam howled in frustration and ran back to Billy.

He hated that for now, he was the only wolf in the pack, though he knew others would begin shifting soon. They had to do something to find Charlie. They decided that the best place to start was with the only vampires they knew, the Cullens.

Tanya and Bella were sitting at the Cullen house in Forks, safely away from any humans, while Edward went to gather some of Bella's things and check on Charlie. Bella was nervous to see the house so empty with the family gone, but Tanya was right at home, having visited the house many times throughout the years. She understood their need to move more personally.

"I've never seen him so happy." Tanya said, breaking the silence.

"Really?"

"I've known Edward almost his entire life. He's always been lonely, depressed even. We all worried about him. We thought he just wasn't interested in women as many as he's turned down. Even me if you can believe that." she laughed. "But then you came along and he's a whole new man."

"Even you?" Bella asked, incredulous. Tanya was tall, blond, and beautiful. Bella didn't feel like she could possibly compare to her.

"Trust me. I've tried. He has eyes only for you." she said with a gentle smile. "What's got you worried?"

"He tried to leave me."

"I can't imagine that." Tanya had noticed how much Bella affected Edward. She knew their bond was unbreakable.

"That's why he changed me. He was breaking up with me. He told me that he didn't love me and tried to run away, but I was able to let him read my mind and show him how much it would hurt me, so he stayed. He changed me."

"That explains his rash decision. Impulsiveness like that is very unlike him. I can think of another time he tried to run away from you. You may not even be aware of it."

"The time he spent in Alaska when we first met?"

"Yes. He was afraid that he was going to kill you. He tried to stay away. But he said he didn't want to let a human girl defeat him, so he came home. Except, I always suspected that there was something more. That he wanted to see you again. You were a challenge to him in more ways than one. And Edward has always loved a challenge, especially against himself."

"I understand why he left the first time. But the second…he knows how much I love him. That I'm obsessed with him almost."

"I'm sure you told him that. But do you think he believed you? And if he did, do you think that he wanted to take your life from you? I don't agree with him, but he really believes that vampires aren't natural. That we're against God. I'm sure you've changed his mind about that lately."

"I've tried."

"Your existence alone is enough, I'm sure. He does love you. He's young and still learning how to handle these things. You're his first, his only, love interest. Trust me. I've known him for many years. You all are mated now. He can't leave you. He doesn't want to leave you. I don't think he could have before for any other reason than trying to protect you, and clearly, even that didn't work. I'm sure he wouldn't have been gone long."

Bella was silent a few minutes, contemplating. "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

"Any time."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Edward barged in the door, running at his top speed. "Charlie is missing. Victoria has been around your house, Bella. I'm so sorry." he ran to grab her in his arms, needing to hold her and to reassure himself that she was alright and that it wasn't her that Victoria had gotten. Naturally, he liked Charlie and wanted his safety too, but Bella was very much a part of himself. He needed her to be safe.

"We have to find him!" Bella shouted, panicking, and trying to run outside the house already. Edward barely restrained her.

"I'll call the family." Tanya said, running over to the phone which thankfully still had service.

Edward held Bella as she panicked, reassuring her that he and their family would do everything possible to find Charlie and see that he was safe. He told her Victoria was long gone. Perhaps even a day or two.

"But why would she want Charlie?"

"She was probably looking for you. And you weren't home. A mate for a mate. Oh, Bella….I didn't think….if I left, she could have gotten you…" he trailed off, hiding his face in his hands and letting loose a string of curses the like of which Bella had never heard. He was distraught at the thought that anything could have happened to Bella, especially because of his leaving. She could have died, terrified, alone, with a broken heart, and it would have been his fault for not being there to protect her, to love her.

Bella wanted to comfort Edward, but she was terrified herself, worried sick about Charlie. All she could do was hold onto Edward as her strength and her rock while her mind ran a hundred miles a minute. Her touch was all Edward needed. To know that she was safe.

"He's alive, but he's changing." Tanya said, walking back into the room.

"Changing?!" Bella and Edward asked together.

"Alice saw. She bit him. The whole family is on their way."

"Where is he?!" Bella demanded, insisting on going to kill the bitch herself and take care of her father. Now, it was Edward's turn to be surprised by the string of curses that Bella was letting loose, but the circumstances definitely warranted them.

"In an empty warehouse. Alice knows where it is. She's going to come and get us and take all of us straight there. Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle are going ahead to scope it out and make sure he's unharmed."

"We will take care of him, Bella. I promise." Edward said, kissing Bella's head and just relieved that she was alive, although, he was about to have his hands full with two angry newborns. He knew her calm, mostly quiet sobs wouldn't last for long. Bella had always been feisty, and she would do anything to save her father. They would get through this.

"Say newborn, how about we teach you how to fight a little bit?" Tanya asked. Bella looked up at her. Edward panicked. "Relax, Edward. I couldn't hurt her if I wanted to. I'm no newborn. If you want to go with us to save your father, perhaps you should know some basics, huh?"

"Yeah!" Bella was glad for the distraction, and to be useful. She hated sitting around and waiting on Alice. She wished Alice could have told them where to go. She almost called her and gave her an earful, but decided to go with Tanya, hoping to be useful in the coming fight with Victoria.

"Tanya, no! What the hell are you thinking?!" Edward shouted.

Distracting her. Tanya thought. Edward reluctantly let Bella out of his arms as Tanya led her into the back yard. He couldn't watch, but he appreciated Tanya's help.

Instead, he tried to fathom how someone as evil as Victoria could possibly be attracted to someone as good as Charlie. There was really only one reason to bite him rather than kill him. Unless she thought that Bella would also believe him damned and abandon him? She must have known better than that. Bella loved her father with all of her heart.

Edward also plotted how to kill Victoria without harming Charlie in the process. He couldn't let anyone who threatened his mate live. But then, he imagined how he would feel losing Bella….and he lost himself in his sorrow, freezing in place until Alice arrived hours later as Tanya and Bella practiced self-defense and sparred in the yard.

"We have to move quickly! Everyone in the car!" Alice shouted, not stepping out of where she parked in the garage or even bothering to open the car door.

"Is he hurt?" Bella asked.

"No. But my visions of us all just disappeared. Something is wrong in Forks, or it's about to be."

"Bella, sit between me and Tanya in the back." Edward insisted. She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't question it.

"He doesn't want you to be tempted if we drive too close to humans." Tanya said. Bella smiled at her softly. Edward was glad to see they were getting along and smiled to Tanya in thanks for covering for his anxiety. That wasn't the real reason, but it would do just as well.

Alice started the car just as he began to hear unfamiliar thoughts approaching the house. "Alice, wait! Don't leave the garage. Turn off the car." he growled, quietly.

"Why?" she asked as Bella glared at Edward. He rubbed Bella's hand reassuringly.

"We have company. It appears that some of the Quileutes are shifting again. They discovered Victoria's scent trail at Charlie's house, and they are sniffing to see if she's been around here. It's just Sam and then a few of the elders."

"What?!" Bella asked, confused, terrified.

"I'll explain in a minute sweetheart, I promise. Right now, we can't leave the house. If they see that you're changed, we're all in trouble."

"Why? They are my friends."

"While you were human, sure. We all need to sit here and be quiet until they leave. They are almost at the house. Trust me, please?"

Bella nodded and rested her head on Edward's shoulder, doing the best she could to stay quiet as she breathed in his comforting scent. Edward listened in Sam's thoughts:

Some of them are close by, for sure. Maybe in the house. Nothing smells like the one at Charlie's place though. I smell Bella around here recently, but since she's dating the one leech that isn't really a surprise. I'm sure he has something to do with her disappearance. But Charlie…no sign of him here and that's my mission right now.

Edward admired Sam's focus in his wolf form. He didn't think about anything but his mission. His thoughts were simple, uncluttered. Thankfully, rather than understanding that Bella's scent had changed due to her being a vampire, he assumed that it was just an old trail mixed with the normal vampire scent of the other Cullens. They were safe for now.

One of the elders, old Quil, knocked on the door but of course no one answered. He decided to try to call Carlisle from the number written down by Charlie's phone. That, they could handle. It was Bella's safety that Edward was worried about, and the Quileutes not finding out about the broken treaty. At least, not until they were safely a continent or two away.

Sam barked at old Quil and phased back to his human form. They quickly got in the truck and sped away.

"Alright, it's safe." Edward said once he lost their thoughts in his mind. "Thankfully being in the garage blocked a lot of our scent from them as opposed to right in front of the windows..." He shuddered, imagining the wolves sneaking up on an unsuspecting Bella and Tanya while he was out. Would he ever stop unintentionally putting his love in danger?

Alice sped out of the garage and away from Forks. Bella dared not look at the speedometer, wanting to get to her dad as fast as possible. "Edward, why couldn't we just talk to them?" she asked. "They might have helped us save Charlie."

"You said that Jacob told you about the Quileute legends to help you figure out that I'm a vampire, right?"

"Yeah." she said, showing Edward her memory of that day in her thoughts. Most of her human memories were still remarkably clear. She retained much more of hers than he did. Perhaps because she had always been so observant.

"What was that about the Quileutes being descended from wolves?"

"Just part of their spiritual beliefs." she said.

"What if it isn't? Some of them shift into wolves. You heard the bark right before they left."

"Are you telling me my friends, no wait, let me be more specific, Billy Black," she thought about his wheelchair. "is a wolf?"

"No, not all of them. Actually, Sam is the only one right now."

"What's their problem with you…with us?"

"Wolves and vampires are naturally enemies. When you said they said that we don't go on the reservation, it's because we can't. We, The Cullens, are bound by treaty from going on to their lands. They promised not to attack us and to let us live in Forks so long as we never bit another human."

"You didn't…oh!" Bella said, suddenly understanding. "I made you break the treaty."

"It was entirely my decision, but unfortunately, they are going to see you as their enemy now too. I'm sorry." Edward lovingly brushed some of Bella's hair out of her face, trying to show his sincere apology with his eyes, knowing that words weren't enough.

"If Charlie is really changing, then he is…?"

"Also their enemy."

"They're his best friends!" she shouted.

"I know. We'll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, we're going to focus on getting him safely with us."

"Bella, I have something to tell you." Alice said. "I'm afraid you aren't going to like it no matter how I put it."

"Go on." Bella said, wrapping an arm around Edward and holding him tightly to help calm and distract herself. Tanya held her other hand reassuringly and Bella accepted it, knowing now that she was no threat to her and Edward and starting to trust her and even love her like a good friend. She looked forward to getting to know her better in a happier time.

"Let me start with the easy part. Charlie is changing, but he's going to be alright. That much I can absolutely see. She has no further intention of harming him."

"Alright, so my dad's going to be a vampire. We can deal with that. Right?" she looked up at Edward and he nodded, his expression carefully controlled.

"What's the bad news? Is he going to kill a human or something?"

"Not exactly…"

"Out with it, Alice." Bella said, impatient.

"Victoria doesn't fully understand it just yet, but they're mates."

"They?"

"Victoria and Charlie.

"No freaking way!" she shouted. "You've gone crazy! He's never going to go with that!"

"Wait and see." Alice insisted.

"So now what, then?" Bella asked. "Edward? Tell me she's lying."

"She isn't." he answered sadly, hating dragging both Bella and her father into this. Causing her further pain was never his intention in biting her. He thought he was saving them both pain. I always screw everything up! he thought.

Bella again let loose with a string of curses that Edward didn't expect, but again, this was certainly the time for it. Edward had thought a few of those exact things himself.

She hated to see Edward upset, but she was in an emotional tangle herself. Nothing made sense. She almost started to believe she was dreaming. Everything was so crazy.

She almost lost Edward, and then she was in a ton of pain, and then she was a vampire, then she felt the pleasure of truly acknowledging that her and Edward were mates and having that feeling returned, but she couldn't even enjoy it because she found out her father was missing, with Victoria no less, and now they are supposed to be mates! It didn't make a bit of sense.

Charlie would never love a murderer. But then, Bella realized, Edward too was a murderer. They had discussed his rebellious period before. But he wasn't still a murderer. He hadn't hunted humans in decades. Except you. her thoughts reminded her. A chill ran down her spine. That's different.

She did the only thing she could as Alice sped towards Charlie. Bella rested her head on Edward and held him closely just as he had many times done for her to comfort her when there were no words to say.

She also lifted the block on her thoughts and told him how much she loved him, even though this also showed him all of her fears. Tanya and Alice were strategizing, but Bella tuned them out. When do we get to just be together and be happy? Edward looked at her sadly and kissed her before holding her more tightly against him.

Soon, I hope. he thought, though she couldn't hear his thoughts as he sometimes could hers.

I love you. I'm sorry for hurting you. she thought, thinking of how she had attacked him in the forest. I've been terrified. This is all so new and overwhelming.

"I know. I love you." he whispered, kissing her. "It will all be alright soon. I promise."

Tanya had never expected Edward to be the optimist out of the bunch. It was a nice change, though even she feared for Charlie despite never having met him. Bella's effect on people was to instantly make them adore her. This must have been what happened to Edward. Tanya looked at him and he smiled softly at her, kissing Bella's head as his way of agreeing. "It's not her power, like you think it is." he said. "It's just her. It's who she is."

The sparkle in his eyes, though ruby, was something she had never seen. Even in all of this worry and chaos, young Edward was finally happy. This made Tanya happy too. She was glad he had saved himself for Bella. What they had was something really special. Perhaps, the whole mating thing made a little bit more sense.

Author's Note: Thanks everyone for your reviews, favorites and follows! I read everything personally and they really make my day so much. I can't stop writing this, so I hope the updates aren't too frequent to keep up with. I'm aiming for 10 chapters and an epilogue but we'll see how things play out.