DISCLAIMER: All characters and story world belong to SM. All lyrical references and quotes are property of their original artist. No copyright infringement intended.

[Beta'd by: BlahBlahBlah, Bikechick3]
Special thanks to: Ocdmess

Last chapter I asked what song was so sad it brought you to your knees.
My answer: Staind – Excess Baggage.

http:/ /www[dot]youtube[dot]com/user/BeautifullySacred

Chapter 10 Part I
Garrett POV
Sunday January 15th , 2006 (same day as the attack)

The prey in Washington was not to my liking, but occasionally I would get lucky and find a bear or mountain lion. Feeding on deer was starting to truly become boring, and I contemplated finding a hospital or blood bank. I had decided to put off the appetizing thought for a few more days in hopes I wouldn't miss another visit from my dear, little human. She had taken to visiting me for a few hours every other weeknight, and occasionally spent the night on weekends. So when the sun had begun to lower in the sky on the sixth day of no contact, I grew concerned that Bella would not visit me this weekend at all. Had I upset her, somehow?

As I returned to the surrounding area of Forks, I saw that there was purple smoke in the air south of the Cullen home. It looked to be near Bella's house, but I had only been there once, so I couldn't be certain that is wasn't from one of the other homes nearby. However, purple smoke only meant one thing: a burning vampire. I let my instincts carry me to her home; I was filled with panic and concern. When I reached the forest-edge just outside her house, I came to a sudden halt.

Wolves. What would they be doing here?

Just outside of Bella's house, were three wolf-boys, only wearing shorts. They must have smelled me, because they stopped arguing, turned around quickly, and growled deeply. I held my hands up in the air, showing what I meant no harm. I searched for their essences or cores and was surprised when I could only sense one. It was incredibly strong. In fact, it was the strongest core I had ever come across. Were the other two boys like Bella, with silent cores? Sam with the strong core walked toward me slowly. I mimicked his actions, taking slow steps to meet him just on the other side of the road.

"You must be Garrett. I'm Sam, the Alpha of this Pack, and I want the truth! Were you involved in this?" Sam asked quickly, his tone harsh.

"I don't even know what 'this' is referring to, so I think I can safely say that no, I was not," I said, enunciating each word, making sure to keep eye contact.

"He could be lying! He's a leech, it's what they do!" the boy on his right said as he shook violently. For a moment, I thought he was going to snap, but Sam put his hand on his shoulder and he calmed instantly. How intriguing.

"I noticed the purple smoke, and came to investigate. It was rather close to Bella's house, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. I haven't seen her for a few days and was growing concerned. May I speak with her?" I said slowly, keeping my stance calm and non-threatening. I was outnumbered, and didn't know much more than Bella about how these creatures acted. I tried to sort through the scents for Bella, but the musk of wet dog permeated the air so heavily that searching for her smell felt useless.

I could sense Sam weighing a decision. Bingo. I pulled at his core, the small part of him that weighed his decisions and conscience, and tugged him to agree with me. I shifted him in the direction of believing me and letting me know what was going on.

"I'm afraid that's not possible."

What? That makes no sense. I can sense him, I changed his decision. I looked at him with a confused expression.

"Bella was attacked by two vampires. We managed to kill the boy," he said, emphasizing their accomplishments smugly. His expression quickly fell into a grimace. "…but I'm afraid the redhead got away. The boy seemed to have some kind of power at covering their trail. We hadn't detected the redhead in the area for over a month, so we thought that maybe she had moved on. We didn't know that the new boy was covering their scent. We only discovered that Bella was in trouble because of the loud music. One of my Pack is rather fond of Bella and during his patrol he decided to check on her. When he sensed something was wrong, he called for backup. We got here as fast as we could... I'm only telling you this because Bella once asked me… us to trust you, and perhaps you know something that can help. We don't know if this was planned or just opportunity, but either way, we were too late," he said slowly, with a somber expression.

"Victoria? She was here? What do you mean you were too late? Where is Bella?" I asked in a panic. Why would Victoria have come here now? Why can't I smell Bella?

"You know this vampire?" Sam asked through a snarl. "Was she with you?"

"No, I only know of her. She was the mate of the vampire the Cullens killed last summer. Surely you were aware of the situation?" How could they not know? Bella was in a cast for months, and missing for three days. How much did these pups not know?

"The Cullens killed another of their kind? Why would they do such a thing?"

I sighed. Apparently, you know nothing. "Alright, we'll start over from the beginning, then. A coven of three came across the Cullens while they were out with Bella. The leader, James, who happened to be a tracker, took a liking to Bella's floral scent. He made a game of it, and lost. The Cullens killed him in Phoenix, but Bella was hurt in the process somehow. Apparently, Victoria was the trackers-mate."

"I still don't follow," Sam said, "why would Victoria come back to kill Bella now?"

"My kind, well… we don't mate frivolously. We mate for life, and when one of us loses our mate, something snaps inside our soul. Victoria probably figured she would take Edward's mate, just as he had taken hers," I explained. I was growing tired of the history lesson, and decided to press my previous question. "Now that you are caught up, may I speak to Bella?"

"As I told you, that isn't possible. She was bitten before we could stop them. She seems to be in some kind of trance, and isn't responding," he said with a sigh.

I was across the lawn and in her house faster than they could blink. Bella was on her bedroom floor, covered in her own blood. Her eyes were wide open, and seemed fear-stricken. She looked around the room, but her eyes never settled on anything for more than a few seconds. I knelt beside her and cupped her cheek in my palm. I could smell her blood mixed with the sweet scent of venom. It was probably too late to save her.

"I'm so sorry, sweet Bella," I whispered softly in her ear.

I felt extreme warmth on my shoulder, and looked up into Sam's eyes again. He was watching me carefully. I could sense in his core that he was trying to decide whether he could trust me or not. I tugged at his alliance with me as my eyes shifted back down to Bella.

"Is there anything you can do for her?" he asked.

I sighed deeply and closed my eyes. I leaned in close to her skin and licked at her wound on her collar bone. I tasted the sweetness of the venom. I took in a deep inhalation of her scent and shook my head. Being this close to her while she bled would normally have me in a frenzy, but once the venom was in the system, the blood became soured to us, and undesirable.

"No, the venom has already passed through her heart. There is no stopping the change now," I answered solemnly. I'm sorry, Bella. I can't stop it, and I can't save you.

"Can you put her out of her discomfort?" he asked me hesitantly. There were a few gasps in the hallway behind me.

"No, I'm afraid you can't destroy someone while they are mid change. Anything you attempt would only be repaired by the venom, short of burning— but, to burn while changing… I… I would never wish that on anyone, not even my worst enemy. To burn while one was changing could take over a day, and would be the most excruciating pain."

The sound of the screams echoing throughout the stone rooms and the smell of burning flesh mixed with the sweet incense of venom. The body repairing almost as quickly as it burned, melting the flesh and exposing the tendons.

I shook my head at the memory and shuddered. Two of the wolves were arguing in the hallway.

"No, Jake. She can't stay here. She would be a threat to everyone here," Sam said.

"But, Sam! She's like family! We can't just leave her alone somewhere and expect her to run off once she comes around. That's not fair to her!" The other boy said as he pushed his way into the room and stood beside me, shaking.

"I know, Jake, but she can't stay here either," said Sam.

"I'll take her," I interjected quietly. I stared into Bella's eyes as they shifted to me and blinked. She still looked terrified, but I recognized something else in her eye, I just couldn't be certain what it was. I smiled at her softly and rubbed the back of her hand. She blinked again and looked straight up at the ceiling. Why aren't you screaming yet? She had told me that she cried out when James bit her, so why wasn't she doing so now?

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, "You barely know her, you—"

"I said, I'll take her," I replied confidently. I placed my arms under her gently and lifted her small frame to my chest. I cradled her to my body as I took her downstairs and outside.

"Where will you go? I can't permit you to stay anywhere near Forks, or Washington," Sam said as he followed me outside. The other boys looked as though they wanted to argue, but couldn't. I sensed Sam's core again and noticed that the boys following him seemed to be attached to him with a thin line of energy. Interesting. He is connected to them. A physical and mental leader perhaps?

"I'll take her north. We will leave the state, and when she wakes I will teach her what she needs to know about our life. I will look after her as if she was my own, and I was her sire," I said calmly as I crossed into the forest, not wanting to stand around outside her house.

The pack followed me a short distance into the woods until I stopped and turned around. "What will you do about her family, and the story?"

"We'll make it look like an accident. We'll take her truck and crash it, making sure it catches fire and burns. We need to think this through and make sure the evidence is solid. I don't want anyone looking into this anymore than necessary," Sam said.

"Well, then you need some of her belongings that her father will recognize to be in the truck. Also, make sure that something she was wearing today is left only partially burned. Make the accident look as realistic as possible. Maybe a gas can in her truck, and roll it into something, trapping the driver's side. We should change her into different clothing, so these ones can be at the scene. Make sure enough of the truck burns to be realistic to destroy all DNA, and bone fragments. The truck will need to leave real skid marks, or else it won't add up, so one of you gets to play driver," I added.

"I'll do it," the boy named Jake said. I nodded at him appreciatively; he seemed attached to Bella. His eyes shifted upwards to Sam, seeking approval. I felt Sam's core as he made the decision and nodded. The link between them grew brighter for a second. This Alpha thing is odd, I thought. Jake gazed back down at Bella as I continued to speak.

"Alright. Be thorough. We need everyone to believe it was an accident and only involved her. Clean up the scene at the room if you have time, but focus on the accident. I will be back around four in the morning to get some of her belongings. That should give me enough time to figure out where I am going, and how to get there. Also, her father will hopefully be exhausted from the sorrow of losing his daughter and be asleep."

"You can have my Jeep. If you are going north, you'll need a good vehicle for the snow. It's a Grand Cherokee, in great condition. I don't use it much anymore. I can say I sold it to someone in Port Angeles today. Emily and I have been talking about selling it."

The kindness I was getting from the pack was awkward, but I hadn't sensed any decisions to fool me in any way. I had to trust them, and they had to trust me.

"Thank you, Sam, that is very kind of you. That will help to cover our scent. How about you get the papers and the car, and bring them up to the Cullens' house. Don't come down the driveway though; leave it at the side of the road.

"I will change Bella into new clothes. Does anyone know when her father will be home?" I asked.

"It's just after four now, so in a little less than two hours," Jake said. I nodded at him appreciatively.

"Alright, then you should get to work. Bring a pair of her most comfortable clothes, and don't forget shoes and a jacket," I said to the boy.

Sam watched Jake dash back into the house and turned back to me.

"Thank you, Garrett, for taking care of her. If only the Cullens would have been as kind to her. She needed more friends in her life. I hope you can be that for her now. I'll have the vehicle ready and waiting for you at just after three in the morning."

"That should work fine. I can pay you for the jeep. I don't want you getting in trouble for not coming home with the money," I offered.

"No, it's fine, don't worry about it. Please, just look after her. She was like family to us at the Rez," Sam said as he looked down at Bella in my arms.

I nodded and glanced down at her. Her eyes were shut tightly as she gripped my shirt. I've never seen someone change so quietly before. "I promise to help her in any way she needs. I will not abandon her. She is like a little sister to me. I know that must sound strange considering how long I've known her," I said protectively.

"I understand what you mean. She seems to have the ability to draw everyone in and force them to get along, for her sake. She has everyone wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?" he said, a faint smile appearing on his lips, reminiscent.

I nodded and tried to smile. How right you are, Sam. Maybe that will be your talent, little human. I shook my head at the thought. I couldn't call her that anymore. My nickname for her would no longer fit.

"Sam." I hesitated. How do I ask this without upsetting him? "May I ask how Victoria got away? You said that you killed the boy, but I'm still confused as to how this all happened." I hoped he wouldn't take offense to my questioning of their skill at killing my kind. I chanced a look at Sam to determine his reaction and was surprised at his somber expression.

"We figured Victoria must have some kind of talent to avoid being captured. If luck could ever be a gift, she has it in spades." Sam grimaced as he sighed. He appeared to be in deep thought. What I wouldn't give to be a mind reader.

"What do you mean? You've tried to catch her before?" I asked.

"Yes. She's been around ever since the Cullens left, but she always managed to escape us. We weren't sure what it was that she wanted, but we knew by her red eyes that she wasn't with the Cullens. Last month, however, she stopped coming around. There was no scent of her anywhere, so we figured she'd moved on. We had no idea she was trying to get to Bella. If we had known…" He looked like he was in pain. This turn of events was certainly weighing heavily on his conscience.

"It's not your fault, Sam." I looked back down at Bella. Her eyes were still shut and her eyebrows were furrowed. I'm so sorry, Little-Bit. I wanted to smile at my new nickname for her, but I couldn't; not while I knew how much pain she was in.

Sam shook his head and sighed. "When Jake heard her loud music being played, we all heard his concern. We're all linked when we're phased and can hear each other's thoughts. I told him to check on her and sent Embry to take over Jake's patrol. The next thing I knew, Jake was yelling in his head 'Not her' and Bella was screaming. I guess Victoria could smell Jake, because she took off out the window, but the boy didn't follow. I think he was a newborn and couldn't resist the temptation of blood.

"Jake found him still drinking from her and caught him off guard. One bite at the boy's throat, and he was finished. We watched in terror through Jake's mind as he dragged the body out the window and into the woods behind the house to tear him apart. We couldn't believe there was another vampire, and he had gone after Bella. We all left patrol and split up to try and find Victoria, but history told us that she would escape. Bella quickly became our priority, and we stopped the search.

"When I reached the house, Embry had already arrived and started the fire a half mile away from the house, and Jake…" he paused and closed his eyes. He shook his head and took a deep breath. "Jake was shaking, I was afraid he might phase, but he wouldn't let go of Bella. He kept muttering, 'Not her'. I didn't know what to do. They look to me for decisions, and I didn't know what to do."

His eyes seemed so far away as he stared at Bella. I felt torn. I wanted to hear the rest of the story, but didn't want to interrupt him. I decided that I would wait for him to continue. After a few more seconds, he closed his eyes, and took a breath before looking back up at me.

"I don't know if we should expect Victoria back anytime soon. I don't know if we should keep a constant patrol around Charlie, in case she decides to go after him as well. I don't know. I don't know what to do," he said quietly.

"It's not your fault, Sam. The Cullens started this whole mess, and regretfully, everyone else has to pay for it, and clean it up. I'm thankful to you and your pack for looking out for her. I think keeping an eye out for Charlie would be a good idea. I doubt Victoria will stop. She might assume that Bella is dead, but I wouldn't be surprised if she returned. What do you plan to do if the Cullens return?" I asked.

"Why would they? They don't care about Bella," he scoffed.

"Well, they do have a member of their coven with the gift of future sight. Perhaps she saw this chain of events? It would be good to have a solid plan to cover all of the possibilities. Also, Edward is a mind-reader, so if he were to return, he could see that you are hiding something. You need to perfect your story, and keep your mind focused on something to avoid thinking about what has truly happened. You will need to be extremely cautious with your thoughts," I explained.

"I see. I was not aware of their specific talents. Thank you, Garrett. You have been very helpful, and I will not forget all that you have done for us, and for the Swans." Sam reached out his hand and held my gaze.

He was truly trying to be respectful. We were complete enemies, and yet this tiny figure that lay limp in my arms had brought us together. I shifted Bella against my chest so that I could support her with one arm. I shook Sam's hand, his palm radiating an intense heat that startled me, and nodded my thanks. He looked back down at Bella as our hands parted and he sighed.

"I wish there was more that I could do for her. Will she be okay? Did she even want this life?" Sam asked, concerned.

Before I could answer, Jake returned with a new wardrobe for her. I set her down gently in the grass and took the clothes from Jake. They both looked at me curiously, uncertain of how I intended to change her clothing. I sighed and took off her shoes and bracelet and jacket first, setting them on the ground beside her. I leaned over her to block them from viewing her full body. With vampire speed I peeled an article of clothing off her and replaced it just as quickly. I left her underwear and bra in place, not wanting to disturb her too much, or violate her privacy. Her scars, however, would be burned into my memory. They were all over her upper arms and abdomen, varying in length. I didn't realize until that moment how many scars she had given herself, and just how deep some of them ran.

Within seconds, she was fully changed and a neat pile of clothing lay beside her. I stood back up and scooped her up in my arms. The two boys stood, watching with a slightly shocked expression, but said nothing. Jake took the clothing and looked at Bella one last time.

"Bye, Bells. I'm so sorry. I'll take care of Charlie, so just take care of you okay?" He leaned in and slid his thumb across her cheek as he attempted to smile. He quickly turned and bolted back to the truck. It roared to life noisily and pulled out of the driveway. Two more wolf-boys jumped in the back before it shifted gears and drove down the road, and out of town.

Sam and I said our quick goodbyes before I ran back to the Cullens' vacant house. I dashed inside and sat at the piano bench with Bella still cradled in my arms. Her eyes opened quickly and locked onto my face. I tried to 'shh' her, but I knew that it was useless. She would be in severe pain and agony for three long days, and nothing could ease that journey for her.

I played her a few songs on the piano to let her know that I was still here for her. Her bloodied hand rested on a key near the center of the piano, making the note linger until it naturally faded out. She gripped the piano tightly with one hand, while the other still held onto my shirt. I wondered if she was trying to tell me something.

I sighed in frustration as I kissed the top of her head.

"You'll be okay, Little-Bit. It will all be over in less than seventy-two hours. We are going to go north, up into Canada, or maybe Alaska. Do you have any preference?" I asked her, smiling into her eyes. She just stared at me, gripping my shirt more tightly.

"Canada?" I asked, but of course, she didn't respond. "Alright, how about Alaska?"

She trembled slightly, and gritted her teeth as she shut her eyes. Is that a yes, or a no, I wonder?

"Alright, Alaska it is. Less people there anyway, so it'll make hunting easier for the first year."

I spent the next few hours just talking to her. I told her about the history of Alaska, and how some of the cities got their names. I described the different tastes of wild animals that could be found in Alaska. Eventually, her eyelids fluttered closed, signaling that the change had swung into full effect. It would begin by flooding her organs with venom and forcing the toxins out. She would be in excruciating pain for the next thirty-some-odd-hours, and completely incoherent. I almost expected her to start screaming the moment it took full control, but she still remained silent. Quite the fighter.

At three a.m. I heard a vehicle come to a stop outside. Sam closed the door, and left quietly. He never came up to the house. I didn't want to leave a trail of our scent, and the use of a car was the perfect way. If anyone came looking with a strong enough tracking ability, they would smell our scent at the Cullen house, and at her house, but they wouldn't be able to smell the trail from the vehicle that well. Once we got out onto the open road, there would be no following us.

After another hour, I went upstairs and set Bella in the room I had first found her in when I arrived in Forks. She always seemed the most comfortable in this room, so I decided it was as good a place as any.

"I'll be back within an hour, Little-Bit. I'm going to go get a few of your things, okay? Your father should be asleep by now, so I shouldn't disturb him." I kissed her on the top of her head and patted the back of her hand. Her temperature was soaring.

I returned to her house using the trail I had made earlier. I didn't want to leave multiple trails in case a vampire came along. When I reached her house, I crouched outside for a moment to listen for heartbeat. One steady rhythm could be heard in the upstairs, rear bedroom. It was quiet and slow, which meant that he was asleep.

As I got closer to her window, I smelled another vampire's scent. Something's off. No one else should have been here. I inhaled deeper. It smelled similar to the scent that lingered in the room I had just left Bella in, but I couldn't be certain. Cullens, already? Well, they do have a future seer. It was so strong that I was tempted to follow its trail into the forest, but I couldn't leave Bella for very long. It didn't go in the same direction as the vacant house, or the reservation, so I reminded myself that Bella was my priority. Cullens be damned.

I slipped through her window, and stepped carefully. I grabbed her notebooks and slid them into a bag. I knew she would want her poetry, lyrics and drawings. I studied the rest of her room and tried to think of what else she may want. I didn't see any large collections of photos, or knick-knacks sitting out. I looked through the drawers in her desk and nightstand, and found a picture of a woman who looked just like Bella, and a man. Below that picture was an older, more worn out photo of her father, holding what looked to be a one-year-old Bella. I took both photos and slipped them into the bag.

I opened her closet slowly, making sure it didn't squeak, and stepped inside. I took a few of her clothes and added them to the pile of her belongings. I found a rather snazzy-looking, knee-length coat and grabbed it as well. I took one last look around her room and climbed out the window with her possessions.

I hope I got the important stuff, Little-Bit, I thought to myself.

I followed my own trail back to the Cullens', and dashed up the stairs to Bella. She was shaking violently but remained completely silent. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her fists were balled at her sides. I slung my guitar over my shoulder, slid the backpack into place and checked my pockets. Smokes, lighter, pick, photos, wallet, comb. Yep, got everything. I reached down, picked up Bella gently, and held her to my chest. I kissed the top of her head and left the Cullen house for the last time.

I carried her swiftly to the jeep, right where Sam had left it. The vehicle's keys and paperwork lay on the driver's seat. There was also a cell phone and a piece of paper with a number on it that said 'In case of emergency. Take care of her.'

I drove South, straight through Olympia, then East toward Seattle. We passed the Washington state border into British Columbia in a little less than five hours. It would have been a much faster trip if we had taken the ferry from Port Angeles, but I wanted to stay in the car.

./.

We made it across the border without any issues, and I settled in for a long drive. I stopped every 4 hours to fill up on gas and check on Bella. I took some paper towels from the public restroom and soaked them with cold water and used them to wipe down her sweating skin. I didn't remember much of my own change, but I had been told once that the cold helped ease the burning, and I would have done anything to make the transformation easier on her.

It took twelve hours to cross through British Columbia into the Northern Territories. The sun had already set by the time we finally made it to the Alaskan border.

"It's been over twenty-four hours, Little-Bit; less than forty-eight hours to go. The worst part is almost over. Hang in there for me, you're doing amazingly well." As I watched her through the rear-view mirror, she shifted on the bench seat.

The last few hours through Alaska went quickly as we drove in the darkness of the night. There would only be five hours of daylight this time of year, and the snow was coming down heavily. I feared I would have to leave the jeep behind and run the rest of the way, but we eventually made it into Tok, Alaska, and I stopped to change the tires into thicker treads and re-apply the snow chains. I tended to Bella once more before filling up and heading off to our final destination.

We drove through Central Alaska until we finally arrived in Paxson. The population was under fifty people, and was well off the beaten path. I took the jeep off-road and stopped once I came upon the small Sevenmile Lake. It was a little after six in the morning, and she had about thirty-four hours left before her pain would cease. I grabbed my guitar and picked Bella up, carrying her to the lake and setting her down on my trench coat. I sat down beside her and stared out across the frozen lake with a somber expression.

"I'm so sorry, dear Bella. I know this is the last thing you wanted, and for that I am sorry. You probably can't focus on what I am saying. Your mind should be in the beginning stages of changing right now. Your memories are probably flashing through your mind as your brain tries to restructure itself. It's like a filing cabinet that's being extended and re-organized. Your human memories are being shuffled into the back of the old cabinet, and room is being made for the new ones," I spoke to her quietly, holding her hand in mine.

I wanted to comfort her, and explain everything that was going on. For some reason, I always thought that if you could understand what was going on, you wouldn't be afraid, but I knew that she couldn't hear me yet. Her mind wouldn't be clear of all the processing for another four or five hours. Once her mind finished expanding, her brain's chemicals would burn away and venom would replace what had been eradicated.

The first thing she would remember at that point would be the burning pain. How well the mind dealt with the change, would determine how much memory would remain intact. I had seen many promising vampires turn into hard bodies with no memories due to how their mind processed the transformation. While some had proven themselves useful for certain situations, most had to be… dealt with.

I decided to pass the next few hours by playing my acoustic guitar for her. I had already played her every song I knew on the piano, which wasn't nearly as many as I knew on the guitar. I chose my favorite pieces and strummed quietly as I sang the lyrics.

After a few hours of playing my favorites, I shifted to playing my own pieces for her. I doubted she would remember much of this, but it wouldn't hurt anything. I glanced at her, bracing myself for her expression of pure agony, but was surprised when I saw her lying there, unmoving, with her eyes closed. Her jaw was clenched tightly and her fingers were curled into tight fists, but she showed no other signs of pain.

What I would give to read her mind right now.

Song question of the chapter: What one song did you grow up listening to from your parents or sibling's influence that you still adore, or connect with, for any particular reason. =)