3/27/15

Narrator POV

Charlie opened his eyes and yawned.

"Morning already." He thought to himself. He pulled his legs over the side of the bed and stretched. Looking back behind him he saw Sue still deeply sleeping, Ian had crawled into bed with them sometime in the night and was curled up and upside down near the pillows. He chuckled to himself and covered Ian over the best he could.

"Coffee." He muttered to himself. Charlie pulled a t-shirt over his head and slid on his slippers, making his way to the bathroom. After freshening up he began his walk through the castle to the kitchen. Walking through the dining room he passed by Emily and her children waiting patiently for breakfast.

"Morning Charlie." Emily greeted him.

"Good morning guys. Sam in the kitchen?"

Emily grinned. "Yes, he is making breakfast for us this morning. It's a wonderful change."

"Yeah." Charlie began. "Least he's not feeding the whole clan like you normally do. This should be a cinch." He chuckled as he waived his hand in the direction of the kitchen. "Off to get my liquid breakfast."

At that moment Edward walked into the dining hall. "Hello all, Charlie is Sue still in bed?" he asked him already knowing the answer.

"Yeah her and Ian." Charlie grunted as he continued into the kitchen for his coffee.

"Did you need to see Sue, Edward?" Emily chimed between her two tykes.

"Esme really. Edward began. "Masen and Renesmee have already left for their first day of school, Sue is supposed to teach the remaining children with Esme; however she seems to be sleeping in." He finished flashing his grin. Charlie returned from the kitchen, upon entering said.

" Ahh." Smacking his lips from his first sip of energy. "I'll go on an' wake her. Gotta get the kid some breakfast anyway." Charlie began his departure, paused briefly and turned to Edward. "Leah isn't teaching?"

"No." Edward laughed. "I don't think that was ever her intent, she left with Bella this morning to take the kids to school."

"Leah has really been looking forward to today…she hasn't shut up about it actually." Emily began laughing continuing Edwards answer.

Why would she? Charlie thought to himself, as he huffed and finally left to check on Sue. This'll be the only damn break she gets…Her husbands never guiding those kids.

Edward stifled a laugh as he left Emily to enjoy her family meal in peace as Sam just emerged from the kitchen with a giant omelet on a serving platter, and a plate full of flapjacks.

Cassie's POV

I hadn't slept very well last night. My head had been pounding all night. I had bruises all over. But the sun was rising and this morning I was to attend this makeshift school Gramma and Sue were planning for us. Today just wasn't the day for me. I would just have to find Mom or Dad and let them know that I needed more rest. I tied my hair back into a ponytail and walked out of my bedroom. I inhaled trying to find their scent among the others but I couldn't pick it up. I must've done something to my nose while I was in the woods…at least I could see again.

I intended to make my way to the forest hoping that my parents were hunting; when I heard a shriek from the floor below mine. I started running as fast as my injuries would allow toward the sound. It came from Sue's room.

"Sue?" I called out as I ran down the hallway. Ian poked his head out of the doorway with tears running down his face.

"Mom!" He cried out to me. "It's my mom!" He wailed. I ran past him into the bedroom to see Sue lying on the floor with a toothbrush in her mouth. When I got closer I realized she had hit her head somehow, there was blood staining her hair and floor. I looked up and noticed hair and skin on the side of the bathtub.

"Oh no…no no no…" I muttered to myself.

"Is she dead?' Ian whispered terrified of my answer. I gulped and brought my head closer to her. I couldn't hear anything.

"Come on, come on." I said aloud. Please, please let there be a heartbeat. Please just let my head be fuzzy. I kept searching for a second or two, with no luck I grabbed wildly for her wrist. Thank God; there it was. "Let's go." I said grabbing Ian and running panicked down the halls. "Help!" I screamed; nobody responded. I couldn't carry Sue to Grandpa; I had to find him or someone that could. "Ian!" I panted; brilliance coming to mind. "Block your ears! As tight as you can block them!" He grabbed his ears and buried his face into my shoulder. I inhaled and let out the loudest scream I could muster.

Still nobody came. Once more I gathered my strength and screamed, I would scream until somebody came. Windows were blowing out as I ascended the stairs with Ian, I covered his face the best could and kept my pace. I turned a corner and almost ran into Renee and Marcus.

"What's-" Renee began but upon seeing Ian in my arms realized what I needed. "Where?" She changed her question.

"Sue's room…alive when I left her…couldn't carry…" I panted feeling extremely lightheaded as we all ran back downstairs.

"Here." Marcus said taking Ian from my arms. "I will find Carlisle and inform him he's needed. "Rest child, find your mother." He stated parting ways with us. Ian glanced back at me; terrified.

"It's ok." I mouthed feigning a smile. I hoped that were true. Renee ran ahead of me and had Sue in her arms and running back down the hall before I ever made it to the door.

"This way!" Jasper called to us from the staircase. "Carlisle was adjusting Damien's splint in his office when Marcus brought Ian. He's preparing for Sue now." We ran towards our only beacon of hope.

"Go on!" I breathed to Renee. "I'll meet you… guys there." I waived them on ahead of me. She and Jasper bolted on out of site. Please, please let her be alright I thought to myself as I climbed the staircase one more time. Please, just-" I missed a step going up the stairs, grabbed onto the railing as I fell and slammed my cheek into the wall. "Ahhhhh." I gasped as I slid down a few more steps upon letting go of the railing. I decided to just lie there. I had done all that I could do with Ian and Sue and couldn't seem to stop hurting myself. Moving to Volterra hadn't been living up to my expectations so far.

"Are you alright?" A girl with hair as black as midnight called to me from bottom of the staircase. I hadn't heard her coming in the slightest. I'm as good as dead without my senses; especially being around myself apparently. I sighed but answered the stranger ought knowing better.

"They keep tellin' me I'll be just fine." She smirked and made her way closer to me.

"Yeah. I've heard that a time or two before." She replied looking slightly surprised of herself. "How are you feeling though?" She asked me nodding her head toward mine. "Slammed into that wall pretty well, I think you cracked it."

Panicked I turned to where she gestured, I had cracked the wall…that would have broken any humans bones, and I looked slightly bruised. "Oh." I muttered rubbing my face. "Hurts worse than it looks I guess." I smiled softly.

She nodded her head yet said nothing. Who was this girl? What was she? I listened intently trying to pick up her heart beat; I couldn't even hear my own however.

"Do you know where you are?" I asked her quizzically sitting up from my slightly more vulnerable position. She stared off higher on the staircase; I thought she had been pondering my question…but she lingered just too long. I turned my head behind me and couldn't see anyone. I sniffed the air sharply but my nose had proven useless to me all day already. "Do you see something?" I asked her bringing her attention swiftly back to me. Her welcoming persona faded and she frowned.

"No." was all she offered me and turned away. She starts walking back down the stairs.

"No what?" I called out to her. "I asked you two questions." Without turning back to me uttered "to both" and kept going. I lifted myself off the floor and stumbled behind her. "Hey, wait!" I called for her. But she didn't stop. I picked up my pace trying to keep up. "Please!" I called once more, reaching for a windowpane lining the hall. For the second time since waking I tripped, luckily this time I had enough sense to catch myself with my palms rather than my face.

Aria's POV

I heard a thud behind me. There was no need for me to stop. I already checked on her once…and it was going just fine…until she had to ruin it. I was seething and quickened my pace. You know she was actually kind of funny and cool to talk to…unlike everyone else in this place. I thought…I thought Masen was different….but he had to tell his sister….and it's only going to be a matter of time before they all know….and they'll hate me for it. They'll ask what I see, what I know. They'll ask me if I see him…..and…and that's mine….they can't take him away from me, they've already done it once….

*THUD* "ahhhuhhaaa" I heard the girl behind me wail.

"You know she wouldn't be so damaged had it not been for your dear Aunt Jane." Daddy whispered next to my shoulder. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if you extended that olive branch." He suggested in a singsong voice.

I turned to face him. "I owe her nothing, this wasn't my fault…not everything's my fault!" I finished slapping my hands to my side; more emphatically than I intended. Dad glanced back at the short blonde girl struggling behind us.

"She's staring now." He said calmly. "Shhh" He mimed when I began to speak. "Her state is not your fault but the fault of someone who has kept you safe since you were born. Someone who has been misjudged and needs help to redeem themselves in the eyes of people she's wronged. I've wronged." He finished solemnly. I sighed and nodded briefly. He smiled widely at me. "Good girl." He said proudly. I flashed a grin and began making my way back to her.

"I don't even know her name." I whispered as we walked back. "Cassie." Dad offered. "She doesn't know yours yet either. And she seemed happy to know you. You less happy to answer." He ended giving me his know-it-all smile. I loved to hate that smile.

"Okay okay I get it. Go on, leave me be, let me make a friend." I said shooing him away finishing my walk to the girl alone.

"Need a hand?" I said aloud as I got nearer to Cassie.

"Please." She huffed wiping the tears away. "No need to cry." I said less jokingly.

"I know." She said getting to her feet. "Seems to be all I'm doing though lately." She said stopping to take a shuddering breath. "That…and really, really hurt myself." She bellowed uncontrollably leaning against a windowsill. "You know they've…. Done everything…to keep me safe all this time…and I didn't even know… you could hurt this bad." She belted out in between sobs.

I didn't know what to do for her; how I could help her. "It'll be okay…" I said half-heartedly unable to cheer her up. "Are you hungry?" I suggested without any other lead. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess I could get my strength up…might help with my senses…none of them have been working since the accident." She said breathing heavily, but calming down.

"Well…come on then let's go hunt." I said to her cheerful that she stopped crying.

"Hunt?" She exclaimed fresh tears sprouting from her eyes; my cheerfulness seemed to be short lived. "I'm supposed to start school today…and what do you mean hunt?!" She hiccupped in between. "Who are you?" I couldn't take the tears anymore and my words seemed to be failing me.

I heaved her over my back and made my way to the forest to bag us some breakfast. Masen and his sister were both starting human school today; leaving me to hunt in peace….well…that's already changed hasn't it. "I'm Aria." I said to her as struggled feebly in my arms. "I'm taking you outside to hunt because as you can see I'm the same thing you are." I sniggered as Cassie finally stopped her flailing.

I took us outside faster by using a short cut on the floor we were on. Some of the windows had been shattered, I decided to take advantage of that and hurled us out of the window. I landed on both feet and would never have stumbled if I hadn't been carrying Cassie. She started squirming as soon as she realized we were safe and a set her down. "Happy hunting!" I smirked offering her the forest.

She brushed herself off and didn't meet my gaze until she was done. "Why are you here?" She asked me insistently.

"I live here with you now, my mother is the sister of one of you coven… Nahuel….she has asked for safe haven and it has been granted." I finished officially. "You're part of the group who was in the woods aren't you?" She asked wide eyed. I sighed.

"Look-" I began but she instantly started to back away from me. I scanned briefly for my father but he was nowhere to be found…he left me on my own just like I had asked him to. "No, stop, you're going to hurt yourself again!" I reached out for her but she flinched.

"They are letting you live her?!" she shrieked at me. "How-" she shook her head looking betrayed.

"Listen to me please!" I yelled over her. "I'm not going to hurt you! I helped you up; I brought you out here to hunt!" I paused waiting for her reaction. She continued to say nothing, but at least stopped trying to get away from me. "You can go inside in ask your family if you want." I muttered. "Or you can eat something, maybe feel better and have me watch you back while you do it. Then go inside and talk to them." I offered her.

She thought it over for a minute and rubbed her forehead. "Okay." She said quietly. She turned on the spot and began to walk into the woods. "I can't smell anything, and my hearing isn't much better." She stated as she hobbled along.

"What do you like?" I asked. "I can run and bring it to you if you'd like." I ended smiling at her. She smirked back at me and nodded.

"Can you catch a bird?" Her grinned widened upon request.

"Stay here." I said crouching and leaping into the tree tops. "I'll try." I grunted as I made my way higher and higher. I was sure this was something I could take care of without screwing it up.