(A/N: This is the chapter I've had planned since, like, chapter 10~ I hope you guys enjoy it! It's a LONG one…~
WAIT, before you start, PLEASE READ THIS~ *ahem* On my page, as of now, is a link to my new website about this story. It has many pictures and different discussions on it of which I'd like any, most, or all of my fans to comment on. Plz check it out if you have time. Thank you, now back to the story~)
E POV
(Krystle's 10th Day without Blood)
Esme and Krystle had become very close over the past few days, and I could tell by her thoughts that she considered Krystle her own, like a daughter.
I knew this already and completely accepted it.
With that in mind, I should have seen the next thing coming…
Bella and I were sitting together on my piano bench; I was playing a song for her, when I heard Esme's brief thoughts.
"What would Carlisle think if I asked him about adopting Krystle…?"
My eyes widened a bit. From that one thought I could tell Esme had actually been considering this option, and thinking about it quite often, for quite a while. She'd been keeping a careful check on her thoughts around me, though, so I wouldn't know. She was still undecided and didn't want anyone to get excited (or Krystle find out) and then it not happen…
Bella noticed I was distracted (though I was still playing for her). "What is it Edward?" she asked, her voice filled with concern and love as she placed a hand on my knee,
I just shook my head and mouthed, "I'll tell you later, it's nothing important." Jacob and Renesmee were in the room and I didn't want Jacob to hear… If he knew, Seth would quickly know to, and then Krystle would know… Seth couldn't (and wouldn't) keep that from her if he knew about it.
I continued to play for my Bella as I listened to Esme. She was going to go talk with Carlisle about it. She'd pretty much decided that she wanted to adopt the girl, so she thought she should tell him now rather than later (the plan was about 3 days old). She headed up the stairs to speak with him in his study.
Esme stepped into Carlisle's office gingerly and Carlisle instantly looked up from his work at his wife. He smiled warmly, lovingly, at her and she instantly relaxed a bit, smiling back, though I could see that Carlisle could tell that something was on her mind.
"I wonder what's bothering her…" Carlisle mused mentally. Then he spoke his concerns aloud.
"Dear, what is it?" he asked her, his voice filled with concern for her and her alone.
Esme sat down in the chair across from him by the desk; she set one hand on the desktop in front of him when she did. "I've been thinking… about… adopting Krystle…" she started, glancing up at him, "and, of course, I was wondering what you opinion was on that."
Carlisle smiled warmly at her again. He, too, had noticed how close the two were becoming and had suspected that Esme would wish this. He thought it was very sweet and his thoughts got a bit lovey…
I pulled out and went back to Esme's thoughts.
"Of course honey," Carlisle told her. "I think we should make some paperwork for her and have it all ready… and then we can ask her… I do think it should be totally her choice, too, though…"
Esme nodded, sighing a bit. "I completely agree… even if she says no… I refuse to let her live on the streets again, EVER though…" she said in a firm voice, glancing towards the door.
Carlisle placed his hand on top of Esme's stroking the back of it with his thumb. "I know dear, and no matter what happens, we can always do just that."
Esme nodded and turned back to face Carlisle, who smiled at her again before picking up her hand and bringing it to his lips to give it a gentle kiss. Then, I pulled out of both of their thoughts completely.
I kept my mouth shut about what I'd just heard; Esme would tell us all when she felt the time was right… Until then, I could only wonder how it would all turn out…
K POV
(15th Day without Blood)
Seth had one arm around me as we played Life with Renesmee and Jake on the Living Room floor in front of the T.V. in the Cullens' house. My throat was on fire, even when I wasn't breathing… but I could handle it… as long as no one stirred up the wind too much… or cut their finger…
I felt Edward's gaze on me. I glanced over my shoulder to see him glaring at me. I knew what he wanted me to do, and even with Bella right next to him, he still constantly opinionated on how he felt about my… choice, whether it was verbally or not, he did.
I glared back at him, unafraid.
"Not ONE word," I reminded him mentally. He scowled at me, but kept his mouth shut.
Just then, Alice pranced into the room with a pout (along with a confused look) on her face. Edward chuckled.
"What is it Alice?" Bella asked right before I was going to.
She scowled, stopping next to the couch. "I keep seeing visions of me buying party supplies for something… but every time I try to see what that something IS the vision goes black!"
Just then, Alice's eyes widened and Edward chuckled again just as she suddenly spun to face me. "When's you birthday?" she asked me.
"Oh, no… You are NOT going to throw me a party!" I said, my hands in the air in surrender pose.
Alice beamed. "Then it's soon?" she persisted.
I bit my lower lip and Alice beamed, taking my silence as a yes.
"YEAH! What day?" she practically begged.
"If I tell you then you will throw me a party!" I pointed out, "which is something I still don't desire."
"If you DON'T tell me, I'll find out… somehow… and throw you one anyways," Alice informed me, "so you might as well talk."
I moaned and fell back onto the carpet, one hand on my head, eyes closed. "Alice…" I groaned.
Alice laughed.
Suddenly, Seth's voice was in my ear. "I want to throw you a party, too, you know…" he breathed, I could hear the grin in his voice, "and I know when your birthday IS."
My eyes flashed open to glare at Seth. "You wouldn't."
Seth laughed. "BIRTHDAYS are important, especially yours. What isn't there to celebrate about your birth?"
"The parents who birthed me," I growled.
Seth sighed, picking up one of my hands and kissing the back of it. "A different reason, please, one that isn't so depressing."
I sat up and leaned into Seth's shoulder. "Fine, they are important… I guess…. It's just; I've never made a big fuss over my birthday before… Besides… I've never even had a birthday party thrown for me before…. Why start now?" My voiced had gotten lower towards the end as I looked up at Alice's shocked expression.
Edward laughed again. "Alice, chill, you're going to be the second vampire to ever get a heart attack!" Alice stuck out her tongue at him.
Bella looked confused. "And who was the first?"
Edward smiled at her. "Me of course. You've scared me half-to-death often enough." Bella smiled back at him sheepishly and buried her head in his shoulder.
"Well, I'm just shocked!" she informed Edward, and then she turned her gaze back to me. "NEVER had a Birthday Party?" she exclaimed.
I shook my head.
"Well then I have even MORE reason to throw you one now!" Alice told me. "Please tell me when it is! It'll be fun, I promise!"
"Please," Seth pleaded with her.
I scowled… but then I sighed, giving in. I couldn't deny Seth anything. "My birthday is September 11th," I finally told Alice.
"OMG, that's a day before Seth's!" she realized. "Maybe you two could share a party…"
Seth shook his head. "No, I want it to be all about her, not me."
I sighed. "What if I don't like being the center of attention…" I muttered under my breath.
Then, Seth whispered in my ear. "To bad, Angel, you're always the center of attention… in my world…"
I smiled a bit.
Alice then squealed, clapping her hands. "Anyways, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! It'll be awesome I promise!"
"No pink!" I suddenly shouted. "Promise me that there will be NO PINK. I absolutely HATE pink!"
Alice sighed, but nodded. "Fine, no pink."
I smiled, leaning back into Seth again, relaxing. "Thank you."
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad… What's the worst that could happen?
Edward chuckled. "I'm not going to answer that," he told me, grinning. I stuck my tongue out at him.
My thirst suddenly flared up when Renesmee reminded me that it was my turn… I groaned mentally… but I smiled at her a spun to move my piece.
Great, I'd just adopted twins, now my car had 7 people in it (well 6 and one lying down in the middle… I hoped the cops didn't pull us over, for the 7th wasn't buckled…).
Just then, Quil came in the door, blowing a breeze over me.
I was gonna die.
Edward tensed up, looking like he was about to leap for Renesmee… I growled at him and he glared right back…. Renesmee may have smelled good, but I would kill myself before I hurt her.
I needed to feed soon though…
"Seth, it's your turn to patrol," Quil announced, grinning. "Sorry but you have to leave your girlfriend."
"Yeah and you had to leave Claire when YOU patrolled," Seth retorted back. Then he sighed and gave me a kiss on top of my head before gently sliding me off of his lap. "I'll see you later," he told me before jogging out the door with Quil.
Renesmee sighed too. "I guess we have to pause the game until he gets back…"
Jake instantly tried to cheer her up. "We can play War until then, or Rummy, or Go Fish until he comes back if you'd like."
Renesmee's mood instantly brightened up. "Okay," she told him, then she instantly turned to look at me. "You'll play, too, right?"
I shook my head. "Sorry girl, but I really need some fresh air so I'm going to go take a walk."
Renesmee looked a bit disappointed but then she smiled at me. "Okay, enjoy your time outside."
I couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks," I said as I rose to go.
"You won't tell him," I thought sternly to Edward as I neared the door. "If he comes back before me, tell him I went on a walk."
Edward was glaring at me, I noticed, when I glanced over my shoulder at him. I was glaring, too, but my expression softened when I saw his glare, I knew what he was thinking.
"I know you don't like lying to him, but I promise I'll tell him when I get back… later," I finished as I closed the front door behind me.
Then, I shut off all my thoughts about Seth and Edward, except the one thought I had to move AWAY from Seth's scent so he wouldn't find me… Once I found which way his scent went, I headed the opposite direction, going deep into the woods…
I went far away from the house, far enough that I could no longer hear the voices in the house… and then until I could no longer feel ANYONE around me… I was probably a good 6 miles out… Then, I stopped.
Time to hunt… vegetarian style.
I let my hearing range out, listening for a heartbeat… I let my humanity slip away, I didn't want to be worrying over the poor creature when I needed to FEED… I inhaled, growling when I smelled a herd of deer only several yards away… I was down wind, so they hadn't heard me yet…
The deer smelled a bit disgusting… but I was so THIRSTY….
I creeped forward until I could see 3 large buck… and a few scattered does…
I waited a second then launched myself onto the back of the biggest buck, quickly snapping its neck before hopping onto the next largest one and killing it also. The rest of the herd scattered and I went to my feast.
I bit into the largest one, taking in large gulps. Lord did that help the thirst…
I was finished too quickly and moved onto the next one… I was too focused on quenching the thirst to think enough to listen to my surroundings… so, as a result, when I was done with the 2nd one, I had no idea I was being watched.
A grey blur suddenly appeared in the corner of my vision. My head snapped up, mouth still smeared with blood as I looked around rapidly. Then, the grey blur suddenly leaped out and pinned me down to the ground.
I fought against it, but it was way too strong for me… I was still in hunting mode so I growled without thinking.
Then I realized who it was… Leah.
I instantly froze, my expression one of shock.
"Leah… I don't want to fight you!" I said, struggling again to get loose under her massive paws. I wonder how she could be doing what she was without anyone hearing her thoughts… but then I figured she'd probably taken over for Seth, or gotten him to leave somehow… AND we were out of Edward's hearing range…
I was doomed… I couldn't outrun her and she was WAY stronger than me…
Leah snarled ferociously at me… She would never shift to speak to me… or maybe she would.
Leah put her paws on either side of my head now. Then she suddenly grabbed my left arm with her teeth. She tossed me, hard, against a tree. The second my back slammed into the trunk, Leah shifted. I gasped in pain, collapsing to the ground.
"Listen," Leah snarled at me. "I still don't like you!"
"Why?" I interceded.
"YOU AREN'T GOOD FOR HIM!" she shrieked at me. "I hate you! DO I need another reason beside the fact that you are a killer? Just stay away from him!"
That would never happen, she'd have to force me to do something like that. "No," I said sternly, my expression hard.
"Then I'll make you," she growled.
"I'm NOT going to fight you Leah," I said, my tone matching my expression now.
Leah shrugged her shoulders. "That makes it easier for me," she sneered and then she shifted into a wolf again.
I scrambled to my feet and tried to climb the tree behind me, but Leah was too fast for me to make it up very far. Her teeth sank into my right ankle and she yanked me down to the ground. Before I could get out a shriek, she rammed her nose into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. The only sound I made was a gasp. "A –"
Leah quickly grabbed my leg before I could move again and flung me against another tree opposite the one I'd hit before. My left arm hit it first and I heard several cracks... This time, I did manage to get out a loud shriek of pain.
Leah lunged at me again and picked me up in her powerful jaws… by my stomach…
I whimpered, I actually whimpered… Her teeth hadn't broken the skin yet, but…
"Leah, PLEASE," I begged, a bit breathless.
She bit me and I shrieked again, even louder. Blood began to flow down my chest…
Suddenly, Leah dropped me and quickly shifted. I winced as I hit the ground, panting.
"Embry shifted too… He almost heard my thoughts…" she growled, mostly to herself, I assumed, for she wasn't looking at me as she spoke. I had a feeling she would have down more if it hadn't been for Embry.
I would never be able to repay him.
"Now," Leah said, returning her focus to me, "stay away from him, or I'll come back," she snarled. Then she calmed down, changing her thought process I was assuming, before dashing into the woods and shifting once more, running away from me…
I groaned once she was gone, there was no chance anyone would just FIND me anytime soon… and I didn't really want to just lay out here. I was already getting woozy from blood loss… I really needed to call someone.
I reached for my cell phone (which I'd managed to keep from breaking) and tried to call Seth.
It rang…
… and went to voicemail.
I cussed, moaned, and then tried again… This time I tried Alice.
Voicemail.
I had the worst possible luck in the world… Leah hated me and now NO ONE would answer my phone calls…
Finally, I tried Esme…
It rang… Once… Twice…
"Hello?"
E POV
Neither Seth nor Krystle had come back when Alice had another vision… It went away too quickly for me to get a good glimpse at it, though…
"A medical bag… What was that Alice?" I asked her, confused.
She groaned, plopping down on the couch beside Bella and I. "I don't know…" she complained, her voice exasperated.
Just then, her phone beeped. Alice whipped it out.
"Hm… one missed call…" she said.
"From who?" Bella asked.
"Krystle…" Alice told her just as she hit the button to call her back. "Drat! It's busy!"
"Drat?" Bella asked, laughing a bit. I chuckled with her. Alice stuck her tongue out at us.
Another ring sounded from the Kitchen where Esme was cooking Lunch for Renesmee and Krystle; homemade pizza.
"Hello?" Esme answered. Even though I didn't want to eavesdrop, I wondered if it was Krystle…
It was.
"Esme," she breathed. "It's Krystle…"
"Dear, you sound terrible! Where are you? What's wrong?" Esme persisted, her voice filled with motherly worry. Alice heard Esme and realized who it was. She was up and in the Kitchen in a flash.
Just then, Seth came back from his patrol.
"Where's Krystle?" Seth asked, glancing around the Living Room.
I sighed. "She went for a walk," I told him just as she had instructed me too… at this rate, though, if she didn't tell him soon, I WOULD.
Esme's worried thoughts suddenly interrupted me.
"She sounds injured," she barely breathed rapidly to Alice. Both of them were aware of Seth's presence… They didn't want to tell him anything until they were sure of what was happening.
Alice snatched the phone from Esme. "Krystle, this is Alice. What happened? Are you okay?" she whispered quickly, but her voice, though it was soft, was filled with anxiety.
"Wait…" Seth started, feeling the tension in the air. He tired to peer into the Kitchen before flashing his stare back at me. "What's going on?"
I didn't know what to say… how to explain, because I didn't really know what was going on myself. I opened my mouth to speak when I heard Krystle's answer.
"Leah attacked me…" she choked out, beginning to sound weak.
"Oh, no…" Esme breathed, her voice breaking at the end.
"WHEN?" Alice asked, her whispered now filled with anxiety AND anger. "How badly are you injured?" she persisted as Esme darted upstairs.
"Carlisle!" she called desperately as she ran.
"WHAT is going on?" Seth repeated, his voice rising. His thoughts grew anxious, too, all of them filled with Krystle and what COULD be going on… None of them were close to the terrible reality.
I rose from the couch with Bella. "It's Krystle…" was all I had time to breath before Seth interrupted, but I was still listening to the phone conversation.
"Is she HURT? Where is she?" he shouted. One of his hands started to shake…
"I- … I don't know Alice! Just please HELP me," she wailed.
Then, Esme came rushing back down the stairs and snatched the phone back from Alice. She'd heard what Krystle had just said.
"Sweetie, calm down. We're on our way," she promised and then hung up the phone.
Seth looked like he was about to breakdown. Esme went over to him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder just as Carlisle ran down the stairs.
"Alice, my medical bag," he instructed my sister.
Alice scowled. "Stupid vision… THIS is what it's about…" she growled under her breath, but she quickly did as told.
"Seth, Krystle is hurt, and we only know that she's in the middle of the woods…" Esme began to explain to him just as Alice came back.
"What happened?" Seth asked softly, his voice filled with shocked.
"Leah happened," Alice growled as she handed the bag to Carlisle.
Seth's eyes widened even more, then his expression became fierce. He began to shake again. He quickly backed out of the house, barely making down our front steps as his shaking grew worse, but then he took in a deep breath and controlled himself enough to run into the woods so as not to lose a pair of pants…
When he DID shift though, all of his fury came rushing back ten-fold.
"I'm going to KILL her!" he shouted mentally.
"Whoa man, what's going on?" Embry asked Seth just as I noticed Leah's mind disappear in the background.
Seth didn't notice.
"Come on, let's go!" Alice said, rather loudly as she went out the door. Seth started to search for her scent so we could find her. He found it rather quickly and ran after it, at full speed, before any of us had a chance to speak.
Esme, Carlisle, and Alice were the first to follow. I decided I would go too and darted afterwards. Bella was on my tail in a second. I gave her a kiss on the cheek, glad it wasn't her whom I was rushing to save. I know what I would have done if it HAD been Bella in Krystle's place…
S POV
I was running faster than I ever had before. The second I'd heard what had happened to Krystle…
I was going to MURDER Leah.
Embry was still waiting for an explanation as I dashed furiously through the woods, following Krystle's scent…
My thoughts of Leah and my Angel were all the answer he needed.
"Dude, you have to tell Jake!" Embry told me, shocked and appalled over what had happened, and also upset for me.
"YOU can," I growled, but I didn't care what really happened, or what Jake said. Leah was going to pay no matter what and I would be the one to GET her.
Embry decided to act on my words. He ran towards the place where Jake and Renesmee were (for they had also decided to take a walk on this fine day) and shifted once he got near…
Now, my thoughts were entirely alone…
Krystle's scent began to grow stronger, fresher, and I pushed myself even harder, desperate to get to her. I left the Cullens far behind in my wake, so I got to her first…
I could hear her breathing first… her shallow, short… pain filled gasps. I winced mentally…
Then, I stepped into the clearing and skidded to a halt when I could see her… I let out a loud, pain filled yelp…
Her body was just lying on the ground, covered in blood… looking very broken… crumpled…
I quickly shifted and yanked up my pants before dashing to her side.
"No, no, no, no," I moaned as I squatted down next to her. I brushed her hair behind her ear and her eyes fluttered open a bit.
"Seth…?" she rasped… Her voice was so soft… and it sounded very weak… and brittle…
"Sh… I'm here," I soothed, now stroking her hair. She moaned a bit.
Moments after this, Esme and Alice dashed into the clearing, stopping abruptly when they saw Krystle, too. Esme gasped at the sight of her, Alice looked horrified, appalled, and angry.
Carlisle, Edward and Bella ran in next. Neither Edward nor Carlisle paused, though, when they came in, they both immediately came over to Krystle's side and began to examine her extensive wounds… which still made my anger boil.
How could Leah even think about DOING such a thing to her? ESPECIALLY when I loved her like I did! AND Krystle had only tried to make peace with her, never PROVOKE her!
I moved myself so I could cradle Krystle's head in my lap so Edward and Carlisle could work.
"She broke her left arm… and some ribs along with it," Edward noted. I scowled, gritting my teeth to hold in my rage.
Krystle's shirt was soaked in blood, changed from a lovely green and grey AERO T to a… brown, horrifying mess… I wanted to yell in frustration at the sight of it…
Carlisle lifted up her shirt and this time I let out my reaction, a shocked gasp followed quickly by a ferocious growl. She had wounds there in the perfect, obvious shape of teeth… from a wolf's mouth.
"She's going to need stitches…" Carlisle said, a bit or sorrow in his voice. "I cannot do that here, but I can clean her wound…" He then got supplies out of his bag and began to work… When Krystle winced as he did, I did too.
Alice stepped forward, a worried, upset look on her face. "Krystle… what happened? Why did Leah attack you?" she asked softly, her voice concerned, yet burning with curiosity underneath.
Edward glanced at Krystle and then to Alice. "She says her voice is very weak… so she wants me to speak for her…" Edward told Alice.
Alice nodded. Then, Edward winced a bit.
"Well… She was out hunting," he started, hesitating as she thought of how to word it. That's when I noticed the two bucks on the ground… drained and cut throat.
"Wait, hunting?" I asked, now fully taking in what he was saying… As I spoke, I began to think about her feeding… and when she had LAST…
I couldn't remember her ever leaving to feed… How long HAD it been since she'd fed last?
Edward held up one hand, suggesting he wouldn't speak, so I glanced at Krystle, worried and upset.
"I'll explain later…" she breathed, her voice scratchy.
I nodded, wishing I hadn't spoken… She sounded so weak and needed to save her energy.
"She'd been hunting," Edward then continued, "and just when she'd finished, Leah had jumped out of the woods and pinned her to the ground…" We all listened intently as Edward explained.
"Leah shifted and… threatened her…" he told us. I tensed as he spoke… "She said to…–" he glanced at me meaningfully "– stay away from you… and she didn't, and doesn't, that she'd make her."
I growled. I wanted to hunt my sister down RIGHT NOW… The only thing that was keeping me here was Krystle… he head in my lap, the shallowness of her breath… and the beating of her heart. She kept me whole, human.
"Krystle refused to fight her, or leave Seth, so Leah attacked her… She shifted again, which gave Krystle enough time to try and scramble up a tree, but Leah grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her to the ground." Edward pointed out her wound on her ankle. "Krystle tried to scream, but Leah rammed her in the stomach –" he showed us the bruise, Esme looked like she was about to cry while Alice and Bella were simply horrified "– and knocked the wind out of her, cutting off her cry… She picked up Krystle and flung her into a tree, then; causing the broken bones –" he gestured to the breaks in both places "– Finally… she lunged at her and… picked her up by her stomach… She made her beg for mercy first… before biting her."
I looked down at Krystle and noticed that her eyes were closed, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.
My hands clenched into fists, shaking hard, but I would never shift near Krystle, EVER. I would never hurt her… Nor would I leave her, so I fought the urge to go rip my sister's head off then and there… SHE needed me…
Krystle lifted up her unbroken arm to stroke my cheek, opening her eyes to look up at me and I instantly stopped shaking.
"Krystle's convinced that Leah would have continued if Embry wouldn't have shifted then, making Leah's thoughts vulnerable…" Edward said, his voice lower now. "Then she left her here…"
I growled, THAT was why Leah had let me off of patrol duty early… THAT was why she'd been being so nice to me, acting nice to me… She didn't want me to hear as she maimed my girlfriend…
"That – … That's horrible," Bella breathed, her voice filled with sorrow. Edward instantly went over to her and tried to sooth her.
"I'm so sorry she did that to you…" Alice told Krystle, sorrow filling her voice. Krystle nodded to her.
Esme then walked over to us and squatted down by her husband.
"She'll be okay… right?" she all but pleaded, her voice (which was barely a whisper) filled with motherly concern.
Carlisle nodded. "Yes, she'll be fine… though she may have scars… I've never had to… 'nurse' a half-human half-vampire before… so I can't be sure how exactly she'll heal, but, a human would most likely make it…"
"Most likely?" I asked, my voice rising in panic.
"Sh… No need to make her any more anxious, or stressed, then she already is. It definitely won't help her situation," Edward warned me, his voice soft enough (and fast enough) that Krystle hopefully hadn't heard him in her… condition.
Just then, Carlisle injected some morphine into her elbow (veins)… I watched as he wrapped her wounds next… and then he sighed.
"That's all I can do for her here," Carlisle informed me as Krystle began to relax slowly in my arms; the morphine was kicking in.
Carlisle noticed this, too. "I might have over did it on the morphine, but I was not sure how fast she would burn it off so…"
"It's okay, better safe than sorry," I reassured him, beginning to stroke Krystle's hair again.
"We need to get her back to the house now," Carlisle said, standing. When he rose, Esme did too. "Edward," he continued, "why don't you and Bella head back ahead of us and get a spot ready for her where I can stitch and cast her?"
Edward nodded and he and Bella darted back through the woods.
"Is it okay that I move her now?" I asked Carlisle, my arms itching to hold her, to cradle her in my arms… to make her feel safe, loved.
Carlisle nodded. "It should be fine… though moving certain things may cause her a bit of pain," he warned me. I simply nodded back before gently scooping her up in my arms.
Krystle looked half-asleep, but she managed to smile up at me as I held her there. Her head was limp against my chest and I couldn't help but smile back at her, even though she was so hurt…
Esme stepped forward. "I can carry her back if you want me to. You can run with us then and we can get back faster…" Esme told me. I scowled mentally, I wanted so much to simply carry her myself… but I knew Esme was right… it WOULD be faster, and I knew she wouldn't hurt her… Esme loved Krystle almost as much as I did… almost.
I sighed and nodded. Esme smiled warmly at me and gently took Krystle from my arms. She barely stirred.
"Go on…" I told them then, "I'll catch up." They nodded, though Alice had a suspicious look on her fast, and headed off into the woods.
I waited until they were a bit ahead before allowing myself to swiftly shift… Then I darted after them.
Embry was back… He'd talked with Jake. As I ran, he replayed what had happened to me.
Jake had been appalled… He'd promised he'd talk with me about it later, as to what we would do about Leah… and her actions.
Embry was also listening to my thoughts, and seeing the extensiveness of her wounds and I heard what Jake said… I was still dashing forward, desperate to catch up with the Cullens and see Krystle again. Being away from her always made me anxious, but I was even more anxious now with her in the state she was in.
I prayed she wasn't in pain…
I caught up with the Cullens quickly, relaxing when I saw my Angel still safely cradled in Esme's arms.
I kept pace with them as we neared the house, now all but ignoring Embry… My thoughts were on Krystle only…
… and Leah.
At one point, Krystle lifted her head to find out where I was. She smiled at me, but I gently growled at her, not wanting her to strained herself. Krystle had enough energy to roll her eyes at me before laying her head back down.
The house came into view and I growled mentally. I had to go shift now, leaving her… I wanted to stay by her side,,,
I split off from the others and shifted quickly before running back to the house to be by my Angel.
K POV
My thoughts were getting fuzzier as the morphine continued to work its magic, all but erasing my pain.
Of course, the morphine was also messing with my head… Because it WAS, when Seth headed off our course to go deeper into the woods as the house came into view, I couldn't fully comprehend why he had. My lips turned down in a frown.
"Where's he going?" I asked (to no one in particular), my voice a bit slurred.
Esme smiled down at me, realizing what state of mind I was in.
"He's going to shift, honey," she explained kindly. "He can't very well come into the house as a wolf now can he?"
I nodded, slowly understanding, as we entered the house.
Edward and Bella had already set up Carlisle's things in the Living Room. All his medical supplies were there, along with a sheet covering the couch, which I was set on.
Carlisle took off my shoe and began working right away, starting (obviously) with my ankle. He unwrapped it and began to clean it again. With the help of the morphine, the only thing I could feel was the cold, not the pain.
Seth came sprinting in just as Carlisle finished wrapping it again. He quickly went over to me and sat at my head. I scooted myself back so I could rest my head on his lap. He smiled down at me when I did and began to stroke my hair again.
"Krystle, I need you to roll over for me so I can look at your back," Carlisle told me in a warm voice, though he sounded very much like a doctor.
I nodded and slowly did so, getting groggier (still from the morphine).
Carlisle rolled up my shirt and I heard Seth let out a slight gasp, though I could tell he'd tried to hide it…
The marks on my back from Leah's teeth were bad, maybe worse than the ones on the front, though both cut deep into the muscles there.
"Will those need stitches, too?" Seth asked in a low voice. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Carlisle nod. Seth scowled.
"Which ones do you want me to work on first Krystle?" Carlisle asked me.
"My back…" I told him, my voice a whisper. I was so tired…
Carlisle re-cleaned the wound first before I began to feel a slight tug on my skin as he stitched it… It felt really weird.
Carlisle worked quickly with each wound, and soon I very slowly rolling over onto my back (so as not to disturb the stitches too much) so he could work on my stomach.
That's when I noticed Esme and Alice were gone… I must have said my thoughts aloud because that's when Carlisle spoke.
"They thought you wouldn't want them watching while I worked on your wounds," he explained to me kindly as he stitched.
"Oh…" was all I managed to reply with.
Seth watched me silently was Carlisle worked.
"Watcha thinkin' about?" I asked him, looking up to see his face. Seth sighed, moving his hand to stroke my cheek.
"You really want to know?" he asked warily and I nodded, being a bit slow and not understanding what could possibly be on his mind…
"I was thinking about all the ways I could… harm my sister," he admitted sheepishly after a moment's hesitation, though a look of fury had come into his eyes as he spoke.
This time, I reached up a stroked his cheek. He relaxed instantly, his eyes closing at my touch and his facial expression gentle again.
"Promise me something…" I whispered. He opened his eyes to look at me and I continued.
"Don't hurt Leah… because of what she did to me…" I told him. Seth opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off. "I don't want her to hate me more, and I don't want to cause and anguish in your family… Any MORE anguish in your family… She still wants me to leave… and you going to get my revenge isn't going to help that… It might just provoke her more."
Again, Seth was about to speak when another person interrupted.
"Krystle, I know you two need to talk about this, but moving your stomach so much when you talk isn't going to help anyone," Carlisle informed me softly.
"Sorry," I breathed, shutting my mouth as he finished up my stitching.
Seth was quiet as well, but I noticed his muscles on his arm were taut. A hard mask was back on his face… He obviously didn't agree with the statement I wanted him to promise to…
Carlisle the stitching and then wrapped my entire stomach and part of my chest to help support the break (for he couldn't put a cast there).
Finally, Carlisle had to cast up my arm, which took a bit. He'd already checked (on sight) how and where the break was (how it'd broke) using his skilled hands, so now all he had to do was cast.
My eyes were getting heavier as Carlisle finished up. He patted my knee once he was done, said something to Seth, and then got his stuff (most of it at least) and headed upstairs.
I barely noticed, I was almost completely out of it.
"Go on Angel, you can sleep now… You need your rest…" Seth whispered soothingly in my ear, his voice filled with love.
I may have nodded, I couldn't remember, but I did take his advice and soon, I was out.
(A/N: WELL? Watcha think? I need reviews people~ I luv them! HOPE you liked it~ Now go check out my website~ lol~)
