Meetings

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight, except my own. I also do not own anything from the movie. So please don't sue!

A body has been found in the alleyway right near Lyn's mother's publishing company. Is it her mother that was killed?

Chapter 6

I watched Charlie turn away and go out the front door. My breathing slowed down and tears still flowed down my cheeks, but I felt calmed. I sat there with my sister's cold arms wrapped around me, trying to comfort me. My mind was filled with hurt and confusion; if it was my mother, I wouldn't be able to carry on. My mother was everything to me; if I had lost her, things would never be the same for me. "Mom, will she be okay?"

"I don't know, honey. We just have to make sure that her mom's okay." I heard Bella answer. My heart felt like it was just staying together by thread, and I was trying to break out of my funk so Bella and the others wouldn't have to see me like this. I saw a flash of white and saw Charlie standing with us again. I looked at him, my tears finally having stopped. "Well, dad?" Bella asked.

Charlie unzipped his jacket, pocketing a cell phone. "I called the station and got the number for the police department in Seattle that's dealing with this case. I told them that I had somebody who probably knew the victim. They asked us to come down there tomorrow so Lyn can identify the body." He looked at me with concern etched into his eyes and his expression. "You can do that… right, honey?" I nodded my head slowly. I felt Bella unwrap her arms from around me.

"What time are we leaving?" Bella asked. Charlie and I looked at her in confusion. "We're not letting you go without us! We're family, and we're going to act like one!" I heard Esme speak her approval and Alice after her. At that moment, I was grateful to have such a wonderful family; it may consist of vampires, a werewolf, and us humans, but I felt very proud.

Charlie chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. "They're performing the autopsy at one-thirty. So we should leave around eleven, eleven-thirty-ish." He spoke. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. I got to my feet and Bella got up with me.

I slowly made my way to the stairs and began to wobble my way up them. Bella was behind me, ready to catch me if I lost my footing or stumbled. I survived the staircase and then made my way to my room. I laid across the bed, being careful with my leg, and stared at the wall. "Don't worry, Lyn. Everything will be okay, I promise." I heard Bella tell me. I nodded my head, when I heard a faint melody start. I looked over at Bella who was standing near the stereo system, and saw that she had turned it on. Debussy's "Clair de Lune" filled the room, and I felt content. My eyes closed slowly and soon enough, I was fast asleep.

~*~*~*~*~

When I woke up in the morning, I felt the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. My door opened and Alice and Bella walked inside. "Good morning!" Alice greeted. I didn't know how to answer her; it definitely was not a good morning for me. "How are you feeling?" Bella asked me. I made a gesture meaning 'so-so' and she smiled.

I watched Alice disappear into the closet, and knew she was planning an outfit. Bella helped me to my feet and led me toward the bathroom. "It will be fine today. I swear. Let's get you a bath." She sat me on a chair that was in the middle of the bathroom and filled the sink with warm water and apple blossom-scented body wash. I undressed when she told me to and sat still as she sponge-bathed me.

"Bella, I'm perfectly capable of taking a shower." I protested. She laughed at me and ignored what I'd said. "I'm serious! Why are you sponge-bathing me!?"

Alice's melodic laughter filled the bathroom as she entered quickly and shut the door behind her. "It's because Carlisle doesn't want you getting your sutures or dressings wet. He said that you'll be able to take a regular bath or shower in a couple of days." I saw her set a garment bag on the hook on the door and set a pair of Versace sandals near the bag. Once Bella was finished with bathing me, she handed me a large body towel which I wrapped around me.

"Sit back down and lean back." Alice instructed me. I did as she told me and she washed me hair with the matching shampoo from the shower. She towel dried my hair and then styled it. "Your hair is so much more manageable than Bella's." she commented. I saw Bella glare at her, but she ignored it. Bella stood near me as Alice danced over to the garment bag. She unzipped it and I saw a complete outfit, undergarments included. Alice handed me the panties and I slid them on, followed by the matching bra. She pulled out a beautiful, green knee-length Versace dress from the bag. Bella helped me keep my balance as Alice slid the dress on. Once the dress was on and adjusted to Alice's liking, she helped me put the sandals on.

Once I was dressed, we began our descent downstairs to the dining room where Esme had breakfast ready. I took my seat and looked at the food on the plate in front of me; eggs, bacon and hash browns. I picked up my fork and pushed at the eggs; all of the food smelled really good, but I didn't really have an appetite. I was too nervous about what would happen.

"Is something wrong with the food?" Esme asked me. I looked at her and shook my head.

I felt like I was being ridiculous. "No, of course not. It's just… I'm not really hungry." I replied. She nodded her head in understanding and I caught Charlie looking at me worriedly. "I'm fine, dad. I'll be back to myself once this is all over." But deep in my heart, I knew I was lying. If it really was my mother's body I was going to identify, I wouldn't be myself from this day forward.

I did manage to eat a little bit of my breakfast, just a couple bits of eggs and hash browns. I promised Esme that by dinner time, I would be fine. She nodded her head and we all grabbed our jackets so we could leave. Charlie and I followed the rest of the family into the large garage. Charlie gave Carlisle the address of the police department before he joined me and Bella at Edward's car. I saw Carlisle putting the directions into the GPS system added to the dash of his car. When he was finished he came over to me and Bella. Rose, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper got into Rose's BMW; Carlisle and Esme were in Carlisle's Mercedes; and Edward, Bella, Charlie, and I got into Edward's Volvo. All of the cars were facing the now open garage doors, and they all peeled out of it at the same time. Eventually, all three of the cars straightened into a single line, with Carlisle leading us.

I watched the scenery pass us as we made our way to Seattle. It was cloudy the entire way, and I noticed that there really wasn't much to see. I closed my eyes and set my head against the headrest and relaxed myself.

~*~*~*~*~

I opened my eyes when I felt Charlie shaking my shoulder gently. Edward opened my door for me and helped me out. I looked at the ominous looking building in front of us; the Seattle Police Department. The others got out of their cars and joined us on the sidewalk. Charlie put his arm around me and we walked into the police station with the others of our family following us.

When we were inside, Charlie led me over to an information desk. The female police officer behind the desk looked up at all of us. "Can I help you?" she asked. The others stood behind us, keeping quiet and talking amongst themselves.

"Yes, ma'am. I called last night about the body found in the alleyway." The woman nodded and stood up. "I brought my daughter up here to identify the body." The woman nodded her head got the attention of one of the other officers passing.

The officer stopped and looked at the girl. "What's up, Stacy?"

"These people are here to identify the body that they found last night." She answered. The guy nodded and motioned for us to follow him. We fell in step behind him and he led us down to the morgue area. When we got down there, a group of people were gathered, and a family of three were walking out of the room. We got behind the last group in line, and began our wait.

We waited for an hour an forty-five minutes before we were ready to go in and view the body. I heard the door we came through open and the click of heels against the tile. "Don't tell me to calm down!" a female voice spoke. I heard the officer calling for the woman to wait, but she refused. "Don't tell me to wait!" she cried, flying past us. I saw the flash of auburn hair as the woman passed me and I felt her cashmere coat hit against my side. The woman stood in front of us as the officer went to her.

"Ma'am, these people have been waiting for a while! They have the right to identify the body first." The young officer spoke.

All of us watched as the woman's shoulders tensed. "I don't care…" she spoke. Her voice immediately struck a chord in me.

I paid attention to her facial features when she turned her head to look at the officer. "MOM!" Bella put her arm on my arm and the Cullens and Dad looked at me. The woman turned to face me, and I was relieved to see that it really was my Mom. I pushed my way past Alice and Jasper who were in front and ran over to her, practically jumping on her.

"CRISTALYN!" she wrapped her arms around me and tears were already flowing down her cheeks. "Oh, sweetie! Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried about you!" she said, kissing my forehead. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as she cried over my safety. She looked up and noticed Charlie and the Cullens standing there.

Turning my head, I saw Dad and the Cullens watching. "Thank you, Charlie." Mom said, her voice softening. He nodded his head and the family that was inside the room finally walked out. I looked at mom curiously, would she still want to try and identify the body? "I should see if it's anyone I know." I nodded my head; it was always like her to try and help out in any way she could. I looked at dad and he motioned for me to go with her, I nodded my head. The officer motioned for us to follow him and we walked in the room, shutting the door behind us.

I saw the Cullens and Dad through the glass of the sound-proof window. I nodded at them, with Bella nodding back at me. I turned my head back to face the officer and Mom. The officer pulled the cover back and set it over the corpse's chest. My mother let out a terrible shriek and collapsed to her knees. I looked at the corpse and immediately recognized the face; it was my step-dad. I felt the hot tears rushing down my cheeks again, and I kneeled down next to my Mom, wrapping my arms around her. She clutched onto me like she thought that I was going to disappear next.

"Ma'am…" the officer spoke, kneeling near us. "Is this a relative?" My mother let out another agonized cry and clutched me tighter.

I looked at the officer, my eyes overflowing and answered for her. "He's… my… step-dad." The officer nodded and stood up, grabbing the clipboard on the side of the body tray.

"His name?"

"Mark… Li." My mother sobbed out. Carefully, I got both of us to our feet and we stood watching the officer.

The officer wrote my step-father's name on the papers and then signed them. "Since you are the family… would you like to know the COD?" My mother didn't look like she could answer, so I nodded my head. "Apparently he was bled out. There are two tiny puncture marks on his neck." My mother looked at him.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

I knew what that meant; a vampire had killed my step-dad. The police wouldn't have an explanation and if they did, all they would say was that it looked like a two-pronged serving fork had been the weapon. Not wanting to have suspicion cast on me, I looked at him with inquiry.

The officer looked at the second paper on the clipboard. "Unfortunately we don't know the details of what happened. It looks like a two pointed knife or fork-like object could be the weapon. Also, there were no traces of blood in the alleyway we recovered the body from, so most likely it was the dump site."

I stood there, looking at the pale white face of my step-dad and knew that a small piece of me had died. Mark had been there for me since Charlie was not; but I didn't direct any animosity toward Charlie for living so far away. Mark had taught me how to ride my bike, how to roller skate, how to swim; I'd miss him like crazy. But it was my mother who had it worse; he was her other half and things would never be the same for her either.

I turned my mother toward the door. "I'm sorry for your loss." The officer spoke, covering the body back up. I nodded and led my mother to the door, opening it and walking out with her. I removed my arm to shut the door behind us and then I put it back around her. Charlie and the Cullens came over to us when we were out of the room. "You all right, Eva?" Dad asked. Mom didn't answer and I looked over at her; I was worried for her.

"It was… d—Mark." I told him. He nodded his head and we all walked back up to where we'd entered from. I noticed my mother's two editors waiting at the door, and I walked toward them. Their eyes widened as they saw us and they rushed over to us. "It was Mark." I repeated to them. Their eyes filled with sympathy and they wrapped their arms around my mother, leading her outside. I watched the two shuffle my mother outside and I stood where I was. It immediately hit me why they were here; and why my mother was too.

The others were by me a couple seconds. "Who are they?" Rose asked.

I glared at the entrance, filled with anger that they'd hurried my mother out of the building. "My mother's editors." I answered. I began walking out the door. "And they piss me off!" When I got outside I saw them getting into the limo; I heard the others right behind me.

I grabbed the limo door, preventing it from closing. The editor with the blonde hair, I think her name is Colleen, looked at me with wide surprise filled eyes. "How dare you!" I demanded. She looked at me dumb-founded. I heard Charlie and the Cullens stopping behind me. I saw the brown haired editor, Sasha I think, look up from consoling my mother inside the car.

"Excuse me?" Colleen asked me, sounding offended. I felt myself becoming enraged and I heard Jasper mutter something to the rest of them.

I clenched my hands and ignored the urge to punch her in her face. "How dare you!" I repeated. "You knew, didn't you!? You were the one who found him in the alleyway and called the cops! You made my mother come down here so she could have a freaking meltdown!" I shot at her. Her eyes looked like they snapped fire and in an instant she turned hostile.

"Don't go accusing me of anything! You're just a spoiled little rich girl who's upset because her mother doesn't want her travelling with her for the next three months!" she hissed.

I let my anger get the better of me and I launched myself at her, punching her in the face and pushing her to the ground. I felt hand and arms trying to restrain me, but I was too wild at the moment to be tamed. I slammed Colleen's head into the pavement and punched her again. I saw my mother and Sasha get out of the limo, Sasha coming to help Colleen. I was on top of Colleen, with my fist raised when I saw Sasha stop near us. She leaned down to grab me and I turned my head toward her leg, biting her. Sasha cried out in pain and stumbled away from me. I punched Colleen once more and then my mother's surprised voice called out to me.

"Lyn, stop it!" I stopped immediately, my fist in the air and looked up at her. There were drying tear tracks on her cheeks. I felt three sets of hands touch my arms and pull me to my feet. My mother looked at Colleen, her eyes flashing steel and fire. "You knew Mark was dead? You found his body?"

Colleen had blood dripping from cuts on her face and a bruise was already forming on her cheek. "You told me that Lyn called you and the line went dead! You told me that she was in the Seattle area, and you got worried for her safety! You LIED to me!!" Mom cried. Colleen carefully got to her feet and stood off with my mother. "You told me that it was probably my daughter lying on that table in there! You never told me it was my husband!"

"Where'd you learn to punch like that?" Emmett whispered. I smirked and answered him, "Just watch."

Colleen wiped the blood away from her nose and glared at my mother. "At least it's better than having little miss spoiled princess with us on the tour! She always holds you back from everything! You dropped that extravaganza ball last year because she didn't want you to! You don't need her approval for your life!" I tensed and clenched my hand into a fist. I felt three sets of hands back on my shoulders and I stood where I was. My mother glared at her and her eyes softened on me.

"My daughter has NEVER held me back! She's the reason I started writing, and she's the reason I'm where I am today!" she seethed at Colleen, taking a step toward her. "The reason I dropped the extravaganza ball last year was because she was sick and I wasn't going to leave her or have her out on the road while she had a viral infection!"

Colleen narrowed her eyes at my mother. "You see!? She's holding you back! You could be so much more popular if you kept with all the balls, book launches, etcetera!"

My mother was near Colleen now and I watched as she reared her fist back and punched Colleen straight in the nose. Colleen grabbed her nose and began swearing, while my Mom looked quite content with herself. Sasha stood behind my mother, just glaring at Colleen. "You're fired, Colleen!" she stated, Colleen looking at her with wide eyes. Sasha crossed her arms and smirked at Colleen.

"You can't do this to me!" Colleen cried.

My mother smiled triumphantly. "I can, and I did! Oh, and by the way, you won't be working for any other publisher any time soon."

Colleen looked at my mother, a look of disbelief on her face. "You don't know that!" Sasha smiled and pulled a tape recorder out of her pocket.

"I think it's hard to deny the evidence on this recorder, Colleen." Colleen looked pissed off and stormed off down the sidewalk.

I looked at Sasha sheepishly. "Sorry about the leg. I thought you were helping blondie bimbo out." She laughed as Mom walked over to me. She lightly slapped my arm and I smiled. She hugged me and I wrapped my arms around her. "I'm sorry about Mark, mom." She smiled sadly.

"I guess I have a funeral to arrange now…" she cut off and I saw the pain in her eyes. She let go of me and walked over to Sasha. "We better be getting back to the publishers. We have something to let them hear." I nodded my head and watched Sasha get in the limo.

I kissed my mom on the cheek and she kissed my forehead. She looked behind me at Charlie. "Thanks again, Charlie. I love you, sweetie. I'll email you." She said to both of us and going to limo, getting in. I waved and Charlie nodded. She shut the door and the limo took off down the street.

Feeling a little bit better than what I had felt that morning, I looked at Charlie. "I'm kind of hungry now." I said, causing everyone to look at me. Seeing everyone's similar looks of 'how can you think of food at a time like this?' I began to laugh.

So it didn't turn out to be her mother or a random stranger; instead, it was her step-dad. She knows that it was a vampire who killed him, but where is this vampire and when will it kill next? And who is the person who followed her in the forest behind Charlie's house and in the forest near the Cullen house? Next chapter coming soon! Reviews are welcome!