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I don't own any of these characters. The brilliant Stephenie Meyer does, no copy write infringement intended. Just for fun.

Chapter 10 – Accident

BPOV –

Edward held my hand in his cold grip the entire way to Charlie's house. The noisy Jeep made conversation impossible for the most part but I didn't mind. The time alone in my head was essential because it gave me and chance to think about how exactly I was going to do, what I needed to do. Charlie and I had our differences, but part of me felt deeply indebted to him. Without him and his refusal to leave this rainy little town, I never would have met Edward. If he hadn't have accepted me to move in with him, my life would have taken a path completely inconceivable to me. I owed him.

Edward was confident that I'd someday be able to see him again. I was hopeful but also trying to be realistic. I wasn't willing to risk his life and if there were ever any doubt of my control, I'd stay away indefinitely.

I had already said my goodbye's to Renee after the wedding. We parted on the theory that we'd see each other as college breaks allowed. I knew this to be untrue but the farewell didn't slash at me the way I expected it would. When I looked at her and into her eyes, I could see she was truly content, happy, and safe. I could not say the same for Charlie and it haunted me.

Before the wedding, I made as many preparations for him as I could. I compiled dozens of easy to follow recipes, organized reusable shopping lists, and purchased subscriptions to the top sports channels and magazines. I knew that Charlie had taken care of himself long before I moved to Forks but I was intent to try to make the separation as seamless as possible for him.

Edward interrupted the silence but spoke softly, somberly. "We can call him often. We'll give you the time you need to feel steady but eventually you'll be able to call him and he won't know that anything is different."

I nodded and a tear that was lingering on my jaw fell to my jeans.

He continued trying to pull me from the pain, "The estate is a safe distance from the coven in Denali. We don't expect any sort of trouble but because of the ignominy with Laurent," the name came through his perfect teeth, "it's best to let time pass."

I nodded again but kept my eyes out the windshield into the drizzling rain. I was trying not to let the tears destroy my pleasant mask I put on to fool Charlie. There would be time enough for me to cry, but now I had to pretend I was excited to leave for college. We were almost to Charlie's house now and without warning, Edward slammed on the breaks of the Jeep bringing it to a screeching and rapid stop in the middle of the road. Automatically, my hands flew to the dash to avoid its impact with my face. After slamming back into the seat I looked at Edward, eyes wide, mouth open.

"Something's wrong," he said, hard and fast. His hands were white around the steering wheel, his brow furrowed, his eyes narrowed into slits, and his lips were curled over his teeth.

"What?!" I gasped.

He didn't respond but kept his eyes on the pavement in front of us. His face remained stiff as he was hearing, smelling, or sensing something much too sensitive to me. The silence lengthened and the tension grew. The rain fell angrier against the Jeep and it became too much for me.

"Edward!" I screamed.

"I smell blood," he shot back "too much of it, too close… Charlie's."

My mouth, already open, fell open wider. My throat tightened and dried up in that instant. I didn't have another second to think as Edward threw the Jeep in drive and hurdled down the street, not loosing speed until he swerved into Charlie's drive. Through the rain, I could see Billy Black. Quil Ateara standing was standing behind his chair under the canopy. I fought uselessly at the harness, frustrated by my blurred vision due to the profusion of tears clouding my eyes. Edward helped me and as soon as the restraint disappeared I dove from the Jeep into the rain toward Billy. Edward kept pace at my side.

"Where's Charlie?" I screamed at him. Unconsciously, I griped both handles of his chair and leaned down toward him until our noses were almost touching. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Quil inch toward me. I didn't pay him any attention.

"He'll be fine Bella. Calm down, let me explain," Billy pleaded.

He didn't fool me. I could see the fear and panic in his face and I knew it had nothing to do with the vampire standing next to me.

"WHERE IS CHARLIE?" I screamed again.

Billy leaned away from me and instantly the muscles in my arms tightened rolling his chair closer.

"He's in the hospital Bella but he'll be okay. There was an accident. You have to let me explain what happened."

"Explain on the way," Edward growled. So quickly that my mind couldn't keep up with the motions, Edward lifted Billy from his chair and simultaneously carried him and it to the Jeep. He returned just as swiftly for me and as gently as possible, tossed me in the passenger seat. He was in his seat instantaneously, starting the engine and forcing it into reverse. I saw Quil for only a short second, standing alone and wide eyed under the canopy. He hadn't had time to even think of interference. He and the house disappeared as we sped toward the highway.

This time, it was Edward yelling, "TELL US WHAT HAPPENED!" he ordered.

I shifted in my seat so that I could see Billy. I'd never seen such a terrified mask worn on such a man. Billy's eyes were the size of quarters, his mouth refusing to close. His russet hands gripped the seat of the Jeep so tight that the seams of the fabric grew pronounced.

He stuttered through the explanation. "Charliepicked me up from La Push for fishing but he forgot some of his new tackle so we went back to his house. Paul must have followed us there. I don't know. We were in the house and… and Paul came through the door. Jake had a bad night last night you see. Really bad, worse then anything we've seen these past couple months. Paul, he's so protective of Jake and the pack and me, he saw your dad, and he just, he lost it. He… he started yelling, telling Charlie how much you had hurt Jacob. How Jacob was never going to be the same. He said… he said that it would have been better if you had jumped off that cliff to die. Charlie fumed. Sam and Embry came in then and we all tried to calm them down, to pull them apart. To take Paul away but they just kept yelling and Paul, he… he…" Billy stopped and bit his lower lip. His entire body was quivering and his eyes were bouncing and landing everywhere but on my face.

"He WHAT?!" I bellowed.

"He lost control Bella. Paul changed, in the house, right in front of your dad and there wasn't… there wasn't enough time to get him out, to get him out of the way."

My eyes dropped to the floor of the Jeep but all I could see was the scarred face of Emily, images of the confrontation, and Edward's exclamation of Charlie's blood. Too much blood.

"No," I breathed.

Edwards's phone flashed to his ear. "Carlisle," he answered coldly. "We're on our way," and the phone closed as quickly as he'd opened it.

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