It was a few hours before I finally woke up from the operation. At first I couldn't see anything but then I realized that it was because a bandage was wrapped around my eyes. I knew that I was alone wherever I was so no one could see me, but somehow I hesitated to take it off. I was afraid, just a bit. What would I 'see'? What was seeing even like? Would I like it? Would I hate it? I didn't really know what it was to be afraid of anything like heights or spiders or whatnot because I didn't see them. All I was afraid of was actually seeing. Would that bring on new fears? Seeing was so unknown to me that I couldn't even imagine it.

I finally made up my mind and was about to remove the bandage when I heard the door open and someone came inside.

"You're awake I see." It was Carlisle.

"Yes," I said.

"How do you feel?" asked Dr. Henry.

I shrugged. "Fine but I still can't see anything."

"So then...you're ok with that?" Dr. Henry sounded amazed.

I was confused. Ok with what?

"I'm not quite sure what you mean..." I said.

I hear Carlisle whisper something aside to Dr. Henry and usually I would have heard what it was but Carlisle spoke in such a low voice that I barely heard him. It was something about the bandage though.

Dr. Henry cleared his throat and then I felt his hands near my eyes and then I felt the bandage being lifted off my eyes. I was certain that my eyes were open and yet...I still couldn't see anything.

I turned in the direction that I'd last heard Carlisle's voice and then I forced myself to choke out the question.

"The operation didn't work...did it?"

It didn't take Carlisle's answer for anything to register in my mind. The operation hadn't worked...I was still as blind as before and couldn't see anything. Dr. Henry said nothing but then came back a few minutes later and did the light test again only I heard him say to Carlisle that my pupils or whatever still weren't reacting to the light at all. I knew what that meant. The operation hadn't helped even a bit and I was still as blind as ever.

At first I felt upset, more upset than I'd ever been before in my life. It almost compared to the pain of losing my parents. Only this was a new pain; it was the pain of knowing that I would never be able to see. This operation had been my last and only chance and it failed. Dr. Henry was apparently the best eye surgeon in the world and even though he flew out specifically to work on my eyes, it'd all been useless. I wondered how much of a difference it made to him since he still got paid but he and Carlisle both sounded just as dismayed as I felt at the news.

But then a new feeling came over me, one that I wasn't really acquainted with. A sort of...relief. Wanting to see what only natural if you were blind but maybe that only counted for people who used to have sight. I'd never had it at all in the first place so what was I really missing out on? As long as I didn't know, it didn't hurt that much. It was a relief because I was still scared of the uncertain.

The goodbyes to Dr. Henry were short and sweet, followed by endless comforting on behalf of Adrian and Carlisle. I don't think they knew that I was listening, but Adrian and Carlisle had an argument when Adrian insisted that something more be done to give me back my sight. There was an 'or else' added in there, but I didn't quite catch that part because at that time a nurse caught me in the hallway and took me back to my room. And then in the end before I knew it, I was back in Forks with Adrian dropping me off back home and breaking the news to Lizzy who seemed more crestfallen than I felt.

Luckily Mary knew nothing about it and she thought I was at a sleepover so her attitude didn't really change. I was happy to be near her again. It was a Saturday the next morning I woke up since I did stay a week to rest after the operation. Adrian came to pick me up and then we went back to his house. I knew that he already broke the news to his family but I guess that they wanted to give me their condolences as well. I guess any condolences were well appreciated even if they weren't needed.

To be sure, his entire family felt pretty bad for me.

"I'm sorry that it didn't work out," Carlisle said but again I sensed that his voice was full of so much pain that even though the words were simple, I believed him.

"I'm sorry too, my dear," Esme said.

"Yeah," Rosalie said simply.

"Oh Charlotte," Alice said, surprising me with a hug.

Jasper apologized in a low voice and as did Edward and Bella. Emmett was the last to apologize but his apology brought a smile to my face.

"Eh, all you need to learn now is how to wrestle and you'll become a world sensation," he said. He made it sound like being blind was a good thing. I half believed him.

"Seth's coming," Edward suddenly announced.

There he goes again, knowing everything, I thought.

"What, again?" Adrian asked, sounding annoyed. I still didn't get why he didn't like Seth. Or how anyone could dislike Seth in general.

"Hey," he said and it may just have been my imagination, but I felt as if he was talking just to me.

"Hi Seth," I said, reaching out my hand. It suddenly felt crowded in the room and I wanted to go outside. I'd already been uselessly comforted by Adrian and now I just wanted to be alone with Seth. I barely knew him but he seemed to understand everything. Kind of like Edward and Carlisle but in a more in-depth way.

Seth took my hand and feeling the familiar warmth brought a smile to my face. For a moment it felt like everything would be alright and nothing bad in the world had happened. I just took a nice week long trip and ditched school. Nothing big...

"No," Adrian said suddenly and then I felt him grab hold of my other hand. Cold as ice, as usual.

"What's your problem?" Seth tossed back. It was the first time I heard his voice in a non-friendly manner. It almost made him seem like a stranger to me.

"Adrian, I think Charlotte should go out with Seth for a bit. They haven't seen each other for a week after all," Edward said cooly.

"Why should she see Seth?" Adrian hissed, saying Seth's name like it was venom.

"I'm only taking her out for a bit," Seth said and bit of his friendliness seeped back into his voice.

It was at that moment that I realize just how protective Adrian was at me and for some reason I felt pretty flattered.

"Adrian, I'll be fine. Seth won't hurt me," I said, unsure how else I could assure him. Would that be good enough though?

"That's true," Seth muttered. "I'd rather die than hurt her after all."

Again I felt flattered. Was he also protective of me? Well then what were they protecting me from? Each other?

Adrian finally let go of me but I sensed that he was in fact being pulled back just a bit and then I was led outside by Seth.

"Er...we may be a bit to close to the house," Seth confessed once we were outside. "Do you mind if we go maybe farther a bit?"

I shrugged, kind of indifferent to the whole thing but at the same time worried about what Adrian might think. Was he really convinced that Seth would hurt me or something? I couldn't sworn on a multitude of things that Seth wasn't a bad guy though. No one could fake the feeling and friendliness in his voice, at least not anyone I'd met.

Seth never let go of my hand but we walked slowly just the same, farther and farther away from the house. We stopped under a tree and Seth lifted me up onto a low branch.

"So, how are you feeling?" he finally asked.

Adrian had asked the exact same question but I'd kind of sugar coated it for him. Adrian seemed to always be worried about me and looking out for me and I didn't want to trouble him further. Seth on the other hand seemed like someone I could share my troubles with. It wasn't that Adrian didn't understand but it was just that Seth didn't seem as much the comforting type. I couldn't choose which of their personalities I preferred. Like summer and winter, they seemed exact opposites in some ways.

"At first I was disappointed but I'm actually kind of relieved," I said, smiling. "And being an optimist really does help. After all, nothing's really changed."

I didn't see him, but I was pretty sure that Seth smiled.

"That's true," he said. "And it's just more of what you're used to, right?"

I nodded. Of course he'd understand. Seth understood everything.

"Yes and I was kind of afraid of what I'd see," I admitted, leaning back against the tree trunk and stretching my legs out. Seth seemed content to just stand on the ground. "Sometimes I wish I can see though, like now for instance. There've been many times when I wished that I could see what you look like or what the Cullens look like..."

Seth was grinning I was sure of it now. Even through his voice he sounded happy. "Well I'm glad you think me worthy enough to be seen."

I laughed for the first time in a while. Looking back, it seemed like I could only laugh around Seth ever since I came to Forks."

"Oh yeah, now that you're back and before I forget to tell you, there's going to be a bonfire next weekend," Seth pointed out.

I paused. A bonfire...oh right, I promised to go with him.

"I'll be sure to tell my guardians that I'll be going," I said.

He didn't seem convinced. "Is something wrong?"

Like with Edward, I probably couldn't hide it so I told him at last about my insecurities with fire.

He surprised me by laughing. "Is that all? Well don't worry, I'll protect you."

The way he said it made me believe him so I actually smiled and agreed truthfully this time to go with him.

We talked a bit more and then finally we went back to the house. Seth seemed a bit reluctant to do so though.