A/N: I would just like to let all of my readers know that this story GENTLE TOUCHES is the very same as author ANIMAL8. As I adopted it from her earlier on this year, most of the chapters that ANIMAL8 had already created are being posted the same as I do not want to ruin the amazing work she has worked so hard on. I will be setting up a link to ANIMAL8 page so it will be accessible to new and old readers. I do hope that I can do this story as much justice as ANIMAL8 and I do hope that you enjoy the old and new chapters of GENTLE TOUCHES.

Disclaimer: I Own Nothing Twilight

Gentle Touches

Chapter 15 – The Necklace (EPOV)

I hunted as I ran, doing anything for a distraction. I was worried and anxious about the girl and no matter how hard I tried not to think about it I couldn't stop my mind from repeating everything I knew about her.

Carlisle's words repeated in my head. She had been abused multiple times, probably over an extended period. I didn't want to think of what she went through, how much she suffered and the pain she was in. It was no wonder that she didn't want to trust us.

But she was starting to trust me. What was it about me that she had seen to make her trust me, I wondered. It could have been that I was around her a lot, certainly more than the others, but there had to have been something for her to hold onto. I sighed and shook my head.

It was no use puzzling over this now, I had more important things to be thinking of, all of them revolving around the girl getting better. I didn't know what to expect when we went to try and feed her. Would she fight, resist us? I hoped not, it would only make things more difficult.

But it wasn't like anything had been easy with her so far, so why now? I ran again, fuelling my legs faster with the frustration I was feeling. I wanted to help her so badly, and I still didn't understand that desire but I knew it was powerful. I just didn't know what to do about it.

Alice told me to trust myself. So far, I seemed to have made progress with her. I knew she understood me so when I talked to her I tried to comfort her and reassure her that I wasn't going to hurt her. I realised now that the odd expression I had seen on her face before, when she moved away from me, was because she didn't understand why I hadn't done anything to her.

It made me think that she hadn't had any positive contact in a while, only being touched when someone was hurting her. I was pained by that and again struck by the desperation to know who had done this to her so I could tear him apart for making an angel suffer like that.

I had to restrain that urge though. We had no information that could help us in any way, not even to identify the girl, so we didn't know who had taken her or what had happened. And the only person who could tell us was the girl and she wasn't talking just yet, so the anger was pointless. It was still there, though.

A growl ripped from my chest at the frustration and I lashed out at the nearest tree, tearing a chunk from its trunk. I stared morosely at the damage, wondering if it was someone lashing out that had hurt my angel.

No, I shook my head furiously. I wasn't going to compare myself to that monster. I was a monster of a different kind, yes, but I would never have hurt her. I will never hurt her.

I caught the scent of a deer and raced to it, snapping its neck in an instant before sinking my teeth into it. The warm blood helped calm my nerves some and I took a deep breath, calming myself. I couldn't afford to take this out near the girl and risk her being hurt; it was better spent out here, away from her. That was why I needed to get away for a bit.

My anger at what this angel had suffered and the monster behind it had begun clouding my head and I needed to clear it. I pushed the dead carcass away from me and started running again.

The rush of air past me as I let my feet carry me was refreshing, liberating. I had always loved the distraction of running and it gave me a great get away from my thoughts or from those of my family whenever things got heated.

I focused on the feel of my feet hitting the earth and propelling me faster still through the forest and the trees as I flew past them. All the minute details were still clear to me even at this speed, my eyesight being as enhanced as it was by the change.

The distraction worked well and for a while I didn't think anything about the girl or the situation revolving around her. It wasn't until I slowed that I recognised the part of the forest I was in.

Looking around as I slowed down to a human walk, I caught the familiar scent which had been on my mind constantly since we brought the girl home. Automatically, I turned in that direction and followed the path that my brothers and I took to the cabin, allowing our combined scents to pull me in.

I hesitated when I realised what I was doing, but didn't stop moving forward. Soon, the rundown cabin came into sight, exactly the same as the last time I had laid eyes on it. Slowly, I approached the door, still left ajar from our exit.

When I was inside, I glanced around the room quietly, thinking what it had been like for her living here, in this poor condition. I didn't want her to go through that ever again. I wanted to be there to protect her.

I shook my head from those thoughts and moved on, going to the bedroom where we had found her. I stood in the corner so I could look down into the corner that she had cowered in. Her scent still lingered in this place, much more strongly in the room where I was standing, and I inhaled it deeply.

As I stared sadly at that one space, my eyes caught sight of something as the miniscule amount of light reflected off of it. My feet took me to stand in the exact place I had before and I crouched down to get a better look.

All I could see through the layers of dust was a thin, golden chain. Carefully, I picked it up with my fingers, pulling out a necklace from the layer of dirt. I held it up in front of me and admired the gold locket dangling from the end.

Using my other hand, I gently cradled the locket in my palm, drawing it closer to scrutinise the detail. The front of it was outlined with a rope pattern, following the oval shape of the locket, and the space inside was entirely filled with the image of a rose; its petals spreading out to touch the rope.

It was a very intricate design, I noted, and very expensive. Probable very valuable to whoever owned it, I estimated. I turned it over in my hand and my breath inexplicably hitched at the message.

Forever in my heart, it read. Underneath the fancy script, the design of a swan was engraved, as if in place of a signature. It was something that would have been personal to both the person who had given this gift and to the recipient.

I felt a sadness reading those words. From the scent surrounding it, it obviously belonged to the girl. I doubted that she would have held onto it if it wasn't hers. She must have forgotten about it when I picked her up. But, if it was hers, why wasn't she wearing it? I know it wasn't on her because I would have seen it if it had dropped from her person.

So it had been lying next to her and been left behind. I would take this back with me and return it to her. It was hers and therefore should be given back to her. As I held in it my fingers, though, I felt the temptation, the curiosity, to open it build within me.

Carefully, my finger released the catch on the side and I tentatively pulled the two halves open. Inside were two pictures, one on each side. The one on the right showed a woman with dark hair and deep green eyes, smiling out at the camera. Her hair was loose, framing her face with two plaits tied back around the crown of her head.

The other, on the left, was a picture of a man. His hair was dark, so were his eyes and there was something in their depth that showed an inner power. Instantly, I knew that he was not someone to be messed with. But still, there was a unique kindness and love reflected in his expression.

Both of them were fairly dark skinned, almost like the Native American Quileutes in La Push. This confused me. When I first saw the two people I had assumed them to be the girl's parents, but the difference in skin tone didn't make sense. The girl was too pale, far too pale even taking into account her poor condition, to be genetically related to the couple.

Adoptive parents, maybe? I wondered. I didn't recognise their faces, so they weren't living in Forks; I had seen practically every face in the small town. But there was no clue as to where they lived or where the girl had come from. I sighed and gently closed the locket with a click.

I felt slightly guilty for having pried into the girl's precious belongings, but I needed to know if there was any information that may help us find out who she was. There was nothing, though, only a couple of photos and a sentimental inscription. If we could find out who the photos were of, however, it might give us information on her.

Abruptly, I stood up, placing the locket and chain into my front jeans pocket. I would show it to Carlisle, I decided. Maybe he could find something about them.

Now that my head was clearer, the anger gone, spent out as it was, the need to be with the girl returned. Taking a last glance around the dank room, I fled its premises, leaving her scent and the reminder of her past behind.

The return run to my house was much quicker and more direct than when I had left, mostly because before I had been running merely to burn of my anger whereas now I had a purpose behind it. Alice smiled at me as I entered. "You're just in time," she said, "The girl was just about to wake up. For some reason she would have been quite upset to find you not there."

I didn't know I had been gone so long; it had felt like hardly any time. Alice's words finally registered with me and I couldn't help the massive grin that spread on my face. The girl wanted me to be there when she woke. And whatever her reason, I would make sure that I was. But first, I needed to speak to Carlisle.

You two are both the same, Alice thought, rolling her eyes. You're both happy to be around each other, she expanded when I gave her a questioning glance. "Carlisle's in the kitchen with Esme," she told me before bouncing off out of the room.

I shook my head at her, not sure what to make of her thoughts, and headed into the kitchen. Both parents looked up at me and smiled in greeting. Esme was standing at the stove, stirring a pan of what I assumed was the broth for the girl. I fought not to wrinkle my nose at the smell, but at least it wasn't the worst of human food.

Carlisle was sat at the kitchen table and now looked at me curiously. I sat with him, pulling out the necklace and handing it to him. He stared at it confused before turning back to me for explanation. "I found it in the same place as the girl," I explained, "I think it belongs to her."

Do you think it could help us find out who she is? He questioned in his mind, already guessing where I was heading with my thought.

"Yes, I was hoping so," I admitted, watching as he turned it to read the same message I had.

He opened it to look at the pictures inside, examining every possible detail. "They don't look related to her," he noted, "I wonder who they are to her, then."

I nodded at his observation. "Yes, I thought that as well. I wondered if maybe they were adoptive parents," I shook my head and sighed, "I don't know, but it's the only things we have that will possibly help until the girl can talk to us herself."

Carlisle smiled sadly. "I can try, but I can't guarantee that I'll find anything with only a couple of photos to go off of, especially if she's not blood related to them," he spoke regretfully and I knew he wished he could do more.

"I know," I acknowledged, giving him a reassuring smile, "But we have to try."

Alice appeared behind me before he could answer and opened her thoughts to me. She's going to wake up soon, she thought. I nodded to her and quickly walked past her, heading up the stairs to my old room

A/N: I make no promises as to when I post new chapters…but I will do my best to make them as closed together as possible. Please remember to review as more reviews will get a faster posting of the next chapter.