A/N: The continuation! Please tell what you think! Enjoy :)
Chapter 24
Annalise's POV
I try to open my eyes but my attempts are ineffective; I do manage to open them slightly to see everything blurry. I don't have enough strength in me. I can feel the wind pass by me in speed. The trees vanish in a blur. I hear muffled voices; voices in the distance.
"Annie," The voice says in an echo.
"Annie," sounds like the voice is far away.
The voices go in and out as I slipped back into darkness and back to reality. My body shakes in pain. My bones feel the cold making me groan. I can feel the grip tighten slightly over my body at each involuntary groan of pain comes out my mouth.
"Annie, stay with us. We're almost there," Another says in an urgently plea.
"Daddy?" I whisper and again my eyes close into darkness.
"Yes, baby, I'm here," The echo in his voice makes it harder to hear him.
A few seconds pass when the cold wind stops. "ANNIE!" Someone shrieks. "BABY!" the caring, gentle voice sounds closer. A cold small hand passes over my face. "What's wrong Emmett?! WHY ISNT SHE RESPONDING?!" Momma? I groan again trying to talk to her, to tell her that everything is alright but that only worries her more. "Baby it's alright; Momma is going to take care of you." She sobs. "What did they do to you?" I feel a tear fall from my eye and Momma wipes it away. My eyes remain closed, frail.
"Carlisle?" Daddy sounds worried and seems to be walking in circles with me in his arms. Why can't I open my eyes? I want to see them. My family surrounding me.
"He's on his way," I hear Grandma's soft voice. "Oh dear, she is so different. So fragile. Annie sweetie you're home now," She rubs my arm. Grandma.
"She's in so much pain," I hear Uncle Jasper say sadly.
"No! Don't say that," Momma sobs harder.
I feel Daddy rush somewhere before setting me down. "Lay her down carefully," Grandma says. My eyes still glued tight.
"ANNIE!" Another voice calls. A voice I had longed to hear. The footsteps heavy on the floor as he runs towards me. His woodsy, musky scent invading the air around. I can almost feel his warmth as he steps into whatever room I'm in.
"Take that dog out!" Momma yells.
"Rose, Annie needs him," Uncle Edward says. "She's listening to everything," but no-one listens.
"Please leave. This is family matters. We need to be in a family." Daddy reasons.
"She's my family," Embry fights his way to me. I move my finger but that's it.
"Embry, we'll call when she feels better," Aunt Bella says stepping away and the woodsy scent I love follows.
"Baby I'm here," Momma whispers petting my hair. I had forgotten the feeling of someone caring for you. Tears spring out my eyes. It hurts to even breathe. "Shh, it everything is going to be ok,"
"Where's my grandbaby?" His big cold hand grabs my hand. "Annie, Sweetie, I will make you feel better," he promises. "I need everyone to step out-"
"-Why?" Momma asks cutting in.
Grandpa sighs. "She has broken ribs. A broken leg, fractured tail bone. I need to make sure they heal properly."
"No," She says with finality. "No, you are not bringing more pain to my baby,"
I, very slowly and painfully, take her hand in mine. This is the only way she will understand. She gasps. "Momma," I whisper in my broken, weak voice. I can hear her sob and my family in the room gasp. "I can take it," I say with my eyes still closed.
"Annie," Her voice breaks.
"Sweetie I need to re-break-" I cut Grandpa off.
"-Re-break my bones." I open my eyes with force to look at him then close them again. My strength is still at bay. "Yes grandpa, I've done that before," I give a small tired smile.
Everyone gasps loudly around the spacious room. Momma sobs with Grandma; I think. "Very well," his voice shaky.
I hear footsteps leave. "Rose, please. I don't want you to see it." I can still feel her hand in mine. "I will call you when it's all over,"
"Call me as soon as it's over… the second it is."
"Of course,"
"Rose," Daddy says gently and I hear their reluctant footsteps leave.
Grandpa sharply inhales sitting next to me. He places his hand gently over my broken ribs. But he doesn't move from that position. I place my hand over his. "It's ok," I whisper. "I know how it feels, I'm prepared," and I press his hand down with force helping him break my ribs.
"AHHHH!" I scream involuntary.
He stops. "Sorry Annie, this is really hard for me,"
"It's…" I gasp in pain. "Ok, keep going," my voice nonexistent. He hesitantly puts his hands over the re-broken bones and after a few seconds catches me by surprise as the rib splinters in half. And I scream…
My forehead sweaty, my chest moving irregularly. My bones on fire as they begin their healing. I squeeze my eyes as I ride it out in pain. "You may come in,"
In a second I feel Momma's hand. "It's over baby." She sobs again. "I'm sorry I failed you. So, so sorry,"
I only squeeze her hand with the only strength I have when I feel the darkness take over.
….
I wake slowly to someone humming my lullaby. My eyes open noticing I'm in Grandpa's hospital room and I cry quietly noticing who is with me. Nessie. Her slender figure is balled up sitting in a tiny space in my bed. Her bronze curly hair is just as beautiful as I remembered; long, meeting her hips. She has her hand in mine as she hums staring at the window, lost in thought. When my lullaby was over she sighs heavily and looks down. "Annie, what did they do to you?" She whispers to herself and breaks down. What do I say? I don't want them to know what I went through; I don't even want to remember.
She continues to sob looking at the bed. I could never see Nessie like this; I would always make her smile. That's it, I thought. Without making sudden movement I look at the window; the gloomy day invading it. I gaze at the gray skies and begin separating the dense clouds. The sun's rays peek through the dispersing clouds until they're completely gone leaving the sun shine in all its glory. As the sun shines I blink and a thousand droplets fall at once; just like the first time they discovered my powers. Nessie's head snaps up and frowns looking at the strange weather outside. "Nessie,"
Her big brown eyes dart towards me in a second and she instantly cries. "ANNIE!" she throws her body over mines hugging me tight.
"Nessie," I sob. Her fruity scent is welcomed in my nostrils. Her thin arms shake in the embrace as she cries in my shoulder. I pass my fingers over her bronze curls soothing her back. "I missed you," I croak. I guess that happens when you don't have enough to drink; anything really.
"Oh, Annie…. I missed you A LOT!" She giggles but her voice still sad. She lets go but her hands immediately find mine. Like if she was afraid that if she let go I was going to disappear.
"No way," I shake my head. I ignore the pain and just smile at my cousin who I thought I'd never see again. "I missed you more," I smile again to reassure her that I'm fine. "Where is everyone?"
"They took Aunt Rose to hunt. Some are downstairs," Her voice vanishes as he thinks of what to say next. Her eyes go wide and stare at me in excitement. "Embry was here,"
"He was? Where did he go?" I ask sad.
"He didn't want to leave but Jacob needed his beta. They both need to talk to the eagles, forge an alliance,"
"Nakoma," I whisper. What will happen to his brother?
"Nakoma?" She says confused.
"He is an Eagle. He would heal me every time they…." I stop noticing what I was about to say.
I look at her big eyes turn small with sadness. Her hold on my hand weakens. "What did he do to you?" She quietly asks. Her question echoes in my head. My smile disappears. As I look at her I frown and look around in confusion. My heart begins racing. The dread starts reeling in. His red eyes begin appearing. I suddenly feel his nasty cold hands wrapping around my neck in a vise grip. Heaven's laugh in the background. I haven't followed orders…"Annie? Are you alright?"
"NO!" I throw her out trying to protect her form the monster. In the distance I hear her scream and cry; some machines going wild as I thrash around the bed.
"Annie!" she screams when the doors burst open.
"Annie, honey, you need to calm down," Grandpa soothes me.
"What's going on?!" Momma runs to my side. "I should've never left her side,"
"Rose its normal,"
"NORMAL?! Carlisle, tell me you did not just say that," Daddy growls.
"It is PTSD, She just needs to see that she is longer in danger,"
"Sweetie, I'm here," Momma says,
"No! He will get you. Kill you!" I need to protect them.
Her stone beautiful face troubled. Scared seeing me this way. But I can't help it. Richard will get them. "Sweetie I'm here. We all are," she softly says. A strangled sob escapes her perfect lips.
My achy body hits the mattress beneath me hard. Grandpa runs to get something. No Richard might him now. I begin standing fighting against Momma. She looks surprised that I fight against her but I've had a lot of practice. "Grandpa, NO!"
Then I smell the familiar sweet scent of honey with a hint of pie. I stop in time to see Axel rush in. "We told you, you couldn't come in!" Someone yells.
He runs directly to me and I start feeling calm he's here. "Annie," His voice smooth. Standing in front of my body that is half hanging form the bed he caresses my cheek. Hi blue icy eyes stare at me with the gentleness that I've come to love. "You're safe now. Now take deep breaths for me," And I do, almost automatically. He's alive! He's here. He passes his hands over my hair in the way he always did. "That's it,"
I hold his hand tight. "Don't leave Axel. Not again…" I plea.
"Never," He assures me.
I close my eyes still holding on to him and smile. I can always count on him. I can hear Grandpa use his hush tone, the one he uses when he doesn't want me to hear. Then it all falls silent. "Annie," Axel calls me.
Opening my eyes I smile at him. "Yes?"
"Do you remember what happened?" He asks with caution.
I frown and gaze at the ceiling. He pets my hair as I dive into my jumble up memories. I gasp. My eyes pool as I look back at my brother, "Richard turned Jessie even though I try fighting him off. He hurt me so bad but I had to save Jessie from him" I pause. "Where's Jessie?"
"Safe," And I know that's all I'm getting out of him in that natter right now.
"Then….." tears fall down. "You came… and… Richard he-he snapped your neck,"
"Annie…" He takes my head in his hands and makes sure I'm looking at him. "I'm here, safe and alive."
I lounge myself on him. Embracing so tight that if he wasn't half-vampire I would've snapped his spine in half. "And I'm glad you are." My brows crease and I let go slowly to meet his blue irises. "I thought you were dead. I couldn't hear your heartbeat. You…where so pale and… still," My eyes search desperately for an explanation.
"He only paralyzed me. And It shocked you so bad that you denied to even hearing my heartbeat," Everything is clear now.
"That son of a bitch wanted me to think you were dead?" My heart racing, my breathing hallow.
"Yes…" his mouth falls in a hard line. My eyes fall to the side. "But he's gone now."
I look at him wide eye. "You killed him!" I say remembering. "I thought I was just imagining you,"
"No, I came back to save you. To free us form that demon," His eyes soften massaging my palm with his thumb. "Annie. You know you're safe now, right?"
"And Heaven?" I asks urgently.
"When I and one of your family members went to look for her, her pile of shattered pieces was lying on the cement floor,"
I frown hard trying to remember. Squeezing my eyes hut I see her body being flung by a strong gust of wind then she hits the wall. "I killed her," I says opening my eyes.
He nods. "They're both gone." Still massaging my palm. "There is an entire family who loves you the way it' supposed to be. They have been walking on eggshells around you not knowing how you'll react." He sighs. "They love you like nothing else. They want you back. You need to let go,"
"Let go?" Is it really finally over?
"Yes, let it go. We spent many years being tortured."
"Punching me, kicking me, pulling my hair…"
"Yes, now it's time to live. We're finally free. You're with the family that you have spent countless of hours talking about." I stand slowly. "Wow, you should be resting," he tries to push me back but I fight him.
"No, I need to see something," I stand with my feet firm on the marble floor only to regret it. The room rotates like if I was walking on the walls. "Ah, Axel…help," He takes my hand.
"What do you want to do?" He arches his perfect brow.
"I need to see something. Just don't let me fall,"
He chuckles. "Like I'd let that happen,"
With slow steps Axel helps me leave the room. I continue my journey to the living room. With every step I take is as the torture Richard made me endure is slowly healing. My feet touches the floor and one punch leaves my memory, I can do this. I need to…
When we pass the arch way of the living room everyone turns to look at me. Letting go of Axel I stand alone. Axel still by my side just in case. "Momma, Daddy…" I cry. I look at the faces of the rest of my loving family. "Remembering I still had all of you to return to is what kept me going. You all were my strength when I needed it. My air to live." They smile at me. If they could cry they would, "Look at me," I signal to myself. I say with strength returning. "I fought, an won,"