Chapter 17

Through Cassie's eyes

I didn't sleep that night. By the time I had gotten back- which was before Bella and Edward- the sun had already risen. Besides, how on earth was I supposed to sleep with a vampire in the house?

"Good morning, mother." I greeted her. We had always been early risers. Back when we were on the run, we moved at night and slept during the day. We stopped living of the land when I was about eleven or so. Who knows my age, really? I lost track a while ago.

"Good morning, Cassie." She smiled, pouring coffee into her cup.

"Coffee is a bad addiction. You should be careful, you know, in case you couldn't get it anywhere." I told her.

"Oh, Cassie, coffee is available everywhere." She smiled. Not in the wilderness.

"Mother, I have to tell you something." I said, hanging my head.

"What is it, Cassie?" She asked, her eyes darting up, as if to remind me of the vampire in Bella's room.

"He's a mind reader, mother, he knows." I sighed. I could see the anger in my mother's eyes, but she hadn't moved.

"Cassandra." She said sternly. I think she was at a loss for words, because she didn't say anything else.

"Sorry, mother." I whispered.

"It's not your fault. No one could have predicted this." Alice could have. "Grab your things, we're leaving."

"Mother, I don't think we should." I told her. She raised her eyebrow.

"I thought you wanted to leave this 'mundane life.' Trust me, Cassie; I really don't want to leave Charlie. We just don't have a choice. We'll take care of what we need to take care of and leave."

"Mother, I'm not going to kill the Cullen's. They need me, well right now, and Bella needs them. I'm her sister and I'm not going to leave her to die." I told her.

"Cassie, what have I always told you? You can't save everyone." She sighed.

"Mother, I know." I was getting more annoyed by her. "Charlie's in danger too." I reminded. "By helping the vampires and werewolves, I'll also be saving him."

"Cassie, I have no idea how you get yourself into these messes. This is almost as bad as when you chased down that mermaid and dived into the water. Entering her domain wasn't your best idea."

"Well, she was seducing and drowning people. What else was I supposed to do? Wait for her to grow legs and fight her on land? I lived, didn't I?"

"Barely." She muttered. "You wouldn't have if I hadn't saved you.

"Well, I was only ten." I reminded her. "How was I supposed to know to clog her gills with sand? I didn't even know I could bend sand!"

"You should have known she could control the water." She muttered. "Good morning, Charlie." My mother smiled at him and his bed head. They kissed each other on the cheek and moved to get breakfast.

"Bella's usually up by now, what's taking so long?" He asked.

"She had a long night. We helped clean up after the party and now she's really tired." I covered up.

"Then why are you up? Shouldn't you be tired?" He asked me.

"I just had coffee!"

Later that day, Bella did get up. Edward left only to return a few minutes later. Charlie had taken Adel for her "first time fishing." My mother and I used to fish when we had yet to settle down, so she was most likely better than Charlie, even without a pole.

"So, Cassie." Edward said. "You look tired." He noticed when I sat down on the recliner.

"Why didn't you get any sleep?" Bella asked she asked from the sofa.

"I can't sleep with a vampire in the house." I told them. "But I don't mind."

"Well, why not? I have no trouble." Bella said.

"Instincts." Edward and I said at the same time.

"That mind reading thing is really annoying." I said honestly.

"Sorry, I can't stop no matter how hard I try." He said hopelessly.

"You must get annoyed." I accused Bella. She smiled smugly.

"He can't read my mind." She smirked.

"Oh? And why not? Not enough there to read?" I joked but Bella took offense to it.

"No. I have a mental block." She folded her arms across her chest. The two of them went back to cuddling silently. I really didn't want to be there for all of that nasty stuff. Honestly, a vampire loving a human? That's like a fox and a rabbit mating or something, it's just gross.

"Then leave." Edward told me. Bella looked confused. Ha, ha, no. No way am I leaving her alone with you.

"You are going to have to one day." He reminded me. I rolled my eyes. Depends on how long you're around. You can't stay with her for forever, I'm sure Jacob told you. Even though I hated both Jacob and Edward, I was on Jacob's team when it came to who got Bella.

"I agree, he is better for her. But you forgot about imprinting." Oh yeah. My mother had once told me about imprinting. She said that was probably the reason that werewolf went feral, that or the rabies.

"Okay, what are you too talking about?" Bella asked.

"Nothing, love." Edward told her, stroking her cheek.

"Just your love life. So, Bells, where are you going to be for the big fight?" I asked.

"The meadow." She said. Edward objected. They fight a lot, I thought and closed my eyes, picturing the night sky. The black sheet with diamonds planted into it, a large pearl with craters, I wish I could see it now.

I decided reviews or not, these chapters are going up!

I'D LIKE TO GIVE VURTIUAL CUPCAKES TO:

NO-he's MY Monkey Man for being the first to review on chapter… I'm not really sure… Oh, chapter 1? You weren't the first! Oh well! So, cupcakes to you!