AN: Hey guys, I wanted to get one more chapter to you all before I leave, and so here it is. I hope you guys like it. Thank you so much for all the reviews, PMs, favorites, and alerts they make me feel good and want to keep writing. :)

I'm not sure how good this chapter will be it was kind of a rush job, o be nice, lol. ;D

Warning: This chapter talks a little about rape so please be aware of that.

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!

Leah's POV

When I first woke up I was in so much pain; physically and mentally. I was numb. It didn't register when the doctor explain that my body was healing at a normal human rate because of all the venom in my system, and even though it was still a little faster than a normal human it wasn't by a lot and it was very slow compared to a shifter. It wasn't enough venom to kill me, but enough to damage my body. I really didn't give a damn at that point in time, and the only time I spoke was when Carlisle would bring up calling my family or the pack. I didn't want anyone to know, and I was grateful that he listened even if I couldn't put it to words. Rosalie and Esme pretty much did everything for me that first week. They forced me to eat and bathe. The first shower I had I scrubbed my skin until it was red and it hurt, and then I scrubbed some more. After that, I bathed normally but only when I was told to, it was the same with eating; I just didn't have an appetite, I had to force myself to eat even a little. I felt broken, lost, and scared. I had lost track of time and who I was. It wasn't until after another nightmare that second week that things started to change.

I hated falling asleep because it was like I would relive my attack over and over again. Every time I would sleep I woke up sweaty and screaming bloody murder and then every time Rose was there to comfort me as much as I would allow. But this particular night I decide to ask vampire Barbie why she was helping me instead just staring out the window like a zombie.

"Why are you helping me? Why didn't you leave me to die? Bella told Jacob you're a total bitch, and I know you hate my kind so why help a worthless dog like me?" I questioned in a raspy voice; my throat still sore from the screaming and from me hardly using it. There was no cleverness or bitchiness in the statement. I really had no fight left in me to be smartass right now. I just was really wanted to know why she didn't leave me for dead.

She didn't seem offended by my words. In fact they seemed to amuse her more than anything.

"Bella said that?" She said with a little smile that didn't really meet her eyes. Her eyes were sad and somewhere far off. By this point she was no longer sitting in her chair that was on the far wall opposite my bed, now she was looking out the large when into the empty blackness of the forest that seemed to match both of our moods at the time. After taking a long unneeded breath she lost her small smile and continued to speak. "When I found you it reminded me of when I was human and attacked by some men." She told me coldly, but I could tell her anger wasn't at me, but still I took in a sharp gasp at her words. Men… As in more than one? I could tell that she wanted to say more but wasn't sure about something.

"Wh-what…What happened" I stuttered on my words. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear her story, but I felt like I had to. I wanted her to tell me more and she did. She told me how her fiancé and his drunken friends beat and raped her in a dark alley. How they held no mercy or remorse for their actions, and how they got pleasure out of her pain. How her screaming and pleading for them to stop only made them work hard on hurting her. They remind me of my own attacker. She said Carlisle found her, and changed her trying to help her and not wanting to see such a young life lost. She explained how she got her revenge on the men one by one. She told me how angry and hurt she was, and even though killing them made her feel better for a while it still took her some time to heal. Through the whole story I cried for her and myself, because she knew my pain just as much as I knew hers, but still I was a little envious of her, because she was able to get back at the men who hurt her, and she was able to move on.

"How?" It was all I could choke out through my sob, but she seemed to understand the question anyways. I wanted, no I NEEDED to hear this. I really don't know how or why but I was finding strength from her and her story. I guess it was knowing that she had been where I was, and suffered, if not more, the same pain as me but was still able to come out on the other side. She had got to the point where it no longer dictated her life, or defined who she is. And I wanted to be at that point more than anything. I wanted to be myself again… I just really wanted to be okay again and to feel safe again.

"It takes time. It's not something you'll just get over, but you have to want to get pass it, and be willing to take the steps to make it happen. It took me a couple of years before I was able to trust men again. But before I had my Emmett, Carlisle, Edward, and Esme were my family and support system. I can honestly tell you I wouldn't be here without them. They drive me crazy most of the time, but then again what family doesn't." She finished with another small smile, and I had to nod to that because I understood what she meant. My family is my everything, and for the first time I was seeing that the Cullens really were a family. A dysfunctional family, but a loving family no less. "But finding Emmett really did make all the difference. When he found out what happened to me he got mad and started to pout because he couldn't make them pay for hurting me, and I thought that was the sweetest thing in the world. I was ashamed that it happened to me even though I know it wasn't my fault. But still I feared he wouldn't want me because of it, or that he would think I was worthless." She paused to give me a knowing look, because that's why I didn't want people to know. I was ashamed, and I feared they would blame or judge me for it. "I know he's a big child at times, but that's one of the best things about him. He is patient and kind with me even when I don't deserve it. He made me feel safe, beautiful, wanted, and he made want to love again, by simply making me love myself again. That's the biggest thing Leah. Those men not only took my life from me, but they also took my innocence and my self-worth from me. I mean I knew I was pretty on the outside, and when I was human I loved for men to watch me go because that's how I valued myself, it made me feel pretty, but after my attack when men would look at me I just felt dirty; like they knew my dirty little secret and just saw me as a worthless piece of ass. I was slowly getting it back to normal with the help of both Carlisle and Esme's when I found Emmett, and he slowly helped me get it all back… Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying finding a man is going to make you feel better, because it will be a while before you're ready to trust a man with your heart and body again. But what I am saying is your beautiful and special, don't give him anymore power by letting him keep you down. Making you feel worthless and ashamed of something you had no control over. It took Emmett for me to see that I was still letting those men hurt me by letting something that was long and over still make me feel a certain way. I had to let go and move forward, and Emmett gave me the strength I need to do that, but I know you can do it for yourself. Besides, from what I hear, 'The bitch of La Push is a fighter." I had to laugh at that, and I mean a real holding your side kind of laugh, because I can see one of the guys saying that about me, and she was right. My parents raised me to stand up for myself and to fight when needed, and I planned to start fighting. "So fight Leah, because no one can make you until you're ready." She finished sounding a lot stronger than she did when she first began to speak.

"Thanks Rosalie. I needed to hear that." I said with a small smile of my own after my little laughing fit. No, I was nowhere near being healed, but for the first time I could at least say I was ready to start healing.

"Call me Rose, all my friends do." She told me with a pretty smile.

"And call me Lee, the two friends I have do… Well I guess three now." We snickered together.

I wanted to keep talking to her, but I got really sleepy and Rose said we would talk again the next day. The next morning I got up and showered and ate because I wanted to not because I was told to, and I also said sorry for my behavior and thanked them for their help.

"Thank you Esme for the food, clothes, and for letting me stay here. I know I haven't been the best guess, and I'm truly sorry for that" I told her sincerely.

"Oh, you're welcome dear. And I love having you here so don't worry about it." She said with a smile, and motioned to the bed silently asking if she could sit before she kept talking and I of course said yes. "It's nice to actually get to cook for someone. We have human food here for Bella, but she doesn't like to eat here. She said she doesn't want to make us uncomfortable so I've really enjoyed having another daughter to look after." I think she thought I was going to freak out about her calling me one of her daughters because her face looked shocked and apologetic, she went to say something, but I cut her off.

"Well your foods so great I'll gladly eat anything you put in front of me." I laughed. "Plus you remind me of my own mother. I miss her, but I not ready to face her or the pack yet." I said the last part sadly feeling guilty for not talking to my mother or brother yet, but I'm just really not ready. Carlisle still tries to get me to talk to them, but he won't force me because he says that my recovery will happen at my own pace. You see the good doctor doesn't just work on my physical ailments, no he also is my psychologist, and now that I'm ready he's helping work through all the mental and emotional parts of my pain.

Esme replied, "It's fine dear take your time. We all love having you here." And with that she left the room. This was the first time I was completely alone since I woke up here, and all I could think about was how I felt more welcome with a coven of vampires than I did with my own pack. The Cullens have done more for me in my little time being here than my pack ever has. However I didn't have time to dwell on that to long because Rose had entered the room.

We talked and joked for hours on end. Rose and I had so much in common. Besides both being victims of attacks and wanting but not being able to have kids we thought the same way. We had natural sarcastic personalities and sense of humor that most would find mean. And we both HATED Isabella Swan with a passion, and thought she was dumb as all hell for wanting to become a vampire. She saw the world in a lot of the same ways I did. She also reminded me of my best friend Rachel Black; they were a lot alike. Neither one of them held punches and it's one of my more favorite of their character traits. As the days went on my bonds with Rose, Esme, Emmett, (Who I loved because he is such a goof ball and everything Rose said he would be. He started to visit with me after I told Rose I would be okay with it, and now he's one of my favorite people to see.) and even Carlisle had grown a lot, but I hardly ever enter acted with the others because I never left my room and they never enter it. I figured the others were trying to give me space, or that they just didn't want to be around a shifter.

Another reason I liked Rose was because at first I felt so lost, but the more time I spent with her the more I found who I really was. Not the angry bitter harpy I was after that whole Sam and Emily thing, but also not the nice girl that let certain people she loved and thought loved her walk over her. No I was a new me with a mix of both those girls. I like to think I have the best of both of them, and even though I'm still taking my recovery day by day I know I'm going to be okay, because at the end of the day I'm still the bitch of La Push, and I'm a fighter.

Today was going to be interesting because Rose and Esme both were going hunting with their mates so I would be left on my own for a couple of days with the vampires that I never talked to.

It took me forever to get them to believe me when I told let them I would be fine with them gone, but I finally convince them and they were going to be gone all weekend. I knew they needed to hunt and time alone with the people they loved, but I wanted to test myself to see if I could be strong on my own. The dream weren't coming as often, but a part of me felt like that was because I knew Rose was watching over me in my sleep and if something went wrong she'd be there when I woke up. I didn't plan on being here and watched for the rest of my life so I needed to stop holding on to Rose like a crutch. Sure I still needed her, but I also need to start standing on my own two feet, and I planned to start this weekend. If I had a nightmare this weekend I would calm myself down instead of Rose doing it.

They were about to leave and Rose was giving me her little speech about her being gone and calling her if anything goes wrong, or having Jasper handle my moods if they get too bad. She was treating me like a child. I just took it because I knew she was worried about me, but she really needed calm down and go because I might have to hurt her if she keeps it up much longer. I may have lost it right after my attack, but I'm getting it together and I am not a child and shouldn't be treated as such.

So here I was sitting in what I now referred to as, "my room" bored out of my mind. I had a TV in here, but there was nothing on and I was getting kind of hungry so I decide to put my big girl panties on and go down the stairs. I didn't need to worry about being seen because Rose had told me it was okay to walk around the house since Edward wouldn't bring Swan over this weekend. I felt bad putting him out of his own home just because I didn't want anyone to know I was here, but Carlisle himself assured me that Edward stays gone most of the time anyways and that he understood how I felt so it wasn't a problem.

"Umm… Hi." I said with a wave to Alice and Jasper who sat in the living room. I felt kind of awkward and didn't know what to do.

"Hi Leah!" Alice replied with a very chipper voice. It reminded me of Seth.

"Hello." Jasper said at the same time as Alice but in a far calmer voice.

"I just wanted to get something to eat." I told them walking towards the kitchen.

"Okay. Would you like some help?" Alice asked as she danced into the kitchen.

By this point Esme knew what kinds of foods I liked so she got me a bunch of quick meals I could make for myself while she was gone, so I just turned on the oven and grabbed a supreme pizza to eat. After I put the pizza in the oven I turned to answer her. "Umm… No that's okay. I'm just going to put this pizza in the oven." I thought that reply would get her to leave, but she just stayed and we sat in awkward silence. It seemed like she wanted to say something to me, but I didn't know her well enough to know if I was right her not. After a couple of more silent minutes she got up and went back into the living room.

I took my pizza out and started to eat it, but I also wanted to watch, "Dance Moms," but it was so clean and white in the living room that I didn't want to go in there. Also the other vampires were in there and I didn't know how to be around them alone yet. I didn't want it to be awkward, I hate awkward settings. But I guess mood ring could feel that because he asked me to join them. It was a marathon on right now so we sat together for a while and as we got more comfortable with each other the more we interacted with one another.

Alice and Jasper weren't so bad. They had a completely different energy as Rose and Emmett, but I liked it. They were fun in their own ways, and I liked Jasper's since of humor. His wasn't loud like Emmett's. It was more sarcastic and unexpected because he's so quiet I never see it coming and it makes it all the more funny.

They couldn't believe that when I was the same age as the girls on the show I use to do dance competitions like them, and then in high school I was the head cheerleader. They couldn't picture the Leah they know now being anything but mean.

I laughed, "Yeah, before I started turning into a giant dog I use to be really girly."

"Just because you're a shifter now doesn't mean you still can't be girly." Alice said annoyed. "You should let me give you a makeover."

"… I don't know." I said unsure.

"Just say yes. You know you want to and Alice won't stop asking until she gets her way." Jasper said in a matter of factly kind of way. I just did a dramatic eye roll with an even bigger dramatic sigh and said okay. He was right I did want to do it. I use to love getting dress up and Alice had great taste so why not. The makeover turned out great, and it was so much fun. I didn't realize how much I missed girl time until I was having it again with some girls.

I didn't think she would be able to do anything with my short hair, but she curled it really nicely and put my makeup on. At first I wasn't sure about the makeup; I've never been a fan of makeup but Alice made it look good. As long as she was doing it, I would wear the stuff. Then she put me in short romper that had all these different bright colors on it in different patterns that had random and paired it with some solid black flats. I loved the whole look and Alice loved having someone to work on that appreciated her work, and actually had taste. She told me every time she tried to do this with Bella that she always complained and took the fun out of it. Her playing dress up with me became a daily thing for us, and it was during those times that Ally, what I now call Alice, bonded the most.

Hanging with Rose and Ally really made me miss Rachel; even though she was away at school we had stayed close. It wasn't until I phased and Sam put the gag order on me, and pretty much told me I could only be around people in on the secret, meaning Emily that our friendship started to suffer. Because of that damn command we stop being close friends. She could tell I wasn't telling her everything, and that made a rift between us. We are still friends, but we're nowhere near as close as we use to be. Which is just another thing for me to add to the long list as to why I HATE Sam Uley.

After that day I was close to the whole Cullen Clan, even Edward. When Swan wasn't around I found that I liked him a lot more. The only time we didn't get along was when his stupid clumsy fiancé came up, but other than that it was like I became a quick part of the family. Hanging out with the Cullen kids became a regular thing. I hung with the Cullen kids and did the therapy with Carlisle and things were slowly getting better for me. Before I had felt so stuck and like time wasn't moving fast enough, but before I knew it I was gone from my family, the pack, and my home for a whole month and Jacob, Seth, and Paul of all people were sitting in the Cullen's living room asking them for help finding me…

AN: Please tell me your thoughts on this chapter. :)