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A/N: Ok so here is the second chapter, please review and let me know what you think!
"Bitten? Bitten by what - a mountain lion or something? How bad is it? Tell me!"
Esme gasped and I stared at her and then back at Jasper. I felt him trying to soothe me and I yelled at him. "Stop it Jasper and just tell me!"
"Charlie has been bitten by a vampire Bella. Edward and Emmet got to him in time to stop him from being drained but had their hands full fighting the vampire and its two mates. Rose and Alice tried to help Charlie but when the wolves arrived and saw Alice trying to suck the venom out they misunderstood the situation. Luckily Edward was able to make Sam understand what happened before anyone was badly hurt but the damage had already been done to Charlie. The change is happening. Carlisle arrived and was able to convince the wolves to let him bring Charlie back here. They should be here any minute. "
I sat in stunned silence. The room was spinning and I couldn't seem to breathe. Jasper worked his magic and I was starting to feel my lungs again when I heard the roar of the Jeeps tyres on the gravel road at the same time a bloodcurdling howl rang out in the forest outside.
Everything happened at once. Jasper, Esme and I raced outside as the Jeep screeched to a halt and Edward ran to my side. He held my face in his hands and stared into my eyes as tears rolled down my cheek.
"It's going to be ok Bella. I promise. We will do everything we can to help him."
Carlisle got out of his car and as he opened the door I could hear my fathers' earpiercing screams. Carlisle pulled Charlie out of the backseat and Alice emerged right behind him. She had been holding Charlies head in her lap and talking to him to try and soothe him as best she could. Jasper leapt to her side and stared hard at Charlie as I felt a numbing sensation wash over me. Charlies' screams subsided a little and I looked at Jasper gratefully and grabbed my fathers' hand as we marched into the house. Carlisle's face was a mask of concentrated effort as he worked on Charlie, giving him morphine in the faint hope of lessening his pain.
Edward held me to his chest tightly "I am so sorry Bella, there was nothing we could do to stop the change from happening. If the wolves hadn't of been there we might have been able to make a difference but I was just too late, too late..."
I wasn't sure if it was because of Jasper's efforts or because of shock, but I wasn't capable of doing anything. I was totally numb. All I could do was hold onto Edward and stare at my father's writhing form on the bed. We were in one of spare rooms upstairs as Alice came in and shared a worried look with Edward. He nodded and looked at me. "Alice thinks the wolves are almost here. Sam allowed us to bring your father here because he knows Charlie will be unable to harm anyone for a few days. Carlilse and I need to talk to them. Please stay with your father, he needs you. I will be back soon. Bella? Are you ok?" I didn't answer him. I was still trying to process everything that had happened.
"Bella, love, please talk to me?" Edward was starting to panic. "Carlisle, what's wrong - is she ok?"
I had to snap out of it, but I couldn't get my mouth to work. The wolves. Charlie was turning into a vampire. The wolves would not allow it to happen. They would kill Charlie! I felt ice cold hands on my arms trying to turn me away from Edward's chest but I resisted, I didn't want to move, to face what was happening.
"Bella, look at me."
I looked up into Edwards eyes and saw the pain reflected there. He knew what I was thinking.
"Bella, we will convince them to leave Charlie alone, we will fix this, I promise, but I need you to be ok first. Please, come back to me - to us!
I knew he was right – I had to snap out of it. My father needed me to be strong, to fight for him as best I could.
"I'm sorry - I'm here." I willed myself to speak coherently. I looked at Charlie - he was quieter now - Jasper's gift seemed to be helping him but I think it was taking on toll on Jas. Alice was sitting with him rubbing his back and talking quietly to him. I could only imagine how hard this was for him - for him to help Charlie he seemed to have to feel the pain as well. I recalled how Edward had told me it was a pain worse than you can imagine, I knew him to be right. I myself had felt the burn when James bit me and it broke my heart to think my father was going through this pain now. Once again I was reminded that this was part of the reason Edward was so reluctant to change me.
"I'm coming with you. There is no way they can harm Charlie - he is Billy's best friend! Carlisle - you've helped newborns before! Please, can you help Charlie too? If you promise to look after him and he learns to live your lifestyle, surely Sam will agree it will be ok to let him live?"
"Of course I will do everything I can for him Bella - we all will. It's convincing Sam to allow that to happen that I am worried about. They are waiting for us now. I agree you should come too. Edward?"
Edward nodded and took my hand. Together we walked outside to see the entire pack waiting for us at the edge of the forest. Carlisle had invited them here to talk, but the growls that were coming from them were not convincing me that a conversation would take place. It was then that I noticed that Billy was standing behind the pack. Sam and Jacob both looked at him and then walked back into the forest. I looked at Edward and he said "They will be back, they have gone to phase back to human form so that we can talk."
I heaved a sigh of relief as I watched Sam and Jacob return. They walked to Billy's side then all three of them came forward. Billy came over to me and took me in his arms - there was an insurmountable sadness in his voice.
"I am so sorry Bella, he has to be taken care of, there is nothing else the pack can do. We have no choice, we cannot allow Charlie to become a monster. You know he would not want that."
Sam walked towards us as he said "Carlisle, please bring him out, don't make us come into your home and get him."
"NO!" I screamed at them "No Billy! Jacob? What are you saying? Edward, Carlisle" I pleaded with them "Don't let them in the house!"
"Bella" Jacob came forward but he was blocked by Edward
"Don't Jacob" Edward warned while blocking his path "Not another step forward!"
"Wait" It was Carlisle, always the voice of reason. "You came here to talk. Please let me talk first."
Carlisle turned to Sam and Billy, "You know our way of life. I changed Edward, Esme and Rose, because they would die if I didn't. It was selfish of me but I don't regret it, not a second of it. I believe we are good ... people." He smiled and looked at me. I couldn't help but smile in encouragement in return.
"I have experience in controlling a newborn. We now also have Alice, Edward and Jasper's gifts which will be invaluable in containing and teaching Charlie as he is born into this new way of life. What has happened here today is tragedy but the consequences don't have to be tragic. None of us have chosen this existence willingly, but we have made the best of our existence that we can. Bella is already considered a part of our family and by extension so is Charlie. He is as good and honest a man as you will ever find and he will bring those qualities with him to his immortality. We all love him as I know your tribe do too. I honestly believe that Charlie has every chance of living a fulfilling life, it doesn't have to end here. It goes without saying that not one of us would allow him to harm a human. I think that we have recently proven how we can overcome almost any odds if we work together. Between our family and your pack Charlie would have more support and guidance than any newborn vampire has ever had. We have not broken the treaty and I realise that as protectors it is your job to stop any vampires – new or old. But Charlie IS a member of our family now and we will protect him as one of our own. We do not wish for war with your tribe, the treaty was agreed to generations ago but we could not have foreseen what has come to pass today. We can take him away from Forks, where he can learn to live our lifestyle away from the temptation or human blood if your pack does not want the danger nearby."
Jacob stepped forward then despite Edward's warning growl and turned to Sam "I think he is right Sam. You know we don't have to act right now. It takes three days for the change to happen, and he is out of it while it is happening and unable to move. We could just wait and see what happens. This is Charlie we are talking about. Edward will be able to hear his thoughts and Alice will see any problems before they occur. I don't know about you, but I can't bear the thought of destroying him if there is any chance at all that it may work out without any further bloodshed. The Cullens have not broken the treaty, they have not bitten anyone or made another vampire. As Carlilse explained, Charlie is part of their family and we would technically be breaking the treaty if we harm him. This was not of their doing, they only intervened in an attempt to help Charlie." He looked at his father and Sam. After what seemed like an eternity of inner tumultuous thought Billy nodded his agreement.
Sam shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can take a chance like this. Think of the danger we would be allowing to happen. We are protectors of our tribe, but we have a responsibility to the people of Forks and humans as a whole. It is too much of a chance to take." Billy was torn, he could see Sam's point, but this was his best friend we were talking about.
Edward was pinching the bridge of his nose the way he does when he is frustrated when he spoke "The transformation will take three days, it has been just over 2 hours now. Please, can you just think about this for another 12 hours or so. Give yourselves time to think about this option. Charlie is going nowhere for a while, he can't hurt anyone in his current state so there is no need to make any rash decisions right now. You can stay here and patrol the area, we won't ask you to leave." Edward looked straight at Sam as he continued "We will not try to take him anywhere, I promise you."
He had obviously seen Sam's concern that the Cullens would use the time to take Charlie away somewhere the pack couldn't get to him. I looked at him gratefully, I could not believe that we were arguing over Charlie's life, but I was thankful that both Edward and Carlisle could offer the pack a reasonable option. I certainly wasn't in any state to articulate a coherent argument at this point. Hope started to build in my heart once more, surely the tribe could see that this will work.
Sam seemed to consider this for a moment and after a look and a nod from Billy, he agreed.
"I will give you 12 hours and I will consult with the tribe elders, but then a decision will be made and for the sake of the treaty, I expect you to accept it." He looked directly at Carlisle when he spoke those words and then turned to me.
"I am sorry Bella, I realise this is an impossible situation for everyone concerned, Charlie was my friend too."
I found my voice then. "He still is Sam. You've seen how the Cullens live and how much they value life - all life - not just human. Please, please think about the man Charlie is - from what I have seen of the Cullens he will bring all of those qualities we love about him with him when he is changed. None of us wanted Charlie to be hurt but it has happened now and we can't go back. Please give him a chance." I was begging now for my fathers' immortal life - something I wanted for myself so badly, I hoped Charlie would get the chance now too.