Chapter Sixty

Peter

I didn't like the thought of leaving the Major with the hell cat but he seemed confident he could handle her.

"You have to trust him Peter, he knows what he's doing"

"You sure about that? Only I felt her wrath and I have to tell you, it hurts like a fucking bitch."

"She can't hurt him, he not only sired her but he's her mate too. He'll get through to her, it might just take a while"

"So what do we do in the meantime?"

"Tell the Cullens like he said, then I think we should ring Denali and speak to Bella's father, tell him what's happened"

"Fucking messenger boy, great! If we tell Charlie where his daughter is he'll go straight to the guardians and tell them, then they'll be on a plane furry fucking noses twitching madly at the thought of killing her."

"I didn't say we tell Charlie where she is, just that we found her and its all under control."

"OK, So you don't trust the fur balls any more than I do?"

"Actually I do but I knew that's what you would say and I really can't be bothered to argue with you Peter. I want to let everyone know and then get to Grape Island, just in case"

"You just said he'd be fine, its all under control Peter, chill out"

"It is, I just think he might be glad of a little moral support."

"Moral support? That bitch almost made vampire paste out of Garrett and tried the same thing with me. If you think I'm getting anywhere near her again you are badly mistaken. It may not be the best body in the world but I'm kinda attached to it Charlotte"

"We don't have to be on the island mighty warrior, just close enough to intervene of there is trouble, from anyone"

"Anyone? So you are expecting trouble, but who from my devious little plaything?"

"Well the Cullens know she's out to get them and there's always the chance Alice might see something or Edward read our thoughts."

"You see, now you know why I don't like that Bambi eating pervert and his clan."

Carlisle

When Peter rang with the news that Jasper had found and captured Bella we heaved a collective sigh of relief.

"Where are they?"

"Why? So you can rat her out to the Volturi?"

"No, I simply wondered that's all. As long as he has her under control I'm happy. So we are safe to return home?"

"Yeah you can sleep tight in your little beds tonight. Tell Garrett he can stop running too, if he hasn't already left for parts unknown."

"Does her father know she's safe?"

"Not yet, I'm ringing him next but don't try pumping him for the location, I'm not telling him either, for a similar reason. he's too close to those freaky fucking guardians and they might wheedle it out of him. The Major's got enough on his plate as it is without unwelcome visitors."

Charlie

Annie did her best to distract me but I couldn't help thinking about Bella and Sam Uley. He had been buried in the reservation burial ground and I wasn't welcome at the service. I guess I didn't blame the Quileutes in a way, it had been my daughter who killed him but not without good reason.

The longer I was here the less inclined I was to go back to Forks and my old job. I wasn't seeing the world in quite the same way any longer. Before, when I knew about the guardians it had been in the abstract, as something that had happened a long while ago and didn't impact on my life directly but now...Now I saw everything and how it still had a real impact on my life and on the life of every human and supernatural being. My daughter was a vampire, what the hell was I suppose to do? Pretend she was dead? Try to find a way to be in her world? Staying with the Guardians made me realise there were no easy answers.

"You look troubled Charlie and I understand. You feel responsible for what happened to your daughter but you are wrong. Its wasn't your fault and there was nothing you could have done to change what happened. The guardians have brought you nothing but pain and that saddens me when our reason for existing is to save our people from harm. True we don't include all mankind but death because we stood by and did nothing is one thing, we cannot save everyone but for the death of an innocent to be a direct result of our actions, that is very hard for us to swallow. The Quileutes have become outcasts themselves. Only Harry stood up and tried to stop the wickedness and he has paid a staggeringly high price for his principals. His family, his tribe, his place as an elder, all gone and he is seen as a traitor by the tribe, as an elder he should have kept them safe, protected their honour and he failed."

"Right now Annie I'm more worried about Bella and what will happen to her if Jasper can't get through to her. My daughter has become someone she would abhor under normal circumstances, she's not cruel or savage, its not in her nature yet here she is killing and maiming in the name of revenge yet I cant find it in me to condemn her, I feel responsible too. I am her father, I should have kept her from harm but I drew her straight into it like a blind fool. I think I should leave Denali Annie."

"I understand Charlie. I just wish we had met under better circumstances."

There was a knock on the door and Johnny H came in,

"I thought you would want to know that Jasper has found Bella and has her in his custody now. I have called the guardians off, they will no longer be looking for her but if she should escape and kill again they will begin the hunt again and next time I will not call them off Charlie."

I nodded, what could I say?

"Do we know where they are?"

"No, his friend refused to tell me, not that I expected otherwise. I understand you are leaving Charlie. I'm sorry we couldn't part as friends but circumstances conspire against us."

I didn't say anything, he was right and I knew I would never see either him or Annie again and I would miss them, their simplicity and the welcome I had received but they were Bella's mortal enemies and she was still my daughter.

"I will arrange a ride to the airport Charlie"

Johnny H turned and left the room and I remembered the last time I'd seen him, at Sea Tac when he gave me a ride home to Forks. So much had happened since then. As I packed my things I got a call from Peter Whitlock, Jasper's friend,

"Johnny H told me you'd found Bella. Where is she?"

"With The Major."

"I want to see her."

"No you don't, because she sees you as one of those who betrayed her and she'd like nothing more than to rip your head off."

"I still want to see her. I need to put things right between us."

"Get in line Charlie. I'm not telling you squat until The Major tells me its OK to do so. You know she's safe, that's all you need to know for now. When we have news I'll contact you again. You still in Denali?"

"I'm flying back in a few hours, back to Forks that is but I don't know how long for. I don't think I can stay, not after all that's happened."

"We'll keep in touch."

As he cut me off I felt very alone, my ex wife was remarried, my parents dead, and my daughter a vampire, there was nothing left for me.