Chapter Sixty One

Charlie

My relief at hearing that not only did I have a gift but one that was really powerful and would protect me from anyone, including Jasper and the Volturi was overwhelming. I could have hugged and kissed Eleazar but instead I just shook his hand.

"Right then there's no reason why I can't see Bella, so lets go."

Eleazar suggested we fly back together just so they could keep an eye on me in such a confined space with my natural prey. As it was I had no trouble at all, I just cocooned myself inside my shield and no scent of human blood could get through to tempt me. In fact I felt pretty smug, it seemed I'd avoided the worst parts of being a new vampire and I was very relieved because from what Garrett told me I might have been prevented from seeing Bella for several years otherwise.

I couldn't wait to see my little girl and give her a hug. I was sure once she recognized me she would be OK although so far from what I heard she hadn't recognized Jasper which was quite a shock seeing as she was so much in love with him. However Alice had pointed out that she had been trapped in a cellar and mentally and physically abused for months so I guess it was to be expected. You heard stories of girls kidnapped and held for years under the same circumstances and I knew if not for the resources and determination of the Cullens Bella might have become one of those.

Carlisle met us at the airport and drove us back to the house first. They wanted to know exactly what had happened and fill us in on the other girl who was upstairs, we could have told by the heartbeat and sound of banging.

"What's she doing up there?"

Carlisle grimaced,

"Esme told her that one way or another she was going to have a shower and she decided on the other way. Esme and Carmen hauled her in and while Esme helps her wash her hair Carmen is taking the carpet up in the bedroom."

"Carpet?"

"Yes, it seems the toilet facilities in the cellar were eh...primitive to say the least."

I blanched at that,

"Was it really that bad down there?"

"Worse but you have a right to know Charlie, so you will understand why Bella is the way she is."

As Carlisle explained I felt my rage building, how dare someone subject my daughter to such horrific conditions. I was now more determined than ever to see not only Bella but the bastard who had done this to her.

"Has she been medically examined yet?"

"No, we needed to get the baby away first and then try to earn her trust. If she has been treated as Renee was then she won't trust anyone near her."

"Isn't Jasper having any luck?"

"I suppose you could call it that. Did Alice tell you about his gift?"

"Yeah, he feels others emotions or something."

"He does but he can also project them onto others and he's keeping Bella calm but she's not confronting what happened. We think if you can persuade Jasper to allow you in maybe she will recognize you, we need a breakthrough. Once we get that it would be better to call in Rose, she is something of an …...expert on the subject."

I didn't need to hear any more, I understood what Carlisle was saying.

Just then Peter appeared with his mate and he looked at me a little apprehensively, he wasn't sure how I would take becoming a vampire I guess.

"Charlie."

"Peter, how's Bella?"

"I won't lie to you Charlie, not good. The Major's not helping either though that's not all his fault. He's just not thinking clearly but then maybe I wouldn't seeing my mate in that condition and knowing everything that has happened to her."

"Has she said anything about what he did to her? Do we know if he...like Renee?"

"We don't know squat Charlie. The Major took her straight from the cellar to the motel and he won't let anyone else in, not even me."

"Right, then I think its about time someone forced him to if necessary. But before we go I just wanted to say thanks Peter, for saving me I mean."

He shrugged but I could see he was relieved,

"That's OK Charlie but in future you might want to remember to have someone watch your back...or maybe not in your case with the spooky shield thing going on. Have you used it yet by the way? Made sure Eleazar didn't make a mistake?"

Eleazar looked at Peter affronted,

"I don't make mistakes Peter, its what I do, recognize gifts."

"Yeah well no offence Eleazar but if I were going to be relying on something I couldn't see to keep me safe I'd want at least a demo."

I smiled at him,

"Almost exactly my words to Eleazar and yes I gave it a test. Maybe once we get Bella back I'll show you too."

Peter

I nodded, I liked Charlie, he was a man after my own heart, we were gonna be good friends once all this shit was cleared up.

Charlie spoke to Eleazar and Garrett for a few minutes and then he and Carlisle left for the motel while I sat down to tell Alice about Bella and find out how the girl I'd saved from there was doing. I could hear Esme was trying real hard but I liked the sound of the kid, she was gutsy and I was sure she'd come through her ordeal if she could just find someone she could relate to. At that point Esme came down carrying an armful of filthy rags which she threw out the back door before washing her hands and joining us.

"Well that was a struggle but at least she's clean, I left Carmen with her, she's not quite so much the enemy as I am right now. How's the baby Peter? Thank God she's too young to understand or remember anything that happened."

"She's got Rose, they look good together."

"Yes I thought they might, its Rose's one main regret, that she can never have a family of her own. Its something every woman should be able to choose and she was always going to regret that. I just hope she doesn't get too attached to it."

"Why the hell not? Its mother is dead and its father will be as soon as The Major gets his shit together, so she's gonna need parents."

"What about the Volturi? Immortal children and all that means? Look at Tanya and her sisters, what happened when their mother changed a child."

I wasn't sure we were on the same wave length,

"I didn't mean for them to change her, you manage to pass in a human world so why couldn't they? The kid doesn't need to know until its old enough. Besides I thought Carlisle was great friends with the mighty Aro and his brothers, couldn't he put in a word for them?"

I could see from her expression that she hadn't thought of that but she would now, Esme would do more or less anything for her family I just wished I could do the same for Charlotte but we'd been OK up to now and we would be after.

"Do you think Bella will ever get over this? We were worried about the shock of finding out what we were but instead she has all that happened in that cellar to cope with."

"You know Esme, if you asked me that about anyone else I'd say no, no way, but she's got all you, The Major and her dad to help her so I think yeah, in time but its gonna be hard for her, especially as we know she saw her mom's body if not what happened to her, the baby's mother too."

"I know, I just hope she'll let Rose help her, you know what happened to Rose?"

"Yeah and maybe she is the best person, we'll just have to wait and see. What about the kid?"

Esme smiled ruefully,

"I have no idea Peter but just this minute I can't think about it. She's certainly a handful."

I felt sorry for her, the baby had Rose, Bella had The Major and her dad but the kid...well she didn't have anyone at all.

"Well I need to hunt so I'll leave Charlotte here, reinforcements if the kid decides to wreck the house."

With a grin I kissed Char and disappeared looking for my dinner.