Bella McLeod

Healer

This is my first Twilight fic, and it is a femlash, featuring Bella and Rosalie as a couple. So, if you don't like, please head somewhere else.

As an introduction, you may want to read "Snape McLeod" since the Bella that trained Tobias there is the same one here, only a decade later. It's not a requirement for you to read it, especially since I try to untangle things as the story progresses. I altered the timeline to fit my needs, so… she met Snape in 1997, they parted ways in 2000 and it is now 2011, when she moves to Forks with Charlie.

Bare in mind that I do not own Twilight, nor its characters, so if you recognize any of them, THEY'RE NOT MINE. I only own the idea of making Bella Swan part of Clan McLeod.

I also not own the Highlander series, characters and concepts.

Remember to leave your reviews…

Bella McLeod

Chapter 31

Healer

Rosalie pulled up slowly, staying way back from Charlie's. All three vampires were acutely alert, ramrod straight in their seats, clearly listening to every sound of the woods around us, looking through every shadow and catching every scent. Searching for anything out of place. The engine cut off and I waited for them to give the ok to go out.

"He's not here" Alice said tensely

"Let's go" said Rosalie getting of the Jeep as Emmet reached over to help me get out of the harness

"Don't worry Bella" he said in low tone "We'll take care of things"

I nodded, feeling grateful for this people, giving themselves into keeping me alive. I had a new plan in mind by then. And I knew no one would be happy about it, specially my Rose but I needed them to split up so then we could do something without Edward around, I still did not know where Jasper would fall in this, from what they told me about themselves, I knew he was a great tactician, so it would do well to have his input, but would he help me if his mate acted again against me?

"Alice, Emmet" Rosalie's voice was a command, immediately they slithered soundlessly into the darkness. Rose opened the door and offered me her hand to help me out, drawing me into a protective embrace. She walked us swiftly to the house, eyes always roving through the night.

"Twenty minutes" she warned under her breath

"We can do this" I said out loud, more for my sake than hers. We stopped on the porch and I took hold of her face in my hands, looking fiercely into her eyes. "I love you" I said passionately. "I will always love you, no matter what happens now"

"Nothing is going to happen to you Bella" she said just a fiercely

"Just follow the plan, okay? We just have to set everything to keep Charlie safe from James, and Duncan too if he shows up here"

"Get inside Bella, we have to hurry" her voice was urgent.

"One more thing" I whispered before turning around "Don't take this personally." She was leaning in and so, it was easy for me to kiss her surprised frozen lips with as much force as I was capable of. "I think it is better if they believe I am leaving by myself, in case something goes terribly wrong so you are not dragged into Immortal bullshit. At least on their eyes." Then I turned and kicked the door open. "Go away Rosalie!" I said as tired as I could muster "You have to understand now that you are nothing but a child to me." I added nonchalantly and chanced a glance over my shoulder and her stunned and pained face almost made me falter, because I knew my next words would cut deep, even if she knew I was lying "You were just another notch on my bed, thank you for that by the way, it was delightful." I purred out "Now just go and leave me alone! As you saw, I have grown up things to deal with. Shooo!" I said loudly at her as I walked inside the house and headed straight for the cupboard, where I had stashed what Tobias and I dubbed the 'doomsday' backpack. Charlie stood frozen at the threshold to the living room, while he listened to my rant and stared at my actions noticing what I was getting out.

"Isabella?" he finally asked hovering over me while I checked each bag of the pack making sure nothing was missing.

"Yes?" I said looking up from the backpack to him, he motioned for the door where I saw Rose standing there, with a pained expression on her face. It took all my self control not to reach out and comfort her. I sighed "Look, I'm sorry I strung you along and that I broke your heart. This is what I do. You'll get over me, they always do. You have all your life ahead of you" I told her using the same speech I used on my old Watcher when things got too serious between us. Then I closed the door on her face and turned to Charlie "Call Duncan and put him on speaker please" I asked firmly taking the back pack into the kitchen and placing it on the counter before heading back upstairs for my favorite raincoat and two of my swords.

"What's going on?" I heard Duncan on Charlie's phone as he kept trailing behind me.

"I'm leaving now. Leaving Forks. Not planning to come back" I said donning on the coat and heading back downstairs.

"What about the Cullens?" asked Charlie shocked about the revelation "Did you really just break that sweet girl's heart after having your way with her? I asked you not to play with their feelings"

"What!? NO!" I told them angered by the assumption, then I recalled what I was planning to do. "Ok, yes, I just broke her heart. But it is for her own safety"

"What happened? Why the sudden change of heart?" Asked Duncan sighing tiredly

"I love her" I said sighing myself "I love her so much that I can't stand the mere thought of her being hurt because of me. I have to leave in order for her to live a happy and safe life"

"What changed from yesterday to today to make you realize that?" asked Charlie softly

"Someone came by" I said truthfully then I continued adding to the lie that I was creating for them, which I hated, I really hated lying to Duncan, but it was necessary "not one for rules and the worst part was they were willing to harm her to get to me" I added also truthfully, just omitting the part where it was neither an Immortal nor a Brother.

"Ok. What's the plan then?" asked Duncan "I am not home anymore"

"It's ok, didn't think you'd still be there. I am planning to crash at Clara's place in Phoenix for a couple of days, we have a stash there. Then figure out something from there" I told them, putting the back pack on my shoulders and heading for the door again. "I'll call you once I get there Duncan."

"Of all the places in the world you had to choose that one… I just left you know?" said Duncan in a sigh "Stay safe Bella" He added before ending the call

"You still have the bike Charlie?" I asked him, he nodded and after a moment handed me the key.

"You sure?" he asked by my side as I climbed on the old motor bike that he had stashed next to the green house Tobias and I had built. I nodded.

As soon as I lost sight of him and the house on the rearview mirror I was stopped by Rosalie literally crashing into the bike taking me with her while the bike crashed into the forest trees.

"Are you insane?!" She asked completely angered and looking around in frenzy fear.

"Maybe I am" I told her sighing with the realization that the bike was no longer an option. Lights flared suddenly behind us, I stared back at them fearful of being ran over.

"It's just Emmet" she reassured me. So we waited for Alice and Emmet to pull over before we got inside the jeep, and I was again strapped to the stupid harness.

"The Tracker?" I asked them sighing and pulling at the straps of said harness

"He heard the end of that, starting when Duncan told you he's not home anymore" said Rose grimly "He is following us now"

"Can we outrun him?"

"Not with the Jeep" said Alice. I was staring back at her when the jeep shuddered and a dark shadow sprung up outside the window, a fraction second before I screamed, Rose had her hand clamped around my mouth

"It's Jasper" she said as she released me "It's okay Bella. You're going to be safe" she said making space for Jasper to swiftly climb in, into the already tight Jeep

We raced through the town toward the highway as I was thinking of the best way to ditch the vampires, task that seemed almost impossible to accomplish.

"I love you Rose" I told her softly "Please, whatever happens, remember that"

"Don't worry" she told me softly "I love you too" she smiled a little, though the smile did not really reach her eyes. I stared at her and I know she saw the desperation in my eyes. "It's going to be fine. We'll figure it out. James and Brotherhood and everything else too." She said with renewed confidence

"But it won't be all right when I'm not with you" I whispered. Knowing that we both got anxious about the distance

"This was your idea, remember?" She said tightening her arms around me "We'll be together again soon"

"It's just a lot on our plates right now" I added "Why now?"

"It's my fault" she said stubbornly "I was a fool to expose you like that" the rage in her voice was directed completely at herself and that pained me more than any of my previous deaths.

"That's not what I meant" I insisted cupping her face "I was there, big deal. It didn't bother the other two. Why did this tracker decide he wants to hunt me?"

"I'll ask Edward to look into his mind, or tell us what he heard from his mind at the field." Said Jasper

"I'm not sure if there's anything we could have done to avoid his reaction once he caught your scent though." Added Rosalie then, she half smirked at me "It is partially your fault, your scent is so amazing, if you didn't smell that good he might not have bothered. But when I defended you…well, I think I made it worse. As you said, I gave him a challenge"

"He's euphoric right now" added Jasper "He is consumed with tracking." his tone was full of disgust. Something I never expected to hear in his voice. "I don't think we have any other choice but to kill him now"

"Carlisle won't like it" chimed Emmet

I could hear the tires cross a bridge, though I could not see in the dark, I knew we were getting close to the Cullen's residence.

"Why are we heading to your house now instead of out of town like before?" I asked confused

"Carlisle asked for a family meeting to strategize" said Jasper "having you with us for now is the best way to keep the Tracker from getting to you"

"How can you kill a vampire? Only by fire?" I asked after a moment, remembering Tobias' teachings

They glanced at me, with unreadable eyes. Finally Rose spoke and her voice was suddenly harsh "The only way to be sure is to tear a vampire to shreds, and then burn the pieces"

I sighed, knowing it is definitely not easy to tear apart a vampire who has diamond hard skin. "And the other two, will they fight with him?"

"The woman will" said Alice "I'm not sure about Laurent. He isn't sure himself."

"He was embarrassed by James in the field…" added Jasper thoughtfully

"Still, James and the woman are a threat to you. They will try to kill you all in order to get to me" I pondered over that, disliking them being at risk because of me.

"Bella, don't you dare waste time worrying about us. Your only concern should be keeping yourself safe" said Rose "And please! Try not to be reckless"

"Is he still following?" I asked them. Jasper nodded after a second "Can he hear us?"

"No. Not at this distance."

"Good. That is a small advantage now." I said thinking over the situation and the known and unknown factors at the time "We do have to adjust and maybe slightly change the plan. We'll we be safe at your house from prying ears or attacks?" I asked thanking having beaten Trick, apparently his knowledge in strategy was coming handy and might even be the difference between keeping Rose and her family safe, even if in the end I had to die, again, for that.

"I don't think he will attack the house. Not tonight at least" said Jasper "Not with all of us there"

"And he'll keep his distance, he doesn't want us to hear him anymore than we want him to hear us" said Alice "He has no way of knowing Edward can read his mind or that I can see when he makes a choice, and as far as we know he also does not have a way to know if any of us have special abilities, so yes, he will stay at a safe distance, but still stalking around our home"

"Same as we don't know if him or the woman have any special gifts" I said thinking it over "We'll need decoy and bait" I told them. "Rosalie taking the truck is a good decoy, but we might need something else to keep them off myself, even if only for a little while to set up a better trap"

We drove right up to the house. The lights inside were bright, but they did little to alleviate the blackness of the forest. Rosalie had my door open before Emmet even stopped the Jeep, she pulled me out of the seat, tucked me like a football against her and ran me through the door, while Emmet picked up my backpack and swords. We burst into the white large room, Emmet, Alice and Jasper at our sides. The others were there, already on their feet at the sound of our approach. Laurent stood in their midst, I could hear low growls rumble deep from Emmet's and Rose's throats when she set me down behind her, standing protectively in front of me.

"He's tracking us" said Jasper, glaring at Laurent

Laurent's face was unhappy "I was afraid of that"

Alice approached Emmet and after a second they flew up the stairs together. Edward watched them and with a scowl moved quickly to Jasper's side.

"What will he do?" Carlisle asked Laurent in chilling tones

"I'm sorry" he answered "I was afraid, when your girl defended her, that it would set him off"

"Can you stop him?" asked Rose

Laurent shook his head "Nothing stops James when he gets started"

"We'll stop him" Jasper promised. Even when he received a glare from Edward

"You can't bring him down. I've never seen anything like him in my hundred years" stated Laurent "He's absolutely lethal. That's why I joined his coven"

"So the show of leadership at the clearing was that, merely a show" I said out loud without realizing I had spoken up.

Laurent nodded his head, while glancing perplexed at me and back to Carlisle. "Are you sure it's worth it?"

Rosalie's enraged roar filled the room making Laurent cringe back. Carlisle looked gravely at the nomad. "I'm afraid you're going to have to make a choice" he said as I placed my hand on Rosalie's back trying to sooth her.

Laurent understood. He deliberated for a moment, his eyes in every face present, slowly sweeping the room. "I'm intrigued by the life you've created here" he started "But I won't get in the middle of this. I bear none of you any enmity, but I won't go up against James. I think I will head north, to that clan you mentioned in Denali" he hesitated "Do not underestimate James. He's got a brilliant mind and unparallel senses. He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as you seem to be, and he won't come at you head on… I'm sorry for what's been unleashed here. Truly sorry" He bowed his head but I saw him flicker another puzzled look at me.

"Before you leave, do you know if James or the woman have any special gifts" I asked him "Anything that might give them advantage over us in this hunt of his?"

"You are a smart little one" said Laurent mirthlessly "As I said, James has unparallel senses. That is what makes him such a dangerous tracker" he added sighing "Victoria's gift is tricky and hard to explain… let's call it Survival. She knows how to survive, she instinctually knows where or what to avoid in order to survive, and since James is her mate, her power somewhat extends to his actions." He said somberly before turning to Jasper "Any trap you may think of setting to kill them, she'll instantly know so it will not work. Nothing will" he finished.

Planning then needed adjustments, if no trap would work, nothing would lure them out. But maybe we could also use that, just had to figure out how.

"Go in peace" was Carlisle formal answer, extending his hand toward the nomad

Laurent took another long look around himself before stretching his hand out toward Carlisle. That is when I saw it, the tattoo on his wrist.

"You were a watcher" I whispered making everyone including himself look at me

"I see" said Laurent with comprehension in his eyes "You one too? Or one of them?" he asked curiously.

"My father is" I told him not letting him know that I was one too, and not clarifying if a Watcher or an Immortal.

"Perhaps you ought to go to him then. The Council, might be able to keep you somewhat safe from James. I would avoid the Brotherhood though, unless that's your only choice" he said somberly, assuming my father was a Watcher, before hurrying out the door

The silence lasted less than a second

"You are obviously not going to that Council nor to the Brotherhood, they are already trying to have you killed!" said Rosalie turning around and growling at me

I sighed and cupped her face "Take a deep breath Rose" I told her calmly "You are right on that, I am not going to go looking for the Brotherhood. This is not one of those instances in which you will have to protect me from myself, so there is no need to growl at me my love" Slowly she stopped growling and eventually leaned in to hold me in a tight hug, nuzzling her nose against my neck.

"How close is he now?" asked Carlisle looking at Edward and Jasper while Rosalie and I hugged each other.

Esme was already moving, her hand touching a hidden keypad on the wall, and with a groan, huge metal shutters began sealing up the glass walls.

"About three miles out past the river" said Edward still scowling "He's circling around to meet up with the female"

"What's the plan then?" asked Esme

"We'll lead him off" started Rose still nuzzling into my neck "and then Emmet and Alice will run with Bella south" she added standing straight but still keeping me in her arms

"As soon as Bella is clear, we hunt him" said Jasper in a deadly tone

"And then?" prompted Carlisle "You heard Laurent, anything we had come up so far won't work, not with her gift in play"

Rosalie growled at her father and held me impossibly closer yet. "Rose, he is right, we need a different strategy. I understand you can't control how you react to any perceived threats, but try to keep an open mind to any suggestions your family has. They are trying to help. At least most of them are" I said eyeing Edward who was smirking at the scene until he caught me staring at him. Rosalie caught on that too and her growling turned fiercer, making me sigh in defeat

"I guess there is no other choice" said Carlisle, his face grim

"What you mean? What you have in mind?" I asked him, turning in Rosalie's arms in order to face him

"We go to the Volturi and appeal to your mate bond for protection" said Carlisle somberly

"Not an option" said Rose growling again at her father "Not if we want Bella's safety"

"Do we?" asked Edward mockingly

"Get Bella upstairs and trade clothes" said Jasper to Esme interrupting Rosalie from attacking her sibling.

"Why should she?" asked Edward petulantly "What is she to us? Except a menace, a danger you've all chosen to inflict on all of us"

I flinched back from the venom in his voice. I knew he disliked me, but I was not expecting him to actually want me dead. Rosalie growled fiercely at him, and I was slightly pleased by that, I could only watch as she placed herself once again in between me and what she perceived as a threat

"Edward…" murmured Jasper putting a hand on his shoulder. He shook it off.

I watched Rose intently, trying to gauge what she would do then. She surprised me when she abruptly stopped growling and looked away from Edward as if he hadn't spoken at all.

"Esme?" she prompted her mother

"Of course" Esme murmured. She was at my side in half a heartbeat, swinging me up easily into her arms, and dashing up the stairs before I could even gasp in shock.

"What are we doing?" I asked confused as she set me down in a dark room somewhere in the second floor hall.

"I agree with Rosalie, going to the Volturi is dangerous, but Carlisle might be right and be our only option to keep you safe from James" I could hear clothes falling to the floor "So we are trying to confuse the smell. It won't work for long, but it might help buy time to get you out"

"That's perfect. I had not thought about disguising my scent. I don't think I'll fit in your clothes though" I hesitated but her hands were abruptly pulling my shirt over my head. I sighed and stripped my jeans off myself as she handed me something, which felt like a shirt. I struggled to get my arms through the right holes. As soon as I was done she handed me her slacks. I yanked them on, but had trouble getting my feet out, they were too long. She deftly rolled the hems a few times so I could stand. Somehow, she was already in my clothes. In a second she pulled me back towards the stairs, where now Alice stood with a small leather bag in one hand. They each grabbed one of my elbows and half-carried me as they flew down the stairs.

"Let's try this again when we are not facing a big threat. Might be actually fun. Like a roller coaster" I said smiling softly when they set me down.

It appeared that everything had been settled downstairs in our absence. Everyone seemed ready to leave. Emmet carrying a heavy looking backpack over his shoulder. Carlisle was handing something small to Esme. He turned and handed the same thing to Alice, which is when I realized they were cell phones.

"Esme and Rosalie will be taking your truck Bella" he told me as he passed by. I nodded in understanding. "Alice, Emmet, take the Mercedes. You'll need the dark tint in the south" They nodded as well "We're taking the jeep" I was surprised to see that Carlisle intended to go with Jasper and Edward, who as usual, was scowling at me. I realized suddenly, they made up what appeared to be the hunting party. "Alice, will they take the bait?"

We all watched as Alice closed her eyes and became incredibly still. Finally her eyes opened.

"Not if Bella takes her backpack as she intends too. Her scent is heavily clung around it" she said softly

"Why would you take it?" asked Rosalie upset

"Because I need it" I said simply

"It has your scent strongly attached to it" explained Alice. "As soon it comes out, it will draw them to it, to us."

I pondered about it and then sighed before nodding and agreeing. "Compromise then. Edward or Jasper will take it, that way we can have two scent decoys as bait, you three on one hand, and Rosalie with Esme on the other, keeping up the ruse that she wouldn't willingly leave my side" I told them.

"It is not a ruse, I am unwillingly leaving your side" she said sternly

"However I need at least a couple of items from inside." I said ignoring her comment "No clothes." I assured them "And I need at least one of my swords too of course, just in case my other visitors show up" They all looked at Alice, waiting to see if her vision said it would work like this. When she nodded I sighed relieved. Taking out a couple of vials, a special dagger Tobias had prepared for me in case of dire emergency, and finally one of my short swords. After a moment of adjustment, I brought the backpack to Rose, who smiled softly at me when she reached for it before briefly pecking my lips, and tossing the backpack at Edward

"He'll track you" said Alice to Jasper and Edward "The woman will follow the truck. We should be able to leave after that" her voice was certain.

"Let's go" Carlisle began to walk toward the kitchen followed by Edward and Jasper, and then, in the blink of an eye the three members of the hunting party, were gone.

We stood there, waiting in a dragged silence. Then Esme's phone vibrated in her hand. It flashed to her ear. "Now" she said. Rosalie was again at my side at once, but Esme touched my cheek as she passed. "Be safe" her whisper lingered behind her as she slipped out the door.

Rosalie caught me in her iron grip, holding me tight against her. She kissed me sweetly for what seemed like forever, but was probably just a few seconds. Then, it was over. She set me down, still holding my face, her eyes burning into mine. "This is not us saying goodbye. This is not us being thankful for having met. This is merely us reassuring each other. Agreed?" I nodded and kissed her again. When she ended our kiss, her eyes turned dark and void as she let go.

"Wait!" I said before they blurred away. "I have an idea, is it safe to speak now Alice? Your brothers and the female out of listening range?" she nodded before her eyes went glassy for a moment, when she came too she was grinning madly at me.

"You are wickedly brilliant" she said hugging me

"I find it offensive that you guys keep being surprised by my ideas" I huffed.

"Care to share with the class honey?" asked Emmet impatiently.

"Bella?" asked me Rosalie tugging at my hand.

"It's relatively simple" I started "and you would only have to leave me for a few minutes instead of a few days" I added smiling up at her "So, we know the Tracker is currently following Carlisle and Edward who is a mind reader, right? And who doesn't like me for some reason" she nodded growling softly at that, making me chuckle "From what Laurent said, if he is following them, it means that whatever they have in store to 'hunt the hunter' will not work or the female would have stopped him from following them. And the female stayed in order to see what the rest of you do. So, assuming I understood her gift, if her life is in danger, she knows not to do something. Like walking in a trap."

"Yes. What is your point?" asked Emmet huffing impatiently still

"What if the trap we set at least for her, is not to kill her, nor to kill James. But just to hold her prisoner for a while?"

"Where?" Asked Rosalie

"Here!" Said Alice excitedly. "This house is equipped to go in full lockdown mode, right Esme? Not one thing can go in or out, without lifting the lockdown protocol. So once she is here by herself, with no communication to the outside world, she can't warn James if we decide to hunt him to kill him instead of just luring him away, which is what Edward and the rest are doing now, just luring him."

And so, it was decided that Alice and I would stay on the foyer while Emmet waited around the tree line, running a perimeter, while Esme and Rosalie took the truck away to 'buy' some groceries for the hungry human, next time I blinked they were gone and I heard my truck start thunderously and then slowly fade away.

Eventually Emmet came back and he and Alice waited with me until Alice's phone was at her ear before it even buzzed.

"Rosalie says the woman is not following them. Let's wait outside" she vanished into the shadows the same way Rose had gone.

Emmet and I looked at each other, he extended his arms out. "May I?"

"First to ask permission" I smiled wryly

He lifted me in his bulky arms as easily as Alice, Esme and Rose had done before. Shielding me protectively as we flew out the door, placing me gently next to Alice and then running back into the forest.

A/N (July 2023, well Ok August 03, 2023... buuut, it was because ff was not letting me upload the chapter into the Doc Manager):

Does it bother you guys the same way it bothers me that their plan was to split up when they were stronger together? Why would Jasper think it was a good idea to split a strong coven of 7 into three groups instead of sticking together and dealing with the nomads? Or why not immediately head north and ask help from their 'cousins'? It was a bold and stupid move, right? So in canon, I have no idea why they agreed to that, but here, my mind is thinking that maybe it was Edward who suggested the split, and Jasper just agreed with his mate even when his strategist mind did not think it wise... we will see.

So we coming closer to the end, and I think I just figured out what to do. Oh, BTW, soonish we will get an snippet of an insight to why Eddy boy is so against Bella (I think, I mean, I know why he is, I am trying to determine how to let the others, or at least Rosalie, know too)