Disclaimer: Twilight, and those characters belonging to it, are property of Stephenie Meyer and I profit none whatsoever from using them for the fan fiction I write.

Author's Note: If you are reading this and feeling some de ja vu, fear not, there is no glitch in the system (at least not in this case.) I could not move forward without making some adjustments (and not nearly as many as I intended though who knows, there could be even another draft later…) and realized I needed to go back through every chapter to do so. If there is anything large, that I feel is worth mentioning, I'll make note of it as I go along. Speaking of… While dates are not specifically mentioned in this, everything pre-story is Cannon to the books, and based off the Twilight Lexicon Timeline.

"If. You. Seek. Amy."

Green gaze shifting to the radio, the young driver spun the dial, bass pounding through the truck's frame. Long strands of hair spun in and out the window as the driver sang along, "Oh baby, baby, have you seen Amy tonight?"

Scanning the road, she kept a look out for any approaching signs that might designate how many miles she had left as she continued her performance, "Is she in the bathroom, is she smokin' up outside? Oh!" Free hand to her chest, she danced in place as her ringtone filled the cab.

Reaching over, she fished her cell out of the passenger seat and glanced down long enough to read Seth on the display. Grinning, she pressed the answer button, "Hey boy, sup?"

"Kady! How far are you?" The deep voice wasn't the one she remembered but it still held the same light, happy tone and furthered her boisterous mood as she caught sight of what she had been looking for,

"I'm about 20 minutes from Forks so... about 40 from seeing you."

Passing the green sign directing her to Forks, Washington, Kady sped up along the slick pavement listening for her friend's reply, "I'm actually in Forks with some of the guys. Do you want to just meet in town?"

Kady nodded to herself as she answered, "Sure. Where-" Body reacting before she knew why at the sudden appearance of a deer in the road, grip tightening on the wheel, phone dropping, "SHIT!"

Pulling hard to the right, the truck swerved sideways, slamming into the animal and then continuing over it, tires grinding over the body and bouncing. From the floor Seth's voice was an octave higher than it had been previously, straining.

Stopped in the middle of the road, Kady's heart was still beating fast, blood pulsing through her veins as she tried to get her bearings. In her peripheral she could see no cars were coming, shaky hands checking herself but finding no damage. Swallowing, she couldn't focus on the voice continue to check on her well-being, torso stretched across passenger side to lean out as soon as she thought about the road's victim.

Eyes closing against the sight and smell, she tried to push the image of the doe away as soon as it was in view. What could have spooked it to jump into the road when her truck was just so loud?

"We're on our way, don't-"

Kady reached down for her phone, sliding back into the driver's seat so she could move the truck off the road, "Seth, Seth it's fine; I just hit a deer, I'm ok."

It was quiet a minute before the voice on the other end prodded, "Truck ok to make it the rest of the way?"

Parking on the side of the grassy road, Kady looked across the hood, "I'm gonna make sure and I'll call you back in a minute, ok?"

"Alright..." Hanging up after Seth's trailing voice, Kady pushed the door open and slid out of the truck to survey the damage.

.

Dark locks swung from side to side as the girl in the driver's seat beat her fist to the music against the door's exterior, eyes closing briefly; one slim fingered hand holding the steering wheel steady. Overhead, storm clouds weighed heavy in the sky, their grey depths casting shadows over the road and the blue Dodge that travelled over it

Bella had stopped as soon as she'd spotted the truck in the distance, the deer running on, watching in horror as it moved into the road. The truck hit her prey without pause, the hunter stopping her breathing as the blood was released into the air. She had to tell Charlie about the accident, she could not risk going down to see if they were hurt... If they were...

She closed her eyes and then took off, running back towards town.

"Carlisle!" A trilling voice broke the silence that filled the empty upstairs and caught the attention of all the occupants of the Cullen household. In his study, Carlisle set down the book he'd been reading, and came into the hallway where Alice was making her way with bright, anxious eyes.

Caught by her troubled appearance, he frowned, "What is it, Alice?"

The sharp featured girl bit her lip; "It's Bella, she-"

Edward appeared inside, letting himself in from the kitchen, Renesmee in arms. Alice looked from her brother and back to their adoptive dad, "She caused an accident, she was hunting-"

The front door burst open, too much for the wood frame to take without complaint and it shuddered in the steely grip it was now held in, Bella's hair fluttering around her shoulders, "I need your help." Seeing her husband and sister-in-law she knew her explanation was already being provided, "I called Charlie and reported the accident, but I couldn't really wait to see-"

Carlisle's bag was in hand, "It's alright Bella, I understand." His gaze shifted from one daughter to the next, "I'm going to help Chief Swan," the blonde looked to his eldest charge, "make sure to calm Bella down..."

Bella bit at her nail as Carlisle left, the impenetrable surface making a grating sound beneath the steely edges of her teeth. Edward's hand ran up one of her shoulders, thumb rubbing circles into the back of her arm while he balanced Renesmee in the other, "She'll be fine. Alice saw she wasn't injured... Just stranded..." He smoothed his fingers along the strands of her hair and kissed her temple.

Renesmee frowned in her father's hold, "Momma hurt someone?" Her voice was sweet in its confusion that Bella could ever do such a thing. None of her family hurt people, she had been taught that from day one.

Alice moved to touch her niece's hair, "It wasn't on purpose, and she'll be fine. Carlisle is just going as a precaution..."

The child, now 5 in appearance, nodded in understanding. Bella had warned her that humans were fragile, like Grandpa Charlie, if they weren't very careful they'd break. Still her Grandpa Carlisle could fix anyone, or so it seemed.

"Miss? Miss, everything is going to be alright," stepping from his patrol cruiser the man moved in slow, measured steps, hands up as he surveyed the young woman marked with blood, "my name is Charlie, I'm the Chief of Police."

Though she'd been leaning, red hands grasping damp, blood-soaked jeans, the young girl raised her head to look at him. Blood marked beneath her eye and ran along her cheek, face sweat laden. Charlie swallowed, reminding himself that Bella had said she'd been in an accident, not that she'd attacked the traveler, "Where are you injured?"

A frown puckered the girl's features, "How did you know I was out here?"

Charlie relaxed, her voice was steady so whatever blood loss she'd sustained was minimal, "There's a watch tower east of here, and one of my deputies called in what he saw." He watched as her gaze flickered over his shoulder and knew she saw the tower, too far for her to ever know it had long been without use.

"There's a doctor, his name is Carlisle Cullen, he's been called to come out and look you over," deep brown eyes, warm with age found hers, "It would help if you could tell him where you hurt. Do you remember what happened?" His gaze flickered, "Your name?"

"Kady."

Charlie nodded as he stood, pulling his hat off to run his fingers through his pepper sprinkled hair and looked her over again then taking in the animal that had been shoved to the side of the road exhaling taking her hands in his, "And none of this is yours?" He moved his thumbs along the still slick red of her palms, "Just from moving that?"

Kady nodded, auburn tresses sticking to her face, "I didn't want to leave it there... if anyone else came along..." deep breathing punctuated inaccurately as her mind began to process the past danger.

Charlie nodded, small offhanded smile, "Wasn't necessary, now-"

The Mercedes gleamed under the dull light that managed through the thick clouds left in the rain's wake, a man moving from it: pale skin, blonde hair, and the calm aura of someone with complete control of himself.

.

The wind hit Carlisle's back, the breeze giving him a moment to take a breath and relax. Straightening his shirt, he smoothed the wrinkles out and looked over at Charlie who watched him almost appraisingly. Chief Swan would, after all, worry. Charlie knew the Cullen's secret so he could understand the belief that a vampire that fed off animals might be slightly distracted in the presence of one's blood.

The doctor nodded, a slight incline of his head; he was fine, of course. Charlie was almost completely comfortable around the family, but Carlisle knew he wasn't quite there yet. Then again, he shouldn't be, for his own safety.

The smile Carlisle wore was friendly as he began to cross towards them in quick, sure strides, "Chief Swan." He nodded, moving to take the girl's chin in hand very, very carefully turning her face up as his in law made introductions,

"…out of towner, claims she wasn't injured in the crash. The blood isn't hers," he gestured towards the carcass at the end of the truck bed on the ground, "moved it off the road for us."

Carlisle smiled, pulling a light pen from his pocket checking her vision, "Strong girl, looks a decent size to me."

Kady turned her head reaching up to scratch at her neck where the blood had started to congeal along her skin, nails scraping the thin layer off into flakes. Charlie cleared his throat, straightening, "Truck has a flat, and I'm going to call in, get a tow for her." He glanced towards Carlisle, "What's the prognosis?"

Carlisle's gaze was on her hand, the one that picked at the drying blood along her neck, Charlie's hand along his shoulder regaining his attention, "Chief?"

Charlie frowned, "Is it alright I take her into town?"

Carlisle stepped back, "Her reaction's off in her left eye. I'd like to take her in for some tests, but I'm sure it's just a concussion." Gold eyes fell on her face, "Is there anyone in Forks you can stay with, family, friends?"

Kady cleared her throat, really none of this was necessary in her eyes, she felt fine, "I'm visiting a friend's family in LaPush, the Clearwaters?" She looked between the two of them and then continued, "I was supposed to Seth in town..."

Carlisle smiled the same time as Charlie, though it was Chief who offered to take her into town to meet them.

Kady rubbed her arms, "Thanks... you don't really need to call for a tow... we can just come back for the truck later..."

"Never mind that," Carlisle pulled back, standing straight, "I'll have one of my sons fix your flat and bring the truck into town within the hour."