The next morning, Seth and Leah didn't want to go anywhere, which I understood, but I had to go home. "Do you have to?" Leah asked softly, shifting from foot to foot in front of her door.

"Yeah." I replied with a sigh. "I want to help you, I really do, but…our dads were best friends, I think he needs me too. I'll call you, yeah?"

"Uh, sure do you…do you need my number?"

"Oh, yes, yes I do." I said, almost slapping myself in stupidity. I offered Leah my phone, and she entered her number. "I'll talk to you later." I turned around and hurried down the steps.

"Yeah…" Leah trailed off. "Bye…" I trekked through the forest and through La Plush back to my house. I could see Bella's truck in the driveway, but there were no lights on in the house. I jogged up the stairs and opened the door.

"Dad?" I called. "Bella?" Walking through the house, I noticed a piece of paper sitting on the table next to the house phone. It was in Bella's messy handwriting.

Dad, Aspen, I'm with Alice, Edward's in trouble, you can ground me when I get back, I know it's a bad time, so sorry, love you both so much, bye

My hand shook as I read the paper, my fingers crinkling the note softly. She just…left…Bella just left. I put the paper down softly and then turned to the dining room table, forming my left hand into a fist and punching it in half, letting out an angry scream. I could feel that my hand was broken, and I couldn't open it from the fist. I sunk to my knees, crying. I don't know how long I was sitting there, but I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Dad. "Aspen?" He asked softly. "What happened?"

"Bella." I breathed. "She…she left."

"What?" I pointed to the phone table, and Dad read the note. Dad huffed angrily. "Come on, Aspen, let's get you some ambrosia."

"I don't know how long I've been here." I muttered softly.

"Alright, hospital then…and then we can get a new table, come on." Dad helped me stand and herded me into the cruiser, and he took me to the hospital to get my hand fixed.

"How's Sue?" I asked softly.

"She's distraught." Dad admitted to me. "I mean, the kids shafted right in front of 'em."

"Well, they're ok." I looked away from the nurse wrapping my hand in plaster. "As ok as they can be after…everything." Dad nodded slowly.

"Well, thanks for that Aspen." Dad lent forward and kissed my head, prompting me to smile.

"Alright, all done." The nurse said to me.

"Thank you." I said to him. He smiled and walked away.

"Let's get you home." Dad prompted, guiding me out of the hospital. I inspected my slung hand with a small frown. "What, don't like the colour?"

"It's white." I sighed. "I can…jazz it up. When is…uh…when's the funeral?"

"Next week." Dad told me. "I'm uh…going to be hanging out with the Clearwaters for a while."

"Can I join you?" I found myself asking. "For support, for you and Sue, Seth and Leah." I don't know where the words came from but…they came naturally and I didn't feel the need to retract them.

"Of course." Dad said. "I think they'd like that." I gave Dad a small smile as we got in the cruiser and headed back home.

TIMESKIP

The next day, after quickly buying a new kitchen table, we headed to the Clearwaters to help Sue. When we entered, I noticed Billy, Quill Sr and Sam were there as well, but Leah was standing on the opposite side of the room. "Sue." I greeted softly, walking up to the woman and pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry." I pulled away from her with a small frown. "Anything you need to ease your pain, I am here to help…I've had to bury more family than I care to admit."

"Thank you, Aspen." Sue said gratefully. I gave her a short smile and backed away.

"Are you ok?" Leah asked, approaching me and setting a warm hand on my shoulder. I turned to her, seeing an overly concerned look my way. My heart fluttered in my chest at her concern.

"Huh?" I wondered softly.

"Your arm, what happened?" I looked down at my cast, which had a rough sketch of a flowery pattern that I did the night before because I couldn't sleep.

"Oh, I uh…punched a table." I chuckled softly.

"Why would you do that?"

"Well…" I sighed, looking around. "Bella left…because something's happened with Edward…just…up and left with no warning."

"The Cullens are back?" Sam asked.

"Jake told me they were back." Billy sighed. "We will keep patrols up, we must ignore the treaty until the Cullens return, for the safety of the people." Everyone nodded solemnly. Pretty soon, everyone was sat around the lounge room and started to talk about the funeral, and I could see Leah getting visibly upset, which made my heart squeeze uncomfortably.

"Come on." I muttered, putting my hand on Leah's arm. "Let's take a walk to get some air, yeah?" Leah nodded silently. I stood and took her hand, guiding her off the couch and heading outside. The two of us took a slow walk around the house, Leah shaking a little. "I am so sorry about your dad." I said softly. "He was…he was a great man."

"Yeah, he was." Leah agreed. "This is all my fault." She sighed, looking away.

"What?" I turned to her. "No way, this wasn't your fault."

"How is it not? I was the one who shifted in front of him, I caused his heart attack!" I took Leah's arms and turned her to me, looking up into her eyes.

"Leah, this is not you're fault." I insisted to her. "You're shifting was an entirely spontaneous occurrence, I was there when Jake shifted for the first time, it comes on so suddenly that you can't control it." I could see the tears in Leah's eyes. "You and your dad just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you can blame yourself as much as you want, but no one tink's you're at fault."

"You didn't see the look in my dad's eyes when I shifted, or my mum's every time she looks at me…" More tears welled in Leah's eyes. I sighed softly, reached out and wiped a tear that fell down her cheek. Leah's eyes met mine as I pulled my hand back.

"If you want to stay out here for longer, we can." I told her. "I'll be right here, ok?"

"Yeah…" Leah said softly. "Thank you…"

TIMESKIP

It took…4 days for Bella to come home. When Bella did get home, Leah was over at my house, we had been getting close…and her presence was calming, and I felt better just being near her. We were sitting on the couch, chatting happily when Leah froze. Her nose twitched. "Vampire." She muttered. My eyebrows pinched together.

"Vampire?" I repeated. Leah jumped to her feet, shaking slightly. I stood as well, setting my hand on Leah's arm, causing her to still. Dad hurried down the stairs. "Dad, what is it?"

"She's back." Is all he said. My eyes widened and I scurried after him. Dad almost ripped the doors off it's hinges. "Bella!" He roared. I followed Dad down the stairs of the house to see Edward, Bella cradled in his arms as he carried her to the house. "I can't believe you have you have the nerve to show your face here!"

"Give her to me." I ordered, setting my hand on Bella's back.

"Stop it, Dad." Bella moaned.

"What's wrong with her?!" Dad demanded.

"She's very tired, Charlie." Edward said softly. "Please let her rest."

"Don't you tell us what to do, bloodsucker!" I spat at him. "Give me my sister, now!" Edward went to give me Bella, but she locked her fingers around Edward's neck. With a quick flick of my fingers, a root burst from the ground and snaked underneath Bella's hand, growing to break her hold. Bella fell heavily in my arms, and I cradled her gently.

"What's she doing here?" Edward muttered at me with a scowl.

"Doing a lot more than you are." I said to him, turning around to the door and seeing Leah opening the door for me. "You're not welcome in our house." I said over my shoulder. "Don't even think about showing up here tonight, because I will do something I won't regret." I then walked off, passing Leah and heading upstairs. Leah was following after me as I took Bella to her room. Leah helped by pulling Bella's sheets back so I could tuck her in. "Sleep well, Bella." I breathed to her. "Please…have safe dreams…"