Full Moon

Bella was in trouble. 

I couldn't identify how I knew, but I just felt it. I'd felt uneasy since Alice's arrival, watching them load into a Mercedes together and haul ass to Italy didn't calm my nerves. Alice promised she would keep Bella safe. Bella trusted Alice, which meant I had to trust Alice. 

That bit was testing my limits. 

Bella was all I could focus on. Every minute stretched further than the last. 

It had been days now. I called Charlie, dropped by the house several times now, but he hadn't heard anything either. I felt sicker with every passing hour I was away from her. I just needed to know that she was safe. 

She'll be fine, Leah thought to me.

She walked at my side, my new patrol partner. I actually enjoyed having Leah around; it was nice to have another girl in the pack, even under the circumstances. She was grieving, her entire focus now on ripping the head off of the redheaded vampire we stalked; her reason for changing. Better to focus on that than the funeral yesterday. 

Her presence did create a noticeable divide in the group. Me, Leah, and Embry versus Sam, Paul, and Jared. 

With her dramatic split from Sam, he kept her as far away as possible. Since she was paired with me, we had our own little girl pack of two. Embry liked to go with us often; he'd been my best friend for as long as I could remember. 

I'm just one of the girls, I heard him think from my other side.

I felt a rush of gratitude towards him, friendship stronger than ever. He'd helped me out with telling Bella. I owed him a lot of happiness. 

That left Sam, Jared, and Paul. The boys. Iron-clad bonds of brotherhood. We all still hung out together, spent all of our time together, but there was a growing divide between us. Like a family with a major disagreement, except none of us knew how to solve it. Sam surely didn't seem intent on fixing it. 

I could already feel what was going to happen: The Cullens were going to come back permanently. I just felt it. I raised this issue with Sam, considering we were also scouting the Cullen land to ward off this Victoria creature. Maybe we could work out a new alliance with the Cullens.

He shut that down entirely. "We can do this by ourselves," was all he could reply. No resolution in sight. Just a brick wall.

Sam had gotten... weird... since Leah joined. I'd noticed it immediately. He was irritable, felt like I was a constant question to his authority. I always had an alternative perspective, and he hated it. I could feel a small disdain for me growing over the bond. 

In the few days since Leah joined us, she sowed that resentment further. Maybe it was intentional, maybe it wasn't. But she drove that wedge deeper. Maybe it had already been there to begin with and I just hadn't noticed. 

She heard that thought and repeated the thought she'd said to be a dozen times now, You should be the leader of this pack. 

I gave her the mental equivalent of a sigh. Let's focus on the hunt.

The redhead disappeared as soon as the Cullen showed up, Embry contributed. I don't think it's going to come back if Bella's bloodsucking besties move back. 

He was right. One sniff of Alice Cullen and she high-tailed it into Canada. I didn't trust it.

You're supposed to be the leader, Leah continued. She trotted to keep pace with me; I was a lot larger than her. It's in your blood. Not Sam's. You've never noticed how everyone just listens to you? Sam has to command them, you don't. They bend to you instantly. Like it's second nature to them. Even Paul. 

I'm not even supposed to be a wolf, Leah. Neither of us are. 

Says who? Leah shot back. She stood in front of me, making me pause. Her dark brown eyes bored into mine. Maybe us becoming wolves is a sign of something big. 

I could feel the desperation in her thoughts. She turned away, running ahead. If my Dad died for me to become this, I hope it will at least lead to something important. 

I'd just stepped out of the shower when Dad yelled down the hallway. 

"Jules! Phone's for ya!"

I cursed and threw a robe around myself, grabbed the phone from the hallway. "Hello?"

"Jules," Charlie's voice was breathless on the phone. "I just got a call about Bella. She's at the airport. I'm picking her up. You want me to pick you up?" 

My heart stilled for a moment before picking up double-time. "Yes. I'll be waiting for you outside." 

"Good. I'll have my lights on." 

He hung up on me. What lights? 

I explained quickly to Dad before running back into my room, hurrying into an outfit. Faded Goodwill jeans and a comedically large t-shirt did the trick. Dad would tell Sam where I was, if Sam came looking. Maybe. Hopefully. Probably. I didn't really care. 

It should have been a fifteen minute drive from Forks to La Push, but Charlie made it there in about eight. He was driving the police cruiser, blue and red lights blaring. 

Oh. Those lights.

I hauled ass into the passenger seat, buckling in before he commanded me to. Bella had me trained with the seatbelt at this point.

"The Cullens aren't bringing her back?" I asked, trying to contain my glee. Maybe they weren't returning. 

I kept my cool with Charlie; Bella didn't seem to be out yet, so here I was, the sunshine best friend. Totally not jealous about her saving her ex's life. Totally not going to pick up my girlfriend. 

Full police lights and occasional siren to pass people seemed a bit extreme for a regular airport pick-up. 

"The stewardess on the plane was worried about Bella and separated her for her protection; they said she was having an episode. They thought she was drugged and being trafficked. She was disoriented and sick. She wanted to call home. Couldn't for long; they're having a rough time keeping her awake. Then she just starts getting hysterical. That's the word they used, hysterical." 

Charlie looked over at me, an eyebrows raised. "They said they called your house first, but you weren't home. So I was next on the list." 

They probably called while I was still patrolling; I always went straight from the hunt to the shower. A quick once-over wash to get the dirt and pine sap off of me. 

I tried to ignore the sense of guilt that fell over me. She called for me, and I didn't answer. Maybe coming with Charlie would make up for it.

"She asked to be separated from them for the rest of the flight. They kept her safe. And now security has her until we get there." His voice dropped on the next sentence. "The security people warned me that she looks like she's been through a lot." 

"Did you get to talk to her? How did she sound on the phone?" I asked. I kept my voice even. I would be calm for Bella. I wouldn't slaughter the Cullens, unless she approved of it. 

"Like she'd been crying," Charlie said in return. 

We drove the rest of the way to the airport in silence.

Bella's protection from vampires was two security guards and a very nice stewardess that promised to stay with Bella until we got there. At least the Cullens didn't seem hellbent on breaking her out, or these three people would have been dinner. 

She'd been crying. Her eyes were ringed red, and her cheeks were pink and swollen. She looked sickly, paler than usual and oily like she hadn't taken a shower in days. There were bruises under her eyes, like she hadn't been sleeping. Bella still wore the same clothes she'd left in days ago, rumpled and wrinkled. She looked like Hell, and she was still the most ethereal sight I'd ever laid my eyes upon.

She started crying again when she saw us, her arms opening silently as she weeped. I let Charlie hug her first, because I wasn't going to let go once I had my turn. 

Charlie spoke softly to her, hugging her tight. She nodded or shook her head to what he said; I couldn't hear his mumbles, and I wanted to give them some privacy. But he seemed okay with her answers. 

The stewardess stepped into my line of view, all bubbles and smiles. "Hi. I'm Carissa, you must be Julie. You're quite the hot topic to our person of interest." 

"Is this how she's been the whole time?" I asked quietly. 

"Comes and goes. She's refusing to be drug tested, refused for us to hold the people she was with. She just... wanted to go home. That's all," Carissa said with a sigh. Her gaze focused on Bella. We stared from a short distance. 

"She was with two people, I'm guessing. A tall guy with kinda gingery, kinda brown hair. A short girl, dark hair but not much of it. Pale as bone," I guessed. 

"So they aren't strangers to her." Carissa's eyes narrowed. 

"No, the guy is her ex. The girl is his sister, her friend. They all know eachother from school." 

The stewardess nodded, and my time was finally up. Charlie let her go to talk to the security guards and Carissa, Bella crumbled into my arms. I held her up, trying to keep her from dissolving entirely into an emotional breakdown.

"Hi, love," I whispered into her ear. She was attempting to bury herself in my neck, her arms grappled around me. "I'm sorry that I didn't get your call. Charlie called me and invited me to come along." 

"You're here now," she mumbled back. Her tears were still steady streams but not sobs, which I took as a good sign. "It was so horrible." 

Her gaze kept flickering away, like she was focusing on an unseen threat in the room. But there was a distance there, like she was remembering something. Then she'd snap back and focus on me. Back and forth. 

I caught Charlie's eye. He motioned that it was time for us to leave. He grabbed Bella's luggage. 

"Details later, okay? We're going home. Can you talk or do you need me to carry you?" 

"I can walk."

She tried to step away from me and immediately collapsed. I caught her before she hit the ground, one arm under her legs while the other supported her back. I could have done it one-handed and offer Charlie help with the luggage, but I didn't trust Bella to keep herself up by holding onto my neck. 

She looked so exhausted, so hurt. My heart hurt for her. I felt so much hate for Alice. This was talking care of her? This was keeping her safe?

"When's the last time you ate or slept?" I asked her quietly.

We weaved around people. Charlie kept a close eye on us, as if the Cullens were going to come from the air ducts and abduct her. 

Honestly? Not a bad idea. 

"I ate a snack and drank some energy drinks on the plane," she said weakly. "It's been a while." 

"Can we stop to get her some food on the way home? Just to get something on her stomach?" I said louder to Charlie. 

He gave me a stern nod and opened the passenger door for Bella, but she shook her head. 

"I wanna sit in the back with Jules," she demanded. 

I couldn't ignore the swelling in my chest. I smiled, just a little, to myself. I looked away to Charlie wouldn't notice. 

He opened the back doors for us, mumbling a promise about not using the lights this time. I set her in and buckled her up before rounding the back to take my spot. A pale person caught my eye in the distance. 

I recognized him instantly. It didn't matter that I'd only seem him a handful of times, I could remember a vampire's face instantly now. 

Bronze hair, pitch black eyes, alabaster skin that would sparkle if it weren't cloudy out. He would be considered very pretty by human standards. But all I saw was a corpse with a taste for blood. 

What did Bella say about him? He was the one who read minds, right? 

He nodded, ever so subtle about it. If my eyes weren't glued on him, I would have missed it. 

You can hear what I'm thinking? I purposefully thought. 

Another nod. His eyes darted to her before meeting my eyes again. My face was controlled anger as I imagined the worst of it; Bella, a ghost curled into the fetal position. The screams Charlie in her sleep. How pale and weak she was, miserable to be alive. How he was the one who caused her all of that pain. The drowning. Her tears at the sight of me in the airport security office. This was entirely his fault. Every last ounce of it. 

Fuck you, leech.

He flinched and looked away. I ducked into the back seat beside Bella. She'd already unbuckled herself and instantly curled into my side. I held her close, my lips pressed to her temple. She'd finally stopped crying, but shivers took over her as if she were freezing.

She was safe, finally. I would keep her safe. Everything was finally right in the world, a missing piece clicking back into place. 

Charlie adjusted his mirror, but I thought I caught a smile in his reflection. 

"Ya know," I said with a sly look to him. "I've never been in the back of a police car." 

"Let's hope this will be your only time, kid," he joked. "Bella, what do you want for lunch?" 

"A burger," she responded quietly. "A burger and fries. And a water. I hate energy drinks." 

He was definitely smiling. "A burger and fries it is. After we head to the police station." 

"Why?" I asked. 

"Because Bella needs to write a statement and have a drug screening performed."

Bella glared at the front seat. "No, Dad." 

"This isn't optional," Charlie asserted.

"You're right. It's not optional because I'm not doing it. You can't make me. I'm eighteen, I'm an adult. And I said no."

Charlie remained silent, but his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. 

We got our food in a drive-thru, the three of us eating quietly as Charlie drove on. Bella fell asleep after she ate. She curled up against my side, murmuring to herself in her dreams. She would shiver and inch closer until she was entirely on my lap.  I twisted her so that her back was against the window, her face buried into my neck. She seemed happy, in her dreams. I heard my name mumbled several times. 

Charlie definitely shot us a glance or seven, but he didn't make any remarks. I carried her inside and up the stairs to her bedroom, laying her down in the bed. She refused to let go; I had to uncurl her fingers from my shirt.

"Do you want to change out of those clothes?" I asked her patiently. 

Bella shook her head, frowning. She mumbled something unintelligible and lifted her feet to me. 

I took her shoes off and tucked her in. I couldn't understand a word of the gibberish she spoke to me, but I think she was saying something less than nice. She may have even cursed me. 

Once Bella was finally nestled into bed and curled against her pillows, I headed downstairs to check in with Charlie. 

He was starting on dinner, it looked like he was making something with pasta. Bella liked pasta; maybe it was a favorite of hers. 

Charlie smiled nonchalantly as he brought some water to a boil. "You should stay here for a bit," he said calmly. "Bella will be happy to see you when she wakes up." 

That sounded dangerously close to approval to me. 

I nodded. "Thanks, Charlie." 

I headed back upstairs, waiting for the girl I love to wake up.