Chapter 30

Do not own Twilight

The Cullens for the most part stayed inside. Only Carlisle, Jasper, Leah and Connolly were standing in the front of the house facing Sam Uley. It had taken all of Jasper's powers to get Leah to leave her girlfriend's side due to another imprint Edward picked up in Leah's head, one that she had initiated herself.

Carlisle wondered how long it would be before Uley showed up and honestly expected more wolves with him. Those in the house were keeping watch on the property, Edward listening to any thoughts for miles and the others of Connolly's team either in trees outside or Dante on the roof, while Ty stayed with Bella.

Leah had told Connolly that the monster she faced mentioned a support team in Port Angeles. It hadn't taken them long to find the men attempting to board a helicopter at the little-known airfield he they had used for Bella's missions. They had luckily caught the men before they boarded the chopper and a brief shoot out occurred, the Russian special forces team falling quickly to Bella's team. Then they had rushed back to the Cullens preparing for a possible assault from the wolf pack due to the Cullens breaking the treaty to find Bella and bring her back for emergency treatment.

It had been six hours with no word from the Pack, until Sam Uley called Carlisle and asked if they could meet.

"Hello Sam." Carlisle greeted him, but Sam's eyes would not leave Leah.

"Hello Carlisle. Is Bella okay? I smelt her blood along with other things at a fresh kill sight. I also smelt a new wolf. I was wondering if you could tell me what the hell happened out there."

Carlisle paused for a moment, taking in his words, his facial expressions, small movements in his body and was satisfied the man wouldn't attack.

"You know Bella belongs to a secret organization that battles the supernatural." Carlisle told him. "This Organization has branches all over the world, each with different superhuman soldiers. One of them attacked Bella on your land. She was injured but is recovering and fully mobile."

Carlisle lied. Bella was not fully mobile at all, in complete traction to keep her from moving and had yet to regain consciousness, but Sam did not need to know she was compromised and certainly not that she was paralyzed. He knew Bella had good relationship before with Uley and Billy Black, but she had not spoken to either since she eviscerated Paul.

The surprise was clear to see on Uley. He did not have much of a poker face. "She lost a fight?" he asked, almost in disbelief.

Connolly bristled at the implication. "He cheated. It was Lycan hybrid called a Devil Dog. He most likely believed he had grown stronger naturally. Carlisle picked up larger amounts of vampire venom in his blood, three times what Bella has in her. They injected him, made him stronger but he was dying and didn't know it. A few days and he would have complete organ failure. He was basically a suicide bomber, sent here with the purpose of killing Bella."

Leah stepped towards the man. "And I killed him." She told him in a calm but cold voice.

"So, you did shift." Sam said quietly, a sad tone in his voice.

Leah smirked. "Yeah and don't even think of asking me to get one of those stupid tattoos. My girlfriend has been marked all her life by people who thought they owned her. I'll be damned if I have the same done to me."

Sam nodded quickly. He truly hadn't come here to start trouble or even confront the Cullens about breaking the treaty. The situation he had found himself in was much more complicated than vampires attacking residents of La Push as he was quickly figuring out.

Yes, Bell had mutilated Paul and a part of him was angry but the animal in him understood. Paul had started it, even if he was in over his head. Truthfully, Sam blamed himself for not keeping a closer eye on Paul, not alpha ordering him to stay away from Bella, never thinking that could happen. Sam knew from his training how deadly Bella could be and assumed Paul would see this and stay away. Because of his assumption Paul had nearly been killed. Due to experience after he first shifted, Sam knew what it felt like to give into an animal inside. Bella was the one who brought him back.

"I know you broke the treaty, and I don't care." Sam told Carlisle, surprising them all. "You did what needed to be done. I owe a debt to Bella. Without her I may be running around Canada living off deer and bear. There is a lot I don't know, but if whoever is sending superpowered dying shifters to kill her, it can't be good. Leah, are you okay?"

Leah was taken back by the sincerity in Sam's voice. She had expected him to be aggressive, angry and threatening. Instead he seemed genuinely worried.

"I'm fine. I haven't shifted since then. He was about to kill Bella and I took him from behind, ripped his head off. I feel different. I can't hold a mug without breaking it yet. I'm a lot stronger, a lot faster and I have grown a few inches taller, but I'm getting used to it."

Sam chose his next words carefully. "Do you have a desire to attack the Cullens?"

Leah's face showed immediate confusion. "Why would I want to attack the Cullens? They are my friends. They are more family than my father is right now."

The man cringed at her words, knowing full well that Harry Clearwater hated his daughter being involved with Bella for a multitude of reasons. He hated that Bella was gay, he hated that she was what he considered a monster, he hated what she did to Paul, and he hated that his daughter loved Bella, convinces Bella did something to force an imprint on her.

"Their scent, Leah. It is your instinct to attack vampires now." Sam pointed out. "I don't want any accidents to happen."

Leah shrugged her shoulders. "My girlfriend's blood is technically around 20% vampire and it has never bothered me. Their scent doesn't bother me now."

Sam looked to Carlisle. "And does her scent bother you?"

"Of course not." Carlisle quickly answered.

"Then why do I hear, and smell air freshener being sprayed continuously around the house?" he asked.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Rose! Get out here!"

Rose appeared quickly. "Yes?" she asked innocently, her hands behind her back.

"Why are you spreading air freshener around the house?" the blonde asked.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "No reason. Just wanting to freshen the place up, get rid of any unnatural smells to help Leah." She explained then sprayed Leah from behind with strawberry scent. Leah turned around quickly.

"Cut it out! That's the third time since we got here!"

Rose apologized but did not appear sorry. "Look, Bella had vampire venom in her to calm the shifter scent. It will just take me a while to get used to it. I'm not saying you stink! You just smell…different. None of us are saying its bad even if it is horrible, I mean uncomfortable. I'm sure our scents bother you too."

"No, they don't." Leah told her, annoyance clear.

"Oh…sorry. I'll stop, I promise." Rose assured her. She would stop…in a week or so.

Sam looked a bit worried but none of the Cullens or Leah appeared to be ready to attack each other.

The man took a deep breath. "I don't know everything, but I can guess you are trying to take down this organization that thinks they own Bella. The treaty is over since you technically broke it. So, if you need backup or a place to retreat in case this happens again, come to La Push. We can help."

Despite the normal stoic faces of the Cullens, they could not help but show surprise.

"I wouldn't want your pack to become involved in this Sam." Carlisle told him, an admiration in his voice but also concern. "I appreciate the offer, but it would be best if you see some strange creature or smell something out of the ordinary, please clear your pack and let us know. I do not mean this as an insult to your Pack's capabilities. We both know what Bella is capable of and this creature harmed her. I do appreciate the offer though."

Sam nodded, not surprised and having no plans not to attack a strange new species on their lands but let it go.

"Bella is an imprint. I assume Leah imprinted on her as well when she shifted? Did you, Leah?"

Leah nodded her head cautiously.

"Then she shall always be under the protection of the Pack. We protect our imprints. Should you need us, no matter the risk, please consider calling me. If one showed, many more could. Leah, could I try an experiment? I promise it will not hurt you, but the Pack has never seen a double imprint. It would help us understand. All you would need to do is shift as will I. I will attempt to order you to return to La Push. I will countermand the order immediately, but I want to understand what is going on."

Leah took a moment then shrugged her shoulders. "Sure. I haven't shifted since the fight. I am sure Bella will want to train me, but I believe I could shift now. All I have to do is think of someone hurting her."

Leah walked around the house and came back quickly in her wolf form. Sam watched her carefully, but she showed no signs of wanting to attack the Cullens, except a brief low growl at Rosalie when she again sprayed strawberry freshener towards her direction.

Sam walked into the woods and emerged moments later. Leah became very guarded and tense and watched him closely. The two stared at each other for a minute, neither breaking eye contact. Sam then walked back into the woods and Leah returned to the back of the house. Dressed once again, she stood by Carlisle.

Sam wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Not only could he not alpha order the girl, he could not even read her mind or communicate with her.

"You are a lone wolf. We can usually communicate with each other through our thoughts when shifted. I heard nothing from you." He said. Then his voice rose. "Leah, you need to come back to La Push now."

Leah began laughing. "Screw you, Sam. I'm not leaving Bella's side no matter how deep you make your voice. You sound ridiculous by the way. Kinda like Peter Quill impersonating Thor."

Sam let out a chuckle. "Sorry, Alpha orders work when we aren't shifted usually. I should have given one to Paul, keeping him from attacking Bella. I blame myself for that. I just had to be sure. Billy suspected something like this might happen. The power of your imprints has probably made your connection to the Pack snap. Despite this, you are one of us in a way. So please, no matter the danger, Carlisle, if you need help, do not hesitate to call. I will leave you all. Thank you for your time and I am glad everyone is okay."

Sam walked off into the forest and after a few seconds the Cullens heard his wolf running off towards La Push.

"That went better than expected." Connolly mentioned, relieved. He didn't need more enemies to fight. He still had a call to make to Mac who would explain this situation to Hildebrand. He had no doubt she would want Bella in that safe house, and he didn't want her to be a situation where Hildebrand could stop by at any time. Somehow the Russians knew Bella was in Forks and he suspected it was a leak from the Jaguar program.

Upstairs Bella opened her eyes for the first time since she fell unconscious after the fight.

It didn't take her long to realize she couldn't feel below her neck. Her breathing picked up and she began to panic. She wasn't clear where she was, her eyesight a bit too foggy to recognize the ceiling of Carlisle's study. She only knew that she was laid out and helpless.

She tried to move her head but felt a strap across her forehead.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, Bella. Your okay." She heard Ty's voice from above her. "You're at the Cullens. I bet you can't feel anything, but Carlisle said you are healing. Give it a few hours and you will be back to yourself."

"Ty?"

"Yep, that's me. Your Daddy is in the kitchen with Esme. We are at the Cullens and safe. Just relax. Not like you got a choice since you can't move. I been tickling your feet for a while and nothing. Your spine is straightened, and the vertebrae are lining back up. I brought your teddy bear. Its tucked in right next to you."

Bella closed her eyes for a moment before she felt a thump on her nose. She opened them again and saw Ty with his fingers close to her face.

"Did you just thump my nose?"

The man shrugged his shoulders. "You been sleeping for a while. Don't want you falling back into a coma or somethin. Besides it wasn't a thump, more like a boop. See?"

Ty's finger touched her nose quite hard. "Boop!" he said. "That wasn't so bad, and it will keep you up until you can feel me tickle you again."

Bella tried to growl but it didn't come out as intimidating as she hoped. Ty thumped her in the ear.

"Ow!"

"Don't meow. Just relax. The next finger is going in your nose and I'm wiping it on your cheek so behave."

Bella clenched her teeth but unable to do anything, she stayed still.

"What happened?" she finally asked.

"You got your ass kicked. Fought a jacked-up Devil Dog and he wiped the floor with your ass. Its okay though cause he cheated. He would have been dead in a few days at most. The Russians jacked him up on vampire venom. You gave out good as you got though. He didn't go down without…I mean he kicked your ass from what I heard and saw. Got a few scratches but looks like they are healing up good. Snapped your back because you turned big kitty and attacked like a wild animal. All that Kung Fu was out the window. That's okay though. Lesson learned, right? I know the next time you face one of those jacked up uglies you are going to kick his ass…maybe. Just shoot for the eyes and not the chest."

The fight rushed back into Bella's mind and she saw everything at once. Devil Dog, abnormally strong, on her land…Leah! A wolf biting his head off from behind then Leah over her crying.

"Leah!"

Ty patted her on top of the head. "Leah is fine. She took him out for you. No need to be embarrassed. Sometimes its good to have your girlfriend save your ass. I never needed a girlfriend to help me out in the field but that's okay. Nothing to be ashamed of. I never fought no super soldiers either and if I did, I would want anyone saving my ass, even it was my girlfriend."

Bella's breathing became more rapid. "She…shifted, didn't she?"

Ty nodded. "Good thing she did. It happened quick. Not like those other wolves who have fever and stuff leading up to it. She saw you about to get put in the ground and did what she had to do after she called us. There is no need to be embarrassed. I lost a fight or two in my time. Course I didn't need no girlfriend to save me…"

"Fuck you Ty! She shifted! That shouldn't have happened! She…it shouldn't be possible. I knew it! I knew being with me would ruin her life more than I had already screwed it up! I should have…"

Bella stopped speaking when Ty thumped her nose again.

"Calm the fuck down, Bells. She did what she had to do. If it was in her, it was a matter of time before it happened. She just came through when you needed her."

Bella closed her eyes and groaned. "She is a wolf now, Ty. Her life will never be the same."

Ty nodded his head, knowing she was right. "It took all of Jasper's emo power to get her to leave your side for a few moments and even let Carlisle touch you. You two were stuck together before but now its gonna be even worse I bet. Look, its okay. This is really no big deal."

Bella frowned at the man. "How can you say that?"

Ty shrugged his shoulders. "We can handle it. The next time we pick up some Meow Mix for you, we can pick up some Purina for her or maybe Pedigree. I saw a commercial and you know that shit can help with your teeth, make them shiny and stuff. It can also help your coat, your digestive system and all kinds of other stuff. She is already house trained, so she got that going for her. I'm pretty sure her tits are bigger, and she seems in a lot better shape. Wait till you see how ripped her shoulders are."

"I fucking hate you." Bella growled out.

Ty flashed her a smile. "Nobody hates Ty except the people on the other side of my scope. You love me. Just relax, its all gonna be okay. Leah is handling it well, nobody is bothered by her scent besides Rose who is making this place smell like a garden, Leah hasn't gone doggy and attacked any of our teammates. Its all good, I promise. Just lay still. You should start having feeling pretty soon. Then we can talk about how you got your ass handed to you by that suped up bastard. I know he was strong, but he was clumsy. You need some more practice, I guess, instead of teaching others."

"Fuck you, Ty. Yeah, I lost it. I know why." Bella said, her mind clearly recalling every move of the fight now. "I was afraid. I haven't fought afraid, ever. I knew Leah would be okay when I fought that vampire. I knew he couldn't beat me. I tore up several ghouls because she wasn't there. Even when I was getting my ass kicked by that Wendigo, I wasn't afraid. This time…this time I felt fear. A fear of what would happen if I didn't win, if she didn't get away. I knew he would track her. I was afraid. Fear made me sloppy. One thing Mother got right; I must be fearless in a fight if I want to win. I thought I could protect Julie in Italy and I failed but I wasn't afraid. I thought she would be safe. This time all I could think about was losing Leah."

Ty had suspected as much. This would defintely be a problem in the future but as far as problems go this was manageable to the other problems they faced. The war they secretly started in the Organization was getting out of hand. Causing dissent in the ranks had always been the plan but now they had factions straight up killing each other. It looked like they did their jobs too well. This wasn't dissention, it was anarchy. Things were going to get even bloodier before this was over. He wondered if Hildebrand would even have a council to take over once it was said and done.

Before Ty could talk to her anymore, he was thrown backward, nearly landing on his ass when Leah walked in. She touched Bella's face. "I heard you. This asshole was supposed to tell me if you woke up while I was outside. Are you better? Can you feel anything? Carlisle said the X rays make it look like your back is healing but its going to take time. Even when you get feeling you are going to have to lay very still, okay?"

Bella blinked, trying to keep tears from her eyes.

"You shifted."

Leah nodded her head and brushed a hand through Bella's hair. "Thank God or whatever spirit put this in me. I haven't done it since. I'm going to wait for you to get better so you can show me all your tricks. I'm stronger now so I can help you."

Bella closed her eyes. "You aren't helping me, Leah. This isn't…this isn't your…"

Leah touched Bella's cheek. "Don't you dare tell me this isn't my fight. I think it has been made abundantly clear my fate is to stand by your side. I imprinted on you and this need to be near you is ever stronger. As attached as we are what do you think would happen to you if you die? Sorry, but you are stuck with me so if you want us to have our best chance you are going to teach me how to fight. No more excuses or sidelining me, Bella. I won't allow it."

Bella took in the determination on her face and in her voice. Leah refused to stay out of it before. Now it would be even worse. Bella couldn't keep her out of it.

"Can you ask Connolly to come up here?"

Leah nodded, walked to the door and shouted for Connolly to come up, then resumed her position by Bella's side. Connolly wasted no time standing next to Leah.

"Almost time for another X Ray." He said in greeting. "Any feeling yet in your body?"

Bella tried to shake her head but the strap made her immobile. "What are we going to do? We started a war that is becoming out of control. That won't be the last monster they send here. Have you told…her?"

Connolly took a deep breath. He knew this was going to come up but hoped to have some time to come up with a clearer plan.

"I spoke to Mac, who passed it on to the bitch. She thinks you won but were seriously injured and are healing. She has hunkered down in the Facility, won't come out. Mac told her an edited version of the story, without the girlfriend saving you when you got your ass kicked. You took out the Devil Dog, we suspected by the color of his blood that he was hopped up on vamp juice, and the damn Beret showed some skill besides killing. He planted false evidence on Hanover's phone that the man had contacted a series of numbers in Siberia. Mac called them himself after he snatched Hanover's phone and then waited for a while before giving it to Hildebrand. Mac got to take out Hanover and is now in charge of all ops. He convinced her that Hanover had her followed to the safe house near Seattle and it was not secure any longer. She wants Mac to find a new place for you. She is telling the Organization that you were killed by the Russians and demanding action. When the time is right, she will call you to Peru to take down as many as she can get into the compound."

Bella took that in, thinking it solved a few problems but not all. She wouldn't be expected in Seattle where Hildebrand could have access to her at any time. That made her destination clear, except she worried if Leah could handle it.

There was also another problem, one she had planned to address soon regardless.

"I need Vivian to turn off my chip." Bella told him.

"Its off. It's been off." He replied.

Bella did her best to shake her head. "I want it all off, especially the part that prevents vampire gifts from affecting me."

"Bella." Leah started.

"I need to know why I can't kill her. I need Edward and Jasper. The sooner I find out the sooner I can have a plan of action. Tell everyone to pack for Alaska. As soon as I can move, we go there. If Hildebrand doesn't like it, too bad. I don't want her to know where we are. We are all going off grid. Mac can cover for us or not. Doesn't matter anymore. Please, do as I ask."

Charlie stopped in to check on her and she felt immediate guilt over his red eyes. A part of her wondered if he had been better off never meeting her. She had wished many times over the years that she had never been born.

None of that mattered now. She was alive, despite everything. Despite her girlfriend turning into a wolf, despite the danger she had brought to her father, the constant fear he most likely lived in, and the major changes that were about to happen in his life. The Cullens had a nice peaceful existence before she came along.

Or boring according to Jasper.

As soon as the short visits were done, Jasper and Edward walked in.

"I have some idea of what you want but spell it out for me." Jasper told her.

"Keep me calm, try to put me into a reflective state or whatever the hell you do. Edward, I don't need you to just read my mind, I need you to dig around it. I need you to see everything in my life as far back as I can remember and maybe some things I forgot. Can you do that?"

Edward looked very uncomfortable with her request. "I'm not sure, Bella. I've never done anything like that."

"Figure it out." Bella told him shortly. "I need to know why she believes I can't hurt her, why I can't hurt her no matter how much I have wanted to over the years. I need to know if I was hypnotized or something was done that would protect her. Not one Jaguar over the years has ever laid a finger on her. I want to know why."

Leah held Bella's unmoving hand, watching her face go slack but her eyes staying open. She wasn't crazy about vampires using powers on Bella, but she trusted them. It would be okay.

When she looked towards Edward, she was shocked to see his eyes nearly black from venom tears that wouldn't fall. Leah thought of asking if he was successful but judging by the look on his face, it was obvious he was . When she looked at Jasper, she saw strain on his face, his eyes closed, and his determined jaw clenched.

Edward finally withdrew with a loud gasp and fell to the ground, hands covering his face. Jasper's gaze turned from Bella to Edward, obviously trying to calm his brother.

"I saw it all." Bella whispered, her face no longer slack and her eyes bright. "We were four, maybe five. We met a man, a psychologist, I think. He did something, something I can't remember. That part is missing. It mut have been when she did it. She put a suggestion in our heads. I only remember bright colors. A pattern of flashes and then nothing. Edward, are you okay?"

Edward said nothing, nodding his head, forgetting that Bella could not see him. No, he wasn't okay. It had been easier than expected. He had never tried to go through a person's mind, not just the surface thoughts and images he dealt with constantly but to open layers and layers of life experiences, feelings, everything that made that person who they were.

He knew Bella better than anyone else would and it wasn't easy. He could feel every emotion she ever had, and it caused anger in him along with a thirst for revenge and blood.

"I'll be okay, Bella."

Bella recognized the tone of his voice. She knew what he had seen and most likely felt. "Did you see the block?"

"Yes." Edward told her shakily. "She has an expert on staff. He is using color hypnosis. He exposed you to different patterns of light, spirals, squares, seemingly random flashes that had a purpose only your subconscious could pick up. Then there was the instruction. No matter how much pain or anger, you would not hurt your Mother. Ever. You would hurt yourself to prevent you from hurting her. Bella, there are a lot…it wasn't just brainwashing through torture, it was everything. She has controlled every feeling you ever had in that place. She could have suppressed your love for Julie if she didn't decide Julie would be more useful alive. The block is still there. I could see it."

Bella was not surprised. She suspected something like this, the reason she asked Edward to do what she asked.

She was surprised when her toe wiggled.

Bella took a deep breath and slightly shifted, her eyes changing color, her claws extending, and incisors growing. The rosettes appeared on her body.

"Bella, what are you doing?" Leah asked.

"Healing faster. Everyone needs to pack for Alaska. You and me, Jasper and Edward are making a stop in Wyoming first. Connolly might need to come along as well. I need to get rid of this block before I am free to kill her. Give me a few hours and I will be ready. Now I need to concentrate on healing. The more focused I am, the faster I have always healed."

The room cleared, only Leah remaining with Bella. Seeing her girlfriend peacefully meditating she stepped into the hall and made a call.

"Leah? Are you okay?! Sam told us…" her Father started.

"I'm fine. Bella is going to be fine."

"I don't give a damn about Bella! You wouldn't be in this mess…"

"Shut up." Leah told him. "I just called to say I will be leaving for a while. I don't know when I will be back. I'm a part of her and she is a part of me. Her fights are my fights and I finally have the right tools to help her."

Silence on the other end of the line then a soft click, Leah recognized as being on speaker phone.

"Leah?" Her mother greeted her.

"Mom. I love you. We will be okay. I can't tell you where we will be. Its better if you don't know but we are leaving this area."

"You are leaving with the Cullens, aren't you?" Harry asked. "Abandoning the Pack that can help you, abandoning your family for what? Is it really worth it Leah?"

Leah looked at Bella, who was in deep meditation.

"Yeah, she is worth it. I love her. Our lives are tired together. We win together or die together. There is no other option. I want to say goodbye. I love you all. I won't be using this phone any longer. It isn't safe. If I can, I will be back. Be safe."

Leah hung up the phone and crushed it in her hand, letting it drop to the floor. She walked back to Bella and took her hand, surprised and happy when Bella squeezed her hand.

"You and me, to the end, Swan."