COMPASSION |•| CARLISLE CULLEN

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚠𝚘

《 Chapter tale 》

. FOX GUARDING

" you don't understand Annabel! This could be the key to my research!" Ryan yelled, hands coming up in anger as his wife stood in-front of him with crossed arms.

" So your going to leave you family? Walk out on your children?!" She screamed back. Ryan scoffed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. " No! It will only be for a few weeks! I'll send cards as much as I can."

His wife rolled her eyes. " Sure, Ryan. Because your son and daughter need to get post cards! Sage is seventeen Ryan. He needs you to teach him."

Ryan sighed and his shoulders slumped. " Annabel I'm doing this to protect our family" he pleaded.

She wasn't having it, as she put her dainty hands on her hips. " I have had enough of your silly fairytales Ryan!"

They continued to scream at each other, banging through the house in anger as they fought each other with words.

Sage was forever grateful that they never got physical, as his little sister was scared as it was. She was clutching him tightly under the covers of his bed, shaking like a leaf in a boisterous wind.

The siblings spent most nights their parents fought cuddled up, soothing each other. Other times it was if one had a nightmare about the stories his father told them.

About Vampires lurking in the night ready to feats on your blood. How with just a squeeze the could crush your bones and turn you into nothing.

Piper was more prone to the fear evoking nightmares, but Sage had his own, hiding it under layers of nonchalance and cheerfulness.

His father was too absorbed in his works to see how his children were beginning to fear him.

- - -

CHARLIE EYED SAGE with a thoughtful gaze from across the table, watching as he fiddled with his fork. He laid back against the ugly green plastic chair, still in his rumpled officer's uniform that he had been in since he came to the hospital.

" Your sure about this?" Charlie asked, voice gruff and wary. Sage nodded enthusiastically and picked at the dry chicken on his plastic plate. " positive"

It was the third day since Bella had woken up, and Charlie and Sage were currently seated in the hospitals food court eating some crap Chinese takeout from one of the stores.

Sage had spent the last hour trying to convince Charlie to let him move into the attic, so he could watch over Bella while Charlie worked.

That was Sages excuse anyway — really he just wanted to see his self proclaimed niece more, and sus-out this new boyfriend she had  acquired.

Charlie sighed and ran a hand through his sleep mussed hair dejectedly. " Fine, get your stuff packed and we'll get you all sorted." He relented, smiling as Sage pumped a fist in the air childishly.

Sage had been visiting the swan residence regularly until he landed a job in this very hospital; and was overwhelmed with work. Charlie had mentioned many times that he considered Sage a son, which warmed his heart — especially after his own fathers death.