Lost and Found

Welcome

 It was almost a month before I heard anything. A month of noting the growth and shrinking of the moon as I waited for the two vampires that I tried so hard to deny I cared for. When I finally heard something, it wasn't what I had been expecting. I'd expected to hear the sound of two, possibly three bodies moving through the wilderness. Instead there was not three bodies moving through the trees and undergrowth, but merely one body and feather light footsteps.

I turned toward the sound of the approaching vampire and barely registered their appearance before it was flinging itself at me and wrapping their arms around my middle. Instinct reared its head as I reacted, trying to jump away and throw the body away from me before I could completely comprehend the identity of the body coming toward me. It took a moment to realize that the body was Charlotte as she clutched herself to me like her life depended on it. The grip wasn't an attack, but a desperate hug as the upset woman sought comfort. I hesitated, uncertain in what I was supposed to be doing to comfort her. As she sobbed I decided to wrap my own arms around her, hoping that was what she was looking for. Charlotte sobbed at the contact and pressed herself tighter against me.

My heart clenched at the display, I could only think of one thing that would make Charlotte react like this. The worst-case scenario was running through my mind as I tightened my hold on Charlotte in a weak attempt to comfort her. Charlotte and I stood like that, holding each other for a long time before Charlotte managed to speak.

"It was awful, I wish we had never gone back there." Charlotte said and I gently ran my hand over Charlotte's head and rubbed her back like I'd seen mother's do for their children when I was human, Charlotte's iron grip never lessened as she hid her face in my blouse.

"You never have to go back." I promised and Charlotte nodded as a whimper left her lips.

"Peter wanted to send me back, but I couldn't let him go alone." Charlotte said and I hummed.

"I wish we could have blown it all up, wiped it off the map. I knew it was impossible before Peter even said it but I never want to see that hellish place again. All the suffering we did, I never want to think about that place again." Charlotte mumbled and I shifted to look down at Charlotte's head. Her words slowly starting to sink in and I started to doubt my earlier conclusions about what exactly had happened to cause Charlotte's behavior.

"Charlotte, what's got you so upset?" I asked, trying to hold back the irritation I was feeling.

"We snuck into the encampment, we'd seen Maria leave and took the opportunity to approach Jasper. I didn't remember till we heard the sound of newborns being ripped apart what Maria leaving means. When we got closer, we found Jasper dispatching a newborn, the sound, the screech of him pulling that newborn's head off, the smell as he threw the body into the fire." Charlotte's sobs started again as a shudder wracked her body at the memory, but this time I couldn't bring herself to comfort her.

"So Peter's fine?" I asked pointedly and Charlotte pulled back far enough to look up at me with confusion.

"He and Jasper fought, but yeah he's alright." Charlotte revealed. I felt a moment of relief before the anger set in.

"Did Jasper not come with you?" I asked tersely and Charlotte fully pulled away, taking a step back.

"Jasper's with Peter. They stayed behind at the last city to hunt, they sent me ahead to let you know we had made it back." I let out a heavy breath, reminding myself that Charlotte was still rather young before nodding.

"I'm sure Peter's thrilled to have his friend back." I said and was going to leave it at that, but a burdened expression crossed Charlotte's face and gave me pause.