What's Forever

Chapter 51

They say bad things come in threes, I honestly hoped that wouldn't happen but superstitions are a thing for a reason. I spent most of my time at the hospital and so did grandma Morgan and Ava, I was very anxious about it all then the week after that very bad day, Harry passed away from a heart attack. I ... I did my best ... I was already on the reservation with Sue since she insisted after finding out that I knew the truth. Bella asked me to spend some extra time there too, and for the safety of grandma Morgan and Ava, I relented.

Harry was out with Charlie and a hunting party, they were searching for the wolves and Harry was doing his best to deviate them away from the path. Something happened in the forest because Harry's heart just gave out. I tried ... I tried my hardest to get to them as fast as possible, I tried my hardest to save him but by the time I got there it was too late. The EMTs had to pry me away from him because I didn't want to stop but they called the time of death.

Billy and Charlie spoke to Sue, she cried on my shoulders and thanked me for trying but that didn't ease the pain of her loss. It didn't erase the memory of my failed attempt of lifesaving measures. I offered to spend the night but she declined, wanting to spend that time with her family and I'm not family. I did cook for them and left enough food for two days even though I'll be back tomorrow.

Grandma Morgan insisted on driving, she says I'm still in shock but I'm not, at least ... I don't think I am. There's no reason for me to be in shock, I didn't just lose my husband of over two decades. My heart is broken for them, it literally aches because the pain I knew is nothing compared to the grief Sue is feeling. Nothing could compare to that.

It didn't hit me at first that the lights were on in my house. I honestly was more than halfway out of it. Grandma Morgan's voice brought me back to reality.

"It looks like Emmett is here." she said softly, placing her hand on my arm.

"Hmm ..."

"Look sweetie, Emmett's here." she repeated, pointing to where he was standing by the front door.

As soon as she parked the car Emmett was at my door, pulling me into his arms. I don't know how he knows or what he knows, but the way he held me says he knows something is wrong. He took Ava out of the car and she quickly snuggled into his cool embrace as he escorted us inside. He spoke to Grandma Morgan as I took Ava upstairs and bathed her, then he took her downstairs as I showered. I let the hot water beat on my back, on my neck, I just let it beat on me as if it could wash away Harry's eyes ... as if it could wash away Sue's cries, Leah's ... as if it could wash away the pain that I'm reliving from Chris' death that in no way compares to what Sue is going through, and wash away the pain that I do share with Leah, the pain of losing a parent.

It didn't though, the pain is still present, a crushing weight on my chest. I couldn't save Harry, I couldn't save my parents, I couldn't ease Sue's pain or Leah's. And even knowing that none of those things was my fault, I still felt the crushing weight of helplessness. I could hear Emmett talking to Grandma Morgan downstairs but even after my shower, I just stood in my room alone for a little bit longer. Leah's grief brought me back to a dark place, a very dark place and her little brother, poor thing. Their grief brought back memories I didn't miss.

I finally did make it downstairs and I was very surprised to see Alice in my living room. I stood there staring at her for about 30 seconds before wrapping my arms around her small frame and just soaking in her presence.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I'll let you girls catch up, it was wonderful to see you again Alice." Grandma Morgan smiled.

"It was wonderful to see you too, absolutely amazing." the small vampire replied.

"You have such a way with words, have some fun." Grandma Morgan said to us as she put Ava down in the playpen.

"She's gotten so big." Alice said just as grandma's bedroom door closed.

"What's going on? What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I couldn't see you." she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"I couldn't see any of you, not you, Bella, Grandma Morgan, or Ava. There have been some blind spots and I chalked it up to not being around you for so long but I knew better deep inside and then suddenly today, I couldn't see you at all. It was just a blank." she said.

"Babe, are you okay?" Emmett asked me.

"I'm not okay, this whole ... ordeal brought up some ... bad memories. Alice ... I don't understand." I said, turning back to her.

"I couldn't even get a glimpse of you and that's when I knew that I had to come back, I thought you were ... it wasn't ... I had to make sure that you were all safe." she said, taking my hands in hers.

"We're alive if that's what you meant but not safe."

"What are you talking about?" Emmett asked, walking over with a half-asleep Ava in his arms.

"Bella's been around the shifters ..."

"What?" Emmett asked, startling Ava. "Sorry princess, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, I know." Alice said.

"What?" both Emmett and I asked.

"I stopped there first, at her house, and I saw her with Jacob." she replied.

"Why were you with the shifters?" Emmett asked.

"I wasn't personally with the shifters, at first, I was with Sue Clearwater, I've been spending time with her, as you know. There's a thing with Bella and the shifters asked us to spend more time on the reservation for our safety. Apparently, they killed a vampire a couple of weeks ago, a male, one that was with the one that you guys killed before, the one who wanted to hurt Bella."

"Laurant or Victoria?" Alice growled.

"I don't know, a dark-skinned guy. Well, according to Bella, he was working with the redhead, Victoria, and she's after Bella. She's back because she wants to kill Bella for you guys killing her mate. The shifters have been dealing with her apparently for months now, she's probably behind all of the attacks and I don't know what the hell is ..." I rambled.

"Val!" Alice said grabbing my arms.

"Hmm ...?"

"Victoria is back?" she asked.

"Yes, the wolves have been protecting Bella."

"I can't see past the pack of mutts." Alice complained.

"They don't think all too highly of you either. How was Bella when you saw her?" I asked.

"In shock, different, almost like a different person." she said softly.

"I told her what was happening before." Emmett said.

"Okay, now what? Alice, you being here, seeing her isn't good for her if you're just going to leave again." I sighed.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere and I'll talk to Carlisle, even if they have to come back without Edward, I'm not leaving again. We need to protect our family." she said, making Emmett smile but not me.

"Bella isn't your family anymore, you all left her."

"She will always be ..."

"If he comes back, he has to realize that she's a different person now." I told her.

"You helped her be a different person."

"Yes, I did, I helped her realize her self worth and I don't regret it one bit." I stated.

"Good, he deserves a good ass-kicking for what he did to her. They all do for what they did and what they said." she sighed again.

"What's gonna happen now?" I asked them.