Bella Swan; Lieutenant of Artemis

Chapter 2

Charlie nods, and leads the way into the living room with me tucked under his arm.  The Woman follows and sits in the armchair while me and Charlie sit on the sofa. We stare at her and she clears her throat and begins to speak. As she spoke, my head began to throb, as if trying to make me remember something and I leaned into Charlie, seeking comfort.

 " While I was out hiking with a group of girls on an annual camping trip, me and the girls came across Bella here, and someone who appeared to be her boyfriend, in the middle of an argument." Here she paused. " We started to walk away, not wanting to get in the middle of other's problems, but after a few minutes of walking, we heard a scream, and raced towards it. " She paused again and asked for a drink of water.

 When Charlie got up after asking me if I needed anything, and went to the kitchen, the Woman leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees with feline grace. "Listen up child," she said intently. " We don't have much time. You can either stay here, and become practically comatose for months when I restore your memories, or you can join me and the group of girls I was talking about earlier and help save them for a fate like yours." When the Woman finishes her speech,  memories burst forth in my mind.

A man telling me in a cold emotionless voice that he didn't love me anymore, pain so intense it felt like I was dying, the monster pack attacking me, and the Woman's voice asking me a question. I gripped my head and doubled over in pain as more memories flooded me. A sadistic monster breaking my bones and laughing as I screamed,(AN. James) a love so perfect that I felt like imploding, and creatures so strong, beautiful, and mysterious that I gasped. 

The Woman looked at me and seemed shocked at my curled up form on the couch. She was muttering things under her breath, things that sounded like " Her mental shield is too strong....." and " Why isn't it working ..." 

I didn't care, the pain had overwhelmed me enough that I forgot myself and made a sound of distress. Charlie came rushing back in to the living room and gaped when he saw me curled up into a ball. I ignored him as more images flooded through me. A beautiful meadow of flowers, and a sense of belonging, a flirty waitress, a group of deplorable men, the face of an angel, and so much more. Charlie had started to rub my back during the recounting of my memories and as I sat up, he started to ask my questions and yell at the Woman. Just when she was about to open her mouth, I managed to croaked out single word " Water?"

 Charlie practically ran to the kitchen after giving the Woman a look that promised further inquisition. I looked at her and just barely whispered, "I want to join your group. I can see how I could become practically comatose if I was left to my own devices. I really...I don't want that to happen to me." 

She, once again, opened her mouth to....something, I'm not really sure what it was, but I cut her off with a outstretched hand. " I don't want you to do what you did to me to Charlie." I sniffed, "I'll sneak out tonight at midnight, but I need you to remind me to come because I might not come if left alone." 

The Woman sighed and nodded. Charlie came back in the living room with a cup of water for me and, after helping me drink some, turned to the Woman and started to open the floodgates of questions he had probably thought of in the kitchen. After suffering through a few minutes of this, I turned to Charlie, and asked if I could head upstairs to go to bed. He turned to me with pity in his eyes and nodded.

I slowly drudged upstairs and went into my bedroom, where I laid down on my bed and just before falling asleep, set my alarm to 11:30 so I had time to pack and write Charlie a note. 

A/N So sorry that took me so long. I hope you guys enjoyed that! Next chapter is going to be short and is basically just Bella's note to Charlie and her leaving.   Please comment with any ideas you have and have a great life!