Midnight

Reliving the Past.

After a few days, Bella returned home, Edward right along side her. Charlie had grounded her for life and gave her other conditions as well. I was laid in bed and I heard mumbling in Bella's room. So naturally, being the nosey person I was I walked over to her door and listened in.

"The only way this is going to be fair is to vote. One way or another I'm going to be like you." What the hell does she mean. I pushed open her door and looked at both of them. I walked in, Edward watching me all the time.

"What's the matter?" I asked him in a mocking tone. "Surprised you didn't hear me." He just nodded and looked kind of worried as well. "Awww whittle Edward having perform troubles." I looked at Bella who just glared at me. "Before you say anything let me give you my vote. I am not letting my cousin turn into a bloodsucker. I don't care how much in love you are with him, I'm not losing you, not again."

"It's a good job you don't get a vote! then isn't it? I mean I never got a vote on when you left so you don't get a vote on this."

"You know I didn't have a choice on that, you do. My father took me against my will, I grew up in a horrible way. Ask Edward, he's probably read my mind by now." Edward looked down in guilt. "Thought so."

"Your father isn't even your father." Bella muttered. My eyes shot towards her, a smug look on her face. "You grew up with a man who pretended he was your father because your mother had an affair."

"Bella." Edward warned her.

"No she needs to know." She took a step towards me and all the truth and lies came tumbling out. My mother had an affair with someone before I was born. I was a bastard child. It would explain a lot of things. Why my 'dad' wanted to leave so quick after my mother's death. Was he to blame for her death? "So there you have it." She said with a smirk on her face. "The truth that is Alianna."

"You have no idea what I've been through growing up Bella. The pain and suffering I had to endure day after day after day. The fear I felt every morning and every time the door bell rang. Not knowing if the person at the door was for him or he had asked them round for me." Confusion spread across her face. "I was a toy and a punch bag for my so called dad. If I could go back and have a vote for my life, I'd vote to die, that way I wouldn't have had to go through what I did. You Bella, you don't know pain. You think you do from Edward leaving you, but that...that wasn't pain." I could feel the anger bubbling up inside as I spoke through gritted teeth. "Pain is having your father punch you over and over again until your bones broke, just because you sneezed. Pain is having to scrub your body until it bled, day after day, because your father's friends had been round and wouldn't leave until they had all 'met' you properly. 'Be a nice girl for daddy's friends. Make them happy like you do me. Remember though this is our little secret.'" I said as I recalled my father's words. "Every night I could smell either, booze, drugs, blood, cologne of some sort, or worse sex. That is pain Bella. Not losing your first boyfriend. Losing your innocent at a really young age. Losing who you are as a person, that is true pain." I took in a deep breath as I looked at her. The truth came tumbling out before I could stop myself and to be honest it felt good.

"Ali I'm sorry I...I didn't know."

"Don't." I held up my hand to stop her coming closer. "Just don't. If you want to die, because of getting involved with a vampire then by all means go." I turned and walked out the room, bumping into Charlie. "Sorry for waking you." I mumbled.

"Did all that really happen to you?" He asked as he gently placed his hands on my shoulders. I nodded. "Ali sweetheart I am so sorry. I fought so hard to get you back, but I couldn't find you. I'm so sorry you went through that."

"It's ok uncle Charlie it's made me the person I am today." I bit my bottom lip contemplating something. "Did you know he wasn't my dad?"

"Not until your mother was in hospital. She told me just before she died. He was out drinking with some friends, she had been brought into A&E and told me. Her last words were 'protect Little Wolf.' I promised I would, but when you were taken, I couldn't fulfil that promise." I hugged him as I saw tears running down his face. "I'm so sorry." As much as I hurt right then, it was nothing compared to what Charlie must have gone through over the years, and no doubt still does when he thinks of those days.

After the heart to heart with Charlie I went to my room and got into bed, sadly but not unexpectedly, I couldn't sleep. I stayed up all night staring at the ceiling listening to the rain gently hit my window. It was a dull, yet rhythmic sound, if I was anyone else I would probably been lulled to sleep by it. However, I am not anyone else, I am a girl who had so much running through her mind, memories and nightmares, both of which I wish I could figure out and move on from. Every time I closed my eyes I either saw my childhood or Emily's body. So I stayed awake, thinking about what Charlie had told me. My real father was out there and I was determined to find him, if he was still alive.