Storming Sky

SUPERHERO

"Edward, I know this is the last thing you're worrying about right now, but we have any boxes?" I called downstairs. I had spent the remainder of the morning packing my room up. Fortunately, I knew this was coming, so I had already begun cleaning things out and piling things up. The only problem was, I had also relied on the fact that all of my siblings were faster and stronger than I was. I also counted on the fact that I had another month before I had to move out. Now, I had to do it all on my own, and within the next few days.

"You don't need to bring everything," Edward said, bringing me up two suitcases. "Just clothes and whatever else you think you might need for the next month or so. Best case scenario, we'll be able to send someone to bring things over to you."

"I'd rather just bring as much as possible now," I told him. I placed a pile of clothes in one of the suitcases and sighed. I had lived in this bedroom my entire life, and now, I was being forced to leave it.

"I know," Edward said, rushing over to me. The tears started falling down my face faster than I could stop them. There wasn't anything Edward could say. There wasn't anything anyone could say. This whole situation sucked.

"I'll get to see everyone again, right? Before the Volturi come? Even if the house is invaded?" I asked, sniffling. Edward handed me a box of tissues.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure you get to see everyone again," Edward promised. I wasn't sure if it was a promise he could make, but I was going to hold him to it.

"Do you think Alice and Jasper will come back?" I asked. I missed having them around, and they'd only been gone for a little while. Edward sighed.

"I don't know. It's different with them. Carlisle didn't create them, they chose us," Edward explained.

"I know that, but how could they just abandon us like that?" Abandon me, I added in my head.

"I wish I knew," Edward rubbed my back. Jake walked up then, and leaned against the wall. I tried to smile when I saw him, but it was so hard. Everything was so hard.

"I talked to Sam," Jake mumbled. "Both packs are in. We'll be there." I shuddered, knowing that I could very well lose everything. I tried to convince myself that this was the same thing that happened last spring with the newborns, but I couldn't lie to myself like that. This was different. This was terrifyingly different.

"I have to go check on Bella and Nessie, I'll be back later, okay?" Edward said. Bella, Seth, and Nessie had already left for the Cottage. Nessie hadn't gotten a good night's sleep on the couch, and had been cranky. I nodded. I wasn't going to keep him here. He needed to be with his girls.

"I love you," I told him. He nodded.

"I love you too, Danielle," he kissed my forehead and walked out. I looked at Jake, who immediately moved to trade places with Edward. I shook my head and got up before he was able to hold me, though. He looked shocked.

"I need to pack," I explained. "If we just sit here and I let myself think about all of the bad things that are happening, I'm going to start crying again. I already have a headache and I'm already puffy. I can't just sit here and cry," I cracked. I couldn't do it. "If I'm packing, I'm distracting myself."

"Okay, then we pack," Jake agreed.

Jake took his truck here, so we packed it up that night with whatever was ready to go. I kept my bed made, just in case, and all of my furniture was still there. I packed most of my clothes and other essentials. I had some wiggle room in case I forgot anything, but Jake and I were fairly thorough.

"I think I'm gonna order us a pizza," Jake mentioned as we were about to walk out the door. It was creepy. My house wasn't usually this quiet.

"Okay," I told him. "I'm probably only gonna have two slices, so get what you want. Make sure you order some for your dad, too."

"Okay, I'll see you outside," he said, walking out and simultaneously flipping his phone open and dialing the number. I took a deep breath and looked around the empty house. Someone had finally cleaned up the glass on the floor, which wasn't something I noticed until now. I was about to head outside when I remembered something, and ran upstairs.

"Dani? You up here?" I heard Jake yelling. I was hiding under my Dad's desk, sobbing like a tired baby. I knew he could hear me, so I didn't bother saying anything.

"Baby? You okay?" He asked. I must have looked completely pathetic, because his eyes were so sad. I was gripping my bunny harder than I had ever gripped anything before. I had read the poem probably six or seven times since escaping up here.

"Why do bad things keep happening to me?" I asked softly, knowing that the question alone would break Jake's heart. Jake let out a breath, and sat down.

"I don't know, hun," he placed his warm hands on mine. "It's not fair."

"They said, they've always said that – that, I wouldn't have had a life if they didn't adopt me. That I would have been in foster – foster care forever if they hadn't adopted me. That this was my best option," I stuttered my way through. "I don't know how this can be the best option," I cried. "It hurts so much!" I was wailing now. Everything that I had been trying to keep together was coming out.

It was a long time before Jake spoke up again. He took the picture that was on the floor, the one I couldn't bring myself to look at, and stared at it for a few minutes. He pointed.

"Who's that?" He asked. He was pointing at my dad.

"Jake, you know who that is," I said, confused. He nodded.

"I know who he is to me," Jake said. "I want to know who he is to you."

"He's my dad," I told him, deadpanning. What was he getting at?
"That's right," Jake scooted closer, as best as he could. "He's your dad. And what do dads do?" I rolled my eyes. I knew where he was going with this now.

"They protect their daughters," I told him. Jake nodded.

"Do you think that your dad would let himself die without ever seeing you again? Don't you think he would do everything in his power to make sure you were safe, and taken care of?"

I nodded. That's exactly what he would do.

"Your dad is a fucking superhero, Dani," Jake said, and it took me off guard. I knew that he had earned some respect for Dad while Bella was sick, but I didn't know he thought of him in that way. "He has saved everyone in your family. He saved you. He saved me. He can save anyone. He's going to pull us out of this mess."

"You really think so?" I asked him. Jake nodded.

"I know so. It's what dads do. Speaking of which, my Dad is going to kill me before the leeches ever could if we don't get back to my house with the pizza soon," he joked, smiling. I couldn't help but feign a smile.

"There's my girl. Now take the bunny and let's get out of here," Jake helped me get up from underneath the desk.

"Can we come back in the morning? I want to see Tanya," I asked Jake. Jake made a face.

"I don't know, Dani...didn't Edward stay we should steer clear of this place?"

"Yes, once the others get here. Tanya's my family, Jake. She knows about you guys. I've already lost so much..." I trailed. I didn't mean to play that card, but I needed a sense of familiarity.

"Yeah, sure, fine," Jake rolled his eyes. "If you're going to play the damsel in distress thing," he teased.

"If it gets me what I want," I teased right back. We made it to the truck, and I looked back at my house.

"You need a minute?" Jake asked, rubbing my back.

"No, I think I'm okay," I told him. "It's just weird. I've never seen the house empty before."

"It won't be for long," Jake promised. I looked over at him. He was right. Soon enough, this place would be popping with vampires.