F.T.A. Failure to Appear

Chapter Six

Chapter Six
Return and Voyage
Grace Cullen-Swan

I reached the cliff line and searched for Bella along the coast, hoping I had gotten there before her jump. I couldn't find her anywhere along the shore, and so in my desperation I dove into the water after her. Without the need for air, I quickly swam the entire length of the enclave, diving deep and searching every possible square inch of water for her. I became more and more panicked the longer I went without a trace of her ever being in the water.

Finally, I caught the scent of her blood against some rock and frantically pushed myself deeper towards the bottom in a pleading attempt to find her in time.

She was nowhere to be found.

Defeated, I sloshed my way back onto the shore, and while a numb feeling settled into my bones, I hacked up water from my lungs as I questioned what to do next.

I could break down and scream and cry and mourn my sweet daughter like I so intensely wanted to, but that would solve nothing at the moment. I could go back to the Clearwater's, but I couldn't face Charlie not having found Bella in time. Or, I could run home and think clearer in a safe place.

The shapeshifters suddenly let out a long howl, breaking me out of my panicked thoughts, the piercing sound gave me the feeling I was about to be hunted down for my defensive actions against them. So, without really thinking, I started running towards home.

I thought Alice might be there already, so I could hopefully reconvene with her and get some idea where Bella had ended up. I might be able to convince the pack to let me go retrieve her body for the sake of Charlie, but the thought alone threatened to send me spiraling out of control.

My sweet daughter couldn't be dead, I refused to believe she would do such a thing. This had to be some horrible horrific nightmare.

As soon as I approached the house, I spotted Carlisle's car in the driveway, and my dead heart sunk deep into my ribcage. I climbed up the steps to the door, still dripping large drops of seawater as I entered the house, preparing myself to find Alice and possibly other members of the Cullen family there ready to ask me questions.

Instead, I found Bella, perfectly alive and happily talking with Alice as they sat on the couch in the living room.

"Bella!" I cried out in absolute relief, sinking to the floor on to my knees as I thanked God, sobbing from joy.

"Mom?!" She gasped, getting on the floor in front of me. "What's wrong?" She worried over me.

"How could you try to kill yourself?!" I growled angrily at her as I wrapped her into a tight hug, tears streaming down my face from my gift overwhelming me. "Did you not think about your parents that love you more than anything? You would've killed us along with yourself." I scolded her, all while hugging her lovingly.

"I misread the situation!" Alice blurted out, but I refused to look at her and continued to smother Bella. "I saw her jump off of the cliff and disappear, so I assumed she was dead. Apparently, Bella thinks diving off of cliffs is recreational fun." She pouted per usual.

"I hit my head on a rock and Jacob pulled me out of the water." Bella told me. "I was an idiot for not listening to him and going without him. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm so sorry, mom." She apologized, crying with me a little bit.

"I'm just so glad you're okay." I sighed, relief still flooding through me as I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her forehead. "Your father couldn't survive burying two people he adores in the same week." I sighed.

"Two?" Bella questioned me as we climbed to our feet.

"Harry Clearwater passed away today." I told her. "He went with us to go hunt down the wolves and dropped to his knees from a heart attack on the way back."