Our Gracelyn,
We love you so very much. I know we left abruptly, and wasn't here for you when you woke up, but we have to leave. The longer Laurent is out on the loose, the longer you are in danger. Please don't think we abandoned you or care for you any less, I promise, that is not the case. We fear we are beginning to have less and less time to spend with you, so to take away a few of our months together to ensure a lifetime of safety for you, well it is the best way to go. Please stay safe while we're away. We contacted Sam and Emily, and they said you are more than welcome to live with them for the time being. Be good, and stay by Seth. He will protect you better than anyone could. We love you so much sweetheart, and we will see you soon.
Love, Mom, Dad, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett
I read the note over and over again, clutching it in my hands. It's real. The note real. Laurent said he can alter the things he knows about, and he doesn't know about this, so this means that it's real. They left me. They actually left. Without saying goodbye. I guess not everything Laurent shows me is false. They truly do not care for me. They don't want a human daughter or sister.
I hear a knock on the door and I freeze. It's still a struggle to decipher what's real and what's fake. After three months, I should be slightly better, but instead I am more anxious and scared than before. I haven't left my room for three months, and I know the pack's worried, but I don't know if they are real. I think they are, since my family is still gone. If they're still gone that means Laurent's gone, but what if he can mess with my mind from a distance?
"Gracie, it's me. Can I come in?" My hands start to shake a bit at the sound of Seth's voice. Laurent knows about him. This could be fake. "Gracie, it's alright. Laurent is gone. Your family is still out hunting him. This is real, I promise."
I take a shaky breath. "You can come in," I say quietly as I look down and clutch my wolf necklace with one hand and the blanket with the other. I feel the bed dip down as I tense up as Seth releases my grip on my blanket and gently holds my still sore wrist.
"I've got you something. Something you've never seen before. Do you want it?"
My hand shakes slightly, so Seth holds it tighter. "He's not here Grace, I promise. This is real. He's gone far away and the pack won't let him get near you so he can mess with you anymore."
I sniffle as tears start to fall slowly. "But what if he can mess with my mind from far away, and this is all fake and he's standing right behind me ready to kill me again," I sob quietly and I feel Seth hug me, causing me to flinch.
"Shh, listen. So he's a vampire, right? That means he doesn't feel warmth. He won't remember what it feels like. Do you feel warm right now? With me hugging you?"
I nod gently as I sniffle and Seth says, "See. It's real, I promise. Whenever you don't feel warm around one of us, then you scream as loud as you can and let us know. I promise you, he won't hurt you again, ok?"
I nod and relax slightly as I take in Seth's words. Seth is real. Seth is warm. "The pack misses you and is really worried. They haven't seen you in a long time. Do you want to go see them? Bella came to see you too. She misses you."
I start to panic and I count to ten slowly in my head to try and control my breathing. Once it settles, I say quietly, "I'm so scared Seth. I'm so scared I'm going to suddenly blink and he's going to be there. Like he is in my dreams."
My dreams are the worst part of this situation, making me second guess all the progress over the whole day. At night, my dreams are not real, but they are so similar to his mind tricks, I panic and I freak out every time. That's why I have been resorting to not sleeping. The less I sleep, the more real everything becomes.
"I know, Gracie. I know. How about this, we can tell them you're not feeling too well right now, and then you can try again later for supper."
I nod as I wipe my nose and Seth smiles at me. "That's my girl. Alright, I got you something that you can do while you're up here." I look at him curiously as he stands up and grins down at me.
"Ta da!" He says and pulls out the new Mockingjay book. "Remember when you told me you wanted me to read it for you? In your letter? Well, it came out last month, so I read it. It was really good, and I think you're going to like it. It might even help you too."
I look at the book in shock before a tear trickles down my face. "Thank you," I say quietly and I get up and hug him. He wraps me into a tight hug. "You're welcome Gracie. I love you. You know that, right?"
I nod as I try to let go, but he keeps me in place. "You do believe me when I tell you I love you and I'll never leave, don't you?"
I nod again as I sniffle. "Yeah," I say as my voice cracks and my nose runs.
"I know you don't believe me, but I wish you did. I know your family left, it was the wrong thing to do, but I'm not going to do that. None of the pack is. We love you so much. Nothing that Laurent told you was true, I promise you. We are here for you and we love you so much."
I nod as I sniffle and give him one last squeeze before letting go. "I'm sorry for being upset. I'll get better soon. I promise," I croak out as guilt overwhelms me. He must hate me now. I have been the worse imprint and friend. I'm scared of him 75% of the time for goodness sakes!
"Hey now, don't think like that," he says as if he can read my mind. "I love you so much. So don't you think for a second that I don't or that I will ever stop. This isn't your fault. You are handling this better than anyone could, even Peeta Mellark."
I look at him questionably and he smiles lightly at me. "Read to find out. Do you want me to stay with you?"
I think for a second then ask, "Do you have patrol?"
I see him glance to the side, a habit of his when he is lying, and says, "No. I have it later. Come on, I want you to read it. You're going to love it."
"But you have patrol," I say in my now, ever quiet voice as I sit on the bed again.
"It can wait. Besides, with all the guys patrolling, nothing can get through us. I'll go after supper and run my time. If you want me to stay. If not, I can get Emily to come up here or I could just leave..." He asks worried and unsure.
"You can stay. If you want," I say hesitantly as I fiddle with my necklace. I look up to see him smiling happily, so I give him a tiny one in return. He grins more and hops on top of the bed, making me flinch slightly. He wraps his arms around my middle and sits his head on my shoulder.
"Seth... I don't know..."
"The more you familiarize yourself with my warmth, the better you can know when it's real or not." I nod as I gulp heavily and I turn the first page. I start to red to my self until my eyes flutter closed. I force them open, making sure I don't fall to sleep.
"Here, let me read it to you and you can try to fall asleep."
I shake my head vigorously as my heart beat starts going crazy with fear. "Gracie, you haven't slept in three days. I promise I won't leave. And if you start having a nightmare, I'll wake you up. At least let me read some while you relax, ok?"
I nod and give him the book before clutching his shirt and I lay my head down on his chest. I listen to his beating heart and my breathing slowly decreases little by little.
A fire burns in a circle and Laurent is standing in the middle. I back up, but trip and I fall back on something with a 'crunch!'
I look down and I'm sitting on Emmett's torn head. I scream and....
"Gracie! Gracie wake up!" I sit up gasping and Seth sets down the book and hugs me to his side. "It was just a dream. It wasn't real. This is real. You're safe. No one's hurt."
I cry a bit, "How do you know? He could have killed them and we would never know."
Seth hugs me tighter, "Shh, it's ok. They're ok. Your family's smart. They won't get hurt. They love you too much."
"They have a funny way of showing it," I whisper quietly and Seth sighs. "I know, Gracie. But they really do."
I nod and wipe my eyes before getting off the bed. "I want to take a shower."
Seth nods and opens the door, "Alright. Hollar if you need anything, ok?" I nod and go to the bathroom across from Sam and Emily's guest room, now my bedroom, and take my shower.
I slow my breathing down as the hot water streams through my hair. I'm being pathetic. I've been locked up in my room for three months, I've only seen Seth and Emily, and and the pack are all worried about me.
'Stop being so needy. You're wallowing in self pity. He isn't here. And if he was, then the pack will get him. You need to forget about your messed up mind and your abandoning family and spent time with the pack. You are making them upset,' I scold myself in my mind.
As I dry off and brush out my hair and teeth, I make up my mind. No matter how scared, no matter how sad, no matter how much it hurts, I'm going to put on a smile and be with my friends. They deserve this. They don't deserve my tears. Like Seth said, it might do me some good. I know it'll help them out a lot if they don't have to worry about me.
I lock my door to my room and dry my hair before throwing on a quick outfit.
I slowly walk out of my room and I quietly walk down the stairs. "Seth, it'll be ok." I hear Emily say.
"I don't know what to do Emily! Should I.. should I send her to a therapist? She hasn't left her room and she doesn't eat or sleep."
"Seth, you know a therapist won't help."
"I don't know what to do. I'm losing her and it's all my fault. I should have never let her out of my sight," I hear Seth say as he is on the verge of tears.
I quietly step down the stairs as I hear Emily try to comfort him as he's crying. I walk up behind him, Emily's eyes going wide as she steps back a step. I come up behind Seth and hug his middle as he shoulders shake.
I hear him let out a small sob as I hug him tighter. "I'm sorry for worrying you. You're helping me the most, I promise. Don't be sad," I say as I start to cry again. It's all my fault. I worry them so much and it's because I'm afraid for no reason.
Seth turns around and gives me a tight hug. "You're out of your room," he says in a muffled voice as he buries his head into my hair.
"You're helping me. I'm not as afraid today. I'm getting better. I promise."
Seth let's out another sob as he hugs me closer. "I love you so much, Gracie. Please don't leave me again."
I nod as a tear falls down my face. "I won't. I'm sorry for tricking you and for running off to him. He said he'd kill you if I didn't. He made me think he already did. I didn't want you to die."
Seth pulls away and wipes my tears. "Shh, shh. It's ok. I know what it feels like."
I choke as tears fall faster, "He did it to you!"
"Shh, no he didn't. I shouldn't have said that. I just meant when he showed us your nightmare he gave you. That's all. He didn't do anything else to me, I promise."
I nod and I dry my tears before hugging Seth again. "I love you, but you need to go on patrol with everyone else. I'll be ok with Emily."
Seth looks down reluctantly, "I think I'll just stay here for now. Besides, this is the first time you've felt real good. I don't want to miss it."
I shake my head and shove him gently. "Go, I'm ok. Emily makes me calm. I want to make muffins to surprise everyone with, so you can't tell them, ok?"
Seth grins at me before kissing my head. "Ok, Grace Grace. Stay here with Emily, ok?" I nod and I walk over to Emily who pulls me into a side hug and kisses my head.
Seth walks out the door before turning around and smiling once at me then running off to phase.
I let out a tiny breath and turn to Emily with a tiny smile. "Can we bake?"
Emily smiles widely before nodding furiously, "I thought you'd never ask."
"I haven't made them too sad, have I?" I ask sheepishly as we sit at the table waiting for the muffins to get done. "Not sad, just concerned. They will be really happy when they see you out and about though."
The corners on my mouth lift up in something resembling a smile before it drops quickly. "What if tomorrow is a bad day. I will be disappointing them."
Emily holds both my hands, making me look up at her. "You are not disappointing anyone. You are healing from a traumatic event that even Seth said was scary. He told me how those mind tricks effected him, and that was only one time. You were tortured over and over again. I don't blame you for being scared or distancing yourself. If it was me, I would still refuse to be around people. You are the strongest little girl I know, and we love you. We want you to heal, so no. They will not be disappointed. They will understand and accept it."
I nod as I feel a weight lift off my shoulders slightly. "You help me, Emily. Laurent, his tricks, he uses what he's seen and what he knows and twists it into images and puts them into anyone's head. But with you, he didn't show me anything of you, since he never saw you before. You help me realize that this is real, and I'm not going to suddenly wake up and see him trying to kill me."
Emily tears up before she stands up abruptly and wipes her hands on her jeans. "Well, I'm glad to be of service. But I think the muffins are fixing to be done, and we need to get them out and on the table before the boys get here. They will fight for the pan." I nod with a closed-lip smile and get up beside her to help.
I walk by the window and listen to the music coming from the radio as I look outside towards the forest. I take a deep breath and hold it for as long as I can before letting it out slowly, filling my lungs with the smell of pine trees and wood.
I twist the nob on the radio to play the music louder and I help put the muffins on a decorative pan while Emily hums to the music and swings her hips, dancing with a spoon in her hand with a big grin on her face.
I start to smile as I watch her. She looks so happy now that I'm down here with her. Her being happy makes me happy. Maybe Seth was right, this is going to help me. I lay my head down on my arms on top of the table as I watch her dance ridiculously with a smile on my face. Maybe I'll feel good enough to dance like that in a few weeks.
Emily catches my stare and winks before putting the spoon up to her mouth and singing into it like it's a microphone. "And I will always love you!" I start to grin, showing the first smile with teeth and she continues to sing.
I hear the boys let out a whistle, their signal that they are coming back home, but Emily keeps on dancing and singing to the music. The door swings open, Seth is he first to walk in, stopping at the doorway with a big smile on his face when he sees me grinning softly.
"What are you doing standing at the door!"
"Move it!"
"I smell muffins!"
I let out a breathy laugh as the pack shove Seth away and barge in. They freeze in their tracks, spotting where my laugh came from and they all stare at me.
"I know I'm not the prettiest sight to look at, but at least don't stare," I say in my now quiet voice, and they all glance at each other before grinning brightly.
They all run towards me and I sit up quickly and freeze as they all run at me. It's real. They aren't trying to hurt you. This is real. They want a hug. Laurent isn't here to make them want to kill you.
The boys catch me freeze and they slow down and stop. "I..um.." I stutter as my throat gets tight and hands start to shake lightly.
Seth pushes his way towards me and whispers something to the guys, making them back up, before turning to me. "Hey, it's alright. They're just excited." I nod as I count to ten and control my breathing.
When I stop panicking, Seth grabs my hand. "Remember what I said this morning? My hand's warm. So are they. We just got back from patrol, so we're all really warm. I promise." I nod and close my eyes as I feel Seth's hand heating up mine.
Warm. He doesn't know warmth. The pack is warm, so they are real. They are alive and well. They aren't dead and they don't want to hurt me. They love me and miss me.
I let go of Seth's hand and run up to the first wolf I see, who is Jake. Jake pulls me into a hug and spins me around lightly. "Hey Gracie girl. I've missed you."
"I missed you too, Jake Jake. I'm sorry for not seeing all of you for a while."
Jake sets me down and ruffles my hair with a smile, "Don't worry about it, kiddo. You're here now, that's all that matters." I nod and turn to the other guys who smile brightly at me.
"I made muffins with Emily," I say like it's a big accomplishment, and for me at the moment, it is.
They all grin and go to grab some, but before they do, they each give me a hug or ruffle my hair before plopping down at the table and chatting loudly.
I go to Sam and Emily and give both of them a big hug, Emily first, then Sam so I can make his longer.
"Thank you for putting up with me. I'm sorry my family made you take me in."
Sam leans away from the hug and looks me sternly in the eyes. "Don't thank us, Gracelyn. You are family. We protect and provide for our family." I smile and give him one more hug before pulling up a chair and sitting beside Seth and Paul.
"You dumb butt! It wasn't a vampire! It was a freaking bunny that stepped on a twig!"
I smile slightly and set my head on the table like before as I watch the boys, mainly Quil and Paul, banter back and forth.
"It was a very big bunny!"
The pack start laughing and I start to smile. "Poor Quil," I say quietly with a tiny smile on my face as everyone stops talking to try to hear what I'm saying. "Everyone has their fears. It's ok."
The pack burst out laughing, including Quil who has a giant grin on his face. "Oh shut it, Little Red. I'm not afraid of bunnies."
I nod in mock understanding and say seriously, "Yeah, it's just girls you're squeamish around."
The guys laugh and Paul ruffles my hair as Seth grins proudly at me. Quil shoves his chair back and stands up putting up his hands like he's going to fight.
"You wanna go?"
"Oh sit down, Ateara. We all know she would win," Jared says as he winks at me and I smile slightly back at him.
Quil huffs and shoves another muffin in his mouth. "No one appreciates me," he says with his mouth full.
The guys all smirk at him while Emily hits his head with her microphone, aka the wooden spoon. "Don't talk with your mouth full."
Quil huffs again while the guys share a chuckle.
"Hey, let's go to the beach!" Jared says and all the guys nod agreeing with him.
"Well, I say Grace chooses. Whatca want to do pup?" Embry says with a smile.
I look down sheepishly as a blush fills my sunken in cheeks, "I kinda wanted to read my book...."
The guys all groan while Sam, Emily, and Seth slap their heads.
"We could go to the beach and I could read," I ask quietly and they cheer while standing up quickly and getting the soccer ball before running out the door.
"I'll get your book," Seth says and he runs upstairs.
I start walking out the door with Sam and Emily when Seth comes back and hugs me to his side. "Are you sure you're up for this?" He asks me when we get a little ways ahead of Sam and Emily.
I nod as I look at the ground while we walk. I can feel my heart rate increasing as my anxiety gets the best of me.
Seth hugs me closer and sets his head on top of mine. "This will be fun. We haven't been to the beach in forever."
I nod and hold my necklace tightly. I suddenly let out a breathy laugh, "I don't know why I'm so anxious, but it's like I suddenly can't breath."
Seth stops and worriedly looks down at me before kissing my head. "Come on, I'll piggy back it." I shake my head with a small smile and he carries me on his back.
When we get to the beach we lay a picnic blanket out and sit down by the shore, Sam and Emily coming beside us. As Seth lays down on his back, I set my head on his stomach and turn sideways, so my legs are out, toes in the sand, as I lift my book above me and read.
I sigh sadly as I read. "What's wrong?" Seth asks as he sits up a bit to look at me.
"Nothing. This book is just making me sad."
Seth chuckles and sits up fully. I watch as he looks over to his right and nudges me. "Hey, look. The sunset."
I look up and see the sun is setting. The prettiest pinks, orange, purple, and blues all mixed together. I sit up beside Seth and lay my head on his shoulder.
"This was the last thing I thought I'd see," I whisper to him absentmindedly as I watch the ocean laps out in waves as the sun sinks behind it.
Unknowingly to me, the boys crowd around behind me to listen. "What was? The sunset?"
I nod, "Yeah. Before I walked into that ballet studio, the sun was setting. I remember thinking that I had to waste time outside before I went it, making sure it was dark so no one would realize I was inside the building, since there was windows. I stood outside the door watching the sun sink, thinking that if that was the last thing I would see before I died, I would be fine with it."
Seth hugs me closer as a tear slips down my left eye and I hear multiple sniffles behind me. I turn around to see Emily crying, but also a few of the boys with red eyes as they are keeping their tears inside.
I laugh painfully, "Don't cry you guys. I'm still here."
They furiously wipe their eyes and scowl at me. "We're not crying. Sand's in our eyes."
I smile at them and nod before turning back around to watch the sun again. "I'm so glad that wasn't my last sunset," I whisper quietly to myself.
Hi everyone! Is this too long of a chapter? Please comment and tell me what you thought about it and what you'd like to see! Thanks! 💕