࿔*:･fifteen ࿔*:･
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Bella slammed the door open, causing Charlie and Jack to stand up in alarm. They ran out of the living room just in time to see her shout at Edward, "leave me alone!" She yelled.
Carter walked in from behind Edward, "Bella." She tried, a desperate look etched on her face as she tried to talk to her best friend.
Edward looked at her, a pained look on his face, "please, Bella, don't do this." He pleaded but she didn't move, glaring at him, "get out!" She yelled, "it's over!" She slammed the door and turned to look at the three adults who stood in the hallway, "Bella, honey is everything okay?" Abigail questioned, stepping towards her. Bella shook her head, "I have to get out of here." She mumbled, hurrying upstairs.
"Wha- Bella, no!" Carter yelled, following her upstairs with Charlie on her tail. They both protested loudly and Carter followed her into the room to see Edward inside, piling clothes in a suitcase. Carter pretended to reason with Bella, knowing that Charlie stood outside the door, worried about his daughter.
Bella closed her eyes, sorry about doing this to her father as tears gathered in her eyes. Carter took her things from her and helped Edward pack before he left.
Bella opened the door, tears streaming down her face as Carter followed her, "I have to leave Forks," Bella told her dad, walking towards the stairs. Charlie shot Carter a confused look as he followed them, "I want to go home." She told him.
"Sweetie your mom isn't even in Phoenix," he said. Bella shook her head, "I'll call her, she'll come home."
"Okay, okay, but it's late, Bella. I'll take you in the morning," he said but the brunette shook her head, "no no I need to drive, I need to clear my head," she nodded, "I'll pull at a motel, it'll be fine." She said.
Carter stood back, watching her friend and uncle as he took her arm stopping her, "honey I know I'm not around much- I'll change, okay? I'll do better, we'll do more things together," he pleaded.
Bella inhaled loudly, "like what? Like, watch baseball on the flatscreen? Go to the coffee shop? Same people, same steak, same Berry cobbler? Every night? That's you, dad. Not me." She ranted, breathing heavily.
Abigail and Jack looked at them sadly as tears gathered in Charlie's eyes, "I just got you back." He muttered and Carter's heart broke in two.
Bella shook her head, "if I stay here, I'll be stuck. I'll be stuck like mom was." Bella snapped, harshly. Carter's eyes widened and Abigail gasped. Bella took her chance to run out the front door.
"Mom, dad, stay with Charlie alright?" Carter rushed, grabbing a coat from the rack. She turned to Charlie, "listen, I'll go with her, alright? She's confused, Charlie. I'll make sure she comes back safe, okay?" She said quickly, rushing out the door once he nodded, still in shock about what his daughter had said to him.
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Carter shut the door of the truck, exchanging a look with Edward who sat in the driver's seat as Bella clung to him for dear life.
He pulled out of the driveway and Carter took Bella off his arm, letting her cling to herself instead. Tears rolled onto her face, wetting Carter's top.
"He'll forgive you," Edward reassured her quietly and Bella shook her head, "I said the same thing mom said to him when she left," she sobbed.
A sudden 'BOOM' shook the truck, causing both the girls to jump, "it's alright," Edward said, "it's just Emmet. Alice is in the car behind us."
Carter caressed Bella's hair, "at least they're safe now, Bella." She mumbled quietly and her friend nodded silently, tears still rolling as she buried her head in Carter's neck.
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When they reached the Cullen's house, Carter quickly got out of the truck, leading Bella with her as they rushed towards the entrance, only to stop abruptly when they saw Laurent coming out with Carlisle behind him. Alice and Edward quickly covered the two mortals, ready to attack.
Carlisle put his hands up, "it's alright, it's alright. He's just here to warn us. About James." He reassured them. Alice relaxed slightly, "what about him?" Carter asked.
Laurent looked her in the eyes, causing shivers to run down her spine before he turned back to address Carlisle. He shook his head, "I've grown tired of his games. But he has unparalleled senses, that's why I was with them for so long, but I've never seen anything like him in my three hundred years." He sighed, "and the woman, Victoria, his mate. She'll back him, don't underestimate her." He finished and Carlisle nodded.
He thanked the red-eyed vampire who took off towards the woods right after. Carlisle led them to the garage where the family rushed around, gathering supplies. Carter went to stand next to Rosalie who sat on the counter, watching everyone.
Jasper looked at everyone, "I've fought our kind before. We're hard to kill." He sighed. Emmet smirked, "but not impossible." He said and Jasper nodded.
Carlisle looked at Jasper sadly, "I don't relish in killing another creature. Even a sadistic one like James."
"What if he kills one of us first?" Rosalie questioned but no one answered her. Edward turned to Carlisle, "I'll run them south, you lead the tracker away."
"No, Edward, the tracker knows Bella will be with you, he'll follow you." Carlisle stopped him.
Alice stepped forward, grabbing Carter's hand, "I'll take them south, Jasper and I." She said, staring at Edward who glared at her menacingly, "can you keep your thoughts to yourself?" He snapped and Alice nodded.
Edward opened up a bag and pulled out two tops, throwing one at Rosalie, "Esme, Rosalie, wear these they're Carter and Bella's. The tracker will pick up their scent."
Rosalie glared at him, "why should I? What're they to me?" She questioned and Carlisle slammed his hand on the counter, "Rosalie," he scolded, "Bella is with Edward now and Carter is Jasper's friend. They're family and we protect our family." He finished.
Rosalie got off the counter, "give me Carter's." She demanded, handing Bella's top to Esme and walking away. Edward pulled Bella away and Carter made to follow Rosalie.
Rosalie looked up at the sound of footsteps and came face to face with Carter. Her hostile expression lessened at the sight of the brunette and she went back to packing her supplies.
Carter looked around the garage and all the Cullens who rushed around, gathering supplies and checking cars. This was all for Bella, she realised. Some of it was for her too, sure, but they were mainly doing it for Bella. Because Edward loved her.
And Carter wondered if there was someone out there who could love her like that too. Enough to risk their life for her. She looked down at her tattoo bitterly, tracing it softly because it seemed that there was only pain written in the stars for her.
"Hey, can I ask you a question?" She said to Rosalie who smirked, "you just did." She answered and Carter rolled her eyes at the blonde's lame attempt to joke around.
"Why do you hate Bella so much?" She asked quietly and Rosalie stopped packing, she sighed heavily, turning to Carter, "I don't hate Bella. Trust me." She scoffed, rolling her eyes. Carter shrugged, "well you kinda tolerate me so..."
Rosalie smiled at her, "that's different. You'll find out soon enough." She said causing Carter to furrow her brows.
Rosalie nodded her head to Alice's car, "c'mon." She said, leading her over. Carter gave her a grateful smile, "thank you for doing this." She muttered and Rosalie nodded.
Bella looked at her sadly as they settled in and the car started as the two brunettes and the vampires drove out of the garage behind everyone else.
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It took them a day to reach Phoenix and Alice and Jasper had booked them into a random hotel. Bella had called her mom once, informing her that she wasn't with Charlie anymore and Carter had sent out a few texts to her dad, keeping him updated about where they were.
They both crashed into bed soon after. The next morning, Carter woke up before Bella and headed to the living room where Jasper and Alice sat, his arm over her shoulder. Alice perked up at the sight of her and quickly picked up the phone, "hey, you hungry? We can get room service." She offered.
Carter shook her head, "thanks but uh, I don't really have an appetite right now." She declined and Alice nodded, setting the phone down and leaning back into Jasper's embrace. Carter looked around the room and noticed all the curtains were closed.
Her head snapped back when Alice jumped forward again, "you know what, I'll- I'll order, still. Just in case." She said nodding to herself as she got up and walked over to the window. She asked for random things off the menu and Carter took a seat on the sofa.
Jasper turned to look at her and held her gaze for a moment, "you okay?" He asked, his familiar southern accent bringing comfort to Carter and she smiled and nodded, "Yes, yeah. I'm good." She reassured him and the two fell into a comfortable silence. Alice walked off into a different room to get something and Carter let her mind wander.
After a moment she spoke, "must be nice." She mumbled causing Jasper to look over in confusion as he sensed her feelings of envy and serenity.
"What do you mean?" He asked, carefully, "I mean, having someone who's ready to risk their entire existence for you." She huffed a laugh and shook her head, "having someone who looks after you, whose there to protect you all the goddamn time."
Jasper still stared at her.
"I mean don't get me wrong. I have people who worry about me too." She nodded, "just, not to the extent that Edward is willing to go to for Bella."
Jasper got off the couch and walked over to Carter, kneeling next to the couch so that he could see her eyes, "Carter, are you crazy?" He asked and Carter huffed a laugh, shaking her head.
"You are crazy, darlin'," he mumbled, "you may feel that way, Cart but I will always be there to protect you. I'll always be by your side 'cause you're my fucking best friend." He rambled and cringed at the end, "uh, don't tell Emmet I said that." He said, causing Carter to laugh slightly.
"Anyway the point is Carter, I'm here. Alright? I'm here for you and I ain't leaving. Never." He shook his head, and Carter smiled. She put a hand on the back of his neck, and pulled him closer, leaning her forehead against his, "thank you." She whispered.
She got up to go to the bathroom and came back to find Bella awake and a buffet of breakfast laid out on the table.
"This isn't worth you guys getting killed over," Carter heard Bella say. She nodded at the girl as she entered the room.
"Yes, it is." Jasper insisted and the three women all looked at him in shock.
"Edward's changed since he found you. And none of us wants to look into his eyes for the next hundred years if he loses you." Jasper shook his head.
Just as he said that Alice threw her head back and her eyes became unfocused. Jasper leapt forward to support her, "what is it? What do you see?" Jasper asked, getting a paper and pencil, seemingly out of thin air.
"The tracker," she managed, in a worried tone, "He's changed direction." Jasper put the paper and pencil in front of her and Alice grabbed it desperately, sketching something haphazardly.
Bella started asking Jasper about how Alice's visions worked and Carter leaned forward to look at the drawing. Bella peered over her shoulder, "he's going to a ballet studio?" She questioned and Alice looked at her, "You know this place?" She asked and Bella shrugged, "my old school had a ballet studio with an arch like that. It was just around the corner from my house."
All of a sudden, her phone rang and she picked up quickly. Carter could make out Edward's faint voice from the other side of the line.
He was coming to get them and Esme and Rosalie were back in Forks, keeping Carter's parents safe as well as Charlie.
The group of four soon stood in the lobby as Alice checked them out and Carter and Bella stood a few feet away. Bella's phone rang quickly, causing the pale girl to jump at the sound. She let out a relieved sigh as she read her mom's name.
"Mom, I'm so glad you got my-" she stopped mid-sentence as Renee's panicked voice spoke over her. Bella stepped away from the crowd to hear her better. After a few moments, Carter turned to look for Bella, only to meet the girls panicked eyes staring back at her.
Carter hurried towards her, but before she could say anything Bella whispered, "James has mom." She said.
And Carter felt a chill go down her spine.
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F
or sure the longest chap I've written yet. I loved it and I live for Jasper and Carter's brotp like yes please.
Y'all I've been watching the last of us and I'm so fuckinf obsessed
Make sure to vote and comment loves <3
Not edited.