( outfit for
chapter above )

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chapter five
declaration.

Carlisle moved to stand behind Christina as the News Reporter talked on the flat screen. Christina brought her nail to her lips as she listened to the report.

"Seattle is in a state of terror. Police are baffled by the escalating murders and disappearances."

Bella and Edward entered the living room as the reported continued. Bella glanced once towards her sister's anxiety ridden face before biting her lip as she turned to the TV.

"Theories range from a vicious new gang to a wildly active serial killer... Reporting live, Dawn Chubai. CNN."

Carlisle muted the TV before resting his hands on the top of Christina's shoulders. She sighed, taking her nail away from her teeth before gripping onto Carlisle's hand in worry. He gave her the slightly squeeze as he gained everyone in the room's attention. "It's getting worse. We're going to have to do something."

"It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they're reporting," Jasper mentioned as he stood in the corner of the room. "Quite a few more. They're undisciplined, conspicuous..."

"Newborns," Edward concluded, gaining Christina and Bella's attention.

"What, like new vampires?" Bella asked, looking around the room for an answer.

"Hungry new vampires," Christina added, making Carlisle rubbed her shoulder slowly.

"In their first few months after the change," Edward explained with a nod.

"That's when we're at our most uncontrollable, vicious, insane with thirst," Jasper explained, not once making the young mother feel better.

Emmett smirked trying to lighten up the tension in the room. "Something to look forward to," he joked glancing towards Bella.

"No one has trained these newborns, but this isn't random," Jasper continued, ignoring Emmett's comment.

"Someone's creating an army," Carlisle stated.

Christina got up from the couch as she walked around the couch towards the wine she brought over way before Bella's birthday party. She was almost surprised that it was still here, but at this moment she was glad.

"Now we're definitely going to Seattle," Emmett exclaimed excitedly, thinking of the possible fight that was brewing.

"An army of vampires?" Bella asked as the pop of a cork sounded through the room. She glanced over worriedly towards her older sister, watching her pour herself red wine.

Christina met Bella's eye contact with, what she hope for, a reassuring smile. She grabbed onto her glass of wine before taking her place back on the couch in front of where Carlisle was standing. His hand immediately reached forward and ran through her curly hair, hoping to help settle her nerves.

"And they've been created to fight somebody," Jasper confirmed. He rested his left arm over Alice's shoulder as the pixie vampire came towards his side.

"We're the only clan close to Seattle," Edward pointed out, dropping his arm from Bella's waist as she sat down next to her sister; resting her hand on the young mother's, that was sitting on her lap. Christina turned her hand around and gripped onto her hand tightly.

"Regardless of why they were made, if we don't put a stop to them, the Volturi will," Carlisle stated. "I'm surprised they've let it go on this long."

Edward shrugged lightly. "Maybe they're behind it. In Italy, I read Aro's mind... He wants me and Alice to join him. Our gifts would shore up his power. He knows we'd never choose him as long as our family is still alive. An army could solve that for him."

Christina sighed deeply before taking another sip of wine.

"We can't wait two weeks for graduation; you need to change me now—"

Christina coughed as the wine slipped down the wrong pipe— shock freezing her blood at Bella's words. The young mother placed her wine down on the coffee table as she calmed down her coughing, waving everyone's concerns off.

"You'd be a liability as a newborn," Jasper said, after Christina's breathing went back to normal. "Unable to control your instincts. An easy target."

Carlisle rested a hand on Bella's shoulder, gaining her attention. She looked up at him over her shoulder with a frown. "There's also your family to consider. How terrible would it be for them if you suddenly disappeared?"

Bella sighed as Carlisle's hand left her shoulder. "I know." She squeezed her older sister's hand one last time before following after the rest of the Cullens as everyone fled the room.

Carlisle moves from behind the sofa to sit on the coffee table facing Christina. He grabbed each of her hands before rubbing the back of them with each of his thumbs. The cool sensation brought Christina's attention back from within her mind as she met eye contact with the doctor.

"Are you okay?" He asked lowly, watching as her green eyes turned dark for a split second.

"I'm worried," she muttered. She twisted her hands around in his, bringing their fingers to interlock as she continued, "I feel helpless. I'm supposed to be able to protect my daughter, and yet..."

Carlisle nodded his head in understanding. "You do protect her... everyday."

"But there's an army of vampires three hours away from where we live, and I—" Christina paused before lowering her head, and closing her eyes. "I don't know what to do."

"You're doing everything right," Carlisle whispered as he leaned his forehead on the top of her head. "We will protect you girls. Nothing will happen as long as we're here... as long as I'm here."

Christina sighed as she lifted her head, before words escaped her. Her green eyes locked on to Carlisle's golden hues. Her worries started to drain from her veins as she continued to see the promise within Carlisle's expression. Green eyes flickered downward before they rested on Carlisle's eyes once more.

He leaned closer towards her face, making her eyes flutter close as she felt his breath across her face. A cool touch graced her lips—

"You ready for go?" Bella asked coming into the living room. Christina jumped away from Carlisle at Bella's words. The younger Swan raised her brow at their promising position, but couldn't question it as Christina got up from the couch with a forced smile on her lips.

"Yeah, I'm sure Annie's been running circles around Dad," Christina joked as her hands that were once in Carlisle's, grabbed onto her back and keys.

Bella nodded slowly before grabbing the keys from her sister's hands. "I'm gonna go start the car." She winked as Carlisle stood up from the coffee table and stood before Christina.

The mother's heart jumped as Carlisle's hand rested upon her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow at work, yeah?"

She wordlessly nodded her head for a moment as he walked around her and towards the staircase. She bit harshly on to her lower lip as she reached out and grabbed onto Carlisle's wrist. He turned his head around with a question upon his lips, but couldn't get it out before Christina's lips replace it.

Her other hand that wasn't still around Carlisle's wrist, gripped on to the back of his neck, keeping him in place for a moment before pulling away, and leaning off of her tippy-toes. She held her grin behind her teeth as they found her lower lip once again.

She opened her mouth to give him a proper goodbye, but stopped as Carlisle stepped closer to her, and met her lips once more. She sighed against his lips as they molded perfectly against her own. He lightly held onto the back of her head; his fingers dancing between her curls as he deepened the kiss, leaving the young mother breathless.

He pulled away to allow her to breath, but kept close as his lips raised up and landed on her forehead. "You don't know how long I've longed to do that," he muttered against the smooth skin of her forehead.

Christina felt a blush raise on her cheeks, warming her delicate skin under his touch. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't..." He shook his head, leaning back to gaze into her eyes. His thumb gently caressed her rosy cheeks with a soft smile. "Don't apologize. I'm the one that broke your trust, and your heart—"

She shook her head, as she gripped onto his exposed wrists from his button up shirt. "It's in the past. I want to start over, have a new beginning. Life is too short, and— and there's an army being built, and with you all having to fight." She paused as she shook her head again.

"It's okay," Carlisle muttered, landing another kiss on her forehead. "We'll all be okay. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she whispered slowly.

"I have no intentions to break this one," he whispered back, making her heart skip once. "Now, go. Bella's waiting for you."

Christina smirked softly as they both pulled away from each other. "She has a radio." He raised a single eyebrow at her making her laugh. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." She waved before grabbing her bag that she dropped in the time they shared. She smiled over her shoulder towards him. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Bright and early," he promised with a matching smile.

Christina jumped into her car, giving Bella a greeting smile before turning the vehicle around and driving down the dirt road. She felt the edges of her mouth turn up into a smile as she felt Bella's eyes on the side of her head. "What?" she laughed.

"Nothing," Bella answered back nonchalantly. "Just thought your lip gloss seemed a little smudged."

Christina was quick to land a joking hit on Bella's shoulder as she stopped at the end of the Cullen's driveway. "You're terrible."

"But not wrong," she taunted back.

Christina took a moment to glance into the rear view mirror to see that her lipgloss was, indeed, smudged. She narrowed her eyes as she used the edge of her sweatshirt to rub off the rest before turning right towards their house. "Shut it."

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        "Hey," Bella greeted both Charlie and Annie as she walked ahead of Christina into the kitchen. Annie was coloring in her book as Charlie was looking at a missing person's report. "Did you eat dinner yet?"

"Uh." He looked up at both of his daughters entered the room, before sliding the paper back onto the table. "No, I didn't."

"I'll call for pizza," Christina chuckled as she leaned down to kiss her daughter's head. Annie grinned up at her mother before holding up the coloring of a unicorn.

"Then we can discuss how Christina and Carlisle are back together," Bella joked as she leaned back against the counter.

The young mother was quick to turn her glare on to her younger sister, before her mouth popped open in shock as Charlie handed Bella a ten dollar bill.

"You're joking," Christina scoffed as Bella shoved the bill in her pocket. "You made a bet?"

"I thought you were have made him wait it out until after graduation," Charlie admitted, a joking smile gracing his face as he leaned back in his chair.

"I knew it wouldn't last," Bella laughed.

"You two are the worst." Christina crossed her arms over her chest as they laughed at her dismay. She huffed as she sat down next to Annie at the table; the six year old not understanding the joke, but she was glad her mother and Carlisle made up nonetheless.

Christina furrowed her brows as she looked at the missing persons report on the table. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing towards the boys face.

The joking smile dropped slowly from Charlie's face as he sighed. "Riley Biers. He disappeared over a year ago. And his poor parents have been papering Seattle with these things ever since."

At the mention of Seattle, Christina met eye contact with Bella as she stood next to the table to look at the picture. The boy didn't look familiar to either sister; but for some reason, a chill ran down Christina's spine at the look of his smile.

"You think they should just give up?" Bella asked as she rested her hand on the chief's shoulder.

He shook his head. "I wouldn't. If it were either one of you girls... never ever."

Christina refuses to meet Bella's saddened eyes, knowing they were both thinking the same thing— her vampirism. "I wouldn't either," Christina muttered, her green eyes staring at Annie as she joyfully colored the next picture of a unicorn.

Charlie cleared his throat, clearing the tension from the kitchen table. "So, one large, extra cheese?"

Both sisters nodded their head as an answer, but guilt still plagued both of their thoughts.

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Ahhhhhh!

I can't wait to get to the fighting scenes.