Chapter Twelve
Search and Seizure
Grace Cullen-Swan

After retrieving Elizabeth from Sue at the reservation, Carlisle sped through town to get us to the police station quickly, just in case Victoria had the bright idea to go and find Charlie there. As soon as the car was in park I had Elizabeth safely in my arms and was headed inside with Carlisle and Esme rushing after me.

"You can't go in there right now." My favorite receptionist barked as soon as I opened the door. "The Chief is with a victims family." She added, seeing Carlisle and Esme flanking my sides.

"I'm afraid this is a very pressing matter as well." Carlisle stepped in front of me easily, using the full extent of his charm on the charmless woman. "My kids were on a hike a short time ago and saw the aggressive bear that has been attacking people in nearby towns."

That was apparently enough to scare her as she  immediately called Charlie's office phone to tell him that his wife and in-laws had information on the bear attacks for him.

"Alright, send them in. We're finishing up now." Charlie directed and she shooed us off down the hallway.

"Well, that was easy." Carlisle remarked as we approached Charlie's office.

A defeated looking couple was sitting in the chairs across from Charlie at his desk, and as we neared his office door, Charlie looked up and motioned for us to come inside.

"Janet, Kirk, this is my wife Grace, her twin brother Carlisle, and his wife Esme." He introduced us, causing Elizabeth to make a fussy sound. "And Grace and I's daughter Elizabeth." He added, chuckling.

"I thought you said your daughter was the same age as Riley?" Janet asked, making sweet faces at Elizabeth.

"My older daughter Bella is." He nodded. "Grace and I have only been married for a short time."

"Well, make sure you really cherish the time." Kirk smiled sadly at me as he and his wife rose from their seats. "I know everyone must tell you that, but really, one minuet they're that size and the next they're gone." He shook his head. "You'll call us if you see anything?" He asked Charlie hopefully.

"Of course." Charlie nodded, showing them out of the office before shutting the door behind them. "What a sad thing." He shook his head, getting Elizabeth from my arms before going to sit at his desk with her.

"What's the situation?" Carlisle asked, guiding Esme and I into seats so that we would appear more natural to people passing by Charlie's office's windows.

"Their son, Riley Biers, disappeared over a year ago from Seattle. I had actually gone out with a search party the same day Grace and I started flirting at that charity ball." He shot me a wink. "There's been no sign, no clues, nothing, and yet those poor parents are still grasping at anything they can." Charlie sighed, playing with Elizabeth's curls.

"If it were Bella, would you ever stop looking?" Esme asked him softly.

"Never." Charlie swore, a dangerous look in his deep eyes. "I'd never stop looking, and I'd track down every vampire Grace and I could get our hands on." He promised, a subtle threat to the both of them.

"Charlie, we are never going to hurt Bella like we did ever again. It's not possible." Esme practically growled at him. "We adore her as if she were our own, truly. I have prayed for decades for Grace and Edward to find the love they deserve and you and Bella so easily came into our lives and fulfilled those prayers. I have to take that as a sign and believe that you two were meant to complete this family."

"Also, for Elizabeth to be here is such a miracle in and of itself that I have to believe it's divine intervention. Edward and Bella are meant to be together if they can survive all the chaos they've been through. This angelic gift is a sign we need to stop all of this contempt we have and unite as a family again." Carlisle added.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to see that." Charlie sighed. "So, speaking of surviving chaos, did you all get a plan in place for Victoria?"

"Alice saw her the moment you left actually." I frowned.

"Why are you frowning?" Charlie asked me grimly.

"Because Alice was right and we found her exactly where Alice saw her in the woods. We got into a chase, I almost had her, but then she knocked me down pretty hard and was able to get away by escaping through the reservation" I sighed.

"Did the shapeshifters not catch her?" He asked quickly.

"I'm afraid not." Carlisle mimicked my sigh. "But, Alice is still watching for her. She'll see if she tries to get anywhere near you, Elizabeth, or Bella."

"I'm sorry, but I can't trust that now that we know there are ways to get around Alice's gift." Charlie shook his head. "Elizabeth is a blind spot, so Alice can't watch for her, and so she'll have to stay with a vampire at all times."

"Done." Esme nodded. "Grace keeps such a close watch on her, but I can help if she ever needs a break."

"Thank you, sis." I smiled softly at her.

"Of course." She smiled back at me, a look of real hope in her eyes at my attempt to be sisterly again. "Do you want to spend some time with Aunt Esme?" She cooed to Elizabeth, who giggled and chattered happily.

"Bella's not going to like having a babysitter all of the time." Charlie muttered.

"You're forgetting yourself there, Chief." I frowned at him and his eyes widened in surprise. "You think you don't need protection just because you're some big bad chief of police? That doesn't matter to vampires set on revenge. I have a feeling she's going to take any shot she can to get to Bella, and that includes hurting you if she can get the chance. So, you're getting a babysitter too." I spoke firmly.

"But Honey, I-"

"No, no 'But Honey!', I'm not going to let you risk getting yourself hurt because you're focusing too much on our girls and not enough on yourself. I couldn't live with myself if something ever happened to you." I cut him off sharply.

"Grace, you'll drive yourself crazy trying to watch Elizabeth, Bella, and Charlie all of the time. You can't be in three places at once." Esme cooed.

"Then I guess I can leave Elizabeth with you during the day so I can watch Charlie here at the station and on his rounds." I mused, and was pleased when Esme's eyes lit up from my trusting her with Elizabeth. "Bella won't like me having a Cullen's eyes on her every minuet of the day, but I guess she'll just have to get over it."

"I think you're overlooking something here, Honey." Charlie offered. "What's the safest place around here that we happen to have close contacts with? A place even Alice can't get through to?"

"The reservation." I answered easily. "The only vampire ever allowed there is me."

"You don't think Bella is still too angry with Jacob for us to send her there after school, do you?" Charlie asked.

"Well, she was pretty angry after he ratted her out for the whole 'just recently gave birth and went on a crazy motorcycle spree' thing." I shook my head, still shocked she could've done half of the stupid things she did in her depression.

"Not to mention how mad she got about him threatening her with the treaty." Carlisle added.

"I don't guess we know about that." Charlie frowned, sharing a look of confusion with me.

"Well, shortly after we came back into town, Jacob blocked Edwards car on the highway and asked to speak with Edward and Bella privately in the woods. He made a grim reminder about the clause of the treaty where we swore to never bite a human." Esme explained. "Apparently, he threatened to slaughter all of us if we changed Bella or yourself."

"Yeah, that's why we're waiting until the kids graduate and we can orchestrate a move out of their jurisdiction. I can't believe he actually threatened her like that." Charlie shook his head.

"So, she was already mad, but then Edward just made it worst by making his own rule for changing Bella." Carlisle rolled his eyes.

"His own rule? He doesn't really get to make the rules around here anymore." Charlie laughed dryly.

"He wants Bella to marry him first." Esme revealed, and Charlie and I both froze up.

"That girl has lost her damn mind." Charlie muttered under his breath angrily.

"Charlie." I scolded him, partially, I was still a little dumbfounded at the situation to really get on to him for talking about Bella that way.

"I thought she really learned from her mom and I's mistakes. She's always been so responsible and smart. She's never even wanted kids or marriage! Now she's suddenly getting married and having a kid before she's nineteen?" Charlie ranted.

"Charlie, stop, she didn't agree to it." Carlisle cut him off, hating to see him getting so worked up, and Charlie and I both sighed in relief. "She did learn, she doesn't want to get married."

"Oh thank God." Charlie sighed in relief, hugging Elizabeth tightly to him. "I thought she had really lost her mind this time."

"Chief Swan." The intercom came on. "There's been a call about a bear attack just north of town, past the school district. I've dispatched officers, but I thought you would like to know."

"Thank you. Radio the officers and let them know not to touch anything until I get there with Dr. Cullen. We're going to get to the bottom of this." Charlie replied quickly. "It'll look good to get a professional opinion in the case. It's more likely to avoid suspicion that way." Charlie explained to us. "Esme, will you take Elizabeth home with you, I need Carlisle and Grace to come with me."

"Of course." She nodded, happily taking Elizabeth from him. "Be careful." She cooed to me and Charlie. "Watch out for them." Esme told Carlisle sharply before kissing his cheek and leaving the room.

"Alright Cullen twins, lets go hunt a red bear." Charlie chuckled, shrugging on his uniform coat and belting his pistol.

"Chief Swan, not to doubt you or anything, but do you really think it's necessary for them to be here?" One of Charlie's new officers remarked as Charlie motioned Carlisle and I under the caution tape surrounding the crime scene enclosure.

"Dr. Cullen is the most valuable resource we have at Forks General and having his take on the damage inflicted is going to be a crucial piece in figuring out just what's going on here." Charlie spoke with a firm sense of authority that made my insides twist in a funny way. "And Grace is probably a better shot than any officer here. She can take care of herself, and has a medical background as well, so when Carlisle said he wanted to bring her along I agreed." Charlie shot the officer a sharp look.

The officer simply nodded, uttered an apology, and backed away shyly.

"Keep your hands where I can see them." Charlie snickered quietly to me, his voice still carrying that easy authority, as Carlisle made his way over to the victim.

I had been slipping my hand farther and farther down his side in my excitement seeing him fully in his element.

"How do you expect me to control myself when you keep talking like that?" I whispered in his ear, earning a grin from Charlie.

"Later." He promised me with a coy smile and a shiver ran through me as he walked off towards his group of deputies.

"Grace, come here please!" Carlisle called out to me, purely for show, and so I made my way over to where he was crouched next to the body.

It was a grizzly sight. I hadn't seen a vampire attack in so long that I had almost forgotten entirely how sadistic some vampires can be while hunting. The poor guy had tried to fight her by the look of his mangled hands and shredded appearance, which surprised me.

"Most vampires can't get past their blood-lust enough to play so much with their victim." I spoke very quietly to Carlisle.

"She easily could've pounced on him from above. Her scent is falling from the trees, so she was passing overhead, but she wanted to scare him. Why?" He retorted.

"She's trying to get her message across." I stated firmly. "She did this, so close to the town, to prove that she's trained just enough to follow through on her promise to torture Bella. This isn't just a poor guy that she thought looked especially tasty...he's a warning sign."

"I think you're right." He sighed deeply. "How could someone like us do this to an innocent human? We were all once so fragile. Do others of our kind really lose so much compassion for their past lives to be able to happily inflict so much pain in their present existence?"

"I'm afraid so, brother." I sighed as well, taking my chance to place one of my arms around his shoulder in reassurance. "This only affirms to me that we've carved out the correct existence for ourselves." I nodded.

"Thank you, sister." Carlisle nodded. "This doesn't look like a bear attack." He reminded me.

While Victoria had managed to really mangle her victim, her tears and marks weren't large enough to be a clear bear attack. It looked more like a brutal stabbing. If it was investigated as a murder scene, the first the town of Forks has seen in a decade, that would surely make headlines. Headlines like that would be bound to reach the Volturi.

"What do we need to do?" I asked him quickly. "Can I use my illusions?"

"No, once you get out of range he'll resume looking like he does now and that would certainly cause confusion. Cause a distraction away from me. I'll see what I can do to make this look more realistic." He sighed deeply, hating to further damage an already tortured body.

"Got it, give me two minuets." I nodded, squeezing him tight before standing to my feet. "Charlie!" I called out to him and he and his deputies turned to look at me. "I think I saw something off in the woods! I'm going to go check it out!"

"Okay! Be careful! Scream if you find anything!" He called back, curious eyes shifting back and forth between Carlisle and I.

I ran a good distance into the woods before concentrating hard on shifting my appearance. I created a gash across my forehead, blood pouring down the side of my face and sticking to my hair and clothes, a set of claw marks through my stomach and arm, and for good measure a long slice down my leg as if I had fallen over a log. I created a blood trail going down the side of an embankment before covering a rock with the dark liquid.

Satisfied with my work, I let out a long shrill scream and several cries of pain before firing the gun Charlie had handed me several times into the air.

"Charlie!" I screamed, throwing myself down next to the blood-covered rock.

In an impressively short time, Charlie and all of his officers reached me where I sat hurt and bleeding.

"What happened?!" Charlie asked me in a panic, the sight of even fake blood making him nauseous, as he slid down the bank and reached me.

"It's definitely a bear." I announced for the officers to hear. "I was walking on that trail up there when it jumped out at me. I screamed like you said before it pounced on me. I manged to roll away from it down this hill and fired at it a couple of times. It acted like it couldn't even feel the gun shots."

"Where's all this blood coming from?" One of his officers asked.

"It clawed me a bit." I gritted my teeth as I showed them the wounds I had been applying pressure to. "When I rolled, I slammed into this rock and split my head open."

"Damn." A deputy whistled. "Chief Swan married a badass."

"Can you walk? Or do we need to go get Carlisle?" Charlie asked me.

"I can walk, I just need some help." I nodded.

"I'm not done here, Grace. I need another minuet." I heard Carlisle speak softly in the distance.

"Wait." I collapsed to my knees, faking being dizzy. "I can't. I'm too dizzy." I swooned into Charlie's arms.

"Alright, the rest of you go and get an ambulance and Dr. Cullen down here." Charlie ordered, sending everyone away. "What's going on?" He asked me as soon as they were out of earshot.

"It was very clearly not a bear attack." I told him. "Carlisle needed me to get everyone away so he could make it look more convincing."

"You're telling me that your brother is contaminating and fabricating a crime scene right now? Just so my daughter and I stay safe from the Volturi?" Charlie gaped at me.

"Maybe?" I smiled apologetically.

"Your family makes it really hard for me to stay mad at them when they do these acts of righteous good for me." He grumbled.

"Are you starting to forgive them?" I asked him hopefully.

"Carlisle makes it really difficult. The man looks and sounds almost exactly like you. How can I hate anything that shares your DNA?" He pouted, avoiding my question. "I'm getting there." He answered me after I sent him a pointed look. "We'll see how well we all get through this Victoria nonsense before I really make a final decision."

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek.

"Am I intruding?" Carlisle asked from the top of the embankment with a smug smile on his face.

"Do you want to be?" I teased him. "Because I'll give you something to intrude on." I laughed, throwing my leg over Charlies lap.

"Stop, stop, stop." Carlisle panicked, and Charlie and I couldn't help but laugh loudly at him as we stood to our feet. "Alright you two, let's get back to the crime scene, the ambulance should be here any moment."