𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄;
TO MEND BROKEN TRUST

— FOR A SECOND, REESE was sure that Morgana had returned; the anger that pulsed through her veins and caused her lip to curl back over her serrated teeth could not possibly have been of her own accord, and yet it was. For once, Reese was thankful for Emmett's grip on her arm, because if it hadn't been there Reese knew full and well she would have marched up to her friend and attacked her. Flynn stood beside Elizabeth with her hands dug deep into the pockets of her thick jacket, and the human girl had the audacity to smile and wave at Reese like she hadn't ruined her life. Reese felt bitter resentment and unfiltered rage wash over her. 

"Why are you here?" Reese snarled, the burning in her throat making her all the more hostile.

Flynn seemed taken aback by her tone; clearly she had been expecting more of a warm reunion. "Elizabeth said it was important—"

"I don't want you here," Reese interrupted, sneering hatefully at the human. "Get out."

"Reese!" Elizabeth exclaimed, surprised by Reese's reaction. "She's your friend and she's here to help."

"I don't want her help," Reese snapped. "I know what happens when she tries to help."

Flynn stayed silent, as if it hadn't yet occurred to her that Reese didn't come back exactly the same way as she had been before. That Flynn's actions had had consequences. That the life she'd forced onto Reese wasn't the human one she was familiar with. Reese felt a little satisfaction replace the pent up aggression, although she did feel a little guilty that she was happy about it. The next time Flynn spoke, her voice was as small as a mouse's.

"You're angry with me."

"Yes," Reese deadpanned, not bothering to sugar coat her words to spare her friend's feelings. 

"I thought," Flynn glanced over her shoulder at Elizabeth, uncertainty flashing in her blue eyes. "I thought you said she wanted to see me?"

Reese couldn't help the scoff that left her lips. "Why on Earth would you think that? How could you possibly think that I would ever want to see you after what you did to me?"

"Maybe now isn't the best time for you to visit," Carlisle stepped in between Reese and Flynn, blocking the human from Reese's scathing glare. "Flynn, you should go."

"No," Flynn stepped to Carlisle's side so that Reese could see her again, the shock had left her face and was now replaced with anger — almost a match to Reese's. "No, I'm not going anywhere."

A low grumble bubbled out from deep within Reese's gut, an animalistic sound that seemed to echo through the room. Her senses were on high alert, neurons firing across her skin causing her to tense like a predator mid hunt. Feeling her sudden change in mood, Jasper was suddenly on Reese's right, gripping her arm tight enough for her impenetrable skin to crack. Emmett mimicked his brother's actions, keeping Reese rooted in place. Elizabeth tried to drag Flynn away, pleading with her not to antagonize Reese, but clearly Flynn lacked enough sense to do as she was told and stayed where she was.  

"Flynn," Jasper's voice was filled with warning. "You don't want to get her angry. Reese may not look it, but she's still a newborn. Newborns have a hard time controlling their emotions; every emotion they have is heightened. She will attack you if antagonized enough."

Jasper had mentioned to Reese once that newborns had a tendency to snap; unable to control what they were feeling and not quite knowing how much strength they possessed could lead to a lot of damage. Reese had assumed that she did not fall into that category, that because she was still half human that she wouldn't loose control. But looking at Flynn's face, seeing how human she looked, it nearly drove Reese mad. 

"That's exactly what I want to do," Flynn retorted, ignoring his warning. "Reese has a bad habit of bottling up her emotions, better her get it all out now, right. So c'mon, Reese, let me have it. Tell me why you hate me."

"You ruined my life!" Reese growled, fighting against Jasper and Emmett but neither of them budged or loosened their grips. 

"Ruined your life?" Flynn repeated going to step closer, but Carlisle was quick to stop her, putting a hand across her chest to act as a barrier. "How did I do that? All you wanted was to be with Annmarie and Taylor and now you can. I know this isn't the life you wanted, believe me I know, but this has to be better than the alternative."

Reese gnashed her teeth at her friend, wanting nothing more than to hurt Flynn like she had hurt her; Reese thrashed, desperate to break free but Edward's hands pressed down to her shoulders, keeping her in place. How could the girl who dared call herself Reese's best friend think that this was better than death? A life that would never extend past eighteen; a life that would forever be ruled by blood lust. Reese would never get to see her parents again, she would be forced to see her family die while she lived on. How was that a better alternative? Reese had been turned into something — someone — that she hardly recognized, a monster with sharp teeth and skin of steel, and Flynn had the audacity to tell her that this was better. Reese screamed in anger, her vision going red.

Reese attempted to take a threatening step forward but Emmett and Jasper pulled her back, restraining the newborn from attacking her friend. "Do you have any idea what you did to me! What I had to go through because of you! What I lost because of you!"

"What are you even talking about?" Flynn argued back. "You didn't lose anything, Reese! You're still alive! You can see the twins again—" 

"I lost everything!" Reese roared and Flynn paled. "I lost my magic because you didn't listen to me!"

Flynn, whose mouth had been prepared to fire back a rebuttal, stared at her in confusion and suddenly she didn't look as confident as she had only moments previous. Flynn turned to Elizabeth for an explanation. "What—what does she mean?"

"What I mean is," Reese snarled, not allowing her aunt the time to explain. "You brought me back and Morgana was in my head; she leeched off my magic like a parasite! And now it's gone! It's gone because you couldn't let me go! My magic is gone and now I don't know what to do!"

Like a dam under too much pressure, Reese Logan's resolve began to crumble. Fractures began to appear in her anger and tears brewed in her eyes. She had yet to come to grasps with the loss of her magic, and saying it out loud only made it more real; only made her despair grow tenfold. Like the flick of a light switch, Reese's anger dissolved into sadness. Her knees wobbled as she began to cry and slowly Edward and Jasper loosened their grip. Reese nearly collapsed on the ground, but Emmett held her up, letting her clench his shirt in her fists and cry into him. Flynn didn't say anything but Reese could hear her labored breathing, indicating she was just as distressed as Reese — perhaps she was finally learning of the weight of her actions; discovering just exactly what consequences she'd placed upon Reese.

"I'm sorry, Reese," Flynn said after a moment of silence, stumbling over her words. Long gone were her brazen remarks and confident attitude. "I—I panicked, okay. You were dead and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't lose you."

Reese sniffled and turned to look into her friend's eyes. "You broke your promise; had Emmett break his promise. It was literally my dying wish for you to let me go. I didn't want this life, Flynn, I made that very clear to both of you and yet you still went ahead and did it. You didn't care about what I wanted. And now I'm the one who has to deal with the consequences."

"If I had known—"

"What would you have done differently?" Reese asked, her eyes narrowing as she waited for Flynn's response. "If you had known what this life had in store for me; the pain I would be forced to endure. What would you have changed?"

"I don't regret pleading with Emmett to bite you," Flynn told her. "Hate me all you want, Reese, but that won't change my mind. But if I had known what was going on, if you'd talked to me earlier, maybe I could have helped find a way to remove Morgana from you. Maybe you could still have your magic."

"Well it's too late for that," Reese snapped, sniffling lightly. "There's nothing you can do."

"That might not be true," Elizabeth finally chimed in, causing Reese's teary eyes to snap to her. "I called Flynn here to be more than a test subject. The spell I used has never been reversed, but that doesn't mean it can't be; I thought—well, I thought that Flynn might be able to sense your magic. Feel if it's still there; feel if Morgana is still lingering." 

"She could bring it back?" Reese asked, her voice not much louder than a whisper. "She could get my magic back?"

"Maybe," Elizabeth emphasized. "But, Reese, Morgana is still there. Even if you can't feel her, as soon as your magic returns so will she."  

Reese thought it over. On one hand she wanted nothing more than for Flynn to leave, to go back to wherever she had been before she came to visit; on the other hand, however, Reese was so desperate to fill the emptiness inside of herself that she would just about do anything to have her magic back. Flynn was looking at her so hopefully too, her blue eyes filled with a need for forgiveness; a forgiveness Reese wasn't sure she was ready to give yet. It had been easier with Emmett, letting him fall back into her life, but Reese felt so betrayed by Flynn — by the girl who had been her best friend; the girl who knew how against vampirism Reese was; who had promised that she wouldn't let Emmett bite her. How could Reese possibly trust someone like that again? But then Flynn was looking at her with those human eyes; so filled with pain and guilt. 

"Please, Reese," Flynn practically begged. "Let me try to make it up to you."

Reese caved, her need for her magic winning against her sense of betrayal. 

"Okay," Reese agreed after a moment. "Okay."

Reese watched with baited breaths as Flynn let her blue eyes flicker shut and a look of concentration crossed her features, and then there was a tug in the bottom of her gut. Reese stared at Flynn's arms, waiting for those black lines to appear — the lines that indicated that Flynn was touching magic — but nothing happened. Reese nearly cried, her bottom lip wobbling. It was truly gone; her magic was gone. Never again would she feel the warmth of power spread across her body, feel the nature that surrounded her obey her every command. Reese would never be able to feel connected to her mother ever again. It was almost too much to bear.

Flynn gasped as her eyes flew open, as wide as saucers. Reese felt like she was standing on unsteady legs, and only Emmett was able to keep her upright as Flynn turned to look at her. Reese expected to see sadness, guilt and possibly a hundred other emotions; but hope had not been one of them. In the abyss of emptiness, Reese felt a light break through the fog of darkness. Flynn had felt something, Reese was sure of it.

"Is it there?" Reese asked, almost fearful of the answer. 

"I'm not sure," Flynn admitted. "I felt something, but it's nothing like before."

"And Morgana?" Elizabeth questioned. "Did you feel her?"

"No," Flynn shook her head. "There wasn't enough for me to get a good read, it was more like a feeling. I could feel the magic, but I can't touch it."

"But it's there?" Reese didn't care how much or how little was there, as long as it was there.

"Yes," Flynn nodded. "It's still there."

Reese nearly wept in joy. Relief flooded her veins, causing the tension she'd been holding in her shoulders to dissipate. All of the fear she's been feeling, caused by a memory of Morgana attempting to siphon her magic in the afterlife — only made worse by Elizabeth's success — had begun to fade. Everything was going to be alright; she was still close to her mother. Even though their eyes were no longer the same and Reese didn't share quite as many similarities with Mallory, they were still connected by magic. That was all Reese cared about. 

"Can you bring it back?" Reese asked, staring at Flynn hopefully. 

"No," Elizabeth spoke before Flynn could respond. "Not yet, Reese. If she brings it back she'll bring back Morgana."

"I don't care," Reese argued. "I'll—I'll find a way to control her. I'll be good, just please bring it back."

"Reese," Emmett's voice was soft and sweet, he held her face gently as he turned her so that she would look at him. "It's not safe yet, I'm sure Flynn will give it all back when you aren't in danger any more."

"I promise, Reese," the fierceness in Flynn's tone surprised her. "I promise I'll find a way to get rid of Morgana and get your magic back. I swear on it."

Reese stared at her; golden green eyes locked on blue. Flynn sounded so sincere that Reese nearly believed her, but then that fear settled deep in her gut; a painful reminder that Flynn had broken a promise to her before — and how different could this time be. Her faith in her friend had faltered, but her need to touch the magic that rushed through her veins made Reese nod her head in acceptance of her friend's words. She may not trust Flynn like she did before, she probably never would, but Flynn was Reese's last hope. She just had to hold on to the hope that Flynn wouldn't betray her again. 

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

— REESE SAT ON THE back porch, her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed the pawns in front of her. The sun had long since set, the cold darkness settling over the town but Reese could see just fine. That was one of the upsides to being half vampire (maybe full vampire now that her magic was gone), although the heightened hearing was becoming a nuisance; despite being in the backyard, Reese could clearly hear Elizabeth and Flynn arguing with Carlisle and Jasper. They were pleading with the Cullens to let Reese come visit her siblings, but Jasper wouldn't let up. The entire argument was making it difficult for Reese concentrate, allowing Emmett to beat her three times. He kept asking for rematches, mostly because of his desire to win but also to keep Reese as distracted as possible — not that it was working very well.

Emmett chuckled lightly as she picked up her rook and then reached for the bishop, before eventually settling on the knight; which he subsequently took with his queen. Reese cursed under her breath, glaring at the board. She hated chess, and no matter how much she practiced with Rosalie and Esme, Reese didn't seem to stand a chance against Emmett. Her eyes narrowed into slits, her lips curling back to reveal her sharp teeth, when he slid his queen to block her king. 

"Checkmate," Emmett said, snickering as a low growl rumbled in Reese's chest. 

"Again," Reese grumbled, resetting her pieces. 

"If I didn't know better," Emmett mused. "I'd think you like loosing."

Reese tensed at his words, accidentally braking the top part of her pawn off. Reese didn't like losing; in fact she loathed it. Nothing made a fire light in her veins like losing, three consecutive times in a row. Emmett laughed at her reaction, and winked when Reese snarled at him. Losing to Emmett was especially bad, he loved to boast his victories to anyone who would listen. The first night he'd challenged Reese, he won four times and stomped around the house cheering. Reese had made him play with Edward after that, which always ended with Emmett losing; Rose asked why and Reese explained it was to humble him. 

"I'm going to crush you," Reese bit back. "I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to win."

As the winner, Emmett moved first, setting his pawn one move forward. Reese stared at the bored in front of her before moving her own pawn, two spaces forward. On it went, Reese captured his knight with her bishop and Emmett, in turn, grabbed one of her rooks with a pawn. Reese grumbled as she lost one of her bishops and just moved to attack Emmett's second knight when the back door swung open and Flynn's scent wafted around Reese. For a second, Reese went ridged and but then forced herself to relax; she needed to get used to the strong smell of human blood if she wanted to go home or eventually return to school. 

"Hey, Flynn," Emmett greeted her first, eyeing Reese to gauge her reactions. 

"Can I talk to you?" Flynn asked and Reese looked up from the chess board to see that she looking right at her. 

"You're talking to me right now," Reese told her in a level tone, moving her piece and successfully capturing Emmett's knight.

"Damn," Emmett grumbled, glaring at Reese's rook.

"I meant alone."  

"If you're not comfortable you can say no," Emmett said, low enough that Flynn couldn't hear. 

"I'm fine," Reese assured, and Flynn frowned clearly confused at how their mouths moved but she couldn't hear anything. Reese spoke that time at a normal volume. "Take his seat, maybe I'll have better luck beating you."

Emmett rose from his spot, sent Reese one last look and then walked inside. Flynn sat down in his seat, cracking her fingers from stress. Reese watched as the human girl shuffled around awkwardly, twitching and brushing her hair out of her face. These were such human movements and Reese was suddenly acutely aware of how stiff she was. She relaxed her shoulders, attempting to use the posture she did as a human and tapped her fingers against the table but the sound of her hard skin on the wood made an unnatural sound and she stopped. 

"Fair warning," Flynn broke the silence, licking her chapped lips nervously. "I'm no good at chess."

"Well then," Reese mused, glancing back at the house to see Emmett's laughing figure at the window. "That makes two of us."

Just as she had claimed, Flynn was terrible; she didn't know the moves the pieces used and made up her own rules as she went. Reese would have gotten irritated but there was something so familiar about Flynn's bullshitting and laughing; it made Reese feel like she was human again. Her shoulders that had been tense began to soften and she found herself mimicking Flynn's actions, brushing her hair over her shoulder, crossing and uncrossing her legs, pinching the bridge of her nose when she got frustrated. It felt weird in her new body, but good at the same time.

"So," Flynn spoke after a few short minutes. "How's it been here? Y'know, with Emmett and the rest of them?"  

"It took a while to get comfortable," Reese admitted. "When I first woke up I hated it here, I was scared and confused and wanted to go home. Not to mention I really didn't want to be around Emmett, but it's grown on me. It's easy here, I don't really struggle."

"Struggle?" Flynn echoed, frowning.

Reese captured Flynn's queen before answering. "Yeah, with the whole newborn thing."

"Right," Flynn whispered. "I almost forgot about that, sitting here with you, well you just look so human."

Reese had to stop herself from releasing a bitter laugh; Reese looked like a lot of things, but human was not one of them. Her moss green eyes were ringed with liquid gold, her body was void of any imperfections, her hair fell to her shoulders in glossy waves despite the weather and then, the most important parts, the steel like strength to her skin, the serrated teeth, the blood lust — none of that was very human. Ever since she had woken up, Reese had struggled to find a part of herself that she recognized, something familiar to her; but even her eyes that had remained green had changed. 

"No, I don't," Reese said after a moment, her voice just above a whisper.

"Yeah you do," Flynn argued, wincing when she lost her second bishop. "You look the same, just prettier. No offense. And your eyes are just a little different. "

"When I first woke up," Reese began, not looking at Flynn. "I didn't recognize myself. My eyes were red and the body I'd known my whole life was changed so suddenly and I wasn't ready for that. I couldn't find myself in this body, sometimes I still have a hard time."

They sat in silence after that, focusing on the chess game before them. Reese was slowly moving her queen towards Flynn's king, prepared to win her first chess game of the evening when Flynn cleared her throat. Reese glanced upwards, surprised to see tears glittering in Flynn's blue eyes. The human girl looked as fragile as glass, one gust of wind would be strong enough to shatter her.

"I'm sorry," Flynn croaked, tears slowly falling. "I am sorry, Reese, I need you to know that. I really didn't mean for things to turn out like this, I just wanted you to be safe. I just wanted you to live and I know that you were okay with dying, but those moments after you were gone it was like the world stopped spinning. It was like a parallel universe and everything was wrong. I'm sorry for asking Emmett to turn you, I'm so, so sorry."

Flynn's face fell and she began to sob; Reese knew she was supposed to comfort her friend but she couldn't. Seeing Flynn apologize — not for her actions but for how Reese was treating her because of them — made irritation flare within her. The deep breaths the human released didn't help Reese relax, only making her tense. Reese sat still as stone as Flynn cried, listening to Emmett's soothing words from the house. Reese waited until Flynn's loud bawls had calmed to little sniffles. She moved the queen and set it in front of Flynn's king.

"Checkmate," Reese said and stood up. Within seconds Emmett was by her side, unclenching Reese's fist so that she could wrap her hand around his. 

Flynn's bottom lip began to wobble again. "You still don't forgive me?"

"I'm a long way from forgiving you, Flynn," Reese said in a calm tone. "But I've got eternity to get there, don't I?"

Flynn's blue eyes dimmed with guilt. She wiped her cheeks dry and rose from her seat, sending a shaky smile to Reese and then started her way back into the house, digging her hands into her pockets. Reese squeezed Emmett's hand for comfort and sighed deeply when she heard Flynn begin to cry again. Reese knew that she should forgive her friend like she had Emmett, but for some reason it was harder — Flynn had been her best friend (still was) and to have been betrayed by her was one of the most hurtful things in the world; she just needed time to try and mend her broken trust before allowing Flynn back into her life; before she could fully trust her again. 

authors note: so reese and flynn finally saw each other again !! although this probably wasn't the reunion that flynn had been expecting,,so reese feels super betrayed by flynn (more so than emmett) bc flynn was with her through the whole thing and reese thought she could trust her and then when she realized that flynn had asked emmett to bite reese that trust got broken,,reese will eventually forgive her but as for right now she is still very upset ))): let me know what you guys think of this chapter and reese's reaction to flynn ((((: