Night had fallen, and I kept myself busy tending to Bella, ensuring she had everything she needed. I stood in the kitchen, a saucepan sat on the stove, its contents bubbling vigorously over high heat. Ingredients jutted out from the sides, slowly melding into the liquid. I discovered a potion in my Grimoire that Bella was eager to try. It was a simple blend of herbs designed to soothe and relax her, alleviating any pain she might be feeling.

I tossed a handful of ground willow bark, ginger root, and peppermint leaves into the bubbling liquid. As soon as the herbs hit the surface, I began to stir, carefully ensuring everything blended and stewed properly. A smile crept across my face as I recalled the cherished memories of making similar potions with my Grams, her patient guidance and loving presence was always there – is still there.

Had I been too harsh on her? Could I have accepted her reasoning and found another way to help Bella without resorting to black magic? My mind raced with questions as I noticed a figure leaning against the fridge, watching me intently as I worked.

"What you cooking, good looking?" Emmett's voice boomed through the air, drawing my attention. I looked up to meet his smirking gaze and those irresistible dimples.

"Something to help Bella," I replied with a smile. Emmett pushed himself away from the fridge and made his way around the island. "Just a potion to ease her pain and keep her relaxed," I explained, turning slightly as he approached, stopping just inches away from me. "How's it looking out there?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, knowing he was on lookout duty.

"They're out there," he admitted, as he could see in through the darkness. "Waiting," he carried on. "But I won't let them near her, or you," Emmett's voice was tender as he spoke those words, as he meant them truly.

"My hero," I replied playfully, shaking my head with a smile as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "What would a damsel like myself do?" I gasped dramatically, letting out a deep chuckle at my own playfulness. Before I knew it, he leaned down and kissed the smile right off my lips.

"Crash and burn?" Emmett teased after pulling away from our kiss, his large hands resting on my waist as he drew me closer. "But we both know you don't need my help," he declared. I nodded in agreement, a smile playing on my lips.

"Does that make you the damsel, then?" I asked, squinting my eyes playfully as if pondering the thought.

Before he could say anything, the pot on the stove began to bubble vigorously, catching my attention. I quickly moved to turn off the heat and carefully removed the pan from the burner. Nearby, a plain white cup stood ready with a strainer placed over it. Carefully, I lifted the saucepan and poured its contents through the strainer, filtering out the leftover bits that hadn't dissolved. Once finished, I set the pan back on the stove and removed the strainer.

I grasped the cup by its handle and turned to Emmett, uncertainty clouding my expression. "Let's hope it works," I admitted quietly, unsure of the outcome but determined to try. Bella was counting on it, and so was I.

Together, Emmett and I exited the kitchen, moving in sync as we headed towards Bella's location. Esme sat gracefully in an armchair, her calm demeanour a reassuring presence. Edward stood protectively behind Bella, who was resting on the couch. Rosalie occupied another armchair, her posture poised and alert. Emmett strode purposefully to the row of windows, his gaze scanning the forest below with a focused intensity. His movements were slow making sure he caught every corner of the forest.

"Here," I announced gently to Bella, sitting beside her and extending the cup. "This should help ease the pain and make you feel more relaxed," I explained, watching as she offered me a faint smile and accepted the cup from my hands.

She took a quick sniff of the steam rising from the cup, her expression thoughtful but not repelled, which I took as a positive sign. Bringing the cup to her lips, she took a sip and swallowed the liquid, then lowered the cup with a small exhale. We waited in tense silence, hopeful.

Suddenly, her expression changed, and she shook her head. She shoved the cup to me, I grabbed it swiftly, and before I could react any further, she lunged for the bucket positioned in front of her, grabbing it hastily as she vomited into it. I let out a soft sigh as Edward rubbed Bella's back, comforting her after she vomited.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I admitted with a sense of defeat, disappointed that my efforts hadn't yielded the desired result.

"It's not your fault," she managed to say, lifting her head from the bucket with a soft expression. "At least we tried," she said, her lips curving into a faint smile.

I nodded at her words, holding the cup in my hand for a moment before swiftly rising from the couch and heading into the kitchen. I placed the cup back on the island and made my way back. As I did, I passed Jacob, who was doing a quick patrol to ensure Sam and his group kept their distance. I offered him a faint smile as we both entered the room.

I noticed Bella had lain down and drifted off to sleep. Perhaps some of the potion had taken effect before she threw up. I made my way around the grand piano in the room, and approached Emmett, who instinctively wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his embrace. I nestled into him, sliding my arm around his back.

"Rosalie, why don't you get Jacob something from the kitchen?" Esme suggested in her gentle, motherly tone.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Jacob replied quickly, his eyes flicking toward Rosalie. "I'd rather not have anything with Blondie's spit in it," he remarked.

"She would never embarrass me with a lack of hospitality," Esme replied calmly. Jacob took a seat on the arm of the couch as Rosalie folded her newspaper.

"Of course not," Rosalie said gracefully, rising from the armchair and heading to the kitchen.

Jacob watched her go for a moment, then turned his attention to Edward. "You'll tell me if she poisons it, right?" Edward glanced briefly at Jacob, hearing the question but choosing not to respond.

Edward informed Jacob that the baby had broken another one of Bella's ribs, casting a sombre mood over the room. Suddenly, the air was filled with the loud and deliberate sound of metal clinking. It was unmistakable; Rosalie was doing it on purpose. Moments later, her footsteps echoed as she reentered the room, carrying a bowl that unmistakably resembled a dog bowl.

With a graceful motion, she crouched down and placed the bowl at Jacob's feet, her eyes never leaving his.

"Enjoy, mongrel," Rosalie said, her voice tinged with a bit of hatred. I noticed the smirk on Emmett's face, which made me smirk at the whole ordeal. "And don't make such a big deal out of it. Normal human babies have been known to crack ribs," she added as she turned and walked away from Jacob.
Jacob swiftly grabbed the bowl and extracted the hotdog from inside, taking a quick bite. After removing the hotdog from the bowl and placing it on the coffee table, he pulled his arm back and hurled the bowl in Rosalie's direction. The clanging sound of metal hitting something echoed through the room, followed by a clatter as the bowl hit the floor. Edward burst into laughter, and I felt Emmett chuckle, his amusement vibrating through me.

For a moment, silence hung in the air as Jacob smirked smugly, settling back on the arm of the couch.

"You got food!" Rosalie exclaimed angrily, her voice laced with indignation, the pitch rising sharply on the word 'food'. "In my hair," she gritted through clenched teeth, her frustration evident to everyone in the room. Edward's laughter was a rare sight to see, considering the dire situation.

The harmless scene unfolded before me, prompting thoughts of family, particularly my own. I had distanced myself from her enough, and now I needed to go see my Grams; she was all I had, always looking out for me.

I needed to see my Grams, to talk to her and resolve our issues, but I couldn't leave. I knew Sam and the pack wouldn't harm me because I was human, but I couldn't risk it.

"Do you have any candles?" I asked out of the blue, turning to Emmett, who furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"I think so," he replied slowly, trying to remember if they had any.

"Could you get me six?" I requested, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll get them," Esme offered, rising from her seat. I made eye contact with her and gave her a wide smile in appreciation.

"Why do you need candles?" Emmett asked, drawing my attention back to him.

"Because I'm going to see my Grams," I declared, gently disentangling myself from his embrace. His eyes narrowed momentarily, clearly uneasy with the idea. "I'm still angry at her, and I don't think that will go away anytime soon," I admitted truthfully. "But she's all I have," I added earnestly, my voice filled with emotion.

Before Emmett could respond, the gentle footsteps of Esme and Rosalie echoed in the room as they approached the piano. Each of them held three large candles, standing tall a few inches.

"Why do you need candles?" Rosalie asked, placing hers on the piano top and fixing her gaze on me.

"I'm going to give Jake a curse," I whispered playfully to her, eliciting a chuckle as she seemed to like the idea. "I'm going to channel their power," I announced once all the candles were in place.

"Channel?" Jacob asked, clearly intrigued by what I was doing.

"Witches have the ability to channel energies into themselves to enhance their power. It could be from the full moon, an eclipse, or even the sun itself. The rarer the event, the greater the power boost," I explained, stepping around the piano with my gaze briefly fixed on Jacob. "In this case, fire will suffice," I added, turning my attention to the six candles grouped together in threes.

"Are you sure?" Emmett asked, stepping closer with concern in his eyes, as if worried that seeing my Grams might worsen my state of mind.

"She's my only family, Emmett," I began, locking eyes with his dark ones. "I'll be fine." I leaned up and pressed my lips to his briefly, a quick kiss meant to reassure him.

He nodded briefly, and I turned my attention back to the candles. With a single wave over the candles, they ignited and flickered in the air. "Phasmatos tribum, nas ex veras," I began the incantation, drawing in the energy the flames produced as I closed my eyes in concentration. "Es tas sue sasta nanse. Transum viso. Mas tenas quisa, nas metam," I recited the words, my focus intense on recalling every detail of my Grams—her appearance, the home we shared, every vivid memory I could summon.

As I fluttered my eyes open, I found myself standing in the familiar kitchen. My expression softened as I glanced around, finding no sign of my Grams. I carefully walked through the hallway and turned into the living room. The fireplace roared, and there she was in her armchair, a picture book on her lap, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose as she looked over the photos she had taken over the years.

"Grams," I whispered, barely audible. She snapped her head up to meet my gaze, tears welling in both our eyes as if the past didn't matter.
"Charlotte," she exclaimed, swiftly standing and making her way around to embrace me tightly. "Oh, my darling," she cooed softly, stroking my hair, clearly having missed me deeply. "I've missed you!" she exclaimed, ending the hug and staring into my eyes. Her expression quickly shifted to a frown, as if she sensed something. "Are you astral projecting?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"It was the only way I could come to see you," I replied. Carlisle had already informed her about the current situation with the wolves. "I'm sorry," I began.

"No, I'm sorry," my Grams quickly interjected, taking the blame herself. "I shouldn't have bluntly told you, and I should have stuck around to help find a way to save her," she explained, gripping my hands tightly in hers. "You have every right to be angry at me, and so does Bella and the rest of them," she said hurriedly, her words filled with honesty and remorse. "I can't bear to lose my little girl," she said softly, reaching up to touch my cheek with a thin smile.

"You're not going to," I reassured gently. "We're doing everything we can to find a different solution," I added with a half-smile, though our efforts had yet to yield any luck. "I just had to come see you... I miss you," I murmured, and those three words prompted her to crush me back into a tight hug.

The spell I chose allowed me to interact with my surroundings, and it needed additional power to perform, which is why I used the candles. But it was worth it to see my Grams again.

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