Our Battle Cry

Aria's POV

Three Days Later…

It's been three days since I've passed out. When I woke up everyone was around. It was weird. Let's just say that Emily looked like she was about to cry with relief when I opened my eyes. I haven't left my room since then unless it was to shower or grab food/drinks and bring it back up to my room. I didn't want to see anyone. They would just ask questions. I've been listening to all of my favorite music and thinking. Its two months as of today that Derrieck disappeared.

I was currently sitting at my desk with my keyboard in front of me. The song that he started writing was sitting above it. The song was meant for the National Honor Performance Competition (yes, I did just make that up. So if that is real, than okay). I was selected, along with Emma, Phyl, and Wei-Wei. We were so stocked to go. But then, he just disappeared. I was mad because he was being all secretive and I wasn't happy about it one bit. So I stormed off and went to a party that he had forbidden me to go to. I regret that day more than anything else in my life.

I wiped away my tears when I noticed that they had started to fall. I looked out the window and sighed. It hadn't stopped raining for the past day or two. I jumped when someone knocked on my door.

"Hey Aria. It's Embry. Can I come in?"

"Yeah, come on in," I shouted after I checked my reflection in the mirror to make sure that I didn't have any make-up smudged so it wouldn't look like I was crying. I turned in my swivel chair when I heard the door open. I looked at him, and I could tell that he looked like a nervous wreck.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Nothing, just wanted to make sure that you were okay and everything. I mean, you haven't talked to anyone since before you… ya know, fainted. So… is everything okay?" he asked. He walked over and sat down on my bed. I looked at him and then the door pointedly and he got the hint. He quickly went and shut the door. Once he was seated he looked at me.

"I'm fine really. It was nothing," I reassured him.

"It was not nothing. Nothing couldn't have made you scream and then faint. Was it one of the guys? Did we do something?" he looked very nervous now. Like there was an underlying reason for his questioning me.

"No, no its not you guys. I swear," I said.

"Then what? What aren't you telling us?" he looked desperate to find out what was wrong.

"I just thought that I saw something okay? No big deal. I thought that I saw something out my window in the forest and it freaked me out a bit. No big deal," I told him while stressing the last three words.

"Okay. See it wasn't that hard now was it?" I gave him an 'are-you-kidding-me' look. "So, what was up with you and Jake the other day? You two look pretty cozy there for a second." He was wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive matter.

"I… it… I don't honestly know! I'm so confused when it comes to him. And I've never had this happen to me before," I told him while looking him in the eye.

"Well… I'm going to be blunt okay?" he asked. I nodded my head. When isn't he blunt or sarcastic? I thought to myself. "I think that you're scared of what you might feel for him."

"What? That is preposterous! I am not afraid of what I feel for Jacob! Where in the world did you get that idea?" I asked him while glaring. I mean, how could he think that? I don't have any feelings for Jake so therefore, I am not afraid of what I feel for him. Correct?

"Leah's. And the fact that I saw how fast you ran away from him when you two were at the beach. Why are you so scared?"

"I can't… tell you," I said while looking down.

"Yes you can, you can tell me and I promise not to tell the guys, even Sam and Jake," he said while looking me in the eye. I could tell right then that I could trust him.

"Well, it started with me going out with this guy, Damien. Now, we were so happy together. But one of my guy friends, Matthew, has liked me since eighth grade. He made me promise him one night freshman year, that when Damien and I broke up, that I would go out with him. Damien and I dated from the start of freshman year up until four months ago. Right before school got out. I was drunk when I made that promise, but all of my friends know that I don't back out of any of my promises. No matter what, do you see why I can't have feelings for him?" I asked him.

"No. You can have feelings for Jake, simple as that. You could go out with him too if you really wanted to, you're just choosing not to because you're afraid of hurting your friend's feelings. When in reality, he probably got over you a while ago. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone," he told me while standing up and heading for my door. He looked back at me and gave me a sad half smile. He was almost out the door when he turned around. "Oh yeah, Emily said that she had something for you. Said it was important? I don't really know," he said while shrugging. "Well, see you downstairs."

With that, he left. I sighed. The guys have been trying to get me out of my room for the past two days. Well, everyone except Jacob, I don't know why but it disappointed me a bit. But I knew that Embry was serious from the look on his face. I weighed my options and decided to just go downstairs and see what she had that was 'so important'. Note the sarcasm.

I slowly made my way downstairs. I'll be completely honest here; I'm scared to find out what lies for me downstairs. I knew that I didn't look good. I was in old light wash jeans that holes in the knees, a short sleeve t-shirt that had my old high school's dance team's logo on it, and my brother's old football sweatshirt. I slowed when I reached the bottom of the stairs. I was listening for Emily's voice when I heard it in the kitchen. Of course, she's always in the kitchen. With how much these boys eat I thought to myself.

I peered into the doorway and found only a few of the guys in there. I could hear the rest of them in the living room watching TV. Sam noticed me and smiled softly at me. I ignored it and looked at Emily's back before speaking, "You needed me Emily?"

"Oh, yes I did. I didn't think that you would come downstairs though." She smiled at me and reached onto the counter where she kept all of the mail that we got. "This is for you. It's a letter." She told me as she handed me a sealed envelope. "You might want to read it now," she said while turning back to the stove and turning it off. I could vaguely hear her herding all of the guys into the living room and then sitting down. I sat down at the table and looked at the back of the envelope. My name was written in a familiar script, but I couldn't place where I had seen it. I slowly opened the letter and unfolded it. I read the first line and I felt my heart swell and tears gather in my eyes.

Aria,
My dear sister, if you are reading this then it means that something has happened to me. However, I'm hoping that it's not the case. I want you to know that I love you. I love you with all of my heart, and nothing will ever change that. You are my little sister and I'm so proud of everything that you have ever done. You've proven yourself to me and the world time and time again. I'm so happy that you chose to live with me instead of grandpa. I never expected my sister, let alone my whole family tree to have been connected to these warrior ladies who have these magical powers that they protect the world with. But I would never trade any of that for a normal sister.
I need you to keep an open mind now. I gave Emily custody over you because I knew that she would be able to handle you and your powers. And I had a feeling that you would be finding everything that you need over in La Push, Washington. I have explained my reasons to Emily and Momma Odie also. So they know why I chose this for you. So please don't be upset because I know that the girls and Jordan will be able to visit you whenever you want them too.
And this is the one place where I know that you will be able to get over Damien. And you need to do just that. Let him go, let go of all of the hate that he has caused to live in your heart. You are better than that. I know that he hurt. I know that he cheated on you with Mariah, and called you a slut for getting pregnant with his baby. But you need to get past all of that, and see what's right in front of your eyes. I know that somewhere in your heart you will always love him, but he needs to be out of your life. You have to fight him and win. If you don't than you'll only end up hurt even worse than before.
I know that everyone had probably already told you this but, you are much stronger than you believe. Not just with your powers, mentally too. You are one of the strongest people that I know. You never let anyone tell you what to do, or how to act. And you are always there for your friends. When the time comes, you'll know what to do with my gift to you. And my gift is the song. The one that I'm writing for that competition, well I have a feeling that you'll need it for something else too.
Remember that I love you and I always will. And I'm always with you. The same way that mom and dad are always with you. In your heart and music.
I also want you to finish the song, if it's not finished by the time that you get this letter. Because I know that you won't unless I tell you that you can. Be strong and remember all of the happy times in your life. You're not alone.
Love,
Your brother
A.K.A. Derrieck

I was crying before I reached the end of the first paragraph. I was mad and happy. I dropped the letter and sprinted out the front door. I didn't care that it was raining, or that I didn't have any shoes on. I just needed to get away. It felt like five seconds when I reached a cliff where I could see the waves thrashing against the rocks and lightening in the sky. I was so mad and soaked to the bone. Everywhere I looked there was rain and sadness and hurt and emptiness. Everything that I felt was being reflected in the weather. I looked up at the sky and I started to cry harder. When I tried to look back at the forest I couldn't see anything that was more than a foot in front of me. I turned back to the ocean and screamed. I balled my hands into fists and screamed louder.

"WHY? WHY DID YOU LEAVE? YOU PROMISED THAT YOU WOULD BE HERE! THAT YOU WOULD BE HERE THROUGHOUT EVERYTHING WITH ME! YOU LIED. YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE! YOU PROMISED NOT TO LEAVE ME LIKE MOM AND DAD DID! WHY COULDN'T YOU KEEP YOUR PROMISE? I HATE YOU! YOU LEFT ME ALONE WITH NO ONE TO LISTEN OR CARE ABOUT ME!" I screamed into the ocean. The wind was whipping my wet hair all around me. I could feel a disturbance in the natural balance of things but I didn't care. I kept screaming all of my hatred and pain until it felt like I couldn't breathe anymore. "I need you," I whispered into the night.

I was so preoccupied with my screaming that I didn't notice two strong warm arms wrap themselves around me and pull me away from the edge. I felt safety and comfort coming from these arms. I didn't question whose they were; I just buried my head into their chest and cried while cursing my brother for leaving me alone halfway around the country.