CHAPTER TWELVE
(lottie)

Catherina was a self-sufficient person that had relied on her instinct the utmost. Maybe people would say it was imprudent, but for her, it was a way that she lived to succeed her expectations. As someone who has lived for many centuries, she was not someone that could be swayed easily with manipulation.

She was intelligent and used her past mistakes as the paths that guided her. She was a lot like Carlisle in compassion for what they strived for. It was a tad amusing that if you put the sibling's side by side, you'd think they were a perfect image of each other.

However, despite the image, you can also easily see the difference.

Catherina was childish and Carlisle was mostly serious—But then again, eccentrically, they were both still seen as a perfect representation of a balanced scale.

It was practically humorous, that you wouldn't ever come to think that the two once had a hatred for the supernatural many centuries ago. However, that was probably the part of them that no one would ever know with how secretive the pair turned out to be for the most part.

It was a condescending thought, but sometimes some things are better left unknown.

"Li, what will you do if a battle does take place?" Catherina asked her sibling as they stood next to each other in the woods. The pair were both stood far from everyone else that gathered around a campfire sharing stories.

The siblings obviously opted out on not sharing anything they didn't need. Though, maybe it was just a habit that the pair had grown accustomed to with how they preferred to take life as it goes and not to dwell on the past.

"One could only hope it would never come to it, I'm afraid" The older of the pair responded promptly," Though, I fear that even I can't promise for things to go smoothly"

"Optimism needs a break sometimes" Catherina added as she leaned on his shoulder," It's okay to be afraid, Li"

Carlisle sighed and brought his arm over her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze, "Easier said than done, but then again, it never hurts to allow it once in a while"

Catherina hummed in response as she used her warmth to envelope the cold touch her brother had. While she was glad, she finally reunited with her brother, it was still hard for her to believe that he was technically dead.

Her brother did, in fact, die aeons ago and despite their eternal lack of growing old—she still feared that it was a dream she was stuck in.

She knew it was selfish to ask for her brother to promise her he'd never disappeared from her life again, but even she knew that asking that was impossible.

They were immortal, not invincible.

"Something is on your mind, Cat. What's wrong?" The older of the pair asked as he noticed the concentrated look that appears on his sister's face. The one feature that seemed to no fade away over the many years.

Catherina chuckled hearing her brother's thoughts and couldn't help but tighten her hold on his arm," It still feels like a dream, Li"

"What does?" He asked confused and Catherina looked up at him

"That you're here right now"

"Well, I feel the same" Carlisle ruffled her hair with his other hand. Catherina snickered as she let his arm go seeing his eldest son currently walking over. She didn't want to feel intrusive so she dismissed herself and found herself moving away from the group gathered. Her mind was besetting through the upcoming encounter hours from now.

Fear as many would call it—It was a term that had grown into something almost physical and while it varies to each person—in the end, it's the same for everyone—one that could result in overcoming it or ending it.

Fear clutched at her heart with cold fingers and it caused a shiver down her spine.

She was scared of anyone losing their lives—friend or foe. Frankly, Catherina was tired of it. Even if she knew the cycle of death was needed it was still not one that she enjoyed having to deal with.

"I'd offer to keep you warm, but considering I lack the ability—I think you should join us near the fire warm yourself" Catherina turned to the nomad adventurer and tilted her head

"I can control my temperature, but thank you for the offer"

Garrett raised a hand to his chin and observed her," Are you overthinking, again?"

"What gave that away?" She asked watching him as he sat next to her on the overhang

"You're a lot like your brother, silent and often staring off into the distance" Garrett waved his hand enthusiastically

"I lived before most here were born—with exception of my brother and those eccentric Romanians that is" Catherina started saying," It's no secret that there is a lot about us we prefer to keep hidden and sometimes I wonder which me, is the real me"

Garrett hummed and leaned to face her," I think that all of it is the real you, just like how the me from before is all me. It's just us in a different time and what matters most is not defining it, but just living it"

"I'm starting to think human" Catherina joked lightly," Does that happen to you?"

"Oh darling, all the time" Garrett winked," So lighten up, it's not a crime—We were once humans you know, we have the rights"

"Garrett?" Catherina mumbled under her breath as she slowly turned to look at him," Would it be discourteous, if I asked what happened to you?"

"You mean how I became immortal?" He asked while she nodded unhurriedly. He chuckled shaking his head in the response of saying it wasn't discourteous," I don't mind, just hope you have the time"

Catherina sniggered and playfully elbowed his arm," Since when does time stop us?" He smiled and started to tell her everything he could remember.

"I was born around the time of the American Revolution in New England. It was just mother, Lottie and I, dealing with the hard times"

"Lottie?" Catherina asked and he nodded with a melancholy smile.

"My little sister"

"What happened to her?"

Garrett leaned his elbows on his knees and sighed," When I became of age, I enlisted in the American Revolutionary War. I haven't been able to send postal for years, so my mother and sister had thought I was one of the unfortunate ones to lose their lives in war"

Catherina placed a hand on his arm, as she felt the overwhelming emotion of sorrow form," Technically, I did lose my life—I was transformed by coincidence after the battle"

"Coincidence?"

He nodded and continued "I was in an isolated group with ten others when we got attacked by a feasting vampire...though, unlike the other nine—I wasn't drained of my blood. I guess the bastard was full and deemed me dead, but before I knew it I was a newborn vampire" He peered at Catherina and gave a faint smile," I lucked out—but I wanted to know what I was, so I willingly investigated it for myself"

Catherina chuckled and gently poked his forehead," And so, is that where our adventurous nomad was born?"

Garrett closed one eye and tilted his head," I would say so, yes"

"What happened to Lottie, afterwards? Did you...ever see her again?" He nodded and let out a sigh.

"My little sister decided to search for me, so she enlisted into the war under the alias of James. Though in the turn of events, she was wounded in action suffering two bullet wounds" Garrett lowered his head as his jaw tightened," Not really a reunion if I have to say so myself, It was sickening how I had found her among the wounded because of her blood—the thirst that I barely had under control, was unbearable" Catherina reached over holding his hand that started to clench while his nails nearly dug into his palm.

"I carried her to the nearest soldier camp and there, that was when I met your brother—who you already knew from the time period, was a vampire just like me," He said with a faint smile," It was a little funny, for me—I thought for a split second, that I was in heaven—because not only was this kind man able to save my sister, but he saved me"

Garrett faced her still holding her hand as he heard her laugh," If my brother heard that, he'd be embarrassed"

"I'll save it for when the moment is right" He winked and went on," It was a state of calm when he and a kind nurse saved her—both keeping Lottie's secret. However, it didn't take long for the commanding officer to discover her identity—so when he did, he tried to arrest all of us, but in order to protect Lottie, I let myself get arrested and let the three escape. That was the last I have seen her and I never dared to ask Carlisle what happened, because I just couldn't face her—as who I was and who I had become. To her, I was her older brother she idolized, but I was far from that"

Garrett stopped and raised his free hand," I was a man with bloodied hands, I was a killer. I killed to keep my belief of the American dream and I killed the commanding officer and his comrade. I had no right to see Lottie, or to even know what happened to her"

Catherina bit her lip as she tightened her hold on his hand," After our happenstance with the Volturi, would it be rash of me to say we ask Carlisle what happened to her?"

When she said those words, Garrett shot his head up and locked his eyes with her," Do I even have the right? After everything I have done?"

"You never lost your rights," She said softly using her free hand and placing it on his cheek," You protected her until the very end and nothing about your choices ever took the right away"