Her Devotion [Sam Uley]

Chapter Six

Christina startled awake, unsure of what made her wake up, then she heard it, screaming from downstairs. She jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs just as her uncle was going to Bella's door. Walking in with him, she watched Charlie calm Bella down until she stopped screaming. Christina walked over to Bella and pushed some of her hair out of her face to find tears streaming down her face.

"Bells, are you okay?" Charlie asked, already knowing the answer to that question.
"He left, he left me all alone. They're all gone, none of them stayed." Bella took a shuttering breath in "he promised he wouldn't leave but he did." After that last sentence she fell back asleep.

Charlie and Christina caught eye contact and he gestured to go downstairs with him. They both sat on the couch and seemed to let out the same long sigh, it was going to be a long night.

"I've never seen her like this before, there was a time when she broke things off with him but she didn't look so broken and I'm so lost as to what to do about it." Christina took a deep breath in and said "Uncle Charlie, it's just going to take some time, her heart was just shattered into a million little pieces and although it doesn't look like its much on the surface, to her it will never be able to get fixed." Charlie sight and rubbed his face "I know I just wish there was a way to help her now."

Christina looked at him with tears in her eyes "I know Uncle Charlie, I wish there was too. I'm still working through everything that happened to me. It's been almost a month and I still see it as if it happened yesterday. She just needs you right now to not give up on her."

Charlie pulled his niece over to his side and kissed her on her forehead "I am here for both of you. If you ever need to talk about what happened you know that I am always here for you as well." Christina smiled "thanks, I'm still trying to figure out what happened myself."

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows "How do you manage to hold it all together? I mean I know a little of what you told me happened before but I know that there's even more that took place. How are you so," He cut off there not knowing how to explain it.

"Put together?" Christina asked as Charlie nodded. "I'm not, I'm just really good at showing what I only want people to see. I almost broke tonight when Bella was missing, it was like going back in time, but when I saw her I knew it was going to be okay."

Charlie snorted and said "when you saw Bells, or Sam?" Christina blushed "Uncle Charlie, come on." He chuckled and said "he's a good guy, you can trust him you know. I see something there with him, I'm not saying anything is going to happen but Sam would protect you." Christina smiled and looked at her uncle "yeah, I keep getting that feeling too." She rubbed her hands on her pants and stood up "well, I think I'm gonna try to get some more sleep, I have to work in the morning." Charlie nodded "yeah I'll probably just sleep down here, I can hear Bella easier."

Christina smiled as she walked up the stairs "Night Uncle Charlie." "Night kiddo" came his response. She went up the attic stairs and straight to her bed where she fell asleep almost instantly. She slept so soundly she almost missed her alarm going off the next morning, climbing out of bed and walking into her bathroom she took a shower and put her outfit on, brushed her hair and teeth and went downstairs for breakfast. The house was silent which meant that the other two Swans had left for the day, she walked over to the coffee pot and saw a small box of donuts on the counter. Grabbing a cup of coffee and a donut she sat at the table and picked up the newspaper to read a little before having to leave for work.

Getting up she washed her dishes and grabbed her purse and pulled her keys out. She went out to the car and started it up, and drove to the diner. Walking into the back she called out a greeting to her friend Abby that was working that morning and started to go over to the register.

"Christina," Abby sang out her name "your boyfriend is over in the corner."

Christina blushed and ducked her head, "he isn't my boyfriend, I barely know him."

"Mhmm, well anyway, he's right over there but he's looking straight at you."

Christina looked up to where Abby was directing her and saw Sam sitting there with a small smile on his face. Christina slowly walked over to him, nerves building as she stood in front of him.

"Hi Sam, how are you?"

Sam smiled "I'm good, how are you, how's Bella?" Christina's smile faltered a little, to herself she thought "of course he's here asking about Bella, it means he's concerned, not that he's here to see you."

"She's okay, seemed to have a nightmare last night but she and Charlie were both gone when I got up this morning."

Sam nodded and said "I'm glad she's okay, scared me a little when I found her."

Christina smiled "thanks again for that, we were all really worried when we couldn't find her."

Sam looked at Christina deep in her eyes and with a serious look on his face said "Christina, I'll always be here when you need." Christina stiffened at that and looked over to see Abby coming to take his order "well, I hope you enjoy your meal, Abby is on her way over here to get your order." Sam looked confused as she walked away from him.

Christina busied herself at the counter refilling the napkins there when she heard her phone ding. She pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at it not liking the number she saw reflecting.

"Christina I miss you, call me."

Christina frowned and shoved her phone in her purse in the back, ran her hands through her hair and sighed.

"Well don't you look so excited to be here." Abby mentioned while giving Sam's ticket to the cook "you okay?"

Christina smiled meekly "Not really, but I will be."

Time went on with Christina helping Abby run out a few orders while also managing to avoid going over to Sam's table. When it came time for him to pay for his order, Christina had just happened to slip into the restroom, not wanting to interact with him just then. The rest of her shift followed and before she knew it, it was time to go. Walking out to her car she saw a receipt from the diner on her windshield. Grabbing it she climbed into her car and locked the doors. Looking at the receipt she noticed a note on the back.

"Christina, I'm not sure what happened but I'd like to talk to you sometime, please call me. I'm sorry if I upset you in anyway. -Sam"

Under his name he left his number, Christina wanted to crumple up the receipt but decided to put it in her purse and begin her journey home.