Chapter 5

In the middle of the forest, a boy can be seen kneeling on the forest floor. The boy is currently burying something in the soil and his hand that is covered with dirt has red on it.

After finishing what he was doing, the boy let out a deep breath. He clapped his hand to get the dirt off and started walking again. That boy is Michael Greason. A half-breed from an unknown origin.

"Well, I am lucky that this forest has a lot of small animals, and hunting them isn't that hard after you know how to. Now, how big is this forest? I have been walking non-stop and there's no end to it. At least it's still dark, I can hide if I had to."

Michale was monologing to himself to cover the frustration that was building up inside of him. He felt like he had walked for hours and had no clue since he didn't have a watch on him. Still, the frustration was there and the only thing that made him a little better was the thirst that made him panic is gone, for now.

Michael continued to walk in the direction he believed would lead him out of the forest. As he was walking, Michael tried to identify the energy within him. He knows that in this world, the energy called Chi does not exist. The energy currently overflowing to the point it's leaking from him. Suddenly, Michael stopped. He tried to pull back the energy that had left his body but it didn't respond and the leakage continued. He starts to panic because he realizes the power he currently has is temporary, he now knows that he needs to leave the forest and fast before this energy runs out.

Michael started to walk faster, and at some point, he also started to run but it wasn't a long run due to his small body. He was out of breath pretty fast. He even tried to strengthen himself with the energy but it didn't respond to his will. After changing his momentum from running and walking for some time. Michael was left with an exhausted body that was filled with unbonded energy that he had yet to recognize and control.

With the state he is in, Michael decided to make camp and continue after some rest. So, he started to collect the needs to make a small campfire to illuminate his surroundings and he also managed to catch some small mice for late snacks.

After burying the mice and wiping off the blood stain from his hand using the soil, Michael sits beneath a tree and in front of him a small campfire he made. He resumes his thoughts from before while playing with the fire by flicking his finger from side to side.

Before he can go any deeper in trying to recognize the energy he is using to manipulate the element of fire, he hears a sound that brings him to his feet and makes him put out the small campfire in haste.

"This is bad, really bad. Those are the wolf's calling. If it's just normal wolves, I can just scare them away but what if it's the tribe? I can't let them find me. I got nothing to prove to them that I am not a threat and if they realize that I am a vampire, things would just become worse."

Micheal doesn't know that the little move he made when he was manifesting his bending had an alarming influence on those of a supernatural nature. He just doesn't want to take the risk of meeting any sides at the moment.

Michael can feel his head starting to spin and he tries to stabilize himself by holding himself up upon the tree he is resting by. An epiphany struck him and he looked up.

Suddenly, a memory started to play in his mind. He saw a girl in red armor falling from a high cliff. That girl launched herself up using fire-bending and took out something that helped her to leach herself on the cliff's vertical surface.

Michael took a few steps back and started running towards the tree. When he was near, he jumped and commended his energy through his palm and his feet. This causes fire to shoot out and propel him upward. He continues to rise and only stops when he reaches the most suitable top branch to perch on. Looking around, he can see the forest in its entirety and smiles. After the feeling of blessing passes, Michael slaps his forehead with stupidity and idiocy taking the forefront.

"Why didn't I do this from the start? If I did, I would already be out of this forest. Well, there's no time than the present. Let's go before the wolf arrives." Michael readied himself and felt that his energy was still abundant, taking a deep breath he launched himself in the direction of the town.

___

It was a normal day as always. Get up, freshen up, and have a light breakfast. When the house is all locked up, jump into the patroller and off to work. Just a normal day for the Shariff of the small town called Folk. But not today, on his way to the police station. He spots something that makes his heart sink and his anger boil. The body of a small boy was lying by the side of the road.

(A few minutes before Charlie arrives)

Micheal was jolted from his sleeping position and managed to catch himself before he fell from the branch he was sleeping on when he reached the edge of the forest. After stabilizing himself, he jumped down and flexed his bending for a lighter landing.

Stretching to lose the stiffness, Micheal looks around hoping not to find any giant wolf. Seeing none he let out a relief sigh. But his face fell after feeling his abundant energy was no more. What is left is minuscule compared to what it was before. He realizes that he needs to build up the power again but where can he stay to do so?

"I can't stay in the forest. The risk is too high with the wolf around and I don't even know if this part is the wolf or the Cullens Territory. I need to find a safe place to practice.

While I am at it. I need to find a way to tap into the memory that the rabbit had given me. Damn, fluffball. You could at least tell me how to integrate the memory, if not at least how to access it."

Michael continues to mumble in his thoughts and walks further away from the forest. When he was nearing the road, Michael spotted a car that was heading his way. An idea pops up in his mind and quickly acts upon it by throwing himself to the ground where he believes the driver can see him from a mile away.

(Back to the present)

Charlie stops his car a little away from the down boy and jogs his way to him. When he is near, Charlie quickly searches for a pulse hoping the boy is still alive, and lets out a sigh of relief when he confirms a pulse. Placing his hand on the boy's head, sensing the boy's body is too hot for a child. He believes that the boy has a fever.

Not wanting to wait any more time, Charlie picked up the child and returned to the car. After putting the child in the back seat, Charlie got back into the driver seat and drove toward the hospital after informing the station of his destination and the situation he was in. And told them to make a report of a missing child.

'Well, so far so good. And it looks like fate wants me to be a part of the canon event. Who would have thought the one that would find me would be the man himself, Charlie Swan? The FMC father.

It looks like he is bringing me to the hospital. Great. After the wolf, now the vampire. I hope things don't go against me?' Michael spoke up in his mind before he closed his eyes again, not wanting Charlie to realize he was awake from the start.

(At the hospital)

Michael found himself lying on a comfy bed, he still had his eyes closed not wanting to be caught off guard. He could feel someone walking in his direction but he didn't know if that person was heading to the room that he had occupied. So, he just stays as he is controlling his breath trying to make his act more believable.

Charlie was making his way back to the room of the child he had found. He just got back from the receptionist counter, emitting the child to the hospital. He wanted to make a call first since he got an answer to his request from the station saying the boy was blank in the town system. This made him guess a few theories regarding the child and he hoped neither of them was accurate.

As he was getting near, Charlie noticed there was someone else had reached the door before him. That person is wearing a doctor's attire but there are a few particularities about this person. Especially to those who meet him for the first time. His skin is pale white with the face of a model, a charming smile and slike blonde hair. His eyes took it all in stride, a gold color irises. But for Charlie, this person is nothing but a friend. A close companion ever since they first met.

" Carlisle, it's been a while hasn't it? Since you are here, I bet you already finished with the lab regarding this kid, right?"

"Good to see you too, Charlie. Yes, the lab results just came out. Everything seems to be fine but his body temperature is. I can't tell what caused it to be high but it seems like his current temp is normal for the child.

Let's go inside, we might get a few answers from him. The child is about to wake up by the look of it."

Charlie just nodded at that. He doesn't know how someone can tell another is about to wake up or not but since his friend is a doctor, he just accepted it. Charlie walks into the room following Carlisle a few steps behind.

When they reach the side of the bed, Carlisle sits down on the chair and Charlie stands beside him facing the child. Everything went quiet after that and Carlisle is just sitting there in a waiting posture.

"Well, I should made that call before coming in. Carlisle did say that he was about to wake up not going to wake up right now." Charlie thought as he tapped Carlisle on the shoulder and gestured that he was gonna make a call. Carlisle just nodded and resumed his wait.

Charlie walks out of the room and takes a few corners away from the room. Looking around making sure that no one was around, he took out his phone and pressed a button for a speed dial.

"Hello, you are talking to the person who still has many favor people yet to return." Charlie just chuckles at what he heard from the other end of his call.

"Hello, Owen. And if you don't mind. Can you add one more to that number?" a huge belly laugh as a response, which made him smile.

"Charlie, you know that you never owd me any favor. Not after what you did for me and all of us on that day. You save all of us that day and you just need to ask, and we will gladly help.

Charlie, let me just say this. I know you don't like to talk about this but I will say this every time you call. You save a lot of lives that day and are willing to risk your own for it. And if it's not for you, my daughter would never had her father attending her graduation day.

You know, even to this day, the offer still stands. If you are ever interested, the door is still open for your return. The boys even The Big Brothers and hoping for your return."

Charlie just kept quiet listening to his long-known friend. Owen let out a sigh seeing that Charlie would not respond to what he said.

"Alright, what can I help you with? Since you call it must be something serious."

"Yes, can you find some info on someone for me? It a boy I found on my way to work, after going through the local file it came back blank. But that's not the reason I called, I even went through The System I still have access to and it still came back blank. Usually, I would call the office to ask them to scan The Public Record and if there is none, the parents might never register the child to begin with. But even The System on me doesn't have him, that's why I call."

"Yes, this is concerning. I will tap The Back Door for you. But don't get your hopes up, from what you said the kid might come from off the grid entirely. Even The System can do nothing about that, it's not a rare case to begin with."

"Alright, I will send what I have on me."

"Cool, get back to you in a few seconds. Just hold the call for a bit."

Charlie puts his phone in his breast pocket and takes out another phone that seems more advanced than the one he held before. Its model is thin with a flat surface and no dial pad. He taps the surface a few times and puts it away quickly. Takes out the first from his breast pocket and places it to his ear and waits for the result.

After a few seconds passed, Charlie received the result he had waited for and made his decision. Charlie told his friend what he wanted to do and the reason for it.

"Thank you, Owen. And can you handle the paperwork, I need to set things up on my end. I also need to handle as few stuff back at the station, I am afraid I don't have enough time to do it."

"No worry man. Good luck, you gonna need it." Charlie chuckled at that knowing his friend always wanted to have the last word in every conversation.

Charlie put his phone away and walked back to the room where the boy was and found Carlisle just exited the room. So, he walks up to him and looks into the room through the small window at the door. He saw the boy lying on the bed looking out the window not far from him.

Seeing this, Charlie felt that his decision might be the right thing to do. Remembering a few encounters during his time in service. At that time, he can't do anything about it but this time he will make a bit of a change.

"So, do you got anything? Is everything ok with the boy?" Charlie asks Carlisle as he looks at the boy.

"Everything is fine and as I have thought, his temperature is normal for him. I believe it might be something that runs in his family. I can't get an accurate answer from him because of what he has gone through."

"What do you mean by that, Carlisle?" Charlie turns to look at his friend with worry.

"The child must have gone through something really bad either during or before his time in the forest. It's not a serious affliction since the record says that the child didn't suffer any fizikal trauma. I believe it must have been a mental trauma so great that he suffered selective amnesia.

Commonly, selective amnesia can be related to fizikal trauma may it be an accident or just a simple fall. More precisely a hit to the head, a really hard hit at that. However, if it is caused by mental trauma it becomes a little bit complicated." Carlisle stopped his explanation giving Charlie time to process what he had said so far.

"Patients that suffer selective amnesia caused by mental trauma are more common among children under a certain age group because when someone faces a certain crisis, they will develop PTSD instead of selective amnesia.

According to a study by a group that focuses on this heading believe that children at the earliest of their development will develop selective amnesia due to witnessing or living the crisis itself. Because of how more flexible their mental state is, instead of scaring them it was just been erase the crisis event.

So, I believe the child had been alone after the event. I don't know how long it has been but it seems after what happened the child has been living in a trance for who knows how long until you found him. Right now the child only remembers his name and his age. When I asked him how was his living experience until now, he said that he just kept on walking and stopped when people took him in only for him to run away when he saw men in suits come to the house of the family that took him in.

It's a miracle the child is still alive despite being alone."

Charlie's heart sank listening to Carlisle explaining about the boy expressly when Carlisle spoke the last few words. But it didn't last long as his determination to enact his decision became twofold.

"Thank you, Carlisle. Can you send the full health report of the boy to my office? I need it and a few papers to submit before Child Services come9gwss5 at are,,55ww5w9 knocking on my door." Charlie spoke but didn't move his sight from the boy.

Perplex, Carlisle asks Charlie for his reason for requesting such. It's not like Carlisle didn't believe in Charlie but as a doctor, one can not just hand over patient information even if the requester is from an authority.

"Well, I was gonna tell you after talking with the boy but since you ask, might just say it anyway. I wanna adopt the boy. Maybe it will be a good thing considering what happened between me and... Well, you know. Bella might even enjoy her time here when she comes to visit. Having someone of her age to spend time with."

Carlisle was stunned silent for a moment. Considering what had happened during his talk with the child before this. Carlisle wanted to speak up hoping that Charlie would reconsider his decision but didn't cause Charlie was already halfway through the door and spoke to him before the door shut closed.

"I will tell the boy what I wanna do and I hope he doesn't run away tomorrow. Get back to you later, Carlisle."

Carlisle watched the door shut close and through the small window at the door, he saw Charlie talking to the child.

Realizing he can't change Charlie's mind no matter what. He walked away and took out his phone, calling his family to gather for an emergency family meeting when he got back from work. With that settled, he to massage a certain tribe person since this matter involved Charlie as well.

Finishing what he intended to do, Carlisle continued his pace to his office wanting to complete the paper report Charlie had asked him for.

Sitting on his chair, Carlisle let out a tired sigh. Looking down at his phone, rereading again the reply he receives from the tribesmen.

Putting it down, Carlisle let out yet another tired sigh; " If only they were more cooperative, things could be handled more thoroughly. At least he told me that a tribe meeting would be held in a few more days. I need to ask him later what the result of the meeting and now I need to finish this paperwork and the papers Charlie needs.

All these papers and my family meeting, I wonder how those three handle the paperwork and meeting on a daily life basis."