AN: This is a story about a different meeting with the Cullens. Bella was raised with Esme and Alice but Alice has a vision that they meet the Cullens (Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett). Edward still loves Bella's scent and Bella always feels like a burden to the rest of the family. I couldn't fit all of this on the short summary but I hope it captures your attention. This story was written by my very good friend Danielle. Her computer doesn't allow her to post stories so as a favour to her, I've been posting some of her stories. We both really would appreciate some reviews and opinions. Please feel free to look at my other stories as well. Some are also Danielle's and others were written by me. But please enjoy the story and please review. Thanks :)
BPOV
When I opened my eyes, Alice was there, and it was five in the morning. She was sorting through my wardrobe, again. I was not in the mood for shopping that early in the morning. I rolled over, mumbling something like 'stupid vampire'. Alice pretended to ignore me and continued sorting, although loudly now that she knew I was slightly awake.
"Esme!" I complained. She instantly came to my aid.
"Alice! Bella does actually need more than six hours of sleep you know. Now either quiet down or leave her alone." Alice mumbled something in response but I barely caught it. I was fast asleep again. The next time I opened my eyes, the clock on my ceiling said it was nine o'clock. I loved Alice for that idea; I didn't have to get up or make a conscious effort to check the time, I just had to focus on the clock directly above me. It wasn't hard, the hands were brightly coloured and they stood out against the black background of the clock. As I got up I saw a post-it on the door. That meant that both of them were somewhere or another. Esme was probably at work and Alice was either hunting or shopping. I was willing to bet on the last one.
I stumbled out of my bedroom, sliding into the shower to try to wake up. The cool water did wake me up and soon after, I was downstairs eating breakfast. I was only wrapped in a towel when they walked in. I was also reading, and eating, so not paying much attention to them. Alice squealed and immediately pulled me up, ripping off my towel and holding up various items of clothing to my bare body. I was too tired to protest, and too used to her behaviour to do anything but wait until she was finished. Alice had been dressing me since I was five, when she found me. We lived in areas with no neighbours, so despite the large wall of windows, I was not in fear of being seen naked in the kitchen.
Colours and fabrics were pressed up against my body at such speeds that it seemed like a blur. That was the great thing about Alice being a vampire; she didn't have the patience to let me try any of the stuff on, so she would literally go through hundreds of items in minutes, until she found the one she wanted. It took two minutes, but I was handed a black tank top with a see through black jacket to go over it. She passed me dark jeans that had the faintest hints of sparkle in them, and eventually black silk ballerina slippers. They had learned to keep me away from heels.
"Esme?" Alice asked. Esme nodded and smiled.
"Bella, you'll look fantastic."
"For what?"
"Can't tell you. I'm not supposed to technically know." Alice smiled. It was her birthday, or so she told me, but it seemed to move around in the year, to coincide with events she wanted to fall on her birthday. Esme's was Christmas, so she was easy to remember. My birthday was in late August, so I'd recently turned seventeen. It was early October, and something had Alice excited.
"Esme? What, hypothetically speaking, would we do for Alice's birthday?"
"Hypothetically speaking? Well, there happens to be a very special band of musicians playing in a concert hall tomorrow, who Alice wants to see."
"The Cullens?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. Ever since I was old enough to understand that my adopted sister and mother weren't human, I had learned of Alice's visions. They were useful when it came to saving my life, or catching me before I fell, or even predicting the weather, but not so much when someone is trying to keep a secret or run away. I had tried that once, when I was nine. I wanted to run away, because Esme was angry with me. I wasn't eating and sleeping, I was trying to be like my family. So I decided to run away. Alice caught me before I'd reached the end of the street, and she wasn't even home for the argument.
Alice had been having visions, ever since she was changed into a vampire, about meeting the Cullens. Carlisle was the leader, Edward was the second oldest, then Rosalie, then Emmett and finally Jasper. Although Alice wouldn't tell us much about them, the way she said 'Jasper' and the many sketches she drew of him, told us that they were soul mates. Alice had been waiting for nearly twenty years for them to finally arrive. Esme was the leader of our small family, she was the one who found Alice, or rather, the one Alice found.
Alice had told us stories about silly pranks Emmett would play on Rosalie, tens of years into the future. She wouldn't go into relationships; she thought that was cheating, so I assumed Esme would either end up with Carlisle or Edward, since Rosalie and Emmet were already joined at the hip. We knew every aspect of their personalities, simply because Alice had seen them all. She knew that Esme and herself would one day join their coven, creating a strong, happy family.
I knew I wasn't any part of their future though. I was human, and living with two vampires was strange enough. They had taken care of me simply because Esme had strong mothering instincts and Alice wanted a sister. None of us could possibly try and force me onto five random vampires, even if they were vegetarians. It was taxing enough on Esme and Alice, taking care of me, they had to hunt twice as frequently as regular vampires, though they hunted animals, not humans. Asking an entire coven, especially one as large as the Cullen's, to do this would be too much of an invasive action.
I was old enough to move into my own place, an apartment or something. I could find work easily, especially in a city such as this, and when I finished high school, I would have a little more experience before moving on to college.
"Yes Bella, the Cullens. We have third row tickets." Alice smiled. "Um, hypothetically speaking of course." It was impossible to surprise Alice, but she was a good sport about it.
"You couldn't get first row? Still hypothetical."
"Well, hypothetically, we could, but it would ruin some poor human's fun. We could see them clearly from the back, still, they'll see us, but we won't be right in front, so they won't feel threatened or anything."
"I like this hypothetical situation."
"Well, not hypothetically, you would look awesome in this outfit anyway, so you are putting it on now." Alice ended. I walked off upstairs, wrapping the towel around my hair instead. I slipped into a black underwear combo and then the jeans and shirt. Not surprisingly it all fit perfectly, and I looked damn good, or so Alice said in the shirt. The jeans were just the right fit too; not too long, not too low.
So I slid it all back off, grabbing a regular shirt and some ripped jeans. I then spent most of the day and evening working on my homework. Trigonometry, an English essay and an entire book to translate for Spanish. It stole my Saturday. That night I slept, with a pounding headache, from all of the work and had an odd dream about Shakespeare explaining formulas to me in Spanish. I have no idea what could've possibly put that into my head. Heavy on the sarcasm.
My hands flew swiftly over the imaginary keys on my imaginary keyboard/Grand Piano. I hadn't decided which of the two magnificent instruments I was playing yet. We were rehearsing, simply for the sake of doing something. None of us needed practice, we all knew the chords and notes perfectly. Jasper sat, air-guitaring, Rosalie was getting changed, again. Carlisle was driving, he had just relieved Emmett of that duty. Emmett had nothing to do and so was watching a random television show.
It didn't have to be like this. We had enough money to get our own jet to take us wherever we wanted. We had enough reason to stay out of the public eye, but we were bored, and as long as we kept the concerts small, the Volturi saw no problem in us performing. We needed a little stimulation, so for once, Carlisle had decided not to be a doctor for a few years. We had all stopped pretending to be high school students for a few years. We were a travelling music group. It was fun, I had to admit, but the limitations were annoying. If we needed extra instruments to be playing during a song, we had to send the music sheets to the humans, well in advance, so they could practice. My brethren and I merely had to glance at the sheet and we could play the song. It made writing new songs harder, because they had to look like it had taken time, and needed ironing over, though they didn't. Jasper and I could write at least a song per hour if we set our minds to it. Emmett and Rosalie had provided most of the ideas for songs, Jasper and I wrote the lyrics and music, Carlisle managed, booked, drove, kept an eye on us, and sang and played with us at the concerts.
"Edward?" I glanced up at Rosalie. She was holding a broken mask. "It broke and I have no clue how to sew." I stopped playing my imaginary keyboard. (I had decided against the grand piano, simply because the acoustics were lousy in the RV)
"You should really learn Rosalie. You've only had fifty-odd years to." Rosalie threw me the mask with a small pleading smile. I found the needle and thread,reluctantly, as she began singing. I winced. The song was Rosalie's take on my last 'life'. I had been...friendly...with many girls. It never got to any important stage, nothing but kissing, but considering I had had thirteen girlfriends for one year, she had decided to write it into a song.
"Whose bed have your boots been under?
And whose heart did you steal I wonder?
This time did it feel like thunder, baby?
Whose bed have your boots been under?
Don't look so lonely
Don't act so blue
I know I'm not the only
Girl you run to
I know about Lolita
Your little Spanish flame
I've seen you around with Rita
The redhead down the lane
Whose bed have your boots been under?
And whose heart did you steal I wonder?
This time did it feel like thunder, baby?
And who did you run to?
And whose lips have you been kissin'?
And whose ear did you make a wish in?
Is she the one that you've been missin', baby?
Well whose bed have your boots been under?
I heard you've been sneakin'
Around with Jill
And what about that weekend
With Beverly Hill
And I've seen you walkin'
With long legs Louise
And you weren't just talkin'
Last night with Denise..."
She continued on as the others sang with her and I sighed, stitching quickly and neatly. It was Carlisle's idea to wear masks. He had once been confronted with a photograph of himself, taken fifty years before. Carlisle had had to steal it and destroy it before others could make the connection. Vampires had to stay hidden, so we weren't very photogenic. Carlisle had mentioned that many pictures and videos would be taken, so we were each required to wear masks.
Rosalie's was red silk. Jasper had a traditional bandana always tied around his nose and mouth, so he looked like a rogue cowboy of some sort. Emmet chose green velvet and, like Rose's, it went across the eyes. Carlisle and myself had kept it simple. He had chosen a black silk mask that covered his eyes and nose, and I had chosen identically to him, only in faded silver. It seemed more comfortable than the other styles.
I threw the mask back to her and she blew a small kiss, in appreciation. I rolled my eyes and tried to imagine my keyboard again, when a faint buzzing started up in the back of my mind.
"Carlisle." I stood, walking towards him. I leant on the railing beside the stairs that made the awkward exit. "There are two of our kind in this area. They're just on the edge of my range, though they seem to be getting clearer. This is either their territory, or perhaps they are merely passing through, like ourselves."
"Can you get a clear fix yet?" he asked simply, voicing the real question in his mind; Are they a threat?
"It's too early, I can't get a clear enough grasp yet." I shrugged. He considered it.
"We will continue. If anything comes up that proves harmful, we'll leave."
I wonder if they're female... Jasper thought, before he could stop himself. He grinned apologetically at me and I smiled back.
"It's alright. I know you and Carlisle have been alone for quite a while."
"And what about you Edward?" Carlisle asked. Although he was monitoring his thoughts, he wasn't monitoring his emotions, and Jasper and I stuck together.
He's nervous. He's worried that you're lonely. He's hoping you'll find a mate. Jasper informed me quietly.
"I'm waiting for the right girl." I shrugged casually and went to lie on the small sofa I had been occupying before. I didn't envy what Emmett and Rosalie had; they were well suited to each other. I was complete, I didn't need 'another half'. Jasper and Carlisle desperately did though. They had both loved before they had been changed and had been searching for that experience again. Perhaps Carlisle had changed me too young. Physically I was younger than everyone here. Rosalie came next at twenty three, but she was still six years older than myself. Technically I was the second oldest. Carlisle had changed me first, almost five hundred years after his creation, due to loneliness.
I desperately hoped that the two I were sensing were matches for Carlisle and Jasper. It would make me happier being around a content family. I waited, trying to focus on their minds as we moved slowly closer towards them.
When I woke up this time, Alice was on top of me. She wasn't touching me; her hands were beside my shoulders and her feet were barely touching the mattress on either side of my legs. To describe her pose, she looked like she was doing a push up, except she was on top of me, trying not to wake me up while waiting for me to wake up.
"Good. You're up. Esme and I can't decide something and we need your help. Should we visit the Cullens now and tell them that we want them to hunt before the concert, just to stay safe, and then bring them back here after or should we leave it as a surprise until the concert and ask them to join us hunting after?"
"Um..." I was trying to think. She had spoken very fast and I had just woken up. "Where am I in the second plan?" I mumbled.
"Oh, you leave right before the grand finale. They start using strobe lights, for a few of their heavier rocks songs at the end." Strobe lights great. I was epileptic. Strobe lights and I didn't mix without bad consequences.
"Second plan I suppose."
"Great. Then don't take the short way home. You get hit by a car." And then she was gone. I grumbled something in response, noting that it was six o'clock in the morning, and got up and dressed. When I got downstairs Esme was mopping. I sat on the hard wood stairs, watching her whizz around quicker than any human could've and then decided to wait until it was dry before I moved.
"Anything I can do?" I asked Esme. She looked at me and looked around.
"I think the milk in the fridge has gone off." She shrugged. Very carefully, or I'd fall, I made my way to the fridge. Alice and Esme tried to avoid the fridge, it smelled too much like the food they hated. As a child I had many cold meals: sandwiches, cold soups and such because the smell of cooking food made them feel sick. Now I kept to it, even though I could cook for myself, simply to repay the kindness.
"Oh, Bella. No thinking." Alice said, appearing beside me. "Edward is getting close enough now to hear us properly."
By lunch time I was ready to kill Alice. If I had been a vampire, I probably would've. However Esme had endless patience and was also quite excited about the Cullens, so she said nothing. All day I had been avoiding thinking about Alice and Esme and they had avoided thinking about me. Alice said she wanted to find the right way to tell the Cullens about me. A human had never in recorded history spent more than a few days in the presence of vampires, let alone live with them for over a decade. I was sitting, thinking about my English essay, and whether or not to make my transition paragraph longer when Alice appeared and swept me into a hug.
"Don't you dare even think that way!"
"What way?" Esme asked, appearing a second later.
"You want my transition paragraph to stay short?" I asked confusedly.
"No it could be longer, but it's not what I'm talking about." Alice said quickly. "How could you even think about leaving us?" She looked at me with her black eyes and reminded me strongly of a slapped puppy. I sat down again, feeling tears coming.
I tried to explain to them, how I felt in the way, especially now that their future family had actually come. How they could all be happy together, and I would just be a problem if I tried to be a part of that, the misfit, the outsider, the weakling, always needing protection. I explained how I believed I was old enough to get my own place and move to university, and how it would be easier on them.
"Isabella." Esme leaned in, kissing my forehead. "We are not going to leave you for them. We can wait forever if necessary. We love you, you know. You are my daughters, both of you, I could never force you out of my life. You would be unhappy so alone."
She was right. She always was. I could feel the tears sliding down my face.
"I don't want to be in the way though."
"You won't be. Besides, you are an accident magnet. Do you honestly think you'd survive a week out there without getting hurt?" Alice laughed. I smiled. Maybe I wouldn't lose my family after all.
I was still focusing when Carlisle stopped. We had been driving all night. We were finally at the concert hall. Emmett and Jasper and Carlisle began unloading the instruments and other necessities, wearing the masks, of course. Whenever we left the RV the masks had to be on. It was annoying. Rosalie had gone in to start talking to the other musicians that would play as our backup in some songs. I sat, still in the bus trying to pick up thoughts. I had so far caught only a few whispers of thoughts. They either didn't think much or knew about my talent, probably the latter, although I wondered how they could possibly know. I knew that they were both female, they were both living here permanently and thankfully, shared our diet. I also knew they were hiding something, and that one of them was practically buzzing with random thoughts of clothing and sales. Rosalie would like her.
For a moment I saw a flicker of a human face, and then it was gone. I sighed, sliding on my mask and exiting the RV also. The weather in this region was unpredictable, so we were all wearing long sleeved shirts and jeans, gloves and hats, although it was warm out. If the sun caught us it would be very hard to explain.
We sat in the concert hall, going over songs and debating the order, again, when I suddenly got a clear thought from one of the other vampires.
Edward Cullen. My name is Alice. We would like to invite you to join us on a hunting expedition after your concert tonight, and then we would love to meet face to face with you and your coven. We will be at the show, so you can let us know your answer then. Good luck!
And then it was gone, her mind blanked again.
"Guys." I murmured. "They want to meet us. One's name is Alice. They want to take us...hiking... after the show." I knew we were in range of a few human ears.
"Do they enjoy off trail hiking?" Carlisle asked. It was his way of asking if they drank from humans or animals.
"Yes, they don't follow traditional routes."
"Well then it should be no problem." Carlisle nodded, thinking cautiously, but as ever, openly. Emmett looked excited. Rosalie had jealous thoughts. Jasper was trying to shake something off.
"Jasper?" I asked. He looked up at me.
"They're both so delighted to have us here, but there's more, it's like relief and anticipation." He shrugged. "It feels pretty good. I don't know if I'll be able to concentrate."
Yeah right. Jasper is always concentrating. Rosalie.
I want to learn how to burp the alphabet. Emmett. It didn't take much for his thoughts to wander in completely random directions.
It's as if they are expecting us. What if it is a sort of set up? Some kind of trick that the Volturi are playing? Carlisle. He was appearing happy, but his thoughts were much darker.
"Carlisle. They don't feel dangerous." I muttered in tones that humans couldn't hear. So we sat, getting ready for the show, waiting for the new mystery of the small coven that seemed interested in us. They still kept their thoughts surprisingly blank, and any slips revealed nothing but simple chores or activities. I was getting frustrated.
I was dressed and ready to go. I did look fantastic again, Alice came into my room wearing a beautiful blood red shirt (ironic) and dark jeans combination. Esme had an emerald green halter shirt that accented her beautiful curves. We drove to the small theatre and took our seats. The band hadn't arrived yet, but Alice was buzzing. I sat on the outside seat, ready to make my quick getaway when Alice warned me about the strobe lighting. The other hundred and ninety-seven people filled their seats also, until the hall was loud with chatter.
It was then that the band walked out, receiving a warm round of applause. Their masks didn't help to cover their astounding beauty. All were flawless. One tall leonine boy had blonde hair and a guitar in his hands. Alice told me that it was Jasper. A bronze haired boy, also tall, sat at a piano.
"Edward." She muttered barely into my ear.
A muscular dark haired guy sat at a drum set. "Emmett."
A blonde relaxed looking man sat, with an assortment of instruments within his reach.
"Carlisle."
A gorgeous blond woman walked out after. She had the body of a Victoria's Secret fashion model. The anxious crowd quieted and the first song started up. Jasper strummed softly on his guitar and Edward began to gently caress the keys of the piano with his fingers. Carlisle began singing as Rosalie took up another guitar and Emmett got ready with the drums.
"I got my first real six-string
Bought it at the five-and-dime
Played it till my fingers bled
It was the summer of '69
Me and some guys from school
Had a band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit and Jody got married
I shoulda known we'd never get far
Oh when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life..."
I noticed that during the concert a lot of ironic lines would appear, like; I could go drinking, but I can't stand the stuff. Little lines in the songs that implied nothing and everything. It made Alice and Esme smile. Each of the Cullens took their turns singing. Rosalie leaned more towards country, Emmett towards heavy rock, Jasper towards light rock/country, Edward towards older songs that had been done by Sinatra and other icons, Carlisle stuck with softer love song type rock.
I could see both Jasper and Edward keep looking at Alice and Esme, clearly confused and intrigued. Their inhuman voices washed over the crowd, as did Jasper's gift, so Alice told me.
I saw Alice pause out of the corner of my eye and Edward's head shot up quickly, to look at her. She was having a vision. Probably of me going into an epileptic fit. She leaned over to me and talked as if we barely knew each other.
"You know, they're about to start adding some cool effects, strobe lights and stuff." I nodded, sliding out of my seat.
"Well then I have to go. Enjoy the rest!" I said enthusiastically, walking swiftly out of the hall, just as the door closed behind me I saw a flicker of a strobe light and heard the next song start up. Talk about timing. I slowly walked home, enjoying the peace of the night. I took Alice's advice, taking the long route home and when I eventually got there I found a book, an apple and my iPod and sat, waiting for them to return.
As we walked into the hall, we saw them immediately. They were dressed simply enough, but their pale, beautiful faces stood out. They were talking quietly with each other.
Hello again Edward. The smaller one smiled. She had spiky black hair and a mischievous, but warm smile lit up her face. Her blood red shirt contrasted with her white skin to an extreme. The lady beside her was also quite stunning. She had an emerald shirt on and her soft curls bounced around her face.
Hello Edward. My name is Esme. We've been expecting you all for a while now. Her smile was more motherly, she was the leader, you could tell by the ring of authority in her mind. We began playing and Alice stared at Jasper.
He's changed his hair. She stated, accusingly. How the devil did she know that? We had only been in the public view for a year now, and Jasper's haircut was shortly before we chose to become a band.
She's trying not to, but she's feeling an intense wave of happiness, love and content. The older one is feeling relieved and full of anticipation. Jasper informed me.
She's beautiful. I've never seen her likeness, in all my years... Carlisle, while he stared at Esme. I bit back a grin, focusing on the keys. Perhaps Jasper and Carlisle would involve themselves with these two. I scanned the crowd again, watching each face, until I came to the girl sitting quietly beside Alice. Her thoughts weren't there. If I closed my eyes, it felt like the seat was empty, but I opened them again and she was sitting there, enjoying the show. Her brown eyes were like dark chocolate, and difficult to see, even with the heightened sense of vision vampires possessed. Her brown curls fell around her shoulders, shining delicately and she smiled as she listened to the song.
Jasper and I had written many 'inside jokes' about family events into the songs. It surprised me when Alice giggled after one of them.
I remember that! Hilarious. I owe Emmett for an hour of laughter. The statement surprised me so much that I hit the wrong key. None of the humans in the hall heard the slip, but my family certainly did; I was immediately ridiculed.
Nice one, Eddie. I hated that name.
The songs seemed to pass by so slowly, all of us were anxious to meet the mysterious women. Just before the start of the special effects, I was reading Alice again when suddenly I seemed to be looking through her eyes.
She was looking down at all of us when the strobe lights began flashing. The quiet girl to her left clenched up and began to convulse, falling from her seat. It looked like a seizure or an epileptic fit.
My perspective returned to normal. That explained how Alice knew who we were. She could have visions of the future. She leaned over to talk to the girl. The human then got up and left, before the prophecy could fulfill itself.
Better safe than sorry. Alice chimed.
At the end of the show, after a long round of applause, the humans all cleared, leaving Alice and Esme sitting in their seats. The security guards began moving towards them but we waved them off.
The women stood gracefully and walked calmly down to see us. Alice looked like she was about ready to run, but Esme had a firm hand on her shoulder. I sighed. I could hear only one word spewing from Alice's mind.
Hug. Hug. Hug. Hug.
I stood and opened my arms, she bolted the last ten meters and nearly knocked me over. She was practically squeaking the entire time. Emmett had poised for attack, but then he relaxed and laughed when he realised she was hugging the living daylights out of me. She then bolted to Emmett as I rubbed my ribs. Esme sighed and held out her hand.
"Edward." She said. I took her hand, kissing it like a proper gentleman. She smiled.
"Edward, Carlisle, Rose, Emmett, Jasper I have been waiting so long to meet all of you!" Alice had hugged everyone but Jasper. Her enthusiastic attitude took on a shy quality and she gently hugged him instead. A vision flashed through her head.
Jasper was waiting, in a church, watching Alice walk up the aisle towards him. The vision ended and Alice, embarrassed picked up an instrument and began reciting the chords to one of our songs. I opened my mouth to tell Jasper when Esme interrupted.
Edward Cullen! Alice has been trying her hardest not to look at future relationships and not tell about what she has seen to anyone. She feels guilty about asking half the questions she is going to, simply because she knows the answers already. She keeps reminding me that the future is not preordained and that one small decision can rearrange an entire lifetime. She is trying her hardest to keep quiet, to let others choose, as should you.
I closed my mouth, feeling properly scolded. Not even Carlisle had that effect on me, and I considered him my father figure. Jasper had felt my mischief, then Esme's anger, and then my submission and laughed.
"Edward just got yelled at." Emmett and Rosalie found this hilarious.
"We seem to have forgotten the simple introductions." Esme reminded us. "My name is Esme Hale and this is my daughter figure Alice. We have known your names for a while now, so I thought a little levelling of the playing field was necessary."
"How?" Carlisle asked, coming to face Esme.
"Alice has...premonitions, she can see future events. She saw us meeting long before you'd even met Emmet and Jasper."
"How does that work?" Carlisle asked.
"Not well. I can see visions based upon decisions people make. Weather is easy to do, so I know exactly when and when not to be outside. Matches and concerts are usually easy, unless a player or singer changes their mind about something. Then the outcome may or may not change. It can be useful, as Edward learned during the concert. Or it can be annoying, especially when it comes to surprises. I've pretty much ruined Christmas and birthdays." Alice laughed at herself. Jasper smiled too.
"What happened during the concert?"
"The girl beside her was going to go into an epileptic fit." I supplied. "Alice advised her to leave."
"Her future was determined, because none of you had decided not to use the strobe lights, but when I made her leave, it changed again."
"Can I have a map to this conversation?" Emmett asked shaking his head in confusion. Rosalie sighed.
"Now, I would love to continue talking, but perhaps in a more comfortable environment. I will invite you back to our house, but first, I wish to ask you to accompany us on a hunt. It is our only condition." Her and Alice immediately cleared their minds again.
"Oh, it's going to rain, so bring a change of clothes." Alice smiled. "Do you need help packing this up? No you don't, good. Can you meet us outside in a half hour? We'll drive you to our favourite hunting area. Good. No Emmett, there aren't any bears." Alice jumped off. Esme stood pressing her hands to her temples.
"I'm afraid that she just finished this conversation for us. Apparently I will see you all in thirty minutes." She curtsied and walked away, quickly to catch up with Alice. We stood in shock at how quickly and strangely the meeting had gone.
I was bored. It had started raining and I knew they would be home soon. I sat, quietly singing along to the song on my iPod. I closed my eyes and immersed myself in the sad tune. My fingers hovered in front of me on the imaginary keyboard, and I began pressing the air where the notes would be. My breathing remained steady and I was calm enough to sleep by the time they arrived, but I didn't know they had.
As we neared the house, we slipped into the spare clothes. We were driving to it and marvelled immediately at how isolated yet urban the area was. When we got out of the RV it was still raining, but Alice immediately let us indoors, so we hardly got wet. The first thing I heard was singing. My mind opened; I expected another person to be in the house, but there was nothing there. Alice disappeared and came back motioning for us to be quiet. We followed her into the living room and froze. The quiet girl from the concert was sitting there, singing to a Kelly Clarkson song on her iPod. Her fingers brushed an imaginary keyboard and I immediately knew she played, she was hitting every note in correspondence to the tune.
Alice quietly, even by our standard knelt beside her, staring at her. She finished the song and opened her eyes, jumping back in alarm.
"Alice! You could've given me a heart attack!" she whined.
"Could've just as easily broke your neck so quit complaining."
We could all hear her blood pumping quickly through her body. I felt the venom begin to fill my mouth.
"Now do you see why we asked you to hunt?" Esme asked calmly, walking and pulling the girl to her feet. She smoothed down her hair and made no move to approach us.
"The Cullens I presume?" she asked quietly. Carlisle stepped forward, as the rest of us were too shocked to move. The girl held out her hand to shake his.
"I'm Bella."
"Carlisle." He responded taking my hand. He had the same icy, strong skin as Esme and Alice. Thankfully, all of their eyes were ranging from topaz to dark gold, so I felt relatively safe.
"Anyone thirsty?" Alice asked. I turned and glared at her.
"Oh very funny."
"I thought so."
"Stupid bloodsucker."
"Shatterglass."
"Leech."
"Girls!" Esme interrupted. "Remember how the last argument turned out." I winced grabbing my shoulder.
"Yeah I remember." Alice had yanked on my arm hard enough to dislocate it, thankfully not hard enough to relocate it, or I could have been armless.
"I said sorry!" Alice complained, sitting on one of the couches, her arms folded. I sat on the couch beside her, resting my head on her shoulder.
"I know."
"Please, all of you sit. The initial conversation will take a while." Esme said. I saw five sets of eyes flicker towards me and back to Esme.
"Don't worry about me Esme. Talk at your speed, Alice can fill me in later." I closed my eyes, not wanting to see their awkward stares. I heard them all sit down and then a very fast conversation filled the room.
"Does Bella live with you?" Carlisle immediately asked.
"Ever since she was five. She's seventeen now." Esme replied. I was barely paying attention. She smelled delicious. More so than any other human I had ever encountered. My mouth was filling up with venom twice as quickly. Every breath she exhaled made me thirstier, every beat of her heart made me tenser. Jasper and Alice both looked at me quickly.
"Edward?" Jasper said. Waves of calm washed over me, but I could feel his hunger too, and it didn't help my concentration. Esme knew something was wrong, she calmly stepped in front of Bella, with her hands up, to show she meant no harm. When I lost sight of her it seemed to help a little. I sat back down, not even realising I had stood placing my head in my hands. I swallowed the pool of venom in my mouth and tried to control the burning hunger. The others relaxed when I did, but Esme hesitantly sat, closer to Bella this time.
"I've never smelt anyone so..." I couldn't finish, knowing it would upset them. Emmett placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"Hold your breath. It helps. I learned that the first time Bella slit her arm open. The urge to kill was nearly irresistible, but I managed." Alice murmured. The thought of her arm gushing blood wasn't helping my control.
"Let's start at the beginning. Shall we?"
"Alice and I have been together for twenty-six years; she found me after I jumped off a cliff. She saved me, taught me; how she lived, what I was, about our eventual future and even our meeting with you." Esme smiled at Alice who was still holding Bella. "In many ways, Alice was the mother figure of the family. I was physically older, but she had spent so many years before she met me, perfecting her control, to prepare herself for our encounter."
"I practiced on animals. I only took bites, even when I was extremely thirsty and restrained myself. It was so much harder on Esme, but I think knowing that I would be able to stop helped." Alice's eyes were far away and I began to watch the images, I closed my eyes, glad to have a distraction from the tantalizing smell. Bella, I reminded myself, her name is Bella. It helped to think of them as sentient beings. It made the inescapable thirst easier to ignore. Esme continued:
"Fourteen years we travelled together, Alice became like my daughter very quickly.
I'm too irresponsible to be in charge. Alice.
"We moved to this town and our lives were pretty isolated, until, on one hunt, we came across Bella. She was deep in the woods, alone, scared, tired, hungry and no memory of how she got there. All she could tell us and the authorities she contacted was that her name was Bella and she was five. We were allowed to keep her at our home while they searched for her family. We fed her, clothed her, took care of her for weeks. Eventually they took her away from us and put her in an orphanage. The short time she had spent with us affected us deeply. We had become attached to her, so we legally adopted her."
I opened my eyes again, focusing less on the images Esme was remembering. Bella had been a beautiful child, even when she was alone and scared, the faintest flicker of hope stayed in her eyes as she looked up at Esme.
It's like a made up story or something. Emmett.
She looks at least sixteen, so over a decade? It's practically unheard of. What would Aro think of this? He'd either kill her or change her. Carlisle.
Bella doesn't look anything special. Why would Edward react so violently? Rosalie.
Alice is beautiful. I've never felt anyone so genuinely happy and carefree. Not vampires anyway... Jasper.
Carlisle was nodding in respect and understanding. Alice spoke:
"We tried to keep the human facade up, but Bella caught on quickly. We sparkle in the sunlight, don't sleep, don't eat, had a difficult time around blood, well you know. She tried to imitate us to the point of hospitalization on her behalf, so we told her the truth."
"She accepted you?" Rosalie interrupted.
"We were her only family. She's more comfortable around us than she ever has been around humans."
"Bella is unique like that." Alice smiled.
What is she thinking Edward? Jasper asked. She's surrounded by seven vampires and the only thing she's feeling is a touch of self-consciousness.
"I can't tell." I muttered, frustratedly. Everyone but Jasper and the subject matter (who hadn't heard any of this conversation) stared at me.
"Sorry?" Esme asked politely.
"Jasper wanted to know if I could hear her thoughts, but I can't. Every time I try, it's like there's no one there at all."
Carlisle lit up with interest, opening his mouth to ask a question.
"Absolutely." Alice answered. She poked Bella whose eyes snapped open. "We're done. Question time."
After a count of only forty five Alice prodded me.
"We're done. Question time."
"Forty five. You're getting slow Alice." I teased. She had told the last vampire in twenty seven seconds.
"For your information," she looked miffed, "There was a distraction." I smiled at her and turned to the Cullens.
"Ask away." I invited.
"How are you so comfortable?" Jasper asked instantly. I laughed.
"It's quite a soft couch actually." I explained as they all laughed. "I trust them and they trust you." I shrugged. I looked over to Edward, wondering if he was reading my mind and regretted it. His jaw was clenched, he wasn't breathing, his posture was tense and his expression was furious. None of that mattered though; his eyes, although topaz, were extremely excited... he was thirsty and he wanted me.
My stomach clenched and I felt a flicker of fear shoot through me. Jasper, who had been staring at Alice, looked up at me and then Edward and sent a wave of intense relaxation through the room. I let the lethargy wash over me and the world went black.
I opened my eyes to Carlisle's face; he looked apologetic.
"Sorry about that." Came Jasper's voice.
"What?"
"You smell very good to Edward. Jasper tried to calm him down. It only calmed us vamps but it knocked you out faster than a pint of vodka." Alice rambled, pulling me to my feet. I looked around for Edward, but he had gone. I resettled myself on the couch and Emmett asked a question.
"So you aren't weirded out by any of this?"
"Is weirded a word? And no. If anyone in this room is weird it's me."
Esme laughed. At the sound of her laugh, Carlisle smiled and averted his eyes, trying not to stare. Jasper looked at Carlisle knowingly. The questioning continued late into the morning, until they knew practically my everyday schedule. My eyelids were getting heavier and heavier and the suppressed yawns were coming faster and faster, until eventually my body gave up and I toppled over, completely asleep.
I had to run. I had nearly killed her, despite my hunting recently. If Jasper hadn't calmed me, I probably would've. I had thought my control was better than that, that I was stronger. But no one had ever smelt so appealing to me before.
I was in the RV. I hadn't run far, just far enough away that I couldn't hear her heart, or smell her blood. I could hear the conversation and watch it through the other's eyes. Out here, I could think clearly, I didn't have to kill her.
You weren't going to hurt her, I could see that. Alice thought, but her mind blanked after and I knew she was lying.
Edward are you alright? Carlisle.
"I'm fine." I spat. I sat with my hands pressed to my temples and watched Bella through Jasper. She seemed a little shaken, but not terrified. She should've been terrified. I could've gotten past Esme so easily. Alice would've been harder, but I would've been able to... I stopped my thoughts and tried to focus on the conversation.
I watched her until about three in the morning. Since the conversation had started, everyone had spread out among the couches. On one couch, Rosalie and Emmett sat, Alice and Jasper had their own couch too. Their thoughts were completely on each other. Esme sat, curled up like a cat in the single armchair, but she was leaning towards Carlisle, who was sitting beside Bella on the loveseat.
Despite being so close to a strange vampire, she was incredibly comfortable, with no help from Jasper at all. I actually laughed when she toppled over, to lay, completely asleep in Carlisle's lap. At first he was shocked, but he quickly relaxed, especially when Alice and Esme laughed. Esme slid her arms under Bella and carried her upstairs to her room.
"Goodnight, my darling." She whispered and came downstairs to continue the conversation. I re-entered then also.
"I apologize..." I began, addressing all of them, but Alice cut me off.
"It's alright. She won't blame you. I asked - or will ask." She clarified laughing. Jasper smiled at the sound. He had always been the darkest of us; the debt of so much human life hanging over his head, rarely did we see him actually smile. The others noticed it also.
Jasper is pretty happy. I hope Alice and him hook up. She'd make a great shopping partner. Rosalie.
Alice could be useful in the whole pranking deal. Even if she doesn't like Jazz, I want her to stay. Emmett.
Edward, does she feel the same way? Carlisle. I looked up at the ceiling and then down at my hands, (a discreet nod).
Esme and Carlisle, although both focused on the other, kept their thoughts polite. The conversation moved to our daily life, with Alice asking the outcomes of many situations that she wasn't sure had happened or not. She told Emmett about a prank he'd almost played and had us all in stitches.
"Stupid sleep. Vampires are lucky. They don't lose a third of their lives to the abyss." Bella said clearly and walked downstairs. I was prepared now; I held my breath, wondering why she had suddenly woken, when Alice started laughing. Bella walked in, her eyes open, but not seeing; sleepwalking.
"I need a pen." She announced. Esme found her one and Bella turned away, writing something on her arm. Esme sighed and followed.
"Oh Bella! Did you have to?" We heard Esme moan. Bella was humming to herself and I could hear a faint scratching noise.
"Go!" Alice told us, seeing our interested expressions. We all enetered the kitchen and found Bella standing on top of the kitchen counter writing what I recognized as music on the cabinets. She was working away, placing notes on lines that weren't there. Esme called Carlisle over and they both managed to get Bella off of the counter when she stopped, dropping her hands to her sides and standing there. She was mostly in Carlisle's arms, still muttering about sleeping, so Esme led him upstairs.
I read the notes on the cupboard and hummed the tune. It was quite beautiful. I could almost hear it in my mind on a piano.
"Sorry Esme. I just couldn't believe how quickly she moved. She has amazing balance skills when she's asleep. Ooh! I have an idea!" She looked at us, about to ask and then smiled. "Great, I knew it! Come on then." She ran off. We all looked confused, even me.
"We're supposed to follow." Esme shrugged and slid her arm into Carlisle's waiting one. They ran off. Jasper had bolted as soon as Alice did. Rosalie looked intrigued and ran off too. I stared at Emmett.
"How can someone so small be so annoying?" I asked as we began to whizz after them.
Alice led us to a large clearing and we heard thunder roll across the sky. It was still raining, so we were all soaked. She had in her hands a baseball bat and ball.
"Fancy a game?" She asked innocently. Emmett swept her into a huge hug.
"Alice you are my new favourite vampire! Other than Rosalie." He amended quickly.
When I woke up I was in my bed. The clock said that it was eight in the morning. I didn't need lots of sleep, but I knew I needed more than five hours. I ran my fingers through my hair and slipped out of my clothes, into a bathrobe and then into the bathroom. I was about to start the shower when I saw the notes. I went in search for a piece of paper, writing down the notes already on my arm and went searching through the house for the rest.
"How the hell did I get up there?" I wondered to myself. I got, awkwardly, onto the counter and copied the rest of the notes to the paper, wondering if Esme was angry with me for writing on her cupboards.
"I like what you're wearing." A voice sounded behind me and I whirled around, only to fall off the counter and into a strong pair of cold arms. I looked up at Rosalie, seeing her dripping and muddy, but still beautiful.
"Sorry Rosalie, I thought I was alone."
"Well you were." Came Emmett's voice, making me jump again. "Sorry." He smiled a goofy grin.
Rosalie still hadn't put me down when the rest arrived. They were all covered in mud, except Esme. Edward kept his distance. I became very aware that I wore nothing but a bathrobe and that it was showing a little too much leg and chest for my liking. Rose put me down.
"Good morning. Baseball I'm assuming?" Carlisle nodded in response.
"Good morning, and yes. It was a good game."
"Who won?" I asked smiling.
"I refereed." Esme shrugged. "Alice, Emmett and Jasper were the less fortunate team. Edward can run fantastically fast." She looked at my bathrobe.
"Oh. I'm about to steal a shower. I should be out in a few minutes." I saw how dirty they all were.
"Girls get Bella's bathroom then, boys can have the other one." Alice chimed and swept me upstairs. She gave me my outfit when I was finished too.
"I am capable of dressing myself you know." I said, grumpy from sleep loss. I slipped on the faded jeans and purple tank anyway and found the music sheet. I darted off to the music room as the others had the shower wars.
The music room held some simple recording equipment, a piano, keyboard and a microphone, for the rare occasions where I would write a song that could be actually sung. I sat and played the tune, making adjustments when I saw fit. I was only at it for a few minutes. I ended up with a two minute piano solo.
"That was beautiful." Edward's voice sounded from nowhere and I jumped, hitting a few keys.
"Sorry." He smiled from the door. He was clean and freshly dressed. His beautiful posture and smile made my heart pick up a little, so I determinedly stared at the sheet of music.
"Esme and Alice usually make some noises, so that I'm not always jumping out of my skin." I explained uselessly. I brushed my wet hair away from my face. Edward came to stand beside me, looking casually through the papers beside the keyboard.
"Did you write all of these?" Edward asked.
"In my sleep. Every few months or so I wake up with notes scrawled on my arms and legs, then I have to find what couldn't fit. Esme got extremely mad when I wrote on her couch." I frowned at myself, shrugging. Edward ran his hand through his beautiful hair.
"Don't compose when you're awake?" he asked. It sounded forced, like he was making himself talk to me.
"No. I only edit what I wrote whilst sleeping." Edward wasn't breathing. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were excited.
"You don't have to try so hard. I understand and don't really mind if you avoid me. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
"What?"
"I know I smell different to you. You don't have to force yourself to be around me." I wanted to try and make it easier for him. It was why I had barely moved since he entered. Edward smiled. He cautiously put his hand on my shoulder and I held my breath, awaiting the worst.
"Thank you, but I think I can manage." He said. Then he looked frustrated again. "What I don't like is not being able to hear your thoughts."
I felt secretly happy. It was very taxing not to think about how beautiful the Cullens, especially Edward, were.
"Really? You aren't lying? You honestly can't read my thoughts?" I asked smiling. Edward only seemed more frustrated. I calmly and slowly stood up, only to be swept into a bone crunching hug.
"Alice." I managed to say.
"Ijusthadavision!" she squealed as she let go of me. Edward was laughing.
"You think you'd be used to it by now." I muttered.
