Chapter One: Marie's Arrival
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight Saga; I'm just screwing with the characters. Have fun with whatever happens and characters I make up.
AN: I've decided to edit the story and see where it goes again. I'm at a standstill with my book at the moment, so I thought some creative fan-fiction writing might alleviate my writer's block. So here's the new and improved 1st chapter to Bella's Cousin.
Bella's POV
I couldn't sit still in Edward's Volvo's as Alice drove us to the Cullen's house. The large smile I had across my face was hard to get rid of since this morning, and it had nothing to do with the Cullen's. Earlier this morning, I got a call from my cousin, Marie, telling me she's moving here with her father. My uncle, Carson had just moved here and got settled a few weeks ago. He's a doctor like Carlisle, so they'll be working together, though he won't start work until Marie gets here. Marie had said she would be here tomorrow.
I'm going to stay with her this weekend. The guys will be going on a hunting trip that will last the entire weekend, so Alice is driving Edward's Volvo. Alice probably believed I was excited about this weekend, but it was really my cousin. We pulled into the garage and walked toward the house. Alice flew up the stairs and into Jasper's arms when we got to the stairs of the house. I smiled at Edward as he pulled me into his arms and chastely kissed me. We gathered in the living room, while Emmett and Jasper got ready to play a video game.
"What's up with you, Bella?" Jasper asked me with a suspicious expression.
"What do you mean, Jasper?" Alice asked him confused and curiously.
"Bella's too happy. She's not usually this happy about anything, especially knowing she has to spend the entire weekend without Edward, and yet she seems really excited," Jasper explained, raising his eyebrow at me.
Alice's face dropped when she heard this and Jasper began to rub her arm apologetically. I didn't mean to upset Alice. I like to spend time with Alice, but I don't always like her dressing me up and giving me makeovers. I raised my hands in surrender as I prepared to give my explanation.
"Okay...okay...well, my cousin, Marie, is moving here tomorrow to live with her father," I explained to them.
"I didn't know you had a cousin," Esme said with a maternal smile.
"Yes, she's my best friend, almost like my sister," I tell them smiling happily as the fond memories flashed before my eyes.
Alice's face dropped even more when I said that. She believed she was my only best friend, but Marie and I were so close that we were practically sisters growing up. I didn't mean to hurt Alice's feelings, though I would like her and Alice to get to know each. Alice may even love her; they are so much alike. Alice's eyes glazed over and she became excited.
"We have to meet her when she gets here," Alice said excitedly, bouncing in place.
I laughed to myself, remembering how much Marie acted like Alice...the graceful walk, the love for fashion, their peppy personality. I smiled and look at Alice. Marie and Alice could be twins if they were born during the same time period, though Marie does love some of the fashions from the early 1900s.
"What's so funny, love?" Edward asked, smiling down at me.
"Alice and Marie would get along perfectly," I tell him as everyone looks at me confused. "Let's just say having Marie here will be like having two of Alice. She'll make a good shopping partner for you, Alice," I explain to them snickering at everyone's expressions.
"I know," she tells me excitedly bouncing.
Edward looked fearful and so did Emmett. I wanted to laugh at their expression but after experiencing her shopping marathons, I knew how they felt. Jasper just smiled at Alice as she jumped up and down even more. She appeared to be as ecstatic as me now about my cousin's arrival. Rosalie smiled probably thinking of all the shopping they could do. Carlisle and Esme just shook their heads, smiling at their children.
"How much time did you spend with her?" Esme asked.
"When I wasn't with Charlie during my vacation time, I was with her," I told them remembering my last Fourth of July with her. "Man, Texans can really throw a Fourth of July party," I commented.
I remember sitting back with Marie as we watched two of her brothers chase each other around with Roman candle fireworks. I laughed to myself as the images ran through my mind. My mouth watered at the thought of the barbecue we ate: baby back ribs, chicken wings, and briskets.
"Did you say Texan? She's from Texas?" Jasper asked surprised.
"Yes, San Antonio to be exact. It's really hot around there, hotter than Phoenix," I said.
I saw Edward look at Jasper and nod. I could tell Jasper was conversing with him telepathically.
"It's good she's moving here now then. That way you're not in any danger," Edward said as he pulled me closer. "What were laughing about a moment ago, love?"
"I was thinking about the Fourth of July I spent with Marie and her family," I told him and continued when I saw his confused expression. "We were shooting all kinds fireworks off on their property. They own like fifty acres of land. Marie's brothers had bought a large variety of fireworks from Roman candles to fire fountains. Two of Marie's brothers thought it'd be funny to shoot each other with the Roman candles, so Marie and I sat back and laughed at them. We threw occasional firecrackers at them as they ran around. She landed one in Darien's pants and it was funny watching him jumping around trying to get it out of his pants before it combusted," I laughed hysterically.
Everyone laughed with me as they tried to imagine this with me.
"I can't wait to meet your cousin, Bella," Alice said excitedly, as she calmed down.
"She'll be here tomorrow afternoon," I told her smiling.
"Excellent, we can go get her then," Alice yelled excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Bella, can I give you a mani-pedi?" she asked out of the blue.
Since I was in such a good mood, I allowed her to do it, to everyone's surprise. Alice told them not to ruin her fun and dragged me upstairs with her. I chose the colors of dark blue and a scarlet red and Alice did the rest. I listened to her as she planned a shopping trip for her, my cousin, and me. She was just as excited as I was that my cousin was coming here.
That night, I went to sleep in Edward's room alone since the guys had left earlier in the evening. I dreamed of the many celebrations Marie and I had when I would stay; from New Year's Eve to Fourth of July; the many fireworks, music, and everything. I dreamed of the pranks we pulled on each other and on the family; oh, the trouble we got into afterwards. A lot has changed since I've moved to Forks.
I woke up at twelve in the afternoon, giving me an hour and a half to get ready. I walked downstairs into the kitchen where Esme had brunch cooked for me and; after I finished, Alice dragged me away to get ready. I took a quick shower, scrubbing my favorite strawberry shampoo into my hair. Alice curled my hair into ringlets and put light make-up on me. She dressed me in a dress with some French designer's name on it and a pair of flats after I argued with her for ten minutes.
"It's time to go, Bella. I'm going with you and your uncle to get Marie, if that's alright with you," Alice told me, grinning largely.
"It's no problem, Alice. Marie would love to meet you. I told her all about you and she wanted to meet you," I said as we walked out to her Porsche.
We drove to Charlie's house where Uncle Carson and Charlie were on the porch, talking. I saw his black Jeep Wrangler in the driveway next to my truck and Charlie's cruiser. Alice and I got out of her Porsche and walked up to the porch. Charlie smiled at Alice and gave us a hug each and, I turned to Uncle Carson and hugged him also.
"You don't mind if my friend, Alice, tags along to get Marie, do you, Uncle Carson?" I asked him sweetly.
"No, as long as I can drive her awesome car," Uncle Carson commented.
"It's alright, Mr. Swan," Alice smiled amiably.
"Actually, it's Dr. Swan but you can call me, Carson," my uncle told her.
"My dad is a doctor, also, at the local hospital. Takes care of Bella a lot when she falls," Alice commented smirking at me.
I blushed at her comment and started walking to the car. I could hear Uncle Carson chuckling behind me and talking to Alice.
"It's nice to know that someone took up that job," Uncle Carson chortled.
"Seriously, Uncle Carson?" I asked embarrassed.
Alice tossed Uncle Carson the keys and got in the backseat while I got in the passenger seat. Uncle Carson told me about the past Fourth of July celebration that I missed out on because of what happened in Arizona. We laughed when he told us how Marie shot a bottle rocket at her brothers butt, and how he got her back by setting some of her hair on fire with a sparkler.
Uncle Carson pulled into the airport's parking lot, and we walked inside to find Marie at a Starbucks coffee shop. She was drinking a caramel Frappuccino and eating a blueberry cream cheese muffin.
"Hey, Marie, how are you?" I asked her as she turned around on the bar stool.
I wasn't prepared for what I saw and I guess Alice wasn't either. Running across Marie's beautiful face was three scars, almost similar to Emily's only they went across her face. They started at her right temple, crossed over her eye and nose, and ended on her left shoulder. Alice and I gasped at the sight of her scars. She smiled timidly at me with chocolate on her lips. She looked at my outfit up and down and smiled real big before swallowing a bite of her muffin.
"Vous regardez fabuleux dans Louis Vuitton," she said admirable.
So that's what I'm wearing. I smiled at her trying to look like I understood her.
"You didn't understand what I just said, did ya?" Marie asked me, her Southern Belle accent coming out.
"No, what did you say?" I asked confused now.
"She said, 'you look fabulous in Louis Vuitton," Alice told me.
She turned toward Alice and when she saw her, an expression of familiarity and sadness flashed across face, before quickly disappearing. I didn't know what to think...I was just confused by it.
"Très bonne. Parlez-vous français?" Marie said smiling happily. "Je m'appelle Marie. Et vous été?"
"Oui, je m'appelle Alice. Je suis une ami de Bella," Alice replied back.
"Enchanté, I needed a friend to practice my French with. Merci, Alice," Marie said shaking her hand.
"You're welcome, Marie. Do you know any other language?" Alice asked her.
"A little Spanish and Portuguese," Marie said ticking it off on her fingers.
"My brother can help you with Spanish and Portuguese," Alice told her as Marie got her bags.
Marie still had the look like she was thinking. I didn't know she knew some many languages.
"Oh yeah, I know Latin and Italian. Maybe I can practice with my Italian this summer!" Marie exclaimed, smiling.
"Why this summer?" I asked her anxiously as we loaded her stuff into the trunk of Alice's Porsche.
"Oooh, is this a Porsche 911 Turbo?" Marie asked eyeing the car excitedly, forgetting my question.
Marie sometimes does have a short attention span.
"Yep, it's my baby," Alice said smiling proudly.
"I've always wanted to drive one. Can I, Alice?" Marie asked bouncing in place.
What did I say? She acts likes Alice.
"Sure, have fun. You're dad has the keys though," Alice told her.
"Here you go, butterfly," Uncle Carson handed her the keys and Marie hopped in the driver seat.
Once everyone was buckled in, Marie started the car. She looked she was high from the excitement of hearing the engine purr and getting to drive it. Alice and I giggled at her expression.
"Ya'll hold on to somethin' tight," Marie warned us before she hit the gas and we sped out of the parking lot and on to the highway.
Marie was driving like a bat out of hell, pretty much like the Cullens did. How could I forget her speedy driving habit? Uncle Carson was in the front passenger seat giving Marie directions, while Alice and I sat in the back seat.
"So, what did you mean you said you might get to practice your Italian this summer?" I asked her, curiously.
"My school has this trip to Italy every year and I'm goin'," Marie responded, excitedly looking at me through the review mirror.
"Where exactly are you going?" I asked worried.
"Rome, Italy; maybe even Florence, that's where my favorite artists and inventor started out," Marie said smiling big.
"Who are they?" I asked to distract myself.
"Vincent van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. My favorite painting is The Starry Night by van Gogh," Marie said.
"I'm glad I remembered that because I have a surprise for you at home," Uncle Carson told her smiling.
"Daddy, you didn't have too. You're still tryin' to get settled," Marie whined.
Marie tolerated presents and surprises a little better than me. If it wasn't her birthday or Christmas, she'll whine about it until she can earn it off or pay it off. Alice gave me a look like she knew Marie's little peeve and Marie reminded her of me. I gave a little laugh and looked at Marie's reflection in the rearview mirror. The scars made me frown and wonder how she could have received those.
Marie pulled into Charlie's driveway and we got out. Marie and Uncle Carson started moving Marie's bags and suitcases into his jeep.
"Marie, you know I could give you a ticket for the way you sped into my driveway like that in a neighborhood like this," Charlie commented with a straight face.
"But Uncle Charlie, how could I resist the power of this sweet baby?" Marie whined with a pout.
Charlie shook his head and laughed at Marie's pouty face. Uncle Carson and Marie hugged me before they left, and Alice and I said bye to Charlie and left for the Cullen's house. Edward and Jasper were waiting for us, and got our doors, almost pulling us out of the car. Edward kissed me then looked to Alice. They were back earlier than I expected them to be.
"Do you not agree, Edward? It had to be a vampire," Alice said out loud so Jasper and I could here.
"What are you talking about, Alice?" Jasper asked, holding Alice closer and protective.
"When we saw Marie at the airport, she was sitting on a barstool at a Starbucks coffee shop. She turned around and looked at us. Across her face was three long claw marks," I told Jasper using my hand to show him where the scars were.
"No," Jasper whispered with a scared and worried look on his face.
"What is it?" Alice asked, looking up at her husband anxiously.
Jasper took in a steady breath, pulling Alice closer to him, before replying.
"Let's go back in the house before I explain everything," Jasper said with a worried tone.
Edward picked me up and ran us into the living room, while Alice called a family meeting. Everyone gathered in the living room, looking at Alice intensely.
"What's wrong, Alice?" Carlisle asked as everyone got seated.
Alice explained everything from when we arrived at the airport until we got home. Everyone looked concerned for my cousin. Jasper gazed at everyone after Alice finished.
"The three claw marks on Marie's face are the marks Maria leaves on people she plans to turn when she needs more newborns. But she only leaves it on experienced fighters," Jasper said then looked at me. "Is Marie experienced in any fighting techniques?"
I thought about that a second then remembered the many times I had watched her at her martial art classes. She even took ballet and was the lead in the recitals. Marie once told me that combining all three together could be proven lethal on an opponent.
"Yes, she is experienced in karate and Taek-Won-Do. She's real good at ballet, also-," I said before Emmett cut me off.
"What does ballet have anything to do with it?" Emmett asked confused.
"Trust me, Emmett. I've seen her fight, adding her ballet into it and she has won all her fights. She has left many of them in the hospital and never lost a fight," I told them and looked at the ground.
"We'll have to keep an eye on her and make sure Maria doesn't get near her," Jasper told everyone seriously.
"Why? I doubt that woman would even come up here," Emmett said disbelieving.
"She can and she will if need be, Emmett. Maria could make her do what I did. By what Bella has just told us, Marie is a lot stronger and more experienced than I was. If Maria gets her hands on Bella's cousin, she can do a lot more damage in the South than her and I ever did," Jasper explained to Emmett who was stunned.
"That'd be horrible," Emmett said stunned.
"That's an understatement, Emmett," Jasper said gravely.
"Well, it won't happen, we'll protect her along with you, Bella," Edward declared.
"Let's keep her in the dark though," I said sadly.
I hated to do that but I didn't want to bring Marie into this world. She doesn't need to be involved in something like this. Edward held me close while everyone looked at each other.
"Does Marie like video games? Maybe we can have a few rounds on the PS4," Emmett said, always the one to lighten the atmosphere.
"Yes, Emmett, if she could wrestle with you, she would. She's not afraid to get down and dirty either; she had actually wrestled her oldest brother in the mud," I told him remembering that 4th of July.
Emmett thought about that for a moment then smiled. Everyone laughed at his expression.
"Well, we know she'll get along great with Alice and Emmett," Edward commented, calming down from his laughter.
"She could get along with all of you," I told them and then thought about how much Edward and Marie would get along. "She loves classical things such as music and books like Edward and I do. She loves science and is always excited about learning the newest thing in science. She would have what she says a 'hay-day' with the many books Carlisle has in his office."
"What do you mean by 'hay-day', Bella?" Carlisle asked confused.
"It's a term that Texans use for fun," Jasper explained. "I'm surprised they still use it today."
"Apparently they do. She loves art, also, any form of it is fun for her. She decorated her house in San Antonio and designed the garden that she keeps up with. Her house is decorated with artwork she did from painting to color pencil," I told them and they were all surprised.
"I guess you're right. She would get along with all of us," Carlisle said with a smile.
That reminded me of something Marie said in the car.
"Edward, Marie would like you to help her practice her Portuguese and Spanish," I told him.
"Yeah, and maybe her Italian," Alice added drily, crossing her arms.
"How many languages does this girl know?" Emmett asked, surprised.
"So far, Spanish, which helps where she lives; Portuguese, French, German, and Italian. She's planning on going to Italy this summer," Alice told everyone. "She's going to Rome, so don't freak out," she added before anyone could ask questions.
"So now we have to watch Marie and protect Bella? Don't we already have enough on our hands from Victoria to this rampaging newborn in Seattle?" Rosalie questioned with a sneer.
"Well, look at it this way, Rosalie, we're protecting our family completely," Edward snarled at her.
She looked at him confused as I did. Edward looked at me then to Rosalie.
"We've just had more added to our list because of Maria attacking your cousin," Edward told her, but she still looked confused. "We keep Marie here, Maria won't come here and we don't have to worry about Alice or Jasper getting hurt in some way; though I do agree with that, Alice," Edward finished.
Everyone looked between Edward and Alice curiously. Just like everyone hates their silent conversations, so do I. I gazed at Edward bemused.
"It's nothing you need to worry about, Bella; Alice will tell Jasper later," he whispered low enough that no one else could here.
The rest of the night, I told the family about the trouble Marie and I got into because of our pranks and tricks. I also told them more about Marie from her interests to her fascinations. They cracked up when I told them about Marie's strange fascination with vampires which warded off a bunch of potential boyfriends for her and gained her the strangest of friends in school. She didn't care that her friends were strange or crazy because to her, she's the same. She didn't care that she didn't have a boyfriend; from her past record, she had the worst luck when it came to them.
Tomorrow, Edward and I are going to get Marie after she's settled in and bring her to meet the family. I believe she'll get along just fine with the family. I enjoyed the dinner Esme made me and got ready for bed. Edward took me to bed when it was getting late. I went to sleep peacefully with no worries of Victoria or the newborn in Seattle.
AN: I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. The first time I wrote this and posted it, I was called a Mary Sue writer for making a character like me. Maybe the changes I made helped. Let me know what y'all think!
Translations: Vous regardez fabuleux dans: you look fabulous in...Très bonne. Parlez-vous français: Very good. You speak French?...Je m'appelle Marie. Et vous été: My name is Marie. And you are?... Oui, je m'appelle Alice. Je suis une ami de Bella: Yes, my name is Alice. I am a friend of Bella...Enchante: delighted