A/N: So, this is my first foray into the Twilight fandom. I've been around for some time, reading things and whatnot. But I never really had the urge to write anything. Until now, that is.
The only warnings I have for this is that I shall be introducing OCs of my own creation and that the morality of their actions will be dubious at best. That is to say, the heroes will be of the flawed sort. I'll try not to create a Mary Sue and I hope you'll enjoy it.
Well, happy reading.
Gabriela unlocked the door to her apartment and entered the small hallway. She put the bag of groceries down and turned around to lock the door again. Once the door slammed shut, the scent of familiarity surrounded her, enveloping the young woman in a protective layer of comfort.
Her fingers touched the metal of the door and her whole body froze suddenly. Gabriela's eyes widened and lost focus. She gasped softly as the images played on and on in her mind, a swirl of information spearing through her, troubling the stillness of her consciousness. Gabriela drew her hand back in one swift jerk, the motion sending her whole body flying backward. She accidentally knocked over the bag she had brought, its content spilling on the floor, splayed out across the tiles.
With a small mutter of annoyance, Gabriela bent down to pick up the objects one by one, her touch ginger and tentative. It wouldn't do to crush the food before she could actually eat it. Amazing she might be, but a willingness to starve was far out of her grasp. The small cluster of products was deposited on the counter in the kitchen before being divided and stored in the fridge or the pantry, according to their sort.
Turning the water on, Gabriela washed her hands and dried them with a nearby towel. She placed a few tomatoes in the sink, along with some parsley. The onions she left out. She filled a pot with water and placed it on the stove, flickering the fire on. She pulled out a packet of pasta from one of the drawers, after which she turned on the TV. It would be nice to have something on while she cooked, if only to drive away the loneliness.
She was just about to start working on her meal when the phone suddenly rang. Gabriela heaved a sigh and walked over to the ringing device she picked it up and held it close to her ear. "Hello? This is Gabriela Armetta speaking."
"Hey, this is Jeanine Morlan. Carolina's mother. I was to call you half an hour ago." the voice on the other end of the line supplied. Gabriela looked down at her wristwatch and noted that, indeed, the call was rather late. She was, however, in a mood to excuse that. "I hope I am not disturbing."
"Good evening, Mrs. Morlan. You are not disturbing." As son as the words left her mouth, the other woman proceeded to apologise and explain that Caro – so she called her daughter – had been feeling ill and they'd gone on a short trip to the doctor's. Gabriela waited patiently for the explanation to end. "It is no trouble, ma'am." She had, after all, known that Carolina was in the doctor's office when she had passed the small clinic on her way home. "Is Carolina feeling better?"
"That she is," Jeanine Morlan answered. "I understand you wished to speak to me on my daughter's recent performance. Is there something wrong? Something I should be worried about?"
"Not at all. In fact, Carolina has been doing so well that I was wondering if you would like her to participate in a special program." Gabriela stopped, allowing herself to breathe. She waited one more moment before continuing. "I have already spoken to the teacher in charge and she would be glad to have Carolina in her class."
"Oh, I don't know." Jeanine loved her daughter very much and Gabriela was well aware that she would not acquiesce with ease. "Familiarity is what my Caro needs. And you've said it yourself, she has been doing so well lately. I would hate so squander her progress."
That was often the trouble with children such as Carolina. They got accustomed to a certain type of teacher and even grew fond of that person, and, as a consequence, their performance grew to be better and better. But when they changed teachers, sudden faltering had been known to occur. However, in Carolina's case, Gabriela felt very strongly about the move.
"I understand, ma'am, but it is my professional opinion that Carolina would benefit from the change. It would be a needless hampering of her curiosity to hold her back, and it would be disastrous to my other children to proceed at the pace at which Carolina develops." The water was boiling, Gabriela noted. She walked over to the stove, a small frown on her face. She should have turned the thing off. Well, the damage was done. She opened the pasta packet and poured the content in the scalding water while listening top Jeanine speak.
"I know it is very much to ask of you, but, perhaps you could come and give Caro some private lessons. I would be willing to pay the hours generously." The suggestion made Gabriela pause. Jeanina must have taken it for a sign of interest for she continued. "My Caro is very fond of you and I should like it if she had a private tutor. In fact, I am willing to pay to have you as her fulltime tutor after your contract with the school is done."
The institute would not appreciate it. Gabriela closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It is a generous offer, ma'am, but my main subject is English and my skills are reduced to only that. I should think Carolina would be better served by the professional instructors the school provides."
"According to your CV, you hold a bachelor's degree in English and German languages and literature and a degree in law. I would say that qualifies you more than what the other teachers of the institute. I want my daughter to obtain her own degrees when she is older. I think you could help us." Gabriela bit her lip as the words rang in her ears.
"My time with the Institute ends in a month, ma'am. You shall have your answer a couple of weeks before." And that was all she could promise on the matter. Gabriela politely remained by the phone as the woman made her goodbyes and wished her a good evening, before placing the phone back in its holder.
What she contemplated was a dangerous thing. Gabriela stirred the pasta, after which she went on to wash some of the vegetables. She had time to cut them into small pieces, even without hurrying her pace. And as the knife sliced through them, Gabriela considered her choices. She could pack her bags and try finding work in another place, or she could take on the offer she'd been made.
Her tenure with the Institute was undoubtedly at an end. Once the children were officially on vacation, she would need to start looking for another job. And anyway, she had been here for only two years. Not to mention that her presence had not attracted much attention. If anything, the citizens of Volterra proved to be rather uninterested in the English teacher at the Institute for Further Development of Children with Disabilities. Not that Gabriela blamed them any, as she made sure to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. She had enjoyed working with the children, but as her presence was no longer needed – as the teacher whose position she'd assumed came back from her maternity leave – Gabriela though about the proposition in a most serious manner.
Carolina Morlan was a blind girl who she had met in one of the classes she taught English in. Most of the children in that class were rather poor at studying, through no fault of theirs. It was oftentimes difficult to find qualified teacher for such students and the process was frustrating not only for those who wished to teach, but for the children themselves as society tended to make them feel inferior. Carolina had taken a shine to Gabriela and Gabriela too had grown attached to the child.
If anything, she could stay a few years longer in Volterra and afterwards she could travel to the U.S.A. Or maybe she would just East. All in all, the proposition seemed rather promising. She continued with the cooking, every now and again glancing at the TV.
The meagre dinner she had been working on was done soon enough. Gabriela sat down at the table, fork in her hand. She was about to take the first bite of her food when the doorbell rang. This was not her lucky day. The rather bleak realisation brought Gabriel to her feet. She staggered out of the kitchen, pulling the door after her. The hallway was well lit, but for some reason, she could not help but feel apprehensive as she approached her destination. Why would anyone be looking for her?
In the two years in which she'd been staying in Volterra, Gabriela had managed to keep her secret well wrapped and away from prying eyes. Not that the secret could be spotted with ease by anyone who did not know it. And indeed many thought it the stuff of legends, for which reason Gabriela had never been overly concerned about it. It had always sufficed to keep an eye out for potential danger and avoid it.
Gabriela opened the door. She stood straight as a rod when the stark white face appeared before her, red eyes sparkling menacingly in its gaunt shape. A grin bloomed on those lips, somewhat out of place. Gabriela's nostrils flared and she took a small step back.
"Hello, sister," the male voice greeted her. He pushed past her and entered the small apartment without much of a problem, despite Gabriela's defensive stance. "What? Aren't you glad to see me?"
"Simi," she breathed out. "What are you doing here?" Her brother turned around to look at her after he had inspected the mirror hanging on the wall. She offered him an uneasy smile. "You know it's dangerous."
"Relax. I know the rules." He closed the door gently, turning the key in the lock for her. "It smells like pasta in here." He wrinkled his nose. The disgusted expression on his face prompted an amused glance from Gabriela. "I was passing by and I thought I'd drop by and see how you were getting along."
"You could have called." He shrugged at that. Gabriela gave him an exasperated look. "Don't tell me you've ruined this phone too." Simi pulled out a perfectly preserved specimen from his pocket and held it out to her.
"It doesn't work," he told her. "I've tried turning the damned thing on and all it does is buzz and go back to sleep."
"Have you tried recharging it?" By the look on his face she could tell he hadn't. Gabriela merely shook her head. "You're hopeless. Technology shouldn't be so hard to master."
They burst into peels of laughter a moment later and embraced one another, the clutch tight and secure. "I've missed you, sister."
"And I've missed you." Gabriela followed her declaration with a small peck to his cheek. "Come on. Join me in the kitchen."
Pulling a chair out for himself, Simi sat down and Gabriela took her own seat. She managed to take a few bites of the food before she was actually required to participate in the conversation her brother had begun.
"I've seen Ada recently. She sends her greetings." He pulled a small object from his pocket and deposited it on the table.
Gabriela picked it up and closed her fingers around it. The smooth surface dug into her skin and images flashed before her eyes. "She's happy. I'm glad. George is good for her."
"He is," Simi agreed. "Ada wanted to know if you haven't changed your mind about all of this."
"I haven't." Gabriela passed the small stone back to him. "I've actually found a new job. It's good for me."
"It's dangerous," Simi disagreed. "Gabi, you are so close to them. This is insane."
"Relax, brother. I've been around for some time and they know nothing. Besides, it's not like I'm planning to stay here forever. Have you visited the graves?"
"Yes. They've built a park over it. It's nice there." The confession brought a wave of guilt cresting inside of her. Gabriela shook it off. "Monty was with me."
"How is Monty?" Lat time she'd seen him, he had been a newborn, unsure of his own feet and stumbling every two paces or so. But that had been some time ago, half a century past. "I've heard he's found himself a mate."
"He has," Simi confirmed. "She's nice. Lauren's her name. You should come and spend some time with us." He dragged his fingers through his short cropped hair. "I still miss him so much. He wasn't just my creator. He was my father."
"I know." Gabriela placed her hand on his and squeezed lightly. "Sometimes I think I hear him out in the hallway and I'm almost this close to opening the door when I realise it's just a memory. It's strange, isn't it? It's been centuries."
Simi's eyes settled on her face. "You're a wonder Gabriela. A miracle. I hope you know that." For a short moment neither spoke, locked in a small staring contest. Gabriela could see the memories playing behind Simi's eyes. She was the one to look away.
"How long are you staying?" Her appetite was gone. Gabriela stood up and put the food away.
"I was actually called here." The admission pulled Gabriela from what she'd been doing. She twirled around. Simi gave her a small smile. "I'll stay for way longer than you." Unfortunately his attempt to lighten the mood fell flat. Simi seemed to realise it after a moment. His apologetic gaze reached her only a moment later.
"You're horrid." The teasing quality had gone out of her voice however. Gabriela sat back down, crossing her arms over her chest like a sullen child. Her mien, however, was that of a worried mother. "Are you going to accept?"
When the Volturi wanted someone, resistance was pointless. At some point they would have their way. Gabriela drummed her fingers softly against her arm, waiting for a reply, while simultaneously wondering why Simi hadn't been called forth earlier. They had been in existence all this time and the Volturi just now decided to interfere.
"I might." He licked his lips, an unnecessary action, if not an endearing habit. "It's not like I have anything holding me back."
Gabriela looked down at her lap. Her mood had turned pensive. "I do wish the risk was lesser, but if that is your choice, why invite me to spend time with the family? What sense is there in my being with them when you are not there?"
"I was hoping you would try your hand at guiding them. They are of your father's line." Simi held out his hand towards her. "I know that you can do it."
"I do not wish to do it," came her reply. "You know how I feel about their lifestyle."
"There are some who would consider it a blessing," he sighed in response. "But not you. Why? Gabriela, if I accept the position the Volturi are offering me, I could take you as my mate. We could be together, just as father would have wanted us to."
"What my father wanted does not suit me." The conversation was an old one. Gabriela had know not long after her birth that her father had hoped she'd mate with Simi, and together raise a coven so strong the likes of which had never been seen.
Her own plans had been somewhat different. Simi had not protested too much when she had refused. Unlike their father, he was nowhere near as desirous of power. On his part, mating her had been a fancy. And she herself had never felt anything other than the warmest sisterly affection towards him. They had agreed to go their separate ways centuries ago.
"You are certain?" She recognised the finality in his voice. It was the last time he would ask it of her.
A smile lit her face. "Yes. I am sure."Her stomach roiled in protest for some unknown reason. "One day, you shall meet someone you will want for your own. I, however, am not her."
"You really are his blood. Twice as stubborn though." He stood up and reached for the top of her head. It took only a mere moment for his to throw her hair in total disarray.
Barely managing to push his hand away, Gabriel reached for his own tresses. She was, however, stopped by the table between them and the fact that her dear brother was so much taller than her. "And you are just as much of a fool as he was."
"Yes, but I'm a beautiful fool." Like old friends were wont to do, they once more laughed together. Long moments passed before they calmed down once more.
"Your vanity knows no bounds." Gabriela pulled away gently. "Come visit me sometimes, won't you?"
"They might find you then," he teased. His words did hold an edge of worry that Gabriela could not dispel. She could, however, pretend not to hear it.
"They already had a tracker last I heard. I doubt they would want me." The stare Simi threw her way told Gabriela he thought she was selling herself short yet again. Parrying the accusation with her best humble impression, Gabriela inclined her head slightly. "I am but a devout sister of the order, brother. I cannot be expected to display such qualities as your enchanting narcissism."
"Oh, quit that, won't you?" Simi laughed. The blatant allusion to a life she had assumed long ago brought him joy. "You are no longer sworn to the order. And you know what? I am glad of it. I always thought that was one of your more uninspired decisions."
"I rather liked it," Gabriela admitted. "I miss it sometimes. All that praying and the tranquillity."
"And the scent of burned incense, of course." Incense was not among Simi's favourite things.
"Yes," Gabriela answered quickly, just to annoy him.
A/N: So, this is the first chapter. If you have questions, advice, general impression or really anything to say, please do. Constructive criticism is welcome so long as it is delivered in a civilised manner. Other than that I do not know what to say.