Deaf But Now I Hear
Chapter 1
A/N - I hope you enjoy the first restructured chapter. I had some problems with transferring this from a google document to here, so any tips would be greatly appreciated.
The dining table rattled under the force being exerted upon it. As strong as the oaken table was, it was not made to withstand the full might of an angry vampire.
"Damn it, Carlisle!" The Cullen family patriarch held his hands out in an attempt to placate his angry son.
"Edward, I've explained this multiple times to you, to all of you. There is simply no way to get around the five of you attending school." As it was, the five teens sitting around the table were silently seething. Except Edward, he made his displeasure known loud and clear. Alice was currently in Jasper's lap on the right side of the table, and the two were quietly conducting their own conversation under the cover of Edward's snarls. Rosalie had her arms crossed and a petulant frown marred her face. Emmett was sitting opposite from her, looking for all the world like a sculpture hewn from granite.
"Carlisle, there is no reason we should be forced to attend school. We can move in under the cover of night, no one need know we're there!" Carlisle gave a weary sigh and sank back down into his seat at the head of the table. Esme was at his right and she took his hand, rubbing soothing circles on the back of it with her thumb.
"Edward, you know full well why this has to happen. In order to get the house, we needed to fill out forms naming the occupants. I have no doubt that by now, the entire town knows that five teenagers will be moving in along with us. They will expect to see you at school, and make no mistake, questions will be asked if you don't go." Edward was no fool, he knew that this circular argument was getting him nowhere. With a calm that belied his inner turmoil, he retrieved his overturned chair and shoved it back beneath the table and made to leave.
"Edward, sit down and shut up." came the sharp reprimand from Emmett. Emmett hadn't spoken one word since Carlisle had called the family meeting, but his brother's childish behavior was getting under his skin. He stood up, much calmer than Edward had fifteen minutes ago. "It's no one's fault that we have to move again, except for some nosy townspeople who are raising questions we'd rather not answer. So stop kicking up a fuss so the rest of us can start packing." Edward bowed his head and didn't answer. Emmett gave a respectful nod to Carlisle and retook his seat. Carlisle returned the nod and stood up once more.
"Emmett is right, what's done is done. We move tomorrow, so I expect all of you to be ready by then. I am aware that attending school is a thankless task, but it must be done. Perhaps after Forks we can find somewhere remote to settle down, or even return to Denali." Edward wrinkled his nose at that and Emmett had to work to hold back his snort. It seemed that everyone save Carlisle was aware of Tanya's advances toward the bronze-haired Cullen.
With his piece said, Carlisle exited the room followed by his wife. The other four followed his lead and split off to their own rooms to pack, leaving Edward alone. He remained seated, musing over the implications of yet another move. It was unavoidable, as Carlisle had said. He just didn't prefer to be trapped inside a building for seven hours with numerous teens going through puberty. Shaking his head, Edward rose once more and strode forward, intent upon following Carlisle's instructions. He knew how abominably he had acted toward his father figure and intended to make it up to him.
-oOoOo-
The rising sun peeked its head above the treeline, casting its light into the darkest of shadows. Slivers of light crept through the blinds of a window, finding its way into a bedroom and slinking their way across a wooden floor until they fell upon the form of a sleeping girl.
A small smile appeared on her face, looking entirely at peace. Being woken by the sun was a rare treat in the perpetually cloudy town that was Forks. Bella kept her eyes closed, reveling in the unexpected warmth. This was her favorite part of the day. No incessant chirping nor wing beats of the avian wildlife invaded her peaceful bubble of silence. The traditional bangs and occasional muttered curses from her father puttering about in the kitchen were lost upon her. Genuine escape from the noises of daily life was a gift she often took the time to appreciate.
Eyes still closed, she flexed her fingers, running them across the slightly worn fabric of her favorite blanket. The pads of her fingertips brushed across each knot and stitch that had gone into the making of it. She then moved onto the coarser texture of her mattress cover, feeling the coolness that came from the lack of body heat it had been exposed to. Her fingernails snagged on invisible loose stitches and she gently worked her hands free each time.
This was how she began her mornings; exploring her world without sight or sound, relying on her remaining senses to guide her. The sheer vastness that awaited beyond her home could get overwhelming unless she took the time to take notice of the little things. And so she did.
Her fingers met with an oblong lump that had been shoved beneath her covers the night before. The object started vibrating, startling her. Her eyes popped open and she took a moment to adjust to the sight of her white ceiling. A source of light seemed to be flickering on and off, illuminating the flat expanse every other second. With a groan of annoyance, she flipped over to slam the snooze button on her alarm. Her bed creaked in protest as she settled back into place.
Bella considered just unhooking the nuisance. She understood the need, seeing as she couldn't hear traditional alarms, and yet it was getting old, having to be startled awake by a vibrating disc and a flashing light. At least it does the job.
She used one hand to yank her blanket back up around her while the other started tracing random patterns upon her pillow. She considered what school would bring for her that day. The Forks gossip mill had been working overtime since some fool had gone around proclaiming that Forks would be gaining another family today, of seven no less. She didn't really put much stock into what gossip reached her. Half of it was about her, thanks to Lauren, and the other half was generally ridiculous products of certain other rumor mongers.
The disc started violently rocking again, forcing Bella out of her musings. She gave the evil thing a baleful glare but it continued vibrating away, seemingly intent upon getting Bella out of bed. Wincing as her feet hit the freezing floor, Bella padded over to her nightstand and gladly switched off the specialized alarm. She then made her way to the bathroom, where a warm shower beckoned.
-oOoOo-
Charlie Swan was in the kitchen downstairs, attempting to make some toast for himself and his daughter. Judging from the wisps of black steam issuing from the toaster, he didn't think he'd succeeded.
Footsteps upon the stairs alerted him to Bella's presence and he hastened to remove any signs of his botched breakfast. He had managed to remove and throw away one piece of thoroughly blackened toast and was about to toss the other when the sound of a throat being cleared stopped him in his tracks. Charlie winced and guiltily turned around to see Bella's accusing eyes fixed upon him while attaching her left implant to the side of her head.
"Really, Dad? Haven't the past sixteen years of failed cooking attempts taught you anything?" came the soft reprimand as Bella fully entered the kitchen.
"Hey now, don't discount the possibility of a miracle." Charlie countered, grinning cheekily while Bella just sighed in exasperation. He seized that moment to throw away the last piece of evidence and then plopped down at the counter, gesturing for Bella to join him. She shook her head and went to the pantry, removing a box of Pop-Tarts.
"Angela's coming by to pick me up soon anyway. This is the quicker option." Bella assured her father.
"I suppose so." Charlie acquiesced. His daughter was becoming more independent and he didn't know what to make of it. He'd been taking care of her since she was born. It was hard to give up habits that were ingrained in him after more than a decade.
Bella went to grab her backpack from the hall, munching on a Pop-Tart as she went. She had barely touched the straps when a horn blared from the driveway. Far from being startled, Bella just grinned, knowing that this was Angela's way of getting her attention, unsubtle though it was.
"Have a good day Bells." Charlie's head popped into the hall, grinning at his daughter. Bella smiled back, wishing him the same before slipping out of the house to greet her long-time friend. The familiar strains of conversation between the two floated through the screen door before Charlie closed the door and returned to the kitchen.
Charlie decided to take a package of Pop-Tarts himself, knowing that he only had fifteen minutes before he absolutely had to be on the road to the station. He sat alone at the kitchen table, the crunching of Pop-Tarts the only sound that permeated the silence. He wondered at how he'd done by Bella since her mother had left when she was two. The only explanation he had received was a hastily scrawled note found atop the covers of their bed.
Charlie,
I'm so sorry for leaving without explanation. You're a good man, and deserve more than me. I love Bella with all my heart, but I'm not what that girl needs. What do I know of raising children, much less a deaf child? I need to get away, and hope you can forgive me. I know you'll do a better job of raising our daughter than I ever could.
With love,
Renee
This had been fourteen years ago, and he had seen neither hide nor hair of his former wife since. The only communication since had been when she sent divorce papers for him to sign. He had done so, knowing that he had to set her free if he truly wanted her to move on. The only picture of her he still had was kept in a locked drawer in his bedroom. The picture had been taken on their wedding day by Billy Black. He took it out often to see her, to see the pure happiness radiating from her face. He had know that Renee was flighty at the time of course, but even he as a well-known pessimist had never conjured up a scenario in which she would abandon him and a toddler to chase after more of her flights of fancy.
He had made sure that Bella grew up never wanting for love. The two took frequent trips down to the reservation and Bella enjoyed spending time with the La Push boys, rowdy though they were. Bella was growing up, and didn't need him quite as much anymore. He had to accept that. He worried though, especially today when five new students were going to be introduced to her school. He had heard the rumors too, as the Chief of Police he had to be connected to the public. Unfortunately, that also included the infamous rumor mill. He had just finished the last bite of his Pop-Tart when his watch chirped, letting him know that he had to get going. He stood up and got himself together. Enough.
Charlie was determined to see this as the beginning of a new era in their lives. He had no clue how right he was.
-oOoOo-
