DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Twilight. The lovely Stephenie Meyer does.
FULL SUMMARY (!): One day while going back home from his meadow, Edward finds a young girl named Bella. Her mother had abandoned her. Unfortunately, he could not trace the mother's scent because it was raining. He decides to take her home to meet his family. The Cullens adopt her. Years later after the adoption, the Cullens realize that her abandonment was because of threats made by the Volturi. But what do they want with Bella? Also, will Edward fall for this young, human woman? Will she fall for the vampire in return?
Love is Found in the Most Mysterious Places
Chapter 1: The Lost and Found
EPOV (Edward's point of view):
I decided to leave because it had started raining. While running through the woods on my way back from my meadow, I heard a small cry. A child's cry. Under normal circumstances, I would have continued to go home to my family. But something was different. I had no idea as to what it could possibly be, but something pulled me towards the sound. It was as though I absolutely needed to find what made that terribly unhappy noise.
I changed direction from my original course and went east, instead of continuing to go west. I heard the noise again, only this time the child made a coherent sentence.
"Mommy, where are you?" The young child cried. It sounded like the voice of a young girl.
I tried to tune into what I assumed was a little girl's mind, but I couldn't hear her. Was I too far away from her? I tried again after running about another few hundred yards, only to have the same result. Why? Why couldn't I read the child's mind? This dilemma only pushed my curiosity further. I decided to debate with myself later because I was only about forty feet away from her.
Walking at a normal, "human" pace, I went towards the child. She was huddled in front of a large oak tree. Her eyes were somewhat bloodshot from weeping and tears streamed down her heart-shaped face. The poor darling didn't have a jacket on, and it was only about forty five degrees Fahrenheit. She looked up and saw me. At first she looked frightened, but I put my hands up as quickly as the average human male would, wanting her to know that I wouldn't harm her. I slowly continued to walk until I was about ten feet from her. I smiled in a friendly manner to try to let her know that she would be safe around me. I inhaled through my nose before speaking to her, and I could feel the venom slowly start to pool into my mouth. I swallowed in disgust at myself. I had just hunted two days ago. She smelled wonderful, but the scent wasn't overpowering. The scent was like flowers and fruits. Freesias and strawberries, perhaps?
"Hello," I said quietly in my most non-scary voice. Then again, who would ever want to frighten this lovely, beautiful child? Well, I certainly wouldn't want to. "My name is Edward Cullen. What is your name?"
She looked up at me from under her wet lashes. She sniffed and then paused, seeming unsure if she should answer me or not. I waited patiently for a response from the girl. Her mouth opened and closed, seeming to be unsure still. I guessed that her parents had told her to not speak with strangers. She finally answered me after about a minute or so. "Isabella Swan. But I like Bella better." Her little soprano voice was utterly adorable. It sounded like bells. Her name most definitely suited her.
"Do you know where your mother is? What about your father?" Her parents couldn't possibly have lost her? Could they?
"I don't know where Mommy is, but I think Daddy's at home." She said, her face scrunching up in concentration. She looked down and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt. Was that really sanitary? She could get pink eye or something possibly worse from doing that. She looked so human, so fragile. I shook my head, trying to focus on trying to find a solution for her. It didn't really occur to me that I could just continue running home and forget the little girl that sat huddled in front of an oak tree in the forest, all alone. I felt like I was obligated to help her for some reason, or that I physically couldn't leave her here unprotected.
"Well, do you remember the last time you saw either of them?" I wondered.
She nodded vigorously. "Me and mommy went hiking. She put me here after the rain started up," she patted the tree with her little hand twice, "and said to wait for somebody to find me. But Momma never came back…" Bella trailed off, her voice breaking at the end. She continued sobbing silently.
It sounded as though she had been abandoned by her mother. At first, I thought of returning the girl to her mother. But unfortunately, I couldn't smell her mother's scent because of the rain. Even if I did find some way to return her to the mother she might be taken to an adoption center or be abandoned again. After thinking for a few more moments, an idea hit me. It probably wasn't the best solution for her, but it was the best I could think of.
"Bella, would you like to come home with me to meet my family? I promise we will not hurt you. We will take care of you for the time being, if you like." She arched a brow delicately.
"Cross your heart?" She asked skeptically.
"About what?" I asked.
"You won't hurt me?" She suddenly looked very vulnerable, and I hastened to get her home. She was shivering now because it was so cold from the weather. Why hadn't I remembered and offered her my jacket that I didn't need?
"No, I won't hurt you. Cross my heart." And I'm already dead. Technically. "Will you come home with me to meet my family?" I asked again. She replied with a timid nod.
I quickly shrugged out of my jacket. The poor little dear would probably be sick tomorrow or perhaps the day after that. I put it around her tiny shoulders. She inhaled deeply and I chuckled quietly. After wrapping her up in the jacket like a cocoon, I scooped her up and gathered her in my arms. I was about to start running when I stopped moving suddenly. I did not wish her to tell anyone how fast I could run in the future when she was at the adoption agency or back with her parents.
"Will you close your eyes for me, Bella?" I asked. She nodded as she closed her tiny eye lids. I ran as fast as I could while still trying to keep her warm. The wind probably wouldn't help her from getting sick. Carlisle would most likely get her some medicine, though. Dimetapp or Airborne could help if she did get sick. Or we could give her some before she went to sleep tonight… that is if she was still in our care… I slowed my pace as I neared the house. My mind vaguely traveled back in time to remember when Emmett was so excited about watching wrestling on a television with colors for the first time that he had tackled down the wall... and my piano. I winced even after all this time. I ran the hand that wasn't holding Bella through my hair in frustration; that had been the best piano that I had ever owned! I quickly grabbed my key in my pants pocket and unlocked the door. Not that we needed that kind of security, it was all for show – we were a houseful of vampires, after all. After opening the door, I peeked inside. I noted to myself that Aro was finally gone as Alice came rushing down the stairs squealing, "I HAVE A NEW SISTER TO SHOP FOR!"
"Alice," I replied icily, "You know that she is only staying here temporarily until we can find the mother or otherwise an adoption agency." I only half meant what I was saying even though my voice sounded absolutely sure of my decision. I felt some strange pull toward the child. It almost seemed like she belonged to be with us.
"Oh no," She smirked, and put her arms around Bella possessively and then tugged her from my grasp. I wondered if she saw right through me, if she knew I wanted Bella to stay with us too. She pecked the girl's forehead softly after moving the hood of the jacket out of the way of her cold lips. "You know Rosalie has always wanted a child, and I'm certain Esme would be more than willing to adopt another child for our family."
"CHILD?" I heard Rosalie screech from upstairs. She sprinted down the stairs, her blonde curls bounced around her face all the way down, and stopped beside Alice to look at Bella. Carefully, as though she thought little Bella would break, she took her from Alice's hold. She eagerly, but slowly stroked Bella's long, brown hair, while giving her a loving look. "Hello dear. My name is Rosalie. Would you like to stay with us?" Rosalie's thoughts were anxious as she awaited Bella's answer, but she hid it well. She looked perfectly at ease.
Hasn't the girl been abandoned by her mother? I wasn't really paying attention until Alice said 'child'. Rosalie asked me with her thoughts. I nodded my head slightly. Her expression darkened, but then went back to normal after a split second.
"What about my momma?" Bella asked sadly. A single tear fell down her little cheek. Rosalie kissed it away sweetly.
"Yes, what if the mother changes her mind and can't find Bella?" I addressed Alice because Rosalie would just say that we should keep her anyway. After what had happened to her with Royce, she seemed to not care about humans at all. But she always had quite a soft spot for children, especially younger children.
"She won't look for Bella. Trust me, Edward." Alice answered me too quietly for Bella to hear as she looked from Rosalie, to Bella, and then back to me. Alice looked over to Rosalie. Then, in her usual, perky voice, she exclaimed, "It's settled then. I'll go shopping. Edward, do you mind if I put her bed in your room for now?" Alice turned back to me again. I shook my head. Of course I didn't mind. Alice went to the closet and donned her coat. Just as she went to leave, we heard Esme walking calmly down the staircase.
"What's settled, my dears?" She asked. Then her eyes slid down to look at Rosalie holding little Bella.
"Oh my… Carlisle!" Esme exclaimed as a small smile slowly started to take form on her lips. Her hand went over her frozen heart as though to calm it unnecessarily.
Carlisle walked over from the kitchen in order to stand beside his wife. "Yes Esme?" he asked curiously. Esme ran over to Rosalie, and lightly put her hand on Bella's shoulder. "Could we have another daughter, Carlisle? Oh, wait. Who found her? What had happened to her?" Now Esme looked very confused.
I shrugged my shoulders slightly. "I found her when I was coming home from my meadow in the woods. I heard her crying, so I changed directions and went to her. Then, when I found her, she basically told me that her mother abandoned her."
"Well, if the mother doesn't want her, then I do." Esme said, almost fiercely. She lightly grabbed Bella from Rosalie. I heard Carlisle silently start to head back to his study – whatever decision Esme made was the decision he would agree with.
"Don't you think we should call her mother and see if she wants her child back? Perhaps she changed her mind…" I trailed off suggestively. Alice shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"No, I already told you, she won't. Besides, I've already had a vision of that. Edward calls a woman named Renee Swan, and she tells him to adopt her or put Bella in the local adoption agency." Alice said all of this too quietly for Bella to hear. Esme gasped in surprise; she thought that any mother would want her own child back.
"I still say that we should call to give Renee another chance." I insisted.
"Fine. But I'm going to say that I told you so." Alice replied smugly.
"I'm sure you will, Alice. I'm sure you will." Never bet against Alice, unless you want to lose.
Alice turned and skipped toward the window. She whipped out her cell phone and called Jasper. She wanted to warn him and Emmett about Bella being in the house. She called and explained what had happened to Bella, and then told Jasper to hunt more since they were already hunting, just in case. Then, Rosalie snatched the phone from Alice's grasp when Alice started repeating for the fiftieth time how much she loved Jasper. Rosalie slammed the phone shut, though softly enough to not break it.
"What did you do that for?" Alice demanded.
"We all know that you love your Jazzy. I mean, we all hear about it every night." Alice arched a brow, thinking about how Bella was in the same room when Rose said that. She shrugged and grabbed her phone and stuffed it into her pocket swiftly. As the two continued to argue, I shook my head in wonder. One minute, women were friends. The next, they were at each other's throats. And in this family, that saying could be taken very seriously.
"You want to go, midget?" I heard Rosalie ask haughtily. I tuned into her mind. She was thinking about how Alice had borrowed her favorite pair of silver stilettos last week and had never given them back. I had wondered if Alice had borrowed them because Emmett had stopped calling her 'shortie' and instead started calling her 'homey sis'. His newest mania was to call everyone either 'homey bro' or 'homey sis'. Hopefully, he would stop this within a few weeks, but sadly it had been a week and a half since the madness had started.
Alice's expression changed as I watched from Rosalie's point of view. "Where are we going to go? Shopping?" Then she gasped and her eyes widened. "I never left to buy a bed for Bella!"
Rosalie suddenly forgot all violent thoughts. "Oh no! We've got to get going!"
Alice ran back to the closet hastily as she put her coat on that she had forgotten was resting in her arms. She grabbed Rosalie's coat and rushed back to her. Alice helped Rosalie put her coat on, and the two started to run to the door.
"Wait! I want to go too – I've been thinking about redecorating the dining room, anyway, but we'll just redecorate Edward and Bella's room. Edward, you don't mind sharing a room with Bella do you? I know Alice already asked you this, but I just wanted to make sure, dear. We could always add another room to the house eventually." Esme looked at me with a very motherly expression.
I was still a little dazed from the entire scene from Rosalie and Alice when I answered Esme. "No, of course I wouldn't mind sharing a room with Bella, Esme. I'll even help you redecorate." I truthfully answered. I wanted Bella to have a nice room, even if that meant painting the walls pink or some other feminine color. "Actually, it's probably best that you aren't thinking of adding another room yet. I still need to call Renee. I just got a bit distracted from something." I looked pointedly at Alice and Rosalie. Esme smiled a little and shook her head and the two.
"Were you two arguing again?" Esme asked with a bemused expression. Then, she looked more serious as she said, "It's not healthy for a family to fracas so much."
"Sorry, Mom." They both said. Then Alice looked at me, slightly irked. "And I already told you, what? Three times now? Renee doesn't want Bella back in her care." She had lowered her voice when she said this so that Bella, who was still in the same room, didn't hear her say this, but then it went back to normal. "Honestly Edward, don't you think my visions are accurate? I know, I know. You're still thinking about the time that Emmett and I took you to that Latest and Greatest Inventions Convention last year and that college girl kept following you around. Alright! I admit it! I knew she was going to do that, but Emmett promised me that he wouldn't call me 'shortie' for a whole week if I didn't say anything to you about it!"
My jaw dropped. "You knew about that?"
Alice sheepishly smiled at me. "Yeah. But Emmett said-"
"Alice," I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to control my temper. "Did you know that I had to not only change my phone number, but my e-mail address as well?" It was still a mystery to me. How did that woman find out that kind of personal information? I had guessed she had looked me up on the internet, but now I had to wonder. Did Emmett give her that stuff? It seemed like something he would do. I made a mental note to myself to get back at him. Soon.
Alice looked sad. "I'm sorry, Edward." I frowned, still angry at my favorite sister.
"Alright, but you have to help me get back at Emmett for me." I finally said.
"Yay! Thanks, Edward!" She ran over and hugged me. I wasn't a very physical kind of person, so I automatically stiffened.
"Oh. Sorry." She apologized again. "But you'll like hugs in a few years!" She winked at me and started waltzing to the door.
"Alice, what do you mean? Alice?" I asked worriedly.
"Edward?" A little soprano voice asked. My expression immediately softened as I looked at Bella. From the back of my mind, I realized Esme looked a little confused at this. She looked over to Rosalie. Rosalie shrugged, not taking her eyes away from Bella.
"Yes?" I asked her. She frowned; her expression was so adorable.
"You never forgave Alice." She looked at me expectantly, waiting for me.
"What? Oh! Alice, I forgive you."
"Thank you, Edward." Alice beamed.
"Can I come and pick out the bed too?" Bella asked shyly. She dried some more of her tears and sniffed again.
"Of course you can, Bella. Why didn't we think of that in the first place?" Esme asked herself. She scooped Bella up in her arms and ran over to open the door. "Let's go!" And with that, I was the only one in the house. But then, I saw through Alice's mind that Bella would need to use the bathroom before they left. In other words, by the time I had hung up from talking with Renee Swan on the phone, Bella and Alice would be opening the door. I hoped the vision Alice had had was, for once, inaccurate. I walked over to the coffee table and grabbed the phone book. I sat down on the nearby couch and grabbed my cell phone as I flipped through the pages. Finding the only phone number with the name Swan in the phone book, I dialed it. After about three rings, someone picked up the phone.
"Hello! Swan residence!" A young woman practically sang into the receiver. It seemed like the cheery voice was forced, but I ignored that. It probably wasn't important. She and her husband were most likely in the middle of arguing about something unimportant. At any rate, that was what most married couples fought about – unimportant things.
"Renee Swan?" I inquired. I knew I dialed the right number, but it was customary to ask who someone was when the phone was answered. That is, it was customary when the telephone was first invented. I assumed humans still went by this tradition.
"Why, yes. Yes, it is." She answered, wary now. I guessed she thought that this conversation was going to be about something serious. Unfortunately because of the fact that we were talking on a phone, I couldn't read her mind. That always made conversation a bit more difficult for me, because I had to ask people the questions I would normally ask, but then I would have to wonder whether they told the truth or not.
"Good afternoon. My name is Edward Cullen. Earlier today, I was hiking through the woods. While walking, I found a young girl by the name of Isabella Swan. I believe she is your daughter. What time do you wish for me to take her back to your home?" I did not want to give this Renee an option as to whether or not she should keep her own daughter. I also half wanted to get rid of the strange "pull" I felt toward Bella. It just wasn't healthy.
"Oh, Mr. Cullen, I'm so sorry. You see, my husband and I don't want the thing." THING? I thought. "Would you like to adopt her? If you don't, just go ahead and put her in the adoption agency."
"I see. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Swan." I said, venom pooling into my mouth from anger. I could barely control my actions when I, as softly as I could, hung up the phone. I was angry because Renee did not want to keep the most beautiful little girl in the entire world. Just then, Alice and Bella walked into the room. Bella held her hand and looked up at Alice as she grinned.
"I told you so!" Alice said, right on cue, as usual.
"Darn pixie." I muttered. They left the house as soon as Bella was finished, leaving me all alone again. In some ways, I liked the peaceful silence. But other times, it was a comfort to know that there were people you knew and trusted nearby. I just didn't like to hear their... sometimes indecent thoughts about each other. I shuddered.
Thanks for reading the first chapter of this story! :) I'm going to update as soon as I can. I'm in the middle of chapter… I think three. But I need to finish editing chapter two.
~Candycane