Summary: Twenty years has passed since the end of Bitter Sunrise. The three covens reunite in Forks. What happens when the family gets back together and what does the future hold for them all?
Rating: M for adult themes
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or events you recognise from the Twilight books. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.
Characters: To refresh you, or if you haven't read Midnight Shadows, Endless Dawn and Bitter Sunrise, here is the character list-
Cullen Coven-(Lives in Volterra, Italy)
Carlisle Cullen
Esme Cullen
Lucas Cullen (Carlisle and Esme's son)
Edward Cullen
Bella Cullen
Renesmee Cullen
McCarty Coven-(Lives in Fort Nelson, Canada)
Emmett McCarty
Rosalie Hale
Jackson Hale (Rosalie's brother)
Angelica 'Angel' McCarty (Emmett and Rosalie's oldest daughter)
Jackalette 'Letty' McCarty (Emmett and Rosalie's youngest daughter)
Whitlock Coven-(Lives in Denali, Alaska)
Jasper Whitlock
Alice Whitlock
Oliver Brandon (Alice's son)
Stella Brandon (Oliver's wife)
Brandon Whitlock (Jasper and Alice's son)
Sierra Whitlock (Jasper and Alice's daughter)
CHAPTER ONE
Esme stood by the window of the tower room she shared with Carlisle, and looked out over the sunset-washed town of Volterra. It felt like only a month earlier when they had moved their coven to the Italian city so Carlisle could join the new democratic vampire council and Esme had been surprised when Carlisle had pointed out the night before that they had been there for nearly twenty years.
That also meant that although they had all stayed in phone contact, it had been twenty years since the Cullen family had all been together. Esme assumed that Emmett and Jasper and their covens visited one another regularly but the Volterra coven had never found the time to go back and none of them had ever come to Italy. The only exception had been her son Lucas, who had spent the last five summers in Denali with the Whitlock coven. As she thought of her son, there was a knock on the door and Esme could sense it was Lucas.
"Come in," she called out as she turned away from the window view.
"Hey Mom," Lucas grinned as he stepped into the room and pushed the door shut behind him.
"What have you been up to today?" Esme smiled as she walked over and sank down onto a large couch in the middle of the room. She watched as Lucas joined her and it was still hard to believe that this attractive man was the biological son of herself and Carlisle, their own little miracle.
"I've been helping Dad and Uncle Edward," Lucas explained as he sat down next to her. "They are getting things ready for the voting next month. Dad said that thousands turned up last time. Is that right?"
"It is," Esme nodded.
"Do you think Dad will run for council again?" Lucas asked.
"I'm not sure," Esme admitted. "He is still struggling with the decision himself. Part of him feels that it is someone else's turn."
"Not all the council members feel that way," Lucas pointed out.
"I know," Esme nodded. "Your father will make up his mind and we will support whatever decision he does make."
"Of course," Lucas smiled. "But it won't change our trip will it?"
"Not at all," Esme assured him. "Edward and your father have already cleared it with the other council members to be away for a month. Our flights are booked, our luggage is packed. We will fly out on Friday as planned."
"I can't wait!" Lucas grinned.
"You miss Brandon don't you?" Esme asked softly. During his stays in Denali, Lucas had bonded with Brandon and the two boys were the best of friends.
"Yeah I do," Lucas admitted. "But it isn't just seeing Brandon. I miss Aunt Alice and Uncle Jazz and See too. And I haven't even met anyone from the other coven."
"The McCarty coven," Esme reminded him as she thought of Rosalie and Emmett and their family.
"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "It will be so cool to have our whole family together again."
"Yes," Esme murmured. "Yes it will."
XXX
Friday soon arrived and Esme left the castle in Volterra in a limousine with Carlisle and Lucas and Edward, Bella and Renesmee. Over the years they had resided in Volterra Bella and Esme had become close and they had watched proudly as Lucas grew to a full grown man and Renesmee had blossomed into a beautiful woman. As the car zipped down the hillside, Esme glanced at Renesmee and smiled as her eyes locked with the younger woman's deep green eyes. Her bright red hair cascaded down her shoulders and contrasted nicely with the green shirt she was wearing. She knew her granddaughter, as she affectionately called Renesmee, was looking forward to returning to Forks and catching up with the rest of the family, and most importantly, with Jacob.
When the car arrived at the airport the family took advantage of the early evening to slip into the terminal and they hurried to catch the flight that would reunite them with the other two sections of their family.
XXX
Emmett was standing outside the house as he struggled to fit the suitcases piled next to the car into the luggage space of his Jeep. He sensed Rosalie approaching behind him and he turned and flashed her an annoyed grimace.
"I thought I told the girls one suitcase each?" he asked as he shoved another bag into the luggage space.
"You did," Rosalie laughed. "But you failed to stipulate that you meant one luggage item each. They only have one suitcase each. The carry bags, makeup cases and shoe bags are your downfall."
"Remind me again why we have two girls?" Emmett groaned.
"Because we love them," Rosalie smiled.
"Yeah, we do," Emmett admitted grudgingly. As Rosalie snuggled into his arms for a hug Jackson walked out of the house behind them and he started laughing when he saw all the luggage.
"The girls?" he grinned affectionately as he tossed his one small travel bag into the back of the car.
"Of course," Emmett nodded.
"Daddy, don't forget my makeup!" a voice called and they all turned as Angel raced from the house. She was the splitting image of Rosalie, except for her long, brown hair, which she had inherited from Emmett.
"Don't I already have your makeup?' Emmett frowned as he held up a black makeup case.
"No, Daddy, that's mine," another voice giggled as their youngest daughter, Letty, followed Angel from the house. She was similar looking to her sister with Rosalie's figure and size but she had more McCarty in her and was the apple of her father's eye.
"Then whose is the pink one?" Emmett asked, confused.
"That's mine too," Letty grinned but her grin fell when she saw Emmett frown. "Please Daddy? I couldn't fit it all into one bag. I need it all!"
"I'll make it fit," Emmett grumbled and Rosalie stifled a laugh at him. Since Letty was a baby he had been unable to stand seeing her sad and Rosalie constantly had to be on guard that her daughter didn't abuse Emmett's affection to get her own way.
"See why I'm single bro," Jackson teased. "You have three women in your life. You're mad!"
"Uncle Jackson!" Angel frowned playfully.
"Just kidding Angel face," Jackson winked and planted a kiss on his niece's head before climbing into the car.
"So is this it?" Emmett asked hopefully as he shoved the case Angel was carrying into the luggage space.
"That's it," Rosalie nodded. As Emmett slammed the doors shut Rosalie followed her daughters to the side of the car and the family hurried to climb into the Jeep so they could head off to Forks for the family reunion.
XXX
Jasper walked into the bedroom and smiled when he saw the pile of suitcases Alice had packed for their trip to Forks.
"Sweetheart, you don't really think that is all going to fit do you?" Jasper teased.
"It has to," Alice frowned. "I've bought so many gifts for everyone. I have to take them."
"I'll make it work," Jasper murmured as he eyed the pile of bags. He noticed Alice's eyes glaze over and when they refocused he felt a sliver of worry and concern come from her.
"Sweetheart what did you see?" Jasper frowned.
"Nothing important Jazz," Alice smiled at him. "Just something Oliver forgot. If I don't remind him Stella will be very upset with him. I'll just go speak with him."
"All right sweetheart," Jasper nodded, his attention taken from her as he tried to work out how he was going to fit all the bags in and he didn't notice that she wasn't being completely truthful with him.
Alice slipped quickly from the room and hurried down the hall to the room her oldest son shared with his wife. She tapped on the door and moments later Stella pulled the door open and smiled at her.
"Are we ready Alice?" Stella asked.
"Not yet," Alice sighed. "I need a word with you and Oliver."
"Sure, come on in," Stella grinned and stepped back so Alice could slip into the room. "Is everything okay?"
"Not really," Alice murmured as she glanced across the room at Oliver, who was sitting on the bed, an open suitcase in front of him. "I need your help. Brandon and Sierra have gone into Anchorage. I've just seen it."
"Didn't Dad forbid them to go there alone after last time?" Oliver frowned.
"Exactly," Alice nodded. "I don't want our family fighting during the reunion. Could you go and fetch them and bring them home before Jazz discovers they are gone?"
"Of course I can Mom," Oliver nodded. "Where are they?"
"The same nightclub we found them in last time," Alice whispered.
"I'll take care of it Mom," Olive promised and left the packing to Stella and hurried out of the house.
"Are you okay Alice?" Stella whispered once she was alone with her mother in law.
"I'm just worried about my children," Alice admitted with a sigh. "Sierra is so young, too young to be at a nightclub. Even Brandon shouldn't be there."
"They do look out for one another very well," Stella reminded her.
"I know," Alice nodded. Her younger two children had been a handful in recent years as they matured into adults. In looks they both took after their parents, Brandon with Jasper's looks and Alice's hair and eyes, and Sierra a mirror image of Alice except for the blonde hair she got from her father. Although they had both inherited Jasper's gift of emotion and mood control they had also inherited Alice's zest for fun and they were always getting into trouble together.
XXX
Jasper, Stella and Alice were loading bags into Alice's Porsche and Oliver's SUV when Oliver, Brandon and Sierra stepped out of the tree line that surrounded the house.
"Where have you all been?" Jasper frowned as he noticed them.
"We just went for a quick hunt," Oliver lied easily as he glanced at his younger siblings. "See's eyes were black."
"Good idea," Jasper nodded and glanced at Sierra. "Better now?"
"Much," Sierra smiled. Alice gave both Sierra and Brandon a stern look and they both knew they would be in trouble the next time their mother got them on their own.
"Make sure you all have everything," Jasper announced, oblivious to the secrets being kept from him. "I want to leave here in five minutes." The family scrambled into the house to check for any last minute items and once they had everything and the house was locked up Jasper and Alice got into the Porsche, Oliver, Stella, Brandon and Sierra got into the SUV and the Whitlock coven started the long trip back to Forks for the family reunion.