Having grown up the son of a cultmaster, Carlisle Cullen knew a thing or two about men like Masen. There was no getting out once they had you in their crosshairs. So he operates within the limits of what was there to work with. It was how he'd gotten out from under his father's thumb. William Barkland was a charismatic sonofabitch, and Carlisle shook his head with every man and woman who dared to enter their compound. They were all so very naive, and would more than likely be burned at the stake when they failed his father's tests. Tests of God, he called them. Are you a witch? He insisted. Are you a witch... Carlisle snorted. His father was crazy, for sure. And yet... He was selfish enough that the sparing praise he got for putting out the fires and making sure everyone stayed on line was good enough for him. He'd never been a good person. It came with the territory.
Esme had been the last straw. She came in with her husband, Charles, who believed every drop of Pastor Barkland's rhetoric, and shoved it down his wife's throat as often as he could. But she was strong, resisted the brainwashing. Her strength made him take stock. Some, more than others, were scared out of their wits. So he'd get them out.
He got them out alright. His father had a mental break and burned the compound to the ground, his faithful disciples in there with him. Carlisle had hidden the scared ones; men, women, all of the children. He'd never personally burned children before, but his father had. The one time he begged for it to stop, he got his lashes worth. And was branded (quite literally) traitor. From then on, he didn't ask. Every single child was hidden in his section of the compound, given whatever they needed for as long as they needed.
So when Carlisle escaped the compound with the Scarred Disciples, he went straight for the police. The people were returned to their rightful families, and everything turned out far better than he'd hoped.
They never arrested him. He kept waiting, asking why. He knew he'd done wrong, and plenty of it.
"You were against your father from the moment you figured out how to reason. And you went along to get along." The detective in charge of his case informed him. "I see it all the time."
It didn't change the fact that he killed people, but if they wanted to cast aside human life so easily, let them. He wouldn't.
He got to keep his old last name. Everyone knew who Pastor Barkland was, but no one knew William Cullen. No one knew Carlisle. Good thing, too. It made it easier to do simple things, like go to the grocery store without getting weird looks or sympathetic stares. He was set up in a nice house, courtesy of Esme's inheritance. Her mother's, she assured him. He knew all about her father. Masen and Barkland could have been the same man. It didn't change the fact that she stayed with him. Of her own merit, too. He would forever question her sanity, but he'd play along. She was wonderful to be around, and he could see why Charles had fallen for her so easily.
Well, aside from the part where Charles was an abusive asshole and Esme was... his wife. She'd been his victim, but never a victim. That wasn't who she was. Sometimes it made Carlisle sick, just how alike he and Charles were.
"Well, the second you even look like you're about to hit me, I'm putting you flat on your ass. How's that?"
Carlisle had insisted on it.
With that in mind, it's easy to see how he became a doctor. He was done hurting people.
But all that was nothing in the face of what he'd found when he walked through his front door at ten in the morning.
"Are we adopting this one too?" He asked. Esmeralda Cullen (nee Platt nee… well, we don't talk about Evanson) was a fixer in every sense of the word. That wasn't to say that she actively sought out broken people, but more that they gravitated to her, and she almost always had the right words to soothe them and send them back out into the world, ready to conquer everything in it. Some, as with the case of Carlisle's nephew and niece, decided to stay.
Esme's next words chilled him to the core.
"We'll have to. She's one of us."
Of fucking course she was…
"How old are you?"
"Seventeen, Pastor."
He never felt more like his father than in these situations…
"My official title is Doctor, but if you're feeling comfortable enough, feel free to call me by my name."
"If you insist, Dr. Cullen." The girl murmured, ducking to avoid his gaze.
"Chin up, kid. There's nothing to fear when you're with me."
Esme grinned knowingly. Carlisle would always accept those who needed his help.
"What's your name, kid? How old are you and where do you stay?"
"I…" The girl choked out, flustered.
"Name." He offered gently.
"I have none. My mother joined the pastor's compound when I was eight years old and the Burning happened a year later."
"Is that what they call it…" Carlisle scoffed darkly. "What have you been called? How have you lived?"
"There was a man who cared for me after the Burning. I confess that I don't remember much of my early years, mostly what I've been told. But the man was called Swan and he called me Bella. But he was the only one to do so. Everywhere else I went, I had no need to be called, and if I did, it was Girl."
"Alright then. Do you like the name Swan gave you?"
"It sounded nice enough. Plenty of things sound nice if you say them right, though."
"Clever, kid. That's very true."
"That means…"
"You're very smart, to have said that last bit. It's not something everyone thinks about."
"Thank you." The girl dipped her head politely. "How have you lived, Bella? I assume Chief Swan did you well?"
"He did, Pa- Doctor. He was reluctant to let me find you." She admitted.
Carlisle stiffened, startled by the news.
"Excuse me?" He half spat.
"He wanted me to finish schooling first. And I did. It was… an experience. People are strange, and I did my best to avoid those Swan called my peers. They were… unimpressed by my lack of knowhow."
"You've completed high school?" Esme demanded, surprised.
"Is that… is that not common?" Bella asked, prepared to shrink in on herself.
"It's perfectly fine, child. Our others are your age and have a year left."
"And that means…"
"Simply that I was right to think you clever. Why not stay with Swan?" Carlisle wondered.
"He didn't come home when he was supposed to. Someone else came instead. Someone he broke bread with often enough. They said he was gone, like that meant something. I asked the librarian at school the next day and she said that he wouldn't come back. I assume he's like the ones who didn't leave the compound when we did. My mother didn't come back either."
"Yes, that would be accurate." Esme murmured gently. "What did you do after you found out he wasn't coming back?"
"I went to school, madam."
"Where did you get your food, Bella? How did you remain clothed?"
"There was a diner I could go everyday, before school. And I got new clothes twice a year from school. There was a coat drive. A fourth of it went to me and the rest went to everyone else who couldn't get clothes at a store."
"So you went to school, went to the diner, and went home? How long did you do this for?"
"Six winters, Pastor. Then Swan's friend came by again. Said I couldn't stay anymore. Asked if I had a plan."
"And did you?"
"Yes, but I didn't tell him what it was. I don't think he would have let me go if he'd known what my plan was."
"And just what was this plan of yours?" Esme asked, voice on edge. Bella couldn't recognize it, but Esme was extremely worried for her.
"To find what was left of the compound, or someone I remembered. I figured that if I didn't know how to get about like the rest of my peers, maybe someone from before The Burning could help."
Carlisle blinked, shocked, as he processed the girl's words. Esme gaped openly, and moved to embrace Bella. A pained noise emanated from her throat.
"I'm so proud of you." She whispered hoarsely. "You're so smart, Bella, do you know that?"
Esme was close to tears and all Carlisle could do was stare, amazed, as her words replayed in her head. She had found him. She had remembered him. She had lived on her own for seven years…
"How long did it take you to find me, Bella?" Carlisle choked out.
"I stayed at what was left of the compound from the beginning of summer to the middle of fall that year. There were people who knew where I came from. They made sure I got food and clothes, and I learned more about the compound. I think maybe that spring I had to leave. Someone vandalized the compound. I was underground, of course, so nothing happened. But they tried to destroy the people who knew, so I left. It took a bit to find you. Your name isn't a common one, but I didn't know it. Almost no one did. Then one of the older Disciples told me your last name. That made things a bit easier."
"How did you get here?" Esme sighed tiredly into the girl's hair.
"Most times I walked, but there were buses and trucks and cars that were going in the same direction I was. I think the last one was a logger."
Considering they were in the middle of nowhere in Oregon, it would make sense for that to be true.
The familiar rumbling of his son's car was the only thing that brought Carlisle out of the current situation. Esme was still hugging Bella, whispering how brave she was into the girl's hair. Bella seemed to have no problem with it, thank goodness, but that didn't change their current situation.
"When did Bella get here, Esme?" Carlisle sighed.
"This morning, an hour after the kids left." His wife breathed, voice broken in a way he hadn't heard in a long time.
"Do you want them to know?"
"They're going to have to."
"They don't have to know anything until we're ready to tell them, darling, the question is are you ready?"
"I… yes." Esme choked out. "Bella deserves as many answers as they do. I'm done not talking about it."
Esme stepped back, a firm hand on Bella's shoulder and a fierce determination that could easily be traced back to those days…
The kids entered the house, and Bella stiffened immediately.
"Who's this?" Alice chirped. Bella's eyes widened comically, and she lifted her hand to point the smaller girl out.
"Pa- Doctor Cullen… that is the seer who died in the flames." Bella murmured, voice hoarse with shock.
Carlisle dipped his head.
"She is." Carlisle rumbled, a hint of pride in his voice. "She doesn't remember it, from what we know. I thought it best to let her come to us when she had questions."
"Does she still use her gift?" Bella wondered.
"Extensively." Esme deadpanned playfully. "But never in public."
"The boy looks familiar, the big one with the brown hair. Who is he?"
"Emmett was Laura Baker's child. She went into the Church that day."
Bella dipped her head, eyes closed in remembrance.
"Ms. Baker was the one who told me stories when my mother was at prayer." She recalled. "I know not the other two. Are they kin of yours, Ms. Platt?"
"Carlisle's niece and nephew. How do you know Edward?" Esme wondered.
"I was ten years old when the church burned, Esme. I might not like to talk about it, but I remember." The clay-haired boy scowled.
"It's good to see you well." Bella mumbled.
"I never knew your name." Edward offered softly, shoving his shoes off, shrugging off his jacket, and walking over to the couch. "You're not required to tell me anything. We don't do Confession here."
"My name is Bella. I got it from a man named Swan, after the Burning. When did you get your name?"
"I was born with mine. I was old enough for that to happen. I think you were born with yours as well. Renee Dwyer came in with a girl about four years old when I was six."
"Renee Dwyer is my mother, yes. So you think I was born as Bella?"
"Just like Carlisle and Esme were born with their names."
"Only the special ones could keep their names. Those who were Chosen or Blessed."
"Then I guess that makes you special, Bella Swan." Edward chuckled.
"Teenagers." Carlisle snorted. Esme punched his arm.
"Like you were much better." She sneered.
"What'd you just call me?" Bella scoffed at Edward through narrowed eyes.
"Keep calm, old friend. You said the last person to care for you was named Swan. We generally take our names after those who cared for us. Esme and I both took Carlisle's."
"But Esme is different. That is a matter of ceremony. Why would you take the pastor's name when you are not his to bond with?"
"Because he is mine to bond with. By his own request, at that."
"And this happens often in… outside the compound?"
"It does." Esme confirmed. "It's a matter of status. Our names show the outside world who we consider kin."
"So everyone with the same last name is connected?"
"There are some common last names, but that is ancient history and not to be taught this day. Are you hungry or thirsty?"
"I require neither, thank you for asking. I suppose I should go home."
"Where would that be?" Edward wondered. "You came to us for a reason."
"I came in search of answers, and answers I have found. I require nothing more."
"And where would you end up?" Carlisle scowled.
"William!" Esme snapped. "You're scaring them."
"Here is a girl who has been all around the country looking for answers to a question that should have never been brought into existence. Now that she thinks she has found answers, she plans to leave… but where is there left to go?"
Bella stiffened and jerked herself from Esme's warm hold, facing Carlisle with a grim smirk.
"You have no idea how well you emulate your father."
"I know exactly what I am capable of, thank you, and I recognize the line between myself and my father. It grows thinner by the day."
"Then beware, Pastor William Cullen. Your legacy started in bloodshed, but it doesn't have to end that way."