The Calling

Disclaimer: I don't own it, I'm just playing around with it.

Ch. 1: Eight Years

RPOV

It was September 13th, and I was cuddled up next to Carlisle in First Class, Edward was in one of the seats behind us, next to some pathetic girl that kept drooling over him. Eight years ago, today, my family was destroyed by a single decision. My brother's human ex-girlfriend, Bella Swan, had given herself a paper cut as she opened a present at her birthday party. Jasper tried to attack the girl, which caused Edward to push her out of the way and get injured more.

Bella was escorted home and when Edward returned, he told us we needed to move and sever all ties with the human. An invisible line was drawn as Esme, Emmett, Alice and Jasper argued that we should stay. That leaving would destroy Bella because she loved my brother and our family with her whole heart. In the end, their argument was ignored.

We'd gone up to stay with the Denali Coven in Alaska to plan out what to do next. A month into our stay, Kate and Irina joined with Laurent and Victoria in creating a Newborn Army to get revenge for James' death. The Volturi showed up and eliminated the threat. Carlisle decided we should move to Ithaca so that Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar could morn in peace. The day after his announcement, Emmett and Esme handed me and Carlisle each a set of Divorce papers. They said that they could no longer be with people that didn't respect their opinions or feelings.

The Platt Family (Esme, Emmett, Alice and Jasper) left for Isle Esme after the papers were signed, while we remaining Cullen's moved to Ithaca as planned. At first, I wanted to lay the blame for everything on Bella as I remembered everything my family once had. It'd taken a couple of years before I realized the truth. Until that last move to Forks, my family had just been going through the motions. Carlisle was our head and Esme our heart but something was missing. Then, for one brief shining moment, we were a real family. The difference was that we'd found what was missing in a certain chocolate-eyed brunette human; Bella Swan was our soul.

During those first few years, Carlisle and I comforted each other. Over time, we fell in love and got married. Ironically, it happened on the same day as Emmett and Tanya's wedding.

Over the past year, Esme and I have talked about brining the family back together. After repeated assurances on mine, my husband's and Edward's part that things would be different, she agreed. We were on our way to meet them at Denali. Emmett and Tanya weren't going to be there because they wanted some time alone. Eventually, they'd join us.

The plane landed and I noticed Esme, Jasper and Alice were waiting for us. After we had all exchanged hugs and hello, we picked up our luggage then drove to Eleazar's place in a bit of an awkward silence. Obviously, we needed time before we were comfortable with each other again.

EPOV

I ignored the simpering girl next to me on the flight to Alaska; her thoughts were nothing that I had not encountered thousands of times before. Just for an instant, I wanted to drop my carefully crafted mask then show her the dead thing that I truly was. For ninety years I simply existed as a vampire, never changing. Then for the flash of an instant, I was loved by the most selfless creature I had ever encountered and it changed me profoundly but then I threw her away as if she were garbage because I had been afraid.

I never felt that I deserved her love and had been afraid she would finally realize that then run away from me. The tragic events of her 18th birthday party were just the excuse I needed for a preemptive strike. I decided she would be better off if I left but it wasn't just mine and Bella's lives that were annihilated that day. I destroyed my family as well and proved myself to be the soulless monster I had always known I was.

The past eight years, I have been an empty shell; nothing more than a zombie. At first my misery was shared by Rose and Carlisle but when they fell in love and at least partially healed, I needed distractions. Because soulless monsters had no need for gentlemanly behavior, I allowed my baser self have more control. I attempted to fill the gnawing void inside of me with the carnal delights of humans and vampires alike. It started with women but eventually branched out to encompass anyone foolish enough to succumb to my charms of either gender.

As much as I wanted the inane ramblings of my neighbor to shut up, airline policy changes in the post 9/11 world made it impossible for a couple to sneak off to the bathroom and join the Mile High Club. That meant I was unable to drag the girl somewhere then shove my manhood down her throat to end her talking. Instead, I wallowed and the edges of the void started to pulse.

I went through the motions of greeting the missing members of my family after the plane landed then zoned out for the drive to Denali.

EsPOV

The drive to Carmen and Eleazar's home was a bit awkward. There was a long way to go before we all would be a family again. I had to admit that Carlisle and Rose looked good together then again, I had always known that. Edward's appearance was the most shocking. During my family's travels over the years, stories of his exploits had reached me and I found myself disappointed in my former son.

As I drove, I glanced at Alice in the rear view mirror; there was an expectant look in her eyes. A look that had been there for a few months now, this trip and the timing of our reconciliation with the Cullen's were all her idea. My pixie like daughter knew something but she refused to share. I pushed my musings over what it might be out of my mind. If there was a problem then Alice would have told us.

Without wondering what Alice knew to distract me, the memory of what this exact day was slipped to the forefront of my mind. Sorrow coursed through me as I remembered the girl that had stolen our hearts and we were forced to leave behind. Today was her twenty-eighth birthday. Somehow, it seemed right that we try to rebuild on family on this day when it was virtually destroyed on her eighteenth birthday.

An hour later, I stopped the Navigator I had rented in front of our friends' new house. The old home of the Denali Coven was damaged during the fight with the Newborns, so they tore down the remnants then built a new one. The current house looked liked a three-story Alpine Lodge, at least from the outside. We left the car and were met by Carmen as the Spanish vampire rushed out the door to greet us.

She gave us each a kiss and a hug then led us inside. The interior of the house continued the theme of the exterior and looked like something that could be found at a ski resort. Eleazar greeted us in the large family room then told us where our rooms were located. Then he turned to his mate.

"She will be here any minute," he told her, his English laced with the Castilian accent they both shared.

I arched my eyebrow in question and he quickly explained.

"Another of our friends is coming to stay with us for a time. She is mostly human, but I doubt you will have a problem with that. She already knows about vampires but there are some rules you must follow while she is here. First, do not ask her name, if she accepts you into her circle then she will tell you. Second, only ask her direct questions but do not expect her to elaborate on the answers or for her responses to be above a whisper. After you are accepted she will engage in conversation and speak at a normal volume.

"Third, because of her training do not attempt any physical contact or sudden movement in her direction; human or not, the woman is lethal, especially to our kind. Fourth, like Jasper, she has scars. They may not be as numerous and you might find them horrific, but she is proud of every one of them. Please try not to stare. Finally, never insult the Volturi in her presence or you might be ashes before you finish your sentence," he told us.

My family and I were shocked by the time he finished. Who was this human that required the kind of rules that were just explained to us? Regardless of any training she might have had, how could a human be lethal to a vampire? I was snapped out of my reverie by the sound of a motorcycle coming up the drive. Carmen threw open the door then flashed outside before it stopped. I noticed the woman's heartbeat was slower than normal just before the hauntingly familiar scent of freesias drifted through the front door. Alice acted without thinking.

APOV

"BELLA," I screamed as I launched myself at the poor girl after her scent registered.

I was in midair when I remembered the third rule. Bella's eyes flashed with anger then recognition and an evil smirk graced her lips. The vision of my pending humiliation came to me a fraction of a second too late. The human ran forward in a crouch then jumped up so her shoulder hit my abdomen. My forward momentum combined with the force of her blow made me land on my back with my long lost best friend straddling my chest. She wore a smug smile as she looked down at me and I heard everyone else snicker. I was never going to be allowed to live this down.

While I was prone, her appearance finally registered and I noticed the scar on her face. Gingerly, I reached up then ran a finger along it.

"They never got what they wanted," she whispered in a proud tone as she helped me to my feet.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to take a shower and get comfortable before I greet anyone else," she continued before I could ask any questions.

She brushed her way past everyone else then disappeared upstairs. The sound of a shower running reached us a minute later. I looked back at my family and found everyone but Edward looked even more stunned than before. My idiot brother, on the other hand, looked like he was being burned alive. Even without his power I knew why; all he had focused on was the scar.

All of us went back inside and waited for our missing piece to rejoin us. There was the sound of a gunshot as Carmen smacked Edward.

"You are the bastard that left her in the woods," she seethed.

Eleazar held his wife and kept her from attacking my brother further. From the anger in his expression everyone saw how much he wanted to take a shot or two himself. I had always wondered what happened the day he left Bella. At the time, I'd been too upset to try to see a vision of it. It looked like Edward had a lot of explaining to do.

"Carmen, El, relax. It's obvious he never told anybody what happened that day. Besides, it really is my story to tell. Why don't you two go on a hunt and I'll share it with them," Bella whispered from the foot of the stairs.