Edward
Finally.
Not. Fair. How come they escaped?
Weird vibe coming off them. Almost... nervous?
Emmett's going to look great in that shirt I got for him...
Stop focusing on Nessie Edward! What did you decide?
"Daddy!" My daughter slid elegantly off of Jacob and swiftly into my arms as soon as Carlisle and I walked in the door. I wished she wouldn't grow so fast. Soon she would be tall, slender and beautiful. Too soon.
"Did you have fun at La Push, sweetheart?"
Of course she did Pops. I glared at Jacob as Nessie pressed her palm against my cheek. I caught flashes of piggy back rides, sandcastles and human food even she had liked. I quickly put a smile on my face as I inwardly grimaced at everything she would have to leave behind. Bella caught my eye. She frowned and her eyebrows knitted together in that expression I so loved. That expression meant she was pushing away her shield.
What's the matter love? I mutely shook my head and looked at Carlisle, giving him a meaningful look that he should start. He took a deep breath. Are we sure about this? I nodded. His face set, and I saw Alice's face scrunch in frustration as she tried to figure out what descion he was making.
"Well." he said, "Since we are all here anyway, I'm calling a family meeting. That includes you too Jacob."
"Um. Sure thing Doc." I'm not sure if I should be insulted by that or not, thought Jacob, winking at me. On one hand, its kinda cute, but I don't know if I want to be part of the Leech Family Robinson just yet. I shook my head as Jacob grinned at me. I quickly took my seat beside Bella, giving Carlisle the floor.
"So." Said Jasper, eyeing both me and Carlisle suspiciously. "Whats all this about?"
I've don't think I've ever seen him so nervous. Esme was getting more worried by the second.
"Well." said Carlisle, "Edward and I... we've been thinking..."
"And?" asked Emmett, "Spit it out!"
"We've decided..." Carlisle trained his gaze on Esme's face. "We've decided it's time for a move."
~o~O~o~
Alice
A move! That's what the vision was showing me! Finally. I hate being out of the circle. Ugh. I opened my mouth to tell them that this was the right choice, but thought better of it. The room had just gone dead silent, aside from two heartbeats, one going faster than the other. Jasper's arm tightened around my waist and we sat there, frozen, as if the world had ended. Nessie was the first one to break the silence.
"We're moving?" she asked, in that tinkling voice of hers, "To where?"
The room erupted. So did I.
"Edward Anthony Masen! You couldn't let me know about this before! I need to prepare!" I shrieked. I tried to get up from the sofa, but Jazz's hand was still stone on my waist.
"Hold on darlin'."He whispered. "We haven't gone through the storm just yet." Only then did I notice the words flying around me.
"What are you saying! Is this a plan or something? You know I won't leave her!"
"Jacob please try to understand-"
"But what about Charlie? What-"
"Don't tell me I have to be a freshman again!"
"But now?"
"Jasper! Stop trying to make me calm down!"
"ENOUGH!"
My head snapped back to Carlisle, whose hands were now shaking with anger or sorrow, which, I couldn't tell.
"We are going. It's decided." his voice was steely clam, but by Jazz's expression, I sensed the frustration that had been building up for weeks was threatening to come forth.
"You can't just decide for everyone!" shouted Jacob. His hands were shaking. We just bought a new glass vase too...
"Yes. I. Can." Carlisle eyes were flashing with fury now. Fury, but so much sadness. He closed his eyes for a moment and pulled a deep breath of air in. When he opened them, all traces of anger had vanished, and only the passionate sorrow remained.
"Do realize what is happening to us? Can't you see? This family is falling apart at the seams, damn it! And I will do anything in my power to save it. Anything. Even if it means leaving here." His voice softened. "We need a new start. We need to get away from here. All anyone ever thinks about here is what almost happened. " He turned to Jacob. "Jacob I never said we were forcing you and Nessie apart. You are a critical piece of this family, not just an addition. We must consider our options."
Jacob seemed to calm down a bit, and I pried myself out of Jazz's arms and stood up. "I have something to add." I said, almost bouncing up and down with excitement.
"I had a vision."
I saw Edward's face go from confusion to immediate elation as he saw what I was recounting.
"Where ever this move takes us," I said "Where ever this "new start" is..."
"We'll be happy." finished Edward, his voice filled with awe.
"Isn't that what we want? What we lost?"
"Yes." The voice had come from Esme, whose eyes were now full of hope. "I think...this is the right choice for us." Her eyes locked with Carlisle, and it seemed so passionate I almost looked away.
"Well then." said Emmett, clapping his enormous hands together. "We'd better get packing!"
~o~O~o~
Carlisle
The weeks following were most likely the happiest since the Volturi. The prospect of a new life excited everyone, and for them, the possiblities were endless. We had decided on a large house in Lanesboro, Minnesota, where the weather was often cloudy enough for us to move about without suspicion. The mood had completely changed, everyone was in a flurry of movement, especially my wife. But unlike before, when the movement was distraction, now it was excitement. She, along with the girls, had already bought new furniture for our future home, not to mention reconstruction on certain areas. I had to assure her more than once that it would be perfect by the time we reached there.
Our family was perfectly content, aside from Jacob.
Jacob, after agonizing descion making, had decided to come along with us. He had enrolled in Minnesota State University, and decided to pursue engineering. After much convincing, he had allowed us to purchase an apartment for him, as the university was quite a distance away from Lanesboro. However, he could easily get to us by car, (or by bike as he preferred) and even more easily by running in his wolf form. However, he was not looking forward to leaving the pack behind, especially after becoming the alpha of his own pack. But the pack seemed somewhat accepting. Leah was slightly relieved that she had an excuse to stop phasing, and Seth was more than understanding about falling under Sam's leadership again. Jacob was the one with the issue with leaving. I believe losing his own pack has hurt his pride, and not by a small amount. However, being with Nessie was a priority above all others for him, and therefore, Edward believed he would be fine, given some time to adjust.
I cannot say I am glad to leave Forks. After so long, the sleepy little town has found its way to my heart, and though I remember every town I have made my home, this one, above all others, will always be a part of me.
Esme enters my study, and stands in the doorframe, the embodiment of Venus. She smirks with a sideways smile as she sees me like this, "brooding", as she calls it, my head resting on my folded hands.
"All done with your packing?" I ask as she gracefully settles her self on my lap. My study is quite bare, now that I take a look around, the only things left are the empty bookcases and my desk.
"Almost," she replies playfully, "I just need to pack up this desk, but I just don't have the heart."
"Why not love?" I ask, burying my face into her caramel locks.
"I just saw my god of a husband sitting there, brooding so beautifully, and I couldn't even think of moving you." She grins playfully at me for the first time in what seems like centuries.
"Are you sure that was your motive?" I ask, "I'm not so sure..."
My voice disappears in her honey-colored eyes.
~o~O~o~
Bella
"'Do ya think I should go get the bookcases from Carlisle's study?" asked Emmett, "He wanted to donate them and the truck's gonna be here soon..."
"No!" Both Edward and Alice said at the same time. Emmett waggled his eyebrows.
"Back at it are they?"
"Well, don't they deserve some alone time?" I asked. Nessie opened her eyes in my arms. She had woken up already, but had been feigning sleep for a least a minute now.
"Yeah, Uncle Emmett," she added in her bird-like voice. She lowered it as if she didn't want anyone to hear. "Grandma Esme just came back."
"What do you mean came back, sweetie? She's always been here," asked Rose. Edward's face looked astonished at what he was hearing in our daughter's head.
"Well..."trailed Nessie, looking a bit uncomfortable. " I mean, she was here, I guess, but not really here, you know what I mean?" She looked around us with wide eyes. "It just wasn't really her."
My daughter never ceases to amaze me with her innocence, along with her amazing cognitive ability. Sometimes I just want to tell her to slow down, in both mind and body, but of course it is not her choice to make. Edward senses my melancholy and comes and sits nest to me, wrapping his arms around mine.
"You're right darling," he says to our daughter. "But now she's back and that's all that matters."
"I know." says Nessie, nestling her self more comfortably in my stone arms, just as my cell phone begins to vibrate.
"That's probably Charlie," says Edward, taking Nessie in to his arms. "I think you need to tell him."
I guess I was not putting it off any longer. I pulled out my phone and saw the caller was indeed, Charlie. I was not thrilled about this move. In fact, Edward and I had had a small tiff the other day about it. By small I mean me managing not to give into my instincts of hurling something at his head . Its not that I'm an angry person, but my newborn instincts have not fully worn off yet, even though my eyes have graduated to amber. I understand that the move is best for everyone, and that we will probably be much happier, but leaving Charlie is not the easiest thing for me to do. After all this time cooking for him and helping him out, I can't help but worry as to what he is going to do. Frozen pizza and burgers every night is just asking for a heart attack. I was putting off talking to him, as if that would keep us from leaving. I sighed and hit the green button.
"What are you, psychic too now?" I asked raising my eyebrows at Edward. "I thought that was Alice's job."
He smirked. "Guess it runs in the family." He pecked my cheek and carried Nessie to the cottage. I sighed and answered the phone.
"Hey, Dad." I listened for some time to his carefree voice giving me the latest in town, courtesy of his Sheriff status. No time like the present, Bella. "Dad?" I asked, interrupting him. "How about we go on that fishing trip you were always talking about? Yes, today. I'll pick you up at 2."
~o~O~o~
"So. You're leaving. Every last one of you. To Minnesota?" Charlie stared out into the water, not noticing that the fish weren't biting today. More likely, they were all on the other side of the lake, as far away from me as possible, but he didn't need to know that.
"Yes Dad. Carlisle thinks its time for...a new start." I winced. those were not convincing words. They were empty. "We just need a bit of change. I mean, we can't stay here forever." Great choice of words there Bella.
"I guess I kinda saw this coming Bells, I'm not gonna lie." Charlie sighed and turned to me with a sad smile on his face. "I mean, you're married for God's sake! I was just hoping you'd stick around a bit before going off and leaving your old man to fend for himself, you know what I mean?" He turned back to his fishing pole. "But you'd better come visit often, you hear? Nessie's growing up too fast for me to miss too much."
You have no idea. "Of course Dad. We'll be here so often that you won't even notice that we're gone. " How was I supposed to explain Nessie's growth? A "need to know basis", as Charlie so eloquently put it, only lasts up to a point. Charlie seemed oblivious to my obvious discomfort. "Guess I have to get back to cooking for myself then," he said before beginning to reel in his line. Trying to make me fell guilty much?
"Well, I guess we'd better get going then. Doesn't look like the fish feel like biting today anyways." He leaned over and began to pack his miscellaneous fishing supplies into an old, worn tackle box that used to be Grandpa Swan's. He looked up toward the cloudy sky. "Huh. Guess it's not going to rain today after all. See?" He pointed up towards a moving cloud, and I squinted through my muddy brown contacts. Almost mockingly, the sun poked it head out from a gap in the cloudy sky.
Aw, hell.
This "need to know" thing was lasting a lot less time than I thought it would.