Chapter Two: Everything Is Going To Change
Disclaimer & Story Warnings: The characters and the world of the TWILIGHT UNIVERSE belong to Stephenie Meyers. The plot is mine. This story plot is rated MATURE. If you are not 18 years or older, this story is not for you. You have been warned!
Charlie's eyes took in the familiar large room. He recognized some of the same expensive looking furniture but the house seemed more finished and inviting. He knew they must be here for good and it really started to hit him that things were going to change.
"Yeah...umm...you too, Dr. Cullen," he said, removing his thick jacket since they had the heat on for him along with a large cozy fire in both the living and dining rooms. Carlisle took his jacket and in the blink of an eye he had hung it up near the door, causing Charlie's heart to beat faster as he witnessed this. He knew they were trying to relax around him, show him their true selves so he could start to adapt to the many changes to come. "So you're here, for good it seems. What happens next?" he asked as he settled himself at the table. He frowned when he realized it was only Carlisle there for the moment. "Where are the others?" he asked, unable to help himself. Even though he felt a bit more comfortable being in the presence of just one vampire, he was curious to see the others again. Especially Esme.
Carlisle took a seat across from him and clasped his hands together. "I came ahead of the family to open the house and get my paperwork at the hospital settled. I had to negotiate a contract with the board so that on those rare sunny days I can be off work no matter the circumstances to...hmm...'go camping' with my family. I rarely find trouble getting such flexible contracts in my favor, as my credentials are quite impeccable, understandably," he managed to sound like he was merely stating facts and not bragging.
"Alice, Jasper and Edward will be joining us here after the majority of the schools let out. We plan to make a show of the move to Forks to introduce ourselves to the community. I won't start at the hospital until then. Esme, Rosalie and Emmett will join me here then as well. Esme agreed to build them another house up north, so she is finishing the construction and they are helping, sort of. Rosalie keeps changing her mind about certain things, so the construction will take a while," he said, smiling as he thought of his family.
Charlie nodded, trying to imagine the delicate looking Esme building a house by hand, something he would have to see to believe. "So if you aren't officially moved here yet, why call me already?" he asked gruffly.
Carlisle's face became more serious as he nodded and replied, "It's about your daughter, Isabella. Alice wanted me to let you know that she will be mentioning the idea of moving here for a few years to work, save up for college, and also give her mom and new stepfather some time to themselves. Alice said to tell you to do everything you can to encourage this. Things will start happening this fall and it will be safer for both of you if Isabella is here where we can protect her better," he explained.
Charlie sighed and scratched his neck. "What will start happening? What about my daughter—will I need to tell her all I've learned as well, or will we be able to protect her from all...this?"
Carlisle seemed to disappear for a moment and then reappear as he went to his office and back. He laid some papers in front of Charlie, who had sat back in shock at the demonstration of how fast a vampire moved. "So this is what I suggest..." Carlisle began.
~{}~
The air ruffled their hair as they flew through the New England trees near the border with Canada, enjoying a day of hunting to themselves. Alice and Edward Cullen ran for nearly an hour, caught several deer each, and shared a big bear before they stopped to talk in privacy.
"So have your visions changed?" Edward asked his sister, his face pensive and wary. He watched her as she seemed to look off into space while he listened to what he heard happening in her head, which caused him to sigh and throw a rock that cut right through a large tree, leaving an open hole in its wake.
Alice looked back at him and frowned. "Edward, I know how you feel about this, but it doesn't seem like it will change, not unless you want her to die. It's the only way," she said, moving in the blink of an eye to sit next to him and clasp his hand. "Don't you want him to be happy? You saw what I saw; she will choose this!" she pleaded.
"Your visions can change, Alice. Why would we take someone away from their human life? Take away everything that is normal and natural for her?" he exclaimed, raking his free hand through his bronze colored hair in frustration.
"Edward, please don't try to interfere. You know it will only lead to trouble, possibly her death. He will love her! She will love him and if we do anything to stop it, she could die. That would destroy the man we know and love, who's been a father to us in many ways!" she said, tightening her grip.
Edward looked at his feet but nodded. "I love him too, Alice. I won't try to change the future you see, but I won't sit on my hands and say nothing. I will be honest if asked. You say she will be great friends with us? I believe you, but I can't let a friend choose this life without them knowing the true costs."
"Edward, look at me," she smiled gently. When his eyes met hers she went on. "I know you struggle with what we are, thinking we are monsters, with what it means as far as heaven and hell go. But you need come to grips with the fact that we are miracles! Our family is special, we have a purpose: to coexist with humans. We may just be getting started, but in time I believe we can help others see a better way to live. In the meantime we will do what is right. We can't be punished for what we are, 'cause what we are is a great tool to reach into the supernatural world and try to help instill morals and respect for humanity, if only by being ourselves and sticking to our chosen diet," she said, then she chuckled with glee and threw her arms around him in a hug. "That's what I want to see! Never bet against me, Edward Cullen!" she laughed, having seen him agree to heed her words as best he could.
"You are one annoying pixie-brat. Let's go - we have a trip home to get ready for and I bet Jasper is waiting," he said, starting to run.
Alice caught up easily and laughed as she said, "Yes, he'll have been waiting for us by the big tree out back for nearly two hours so let's hurry!"
~{}~
"Bella! Hurry up or we will be late getting to the game! Today is so big for Phil, we can't miss the first inning!" Renee Dwyer shouted through the house as Bella tried to get the knot out of her laces so she could get them tied more securely. She really didn't want any kind of accidents to befall her today. She already had a bruised elbow from a door at school getting slammed into it and a bump on her head from walking into someone's locker door when she was distracted in the halls. She really didn't look forward to another day with stairs and bleachers and rowdy people hopped up on beer and junk food and all the potential for accidents that awaited her at the stadium where her stepfather played in Jacksonville, Florida.
Living the past year and a half during her last years of high school in a new town had been a struggle for her, yet she knew she would have regretted spending a few more years with her mother before she moved out and eventually attended college. She had her plans for the next few years set but had yet to tell her mother that she had made up her mind to take up her father on his offer for her to live with him while she saved up money for college. She would miss her mother and Phil, but they deserved some time to themselves; and after years of seeing her father for only a month during the summers and one Christmas for two weeks, it was only fair to spend those two years saving for college and getting to spend time with him.
She missed Charlie, even if she didn't have much in common with him. He loved to fish, hunt, and watch just about anything sports-related on television, and she didn't care for any of those activities. Nevertheless, while she planned to spend some time with him, she would also be able to enjoy a lot more time to herself when she moved there. She wasn't worried about making friends or finding a social life in Forks since she had grown into a very introverted type of girl. Bella preferred not to be forced into socializing and instead would be much happier settling down somewhere quiet with a good book.
She relished the idea of having time to just be herself and not be caught up in the whirlwind that was her energetic mother. "Mom, I'm just tying my shoes, I'll be right there. I'm driving! Last time you nearly got us a ticket by parking in the wrong spot!" Bella yelled back to her mother, smiling at how erratic Renee could be. She finally got the knot out of her laces and double-knotted them, then grabbed her purse that held the camera her mom insisted she take for the game.
They both got into her mom's jeep and Bella carefully backed them out of their driveway and headed to the stadium that was only fifteen minutes away. They listened to music for a few minutes; the windows were down, letting the salty warm air blow their hair around and enjoying the warm sunny day. Sighing, Bella turned the radio down and decided that she needed to tell her mom finally. She only had another month left of school and she couldn't put it off any more if she were to start packing and arranging everything for the move.
"So Mom, I know I mentioned to you what I was thinking about doing, my ideas for the next couple of years while I save some money. I know you want me to stay here, but I really think it's only fair if I spend some time with Dad before college. He hasn't had as much time with me as you have, and once college hits I'll be living on my own for a long time. Plus when I talked with Dad, he told me he found the perfect job in town that will actually pay really well, so I won't have to do anything retail," she said, watching her mom out of the corner of her eye.
Renee lowered her gaze and groaned. "Really, Bella, I understand you want to spend time with Charlie, and the idea of you getting a decent paying job to save as much as you can for college sounds great, but Forks? I don't know how you can stand the idea of living in such a wet, cold, cloudy place where the sun hardly ever shines."
"Mom, I know you were never happy there—and I'm not talking about how it didn't work out with you and Dad, marrying so young. I would miss the sun, but it will only be a couple of years and then I can go to a college somewhere that isn't so damp and overcast. I still have quite a list of schools that I'm considering and all of them involve warm weather and sunny locations. I love Dad, and I can deal with a few years of rain so we can have some time together before I do college and then the career thing. Life in Forks will be pretty quiet, really, and quiet is just what I need while I figure out what majors I want to pursue, then I can finally whittle down my list of colleges. Plus we are leaving out the fact that you and Phil deserve some time to yourselves. I love you both, but I really feel like a third wheel sometimes, you know?" Bella hoped her mother would understand what she meant and not take offense.
Renee reached over and gave her daughter's arm a squeeze and a sad smile. "I will miss you so much, baby."
Bella sighed in relief that her mom wouldn't fight her on this. The last thing she wanted was to create a rift between her parents when they had been getting along so well for years now.
They were silent for a moment and then Renee turned the radio off completely and turned in her seat, as much as the seatbelt would allow, to face her daughter, putting a smile on her face and an excited determination in her voice. "So Charlie found you the perfect job? Tell me all about it!"
Bella smiled and guided the Jeep through the traffic as they approached the stadium. Lines were starting to form with all the people who were eager to park and watch some baseball. "Well, the new doctor at the hospital needs an assistant to help him with some filing, basic clerical stuff. I know I haven't done any of that before, but Dad says that Dr. Cullen would be willing to take some time to show me the ropes, and since he happened to mention the opening to Dad before he even posted it in the paper, the job is mine. I guess Dad told him about my grades and how organized I am, and Dr. Cullen said he would be willing to take me on over the summer and see how I settle in. The best part is the job pays way above minimum wage, so I will be able to afford to get some kind of car by the fall as long as things work out," Bella said, sounding excited at the idea of working in a job where she would not have to deal with many people. She was more of an introvert, so a job in an office mostly by herself and with flexible hours seemed just the thing. It was almost too perfect really, she thought.
"Wow, that does sound like the perfect job for you. Lord knows I would have been lost without your organization skills over the years," Renee said, chuckling. "It's a good thing Charlie's job as Chief of Police puts him in contact with all the bigwigs in that small town," she added, smiling as they finally parked and got out and locked the Jeep. "Well, it sounds like we have some serious packing to get figured out, but let's save telling Phil until we get home, okay? He really loves you too, so I know he will miss you just as much as I will; we don't want to affect his mindset before the game." They waved their passes to get into the family section where they could see Phil for a few moments before the game.
"Thanks for being so understanding, Mom. I love you, you know," Bella said as she followed her mom through the throng of ball players' families and girlfriends who were vying to get in before the doors shut and they would have to go to their seats.
"I love you too, Bella. Always," Renee said. she nearly shoved a skimpily-dressed woman out of the way to get to Phil, who was waving at them both from his side of the room.
~{}~
Carlisle looked at the office and tried to picture how well the arrangement of the furniture would work. Forks Hospital was quite small and he didn't have an outer office for an assistant like he had had in some of his former jobs at much larger hospitals. He had been granted permission to hire an assistant from the board and had gotten them to agree to lower his own salary to increase how much he could pay her, stating that he could not in good conscience push off so much paperwork and drudgery to free up his own time unless he paid what he deemed appropriate for the work. They had agreed but it had caused a bit of a stir as not many people as talented as he was would do such a thing. He knew he would have to have Jasper and Edward around for the next few months to get a good read on the board members and possibly help them not be so curious or intrigued by him and his contract, which seemed out of character, as most doctors expected to bank large amounts of money for their work.
Most doctors were quite full of themselves after so many years of schooling and being almost worshiped for their profession and knowledge, and such matters as how fairly their assistants were paid simply didn't show up on their radar. Though Carlisle didn't worry too much because he knew that in their minds the board realized they were lucky to have such a talented doctor at their small hospital when he could have his pick of jobs anywhere. He merely chose to stay in a small town out of personal preference. It never hurt to be extra cautious for his family's safety and for the privilege of settling down for a number of years in one spot. Neither he nor his family enjoyed the nomadic life of most vampires. They craved the feeling of home.
He walked around and gauged the distance between his desk, which was now on the left side of the room facing the door. The second desk was a bit smaller and more simplistic. Even with the filing cabinets in the corner beside it, there was plenty of room for two chairs in front of his larger, more sophisticated desk where he would perform consultations with patients and their families. Not only was he a board-certified general surgeon but he had also gained his certifications in neurological and cardiac surgery. Consequently, he would see the majority of severe cases compared to the four other doctors, two of which were general surgeons and the other two specialized in emergency medicine.
Satisfied that the setup would work, he went back to his desk to finish some of the paperwork that he would be passing on to Charlie's daughter after her training was complete. His workload, in truth, was not hard at all. With his extraordinary senses he could close the door and read, write, and type so fast that what might take an assistant a full day to complete he could finish in an hour at an relaxed pace. Thirty minutes if he rushed it. So he knew he would have to spend more hours at work on the few things only he could legally do while she, at a human pace, would take care of simple clerical tasks that didn't require her to have a degree or certificate of any kind.
Spending more time at the office for a while was the whole point, as he would be the main contact to help slowly integrate her into the truth around her. Alice had left out much in the last few years, always with a reason but she did insist that having Isabella in their lives would be important. Carlisle would never bet against his pixie-like daughter Alice. Edward, Alice and Jasper would be around as much as they could to establish friendships with Isabella; Alice had explained that in time they would truly all be not just friends but almost family.
Carlisle frowned as he remembered the look on her face when she had said that, knowing she was alluding to something big. His fast-thinking strategic mind had mulled that over and he began to wonder if the young woman might end up as a romantic interest for Edward, thus becoming family. He shook those thoughts away because as much as he knew such things were possible if the human was turned, he hated the idea of such occurrences shaking up a human's life and cutting them off from their family and friends and a normal life.
Sighing, he switched off that train of thought, pushing the slight possibility of that happening to the back of his mind so he could concentrate. The board expected a comprehensive list of his new assistant's duties to go on record. This was to ensure she would not do anything that could lead to a lawsuit as well as his detailed plans for her "probationary" period they insisted he implement. He truly hated the healthcare system at such times.
He remembered fondly how helping people get well used to be a priority and an honor. Patients would pay what they could in most cases, but the saving of a life shouldn't demand payment first. He hated how humans these days had to fight through thousands of hoops and red tape to get the care that should be freely given, not scrabbled and begged for.
Sighing yet again, he turned off those thoughts as well and finished preparing Miss Swan's paperwork. He had already wasted three minutes in his musings and he wanted to leave in another ten as Alice and Edward would finally arrive this evening, followed shortly by Jasper. He missed his family.
~{}~
Charlie Swan got off the phone with Billy Black. He'd just made plans for Billy and Harry to come over for some beer and fried fish while they watched a game. Though they fully intended to do that, Charlie also planned to discuss the otherworldly situation, something they hadn't talked about in a long time. Of course that had been his doing, not wanting to think about it until he had to. Billy and Harry had called regularly in recent years to invite him to tribal council meetings, but Charlie always declined saying he would join them later when it became necessary.
Now that he had met with Dr. Cullen and plans were underway to move his daughter to Forks after graduation, he knew he couldn't ignore it any longer. He would be going to Florida for Bella's high school graduation in one week. Afterwards they would be driving back to Forks together with a small rented moving truck to bring her things.
An hour after the phone call, Billy and Harry were seated at the table while he kept an eye on the fish that was frying, trying not to burn it like he usually did. Charlie decided to cut straight to the chase on the topic that least excited him."So guys, what's the news with the…wolves? Dr. Cullen called me and I met with him at their house, as you know, and now Bella is gonna move here in a little over a week, after she graduates. I think it's time that I know…things. Dr. Cullen said that the…otherworldly stuff is gonna start happening this fall."
Harry gave Billy a look and a nod, at which Billy cleared his throat and began. "Well, you know the magic in our tribe created spirit warriors, wolves to protect us from vampires. Our tribe has not had an active pack since my grandfather's time, when the Cullens first arrived and the original treaty was brokered. With their return, our pack will become active again. As we understand it, there are thirteen potential wolves in our tribe, one of whom we believe will transform any time now. When the vampires are near us, even as close as living in Forks, the gene in our teenagers from the direct bloodlines of the tribal elders can be activated. Those who will transform will suddenly grow strong, tall, and a bit aggressive at first as the change sets in. We believe Sam Uley will become the first to change"
Charlie turned his back to absorb this while he took the slightly overcooked fried fillets from the skillet and turned off the burner. He fixed their plates and sat them in front of his friends before sitting down and cracking open a new beer. "So, you said they would be the young teens who shifted. How aggressive will these wolves be? And what can be done to make sure the general population doesn't discover them?"
"If Sam is the first to turn he will automatically be the Alpha wolf to any others that follow. He is a very level-headed young man and he will make a fine leader for the beginning of the pack, to get the wolves calmed down and acclimated to their new lives after their first change. He has been on the tribal council for four years now. He is aware of what will start happening and he will be ready. As far as the general population, the wolves will have heightened senses, which will let them know if any humans are out hiking or fishing or camping when they start to hit the woods and run the perimeter. They will know instinctually how to keep their existence secret from anyone who is not supposed to know about them," Billy explained.
Harry picked up the conversational thread from there. "Thanks to the tidbits the Cullens have shared, we expect a large pack and have decided to renegotiate the treaty. I can't tell you everything because I am bound by council discretion but I can say that the Cullens have agreed to allow the wolves to widen their perimeter outside of the reservation and around your town to ensure we have a very well-protected area for the coming trouble. Some of the Cullens will even patrol with the pack eventually, when we're ready, however our main job will be rotating patrols on a set perimeter to sniff out any unknown vampires that aren't aligned with the Cullens. They will inform us if they expect any of their kind to visit, as their little one who sees the future should be able to see any unknowns coming. The pack will not hesitate to kill any that seem a threat, though we have agreed that if any unknowns arrive and don't act in a hostile fashion, we will stand back until one of the Cullens can come feel them out. They have told us we will need every ally we can sway to our side."
Charlie huffed and sat back in his chair, trying to wrap his head around this new reality. After a few minutes he squinted his eyes and looked at his friends. "What you said about Sam being the likely alpha—it seemed as if you meant there will be a new alpha later on…."
Billy smiled and nodded proudly, "The family line of the first chief of our tribe is traced all the way down to Jacob. When he becomes a wolf, which I have no doubt will happen in time, he will have the choice to step up as the Alpha. Jacob is destined to be the true Alpha - the true chief of our tribe," Billy said, his voice laced with pride as he watched Charlie's eyes grow quite big at this last bit of information.
Author's Note: So another long chapter and I usually stay around 3k for my chapters lol. I do you hope you are enjoying this story. Please read and review! *HUGS*