This story has some dark spots that deal with child abuse...some of it sexual in nature, but it will all be implied...nothing too graphic. This is more a story of healing and recovery than one of horror, though some horrific things have happened to lead us to this point. I picked the rating cuz I just don't trust some of the players to curb their obnoxious tendencies. It is a little known fact that Emmett and Rosalie's native tongue is profanity. And Jasper speaks Pig Latin. But I digress.
I've never written fan fiction before. Or any fiction, really. Ok, so I've never actually written anything other than a check in my life. Oh. And I'm not a doctor. Or a psychologist. I might make mistakes. Please be gentle. Oh. One more thing. I'm most definitely not the amazing Stephenie Meyer who, of course owns Twilight and anything you might recognize from it. I still own a camera, a cat named Romeo, and more Polly Pockets than any grown up has any business owning.
I was going to make this a vampire story, but it just doesn't fit the storyline very well. I will do another one that embraces the bloodlust, I promise.
"Is she retarded?" Emmett asked earning sharp scowls from his brother, Edward and their father, Carlisle. He ducked his head, looking remorseful enough that none of the others gathered around the table found further reprimand necessary. "Sorry. I meant to ask if she is, you know," he paused, searching for a more appropriate word, "normal?" He glanced up from under his lashes at his father seeking approval for his choice. He also sought an answer. Carlisle sighed, opting not to correct his youngest son, but rather to measure his words carefully. He knew that, even though approved by the legal powers that be, Missy's placement within their home rested heavily on the acceptance of the situation by the children he and his wife Esme had already adopted. Even though the older two were grown and quite capable of living on their own, and at 17, the younger two were not far behind them, it seemed that none of them seemed to be going anywhere any time soon. Edward, who was in his third year of medical school, and Jasper, studying to be a psychologist, shared enthusiasm for the challenge their father had presented to them. Alice, Emmett's twin, showed a near frenzied reaction to the possibility of a new little sister. No doubt she already planned the little girl's wardrobe and room décor. Esme, the quintessential mother, was also excited for the chance to provide a loving home and quality care to yet another child who so desperately needed one. Emmett was the only one who seemed to harbor any doubt that bringing a child with such special needs into their home was a good idea.
"We don't exactly know the extent of her capabilities, or limitations for that matter, but I'm confident that in the right environment, she will have the best chance to reach her full potential," Carlisle explained.
Emmett took a bite of the cereal and marshmallow snack that he had been toying with, using his full mouth as an excuse not to answer right away. He thought back for a moment to what life was like for him and Alice before the Cullens had brought them home when they were thirteen. He remembered living with their beautiful, drug addicted mother a in a rusted out station wagon. He remembered being enraged in the shelter where the older kids mercilessly bullied his tiny black haired twin. Truth be told, they scared Emmett with their viciousness, even though he was much bigger than all of them. That didn't stop him from using his fists from time to time to make it crystal clear that Alice was under his protective wing. He remembered the string of foster families that all eventually sent the pair on when Emmett's boisterous personality and insatiable appetite wore on their nerves. He remembered the sheer despair he felt when their case worker made the painful decision to separate them. Alice was to be sent to yet another foster home, Emmett to a group shelter for teenaged boys. When the Cullens interviewed Alice and heard of the situation, they insisted on bringing both children home with them that day. Though he didn't say it often enough, he knew how much he owed to the whole Cullen family. Rolling his eyes at himself, he suddenly felt guilty for even thinking about the role he contemplated playing in denying another kid the same opportunity. Even one who might never even know the difference. He only allowed his thoughts to linger on how Missy coming soon was going to impact him the most for a very brief second. Time for that to be considered further later. His decision made, he beamed at his father. "I guess it wouldn't totally suck." He giggled as the rest of his family released the breath they collectively held in waiting for his declaration.
"Language, dear," Esme scolded gently though her own grin.
"So when will she be here?" Alice asked. "I have so much to do! Edward, I need to go to the mall. Mom? Pink or purple for the walls? Jasper and Emmie, I'll need the room painted tonight! How big is she Dad? I need to get her just a few things to start…"
"Alice!" Jasper gasped as he stood up. Resting his hands of the edge of the table, he leaned over it to shorten the distance between his face and hers. "Rein it in a bit there girlfriend!" He had empathetic tendencies with most people, but Alice's exuberance threatened to consume him. She grinned at him sheepishly and shrugged. Edward and Emmett shared a laugh at the desperate look on Jasper's face as he plopped back into his chair.
"Sorry, Jazz," she conceded. "I just want everything to be perfect."
"Well, as far as I know," Carlisle said as he gently hugged his daughter's shoulders, "she is all set to be transported first thing in the morning." He released Alice and pulled his cell phone from the front pocket of his pants. "I need to call Tanya and tell her Missy is definitely coming here."
"Come on, Tink," Edward called from the kitchen doorway as he grabbed a bottle of water. "I'll give you one hour at the mall. You'd better be wearing your track shoes." Alice grumbled halfheartedly as she followed him to the garage, her spirits dipping for a moment over the imposed time limit. Before they were through the door, though, she had perked up enough to bounce a few times as she told Edward that she knew just which store carried the perfect clothing choices for a little girl. "Perfect," Edward mocked with an eye roll and a grin.
Esme left the room to make arrangements for furniture to be delivered so that Missy would have a place to sleep. Most people might have to wait for such accommodations to be made, but the Cullen name, if not their money, prompted local businesses to keep them in their good graces. Their efforts were always greatly appreciated. The Cullens were perhaps the nicest, most generous people in town. They were always among the first families called upon to sponsor a sports team or hobby club. Emmett still sat at the table with Jasper, eating yet another bar of cereal snack.
"You aren't thrilled about this." Jasper didn't need to form his words into a question; he already knew this to be true. He ruffled his little brothers dark curls. "Why? What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Emmett turned to the side and ducked from under Jasper's hand with a scowl. He knew lying was useless. He sighed in resignation and tried to explain.
"Mom does enough already for us. She doesn't need another full time job," he began. Jasper nodded for him to continue, knowing the younger boy was skirting a bigger issue. "And she's going to take the room next to Edward's. He's been planning for months to turn it into an office for you two to share."
"Emmett? It's sweet of you to be so concerned about Mom's workload and our office space. Really, it is," Jasper started as he ran his hands through his hair. When he reached the bottoms of the blond curls where they rested near his chin, he grasped them tightly and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. "But I know that neither of those things are enough to make you almost tell Dad that you didn't want this little girl to come here. It's something else. Spill, Kiddo." Emmet turned to once again to face the table and looked into Jaspers bright blue eyes.
"What about Mom and Dad's vacation?" Emmett murmured as he leaned back in his chair, Jasper thought they were finally getting somewhere. Every year their parents spent a week on the little Caribbean island that Esme's grandfather gave them as a wedding present. When they were younger, her sister Elizabeth would come to stay with the children. For the past few years, though, the general consensus was that they did not need a babysitter. It had become a week all of the family members looked forward to as a period of privacy for the parents and independence for their children. "Who's going to take care of her when they go? Will they still go?"
"Em, she is one little kid. One little kid who doesn't even get into things. I'm sure that between all of us we can handle caring for her for one week. There's no reason Mom and Dad will have to cancel their trip," Jasper reasoned. Emmett folded his arms, laid them on the table and dropped his head onto them.
"I hope not. Rosie would fucking kill me! She's got her heart set on going to Seattle for the weekend that week," Emmett admitted. He had been going out with Rosalie Hale for the better part of a year and knew that what Rosie wants, Rosie gets. He also knew that he had a better chance of being elected the President of Scandinavia than of his parents letting him go to Seattle with his girlfriend for a weekend. Going while they were gone was the perfect plan. He was pretty sure he could get his siblings to cover for him while their parents were gone.
"Really, Emmett?" Jasper asked, clearly bewildered by his little brother's misplaced concern. "That's what you were worried about? Losing your chance to get laid somewhere other than the backseat of your Jeep? Compassionate much?" Emmett looked properly chagrinned for a fleeting second, then his sharp featured took on a look of disgust.
"I'm sorry, Jazz!" he growled lowly as to not alert Esme to their discussion. "I'm sorry that I don't have the same drive as the rest of you to save the world one fucking sob story at a time. I'm sorry that I would rather get laid than change fucking diapers. Diapers for fuck's sake, Jasper! I agreed to let the little freak come here because it seemed to be what you all wanted so damned badly. I agreed just to make all of you happy! You and Edward can play doctor, Alice can play dress up, Mom can have a perpetual infant in the house, and Dad can pat himself for taking in another waste case, but don't think for one minute, that I'm going to have anything to do with that little piece of trash that someone else already threw away!" Emmett knew that he was being more than unfair to his brother and his new little sister. He was being downright mean spirited and hateful, which was usually so unlike him. He didn't even know why. Did he even really feel the bitterness that his words were laced with? Was he really that much of a monster to be so mean towards someone in the position Missy was in? He was pondering this when the next thing he knew, he was knocked out of the chair and sprawled on the floor with Jasper sitting on his chest; his arms pinned under Jasper's knees. He didn't have time to register his surprise that his brother was even able to lay him out like that before a fist solidly connected with his lower jaw. Jasper now had his full attention.
"You will shut the fuck up right now before you say something that is really going to piss me off. You can do or not do whatever you want, but you will not say one more word about that little girl or what her being here is going to mean for anyone in this family, you selfish, self centered little shit. Do you understand me?" Jasper spoke evenly, softly. His voice, though, was icy cold with the anger that he felt towards the big oaf that was pinned underneath him. Emmett, quickly recovering, scowled at his brother and easily rolled out from under him.
"Ya, Jazz, I understand you. I'm sorry I made you so mad," Emmett said, and he meant it. Jasper was usually one of the calmest, coolest people he knew. To see him so undone was unsettling and Emmett felt guilty for being the one responsible for that. "But that doesn't change the way I feel about this," he said as he stalked out the door and to his Jeep.
I hate that Emmett is being such a jerk. Missy comes home in the next chapter. Hopefully I'll get it posted later this week. Thanks for reading!