My Name is Cynthia

By Mistyrious_Charades

Summary: I had a sister named Mary Alice Brandon. She was taken away from me. My name is Cynthia. This is my story.

A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated, (life gets in the way, what can you do?) but I'm back and ready for some fan fiction action! This chapter is comparatively longer than the others but I really hope you think it's been worth the wait. More uploads sooner now, I promise!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I am not SM, associated with SM, or anyone or anything to do with Edward Cullen's favourite time.

Chapter Three

The greatest comfort to me throughout the evening was knowing that my Father had bought me my party frock with all his love and adoration of me. Its deep blue color matched my sister's eyes but I was taking no comfort in her presence tonight for I had no idea where she was. She had made sure that Mother was in the room while she had been styling my hair into curly ringlets as to avoid me asking her questions… it was after that, that I had simply no idea where she had gone to.

Time was slowly passing as the sky outside gradually darkened, transforming into a beautiful starry ink black. There had been much ado after church that had involved all the tumult of preparing one such party as my sixteenth (despite the missing Mary Alice having done most of all the preparation). I had played along with her lead and had not voiced her unusual behavior to Mother, however, I was rather annoyed with the fact that she was purposely avoiding our alone time as to evade the chance for me to corner her and have a real good discussion. I had to hand it to her though; her elated enthusiasm over my party really had me distracted.

Even from Fred, who had arrived all too surprisingly early, and was just as eager as Mary Alice to circumvent conversation regarding the recent chaotic church commotion.

"I have to admit Cynthia Ann, you look simply stunning tonight! The sun has gone down now and I dare add that your sister would have poured a necessary influx of liquid into your system while it was still up - of course all to keep you from falling a second time! I really am glad to see how alive you look… and how beautiful."

His words filled me with a self righteous elation; I was so honored to know that was how he felt. My newfound bliss however, was ephemeral.

"Speaking of the little devil, where is she?"

Free strings of jealously coursed through my veins. It was then I realized he didn't so much care as to how I was, I was only a medium for him to find and engage conversation with my sister!

I was in no mood to start trivia with him about his feelings, as I was by the way, more eligible to any bachelor tonight than any other, with my turning sixteen and all. Did he not understand that I could have anyone I wanted tonight? Our childhood friendship be damned for all he cared.

I also decided I was going to use my enhanced age to not stand any more nonsense.

"Frederick, I want you to explain your… supernatural instincts at church today."

It was a straightforward question direct to the point. I awaited his reaction for he had given me none.

"Cynthia, what are you talking about?"

I giggled sarcastically, "What am I talking about? You have some nerve in asking me! The tree! The branch! Both you, and my ever-so-dear sister Mary Alice, knew it was going to fall and I want to know how!"

"Cynthia!" called my Mother, "Come over here, darling, there's something I need to ask you!"

I stared blankly at Fred, urging him to hurry, Mother didn't like calling twice. He sighed, "Look Cynthia, you may not remember exactly what happened because you collapsed during church today but I think you are mistaken about" -

"I am not mistaken!" I said, interrupting a bit sterner than I had intended. "And furthermore, until you decide you are going to let me in on the loop, I shall not be talking to you Frederick Cunningham! Go and obsess over your new profound skills with my sister since you would so clearly rather discuss them with her!"

Heated from the argument, I turned on my heel, following the direction of the sound of my mother's voice. Fred called out to me, "Well you are mistaken about that!"

Aggravated, I turned back to voice out but he had fled.

"Cynthia Ann!"

I turned around to face - my mother. She was trying her best not to glower. "Darling, do not tempt me into disciplining you on your birthday! How many times have I called you now?"

"I'm sorry Mother, I was engaged in debate with Frederick. He has arrived early."

Mother looked around our guest room. "I don't see anyone here."

"That would be because he has gone to greet Mary Alice."

She nodded curtly but seemed to believe me, "Where are his parents? I was so sure Mary Alice had invited them too."

I shrugged; I truly didn't care if they arrived or not. In the matter of day turning to night, I had already given up on how much I cared for Fred - now that I knew his feelings were set aside for someone else - but could I not forget him? His handsome image haunted me so. His voice so trying to win my affection at times, with others it was his ever constant change of mood swings pushing me away.

No, I could not forget that.

"Mother, why is it that you called for me?"

She smiled, "I need you to fetch something from the attic. The cooking utensils, you know the ones I use only at Christmas? They will be of much use to me now. Mary Alice truly has invited everyone- from Reverend Antony himself to Sister Mary Margaret- so I'll need some to spare in the kitchen."

I shuddered at the thought of renowned religious folk present at my party, but did not say anything out loud to voice these feelings - especially of all people to my Mother. Instead, I silently headed up the stairs to the attic.

As soon as I got there my stomach jumped.

It was just as I feared; voices were coming from within and I had the most fleeting of suspicions that I knew who they belonged to. I was never one to eavesdrop but he was with the one person I knew he went running to the second he had left my presence and I had to listen in.

Mary Alice was hiding in the attic, hiding from me, and she was with Frederick Cunningham.

"Tell me how you knew the branch was going to fall," he whispered. "You know what I can do Mary Alice, you know that I'm the same as you."

I didn't really understand that part. I wanted to walk away. I wanted to go back into the kitchen and tell Mother I couldn't find her things so that she would come up here and discover my sister and Fred.

But then he said something that stopped my heart for the briefest of seconds…

"She wants to know and I must find out for her."

Mary Alice looked like she was trembling. The sister instinct in me was desperate to rush in and embrace her, but curiosity over Fred's attendance won over and I stood there. I was succumbed to stay still and I had to wonder…

Could Fred possibly be talking about me?

"I - I don't know Freddy." Her voice was louder than his, more frightened. "It was like I was having a dream… but I was awake at the same time."

He moved closer to her, but her back turned, she didn't notice.

"Do you often dream like this Mary Alice?" he asked still in whisper.

"Yes," she too now whispered, "All the time…"

That was the only cue Freddy needed. He was merely an inch's breath away from her. He placed his arms around her and held her tightly.

I had been so wrong. The last glimmer of hope that Fred possibly liked me vanished into thin air and out the attic window.

My blood boiled with jealously, a volcano on the urge of erupting, but it wasn't time to interrupt just yet.

"Freddy," my sister complained. "My dreams are different to yours. I dream of a mysterious, golden haired boy…"

Frederick slowly withdrew his arms from her body, "Who?" he asked; there was an impatient tone of irritated demand in his voice.

Mary Alice sighed, "I don't know who he is…" she admitted, "And I suppose you do not know of him either. But he's beautiful."

Frederick laughed, "That is quite feeble Mary Alice! You haven't even met him. You don't even know his name!"

Her lips pursed together tightly out of embarrassment, "I shall name him then!"

It was Frederick's turn to sigh, "Oh Mary Alice! Let me save you from your dreams!"

But Mary Alice just shook her head, "I don't think that's possible Freddy. But I am starting to feel more comfortable then I have ever felt before. I didn't know there was anyone else like me." She looked at him admiringly, "Let's just, for the time being, share our dreams together. I really believe we're the only two people in the world who can see the future. Can your father truly help us?"

"My father is an asylum worker Mary Alice. I don't see how that would help but he is a-- a different man. He's not like any human I know." He paused, he seemed to struggle with what he had to say next, and then he whispered it out so quietly, I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly.

"Actually, I'm not sure admitting my father is human would be anything close to the truth."

Mary Alice giggled, "What are you talking about Freddy? Are you human?"

She had offended him, "Of course I am! Mary Alice, how could you say such a thing? You've seen me age and grow and get sent off to a unisex school. Do you know why he made that choice?"

She shook her head. I suddenly realized I didn't know the answer to that question either.

"He doesn't want me to fall in love."

He suddenly turned away from Mary Alice's pitiful gaze and turned his face in my direction. I could see it now in the slight ajar of the attic door. It looks so terribly pained. Fred continued.

"My parents are not mine by birthright. They adopted me from an orphanage when I was very little. My Father seemed to understand my power from the moment he saw me and to him it was, not as it was defined back then as an evil, but a gift. As a popular worker in the asylum, they had called him down to examine me, but he took one look at me and instead he considered me for adoption - and refused to have me treated. No, he wanted me for his son. For that, I admired him from the very beginning. I knew a lot about him. Everyone always thought of him as so perfect, and so handsome, and I strived to be like that too - and he wanted me despite my abnormality. I loved him so very dearly.

"But within a year, I started to realize strange things about him and my Mother. The way they never seemed to age, the way they always drank blood red wine and never ate a hint of food. The way their skin was always so cold, and the way they never came out during the day, or even, to drop me to school. Even though I felt I was going crazy, I soon could not begin to deny the way their eyes too, changed color, from buttery gold to jet black at times. I questioned myself. Maybe I had been destined for the asylum all along and my Father had been wrong not to assess me… but then I questioned my Father, and he finally revealed to me his true nature and secret, and I realized then the real reason why he had adopted me. He was waiting for me to fully mature as a human, so that he could then change me and that I would then bring to them with me my… gift.

"And then I met her and despised not having the option to choose between the life he wanted to give me and the life I wanted to live with her. But he put a stop to that; he forced me to change schools when I announced my feelings for her. He said it would be better for my future if I didn't attach myself to any humans as they would eventually wither and die and I would live forever. He said the pain wasn't worth it. I couldn't help myself though - and so we then wrote to each other all the time. I fell for her more with every sentence I read.

"When I realized today, what you could do, I was amazed. I saw the way your eyes went blank and recognized that expression as mine when I have a vision. I was taught how to maximize my human speed and strength from my Father who has been training me for a long time. But I like you, didn't know that there existed others like me. If my Father finds out about you, he'll… he'll want to change you too. I wasn't given a choice Mary Alice, but out of love for Cynthia Ann, I'm giving one to you. Hide your secret, my dear friend. Guard it dearly."