Chapter 4- Saying Goodbye
As they got back from the hospital Desiree woke up and immediately went to the family room, dragging Jasper with her. Alice shook her head and laughed a bit as Desiree instructed her husband on what to do. He was at the moment told to find a funny cartoon that he liked. It was a rare thing Jasper ever watched television, other than sports with Emmett. Seeing him with Desiree though made her realize that he probably would have made a great dad. She looked back once more and watched as Desiree crawled into his lap and leaned back as Looney Toons started playing..
Esme moved next to Alice with a small smile on her face. "It is something you never expected was it?" She asked. Esme had seen how Alice looked at Desiree and Jasper as they interacted, it was like she wanted to go over and be with them, yet something held her back from it. "You want a child as bad as Rosalie don't you?" Alice looked at her. "I don't have to have any special powers to see that Alice, its instinct, I see it all over your face"
"I never really thought about it. Jasper never mentioned anything about being a father, not once" Alice said. "But, just look at the way he interacts with her. He's a natural at it. What I don't understand is why I couldn't see this coming. I keep having these visions, but their blurs. I can only make out a group of men and women and their fighting, but I don't even see their faces because the visions are so fast. And Desiree, I've seen nothing on her."
"Sometimes sweetheart, there are just things you can't see. Maybe it has something to do with her being different from a normal human. Edward can not even read her mind" She said. "And that's a first for him." Esme paused. "He's never had to deal with actually hurting someone when he's read their mind, and even though he doesn't say I know he feels bad."
Emmett suddenly bounded into the room and jumped on the couch, taking the remote from Jasper. "Dude! The games on!" He said. "Cartoon time is OVER" And with that Desiree crawled off of Jaspers lap and snatched the remote back. She reached up and hit Emmett in the forehead with it.
"THAT wasn't nahce!" She said. "Here Jazzy!" Desiree smiled and handed the remote back to him and crawled back onto his lap. "Emmy can watch cartoons like us!" she stated. Alice and Esme looked over at hearing laughter come from Rosalie., which in turn made the two of them laugh as well.
"You know Emmett" Rosalie started after regaining her composure. "I think you could learn something from her. She seems to have better manners than you"
Emmett glanced to all the women in the house and then looked at Jasper, who had a smirk on his face. A growl emitted from Emmett's throat and suddenly they heard another one come from Desiree, causing Emmett to completely stop. "Did you just do that"
"Yes" She stated. "Its not hard, ya'll growl all the tahme! Just act lahke a puppy and growl" She said and growled once again. "See!" Then suddenly she jumped up. "CAR'ISLE!!!" Every Vampire winced at the loudness of her voice, and Carlisle appeared within a few seconds. "You promised me ice cream!" She stated. Carlisle let out a light laugh.
"I did didn't I" He said with a smile on his face. "And that is why there is some in the kitchen just for you" He said pressing his index finger on her nose. "Why don't we go in the kitchen and eat"
"Okay!" Desiree said and Carlisle took her hand and led her towards the kitchen. Emmett reached over and grabbed the remote from Jasper again. He switched the channel back to the football came.
"You don't have the brat this time to whack me in the damn head" He laughed a bit before Jasper took the remote and hit him in the head with it. "What the hell!" Jasper laughed and got up.
"I don't need Desiree to hit you for me. The only good thing about that is you can't do anything about it" Jasper stated as he moved and put his arm around Alice. "Are you okay?" He asked kissing the top of her head.
"I'm fine Jazz" Alice smiled and reached up kissing his cheek. "We should leave Desiree with Emmett for a bit. I know some of us still need to hunt, yours was cut short the other day"
"I'm fine" Jasper started.
"Alice is right, You should probably go, Emmett just fed, he can watch her while we go." Esme said. "I think it will be good for him" She laughed slightly as Emmett jumped up as his team got a touchdown.
When Carlisle came back with Desiree from the kitchen, her mouth was covered in ice cream. "Carlisle, you didn't clean her up?" Esme asked in shock and he just laughed.
"She pretty much just dug in, and then came over here. I didn't have time to clean her up." He told his wife shaking his head.
"It was yummy! Chocolate with marshmallows!" Desiree exclaimed before looking up confused at the gathered adults. "Is something wrong?" she questioned them.
'Of course not sweetie" Esme said kneeling down. "We need to get you cleaned up though. You will be staying with Emmett for a little while" Desiree looked back at Emmett for a moment and grinned before turning back to her.
"Okay! Me and Emmy will have lotsa fun!!" She exclaimed.
As soon as Esme took the small girl from the room Emmett looked at the others. "I can't watch her! I know nothing about taking care of kids! She'll run all over me I know it…what if she gets into things…breaks things..gets hurt!" Emmett started rambling on until Carlisle cleared his throat.
"Emmett, she has caused no trouble for anyone else, why would she cause any for you?" Carlisle questioned his son. Emmett tried to come up with something but in the end just sat down and leaned back on the couch, his eyes narrowed. He was pouting. Emmett Cullen was pouting over having to watch a four year old during his football game. Rosalie shook her head at her husband as he acted like a child.
"This is exactly why you were put in charge of her!" Rosalie stated. "You act more like a child than an adult!" As she spoke Emmett mocked her until he was smacked upside the head by the blonde. "I do NOT appreciate that Emmett….you are going to watch Desiree WITHOUT so much as another complaint do you understand me?"
"Fine" Emmett mumbled and Desiree bounded down the stairs wearing her football jersey, her hair pulled up into pigtails. Emmett looked at her as she sat down but didn't say a word. "looks like its me and you kid" he told her as the others started to leave.
"Bye bye!!" Desiree waved to them before turning back to the television and started watching the game. "Emmy?"
"Yeah?"
"Which team is good"
"The blue one.."
"Okay..so red bad?"
"Yeah.."
Silence filled the air as they watched the game. Desiree took a glance towards Emmett every once and awhile and copied his movement. When the team got a touchdown he jumped up, and when he did immediately she followed. "Touchdown!" he yelled, and next to him a small voice followed.
"Touchdown! Yay!!" Desiree called out, not really understanding too much about the game. Her small form jumped up every time the team got a touch down her red eyes seemed to light up with happiness when Emmett picked her up and tossed her in the air when his team won a few hours later.
When the rest of the family came home Emmett was laying on the couch flipping through the channels on television, Desiree curled up with her head on his chest sleeping. Jasper looked at him and then at Desiree and raised an eyebrow. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing..we watched the football game and she crashed…." Emmett said casually. "You were right though, sweet kid." He said looking down at the child. "You should uh...probably get her in a bed or something…she's starting to drool" he said and Jasper moved over, gently picking her up. Desiree's eyes opened for a moment looking at Jasper before she closed them again and lay her head down on his shoulder with a yawn.
"I'll be back down in in a minute" Jasper stated moving upstairs.
Rosalie looked at her husband for a moment before a smile crossed her face. "Emmett" she paused. "What's wrong?"
"Rose…that was the best football game I've ever watched…and it wasn't because of the teams." Emmett sighed. "I can't even believe I'm saying this, but the kids adorable! She had no idea what was going on in that came but anytime I was up shouting she followed exactly what I did. She yelled touchdown in her little high pitched voice! Her pigtails bounced when she jumped up off the couch. That smile she has…."
"Emmett" Rosalie said cutting him off still smiling.
"Yeah?" He asked looking at his wife.
"You've fallen for that little charm she has, just like Jasper and Carlisle have." Rosalie laughed a bit. "She's done the same with myself, even though I've not spent one on one time with her, but you three. She has you wrapped around her tiny little finger. I'm just waiting for Edward to fall."
"Won't happen!" Edward yelled from the garage.
Emmett sighed and sat up on the couch running his hand through his hair. "She's turned this place upside down hasn't she? I don't know how we're going to do this Rosalie. She leaves it won't be the same. I mean I thought Edward getting mad about my pranks was funny. She somehow makes him even angrier! it's the funniest thing I've ever seen!" Emmett stated.
"We'll have to see what happens" Rosalie said before walking into the other room. Stopping she leaned against the wall and sighed, she knew that things would change after the child disappeared from their lives.
The next morning Desiree raced down the stairs in a baggy pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt. Her baseball cap with turned backwards and as she looked up she saw all the Cullens there. "Whats wrong?" she asked them tilting her head to the side a bit. Her smile disappeared as she felt sadness sweep over Jasper and then to the rest of the family.
"Desiree" Carlisle stepped forward and kneeled down. "We have to take you to a place that will find your Mom and Dad"
Desiree looked at Carlisle for a moment before sighing and going to Jasper taking his hand. She said nothing and kept her head down. Esme looked at the young girl and then to the others before nodding to Carlisle. "Lets go then" she stated and headed towards the garage. They divided themselves up into two cars: Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Rosalie in one. The other consisted of Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Desiree. The car was silent with the exception of Emmett trying to make jokes to make Desiree laugh. The child stayed curled up in the backseat with her head resting on Jaspers lap though, not saying a word. Alice watched in the rearview mirror as Jasper silently stroked her hair as he looked out the window.
When they pulled up to the house and got out of the car, Desiree's hand tightened on Jaspers. A man and a woman walked out with smiles on their faces to greet the family. "Hello, I'm Michelle Sanders and this is my husband Daniel"
"My names Carlisle Cullen"
"Oh, yes I spoke with you on the phone about the child you found" The woman looked at Desiree and smiled. "Hello Sweetheart" She said to her. "What's your name?"
"Ah'm Desiree" She said looking up. Michelle let out a slight gasp seeing the girls eyes and took a step backwards. Immediately the child moved behind Jasper to hide from their view.
"Well Desiree, why don't we get you inside. We have a room set up for you and there are cookies that Michelle made" Daniel said approaching her.
"No..ah don't wanna go" Desiree said quickly. "Ah wanna stay with Jazper"
Jasper exchanged looks with the other Cullen's just as Michelle picked Desiree up. The young girl struggled until she was let down and went straight for Emmett. The look on her face dared them to try and come through him. Jasper looked at Michelle with a glare until Alice nudged him warningly, he looked as though he wanted to kill her right then for putting her hands on Desiree.
Carlisle moved to Desiree and knelt down to her level. "They are nice people Desiree. I have spoken with them. They are going to help find your parents."
"If you'd like, we can allow her to call you" Michelle said with a friendly smile. "If it will be easier on her we will do what we can."
"What a wonderful idea" Esme said. "You can call us everyday if you wish"
"Ah can talk to ya" Desiree questioned and looked down. "Promise?"
"Promise" the family told her with smiles on their face. Desiree sighed and walked towards the two, looked back for a moment.
"Love ya" She stated as Michelle took her hand. As the Cullens headed back to the car, Desiree was halfway down the driveway when she started to yell and scream. "NO!!" Her hands flew up in the air and she took off towards the cars. "Don't leave meh! Don't! Bad people!" she cried, her eyes tearing up completely. "Don't leave meh Jazper!"
At those words Jasper was out of the car and headed towards her when Emmett and Edward both got in front of him. "This has to happen Jasper, she can't stay with us" Edward stated.
"Ah promise ah'll beh good!" She screamed as Daniel picked her up. "Ah won't watch cartoons when footballs on! Ah will stay outa Eddy's room!" Tears streamed down the childs face. "Ah'll beh a good girl!! Ah Promise ah'll beh a good girl!!"
"This is wrong! " Jasper growled. "She was fine…something isn't right!"
"She's a child that's confused Jasper" Edward said holding back his own emotions.
"Bad people, don't make me go with the bad people!! Please!!!" Desiree screamed. "Jazper! Emmy! Please!!" Her screams disappeared as they went into the house. She appeared at the window and Jasper took one last glance before getting into the car.
"I don't like this" He stated as the family drove away from the scene, Jasper's mind was uneasy the entire way home with a feeling of terror for the young girl. He wasn't sure about the two humans he had met, especially with the way the women reacted to seeing Desiree.