Chapter 4 – Bonding
Alice practically danced through my closet. My closet was a cleared out room that was adjoined to my chamber room. I sat on the couch in the closet and spoke with Alice. "How long have you been with Carlisle?" Alice was appraising a red satin wrap dress, "Since the 1950's. Can have this?" she held out the dress. "Yes. And how did you get your abilities?" Alice tossed the dress onto the couch with me and I folded it, "How do any of us get them? Once we changed into this life, we have them. Carlisle believes that our abilities are developments from a human strength we had. We simply take the human strength with us in this life and it is amplified." I thought about that for a while, "Well, were you a psychic as in you human years?" Alice was looking at a fuchsia top, "I don't remember anything from my human life. Can I take this?" I smiled, "Yes. You were in this life too long." She shook her head, "No, my earliest memory is that I was in the dark. Then I remember waking up to this life." I showed Alice the skirt that matches the top she picked, "That's all you remember?" She nodded, "Yes, but that's fine with me. My life truly began when I met Jasper." "Jasper?" "Yes, he's my husband." That was a surprise, "You're married?"
She smiled, "Yes, we've been married for almost 60 years." "And Carlisle allowed you to?" She chuckled, "We were married before we met Carlisle and if not, why would he stop us?" I scoffed, "Well, that shows you how much I get out." We laughed, "Well, while I am here, we may have to change that." I looked to the floor. This was the hope I had to let go of. "Don't worry yourself about that. Is there anything else you like?" I gestured to the rest of the clothes. Alice sat on the floor, "I think I may have to buy more luggage." "Well, we have bags here no one uses, or do you just want any excuse to shop? If so, forget what I just said." Alice and I laughed, then Alice's eyes looked to my room, "Rosalie's coming." I looked to the room and heard nothing. "When….?" Alice held up one finger and nodded to my room. Knock, knock, knock. I smiled as Alice went for the door. "Rose, you must see her closet." Rosalie walked in with Alice and I heard her gasp. Alice giggled when they reached me, "Select anything you like," I smiled to Rosalie. She smiled timidly at me and began eyeing my clothes. "Isabella, where…" I held up my hand, "First of all, if you're going to shop in my closet, please, call me Bella. I prefer it, even though my parents hate it. But they are not here, so please, no 'Isabella.' Call me Bella." They looked at each other and smiled, "Fine, Bella," Rosalie smiled, "Where did you get all this?" I scoffed, "I have a personal shopper. She ordered all this from shops all over Italy and some from Paris. That collection I am nervous to show you." They laughed and I joined them. We spent hours in my closet, mixing and matching the clothes I have. Alice came up with great ideas and I had to hide my grimace, knowing the fact I would have nowhere to wear her ideas.
Rosalie told me about her past and what happened with her human fiancée. That was an example of the despicable things humans do to each other. She explained how she killed him, how she adapted to her new life and how saved Emmett. When Alice and Rosalie left to go hunting, I waited in my room for them. I thought over what they told me, especially the parts about their husbands. The both of them were so in love. Being in love was a concept that never came to me. I was too focused on seeing the world, but seeing the world with a man who loved me. The idea of it made me smile, but I pushed the thought away. I couldn't hope for that; I can't want that.
When Carlisle and his family returned, I heard fighting coming from the courtyard about the main chamber. I went to see who was fighting. When I saw, it was Emmett and Jasper; they were wrestling. Edward and Carlisle were standing on the side watching them. They looked towards me and smiled. I returned it and looked back in time to see Jasper coming towards me. Emmett threw him and he did not see me standing there. I gasped and was suddenly moved out of the way. I saw I was in Edward's arms, standing opposite the room from where I was. "Bella, I am so sorry. We didn't see you," Jasper was apologizing. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine…. Thanks to Edward," looked up at him. He hadn't placed me back on my feet, not that I was complaining. "Edward, she's fine, you can put her down now," Emmett stated. I heard a chuckle in his voice. Edward and I looked at each other; we smiled as he placed me on the ground. I looked away, trying to distract myself, "Umm, Emmett that was such a powerful throw. I wonder if you could take on Felix or Demetri?" I heard Edward laughed, "I would be interested in seeing that too." I looked to him, "Do you fight with them?" He shook his head, "No, neither of them like to fight with me. I have a slight advantage," he explained and tapped his forehead. "Ahhh." He could hear their thoughts and counter their attacks.
Jasper came to stand with us, but left and stood a few feet away. Carlisle and Emmett were now fighting. From time to time, I saw Jasper and Edward exchange glances. "Bella, can I ask you something?" Edward asked, taking my attention from the fight. "Yes?" I noticed he called me 'Bella.' "In the main chamber, when you were showing us your shield, I noticed that when Felix was under it, I couldn't hear his thoughts. Why was that?" I tilted my head to the side, "You didn't hear him? I don't know. I never knew that could happen." Edward deliberated for a moment, then looked to Jasper, "I wonder. I can hear Jasper's thoughts right now. Can you extend your shield to him? I want to see if it can block him too?" I nodded and pushed my shield behind me. I didn't need to look at him to know when my shield covered him. I felt his presence when the shield was over him. "Interesting, I cannot hear him anymore." This was an interesting development. When others were under my shied, Edward could not hear them either. Jasper looked up at us and looked to Edward. Edward smiled, "Bella, could you pull back your shield? Jasper is trying to tell me something." I looked back at Jasper and smiled, pulling away my shield. Jasper's eyebrows were furrowed. "I couldn't hear your thoughts. Bella covered you in her shield and it shielded your mind. I couldn't hear a thing from you." We heard Carlisle exhale and looked in time to see him end his fight with Emmett. Emmett huffed, "Who blew the whistle?" he asked as Carlisle walked towards me and Edward. "You can't hear people who are under her shield?" Edward shook his head, "No, I noticed it when she first did it with Felix and she just tried with Jasper. I couldn't hear a thing from his mind."
Carlisle and Emmett looked to Jasper, "That is truly fascinating." I thought of something, "Can I try something?" I asked. "Please," Carlisle stated. I expanded my shield to cover Emmett, Carlisle and Jasper, "Can you hear any of them?" I looked to Edward. He shook his head. I pushed my shield to cover Edward, "Can you hear them now?" He gasped, "I can. Did you pull it back?" I shook my head, "No, it's still up. I first covered them and then I covered you. All of us are under the shield." Jasper laughed, "Like a one-way mirror. He cannot hear us unless he's under the shield with us." "Well, my father will find this a very interesting development." Carlisle laughed, "Aro sends scouts to look all over the world for vampires with formidable abilities and he stumbles over you." I smiled, "Yes, but he almost drained me. He told me my blood was enchanting to him. He said I had a very floral scent; it was very tempting." Emmett laughed and punched Jasper in the arm. They resumed their fight.
I looked to Edward, "Don't you fight with them?" He laughed, "Rarely, I have a slight advantage," he tapped his forehead. "Well, I could help with that." We smiled at each other and watched the rest of the match as Emmett won. Edward smiled back at me and stepped forward, "Emmett, it's my turn. And, don't worry, Bella will use her shield. So now, it will be a fair fight." Emmett grimaced, "All right." Edward walked into the center, while Jasper and Carlisle stood together. I expanded my shield over Edward. While they fought, it was a little troubling for me to keep up with Edward; he moved so fast. I thought about switching my shield to Emmett, but I felt almost brighter having Edward under the shield with me. I watched the match and Emmett won. "FINALLY! I beat him. Thank you, Bella," he bellowed. He patted Carlisle on the shoulder and left. Jasper was shaking his head and laughed, "Yes, thanks Bella. Now he will be even more smug about being the strongest fighter." Jasper followed after Emmett and Carlisle, leaving me and Edward alone. I looked over to him while he was standing in the middle of the courtyard, "Did I make things worse for you?" He laughed, "Not really. Actually, I let him win. When I fight him again, with you here, I won't hold back." I sniffed and walked over to him, "Do you think you can teach me to fight like that?" He looked down at me, "Yes. I could teach you." We were so close to each other. I never felt so…. alive being this close to him. I was never this close to any man that I wasn't related to. I wanted to reach out and touch him. "Isabella." The both of us jumped and saw Caius and Marcus walking over to us. Caius was staring at me with angry eyes and Marcus was staring at Edward.
"Isabella, your father wants to speak with you," Caius said, then he looked to Edward. I looked up Edward, "Alright." I saw Edward was looking down at me. I never lifted my shield from him. I pulled it back and left with Caius. I looked back to Edward and Marcus. I flashed a small smile at Edward. I knew my father would be upset with me when he finds out that I was left alone with Edward.