Disclaimer: I'm currently wishing Jasper was MINE! But I don't own Twilight or Jasper....
Changes
Chapter 3 – Mystery
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Cassidy sat on her bed, twirling her favourite video camera in her hands. She felt numb inside, even through tears rolled down her cheeks. Esme and Rosalie had left her alone, to settle in and adjust. Steeling herself, she switched the camera on and opened the viewfinder. A small picture came up. Sniffing, she pressed play...
***
It was her 14th birthday, and she was going down to the beach with her family and friends.
"Smile for the camera Kelly!" she squealed, holding her new camera in her hand. Running alongside Kelly, the camera's picture bounced up and down. Kelly stuck out her tongue in response. "Very mature" Cassidy giggled. Swinging it round she landed on Jonathan, "Hey big bro! Smile at the birthday girl!"
"I think I'm gonna do more than that!" he yelled, slinging her over his broad shoulder. She shrieked the camera going out of focus for a few moments. Pummeling his back, she yelled "Jonathan George Andrews! Put me down this instant!"
Johnathan put her down, shaking with laughter, "Yes ma'am! Happy birthday twinkle toes," he whispered, so only she could hear.
Zooming in, she spotted her baby sister. "Hey Georgie! We're going down to the beach; we're going to build sandcastles for your princesses, aren't we?" She said, handing the camera to Jonathan, while she picked Georgiana up, and balanced her on her hip. Reaching out for the camera, Jonathan held it out of her reach. "Cassie, birthday girls are meant to relax. Consider me your personal documenter," finished with a bow. Cassidy grinned, and played with Georgiana's fingers.
"OH MY GOD! Is there something you haven't told us Cass? You're a mom?!" Turning in the direction of the voice, Cassidy's grin grew wider.
"AHHHHHH! Mel, Natalie?! I thought you were in Bombay?" she squealed.
"Too humid," Melody replied, pointing at her frizzy hair.
"Besides, since when have we missed your parties? Or baby showers?" Natalie asked, pointing at Georgiana.
"You know Georgie guys. Cut it out"
"Your problem is, you look too much like a mum when you're with Georgie here," Melody said, cooing at the gurgling toddler.
They all laughed.
The footage stopped and started again.
They had arrived at the beach.
"Oi Cassie! Show us your moves," Jonathan yelled, imitating Saturday Night Fever.
She glared and through a loaf of bread at him, "Shut up! I do not look like I've been electrocuted for one thing, and unlike you, my stomach doesn't rule me!" she yelled back, jokingly pointing at the piece of bread now clutched between his fingers.
Jonathan grinned, "Yeah, but it all translates into muscle. I don't have to work to get this body" He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. Even Cassie had to laugh. Reaching out, he grabbed the camera from her hands. "Now go blow these others out of the water!"
Cassie grinned and stood up, dusting the warm sun off her blue short shorts. She took her position, and stood perfectly still, her arms and head raised towards the sun. "Music if you please maestro?" she reminded Jonathan.
The first bars of Leave Out All The Rest came through a black iPod in Kelly's hand. Cassidy began moving, the sand warm beneath her toes, letting the music surround her, her feet unconsciously moving beneath her. She leapt into the air, suspended in the highest point of the grande jete, turned inside out, she felt beautiful. Her feet found solid ground, and she lifted her leg up until she was doing the splits in mid-air. She dropped her leg into a lunge, and went into a pirouette. Spinning round and round, the world turned into a blur. As a slight tremor crept up her leg, she finished her last turn, and slid into side splits, her chin in her hands, grinning.
'WHOOOO! That's my baby girl," yelled her mom and dad. Cassidy grinned, stood up, and enveloped her family and friends into a group hug.
"Any last words before we go home Cassie?" Jonathan asked.
Cassie grabbed the camera, and held in above her in the air, getting a shot of everyone.
"Love you!" she yelled. The camera shot froze, her grinning, hopeful face, beaming up at her.
***
The camera went black. It was all over. Curling up on her side, she sobbed into her pillow. It was all over...
***
Edward knocked on the door of Carlisle's study, unsettled by the muffled sobs coming from the door across the hall.
"Come in," Carlisle answered.
Edward opened the door and entered, "I have something to ask you. Its about Cassidy"
"If its about being related, I'd prefer to tell you all at once, and I don't think its the right time yet"
Edward shook his head, "It's not about that. I could hear her thoughts while she was sleeping, and not...Well, actually I could and can hear them clearly now. Ever since she received the news about her family's murder....But I couldn't hear them while she was awake," he finished, his face torn between sadness and confusion.
"Yes...it's very strange. I do have one theory, but it's quite far-fetched," Carlisle replied, thoughtful. Edward waited, listening to Carlisle's thoughts.
"When she's vulnerable? How do you mean?" Edward asked.
"She was sleeping, she had no control over what she was thinking, she was vulnerable And now she's devastated. Her whole world has just been torn apart, and she has no strength to rebuild it now. She's vulnerable. But, as I said, it is only a theory," he smiled softly. Edward nodded.
"And now, we will need to talk about normality for both her and us. It is the first time we've had to keep up the charade in our own house," he continued.
***
Cassidy had cried herself to sleep, surrendering to the painless option it offered. Waking, she saw it was dark outside. Frowning, she heard voices downstairs. She checked the watch she always wore. It was 3am. Her frown deepened as she crept silently out of her room. Something was not right. Soundlessly, she crept downstairs, pausing at the foot of the stairs. In the lounge were the Cullens. They were wide-awake, and didn't look the slightest bit tired. Emmett was playing chess with Jasper. Esme and Carlisle were deep in discussion. Alice was mouthing something at Jasper from the computer, Rosalie was watching TV, and Edward was looking silently out the window. Carlisle and Esme's lips were moving impossibly fast and she couldn't hear what they were saying. Rosalie and Edward were completely still. Alice's lips also moved impossibly fast, and her fingers on the keyboard were a blur. This didn't seem right. It didn't even look like they were breathing. Edward frowned, his face reflecting off the glass, and began to turn around. Cassidy took no risks, and flew up the stairs. Something was going on and she was going to find out...
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Hi! I wanted to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, alerted or favourited this story! It means a lot to me :)
Anyway, next chapter – Clues
You'll find out more about the whole distant relation thing, where Cassidy will be going to school, etc, what she'll discover, etc. Bella will be coming in soon, don't worry :)